From 54godamora:
Huh thought George would get a cameo here. My next chapter won't be up until this weekend. Hopefully. Curse you college!
Bakuganman: Your OC will be making an appearance soon, and looking forward to seeing that chapter. Did I ever mention Dinosaurs X Devils yet? Its a 3-way between me, him and an author named Hareta Kuso... wait, that came out wrong. Why not the rest of you go give it a read on Hareta's page or mine?
From Snake551g (Chapter 8):
ok did you even explain how he is still human and if he is yet again humans have extremely limited life spans he will die while everyone else is in there prime
Bakuganman: Well, Snake551g, you brought up a good point. I did explain how Anthony remained human during he epilogue (assuming you've read up to this point), but the long term effects were saved for this season.
From calderoneric758:
Okay this has to be a new timeline or something give us a bone or something man I'm losing my mind on this cause if it is where is issei
Bakuganman: And ruin the fun of messing with you and everyone else? The fact is, I've already answered this question thru tiny details I placed here and there. I will give you this bone: starting now when he comes face-to-face with Xenovia... pretty sure you can guess his reaction to it.
From damowatling (Chapter 1):
Hey I finally managed to start your story :D Love the premise here it makes for an interesting mystery. Was his home burned down by fallen angels or demons? Why was he targeted?
From damowatling (Chapter 2):
I love the Italian phrases you have included in this story it makes the style very unique, like a riled up Giorno Giovanna (JJBA). I also like the transitions between his calm and gentle side and his aggravated Italian side it makes the character very colourful.
Bakuganman: The first review has an answer once you read season 1. The second one however, you caught me (though I can't believe its taken this long). I admit that some of Anthony's personality traits was inspired by Italian culture and stereotypes, along with a pinch of Giorno's character to make him stand out a bit. I'm glad you and other people are enjoying it.
From OechsnerC:
Wow. Wonder what happen if the world was reset. Ddraig is the only one with memory of issei. Awesome update. Looking forward to reading more.
Bakuganman: How the world was reset is hinted starting this season, but will be further explored in BORN and/or HERO. For now, Anthony's trying to work out what the hell is going on, as stated above in calderoneric758's response.
Season NEW - Chapter 7: Complicated Coincidences - Part 2
Rias' whole world felt like it shattered. In fact, she was sure she heard a shatter sound in her head! She didn't respond to Sona right away, just stared. "Heh. Is this a joke?... They trespass on my territory, and they have the nerve to ask for MY servant, MY ANTHONY?" Rias asked with a mix of pride, sarcasm and worry. Sona couldn't help but smile to herself, looks like she was right on the money.
Rias just sighed, calming herself a bit. "Alright... what exactly happened?" She asked Sona, to whom replied via flashback:
-FLASHBACK-
Just about every student had headed into the main building, ignoring and leaving the 2 cloaked girls talking to 2 of the Sitris'. Perhaps they wanted to get to class, or maybe just share whatever popped up on their phones with their friends in person. After telling both Holy Sword users what they wanted to know, Sona was about to walk around them when...
"Wait!" Said one of the girls, her name being Irina Shidou, running in front of Sona. "I do have... uh... one request" said Irina, tapping her fingers together like she was nervous about something.
"I'll relay it to Rias, along with our conversation" said Sona.
"Ok, good. I wanna know... does an Anthony Messuri go here?" Asked Irina Shidou. Hearing Anthony's name made Sona stop dead in her tracks, the expression on her face giving away her knowledge on the person in question. "Oh great, you know him too, that makes this easier. Does he share classes with you? I'd love to see him again" Asked Irina, now innocently happy.
"That's... not my place" said Sona, regaining her composure. Right as she began trying to walk away again, the second cloaked girl quickly got out the cloaked object at held it an inch form Sona's neck.
"My friend, asked you a question" said the blue-haired girl, her name being Xenovia Quarta. Seeing as there were no students around, Tsubaki summoned a small magic circle in her hands, but then a sword ended up directly in front of her glasses.
"Ah, ah, ah. No need for violence. I just wanna see Anthony again" said Irina, disturbingly cheerfully.
"So, Devil... what's it gonna be?" Threatened Xenovia. Sona stood there, feeling the energy coming from whatever was underneath that cloth. It felt holy... VERY holy. Tsubaki was the same way, the sword near her was definitely of holy origin. Sona tried to calculate a possible way out. She could use her magic to create a giant water serpent to distract these girls... though that would cause a huge scene and Sona was supposed to keep her Devil heritage a secret like any Devil residing in the human world should (while there were some exceptions, the general rule was to not attract attention from the general public).
"... He's apart of Rias' club... You should see him there" Sona said nervously. With her answer, Xenovia pulled the cloaked sword away.
"Thank you. We'll be on our way" said Xenovia, walking past Sona and leaving the school. Sona turned to watch the girls leave, and did notice Irina's facial expression. It looked saddened and shamed.
-END FLASHBACK-
"YOU TOLD THEM ABOUT HIM?!" Yelled Rias. She actually yelled this so loud, a few Sitri servants walking through the house looked back to see where the voice came from, then at each other in confusion.
"They held us at sword-point, our opinions were limited" Sona said. Looking back, maybe she should have been stronger, but when your life is literally a slice away from ending...
Of course Rias knew Sona didn't mean it, as she and Tsubaki DID have holy swords shoved in their faces, so Rias couldn't totally blame them. Just a small cut from a holy sword could kill a Devil if not treated right away, regardless of said Devils strength... that didn't stop her from feeling worried and slightly aggravated. Rias stood up from her seat.
"Thank you for the information, Sona. Akeno, we're leaving" said Rias, walking out of the sauna.
"Er, yes ma'am" said Akeno, also getting up and following Rias out. As they left, Tsubaki giggled again.
"Something funny?" Asked Sona.
"No, just cute. Sure Rias saved all of her servants, but she clearly has a favorite" said Tsubaki, bringing up Rias' behavior as soon as Anthony's name was brought up.
"... Yes. Yes she does" Sona smiled, leaning back in her seat to finally relax.
