2 months since last update, but so much has happened. The virus-that-must-not-be-named, people fighting on the floor for toilet paper at Wal-Marts, I have a new DxD fanfic that's a crossover with Sonic the Hedgehog... It's been crazy! I can't apologize enough, guys! I haven't forgotten about this story, just been busy with other things.
Now that we're back, we can pick up where Anthony's and Rias' date left off. But before we do, do go check out that new Sonic/DxD story I mentioned. It's actually doing very well despite being only 2 months old, and its not what your thinking, I promise you. The archive is full of that, so I guess that's why mine has gotten so much attention for being faithful to both sources. Let's just answer some reviews, and we can begin!
From 54godamora:
This was really good and a lot character development. I skipped the dream sequence as I will never understand it and I refuse to. My favorite part is the day in the underworld and the part of human being disliked reminds me of the opposite back in the colonial period when humans persecuted "witches"
Bakuganman: The dream sequences will be explained and why Anthony's having them later on. Had to do something original with Underworld Devils not liking (or the very least, not understanding) Anthony at first, since he's still human and all.
From calderoneric758:
Really the last scene from the sonic movie I mean the movie was amazing but still that's hilarious and now I cant wait to see irina reaction on Anthony being a with rias
Bakuganman: Had to use it, was too good to pass up. Speaking of Sonic, I have a new crossover with him if you or anyone wants to check that out. Its becoming increasingly popular based on traffic stats.
From Ace:
Can't wait for the face off with Anthony and Xenovia. I really did like the Rias and Anthony date and how people would react. Although I do not think those people that called or sang about her being a "slut". How do they have the gall to do so when her brother is one of the four kings?
Also are you into punk rock?
Bakuganman: Glad you liked it. Again, had to take an original spin on it. I've heard a few punk rock songs.
From Azhar-Ryzevim:
Do you have any plans regarding Anthony's vision about seeing Issei Adventures?
Bakuganman: Yes. Can't tell exactly what for as of now, but they will be explained as I already told 54godamora.
From Omnisaurus:
(AN: A few reviews from multiple chapters)
Bakuganman: Nice to see your back, though I'm gonna have to answer via bullet points.
1) Chapter 22: The chapter was a bit iffy, I will admit; though can you blame me for 'princess in another castle?' When your Italian like me, you kinda get that reference thrown at you allot. Not that I'm complaining, its funny no matter how many times I hear it.
2) Chapter 23: Yup, that's how Asia and Anthony met, and their relationship began from there.
3) Chapter 24: Long prologue? I think you meant to say epilogue... then again, Season NEW began right after it, so either way. The fake-out proposal was something I enjoyed writing myself.
4) Chapter 27: So far, only you and a few others had spotted it, so congratulations.
5) Chapter 30: Yeah, the first half of this chapter was meant to be crazy. And yes, it was Blue-Eyes White Dragon, and I had Ddraig poke fun at her backstory. The scene with him and Anthony arguing was also a personal favorite of mine.
6) Chapter 32: Great, you got the car insurance joke. And thanks for agreeing on the "Devils reacting to a human on their turf", seemed plausible to me and no one had attempted that yet, especially since Anthony failed to reincarnate.
From redwarrioroflight:
Hello there, RWOL here leaving a review. I have some concerns but first let say this is a very unique concept you have here. Someone being reincarnated as a Devil but for some reason it didn't work properly and is still human. Something new. I like that.
Secondly, is that you need to fix the mistake concerning who is talking. When you have a conversation between two characters, the conversation should not be in the same paragraph, but instead each character should have a sentence or more to themselves with a clear indication of who is talking. This is to insure that readers won't get confused with who is and isn't talking.
Here is an example:
"So everyone in the ORC are devils and I'm one now?" Anthony asked Rias as they ate breakfast.
"Yes. I am Rias Gremory, a Pure-Blooded Devil while you and rest of the ORC are Reincarnated Devils and are members of my Peerage." Rias started off on what would be a somewhat lengthy explanation.
As you can see, the two sentences clearly tell who is talking and saying what they're saying. The way you have it, is that one person speaks, then in the following paragraph another person speaks and then another person speaks. This causes some confusion in determining who is talking. Give each character their own sentence when they begin to speak and finish it off like I did in the example. And you should do the same for your other stories as well.
Besides that, this is a very intriguing story with a unique premise of a human on a devil's peerage without being an actual devil. Keep up the good work.
Bakuganman: Yeah, the sentences thing is a bad habit. As ideas are flowing, the fingers are typing, ya know? Sometimes I type too much at once and forget to go back and fix dialogue. It should get better as you continue, thanks for the tip!
Season NEW - Chapter 8: Complicated Coincidences - Part 3
After minute of still hitting his new paddle ball, Anthony then threw it in the back seat. "Ok, I'm over it" he said. That's when he heard a few growling sounds. "Ugh, I'm SORRY I smashed into your car, ok?" Said Anthony. Rias looked at him like he was crazy.
"Huh?" She asked.
"Yeah, there was no need to growl... still learning to how to fly this thing" said Anthony, looking at his arm that held the Boosted Gear. Rias found it sweet that he apologized.
Wait... growling? "Growling?... What are you talking about?" She said, asking Anthony what was he going on about. If he was talking about the car, sure she got startled, but she didn't care too much about it. It wasn't a big deal. And even if it was, she had over a thousand more anyway.
[You may wanna speed up, Miss Gremory... like now] Ddraig suddenly spoke up in warning.
"Why?" Asked Anthony. He got his answer from a few barking sounds, making him and Rias flinch and look at each other slowly; then they looked out the back window by turning their heads even slower. Directly behind the car running after them was a huge dog with 2 heads! Both friends screamed, not expecting this.
Rias stepped on the gas petal harder, getting away from the two-headed dog just as one of its head would've snapped on the car itself. The dog then chased the car as if it was a chew toy, its mouth salivating. "WHAT FUCKING FAMILIAR IS THAT?!" Anthony shouted.
"It's NOT a Familiar, its an Orthrus!" Said Rias as she drove off.
"Seriously...? As in: Guardian of the Underworld? IT EXISTS?!" Said Anthony.
[That's a Cerberus, you idiot! THIS is an Orthrus!] said Ddraig.
"Qual è la differenza?! It's a giant canino with multiple heads!" Anthony asked Ddraig.
In response to that, Ddraig used their shared arm to grab Anthony by the chin so he was facing the dog still chasing them. [Do I have to count them for you?!] Asked Ddraig.
"Why the hell is it all the way out here?! Hades and Geryon never take their eyes off of they're precious pups!" Asked Rias, though this was rhetorical as Anthony couldn't have/know the answer, and she wasn't sure if Ddraig knew despite his age.
