Chapter 4 - The Priestess, The Pervert and The Pyro
Aotaka Yume savoured the sweet taste of sugary cereal and continued to do so when an arcane circle appeared in the middle of his living room signalling an interruption to his little morning indulgence.
He would have been more wary of whoever was entering his home without invitation but from his dining table, he could see that the circle was of demonic origins like the one that was placed in the Occult Research Club.
'Still I should find some barriers to prevent anyone from just teleporting in here.'
Then the transfer finished and Tsubaki Shinra appeared as business-like and proper as her best friend and king, Sona.
There was a moment of silence as the two looked at each other that was only broken when Taka took more spoons of his blissfully sweet cereal.
No he wasn't going to put his breakfast away and address her, cereal had to be eaten quickly before it got soggy and became unfit for consumption and he would be even more damned before he let that happen.
Finally a minute and a half later he dropped the spoon into the bowl with a clang and decided to ask her what she wanted.
"You know it might be considered rude to just enter someone's house without an invitation." Taka said dryly.
"It might also be considered rude to reside in someone's territory and not let them know" She shot back not missing a beat.
With a slight nod to acknowledge her point, he moved on to the actual topic.
"So what did Sona send you here for, is she ready to start teaching this poor novice the arcane arts?"
Not rising to his bait which she had already knew about, Tsubaki decided to just deliver her message quickly.
"Yes she is but first she needs to know in what areas do you wish to learn magic on. While she will focus on training your control, there are other forms that you could learn. For instance she helped teach me Reverse Magic when I first entered her peerage."
Yume stored away that little piece of knowledge and thought about the message, from the magic books that his father gave him, he had gained a basic overview of several common forms of magic. However many of them either didn't work as they required a certain affinity or magic power like illusions, most elements and healing or were useless at the time so his skill in them was mostly untested; such as teleportation circles and familiar making.
The one field apart from the elements that Aotaka was fairly confident in were the different magical language; he got into them because they had a wide area of effects that could help with concealing any excess magic or making the basement where he practiced his magic fireproof.
"Hmm...I have little talent in most forms of magic that I've tried but could Sona help me with getting some books of arcane languages? Not just Demonic but some of the other groups like Celtic or Sumerian?"
Tsubaki thought for a moment before responding "My king and her clan are would likely be able to find what you need, though that type of magic isn't very useful in battle so I'm not sure if she knows it."
"The languages are little known art, only those who specializes in its subtle intricacies can full grasp its worth." he said in a grandiose tone.
"Yes…Rias told us about your 'subtle' magic" she deadpanned, causing Taka to affect a pained expression at the reference to his mistakes with fire magic.
"Alas to be betrayed by my own King…is there no place in this world for one such as me."
Tsubaki just signed at his dramatizations and pitied her King for the sacrifice she was making, well she had gotten what she came for so she prepared to leave, the circle already appearing on the floor when Yume decided to ask something that had been on his mind.
"Tsubaki…when I left did Sona say anything about back then?"
The half-formed circle faded as the Queen looked back at him with heterochromatic eyes and seemed to be considering something.
"No…she didn't but should it really be something that you hide? Gremory-san's peerage is closer than most, they are truly more like a family than anything else couldn't they help?"
He stay silent for a moment mulling over her words, everything she said might be true the club wasn't something he needed to hide that from. In fact it might even be seen as a way of bridging some gaps between them by sharing his own story, still…
"It isn't necessary…I'm better than I was before, I accepted my father's death and that I couldn't do anything about it. Admittedly I was depressed who wouldn't be? But I've moved on and bringing it back up won't really change anything."
Tsubaki accepted his words and left without any more comments because she could sense the truth in his words like Yume knew she would and there was the trick.
Everything he said was true, he had gotten over his father's death but the revelations of what he was had risen something he hadn't gotten over namely
'My father died that night on that road were there was no one to help so why didn't I?'
He just didn't know what had happened that night they were heading home after a late night party or why of the two, it was the sleeping teenager that had survived when the car had skid on the roads.
Maybe it was chance, fate or perhaps God looking out for the child with angelic blood. Aotaka didn't know and he didn't want to look too closely for fear of what he might find out.
'Geez that was a depressing start to this day, still at least I got the most troublesome thing of the day done first. Still all that is really stands out on my schedule today would be my first contract and that shouldn't be too troublesome.'
Occult Research Club
As he lied down on the club couch, Taka gave a small chuckle that Kiba who was doing a bit of work for their math class noted.
"Remembering something funny Taka?"
"Oh its nothing, it's just I kinda thought I was tempting fate this morning when I said that my first contract shouldn't be troublesome. Still everything turned out fairly well, even though I wasn't really expecting my first job to be like that. I did think that it's kinda mundane for a devil, see" he said handing over the sheet with his contract info.
Yuuto looked over the sheet and found himself fairly surprised at what job the contract system had picked out for the new devil.
"Yes that is fairly strange but I guess the system thought it suited you and most contracts at our level are fairly mundane and don't really differ much from anything normal humans could do."
Then the female members of the club walked in.
"Something happened to the Ise's contractor, we think that he's under attack from a fallen or exorcist so get ready to leave." commanded Rias as the transfer circle was already activating.
"Though there are some exceptions" Kiba said already putting away his schoolwork and joining the rest of the peerage.
With a grin that hide a small worry about just what was happening to the only person he really trusted in the peerage, Taka hopped in the shining circle as the peerage of Rias Gremory minus one disappeared in a flash of light.
House of Contractor
The first thing that Taka noted as they appeared in what he assumed was the contractor's house was a scent of blood that reminded him of Viser though this smell was fresher and then he saw the source.
Ise's contractor was hung in a reverse crucifix with his body sliced up like Christmas ham and Ise was there as well also bleeding from what looked like gunshot wounds and several slashes, though he still stood up tall defending a small, golden-haired…
"Asia?!" Taka exclaimed disbelievingly interrupting the banter going on between the rest of the peerage and some guy with a light-saber in one hand and a gun in the other who looked like he had fallen down the stairs a couple times.
Without a care, he walked towards the dragon and the priestess and noted that Asia's face was bleeding lightly and had gotten her shirt cut open. At this sight he turned to Ise who looked more pissed then he had ever seen him with his red gauntleted fist clenched tightly and his gaze never fully leaving the white-hair across the room.
The exorcist in question was now directing his banter at Yume.
"Who's this little devil looking to die? ~ weellll just line up over there, I'll get to you once I finish off this Mr Shitty Devil!"
He declared as he raced towards the trio…and promptly jumped back to evade the small but fast flame bullets that Taka sent directly from his open palm at the priest's feet.
Aotaka Yume looked at the frothing mad exorcist and with a look of absolute boredom asked one simple thing.
"What's your name?"
"Huh? Mr flaming Devil wants my name? Well I'm the amazing Father Freed Sellzen, you Flaming Shit Devil" He said with a twisted grin on his face to contrast the boredom on Yume's "Are you angry Mr Flaming Devil are you buddy buddy with that shitty nun or maybe you're flaming for that other shitty devil, which one of you pitches huh?"
Taka's face still didn't change but he did response to Freed's insanity "Firstly the ambiguously gay one is Kiba not me" "Hey!" Taka took a second at the protesting knight with a look that said 'you know it's true.'