-TIME BREAK-
Back in the ruined church where Irina and Xenovia were staying, Xenovia was just finishing her bath in a fountain while Irina was standing outside, looking up at the stars in sadness. She looked down at the picture she had of her and Anthony playing together. 'So its true... he IS in league with them...' she thought, but then shook it off. 'But there's no way he did it willingly! This Rias bitch must've forced him... she HAD too!' She thought again, but then calmed herself down with the following: 'Actually... she didn't say he was a Devil...'
"Maybe I can still save him before its too late!" said Irina.
"Do you really believe that?" Said Xenovia, who had finished her bath. She dealt with the fact they didn't have an actual tub; but nothing could beat a nice, hot shower right about now. Irina then clasped her hands together as if praying.
"Of course! Anthony's my friend! He was a godsent, helping me in my time of need! The evil Rias Gremory must have put a magic spell on him or something" she said.
"And how to you propose to free him? The power of love?" Xenovia asked, sarcastically. She didn't expect Irina's face to get red... at least, not as red as it got.
"Uh, love?... I mean, yes! The love of the Lord! That'll sure to break whatever spell this Rias chick put on him!" Said Irina, taken aback but recovered quickly. Xenovia sighed. Irina was too optimistic for her own good.
"Irina... you remember the report, right?" Asked Xenovia.
"Uh huh" Irina said.
"About how a human was seen and left for dead in the park?" Xenovia continued.
"Y-Yeah" said Irina, not liking where her partner was going with this.
"So how did he magically go to school the next day like nothing happened?" Xenovia said. It was here that Irina started putting the pieces together on what Xenovia was saying. "Irina... I'm sorry, but your friend Anthony... he's gone. He's a..."
SLAP!
...
...
...
It took a few seconds for it to sink in, but Irina had just slapped Xenovia across the face, looking quite upset and also appeared to be holding back tears. Normally, the bluenette would cut down anyone who dared put their hands on her, but gave a pass to Irina. Not only because she was her partner and friend, but also because this was a complicated situation. Anthony clearly had an effect on the poor girl, and he was now on the opposite side.
"Don't... say it. He's not... he's not one them!" Irina declared, not wanting to accept what Xenovia was saying.
"Irina..." Xenovia sighed.
"Your wrong! He's not a Devil! There's no way he'd even THINK of becoming one! He's a good person! He's nothing the church made him out to be!" Irina said, tears starting to well up in her eyes upon having flashbacks to the sentence the church gave him, as as she cried as he was taken away. "He saved me... and he saved Asia! And after all this time, I can finally save him!" Said Irina.
"So your going to deny the truth? Open your eyes, Irina! He destroyed this very church!" Xenovia raised her voice a little.
"He was protecting someone!" Irina defended.
"Regardless if he was or not, he still destroyed a house of God without a second thought! He's dangerous, he's destructive and more importantly, he's our enemy! HE'S A DEVIL FOR RIAS GREMORY!" Said Xenovia.
"YOUR WRONG! HE'S NOT! ANTHONY'S NOT A DEVIL!" Irina screamed, still in denial.
"WHY ELSE WOULD HE BE A MEMBER OF RIAS GREMORY'S 'RESEARCH' CLUB FOR? A JANITOR? ITS JUST A FRONT! THAT CLUB IS AS EVIL AS THE DEVILS WHO RUN IT!" Yelled Xenovia. She didn't want to do this, but felt it was the only way to get it through Irina's thick skull.
Hearing "Anthony" and "Evil" being used in the same context caused Irina to snap. Without thinking, her eyes filled with anger; she gave a battle screech, lifted up her robes to show off an armband on her left arm and somehow drew a sword from it, slicing at Xenovia! Wide-eyed, the bluenette jumped back, avoiding the swipe by a mere centimeter! Irina was breathing raggedly, looking pissed and teary-eyed. As she took in a few more breaths, she calmed down and put the sword away slowly.
"I need *deep breath*... to be alone" Irina said as calmly as she could due to all the emotions swirling around inside her body.
"Irina, I..." Xenovia went to apologize, realizing she may have went a bit too far.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Irina cut her off, running off into the night.
"IRINA!" Xenovia called out, but to no avail. "Shit..." she sighed.
-TIME BREAK-
Rias had finally arrived back in the Messuri apartment via magic circle, looking as worried as she did when she left Sona's stronghold. She teleported to the kitchen, assuming that's where Anthony was. She did smell a nice aroma, and on the counter under a heating lamp was a dish... it was actually her favorite food, udon noodles! Of course, she could tell Anthony had put a touch of his culture into this dish, having fresh herbs and sweet-smelling basil.
Hopefully, these won't come to life like last time...
-FLASHBACK-
(AN: Another DxD Special. Thankfully, this one had subtitles so I got the gist of what was going on this time.)
Koneko was currently holding a running-in-place Anthony by the back of his shirt without effort. Currently, Sona and Tsubaki were in the club room in aprons and using Rias' desk as a table for kneading dough in 2 large bowls, one for each Devil to work on... and doing it incorrectly by Italian standards, which was torture to the dragon host.
"NOOOOOOOO! YOUR SUPPOSED TO USE YOUR FINGERS! NOT JUST YOUR PAAAAAAAALMS!" Anthony cried.
"They can handle it, dough-boy" said Koneko, which got Anthony to stop moving and slouch over with his arms hanging down in defeat.
"The things you say really hurt sometimes" he moaned.
"Its tradition to make the dough from scratch. Don't Italians' love tradition?" Said Akeno, finding it humorous how Anthony was acting around dough. It appeared the stereotype was true...
"Hey. I know my dough! Tradition, is done in the kitchen!" Said Anthony. Regardless of the side-bet that Rias and Sona made at the dodgeball match (which he was only learning about now), it was still agonizing to see precious dough handled this way. Sona wiped sweat from her brow.
"How's it looking, Tsubaki?" She asked her Queen, ignoring Anthony's side comment/cry to: 'at least wear a fucking hairnet'.
"Just a... bit more..." said Tsubaki, not stopping from her work though she appeared to look as tired as Sona did.
"I suppose it can't be helped... we'll lend you a hand" offered Rias.
"YES! And tell her too..." Anthony started, but...
POW! THUD!
Koneko let go of Anthony's shirt, only to jump up and elbow him on the top of his head, knocking him out.
"We don't need your pity. We lost fair and square, so we'll pay the price" said Sona, ignoring the antics of 2 of the ORC's members.