[We can play 20 questions later! JUST DRIVE!] Ddraig shouted to the both of them, and he didn't need to tell Rias twice. As they continued to flee, the Orthrus snapped at the bumper on Rias' car. While it didn't get a good grip on it, it did manage to pick it up and make the rear end slam on the road, which also got the Devil and Dragon scared.
"NO, FLUFFY! DOWN!" Said Anthony, which obviously didn't work.
"Ddraig! Can you Balance Break and get that thing outta here?" Asked Rias, focusing on driving and avoiding the jaws of the Orthrus.
[Unless you want me to kill Anthony, then no. If only someone hadn't gone gift shopping...] said Ddraig. "How was I supposed to know we'd get chased by a giant pug?!" Anthony said in defense.
[BOOST!] Ddraig activated the Boosted Gear himself and started charging energy, seeing as they couldn't do it the easy way. The Orthrus snapped at the car again, just barely missing the bumper it got its teeth on before.
"RIAS! Burn him up!" Said Anthony, leaning over and taking the wheel. This didn't seem practical but due to the situation, Rias wasn't going to argue.
[BOOST!]
Leaning out the window, Rias held her hand out and blasted some Destruction magic at the Orthrus. Due to the angle of the shot, she missed, and got snarled at for her trouble. She tried again, but the beast had already moved to the side as soon as the magic took shape in Rias' hand, making her miss yet again.
[BOOST!]
Without telling Rias he let go, Anthony got his upper body out the window. He had an idea, but he needed to be quick. "Dragon Shot!" He called out.
[EXPLOSION!] Said Ddraig, releasing all the stored power. Because of Anthony's quick thinking, the two-headed mutt had no time to react to Anthony's attack. A semi-thick beam of dragonic energy completely vaporized one of the Orthrus' heads, catching it off guard and throwing it off balance. It slid across the road, whining as it did so until it came to a stop. That's when Rias took back control of the car before it veered off the road.
"HA! That all ya got, ya big pooch!" Anthony taunted from out the window to the downed demon puppy, then sitting back in his seat.
It was then shown that Kokabiel was watching them via a magic circle of his own, but he didn't look mad at the fact the Dragon and Devil ruined his plan. Rather... he looked amused. "No, but thank you for asking" he said with a smile, while resting his elbow on his throne that was supporting his head. As he said this; the Orthrus' eyes, though closed, began to flutter.
Back on the road, Anthony and Rias continued driving back to the Gremory house. "That was a doggone good time, wasn't it?" Anthony said. Rias just smiled with an eye roll, half-expecting that comment.
"Never a dull moment with you around" she said.
"Pretty sure you got that backwards" Anthony said. Rias just closed her eyes for a second to shake her head in amusement. Ever since reviving Anthony, crazy shit has been happening left and right to not just her, but the entire ORC.
BANG!
Her thoughts were interrupted by the rearrival of the Orthrus, who tried flipping the car over from behind by using his head, still intent on catching the car despite losing a head. All that remained was a stump (but it'll grow back... eventually). Rias just looked back with a glare. First her own kind overreacting to Anthony's presence, now this? Can't she catch a fucking break?!
"He's a guardian of the Underworld, right? Is he after me?" Said Anthony thinking since he isn't dead or a Devil, the guard dog was after him.
"Unlikely. That's Cerberus' job, and they never leave their posts" said Rias.
"They?" Anthony squeaked. They? As in multiple? There was more than one Cerberus?!
[Exactly. The only thing Orthrus' guard are cattle] Ddraig concurred.
"So why the fuck's a demon cane pastore chasing Itsuki Nakano and her boyfriend?!" Anthony shouted.
[How should I know?! I'm a dragon, not a shepherd!] Ddraig shouted back.
BANG!
The Orthrus tried flipping the car again, almost successfully this time! Anthony had another idea, which was even more reckless than the first one, but he couldn't think of anything else. "Ugh, fuck me sideways and call me a chew toy" he said, opening his passenger door, with the bell sound in Rias' car going off to symbolize this.
"Anthony? What are you doing!" Rias asked.
"Something stupid! Keep the car steady!" Anthony said, as he began to climb out and on the roof.
"Keep it steady?! ARE YOU OUT OF...?!" Rias asked again, but Anthony didn't hear the rest of it because he was now focusing on trying to stand on the car. This works in action movies, so its safe... right?
It wasn't easy, but Anthony got on top of the car, facing the cattle guardian face-to-face. And damn was it creepy. It was completely covered in red fur, and had deep yellow eyes that seemed to pierce into Anthony's soul. It also didn't help that it had large teeth that could easily tear a car apart, let alone a human. It kinda reminded him of that sci-fi flick that dealt with a mutated anaconda that had two heads, and in that movie it ripped a human in two slowly with those heads as it ate its snack.
Thankfully, one of the heads were gone due to the Dragon Shot, only a neck stump was there.
[BOOST!]
With Ddraig boosting Anthony's strength, he swung at the single head the Orthrus still had. It was a direct hit, though it only caused the canine to look back at Anthony with a snarl after the impact. "Uh... sit?" Anthony... ordered?
SNAP!
The demon dog took a bite at Anthony, but missed because Anthony leaned to the side. He almost lost his balance because of this and not only would he roll along the road like an abandoned toy, but then he'd be at the mercy of this thing. He dodged another snap, but he fell on the roof of the car, and the only way to stay on was to grip the tops of the open windows before he fell off.
Rias saw ahead was her families mansion/castle. If she could get there... "HANG ON!" She called out.
"Hang on? Hang onto wha... AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Anthony asked, but Rias then sped up the car as fast as it would go. She outpaced the demon sheepdog, but then it sped up itself a second later. She just had to get closer... closer...
...
...
...
As she passed onto her families property, a large magic circle opened.
SPLAT!
"WHINE!" The Orthrus slammed head-first right into an invisible wall of some kind, preventing it from catching its prey. Looking up, a long row of multiple Gremory Clan magic circles stretched left and right along the property, acting as a defensive ward of some kind. The dog clawed at it, then bit at it, but it could do nothing as it watched its chew toys get smaller and smaller as they disappeared in the distance. THAT'S when it sat down and whined.
Like before, Kokabiel was watching, but still didn't look angry. He looked more amused than before. "Go ahead... hide behind your King's family wards. But you can't run forever. In fact, we'll be meeting soon enough" said Kokabiel, looking at the scene with a grin.
-TIME BREAK-
Getting into the garage, Rias parked the car in the same spot as it was before. "You gonna stay up there all day?" She asked while looking up at the roof. Anthony was still holding on tightly.
