So, today was not a great day for me. As many of you know, if you pay attention to my authors notes/stories, know that I work as a truck driver. You know drive the 18 wheelers? Well, early this morning I was driving through New York and along the I-84 near Pennsylvania, there was a massive pile up. Like 10 trucks and countless cars were smashed to pieces. No one was killed, but alot of injuries. I spent five hours stuck in that traffic jam before beign able to back up the high way and go a different route.

There is more. I was put into a very bad situation so quickly... I was at the top of the mountain and before I could even reach the downgrade, fog rolled in so quickly, that I wasn't able to see down. Well, I slowed down cause of the fog but it was really bad. Maybe two seconds down the hill, I am seeing brake lights being lit up like christmas trees. People were slamming on their brakes. Well, as a truck, we don't stop very easily or quickly. So long story short...

I almost killed a couple people, including little kids... or I could have killed myself today. I ran myself into the emergency lane right next to the cliff side... if I was going any faster in speed, or any slower in reaction... I may not be here today... or someone else may not be. I was about an inch away from hitting a jeep and a pick up... and maybe a foot from going down the mountain.

So yea...

This story has been slightly rushed, but I also don't think so with how I've done it. You will see.

I don't like flames very much, but I never voice it at all do I? In general I ignore them, but honestly I don't like flames that aren't constructive.

Yes, this story has several references to movies, like Harry Potter and Rosario Vampire... and Infinite Stratos. I like all of those and I will continue to put in references just for the fun of it. I'm not hurting anything right? So yea...

Anyways, here is the next chapter. Please, I love constructive reviews. You can say you love it but if there is something you might have an issue with, voice it but give me a constructive criticsm on how I can fix it or improve on it.

I know I rushed this story a bit, like jumped it, but I think I did it in a way that it makes sense as well. You will see right? Well, here it is. The next chapter. Enjoy.

I own nothing.

It was about noon when Kuroka began to awaken, so she only got about 5 and a half hours of sleep, but she could take a cat nap later if she wanted to. As she woke up, the first thing she noticed was Issei placing a tray of food right on her lap, just as she opened her eyes. She blinked for a moment and looked up at Issei. He was holding the stuffed cat on his shoulder as he placed the tray onto her lap then he would hug the cat between both of his arms, as if afraid to let it go. She looked down at the plate and she frowned at him.

"Issei. We went through this already... how many times do I have to tell you that you aren't a slave anymore?"

Issei shook his head no several times, visibly hugging the stuffed cat tighter. Kuroka had moved the tray aside to stand up to scold the boy, but she was frozen solid in shock when Issei hugged her, the cat in his right hand as he hugged her. She was frozen solid, her hands at her sides as he hugged her, tightly as well. This was the first time he ever hugged her or showed any type of love or adoration or showed that he liked someone or showed whatever a hug shows. After about a good thirty seconds, he released her and went back to hugging the fluffy cat stuffed animal.

"I wanted to." He whispered softly.

"W-What did you just say?" Kuroka asked. She heard him but she was shocked! He just spoke! Albeit so quietly, but he spoke and to HER! Issei, the boy who had tried to have sex with her two days ago was talking to her and hugging her! He was opening up to her! He was a slave two days ago in mindset!

"I know i'm not a slave... but I wanted to make you something to eat... as a thank you."

"So he speaks... I'm... so happy."

Issei didn't respond and just hugged onto the lifeline in his arms even harder. Kuroka gave him a big smile and sat down on the bed, patting next to her. He sat down quickly, no longer hesitating and they both began to eat the breakfast.

The breakfast was eaten in silence, but it was a happy and good silence. Kuroka had made a breakthrough with her treatment for Issei, finally getting him to speak to her. Finally getting emotions to come out of him. There wasn't a smile from him yet, but she knew that in time he would smile for her. Her ego was quite inflated with what happened with Issei and she really loved the feeling when she got a hug from him.