"I assure you, Sona; we just want good udon" Rias said.
"Udon is the pinnacle of creation" said Koneko.
"Then why not let me..." Anthony's face-first muffled voice from the floor said.
STOMP!
Only to be silenced by Koneko's foot to the back of his head, releasing an equally muffled whine. The female members of the ORC joined forces with 2 Sitris' by stamping on the dough with their feet. So the grains could even out or something, Anthony didn't fully hear exactly what was said, mostly since his brain was still fuzzy. He understood that was also tradition, but he hoped their feet were at least clean. He had to admit though, Sona and Tsubaki cut like professional chiefs once the pounding of the dough was complete. And Saji said Sona and cooking didn't mix...
Over a pot of what Anthony could guess was the soup, Sona summoned a Magic Circle over it. "Aw, HELL NO!" Anthony stomped over, but Rias was the one to stop him this time by pulling him back by the shirt.
"It's fine, Mister Ramsay. Sona does this all the time, it makes the food good" said Rias.
"Bullshit! Good food is made with love! Not magic!" Anthony declared.
"You and Asia used magic to make us a big lunch" countered Rias, finding Anthony's aggravation amusing.
"That was prep! It's different!" Anthony countered back.
While Rias was 'arguing' with Anthony, Asia looked impressed at Sona's technique. However, she accidentally knocked over some raw eggs and it spilled all over her, getting everyone's attention. The poor girl. "Momma Mia. Let's get you cleaned up" said Anthony, choosing to stop his debate with Rias. "I'm serious, Rias! Magic and food don't mix!" Called Anthony as he helped Asia out.
"It'll be fine!" Rias called back. What no one noticed though, was that Sona's magic circle flickered upon her getting distracted by Asia's accident...
Once Anthony returned with Asia, the udon noodles were ready and being served by Tsubaki. "Welcome back, your just in time" she said, filling up the remaining 2 bowls that belonged to Anthony and Asia.
"Thanks for the grub" Anthony thanked, taking apart his chopsticks. He'd rather use a fork to be honest.
"It looks delicious!" Said Akeno, blowing on her noodles a few times.
"They do! They look bustling with freshness!... See, Anthony? Their perfectly fine" said Rias, rubbing in what she said before.
"Just shut up and manjia..." Anthony said, with half-closed eyes and glancing in her direction.
"Er... yes. H-Help yourselves" Sona said, sounding nervous, but only Tsubaki noticed this. Not even two seconds after Rias was about to eat...
*Wiggle. Wiggle, wiggle.*
Everyone that was about to eat just stared, trying to process what they were seeing. "IIIIIIII think its a bit TOO fresh" stated Anthony, also processing this.
WHIP! (4x)
"AAAAAAAAH!" (3x)
For reasons unknown; the udon noodles came to life and wrapped up Rias, Asia, Akeno and Koneko... the first 3 were the only ones to yelp in surprise, the fourth one just looked annoyed.
"They're alive! The noodles are aliiiiiiiiiiiive!" Said Asia, but one on the noodles wrapped itself tighter around her right upper thigh, causing her to moan. The noodles also wrapped around the girls' hip and chest areas, some more than others... Akeno seemed to be enjoying it though...
Anthony and Kiba just looked up with open mouths, then eyed Sona for an explanation. [Dinner AND a show] Ddraig said out loud.
"My apologies. I put more magic in than I should have when Asia fell" Sona admitted, looking both ashamed and embarrassed while adjusting her glasses.
"Really?" Anthony 'asked'.
"Yes. I accidentally invigorated the noodles" Sona said.
"And me and Kiba aren't effected... why?"
"I was thinking about making Rias the best udon she ever tasted."
"Soooooo... plot convenience?"
"Stop discussing it calmly, and get us down!" Said Rias, then a noodle tightened around one of her butt cheeks and squeezed, she grunted to hold in the moan her mouth wanted to let out. Sighing, Anthony got out his Boosted Gear, Boosted once; and fired 3 beams above him without looking in the direction of a girl to disintegrate the noodles holding Akeno, Asia, and Koneko; one-by-one. They fell to the floor on their rumps, though Koneko somehow landed on her feet like a cat despite being upside down, safe and sound. Except for...
"AAAAAAAAH!... ANTHONYYYYYYY!" Rias called/moaned out for help, a noodle now squeezing one of her tits.
Anthony just slurped up some of the noodles (which weren't too bad), chews what's in his mouth, swallows, then shrugs without looking up. "... Love. Not magic" was all he said before going back to eating again, tuning out the moaning.
-END FLASHBACK-
Curious, Rias took the chopsticks next to the bowl and tried some. It was still warm, and it tasted divine! She also just noticed that next to the bowl, was a hand-written sign next to it saying: Made with Love, for the 'Crimson Ruin Princess'. Rias couldn't help but smile. Always the jokester, he even saved dinner for her...
She then realized why she rushed home. Wiping her face with the napkin that was left under the chopsticks, Rias looked through the rest of the house. Her search lead her to Anthony's room upstairs, light was coming from under the door and she heard talk about money. Not knowing what to expect, she summoned a small magic circle with Destruction Magic at the ready. Narrowing her eyes, she approached the door and reached for the knob slowly. Once she put her hand on it...
-TIME BREAK-
At the same time while Rias was downstairs...
Anthony was sitting at his computer, putting the finishing touches on a video he made. Before that however, he and Asia did make dinner and had a nice time, then they both went into his room after they cleaned up. Checking his Channel, he noticed his subscriber count had doubled... probably because of them being shared.
Asia was sitting on his bed, admiring what Anthony had. She couldn't imagine 200 people being interested in her, let alone it double in a single day! "So, what exactly do you do for YouTube?" Asia asked.
"Eh, just give my opinion on stuff or play games... and the nuns said playing video games for the rest of my life would amount to nothing" said Anthony, also adding in a small joke about nuns and older people in general, who didn't understand video games. Now millions of people make millions around the world thanks to them... go figure.
"Do you get paid?" Asked Asia, a little interested herself.
"I could, but creators I'm friends with say its stressful. So I'm gonna wait awhile before I ask for it" said Anthony.
"Oh, ok... I was wondering cause..." Asia began.