"Secondly" he continued "I make the effort to remember the names of people about to die, even those stupid enough that they decided to face a group of people each fairly capable of kicking their ass."
Freed just looked at the group of devils glaring at him with his tongue hanging out and his arms swaying before suddenly hugging himself and exclaiming.
"Mmhhh! All this killing intent is so good for my devout soul! Give me some more shitty devils!"
This finally made the mage's expression change into something more contemplative "You're actually insane huh? When I do it, it's only like 30 percent real but you're genuinely insane. Still don't worry Freed-kun I'll put an end to your suffering" he said as that expression changed into a beatific smile designed solely to piss off his opponent.
"Ugh Freed-kun? You're killing my boner with your shitty smell" The exorcist replied making a disgusted face as everyone else wondered what the hell happened to Aotaka.
'Umm Taka are you feeling ok?" Ise asked the adrenaline and rage that was coursing through his vein because of Freed's actions now slowing down.
Without turning back to face him, Taka responded with "I'm pretty good actually; I completed my first contract without any problems, the cafeteria had those chicken sandwiches I like for lunch and now there's a lost soul who needs to be guided to the afterlife…through the cleansing power of fire of course."
This last part was punctuated by Aotaka's arms erupting in flames that quickly turned into the condensed orange cover just waiting to be modeled into burning weapons. He needed to buy Ise sometime for him to recover and also wanted some time to see what an exorcist was capable of.
Fed up with the strange devil Freed ran at the strange devil narrowly dodging an attack by Kiba and with that beatific smile still on his face, Taka went to face him his feet exploding in flames to meet the Stray exorcist.
"Come now Freed-kun there's no need to fight the fire, it will consume you anyway.' Taka chided as he grabbed the oncoming light blade with his left hand now hardened into a gauntleted form. The result shocked everyone when instead of his hand being injured, the light blade become warped and shattered into pieces.
Taka then had to retreat as Freed brought up the pistol with his own left hand and fire bullets at light at the mage, which he barely dodged with a back step enhanced by another flame burst sending back to where Issei and Asia were.
"Alright Ise you recovered enough to step in?"
"I'll be glad" Ise replied "he was my opponent anyway" standing up firmly, the light poisoning him gone.
Taka looked over Ise to see that his wounds had vanished with only the cuts on his clothes and already spilt blood giving any indication that they ever existed.
"Dude what happened to your injuries? If that sacred gear can heal you as well then I'm calling the admin to complain about balancing issues."
"No that was Asia, her sacred gear can heal wounds" he answered, prompting the fire mage to glance at the nun who was giving him a grateful smile despite the wounds on her face.
'So she's alright…but why does her sacred gear give me a bad feeling? like i'm forgetting something?'
"Huh if you gibbering on about devil being good people wasn't bad enough now you're healing them? I'm going to enjoy what she's going to do to you and that gear. After all your such a stupid bitch that you didn't even learn your lesson after being exile —WHOA" The Psychopath exclaimed as he narrowly avoided the blow of the Red Dragon Emperor who closed the distance in an instant.
"Shut the fuck up Freed! I'm getting real tired of your shit."
Freed now dealing with an opponent that he was more familiar with, showcased his impressive agility and skill, evading Issei despite the fact that the boosted gear wielder was at a level that the light bullets could no longer hurt him.
But he forgot that there were other opponents apart from the dragon and magus.
"Enough."
And with barely any exertion of effort, Ise and Taka's master stepped in, sending a blast of her power that narrowly avoided consuming Freed entirely blasting a hole in the apartment big enough for everyone go through.
"It was good to finally see what my cute little pawns can do but I'm growing increasingly annoyed at the presence of what I assume is a stray exorcist in my territory trying to hurt my peerage" At this Rias presence seem to darken the room and tendrils of black outlined in red began gathering around her body.
Despite this Freed's crazed demeanour didn't change, then he glanced behind at the new opening and his sick face grew even more twisted in ecstatic joy.
"Hyu-! All of the fallen angel-samas will be coming soon, this is going to be some much fun slicing up all you shitty devils"
Akeno looked out of the hole and asking her king for orders on the situation.
"Bucho if there's a large group of fallen heading this way, thing will get dangerous if we're here when they come"
As Rias considered the situation for a moment, Taka had that bad feeling again and he looked at the sacred Asia hiding behind Ise who stood definitely against Freed and whatever else may come his way.
'She could be…but that would be just messed up' Aotaka wondering if his fears could be true and also what it might mean for Asia.
"Everyone we need to leave now" Rias ordered coming to conclusion that the fight and its repercussions would be too costly.
"Bucho! We need to take her with us" Ise said holding onto Asia with his boosted gear "She's my friend and helped heal me!"
Rias looked at the two with no small amount of sadness in her eyes before she assumed the position of the King. "I'm sorry Ise but no. My magic circle only works for devils, we can't take her with us. She worked with Freed so she's part of their group, it's too dangerous, it could start a war."
Aotaka flickered briefly towards his king at her words but the majority of his attention was firmly at the golden hair nun as he remembered everything that he knew about her, along with what he…well suspected was too light a word…what he feared was true.
"But they'll hurt her! She risked her life to heal me and she's a good person please Bucho!"
As Ise and Rias argued, Yume came to a conclusion about everything not only what Asia had likely done but also what would happen to her in the future if they left her here and so he need to*BLAM*
"Don't just run little Devils! I just can't stand blueballing!" Exclaimed Freed, the psychotic bastard who just fired a light bullet into Yume's stomach*BLAM* make that two, before dodging an attack by Kiba and Koneko.
"Taka!" Ise exclaimed as he forgot about his argument with Bucho and raced towards his stumbling friend who had an empty look on his face "Asia! Help!" he cried though the Priestess was already heading to heal him.
In those few seconds that felt like hours, Ise held his friend up by the shoulder as Asia raced towards him while Yume knew what he had to do to end this
Grasping Ise's shoulder to steady himself, he tapped into his magic power and did something he rarely tried.
"Suffer in fire and wind Freed" He said in a resolute voice as he released an elemental combination, fusing fire and wind in a mix that created a wall of fire that blew the Psychotic Priest right out of the building and out of their hair. He winced at the sudden drain from his reserves reminding him of when he was just a human and such a feat was completely out of his grasp
'Wasn't that just a week ago?' he thought dimly before the pain of the wound dissipated as Asia had finally reach him, her hands glowing a light refreshing green.
Then surprising those there Aotaka having no time to be delicate, grasped her roughly by the shoulder and asked her directly.
"Did. You. Heal. Raynare" the question shocked Ise who had images of her flashing through his mind and Rias as well who knew who Raynare was.
"Wha…S…she was hurt, burned badly…how did you?" Asia questioned so shocked by the sudden question that the emerald glow disappeared, though the damage was mostly gone already.
"I know" Taka said "because it was my last bloody act as a human but now it's gone and she's coming here to kill me and Ise."
Having heard enough, Rias made herself very clear "Ise, Aotaka we're leaving now, this situation is too volatile and could bring the three factions to blows once more" she commanded already creating the runic circle for transportation.
Despite being still wary of his ex-girlfriend, Ise once more tried to plead his case "Bucho please we can't leave" "Ise. Shut. Up."