Issei stood up from the bed and grabbed a change of clothes from her drawers. After they came back from the mall, Kuroka gave Issei several of her dresser shelves, letting him have room for the clothes she picked out for him. She gave him a quizzical look at this, wondering what he was going to do.

"I'm going to go shower." Issei said, walking out with the stuffed cat and his clothes, all hugged against his chest.

Kuroka watched him leave and sat on her bed for about twenty seconds before smiling. She also went to her dresser and got a new kimono, the same color as usual. She doesn't wear anything else it seemed, only the kimono day in and day out. The pair didn't get to shower the day before, so it was a good time to shower now.

Kuroka opened the bathroom door and she could hear the shower running. Kuroka, while she did grow up in japan, liked the western showers better. She just enjoyed the shower over a bath most of the time, but she did have a Japanese furo just in case she wanted to soak. As she entered the bathroom, she quietly closed the door and undressed before climbing into the shower, without a care in the world that she was naked. Kuroka was quite the bold kitty.

Issei turned his head slightly to look over his shoulder and only noticed it was Kuroka, so he continued to wash his body. He said nothing to the girl nor was he shy about being naked in front of her and made no attempt to hide his unmentionables. When she did finally get to see once the steam cleared, Kuroka made a very audible gasp as her sight fell upon his back. Issei felt her hands touch his back, in which he stopped cleaning himself and leaned against the front wall, his head against it as she traced his scars.

"What... what did those monsters do to you?"

"Everything..." Issei whispered. "They would beat me daily. Whips, belts, fists, feet, elbows, knees, small blades. They did everything they could to break me. I was starved constantly. I was also washed with a hose."

"Issei... you don't have to tell me these things..." Kuroka said softly, still tracing his scars. She had a look of pity and worry on her face, completely shocked about what she saw on his back. When Issei didn't say anything, she gave him a frown, though she wasn't upset with him at all. "It's like they marked your back to play a game..."

"They did. They told me that I was there toy to do whatever they pleased... so they whipped me until I had a tic-tac-toe board on me and they would use markers or whatnot to play on me as I laid in chains."

"Issei... I'm so sorry."

"It wasn't your fault. And I wanted to tell you these things anyway."

"I..."

"It's alright." Issei said, turning around to face her. It was then she got a good lack as his chest. While it was masculine and very much shaped like a fighter, there were scars all along his chest, just randomly put everywhere. His back was purposely shaped like a game, but his chest was just hit randomly until marks showed up and it was hit some more. She looked up at him with pity. Issei was about six foot two in comparison to her five three. He shook his head at her. "I don't want you to look at me in pity anymore. I..."

Kuroka looked at his eyes. "You didn't get any sleep at all did you?" She interrupted him.

Issei shook his head. "I woke up around seven A.M and I couldn't fall back asleep after seeing what you gave me..." Issei replied. The cat was sitting on a bunch of towels on a rack, just waiting to be grabbed again.

"I gave you that cat because I wanted to let you know you aren't alone. I knew you were feeling all alone... after... you know."

"I was... but I spent all night trying to sort out my thoughts. After seeing my mother die before me... and seeing how much you are caring for me... I... I'm bringing myself to be more open. It seems quick... but sometimes you have to jump before you can crawl."

"That's not the saying at all. That was just awful, nya." Kuroka said with a smile.

"I'm being serious. I spent all night getting the courage to talk again... and I'm still trying to find the courage to continue to talk. Life is short..." Issei stated. "Life is short and after all you have done... I... I trust you." Issei said. Kuroka's eyes winded at the final words that he said. 'I trust you.'

"W-What?" She asked, shocked. Kuroka was shocked with many things. First was the fact that Issei said he trusted her. After one night, he was suddenly able to speak to her. Able to open up. He wasn't exactly emotional yet, but she knew that would be soon. Then there was the fact that she was being so serious lately. She is never this serious for this long.

"I trust you. You... it was you who gave me the paper that my mother was alive wasn't it?"