"You feel bad living here for free?" Anthony smirked. Asia blushed. He always could read her like a book.
"Well, er I... its not that..." the ex-nun stumbled.
"Asia," Anthony got her attention. "Really, I don't mind. Even if the entire club starts living here, I'll STILL pay for everything" said Anthony, which Asia smiled at.
[Your gonna regret saying that...] Ddraig commented. "Oh, really? What makes you say that?" Anthony asked. Before Ddraig could answer...
SWOOSH!
The door flew open, Rias having pushed it as hard as she could. She then looked at the scene in front of her with a hardened glare, then it softened into confusion. "Rias? WOAH, RIAS! Were the noodles THAT bad?" Asked Anthony, noticing Rias barge in and then jumped out of his seat with his hands up in defense upon seeing Destruction Magic in her hand. Rias' face softened even more into relief, so much that she almost cried tears of joy due to her eyes glazing over.
SMOOSH!
Then pulled both Asia and Anthony into a hug.
"I'm so glad your safe! I assumed the worst had happened! I'll promise I'll keep a better eye on you" said Rias, appearing to talk to both Asia and Anthony, though her wording told them she was directing it to one of them... she also hugged a certain male tighter. Speaking which, both Italians shot a glance at each other, not fully understanding what was going on or why Rias was acting this way.
"Uh, ma'am?" Asked Asia.
"What is it?" Rias asked, relived.
"Fhest" Anthony muffled out, as his face was basically shoved into Rias' chest. "Of course" said Rias, releasing both her servants from her grasp. She then started undoing her shirt without hesitation. "Anthony, I think I spoil you too..."
GRAB!
Anthony, breaking out of the trace he was in upon seeing Rias start 'unwrapping', quickly grabbed Rias' hands before anymore damage could be done. "*deep breath in* Allettante, buuuuuut..." Anthony said, then nudged his head towards a jealous Asia who let out a: "Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm!"
This didn't stop both of them from sleeping with him... again... and naked...
-TIME BREAK-
[WELSH DRAGON - OVER BOOSTER!]
Anthony's eyes shot open upon hearing that, was Ddraig activating their Balance Break now?... Nope. But he did find himself in the schools courtyard, where the ORC was looking at... him?! Wait a second, that can't be him!
"No one hurts the people I care about! I don't care who they are!" Said the Balance Breaker, but Anthony recognized the voice immediately. It was that Issei kid.
"Him again? What's he doing here?" Anthony asked out loud. Looking around him; he saw Azazel (missing an arm for some reason), all members of the ORC, a boy in girls clothing, Sirzechs, Grayfia, a girl with blue hair and green bang, an older Irina and an angel (an actual one and to Anthony's surprise, not a Fallen One). The only new face Anthony saw was a cute girl with thinner ponytails than Irina; this person also looked related to Sona in a way.
"Look, Albion. The boys power has gone up exponentially" said a second voice that Anthony also recognized. It belonged to that Vali guy. Looking up, Anthony saw a smaller version of the white dragon looking down upon the group, though his attention was now focused on Issei. And Albion... that was the name of the white dragon Ddraig told him about, right? This didn't make sense, they were bigger last time.
[The Sacred Gear uses strong feelings to sustain its power. Your facing pure rage from him right now... well done. That's one of the most appropriate ways of drawing out the dragon] said a third voice, once again Anthony had heard before. Apparently, this Vali guy was the host of the white dragon, Albion. Speaking of which, the dragon sounded proud of its host.
"So what your saying is, I'm even better at drawing out his dragon than he is at being one?" Vali 'asked'. Already, Anthony didn't like this Vali. He sounded so arrogant and cocky to the most annoying extreme, not like the last one. At least the other Vali sounded like he was having fun... despite the Juggernog Drive devouring his life energy or some shit. Anthony also took his taunt to Issei as a personal insult, as Ddraig was his partner too.
Issei, in a fit of rage, took flight at Vali, bringing out some kind of a blade. Both dragons dashed off, colliding at certain points. Both their aura were flaring, the intensity could even be felt by those on the ground.
"ISSEI!" Rias called out, running toward the insuring battle. "Rias! NO!" Anthony tried stopping Rias, as he could tell from both sight and first-hand experience if she got too close to that... bye-bye Rias. But just like last time, his hand went through anything it attempted to touch. It was actually Sirzechs, who reached out at the same time as Anthony, that was the one to stop her.
"Let me go! He needs me!" Said Rias. "Yeah, and I need YOU!" Said Anthony but again, he didn't appear to be heard either.
"At this point, both their auras have passed your limit. If you get too close to either of them, you'll burn and die" warned a concerned brother. (AN: Changed the line because it didn't make sense to me. If Issei and Vali's power surpassed their limits, shouldn't SOMETHING had happened to them too, NOT just Rias?)
"But I... I can't just sit here and watch this" said Rias, worried for Issei's safety. Anthony also looked concerned, but he had faith in the Red Dragon's power. He'll...
Vali: Weak. Your too WEAK!
POW!
Issei: GACK!
Issei either missed his target, or Vali overpowered him, it was hard for Anthony to tell from his position. What he did know, is that DEFINITELY hurt. To add insult to injury, Vali's Gear said "DIVIDE" and that caused Issei's aura to vanish, also making him fall to the ground hard.
"Are you alright?" Rias called out.
"A-Okay... ya don't have to worry about me..." said Issei, even as he clearly struggled to stand after only getting socked once. Despite not knowing the guy, Anthony felt sorry for him. In fact, he saw allot of a similarities to their personalities. They both fight for their friends and clearly care a great deal about them, as well as assuring said friends everything is fine even when its not... minus the whole: using Rias' fruit baskets as rechargeable batteries thing.
Anthony continued watching the battle (since he couldn't do much else anyway) and while he now outright despised Vali for attacking/threatening to attack innocent bystanders (though Issei did protect them), he was quite impressed by the unorthodox strategy that Issei kid came up with. It was a risky play, and could have easily backfired; but he redirected more power Vali to immobilize his Balance Break due to him, like anything else, having a limit. Though Ddraig neglected to tell Issei that dragons continue fighting until one is knocked completely out... Anthony knew how that felt.