"... give me two minutes" said Anthony, finding his body unable to move, the adrenaline still pumping.
It took a few extra minutes, but Anthony finally got down from the car. "Oh darn, I forgot to get red ink" said Rias as she realized she forgot something.
"Red ink? For what?" Asked Anthony.
"The flyers" said Rias.
"Don't you just infuse them with magic or some shit?" Asked Anthony.
"Yes, but we still need to make it look like legit flyers" said Rias.
"Great! Then we can go back out and play with fluffy" Anthony joked, which Rias understood. With that thing out there, it wasn't safe... at least, until Hades or Geryon decided to collect their lost pet.
"I might have some in my room" said Rias, and began to walk off when she heard Anthony follow her. "What are you doing?" She asked.
"Going with you" said Anthony. Rias' mouth made a perfect circle, but nothing came out.
"I... That's not necessary" said Rias. Anthony noticed she looked embarrassed for some reason... wonder why?
Rias realized if Anthony did follow her, it would be the first time a boy would step into her own room. She has dated a few boy Devils, don't get her wrong, but they never got close to this stage of the game. "Come on! It can't be worse than mine" said Anthony, trying to reassure her with a joke. He lived in an apartment and while it was big, it didn't compare to his former home, nor Rias' home of residence. Not many people, even human celebrities, could afford what Rias' could.
Exhibit A - the garage they were currently standing in.
What Anthony said had the desired effect. Rias appeared to calm down. "Ok... but don't laugh!" She said, walking off again. "Laugh?" Asked Anthony, following the red-haired demon. Laugh about what?
-TIME BREAK-
After walking throughout the huge castle-like mansion, Anthony saw how amazing it was as he followed Rias. The Gremory's had a thing for gardens it seemed, as there must have been well over 50 of them. There was even a theater and an auditorium, which Rias said the latter was only used every few years to entertain guests with plays and such. A few servants (maids and butlers mainly) bowed as Rias walked past and unlike in the Underworld Town, they also did the same to Anthony. That was a welcome change of pace, but he just waved at them nervously, not expecting them to do that.
Upon approaching what Anthony guessed was her room. She placed her hand on the knob, but didn't open it right away. After a few seconds, she finally turned it and opened the door. It was... interesting. That was a word for it. Body pillows of anime characters, dolls, costumes (which was only noticeable from an ajar closet door), clay figures, artifacts... pretty much anything you can think of that a standard internet weeaboo would show off was present here, and then some more.
"... Your a... heh... a Japanophile?" Asked Anthony, not expecting this at all. Rias was full of surprises. First owning over a thousand cars, then has an insanely rich family, NOW she's a Weeb? Anthony couldn't help but let out a few chuckles, then laughed twice.
"SHUT UP!" Rias said with a deeply red face, more red than her hair.
"Why? That's fucking adorable" said Anthony, recovering from his small laugh attack.
Rias was about to yell at him again, but took into consideration his tone of voice. It wasn't like how it was when he jokes around or pushes someone's buttons, rather... it was heartfelt and genuine.
"... A... Adorable?" She repeated, blinking twice, not expecting that word to be used to describe her interests. People and Devils alike would make fun of her if they found out, with the exception of her family of course. She never told anyone else this, not even Sona or Akeno.
"You think your the only one? My friend George Anderson is like you... granted, its not anime, but that's nothing to be ashamed about. I think its cute" said Anthony, honestly.
"C... Cute?" Rias blinked again, still not expecting those words to come out of anybody, much less Anthony, the jokester he was.
"If it makes you feel any better, I used to have a huge crush on this anime vampire chick. It was a better love story than Twilight... actually, she looks kinda like Asia, so its a bit weird now" said Anthony. He didn't get any merch on this vampire girl he spoke of as from mangas', but it was still enough for him to understand where Rias was coming from. Rias herself did feel a bit better, and honestly a little silly. She should've known Anthony wouldn't judge her. Hell, he took her side when no one else did.
Going through her drawers, she finally found some ink in what Anthony guessed based on some colored paper flying out was an arts crafts drawer. Did she still do that? Anthony couldn't tell, not like it mattered anyway. After that, the two friends left the room with Rias closing the door behind her and Anthony watching...
"You two've been in there for quite some time" said a voice. It was feminine, and had a teasing tone, but it was one Anthony didn't recognize. Based on Rias almost jumping out of her skin however, she sure did.
They both turned to see an older woman, though not much older than themselves. She appeared in her early 20's, the max Anthony would guess was no more higher than 24. In fact, aside from shorter hair, it was the same as Rias', just flax-colored instead of red. She also wore 2 necklaces, one was around the neck itself and was a red orb (not a surprise to Anthony considering the house he was in), but the other was more flower shaped and hung off... and above her chest.
Lodare Gesù. And he thought Akeno was big...
"Uh, Mom?" Said Rias, who was unaware her mother was watching them... and why'd she feel embarrassed again?
Anthony's jaw dropped, but only for a second as he put it back manually. He had to do a double take on that one. Mom? As in: person who raised you, and not: messed up porn fantasy? There's no way! She looked liked her older sister! Just with shorter hair and bigger baggage! [Fuck us sideways and call us gigolos... she hasn't changed a bit] Ddraig commented, sounding enthralled by... wait? Hadn't changed? The hell did that mean? Maybe she was involved in the 3-way war?
Anthony'll ask the dragon later. Speaking of which, said dragon had a good point. Anthony wasn't a cougar chaser, but couldn't deny Rias' mom was definitely hot. Sirzechs was undeniably handsome, and Rias was highly attractive, so it only made sense those attributes had to have come from somewhere. And Anthony was looking right at it!
"You haven't brought a boy home in years... Is this your infamous Human Pawn? The media's been going crazy about him all day" said Rias' Mother.
"Uh..." went Anthony, unable to think of a response.
"Yes! He is! Is that a problem?" Snapped Rias, having heard enough negativity about Anthony and her all day and getting defensive. After doing it, she realized who she snapped at, and bowed. "I'm sorry, Mom; I..." Rias tried to apologize.
"It's understandable, sweetie" said Rias' Mother, sounding understanding. "It's only natural for a Gremory to protect their servants" Rias' Mom continued.
'Even human ones?" Anthony asked, with a tone that also said: 'only human one'.
"A servant is a servant. And furthermore, it shouldn't matter if your a human or not. As long as you do your duties, your still considered a Gremory" the Gremory Mother responded. Truth be told, she was also surprised hearing the news of the Underworlds first (and due to the Evil Piece recall, will forever be the only) failed reincarnate, but didn't think anything of it as long as said servant was doing his job. Anthony felt touched at that remark. If the butlers and maids weren't enough, then this confirmed it. The Gremory's DID accept him as one of they're own, even if he was a human still.