This made everyone freeze as it was not Rias who spoke but instead Aotaka Yume who was now psyching himself up to do something very dangerous/stupid.
"Taka…" Ise began brokenly as Asia felt tears build up as yet again people suffered because she healed the wrong person.
"These are the facts" Yume interrupted "Rias's circle only works with devils, we can't stay here with risking both ours and the lives of everyone in the peerage, also…" He then directed another question at Asia.
"Asia when were you sent to first told to come here" Confused over the change in topic Asia answered.
"A few weeks ago…I was told that the fallen would take care of me after I was exiled from the church."
This was the answer that Yume feared the most as it fell into place with what he already deduced.
"Son of a…another thing to add on to that pile of facts is that Asia is probably going to die if we leave her here even if she didn't help us."
This stunned the priestess into choked silence "Wha…What do you mean Taka?" asked Issei.
"Freed said that they were going to do something to Asia and her sacred gear. I'm not sure but since Fallen were originally part of god's army, they probably know more about sacred gears than the devils do. They called Asia here even before we messed up Raynare which means they planned to do something with her and I don't think it'll be nice."
He then looked at his king and asked one question "Rias can the Fallen take Sacred Gears from humans? Is their knowledge of God's system enough to take away the little defense humans have against the dark."
She said nothing and all of Yume's fears were realized.
Issei's body shook with so much fury at the idea of the fallen trying once more to take thing from him; first his life, then his friend's and now the kind girl who healed a small boy with a hurt knee because she had to power to make the pain stop.
"No" He said with cleaned teeth "I'm not letting them touch you….you hear that Asia Argento even if god doesn't help you I will beg the devil if I have to!"
Boosted Gear Second Liberation!
The god-killer cried out, the green gem glowing brightly as it changed its form into something more draconian that brimmed with power.
'What is that" Rias asked shocked by the transformation as Ise looked at the altered sacred gear with confusion that soon shifted to comprehension and then disappointment.
"Boosted Gear Gift" he began "it allows me to transfer my built up energy to others and empower than and in this situation is absolutely useless."
They stayed silent for a moment before Taka who was focusing all the energy he had to pull of something very stupid decided to interject.
"Not if you want to stick it to the Wicked Witch and save the Princess, Ise."
Everyone turned to him even Akeno, Koneko and Kiba who were setting up a defensive position.
"What?!" Ise asked hoping that his friend had one last trick left up his sleeve.
"Rias' circle only works with Devils because that's how it's designed, plus it only requires a small amount of demonic power to use if you can connect it with two circles like the one in the club and the one on the contract flyers. It beyond anything I could do…but if I screw efficiency and power conservation I can make a circle here using a Magician's circle and connect it to the one at my house. I've been building up my power this entire time but I could use an extra boost."
He gave Ise a huge grin that covered 50 percent of his face and asked Kuoh academy's most famed pervert one question.
"I'll ask you one more thing Ise, do you feel like screwing over Raynare one more time and saving your little princess?"
Ise looked at him like he dropped from heaven which was possible true and gave smile to rival Taka's own.
"Hell Yes!" He cried as with a call of TRANSFER, all of the energy he had built up rushed to fuel the magician who could only marvel as his depleted reserves replenished in an instant and rose to a level he could not imagine reaching on his own…at least not yet.
With a single titanic effort Aotaka Yume created a link to the practically abandoned transport circle and a bright blue circle appeared next to the Gremory clan's own.
He gave his king a smile "Sorry but I don't think I can carry the entire peerage but I'll be checking in soon Bucho, now Asia and Ise get inside the circle and keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times."
Rias looked at her erratic pawns and gave a smile at the result they achieved when working together.
"You know this might worsen relationships between the three factions right" She asked already knowing their answer.
The two just looked at each other and shrugged before Ise answered "Raynare wanted to kill all 3 of us as humans so it really isn't any of the three factions' business. It's between the four of us."
"Yep, it's a Priestess, a Pervert and a Pyro vs The Grigori…those poor bastards don't stand a chance" he said with a grin "now are is everyone ready to leave?" he asked joining Asia and Ise on his magician circle.
With a rueful shake of her head Rias went to join rest of her peerage on her family circle and began to start the transfer before Taka interrupted on last time.
"Hey Bucho you wanted to see what me and Ise are capable of right? Well I just thought of a little present for Raynare."
With his right arm held high, Yume transferred the leftover energy from Ise's Boosted Gear Gift, which was still a lot more than he had on a good day, into it
The orange covering appeared once more on his arm and then as more and more power flooded into it, the orange became shifting into blue until it resembled his cerulean eyes. His breathing getting harder, Taka had everyone's attention when he said "I decided to call this Flame Armament…a collection of weapons forged from fire and shaped by my imagination."
With it he envisioned a simple design that would be both effective….and easy to multiple; concentration he fired a stake of blue fire at the ground that imbedded itself in the ground until it couldn't be seen, and then another again and again in every direction until more than twenty of them covering the apartment unseen.
"Now when you guys get to the club look for the fireworks" He said with a child-like delight.
"Such a Pyro" Koneko said at the glee he had at the destruction he was about to cause.
"I accept my nature so that when the time is right and the stars align, I can burn a house with hopefully a lot fallen and exorcists in it, just enjoy the show." He finished after writing something in fire on the ground and vanishing along with Asia and Ise in a flash of blue light.
Rias was somewhat eager to take her pawn's advice and activated the circle already sensing some fallen only a few minutes away.
Soon the house was flooded with Exorcists each eager to slay devils not matter who else died in there wake and then 3 fallen came in, one with blond ponytails and a child-like body that hide her malicious interior, the second tall and busty with blue hair and a arrogant smirk, the last and leader who had a beautiful heart shaped face with long black hair and violet wanted to know one thing.
"Where is Asia Argento?!"
The aforementioned priestess was now following her two saviour outsiders in order to watch the 'show' as Taka called it.
"So what was that thing you were drawing on the ground before we left?" asked the Longinus wielder.
"Well…"
"Fallen Angel-sama there's some type of message written here for you…it seems like it was written in fire" said a random exorcist.
'Fire' She thought absently touching her stomach where that bastard had hit her and walking towards the message.
"What did you write Taka-san" asked Asia.
He contemplated the question before answering "Asia-chan, Devil are very bad at resisting temptation and for me that also applying to making horrible jokes because frankly the situation was too perfect.
For two minutes Raynare, a centuries old fallen angel, stood there looking at the message and trembling in rage.
SORRY YOUR PRIESTESS IS IN ANOTHER CASTLE SIGNED EVERYONE'S FAVORITE PYROMANCER
"I don't get it" admitted Asia while Issei as a fan of retro games was slowly shaking his head before asking "Really Taka? I thought you were better than that…Still when will you know to activate those fire stakes you left?"
"….Well I won't have to, she'll do it for me."
Raynare snapped, that damned magician had not only survived the wounds she gave him but had come here and stolen the nun and the sacred gear without her even knowing, leaving only a mocking note.
In response to this insult Raynare acted as dignified as she possibly could…namely by creating a light spear and gouging the message out of the floor with wild swings filling the air with light energy.