Then Issei picked up one of the gems from... wait a second. In the first dream, Issei said something about Vali's gear on the floor... was this what he meant?
[I AM THE MASSIVE POWER, KNOWN AS THE RED DRAGON EMPEROR! WE WILL SURVIVE THIS TOGETHER AS TRUE PARTNERS! ISSEI HYOUDOU! ARE YOU READY?] Roared the voice of Ddraig, as Issei held the white dragons orb and his own green gem was glowing. "YEAH!" Issei agreed.
"What can you do so late in the game?" Asked Vali, unimpressed at Issei's sudden confidence.
"Listen you Vanishing Dragon Dickhead!" Issei yelled. "This is where... I TAKE YOUR POWER!"
SLAM! SHINE!
As soon as Issei slammed that gem into his right arm, he let out a blood-churning scream while he held his glowing arm, like it was in pain. Anthony tried to keep looking, but the light just got brighter and brighter until it blinded his vision, so much he had to shield his eyes again in the same fashion as the last dream.
FLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASH!
His eyes opened again to find himself in his bedroom, once again bedded with 2 naked women on each side of him. Just another dream. He looked at his clock. It was 3AM in the morning... sounded like a terrible/lazy YouTube trend, but like that'll ever happen, right? Anthony closed his eyes and went back to sleep. Not much else he could really do.
-TIME BREAK-
A male Fallen Angel flew into a stronghold of some sort. After landing, he walked past a few fellow Fallen who were talking amongst themselves. The male Fallen made his way to some kind of throne room, where another Fallen Angel was sitting upon, having 5 pairs of black-feathered wings. He was also resting his arm on one of the armrests the throne came with, holding up his head that had closed eyes.
"Ahem... L-Lord Kokabiel, sir?" Said the Fallen Angel, shaking in the presence of the stronger Fallen Angel. It was mostly because Kokabiel had a bit of a temper, so he was trying to be careful with what he said.
Kokabiel's eyes opened at the sound of his name, revealing he had evil red eyes. "You better have a good reason for disturbing me" the Fallen Angel warned, to which the lesser Fallen Angel shivered at. Kokabiel's voice alone radiated power.
"Um... well, the New Holy Sword Project is coming along nicely, 3 of the 7 pieces of Excalibur have been recovered" said the Fallen Angel.
"Ah... good news for a change. How about Valper and his wife?" Asked Kokabiel.
"They are quite intelligent for mere humans, aren't you concerned they'll find out the tru...?" The Fallen Angel said.
Kokabiel flared his power in response, effectively shutting the other Fallen up. "They're smart, but not that smart. Speaking of, has the church sent out any subordinates to fetch the swords we borrowed?" Said Kokabiel.
"Just two. An Xenovia Quarta and Irina Shidou" reported the Fallen Angel.
"Heheh, perfect. It's all going according to plan" Kokabiel said, finding the chain of events amusing. He hasn't had this much fun since the Great War ended. He then opened a magic circle in his hand, and it acted like a camera. In it; he saw Anthony, Rias and Asia eating breakfast together. The Italian got upset about something, but calmed down after Rias reassured him. "Heheheh... the son shall pay for the sins of his father..." recited Kokabiel.
Watching further, he saw Anthony and the girls with him head to a car, most likely his. Kokabiel closed the circle and looked back down at the other Fallen Angel. "Oh... and be a dear, and the let the dog out for a walk. Heheheheheh."
-TIME BREAK-
"THEY DID WHAT?!" Said Anthony, now upset. Rias had just told him and Asia at the breakfast table that 2 members of the church had gone up to Sona and Tsubaki, and threatened them in broad daylight. She wouldn't tell Anthony their names though, saying it was complicated, and that it was already taken care off. That didn't stop Anthony from feeling mad, but he did calm down somewhat. At least he knew what got Sona and later Rias so worked up yesterday.
After breakfast and cleanup; Anthony headed downstairs to a car with Rias and Asia following him. It was a white Tucson van.
"You actually have a car?" Asked Rias.
"How else to you think I got around? Just my bike?" Asked Anthony. Rias nor Asia answered that.
Anthony hopped in and started the engine. "Come on, it won't bite" he said. Both girls did just that, with Rias getting in the front passenger seat while Asia took the back (Anthony half-expected them to argue about that, but they didn't). As Anthony drove out into the street, Rias spoke up.
"So, where are you going? We have to get to school soon" she asked, as he went in the opposite direction.
"Oh, just a quick stop to Viva Home. Need to pick up some things" Anthony said. (AN: Viva Home is basically Japan's version of Home Depot)
After driving there; Anthony bought some nails, hammers, screws, screwdrivers and a REEEEEEALLY long piece of wood. Why? He wouldn't say, just that it was apart of a "master plan". While the tools fit easily, the wood was another story. He had the bright idea to open up the trunk, and slide the wood in. When the wood proved to be too long, he slid it through Rias' passenger window instead, which allowed him to close the trunk. She was still able sit in it, but now couldn't get out of the car unless she teleported. The wood also stuck out the side of the car like a lance the knights of old used for jousting.
"Did you really have to do this?" Asked Rias.
"Sometimes, ya gotta work with what ya got" said Anthony, getting back into his seat and putting his seat belt on.
"Well, why not rent a truck?" Asked Asia, as that sounded easier.
"Heheh, we don't need to pay ¥3300 (AN: roughly 30 US Dollars) an hour for a quick trip. We're not renting a truck" Anthony chuckled.
"I don't know... the woods longer than the car" observed Rias.
"So is mine, ya don't see me renting bigger pants" Anthony said.
"And I'm SURE you'll need them to stop attracting attention, but maybe you should..." Rias said, adding to the joke, but once she started voicing her opinion, Anthony cut her off.
"Relax... I know what I'm doing" Anthony said, starting the engine and leaving the parking lot. Their was a traffic light that lead to the road from the plaza they were in, which was on red so Anthony had to stop. "There, see? Its PERFECTLY FINE!" Said Anthony, then leaned to Rias overdramatically upon saying 'perfectly fine'. The crimson Devil just rolled her eyes, knowing what he was referring too. Maybe she SHOULD trust him this time...
The light changed to green, Anthony went back to normal and...
VROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM! CRACK!