"Even if one human fool ruined the future of all Devils?" Anthony said, quoting some of Riser's final words during their rematch, saying this just to be sure the mistress of the Gremory Clan was 100% with him, and not leaning away at any other percent.
Mrs. Gremory's expression softened. "To tell the truth, me and my husband knew it wasn't going to work out, but we were already locked in a contract. Such a shame one human had to ruin it" she said, being honest on the first part, then using heavy sarcasm on the last. Of course, there was some politics involved, but Anthony didn't appear to be the type that was interested in that stuff, so she spared him that headache.
Anthony at this point started to like Rias' mom. She was an understanding person, not at all like other Devils he met on this field trip. He also felt kinda guilty judging her and her husband, but based on the info he had at the time, that's how it came across. "Honestly, even we think the media is hyping this up more than necessary. A story like a failed reincarnated human is rare, but I guess seeing you and Rias today just exploded things out of control" said Mother Gremory.
"... I feel ya there" said Anthony, as his worlds media was no different. Despite being Devils, they had allot in common with humans. Emotions, wants, needs... it was all there. Only difference was one group had wings, and lived for about 10 thousand years on average. It was around this time that Rias' mom clasped her hands in Anthony's, which got him to stiffen up.
And Rias wasn't sure... but why was her heart starting to race?
"There's only so much we can do, but on behalf of the entire Gremory Family; we welcome you with open arms, Anthony Messuri. It's the least I can do for making my daughter happy" said Mrs. Gremory, and it didn't escape her notice that her daughter began to faintly blush and look down at her feet. She couldn't help but chuckle to herself. Compared to other boys she'd bring home, Rias didn't show emotion like this before. Her relationship with the human was deeper... much deeper.
So deep in fact, she could also tell neither teen was aware of it yet. Due to her years of experience however, she picked on it the moment she saw them come out of that garage. There was something different about Anthony... but instead of saying it out loud, it'd probably be better for the both of them to figure it out for themselves. Their bond would end up that much stronger.
"T-Thank you... thank you very much, Mrs. Gremory. I owe her my life after all" said Anthony, bowing in respect.
Then Rias' Mom gently grabbed his chin, catching both the Crimson Princess and the Italian Dragon completely off guard. "That's sweet dear, but you can skip the formalities with me. Gets a little old after a few thousand years. Your family now, you can call me Venelana. Or better yet, just mom" said Rias' Mom, telling Anthony her name. She saw her daughters reaction and just as she thought, she reacted accordingly. Her face was even more red, and she was shaking a little, holding herself back.
Sure she couldn't tell them... but that didn't mean she couldn't nudge them in the right direction, while also having a bit of fun with it herself. That was a mothers job after all.
Rias wanted to scream 'MOM!' But stopped herself. This was a first, her mother never did this to any other guy she'd bring home... ok, that was a lie. She'd flirt with them a bit, but they were more interested in dating Rias cause of her family name... didn't stop them from looking. But before meeting Anthony, her mother never went this far with it before, only a few small verbal innuendos here and there, some of which were cleverly disguised. Now however... it was quite noticeable.
It also didn't help that this triggered a natural Anthony reaction:
"I don't know; me going with your daughter on the town, now calling you Mom? You WANT people to talk?" He said, joining in on the tease. He didn't know why the Mother Devil was doing it, but wasn't gonna pass an opportunity when one presented itself.
"I wouldn't worry too much about it. What happens in the Gremory house stays in the Gremory house" said Venelana.
"Hmmm... sounds kinky" said Anthony with a sly smile and a double eyebrow raise.
"No, its only kinky when you say Mommy" said Venelana, matching the smile and looking right into Anthony's eyes. Damn... they were just like Rias', but Anthony held his ground.
"Eh, I'm more of a Stepsister kinda guy" he returned fire, looking right into her eyes as well.
Rias was still shaking, as well as steaming now. She knew Anthony was gonna start what someone began, that's just who he is... but did her mother REALLY have to instigate it?... Actually, nevermind! This was her MOTHER! WHY WAS HE GOING ALONG WITH IT?! She yanked her Pawn away by ear.
"ARRRRRRRRGH!" He yelped.
"I'm sorry, mom. But we have to go!" She said with her eyes closed, keeping herself as calm as possible and pulling Anthony away.
"OWWWW! RIAS! CUT IT OUT! ARGH! THAT HURTS! AT LEAST POISON JAB ME FIRST!" Anthony complained as he was pulled away. Once they got far enough, Rias opened a magic circle below them to teleport them back to the human world. After they left, Venelana giggled upon seeing Anthony and Rias go back and forth with each other. Ah, to be young and clueless. It kinda reminded the elder Devil of how she was with her husband before marrying him.
-TIME BREAK-
The next day after school concluded; outside the ORC building, Sona and Tsubaki were leading Xenovia and Irina too it. "This is Rias' Occult Research Club. You'll find her there" said Sona, still a bit nervous from what happened last time with these two. She seriously hoped Rias knew what she was getting herself into.
"Thank you" was all Xenovia said as she walked up to the doors of the semi-rundown dormitory. She just wanted to get this over with, she and Irina had things to do.
Irina didn't move any further, she was still conflicted on what to do. She got over her mental snap from last chapter, but was still concerned on how this would play out. How would Anthony be? Would he be ok? The same as she remembered? A completely different person? She had so many thoughts rushing into her head at once, and it stopped her from continuing her mission.
She thought back to that day... when he was tossed out of the church like a piece of garbage... she should've done something. Anything. Maybe she should have ran away with him... then maybe he never would've been taken by Rias...
"Irina" called Xenoiva, looking back and noticing her partner wasn't moving a muscle. She understood why of course, but it didn't change the fact they had a quest to complete. They had to go in, ask Rias what they were gonna ask, then leave. Goodbye. Sayonara. Good riddance. They'd say it was a pleasure, but see ya never again.
"... coming" Irina mumbled, not exactly looking forward to this.
Walking through the building, they made their way to the main office, which Sona had given them directions to beforehand. They got directly in front of the oak doors (which were nice, both girls had to admit), and Xenovia was the one to open one of them...
A few minutes earlier...
Inside the ORC clubhouse (though Kiba was nowhere to be seen all day), Rias told the ORC that they were expecting visitors... visitors from the church. "Are you sure that's a good idea? Doesn't holy stuff give you headaches or something?" Asked Anthony, concerned for the Devils' well-being.
"Only when its verbal. Besides, Sona assured me all they wanted to do was talk" said Rias, not mentioning the other reason was they wanted to see him as well. Seriously, what could they want with him aside from a childhood friend wanting to reacquaint with him? This was the church after all, the same one that funded the Holy Sword Project, so their had to be something more...