When she was done indulging her rage, she turned to face her subordinates who were just a bit wary from her outburst.
She wanted him, Asia and that idiot Ise dead and was about to tell her followers as much when she noticed something that everyone else had overlooked in her commotion and her command turned into a question.
"What are those blue lights?"
Ise Hyoudou, Asia Argento and Aotaka Yume on top of Taka's house looked with wide eyes at the bright blue fire in the distance
Rias Gremory, Akeno HImejima, Yuuto Kiba and Koneko Toujou were looking at the same sight on the roof of Kuoh Academy, the magician's work clearly visible in the distance.
Kiba decided to state the obvious "Well that certainly was…impressive."
"Yume can be scary" Said Koneko, his passing words about accepting his nature hitting a bit too close to her, even if it was just in jest. He should know that giving into your nature can be a dangerous thing.
"Ara Ara he certainly is, maybe I should be the one to train him Bucho and teach him a bit of the S Side" Akeno interjected with a smile that hide several things that we're all better off not knowing.
"No Akeno, he's already an erratic pyromaniac with trust issues, we don't need him to discover his inner sadist as well" Rias told her Queen.
"What in the name of the four Maous is that" Someone from behind them asked and the peerage turned to see Sona Sitri also looking at the blue pyre.
The Queen, Rook and Knight all turned to their King who was squeezing the bridge of her nose and trying to figure out how to break this to her friend.
'Screw it I'll just blame Taka, it's his doing anyway.'
"Well my peerage ran into some problems with the fallen and a new pawn I acquired made the decision to leave a little message for them" She told Sona,who had already suspected the culprit when she heard the words 'large amounts of fire' from Tsubaki.
Sona's glasses began to glow dangerously and pressure began building on the rooftop as she looked like she was about to lose her much vaunted control and release several high-class water spells when suddenly the ominously feeling disappeared entirely.
The sister of the Leviathan simply took off her glasses and simply began cleaning them vigorously, muttering something about "Gotten better my foot" before turning around and heading back inside the school building. She reached the door to the rook when she decided to leave a message of her own before leaving.
"Rias please tell Aotaka Yume that his magical training will begin tomorrow and that no excuses will be permitted after all, it was very difficult to schedule his tortu-training."
The devils left on the rooftop all felt some pity for the unsuspecting Magician…except for Akeno, whose face had a deep flush and was now viewing the student council president in a new and somewhat disturbing light.
Kiba turned once more to face the blue light in the horizon before asking a question.
"So how the hell did he do that anyway?"
"Well my novices in the art of magic and annoying people, let me enlighten you." Taka proclaimed as he took out some cereal and milk to serve his guests, let it never be said that he wasn't a gracious host.
"I deduced that as someone who recently humiliated her, Raynare would react rather badly to a mocking message from said person. This coupled with losing Asia and her sacred gear would likely drive her to at the very least attack my message with one of her light weapons in an entertaining rage."
"So?" asked Ise not seeing how that would affect anything as he idly ate from the bowl.
"Well Issei, normally that would only result in Raynare completely embarrassing herself in front of whoever else was there but I always being one to go the extra mile left her a little present."
"Those stakes" said Asia, enjoying the delightful taste of high-fructose cereal for the first time.
"Right you are Asia-chan, those stakes were formed with concentrated fire magic and designed to react to any light energy rather….violently" He explained with a little grin.
The two absorbed the devious trap that Yume had laid out for their enemies when Ise asked something that came to mind.
"How?"
"What?" asked Aotaka, his friend's question confusing him.
"Well I know that fire is your best magic and you can do crazy stuff with it, but how did you make it so your magic would react to light energy so quickly? It just seems like that would be really hard to do on the fly." Ise elaborated.
Taka looked at the Longinus before saying vaguely "I've been exposed to light energy quite a lot this past week so I got a feel for it."
"Is that why the bullets didn't hurt you as much?" asked Asia prompting both Aotaka and Issei to look at her as she elaborated.
"When I healed Ise, it took a while to get the light that was poisoning his system out but with you…there was damage from the bullet going in but none from the light itself."
The trio stood there silently when Ise put down his spoon in the bowl and decided to say what was now running through his mind.
"Taka…Bucho told me that light is very dangerous to devils, if we get stronger we can resist it and sometimes it can't even touch us but…it always causes some damage when it hits, always."
The Pyromancer looked at the Red Dragon Emperor and Holy Priestess who were waiting for an explanation.
He knew that after what he just did for them if he pushed they would drop it…and yet is that what he would be? Someone who hid even from the people he could trust the most? Out of what? Fear of Pain? He lost that when he first challenged the Fallen and was paralyzed for it, Fear of Death? That was gone when he had his fight with Dohnaseek and took his first life and only now did he realize that out of all the people who died in the trap he left, Raynare was the only one he knew.
'Well that's one vow broke…I wonder how many more I'll break on this path i put myself on.'
He looked at the two pairs of eyes in front of him; one a shining emerald green brimming with kindness, the other a simple light brown but one with a burning resolution in its depths and in those two pairs of eyes he found his answer.
"Hey Ise…have you released your devil wings yet?"
Nonplussed at the sudden change in topic, he just replied "Well yeah I haven't flown with them yet but I figured out how to release them."
Taka looked at him and said "Show them to me."
"Well…alright?" he agreed, not sure where Taka was going with this as he released his pair of devil wings; a sleek glossy black that resembled that of a bat and which the magician looked at contemplatively.
"Pretty good, pretty good but sorry man I've got to say Ise." Aotaka started
"Mine are cooler."
And with that he released his two pairs of wings, one which was identically to Ise's and the other it's complete antithesis; a pure white with soft feathers that shone in the dim light.
The two people that Aotaka Yume could proudly call his friends looked at them in pure amazement and in Asia's case a bit of reverence.
"You…you're a a" Ise stuttered, "Angel-sama" Asia called out breathlessly.
"Yeah I'm no angel Asia" Taka interjected, wanting to cut that off as soon as possible, reverence would mess with him almost as much as fear would.
"…But I'm pretty sure my mother was."
At this second reveal, the two just sat there absorbing this information in silence with Taka waiting tentatively before Ise suddenly snorted.
" 'Oh Ise your sacred gear is so broken' what a bunch of BS, you got a second pair of wings and you're immune to light! You have any idea how much that stuff stings! No! Because you're some secret half angel with special powers."
"Hey screw you Ise! Doubling your power every ten second? I bet if we just left you there, you would have just sent them all flying with some special move you've been developing off-screen before riding off into the sunset with Asia."
The two glared at each other before slowly breaking out a pair of grins.
"So this is your big secret huh? I thought maybe you were some kind of secret magician hiding from the church because of your depraved experiments."
Aotaka considered the theory and imagined himself as some kind of 007 type character that always one step ahead of the church leaving mocking comments as he escaped in an explosion of fire.
"…I like it but sadly my past isn't so impressive; I've basically being training on the down low in this city for years like I said but when I got revived by Bucho, I found out about these" He explained gesturing at his wings "I have some kind of Light power that I haven't really accessed it yet since I'm trying to avoid anyone sensing it but I don't seem to have the weakness that devils have like light or saying the big man's name."