A human driver blew through the red light in a truck. While he did make it, he also destroyed the perfect plank of wood Anthony had just bought. "HEY! WATCH WHERE YOUR GOING, ASSHOLE!" Anthony yelled with his head out the window, not the the other driver could hear him as he/she was long gone. It was also here that Anthony saw the damage... and just stared at it.
Asia: ...
Rias: You should've gotten a...
Anthony: (cuts her off) We're not renting a truck.
-2nd ATTEMPT-
Back to square one, Anthony once again got to the same traffic light. It changed to green, but Anthony looked both ways twice this time. Driving out...
VROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM! CRACK!
Anthony: (stares while holding onto the wheel) ...
Asia: ...
Rias: ... Why don't you just...?
Anthony: (cuts her off, clenches teeth to stay calm) We're not. Renting. A truck.
-3rd ATTEMPT-
Back to square one, again, Anthony pulled up to the traffic light. It changed, but Anthony didn't drive out this time.
VROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Asia: Phew, that was a close one.
Anthony: (starts driving) Yeah, I know. That would've been...
VROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM! CRACK!
Anthony: (stares while clenching the wheel tightly. He was also vibrating and biting down on his lips) ...
Rias: (opens mouth to speak, but decides against it and closes it) ...
Asia: ... (slowly points back to Viva Home) We could... just rent a...
Anthony: (yells) WE'RE NOT RENTING A TRUCK!
Ddraig: [Why not just teleport, THEN come back for the car?]
Rias: ...
Asia: ...
Anthony: ... (slams head into wheel)
HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK!
-TIME BREAK-
After entering one of Rias' teleportation circles and dropping the wood off back at the house, the friends were about to leave for school when Rias got a call from her family via a smaller magic circle around her ear. She said it was family business and she'll need to take the day off. Anthony couldn't help but feel bad for Sona, having to write all kinds of passes for Rias. The King was kind enough to open a new portal so her Bishop and Pawn wouldn't be late, but once Anthony was about to step in and follow Asia, he felt something grab his shoulder.
"Ri?" He asked, turning to face Rias.
"Anthony... I have to ask you a favor" said Rias.
"Sure, whatever you need" said Anthony.
"Can you... come with me?" She asked him. He wasn't sure, but were her cheeks red, or was it just the shade from her hair?
"What for? Didn't you say it was family business?" Asked Anthony.
Truth be told, it was a white lie on Rias' part. Though the magic circle she opened on her ear was a ruse, she DID have to go to the Underworld for a few errands anyway.
"I do, but... I've seen your world and... I was wondering if you'd... want to see mine?" Asked Rias, now her cheeks were clearly red. Was was wrong with her? She just wanted to spend some time with him... at Sona's expense job-wise, but no harm no foul, right?
"Y-You mean... like a date?" Asked Anthony, caught a bit off-guard.
"UUUUUUH! N-N-NO! Just..." Started Rias, but had no idea of a possible excuse. What's up with her? They tease each other all the time, yet NOW she feels embarrassed?
[I'm pretty sure this classifies as what one would call a "date"] said Ddraig.
"ITS NOT A DATE! I just... need some support, that's all! Stressful being a daughter of a rich family" said Rias, which Anthony could somewhat understand. It was no secret that the Gremory's were indeed very wealthy. Anthony's parents were kinda the same way, so maybe the girl just needed a bodyguard for the paparazzi or something.
[Ma'am... I've been around the block for over 200 centuries. Don't insult my intelligence] Ddraig sassed back. "Yet, he can't beat a white lizard without a host body" Anthony commented.
BA-DUM!
Anthony: ARGH!
[Try me again. Next time I'll implode it] Ddraig warned, which got Anthony to shut his big mouth. Giggling to herself on Anthony's and Ddraig's antics, she opened up a new portal.
"We'll take my car" said Rias, giving her usual smirk. Dear God, what was she up too? Leading the way, Rias and Anthony walked into the portal.
-TIME BREAK-
At the ORC clubhouse; Akeno, Asia and Koneko were sitting there alone. Akeno was going over some contracts on Rias' desk, Koneko was sitting on the sofa in her usual spot eating her usual snack, and Asia was on the opposite couch. The door suddenly opened, getting the ORC's attention.
"Rias, I can't keep writing you and Anthony passes... where's Rias?" Asked Sona, who entered without knocking. She looked back and forth with her eyes, but didn't see her friend/rival anywhere, nor her favorite piece.
"Oh; me, her and Anthony did some shopping this morning, but then she got a call from her brother or something. I just got here myself... actually, he was right behind me" said Asia.
"Kiba took the day off too, must be nice" Koneko stated in her usual dry tone.
Sona just sighed. "Well, when you see her, tell her the school board is getting suspicious why Rias and a transfer student are getting freebies every other day. I can't keep risking my job."
"Is that the only reason you came by?" Asked Akeno, with a knowing tone. Sona walked over to the desk, and placed a slip of paper on it.
"This is the LAST pass I can give her" Sona said, her head hung in defeat.
"We'll be sure to let her know once she returns" Akeno smiled, while Sona just bowed and left the room. Ugh, the things she does for that girl...
-TIME BREAK-
Anthony: 30 SPORTS CARS?!
Indeed. After exiting the Gremory Magic Circle, they ended up in a HUGE garage with 30 different makes and models of sports car... there might have been more, but it was hard to tell since they were all the some color and blended together. Being red, to no one's surprise.
"I also have a convertible and a saloon" said Rias, enjoying seeing the jaw-drop on Anthony's face.
"I fucking hate you..."whined the Italian. He then had to wait for Rias to pick a car, which took about 10 minutes. The first 5 she kept second-guessing herself. She eventually went with the red saloon.
"Like a good neighbor, Satan Farm is there" said Rias then out of nowhere, a random guy in a business suit popped up. Anthony's mouth dropped again.
"Your covered, Miss Gremory" smiled the man.
"Thanks, Arron" Rias smiled back, then the man poofed out of existence. Magically summoning a set of keys, Rias saw Anthony's face.
"The hell was that?" He asked.
"What was what?" Rias asked.
"THAT! I thought that was just a special effect!" Said Anthony, after thinking about it for a moment.