"Oh... that was it?" Said Anthony, understanding why that would concern Devils according to Sona, but what was so complicated about that aside from a conflict of interest with him being a human and former foster kid? After all, Azazel was working on a Peace Treaty, so what else could it be? Rias only nodded. He'd realize the truth soon enough.
"So, why would they wanna met with a Devil?" Anthony asked.
"Who knows? This is a first for us" said Akeno. Then Koneko, who was eating chocolate on a stick again, open her eyes and looked at the direction of the oak doors with her eyes.
"They're here" she said.
'Seriously, was she bit by a radioactive spider or something?' Anthony thought. How did this girl always seem to know when someone was around?
Upon thinking that, he heard/felt Ddraig groan again. [When will you learn?] He said to Anthony, as the oak doors opened...
The first thing Anthony saw was a girl... and he just stared, along with Asia who was standing next to him. In the doorway from their point-of-view, was a girl with long chestnut hair in equally long ponytails. The chestnut girls eyes locked only on Anthony's however, and she was starting to tear up... it was him. It was really him! Aside from looking taller (and a bit more handsome, Irina wasn't gonna lie), he didn't look any different from years ago.
"... ANTHONY!"
The chestnut girl, in a chestnut blur, flew over to Anthony and hugged him tightly, nuzzling into his chest and refusing to let go. Her emotions had reached their peak and were pouring out everywhere... her tears too. They stained his uniform.
"Oh, thank God! Your here! Your really here!" The chestnut girl said, crying hysterically and sounding VERY familiar to Anthony. But what was bothering him was, he's seen her... looking like this... in his dreams... those dreams, mind you.
"Uh, er, I-I-Irina?" He stuttered, trying to remain calm. What the hell was going on? How did Irina look exactly the same from his recent dreams with some random pervert? He wasn't some rip-off person in robes that looked into crystal balls and talked to cards.
Well... the crystal ball part anyway. What can he say? He loved that card game and the lore behind it, so much so that he acted it out sometimes. He even still had that foam puzzle that hung around his neck that came with the Halloween costume.
"You... know this girl?" Asked Rias. Hearing Irina's name got a reaction from her; having heard the name before from Anthony, Ddraig and Asia. What were the odds that not two, but three childhood friends would end up in the same place? And in her territory no less.
"Uh, yeah... Irina?" Said Anthony, confirming Rias' suspicions, then talking to Irina herself by looking down at her. She looked up at Anthony, tears still going down her face.
"You have no idea... how long I waited for this... to see you again" said Irina. Dear lord, she looked cute right now, despite her soiled face.
"IIIIIIIIIIII can imagine" said Anthony, taking in what was happening. Ok... so Irina looked like a carbon copy of what he saw in his dreams with a kid who didn't exist... a little creepy; but not a big deal, right?... Yeah! Total coincidence! That must be it!
Until girl number 2 walked in.
"Please forgive her. She acts on her own accord" said a girl... with blue hair... with a single green bang. Anthony looked up upon hearing her voice, then froze up. Asia, though happy to see Irina, saw Anthony's expression as she was standing right next to him. He was frozen up, trembling and his eyes widened in fear, but why?
"Anthony? Are you ok?" The ex-nun asked, but it didn't appear her words reached Anthony at all.
What.
The Cazzo.
Was.
This.
Shit?
'No way... I've never met this girl before, but... I've seen her... in that dream!' Anthony thought as he continued to stare, his brain overloading. How was this possible? He hadn't seen this girl once in his life, yet somehow had a dream about her. Again, Irina could be a [creepy] coincidence as he's known and seen her, but how could THIS be one?! This bluenette was Italian also, that much was already clear, but that still didn't explain jack shit!
'Is this some Avatar: Last Airbender-type shit? How the fuck could I imagine what she looks like if I never seen her before?!' He questioned, trying to find answers to questions that'll never get a response to. This made less sense than the dreams themselves! At least they had some sort of content he could follow and understand what was going on, but what can justify seeing someone he never met in his entire life, yet have her appear right in front of him?
"...-hony? Anthony! Are you ok?!" Came Irina's voice, having seen Anthony enter some sort of trance, which snapped the Italian Dragon out of it.
"... uh... y-yeah. I'm fine. Just... a little surprised, you know?" He gave an ambiguous answer with an equally ambiguous smile. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the truth either. He returned Irina's hug, finally; and that got her to calm down a bit. She still couldn't believe she was in his arms again, after all these years.
And was it just her, or had she seen that blonde girl next to him somewhere before?
Rias, Koneko and Akeno also saw Anthony's reaction; which was triggered as soon as the bluenette stepped into the room and made her presence known. Irina was either clueless or ignored it, but because the ORC knew him for some time, they detected Anthony's ambiguous answer the second it escaped his lips. Had he met the blue-haired girl too? Speaking of which, Xenovia too noticed Anthony's reaction to her. Not that she cared, but what was up with him? He went as pale as a bedsheet, almost as if he saw a ghost.
She did have a powerful aura due to being a Holy Sword user, but had a feeling that wasn't the case.
Speaking of Anthony himself, she could see why Irina wouldn't shut up about him. He was a cute boy, a 6 outta 10... and that was being generous. Aside from a kind demeanor and decent appearance, she couldn't tell much else about him. Where was this 'Strong Italian Stallion' Irina kept talking about? That face he gave didn't exactly scream brave and true. Nevertheless, he was apart of Rias' house now, so perhaps whatever he used to be got lost in his reincarnation.
Xenovia just hoped Irina would let him go now that she's seen him on the side of Devils.
"I'll excuse it. Anthony has mentioned Irina on quite a few occasions... makes me a little jealous" said Rias, humorously. Irina's eyed widened a bit, Anthony spoke about her? This made her feel very happy, it showed he never forgot about her, and she sunk deeper into the hug as a result. Anthony glared in his masters direction, did she HAVE to poke him with the pointy end of the stick right now?
This was payback for the "mommy" thing yesterday, wasn't it?
After another minute, Irina finally let go of Anthony, satisfied, and sat with Xenovia on one sofa with Rias sitting by herself on the opposite one. Behind Rias, her peerage stood behind the same sofa she was sitting on. "Thank you for agreeing to met with us, Rias Gremory, I promise we won't take up too much of your time" said Xenovia, her tone full of respect.
"And thanks for letting me at least see Anthony again, it's been... really hard" said Irina, getting sad for a quick second before recovering.