Kuroka nodded. "I knew I had to help you find your mother again after your dragon friend told me about her. If... If I knew my mother was still alive, I would have done anything to see her, one last time."

"And I thank you... I thank you so much for letting me see my mother." Issei said, hugging her tightly once more. This time, Kuroka gave him a hug back, both of them squeezing tightly.

"I was glad to do it." Kuroka replied.

"I also thank you for giving me a reason to live again... the cat... means more than you know."

"That was the idea, nya." She said. "Now I've had enough of this talk." She said, turning him around and grabbing a sponge. "It's time to clean you up, nya." She said happily and playfully. Without a word or any emotion, Issei stood in the shower as Kuroka began to clean him head to know.

In Issei's mind, Issei was standing in the middle of Antarctica. From there he stood right before Syndra.

"So, you have changed so suddenly." She said, pleased.

"I couldn't have done it without you both... and I know how short life is... I've died once before and I've been close to death so many times... but I don't think that I would have done this well without you both."

"Well, it was my pleasure Issei. While I still doubt this girl as a parental figure or a helpful figure, she has proven her worth to me. I guess mischievous cats kind of make me suspicious."

"I trust her."

"I know. I heard. I've been awake, listening to you both."

"She took care of me and she didn't have to. She let me see my mother again... and gave me a gift."

"I know... I was there." She said, as if stating the obvious. Issei had quieted down, as if in thought.

"I..." Issei started but stopped.

Syndra however wanted to know what was on his mind. "What is it? Lassie fell in the well?"

"I want to learn how to fight."

"Well, that is just about as shocking to hear as Lassie fell in the well... what brings on this change? Don't you already know how to fight?"

"I mean... I want to learn how to use my powers."

"Ah... why? This is really sudden."

"I want to be useful to her... I don't want to rely on her to protect me."

"Ah. Well, my powers are simple to use. It's ice... it has unlimited possibilities... the only limit is your imagination. That's all there is to it. Alright, time to go to sleep Issei. I've been up too long." Syndra said, kicking him out of her mind house instantly. As he was brought back to the land of reality, Kuroka had finished up with cleaning her body, not even once asking him to clean her. She saw he was in thought obviously.

Kuroka smiled and looked at him, her black tail swishing happily. "I need to go meet with a friend of mine ok? I need to leave you for an hour or two. Alright?"

Issei nodded silently and Kuroka smiled and got dressed quickly before leaving. Issei began to get dressed himself.

Issei wandered around the house for a good five minutes before he stumbled upon two random men, though they were swordsman who helped him that night, who were talking.

"Is it really true? The Khaos Brigades magician side is going to attack the three powers at once?"

"I was shocked too! Apparently Kokabiel was taken down after he caused a lot of trouble. Apparently he wanted to cause a war and he ended up hurting a bunch of devils. Like two devil masters and their peerages."

"Seriously?"

"Yes and it seems The Vanishing Dragon stepped in at the last minute!"

"Who were the two devil masters?"

"One was Rias Gremory and the other was Riser Phenex. Apparently both are married now."

"Isn't Rias Gremory that ridiculously hot chick that we saved that kid from back in Kuou?"

"Yea, the one with the big boobs and crimson hair? Yup, she married some phoenix devil."

"Huh, so an invasion huh? I so wanna see it. Where is it taking place?"

"So do I, but we got another job for us... I hate guard duty. But it's taking place at the High School in Kuou."

"Ugh I know right? Man..."

Issei left before he heard anymore. He had to go see the invasion... he felt like going to see the red haired girl again. Was it for revenge? He didn't know but he had to go see her.

Issei held his cat tighter and made his way out of the house, heading down to the bus station.

Read. Review. Moo.

By the way, I am alright. I was just shaken up beyond belief. I could have died today... and I knew I was close to killing myself or someone else. I luckily was skilled enough and lucky enough to cause no harm today.