"Oh, come on. Everyone knows all Car Insurance companies are Devil owned and operated" said Rias, now understanding why Anthony appeared confused.
Getting an idea, Anthony spoke. "I have Geico Insurance, so person come help."
What appeared, was an old lady on an old wall-mounted phone while cooking. [Isn't that your Grandma?] Asked Ddraig.
"15% IN 15 MINUTES, MY ASS! BEEN ON HOLD FOR 5 HOURS!" Said the old lady, then she disappeared. Anthony and Rias just stood there, with the Devil looking over at Anthony in amusement.
[You were hoping to see the Gecko, weren't you?] Asked Ddraig. Anthony just spoke up, in an annoyed tone. "Can we just go, please?"
Getting into the chosen car with Anthony, Rias drove the car out of the garage. Anthony happened to look back and see they were exiting a castle, which must have been Rias' home. Damn, it was big. Seeing more of the Underworld this time around was fascinating. Instead of a sky-high view, Rias was driving him around. Streets were clean, sidewalks had no litter, and people looked happy here. Plus, they looked at the car as it would come down the street and smile, signifying they knew who it belonged too even if the windowed were tinted.
Rias' first stop was a small store on the side of the road, which she had to park in front of. It was kinda like Anthony was back in the city of New Jersey/New York, so he was now feeling a bit more comfortable. Taking the keys out of the ignition and turning the car off, Rias stepped out of the car before looking back in and holding the door of the car. This caused a noticeable breast bounce... does she do that on purpose, or is it really involuntary?
"Coming?" She asked, smiling down at him.
"Let's do it" said Anthony, smiling up at her, opening his door and exiting the car himself. They even closed their doors at the exact same time. Once he went around the front of the car to met her, she locked the automobile up with a push a button and a *beep beep* sound. They both then walked into the store together, side-by-side.
"Ok, can you go and check aisle 5, see if they have blank paper?" Asked Rias.
"For the flyers?" Asked Anthony, though he already figured that was the reason.
"For the flyers" Rias repeated.
"Yes ma'am. Just don't go too far from me, I might get lost" said Anthony, shooting a quip.
"I'll only be on aisle 6, getting cardboard for the school festival" said Rias, shooting back.
School festival? Isn't that like an open-day cultural thing for the middle of the school year? Then again, Rias is a president for a club, so maybe she's just trying to stay prepared. The two friends walked down to the 2 aisles they, then separated to get whatever supplies they needed.
Also... was it just Anthony... or were they getting odd stares?
After the shopping trip, they both went to get a bite at a small café... if this didn't qualify as a dating spot, then Anthony didn't know what did. Not that he was complaining though, it felt nice to spend some time with Rias. A lady took their order and was friendly... to Rias anyway, which was understandable. Her family WAS a major player in this 72 Pillars thing Rias had mentioned a while back, so of course they were gonna treat her differently. But would it really have killed her to be nice to him too? She was all smiles with Rias, but then sounded as enthused as Koneko when it came to him.
After the waitress left, Anthony happened to look around with his eyes... seriously, what was with the stares?!
"*ahem* Rias" whispered Anthony.
"Something wrong?" Asked Rias, in a low voice.
"Not to be that guy, but people are staring. It's kinda creepy" said Anthony.
"Oh, don't worry too much about it. Some Devils may not be used to humans, so your probably the first one they've seen" Rias explained, which made Anthony calm down a little.
"Oh, ok. Well, if that's the case, then..." he started to say.
"Alive" Rias added at the last second.
"Oh... buono sapersi" said Anthony, Rias' addition making him pale.
"Glad I can help" Rias said, not catching onto Anthony's mod and opened up her menu to look if their was anything else she wanted. Anthony just sighed and sunk into his chair.
-TIME BREAK-
An hour later, after doing more shopping, Rias had to drive down a road that was literally next to the Familiar Forest. Out of Anthony's window; he saw small imps, small elven creatures (mostly female, due to the curves in the chest area), cat-like beings and even camels. Once Anthony mentioned that last one, Rias shuddered for some reason. Wonder why?
"I'm serious, Ri. People were just staring at me like I had the coronavirus or something" said Anthony.
"I told you, its ok. They just aren't used to a living human walking around the Underworld" said Rias, assuring Anthony a second time.
"And that makes me feel soooooo much better" said Anthony, sarcastically.
"Just give it time. I'm sure they'll come to love you" said Rias.
"If you say so" said Anthony, deciding to drop it. Maybe she was right, he was just overthinking it.
"How's about some music?" Rias offered.
"Oh, yes MA'AM! What bars does the Underworld got?" Said Anthony, happy for the change of subject. With a smile, Rias leaned forward and turned on the radio.
"Good morning, Underworld," said a male voice from the radio. "It's looking to be a beautiful day out, 70 degrees; and our top story today is how Rias Gremory was seen running around with a human."
That got the attention of both friends, this was one of those eyebrow-raising moments. They both looked at the radio itself.
"Our sources say his name is Anthony Messuri, the Red Dragon Emperor, and is her only Pawn... yet he didn't reincarnate, and can't use Promotion properly. Such a waste, isn't it, John?" Continued the male voice.
"Exactly right, Chuck. All the science that went into the Evil Pieces. Ajuka's probably shooting himself in the foot right about now" said a second male voice.
"That's not even mentioning what Hades' will do when he finds out" said the first male, John.
"I know! Poor bastards bones' are probably rattling in anger!" Said the man called Chuck, and both men laughed at their own joke.
"Wrong station" said Rias, quickly changing the channel with a click... though that talk show was quite tame in comparison to what came next...
Stand-up Comedian: ... And the Gremory's are probably like: I know, let's let our daughter bang some failed reincarnate that can't even promote!
*small audience laughter*
Stand-Up Comedian: Even better, why not have their wedding in the human world?! (starts singing "Lemon" by Kenshi Yonezu)
*louder audience laughter*
Anthony frowned. Annoyed, Rias changed it again.
(same beat as "Call Me Maybe") "HEY! She just met him... and this is CRA-ZY! But he's a human! And she's a Devil!"
Anthony's mood started to sour, as Rias flipped to the next station.
(same beat as "Bling Lights") "We can't see how, she could be, with hiiiiiiiim!"
Now Anthony was as annoyed as Rias was. She changed it a 4th time.