"I can imagine. Anthony seems to have that effect on people" said Rias with her arms folded and legs crossed, slightly poking fun at Anthony again, but able to feel Irina's pain in that regard. She had no idea how she would feel if Anthony was separated from her for an extended period of time... uh, not that made a difference! ANY servant of her's that was out of her sight would affect her, not just Anthony!... That's what she told herself anyway.
"So, who exactly am I speaking with?" Rias continued, her question directed to Xenovia mainly since she was already aware of Irina.
"Xenovia. Xenovia Quarta" said Xenovia, introducing herself.
"I must admit, I'm quite surprised. Followers of God wanting to meet with a Devil? How fascinating" said Rias.
"Sure it sounds random, but the thing is... some Excalibur Holy Swords have been stolen from us, and we've tracked down the thieves to your territory" said Irina.
That got a reaction from Anthony and every Devil in the room, all 5 of them were surprised. "Oh, so it wasn't just to come over for some coffee and crumbcake" Anthony commented. So it was true, Excalibur DID exist.
"Exactly. More specifically, they were stolen by Fallen Angels" said Xenovia. As soon as she mentioned that, an image of Raynare flashed in Anthony's minds eye.
"Well... so much for a Peace Treaty" he commented again.
"Some of the ones we can account for are with us right now" said Xenovia, holding out the covered object she came with. Even from within those sheets, the Devils could feel the power radiating from whatever was wrapped inside. Ddraig did too and by extension, so did Anthony. "This is one of them, the Sword of Destruction" Xenovia said. Once she was done introducing her sword, Irina lifted her arm to show...
"... an armband? I thought you stopped collecting those years ago" said Anthony. The reason he said this was because when they were younger, Irina had a habit of collecting them. It actually started when she got ahold of a yellow rubber one with the word: livestrong. She stopped her collecting only a few months later, having gotten bored with it.
"Very funny. This is actually Excalibur Mimic, or the Sword of Mimicry" said Irina, seeing Anthony hadn't lost his sense of humor or irony. Even if this was business, she was happy to hear Anthony's side comments again.
"While this session of show-and-tell is nice, what is it you'd like from the Gremory family?" Said Rias, getting back to the topic.
It was here that Xenovia's expression, while bland, changed. Her eyes hardened, glaring right at Rias.
"We'd like An-..." Irina began, feeling hopeful. Despite what she's heard about Devils, Rias Gremory seemed to be nice, yet professional. She was gonna ask about Anthony, but that's when Xenovia put an arm outstretched in front of the chestnut girl to silence her.
"For you to stay out of this, it's between the church and the Fallen. No need for Devils to intervene" she said, sounding more like a demand rather than a simple request.
Ya know when you met someone for the first time and for some strange reason, you immediately get an itch in the back of your neck that you can't scratch? It's mostly an Italian thing, but that's exactly what happened to Anthony. Who did Kuina here think she was? The way she worded her 'request' sounded very much like she was pointing the finger at not just Rias, but every Devil here.
"That sounds like an accusation" said Rias, becoming a bit more assertive.
"Well, who's to say you won't join the Fallen for a common goal? And aren't Devil's highly vulnerable to Holy Swords?" Asked Xenovia, knowingly.
THAT. Caused Rias' eyes to slightly flare up. 'Nice going, Sayaka Miki; your pissing her off!' Anthony thought. It was at this point that Irina now panicked. Xenovia was ruining her chance at saving Anthony! Heck, before the bluenette opened her big mouth, there might have been a chance Rias was willing to listen!
"UM! B-Before that, I do have a personal request!" Said Irina. Rias looked right in her direction, but didn't give a verbal response. Lord help her, those eyes... "Uh... if its not too much to ask, could you... un-Devil-ify Anthony?" Irina asked, mentally praying Rias would.
Those eyes flared up again, now with Destruction Magic. Rias would never give up a servant, even if she was in a good mood, and especially not her favorite one. And seeing these girls didn't know Anthony's "condition"...
She slowly turned her head to look at Anthony, giving him a smile. "Anthony," she began, then moved over and patted the sofa she was sitting on. "Minding sitting with me?" She asked, and Anthony knew immediately she was up to something. What it was, only the Lord himself knew. Not wanting to be next on her shit list while she was in this mood, Anthony obeyed.
"You don't have to worry, for there is no way I would even consider getting mixed up in the reindeer games with the Fallen Angels. I would never compromise my servants or the Gremory household... and even if I did, I'd rather have God himself banish me to the deepest reaches of Hell, where I'd rot for all entirety. Is that clear enough for you?" Said Rias, retaining her calm demeanor, yet was still as assertive as before. She also completely ignored the headache she received at the mention of His name, and hid it pretty well.
"As for Anthony..." She continued.
GRAB! SMOOSH!
Anthony: MUMMPH!
Both Xenovia and Irina didn't expect Rias to be as bold at to pull Anthony into a "hug", their mouths slightly open. And while this didn't come as a surprise to the ORC, they didn't think Rias would take it that far either. Rias had grabbed his head, them yanked it down to rest on her chest, his arms flailing as she held him there. He even tried using the top of the sofa for leverage, but it didn't appear to do anything. The Italian was stuck there until the King decided she'd let go.
"He's perfectly fine where he is. He is a member of this household, and it will remain that way as long I breathe" Rias stated. Then, she let go, the poor boy taking in precious oxygen his lungs were craving.
"*breathes in* HAAAA! *breathes in* HAAAA! *breathes in*... Is a warning too much to ask?!" He asked.
[Who needs a warning? That was all free!] Swooned Ddraig. 'You, shut up' Anthony ordered him.
"I hope you also understand, I won't be providing aide to your side either" said Rias to the holy sword users, completely ignoring Anthony's question.
"I was only relaying the thoughts of headquarters, not my own. I didn't think the Great Devils sister would really be that stupid" said Xenovia.
"Good to know, then we're done here. You have my word, no Devil in this town will interfere with your mission" said Rias, finishing the conversation.
"It is enough for me just to hear that, we'll see ourselves out" said Xenovia, getting up from the sofa. Irina mimicked this, feeling sad she had to go, and even more upset that Rias wasn't gonna give up Anthony. Even though Irina has developed fighting skills over the years, she didn't think she'd stand a chance against the sister of the Great Devil herself.
"Yeah, before 4Kids puts her in a coma again" Anthony commented. This was an eyebrow raiser to Xenovia, she didn't expect him to make a comment about her, though she had no idea what 4Kids was supposed to stand for.
"Would you like some tea before you go? Or better yet, maybe a homemade snack?" Rias asked her guests, first offering Akeno's famous tea, then a certain someone's cooking second. Irina beamed, that sounded delightful!
Then Xenovia shut it down.