"Still this is amazing Taka-san" Asia said enthusiastically "I've never seen a child between an angel and human but your parents must love each other very much to have you without falling."
Aotaka considered that pleased at this insight into his parents' relationship and also curious about…
"Asia do you mean that there aren't any half-angels at the church? I figured that if I could find anyone like me it would be there."
With a shake of her head "No I've never even heard of half-angels though that might just mean that they're very rare, in order to Angels to have…um relations" She said with an embarrassed look "I heard that they have to have a pure love that doesn't have any possessive feelings."
'No possessive feelings huh…I wonder if that's why dad never seemed angry about her not being there, did he just accept that she had to leave me with him?'
"Huh thanks Asia, I've wanted to find out some more about my mom and this seems like the right path."
Ise then noted something strange.
"Wait…couldn't you just asked your dad, where is he anyway it's getting kind of late" He asked looking around.
Yume winced, he could blame Ise for not noticing since not only did he not really volunteered the information to anyone but he also left many of his father's decorations and things like his writing desk around the house so the house still looked like it belongs to a family not just a person living alone.
He noted that he hadn't light the incense on memorial mantle in a while due to the recent upheaval in his life and sighed, how much was this devil crap going to change him.
"Ise my dad died a couple years ago…before I came to Kuoh Academy" Ise looked stricken and was trying to find the words when Taka continued.
"It's not your fault, I keep that pretty close to the chest and I haven't really changed the house since then so…it still feels like he's here" He said this with a content smile.
The two, especially Ise noted at his openness and understood that to saying that might have been even harder than revealing his heritage and they felt thankful that he trusted them so much.
"…So I'm guessing you want me to keep this from Bucho right Taka?" asked Ise who understood that this might not be well received. He trusted Rias more than Taka did but he realized that as someone who knew even less about the three factions than Taka did he should defer to the mage. It was his secret and his right to decide who knew.
"…Yeah, I'm planning on telling Gremory eventually once I understand enough about the factions to know if it safe to do so. I have reasons to think that she might be open to hybrid status but I want to be sure first."
"Huh wait I thought you didn't really trust Bucho that much?" Ise questioned.
"I don't really trust her personally but I learn something that made me think that she might not be against me...but it's not certain yet. I would tell you why…but it's really someone else's story to tell."
Ise nodded at Taka's reasoning, it seems that his friend wasn't the only person in the peerage with secrets.
Issei then turned to Asia who looked disheveled and tired but also…happy being with them which rose his spirits. He would protect this girl even if more fallen tried to get her and her sacred gear but it also raised the question of.
"Um Asia, I was just wondering do you have anywhere to stay now that the fallen are gone?"
The nun started to look a bit worried "No I was staying in the church with Raynare and the other fallen because I didn't have anyone to stay with after I was exiled by the church."
"Exiled…yeah I think Freed mentioned something about that, what was up with that" asked Taka, surprised that at how he was able to trust Asia without knowing her history, something about her personality and actions made it easy to trust her. In fact he couldn't imagine her doing a single bad thing which made her exile all the stranger.
Then he heard her story and his face grew stone-like as he watched the kindest person he knew break down in tears which prompted Ise to hold her softly and promise to always be her friend and never abandon her. Taka made a similar promise and then feeling a rage grow in him he decided to tell her something that he felt might make her feel better.
"Asia, despite these fancy wings I can't tell you much about the church but I know this. Your sacred gear was made to heal and it was given to you, someone who wish was to help people no matter their origins. You've taken everything that was given to you and used it not for your own gain but for others. Everything you are makes me proud to be your friend, let the church and God himself come, protecting a friend like you is definitely something worth fighting for."
Bringing tears of happiness from Asia and a grateful nod from Ise, Taka left to wash the bowls and thought about the promise…the oath he had made. Instinctively he had fought for friends before, but making this kind of declaration to use his power for the purpose of protecting them made the bad taste from the trap he had set fade.
'Even if he was wrong about the taste of victory maybe dad was right about the power of a few words.'
He felt that he needed something more to fight for than being part of a species that he felt very little connection with and now he had found it.
In this, Aotaka Yume found himself feeling lighter already as he heard the hopeful sounds of the devil and priestess and then his phone rang and saw that it was a text from Bucho.
'Sona is pissed. Training tomorrow. No excuses.'
The previous peace he felt vanishing in an instant, Taka could only think one thing.
'Yep definitely right about the words.'
The Church
"So…your stuff is somewhere in here Asia?" Ise asked remembering the suitcase that Asia had when they first met. He was a bit nervous when they decided to get her stuff from the abandoned church on the way to Kuoh academy to decide with Bucho where Asia could stay.
Taka didn't have an issue with her staying at his house but first he wanted to run it past Rias. He and Ise had been pretty rebellious lately so he wanted to avoid stepping on any more toes. Plus he wanted to learn more about the exorcists and fallen, he wanted to pick up some of those light blades and pistols and may be see if there was anything about the fallen.
They entered the church and Taka sensed some light energy but it felt like the holy items that freed had so he was just expecting some exorcists. Thankfully however there wasn't anyone there, the church was empty of anybody which meant that it wasn't just Raynare and a few exorcists but everyone that was working with the fallen that were taken out something that Taka tried to not focus on.
Still he found some stores of holy weaponry and opted to keep them for himself, he could explain it away as just an interest in the exorcists. He didn't have a real plan for them but the aura they gave off was similar to what he could sense in him, so they might work as an explanation if anyone felt what he was.
He looked around the church as Ise went to help Asia pack up her things, and then in the main section of the church he found it. A large cross with strange marking on it, it was obviously a magical Item but what held Taka attention was the aura of tainted light it gave off, it wasn't something designed to be a weapon just a presence that marked it as something made by the fallen.
As he studied it, he felt that he knew what its purpose was but without some instruction on how to utilize it just having the cross probably wouldn't teach him anything.
"Taka? Where are you?" hearing Asia, he called to her so that she would be able to locate him, while still studying the cross intently. He was part angel so could he could possibly figure out how it worked, the mechanics should be written down somewhere if he could find them.
"Ano what is this cross Taka, it looks strange" asked Asia curiously as she entered the room after him.
"Well it has a light aura like the exorcists but unlike them it has a 'taste' that feels more like the fallen, so I'm guessing it was made especially by them." He answered.
"If it was made by the fallen then…is this" She asked in a fearful tone as she back away slightly.
"Yeah" Taka confirmed as he contemplated melting the thing down into slag, not because he was a devil but because of what the cross was designed to do and especially who it was going to do it to. If he couldn't learn from the thing he would probably burn it and this church down, two buildings in a day would be a new record and it's not like Sona could get more pissed at him.
"This thing is likely what those fallen were going to use to take out your sacred gear…" as he focused on the tool.
"Correct. Magician."
'Oh Fu-' he thought spinning around to face the voice, already calling his fire when a spear of tainted light hit him right in the center of his stomach before exploding and sending him flying into the church benches in a crash. He had a resistance to the light's poison but it didn't make him resistant to the weapons that the light was formed into or the incredible force of their explosion.
Stepping into the room, enticing shock and fear from Asia and a string of strained curses from Aotaka, Raynare of the fallen came with a smile of absolute joy on her face.