(same beat as "Friend Like Me") "She's in the mood, for human dick, dude! You ain't never knew a whore like her!"
At this point, Anthony was fuming, but held it in. Rias changed the station once more.
(same beat as "Sweet Little Lies") "Rias is a Sluuuuuut! She's a sweet little Sluuuuuut!"
CLICK!
More annoyed than the Devil next to him (and for good reason), Anthony shut of the radio with a little more force than necessary, then looked out the window.
[They REALLY aren't used to it, huh?] Asked Ddraig, but his question went unanswered. Rias could understand how Anthony was feeling, she too was angry. The stations didn't even take into consideration his tragic past, why he can't promote properly and most importantly, how HARD he was trying! She opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it, driving in silence for a full minute.
...
...
...
"Ri?" Anthony's sudden voice took Rias by surprise, not expecting him to talk. He also sounded upset. "... Do you regret reviving me?"
SREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH!
Rias slammed on the brakes, stopping the car, not expecting that to come out of Anthony's mouth. "... Excuse me?" Asked Rias, using a low tone and trying to keep her cool. Why the HELL would Anthony say something like that?
"I said, do you regret..." Anthony started asking again, but Rias cut him off.
"Don't you EVER! Say that again! Why the fuck would you ask me that, anyway?" Asked Rias, turning to him and getting a swirl of emotions. Anthony just gave her a face that said 'really?', and pressed the radio button without looking away from Rias' eyes...
(same beat as "Sweet Little Lies") "Oh, no, noooo! She wants it in her butt!"
CLICK!
The Italian still looked at Rias even after shutting it off, and held the stare for a few more seconds before looking sad. "... I mean... your basically a laughing stock now... because of me. The useless human Pawn. If I had know you'd get constant ridicule, I'd be fine with di..."
SLAP!
At lightning speed, Rias reached across the car and slapped Anthony, hard enough to make his head turn. She looked really upset, and held her silent glare for a few seconds before speaking.
"... I don't regret it for a second ... and neither should you" Rias admitted, her expression softening a little bit. "Anthony... you've given me more than any Devil ever could, even my own family. You saw the issue with Riser but instead of ignoring me, you helped deal with it and when THAT didn't work, you sacrificed your OWN ARM!" Rias brought up, emotional at the memory. "I don't want to hear anything like that out of your mouth again, you understand? No servant of mine, Devil or not, is to even THINK that way! You are FAR from useless cause if it wasn't for you... my life, would be over" said Rias, her tone now much softer.
Her gentle hand then cupped the side of his face. "Your the best servant a Devil like me could ever ask for... could DREAM of! And I'd gladly revive you a 1000 times over if necessary. Give them some time and I'm sure, they'll see EXACTLY what I see" finished Rias. Anthony looked a bit stunned, but then smiled and gently grabbed the hand cupping his face, setting them both down on the armrest between them. Rias once again felt a surge of warm emotions once he touched her.
"...Thanks, Ri... I needed that" said Anthony. "The slap too" he added with a smirk.
"Well, had to knock SOME sense into you" said Rias, getting her hand back and started driving off.
"SOME SENSE? Your looking at the genius who figured out a Phenex's kryptonite, when everyone else just assumed he was immortal" Anthony said, in a mock-bragging fashion.
"Which further proves my point. The Underworld doesn't understand you. But once they get to know you, they'll..." Rias started to say.
"HOLY SHIT! FERMA L'AUTO! FERMA L'AUTO ORA!" Anthony suddenly shouted, noticing something as he looked out the window.
"WHAT! WHAT! WHAT!" Questioned Rias, wondering what the fuss was about. They passed a large billboard sign that said:
"The Underworlds Largest Pasta Bowl?! WE GOTTA SEE IT!" Anthony said, excitedly. The sign did in fact contain a large bowl of pasta, with meatballs and red sauce.
"Anthony, this isn't a fun family road tr-..." Rias said, but by the time Rias looked back towards Anthony's seat, it was empty and his door was open. 5 seconds later...
BANG!
"AHHH!" Rias jumped at the sudden bang on the roof of her, looking up to the source of the noise. Out of the corner of her eye; she saw a red suit of armor climb back into its seat, close the door, and put its seat belt on before flashing out of existence (Rias was still driving the whole time).
"Eh... it was pretty dumb. The gift shop was cool, though" said Anthony, with a hat on his head that said 'Prince Spaghetti Day', and a few souvenirs in his lap. He also pulled out a paddle ball (the paddle had a picture of pasta in red sauce, while the ball was painted as a meatball), and started using it with a goofy smile on his face.
Rias just stared at him.
...
...
...
"... You revived him" Rias said to herself while looking back to the road, yet out loud. As she continued to drive down the road, 2 pairs of eyes opened from the Familiar Forest, along with a duo of simultaneous growls...
Now the truck destroying wood, while an entirely original scene, may have seemed to be out-of-place for DxD; but it's actually a true story, word for word. I was shopping with some buddies at Home Depot, and the very same thing happened, which makes it even funnier. Me and one of my friends were basically Rias and Asia in this situation, while my third friend (the driver AKA Anthony) was so adamant that we not spend the money on a rental truck... yet spent more on multiple planks of wood. Had to somehow put it into the story, its one of those moments that you HAVE to share with others cause of how ridiculous it sounds... funny where inspiration comes from.
Also, I HAD to reference THAT scene from THAT movie, it was too good to pass up.
I also added a new concept, how the Underworld is ridiculing Anthony's existence along with Rias' companionship with him. Think about it, the first failed reincarnate? You think Devils that have used the so-called "perfect" Evil Piece System for the longest time are just gonna let that slide without question? Stories I've read never did this, even ones that follow canon to a tee. Just had all of Devil society accept it, which made no sense to me. Politics are also a HUGE thing for Devils, so wouldn't this also fall into that category? Figured I'd do a new dynamic, one that really begs the question if it was really worth reviving Anthony despite all the not-so favorable press.
Anthony's Italian Dictionary:
1) Allettante: means "tempting"
2) Manjia (pronounced "MON-JA"): means "eat"
3) Buono Sapersi: means "good to know"
4) Ferma L'auto: means "stop the car"
5) Ora: means "now" or "right now"