"That's very kind of you, but no thanks. We're not here to make friends" said the bluenette. She and Irina were just leaving, when Xenovia catch eye of Asia. "Aren't you... Asia Argento?" Asked Xenovia, stopping after appearing to recognize the blond ex-nun.
"Um, yes?" She answered, kindly.
"Wait, Asia? Wow, I didn't even recognize you! You look so beautiful!" Irina complimented. She thought the girl next to him looked familiar, but couldn't place it until now.
"Oh, uh, t-thank you Irina" said Asia with a slight blush.
"Makes sense I would run into the witch in a town like this" said Xenovia, killing the mood. This got Asia's eyes to widen, and hearing that triggered flashbacks of her being ridiculed for using her powers on a Devil.
"Wait?... Asia?... Your the Witch of Twilight? I thought it was the actress or something" said Irina, giving out a nickname the poor blond nun thought she'd never hear again. Furthermore, Irina was surprised it was an Asia she knew and not a random one.
In addition to that, that made this even more awkward. First Anthony, now Asia? Asia was the LAST person Irina would think would become a Devil! Irina didn't know what else to say. She did feel conflicted on the way Xenovia spoke to Asia, but at the same time, the bluenette wasn't wrong either.
Seeing Asia's expression triggered Anthony's protective side, and was about to shoot up off the couch; but Koneko held him back by pushing down on one of his shoulders, already predicting Anthony's mood swing. Anthony silently got the message Koneko was sending: it wasn't the smartest move too pick a fight right now, but Goddammit it was tempting, and it took a large amount of Anthony's self control to keep himself from getting in the offenders face and give her a taste of her own medicine.
"Do you still believe in God, Asia? You were once a Saint after all" asked Xenovia, asking a genuine question, though her tone still came across as cold.
"Xenovia, I personally know Asia. There's no way she'd let His teachings go" said Irina, sticking up for her former friend a bit, but she wasn't sure herself.
"Is that true, Asia? Even though you've fallen so far?" Asked Xenovia, her cold tone really pushing Anthony's buttons. Rias saw this, and was about to say something, but then Asia spoke for herself.
"... I never stopped," Asia's voice cracked, her emotions overflowing. She sounded like she'd cry at any second. "There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about Him. Though reciting anything about Him gives me a headache, I'm at least able to hold a Cross with Ddraig and Anthony's assistance... but I sometimes wish it were more, that I was able to read my favorite verses or even a simple prayer" she admitted, a few tears falling down her face.
The Devils knew Asia was religious, and that'll always be apart of her personality, but they didn't realize it affected her this badly. She said it herself, she had no regrets as long as she was by Anthony's side... but that clearly wasn't entirely true. She still missed her days as a nun, as that was one of her goals, only to be cast aside just like Anthony was for no good reason.
"Then you should allow us to execute you" Xenovia stated with no emotion.
Asia's eye's trembled along with her body. "Even though you've sinned in the worst way possible, He will forgive you if you sacrifice yourself to Him" Xenovia said, walking closer to Asia. The nun didn't move a muscle, as this triggered another flashback.
-ASIA'S FLASHBACK-
Back when Raynare was still alive, when she threatened to kill Anthony in front of Asia, "If I wanted to, I could shred him into tiny little atoms... this is your last chance, Asia. Come with me, or he dies" Raynare warned, readying a 5th spear to prove her point.
"I'll... I'll go with you... just don't hurt him" said Asia.
"Asia!... No wait, don't do it!" Called Anthony, stumbling back down.
"Heheh, good girl. After tonight's ritual, I promise your worries will be gone forever" said Raynare, wrapping her wings around the nun, and teleporting them away.
Asia didn't know how much time had passed, but she was now in a basement being lifted onto a cross by 2 Fallen Angels (one male wearing a fedora and another was a female in a trench coat), bound by chains. According to Raynare, this was a special ritual.
"Is this... the only way?" Asked Asia.
"Sadly, it is. Since you've sinned in the worst way possible, He will only forgive you for hanging out with a Devil, if we take out your Sacred Gear and purify it" Raynare said.
-END FLASHBACK-
Of course, she later learned that was a lie when the Gear itself was extracted from her, but the memory still haunted her. To Anthony, this sounded like a head game. Angry, he tried getting up again, only to be held down by Koneko, using both her hands on both his shoulders this time.
"That's enough" ordered Rias, with power in her voice. "While I allowed you here, I will not tolerate any shaming on my servant, understand?" Rias continued, standing up and crossing her arms; remaining civil, but even she was starting to get ticked off.
"Oh, I wasn't shaming her senselessly. Even before becoming a Devil, she had sinned once before" said Xenovia, bringing up the reason Anthony was tossed aside for spending a night with the blond Bishop. Rias narrowed her eyes, but before she could do anything; Anthony had already shot up from the sofa, getting out of Koneko's grasp and getting in-between both Xenovia and Asia, in front of the Bishop protectively.
"Anthony?" Questioned Akeno.
"Anthony, back away from..." Rias began to order him, but he shot a glare in her direction, his eyes turning dragonic for a second.
"Mark me as a Stray if you want, cause I'm non allontanarsi" Anthony growled, still trying to remain in control of himself, while it was clear as day that he was on the verge of snapping. Rias also found his statement bold. Being marked as a Stray meant serious consequences. You could charged for such a serious crime, and it often resulted in death as Anthony has seen twice before.
She didn't even try to argue with him. When he was in this mood, there was no point... she'd probably lose anyway.
"Who do you think you are, Rem? How dare you call Asia a witch!" Said Anthony, that itch now a pain in his neck. He then turned his attention to Irina, which surprised her a bit. She's never seen him that angry before. "And YOU!... Your not gonna say anything?! Not defend her honor?! You KNOW what happened to me and her was complete rifiuti!" Anthony yelled at the chestnut-haired girl. After that, he focused back on Xenovia, the main offender.
Irina was about to respond but realized: why didn't she say anything? She was there when the whole 'evil boy sleeps with nun' situation happened, so why didn't she step up now like she did a second ago? Mainly, this entire affair was beyond awkward. Both her friends were servants of Devils now, but they didn't appear 'evil' at all. In fact, they barely changed! Asia was still pretty shy and to herself, while Anthony was still spontaneous and protective. It was just so bizarre. Conflicts of interest couldn't begin to describe this!
"Believe me, a witch is the nicest description I have for..." Xenovia began.
"ZITTO!" Anthony yelled in her face, which stunned her slightly. So this was the Italian Stallion, he was starting to seep through the cracks. "All Asia wanted was to help people and make friends, what the church did to her after sending me packing wasn't her choice! SHE NEVER ASKED FOR IT!" Anthony continued.