She was simply to put it simply not looking too good, her face had become more mature than when they last met but her limbs had multiple burns on them and her wings looked even worse as patches of them simply looked as if they had been eaten away but she was alive and now she wanted her revenge.
Taka struggled to get up to fight her again but she sent another spear right where the last one had hit piercing through his body and the mage could barely stop himself from blacking out.
Asia looked at the sight with horror as someone who had sworn to protect her was brought down so easily, bringing guilt and shame once more to fill her mind almost crippling her with its intensity. Still she tried to move to save him but Raynare was having none of that.
"Don't you dare!" She yelled, reading another spear to kill the much more fragile girl. Raynare still needed the twilight healing both to complete her mission and heal her wounds but she would throw it all away if she had too.
"You two have ruined everything! I can't recover from this, everyone under me has died because of what you've done and I have had enough!"
She hoped that the magician was suffering, she sensed the devil aura and knew what he had become and hoped that the light's poison didn't kill him too fast. She stumbled toward the nun, her body's condition being held back by rage and adrenaline but she could still take the gear from her, she just had to-
"Raynare!" 'Oh Fu-' She spun just in time to deflect the blow from Ise with her spear. No Dammit! She may have had some power left but her body's condition was even worse than in their first fight and he had also become a devil…she simply couldn't win.
Realizing this more rage filled her and with a burst of her wings she sent herself at Asia, if she could killed the healer then at least the two people responsible from what had happened to her would die. Ise would be too slow to catch her so if she could just…
*CLASH!*
"Im…impossible"
Her final act had failed but that wasn't what shocked her, it wasn't even that it was the devil who took two of her attacks in the same spot that did it. What shocked her was what he had done it with as clashing with her spear of light was the same spear she had struck him down with. She could even see the trademark pink of her light weapons fade as flames began coursing through the stolen weapon.
"How…HOW!" she screamed as she summoned a spear in her other hand and attacked him. It didn't make any sense! Devils couldn't even touch a light weapon without hurting themselves so how could he use one as a weapon!
Taka wasn't focusing on the impossible hybrid of light and fire that he was now wielding nor on the hole in his stomach that was sending floods of pain through his body with each breath he took. NO he was focusing on upholding the oath he made and ending this!
He wasn't able to keep this up for long so with a final burst of effort he pulled at not only the remaining stores of demonic power he had left but also that light that had been at the center of him untouched and with the two he flooded the stolen spear with power.
In response his both sets of wings revealed themselves shocking Raynare into insensibility before he brought down the sum of all his might on the pitiful dual weapons that she tried to defend with.
As they met Raynare could do nothing as fire and light were released, breaking her defense completely and sending her into darkness as the force sent her flying back.
"Taka!" Asia cried as she rushed to the faltering devil as Taka tried to maintain his consciousness. There was no guarantee that some other fallen hadn't survived and if he could get taken out by a surprise spear so could Ise.
'I will not fall I wo…'
but the black engulfed him and despite himself he could no longer deny its embrace.
"Taka! Aotaka!" he heard through the dark after an indeterminable amount of time and with a deep breath that sent tremors through his body he open his eyes to see Issei and Asia looking over him.
"Graaa…Guys be careful there might be more and and…" With a wince he closed his eyes to shake off the spots in his vision.
"Taka when Raynare attacked she mentioned that she was the only survivor so….I think we're safe" Asia said trying to reassure the Pyromancer who was trying to stand up.
Hearing this Aotaka took a break and found that he was feeling a bit better, his wounds were gone but using everything he had left, even that power that he had avoided accessing in a single burst put a large strain on his body.
"Where's…Raynare?" He asked twice he had assumed she was defeat and twice he had been struck down, there would not be a third
Ise who had been steadying the mage pointed with a hard look at the chained fallen, she looked even worse than before and was still unconscious and Taka wondered what to do now.
"Ise do you want to…." He left the statement unfinished but he had considered that him being her original target, he might want to be the one to finish her. Ise looked at the girl he had loved and his face went cold as he remembered everything she had done and wanted to do to him and the people important to him.
He raised the Boosted Gear and pointed it at the fallen ready to release its power and erase her. He opened his gauntleted palm and the green gem glowed as a small ball of red energy appeared aimed at the fallen, Ise couldn't help turning his head aside and he saw Asia with her eyes closed and he knew he could not do it.
The red ball of energy faded and looked at Raynare, she had hurt him but he had gotten stronger from it. He had grown and made two bonds that he could trust in so what was he getting revenge for? If there was anyone who should want revenge who had suffered for this it would be...
"Taka…I don't need this" He stated firmly, turning to see the mage looking at him with a curious expression at his decision.
"You sure Ise? You really don't want revenge or something?"
"Raynare is a monster, I'm not going to pretend that she didn't hurt me but…" Asia put her small hand in Ise' trembling one and the Dragon seemed to draw strength from it.
"But I'm not going to let her be anything more than a messed up first date, that's all she is to me, so if you want…you can do it."
"Putting her fate in my hands? That's pretty messed up Ise" Taka said in a joking tone though in all honest it was not far from the truth.
He stepped forward to face the fallen for himself, she was so heavily wounded that he bet that if they just left her she would eventually just die from the numerous wounds and burns along her body. His instincts, those things that made him so quick to react in battle told him to kill, erase the taint from existence.
But those instincts had also lead him to kill people without a second thought, the exorcists were just humans but working with the fallen made him simply overlook that fact when he laid that trap. Was this how his life was going to be? Following that first impulse and killing anyone associated with the fallen? If he hadn't met Asia before would he have not cared and left her like Bucho wanted?
Geez fighting his nature was a difficult thing and he couldn't just let Raynare go, she was an enemy and letting her go back and hide in the shadows was dangerous.
Should he just take her to Rias and let her decide? Raynare was a weak fallen and he bet that Kiba and Koneko could defeat her so it's not like she was likely important to Grigori so Bucho would just use that interesting power of destruction and erase her. But that would just be passing the job of killing her to someone else so what should he do?
He heard a shifting from behind him and saw Asia and Ise look at him awaiting his decision, if Ise could pass on Raynare are then Asia probably had no desire to even hurt her. His eyes then shifted upwards to the cross and he remembered what he mentioned earlier today and he had an idea.
"Asia…would you mind healing some of her more serious wounds?" He asked clearly making it her decision, still he felt Asia's nature would make it difficult to refuse healing someone and he was right as after a short moment of consideration Asia put her hands on the fallen stomach and a soothing green glow emitted from them.
"Taka what are you planning?" asked Ise as his friend similarly seemed to have passed on revenge on the fallen and had come up with another option.
"Well Ise I figured that the best option would be to put Raynare's fate in her own hands, if she lives or dies will be her decision no one else's" these words received a small nod from Ise.
Yume motioned for Asia to stop healing the chained fallen and after looking at the unconscious figure for a moment enacted his plan with a simple slap in her face.
"Wakey Wakey" He said in a singsong tune as the fallen groaned in pain at being dragged from blissful unconsciousness.
"Waa" She murmured after regaining her faculties, she spent a few seconds looking at the people surrounding her and her situation before it hit her "Oh…" that small whisper was all they heard as realization hit her.
"Yep…your situation ain't looking too good" this understatement was Taka's response to his ruined foe.
"You know it's funny the last time we met you were so sure that you just come back in a couple days with all your exorcist and fallen friends after ripping out Asia's sacred gear just in case and kill me and Ise." He noted her shock at her plan being explained so easily.
"And now well, you've lost every single resource you've got so I've got to wonder what's going through your head right now?
Raynare froze as all her failings were thrown in her face, and all because of this this…
"What are you" She croaked in an empty voice, Taka just tilted his head at the question.
"I was prepared for devils, I was just going to kill him and take Asia's power before they could do anything so that Azazel-sama would be happy so where did you come from? And just what are you?"
Aotaka considered the question as Ise tried to control himself and Asia held onto him for support.
After a moment he deemed not to answer the question but ask one of his own.
"Azazel-sama?"
She looked him despondently before answering.
"He sent me to keep an eye on Ise because he had a dangerous sacred gear…but it was devil territory so it was dangerous but I could prove myself by killing him without the devils noticing then…"
Taka looked at her with a bewildered look on his face "Raynare what would you have done if I didn't show up? If just like you planned, Ise was killed."
Confused at the question she replied "I…would have just stabbed him in the chest, gone back to the church and waited for Asia"
"You would have just left the body there…" He said in a stunned tone "Wow I basically got involved in this mess for no reason…"
This statement confused both Raynare and Issei "What are you talking about Taka? If you weren't there I would have died!"
Taka turned towards his fellow pawn and explained "Maybe but remember Ise ,you had that summoning circle and I bet that if you were dying and wanted to live Gremory would have been summoned. And from what I've learnt about the evil pieces even if you were already dead by the time she reached you the piece could have revived you, making you a devil either way.
Everyone was stunned by this deduction especially Raynare who realized that instead of proving herself to Azazel instead she…
"You basically gave the devils a new sacred gear wielder for themselves." Taka told the shocked Fallen "Not just a regular sacred gear but a freaking Longinus wielder as well, you know…the sacred gear designed to kill gods and you gave it to your enemies on a platter."
Yume simply enjoyed the fallen's horrified expression at her numerous failings that couldn't even be blamed on anyone other than herself. It was quite amusing to watch her completely fall apart, ah the joy of schadenfreude.
"Even if you somehow got out of this town with Asia's sacred gear, not likely even without me getting involved, I bet that your Azazel-sama would destroy you utterly for giving another faction so powerful an asset."
'Aaa yes there is that crestfallen expression I was waiting for' Yume thought as Raynare reached her lowest point and she simply gave up.
"Now you realize that even if you escape, your fate is pretty much sealed and by no one's actions but your own" 'This is it, the reason why I've shown her just how far she had fallen, heh,' "you've got almost no options left" he finished, emphasizing the 'almost' and not even trying to hide his grin as she picked up on it and looked at him with a desperate expression.
"Wha…what are you saying?" She asked.
"Simply put Raynare your time in Grigori is over either way, you've failed utterly in the tasks given to you and as a result lost everyone under your command. Tell me, not counting Dohnaseek how many other fallen have died because of you?"
Raynare couldn't even look surprised at the implication that Aotaka was responsible for the battle-maniac's disappearance, instead like a person drowning she searched for anything that might keep her afloat.
"So what can I do? How do I survive this?" this was all she could do, beg the person who had sent her crashing down as Ise and Asia looked on wondering what Taka was planning.
"Do you remember how you left me Raynare? That little attack from behind basically paralyzed me and I could do nothing about it." Encouraged by her fearfully expression he continued "I was broken, it was the lowest I've ever been and in that moment when no one else could help, it happened. The devil came and offered me a hand in return for my servitude and I accepted."
Everyone now suspected what his plan was and that suspicion was confirmed when he extended his hand to the fallen in an almost friendly gesture and with a small smile asked.
"So tell me Raynare, formerly of Grigori will you accept the Devil's hand and all it entails or will you die broken and alone?"
"You...you want me to become a devil?" She asked wanted to take the hand but fearful of what it meant.
He gave a low laugh, "I am not a King and I doubt mine would be interested in someone that could defeated so utterly by two new-born pawns. I am a devil and this is my contract. In return for protection from the fallen who will no doubt want to punish you for your failings, you will serve me as my familiar bound to my will completely."
"You want me as a slave?!" She asked horrified at the idea of being at the complete mercy of a devil and Asia and Ise were also shocked at the mage's offer.
Taka however gave her an unamused look. "Get your head out of the gutter Fallen, I have no interest in you sexually or torture wise. What I want…is information and power. You have more information on manipulating light than I do and know enough about God's system to manipulate it and create things like this" He said gesturing at the cross designed to steal sacred gears.
"This interests me and I also want to know more about the angel and fallen side, I figure that you can give me more specific information than what the devils have so Raynare do you agree?"
This decision was fairly monumental not just for Raynare but Yume as well, he was betting that being a part of Rias peerage would give him the clout that going after a single fallen wouldn't be worth the trouble for the Grigori. Explaining it to Bucho would be a bit more problematic but he had done good work today so she might be feeling generous.
"Yes…I want to live, I accept being your familiar" With this Taka gave a nod and turned to Ise and Asia who watching to two of them. "Ise you mind giving me another boost" Taka asked as while his wounds had been healed his stores were drained dry.
"Alright Taka but are you sure about this, Raynare's seriously dangerous you know can't trust her."
"Who said I'm going to trust her? the contract I'm using is powerful enough to lay several restrictions on what she can and can't do, what's more" He directed this next part to the fallen still in chains "Hey Raynare just so you know if you do anything to make Ise or Asia think you're still a threat then I'm going to kill you ok, so be nice."
The fallen could only nod dumbly as she watched Ise with his gauntlet glowing a bright green and send a large amount of power into the Pyromancer. Then in a show of power he melted the chains binding the fallen and etched an arcane circle around her with the magician familiar runes he had studied. Then forming a knife of fire not hot enough to cauterize he cut open his hand and watched as blood pooled in it, looking at the small crimson reflection.
"Are you ready Raynare? Once this happens your life is no longer just your own, I will not kill you on a whim but I will spare you on one either. Everything that happens to you from now on will be of your own doing and if one day I burn you to ashes it will because you deserved it."
At this oath Raynare felt the burns still fresh on her body eat at her and knew if she did this her path was set, she would be a mockery to all fallen and be exiled by her kinds but it was the only path she had left so with a hesitant nod at him they began. Yume started the ritual with words empowered by arcane force and the most ancient familiar rituals he knew.
"Raynare of the Fallen Do You Accept being Bound to My Will and Power and Follow All Commands Made until I Release You."
"I Swear."
"Then Drink of My Blood And Suffer If Ever You Spill It."
With this the circle light up in blue fire and Raynare drank the pooled blood in his hand as Yume felt a strange pull and push in his energy.
"As Promised As Witnessed So It Is."
With a sigh he wiped his blood stained hand on his pants and looked at his new familiar who had a fearful expression that he felt was very justified. If his contract worked as planned then she was basically his to command which brought up something he needed to do.
"This is your first command Raynare." he stated as the fallen looked at him with apprehension "Never will you strike at Me, Asia or Ise in any way shape or form either directly or indirectly without our express, conscious and acknowledged consent."