"Asia should have better controlled her power. She gave into temptation by healing a Devil, now she IS a Devil. If she needed more than God alone, she was never a True Saint" said Xenovia, as being a True Saint was a high honor... as well as thinking there was no way Anthony could counter.
If only she knew who she was dealing with.
"True Saint? HA! That's fucking rich! She was being sacrificed for her power by some nutjob who thought she had a chance with my stepfather!" Laughed Anthony, then he changed his tone to his smartass-mode. "What IS a Saint by the way?... A person who helps people?... Someone who goes... above and beyond for not just God, but ANYONE?" He began, walking around Xenovia as she keep her eyes on him, then he ended up back in front of Asia. "And the SECOND she does, she's ridiculed and outcast by the same people who praised her?! Go get a fucking dictionary, cause THAT'S the definition of a bunch of bathrobe-wearing hypocrites!" He stated, making a perfect counterargument, to no Devils' (and Irina's) surprise.
"Saint, Devil; it doesn't matter! Asia has the biggest heart in the history of mankind! If you or the church can't see that, your even bigger idiots than Tamaki Souh! She was only doing what she thought was right!" Anthony finished. Xenovia was a bit surprised, especially since a Devil had just said His name without being visibly pained. Still, she also had some shots left.
"I heard all about that. Instead of accepting her fate and believing God would give her eternal life, she was selfish and became a Devil. Sounds pretty hypocritical to me" Xenovia returned fire. While this was going on, Irina also looked terribly indecisive. Both Anthony and Xenovia brought up good points, but they also had information that contradicted what the other said. Who was she supposed to side with? The boy that helped her and introduced her to Asia, or her partner she knew for many years?
That's when Anthony got his Boosted Gear out, but he didn't trigger its power... he was considering it though. He also had to admit, Xenovia was good... very good.
"BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T CHOOSE! SHE WAS DEAD!" Anthony roared, he also had tears forming in his eyes as the memory was brought up. Both Holy Sword wielders looked shocked, Irina more so. Neither didn't know that piece of information, just that an Asia Argento became a Devil after being seen hanging out with Anthony. "... It was me... I was the one who pressured Rias into it... it was my fault..." Anthony went on, still angry but also crying a little.
Asia was more surprised than the Holy Sword users. She didn't know Anthony requested Rias to revive her. All she knew was in the darkness, she heard Rias' voice calling out to her, then she was able to open her eyes again.
"N-No... It's not your..." Asia tried to say to Anthony, but he cut her off.
"It was!... I was the selfish one... I wanted you back..." said Anthony, heavy emotion filling his voice, though he still did not move from his position of acting like Asia's barrier.
"So you admit your a hypocrite as well?" Asked Xenovia.
"Maybe... but at least I'm honest about it..." Anthony said softly, then raised his voice. "In fact, I REALLY don't care! I'm glad I was kicked out! Otherwise I never would have gotten to meet such incredible people, or see Asia again! I lost everything, but gained it back, so if you raise even a finger against her or any Devil in this room... may God spread his mercy on you AND that piece of weed on your head!" Anthony finished, having recovered from his trip down memory lane and back to defending his friends' honor, which they all appreciated.
It was official. Xenovia saw that THIS was the boy Irina kept speaking of... but she wasn't gonna take his insults laying down either. "Interesting... then your prepared to take on the entire church?" Xenovia asked.
[BOOST!]
Anthony held out his dragon arm with its green orb glowing for a quick second, signaling its power had gone off. "I'll take on 100 churches if I have too!" Anthony declared.
"Humph... big talk, for a little Devil" said Xenovia with a smile.
It was at this point Anthony made a decision...
RIP!
Everyone on the room was shocked! He used his Gear's dragon claws to tear the cloth that was wrapped around Xenovia's blade! Before she could react, Anthony grabbed it by the hilt and yanked it out of her her grasp.
"HEY! GIVE THAT BACK!" Said Xenovia, not used to being caught off guard like that, and grabbed the hilt as well. Anthony just smiled as they fought over the sword like two children over a toy. "LET GO! THIS IS CHURCH..." Xenovia was gonna say 'church property'... but then realized which hand Anthony had grabbed the sword with...
And it WASN'T the dragon one.
Both she and Irina stopped dead in their tracks, processing what they were seeing as Anthony's smile got even bigger. After staying in that position for a few seconds, Anthony pushed the sword back to Xenovia, but not hard enough to make her fall over. She was still staring at Anthony... no way. This wasn't possible! How could he have touched one of the most powerful Holy objects in existence? Even the hilt alone would cause any Devil discomfort.
Unless...
"Your... not a..." said Irina, but couldn't get the rest of the words out of her mouth. She couldn't believe her eyes. It was unclear if she was gonna say not affected or not a Devil, but it didn't matter which answer she went with for the fact would remain the same. He may have been revived by a Devil... but he wasn't.
"Try me, Chifusa Manyuu. That sword'll go up your ass, then MY swords going down your throat" Anthony threatened, having enough of this girl. So what he saw her in his dreams? He didn't know her, and was glad he didn't!
"Is that a challenge?" Asked Xenovia, narrowing her eyes after recovering from her initial shock, though already knowing the answer.
"Nah, I just wanna take this outside" said Anthony, matching Xenovia's tone.
"Anthony, I think that's enough" said Rias, her concern surfacing. While it sounded entertaining to see Anthony mess up this girl for her attitude, Rias also didn't want to see him get hurt. Even if he wasn't a Devil like the rest of them, an Excalibur wasn't something to be taken lightly.
"I have to agree with him on that one."
That voice surprised everyone, where did it come from? It sounded like it came from the entrance...
...
...
...
It was Kiba. When did he get here? How long was he standing there?
"Who are you?" Asked Xenovia. "Oh, no one special. Just your superior, in both title and ability" said Kiba, his comment directed to Xenovia, but he didn't sound like the nice guy or gentlemen he was known for. He sounded cold, and a bit angry.
"Kiba..." said Rias, seeing something was different about her Knight. He seemed the same as when they dealt with that last Stray... only worse.
Bit on an emotional roller coaster for Anthony upon meeting Irina and Xenovia, wasn't it? So how will things proceed from here? Will I stay true to the source material, and have Kiba and Anthony lose the upcoming sparing match? Or can they somehow win? Hope this was worth the long wait, and I'll see ya all next time on The Italian Dragon Emperor!
Anthony's Italian Dictionary:
1) Canino: means "canine"
2) Qual è la Differenza: means "what's the difference?"
3) Cane Pastore: means "sheepdog"
4) Lodare Gesù: means "praise Jesus"
5) Non Allontanarsi: means "not moving"
6) Rifiuti: means "bullshit", "rubbish", "garbage", etc. Can also mean "refuse" in certain instances.