He felt a tingle as he sensed something settle on Raynare and judging by her expression she felt it as well but just in case….
Without a warning he sent a ball of fire at the fallen which she just managed to avoid shocking those present. He watched impassively as the fallen rolled on the ground and came up with anger and hate in her eyes as she formed a spear in her hands.
"You…son of a bit-GRAHH" She screamed as she collapsed on the ground, the half formed light weapon shattering.
'Enough' he thought through the familiar connection he had and instantly the pain coursing through Raynare stopped.
"WH..Why?" She asked as Ise and Asia silently did the same.
"I'm sorry for that Raynare but I had to test the magic myself, I've never made a familiar contract much less a strong one like this…Asia could you please heal the rest of her wounds." He asked feeling very tired all of a sudden.
This was supposed to make him more humane but it didn't feel like it at all. So despite it very likely being a mistake, he knew what his next order had to be.
"This is your second command." He directed to the Fallen who looked at him with naked fear "If ever I truly seek to take your life either directly or indirectly, any restrictions to not attack me or escape are removed and you may not follow any of my commands until I no longer seek to kill you."
There was a moment of silence as everyone there understood what he was giving her. If Raynare ever thought that he was genuinely trying to kill her then she was free to either leave or kill him herself. It wasn't much but it was some reassurance and it was more than she expected and Taka saw some of that fear in her eyes diminished. Not much but enough to ease his conscious.
Still Aotaka couldn't help feel the weight of everything that had happened pushing on him as he was drained physically and emotionally and what's more there was still something that needed to be done.
He waited until Raynare had been healed before bring up a little issue.
"Alright everybody." He called to gain all their attention "I'm really tired and I think that applies for all of us but we still have to deal with Bucho about you two."
At this Asia and though she tried to hide it Raynare as well looked worried, he could especially understand why Raynare was that way considering Rias had enough power to wipe her out with a single attack.
"Don't worry Asia, I'm sure that Bucho won't have a problem with you staying here." Ise comforted and he looked at Raynare like he wanted to say something but everyone knew that would be less than empty comfort even disregarding their history.
Within a few minutes Asia had her things and placed them next to the cross and crate of holy weapons which Taka was drawing a circle around, taking the time to refine it so that it wouldn't drain as much energy and with a flash of blue the luggage and magical tool were in Taka's basement.
"Alright I suppose we should go to Bucho now" Ise said since they had accomplished everything they needed
"Yeah guess so, I was planning on burning this place down but I really can't be bothered anymore, guess I won't be breaking any arsonist records, come along Raynare" He called at the fallen who was staying at a distance to avoid troubling Ise and Asia.
Taka started to leave when Raynare decided to ask once more.
"What are you?" Taka halted and looked at his familiar with a blank face "You had white wings and light? Are you an angel hiding your power somehow? Is that why you interfered? How did an angel turn into a devil without falling? I don't understand!"
He could hide it but she had already seen him even if she didn't understand and that confused him how could she not know what he was? She was an angel surely….
"This is my third command Raynare, this topic may not be spoken or referenced around anyone who does not already know. Currently this is the four of us, as for why I didn't fall from becoming a devil…well that is because falling is for angels and I am…was human"
Yume looked at her confused expression and saw that she really didn't understand which made no sense.
"Raynare my father was a human but while I've never seen her, I believe that my mother was an angel and I got these from her" With this he released his white wings and saw Raynare looked at them in a mix of confusion and…envy?
"That's not possible." She said after a moment. "What are you saying? that humans and angels can't have relationships? because Asia said…"
Raynare just shook her head and started mumbling something "Not that, it's rare for it to happen but yes Angels and humans can have relationships but the children aren't born human."
Aotaka started at this, his mind trying to understand what this meant.
"Raynare if you lie to me about something like this." "I…I'm not, unlike fallen, the children of angel and humans are always angels and are raised in heaven under their parent. It's part of God's system. For it to be any other way doesn't make any sense…what are you?"
This question shook him and he wanted to know just what the hell was going on, was he some kind of abandoned angel? But he couldn't be considered saintly like angels were. He had experienced the seven sins like any other human and he wasn't any different physically before he got reincarnated by Bucho so again what the hell was going on?!
He raised his head and looked at Raynare something indescribable in his eyes. "Remember the third command Raynare" She nodded slowly and he turned to face Ise and Asia both looking at him in confusion.
"Taka what going on?" Ise asked confused about what this meant and he wasn't the only one.
"I…I don't know Ise. I thought this was just something I could figure out in some books somewhere but I know I'm at least part human. I have different eyes but I've got my dad's hair." He said pulling at the black mess on his head and trying to figure this out "I've seen pictures of my dad when he was younger and we look like brothers, he is my father but this doesn't make sense!"
The stress of everything started to build on Aotaka's head and he couldn't just get a hold of it, the part of him that despised the fallen wanted to erase Raynare for screwing with him but he knew she wasn't that dumb to lie to mine right after making their contract.
Seeing his friend looking more unsettled than he had ever seen Issei grasped the magician's shoulder and looked at him right in the eyes and spoke "We'll figure this out Taka alright. I'll asked Bucho for all the information on the angels and we'll find out what this means and I will help you deal with it even if we have to barge into heaven to find your mother to get some answers." Taka looked at the Red Dragon Emperor and then looked down at this hand which was being held by the Holy Priestess and found himself feeling centered.
"Alright" he said hoarsely, and a few moments later the four of them; two devil pawns, an expelled nun and a fallen familiar went towards Kuoh Academy to put an end to this wearysome day leaving behind a church almost entirely devoid of life…yes almost.
"hehehe~ what an interesting shitty devil! This is going to be so much fun!"
Entering from the window that he was concealed behind, Freed Sellzan jumped in with an ecstatic grin on his face. His clothes were charred and he had several burns on his body from Taka's combination wind and fire attack but he didn't care! He had found a new interesting prey and was itching to bury his swords in it.
"Hmm I need to get something special to kill this mister devil~ I wonder if that old geezer Galilei can help me? I just can't wait~"
TBC
Welcome to the end of On Burning Wings first arc Yes apparently Taka's family situation isn't as clear cut as he expected, I'm not sure if the part about all the children of Angels and humans being angels is canon but it makes sense in my mind or else there might be fridge logic were Angels either abandon the children to their human mates which should result in falling one way or another or they have their children in heaven as humans and watch them die in their point of view very quickly or maybe hybrid have longer lifespans than regular which might solve the issue. So basically Taka has some stuff to figure out which will get some spotlight in the third arc. In this chapter I'm most unsure about Taka first fight with freed, who he tried to freak out like he did with Raynare though this time in a different way, Taka has a bit of a ham in him and like to play around in battle to throw off his foes. Raynare's survival and becoming a familiar is pretty controversial but I've got some ideas about how to use her and its part of setting Taka as an unconventional pawn for Rias as well as a way for Taka to learn more about Angels from someone that used to be one. This might cause a bit of a strain on the peerage and even Ise since he really hasn't forgiven Raynare...who knows? Oh and Asia will be turning into a bishop like in canon so that hasn't changed just the circumstances surrounding it. I hope you guys are enjoying my first fanfic and please review on what you guys think and any ideas you have. :)