Dance With the Devil
Chapter 7
Issei yawned as he waited in front of his house with Irina. It was early morning. So early that the sun was only just starting to crack over the horizon and there was still a light mist in the air. "Why are we up at this Devil Blessed time of the day?" It was pretty, but Issei wasn't really in the mood for it. For one, it was the weekend, and even though he knew he was going to head to Heaven today with Ranma, Nabiki and Mittelt with Irina acting as a guide for them, being up this early was still annoying.
Irina gave him a flat stare. "...I couldn't sleep, okay? I get kind of excited everytime I go back to Heaven."
"I don't feel the same way when I go to Hell." Issei muttered and wondered why that was.
"Probably because you were once human." Ranma said as he, Nabiki and Mittelt walked up to the three. Well, Ranma walked, Mittelt shuffled like she wasn't fully awake. And Nabiki..?
"...Ranma, is Nabiki a Zombie?" Irina asked as she looked at Nabiki, who looked like she was more dead than alive.
"...It wouldn't surprise me." Ranma said as he looked at how Nabiki looked, bleary eyed, staggering around and letting out a low groan and growl.
"Fck u..." Nabiki growled in annoyance.
"Your turn isn't for two days." Mittelt muttered back at her. "So who are we waiting for?"
"You three." Irina smiled as she spread her Angel wings and started glowing. "I can take us to Heaven from here like this. I got a transportation device that will send all of us to Heaven."
Ranma and Issei looked at her weirdly and in perfect synchronization, they spoke at the same time. "I didn't realize we were having an orgy."
Mittelt and Irina both face-faulted, which was more painful for Irina since she was hovering off the ground when she did that.
"I didn't think Angels could do those things." Issei muttered softly. "Wait, is masturbation on the table?"
"Nope." Mittelt muttered as she got up. "There were a few that fell because of that."
"Sheesh, as Lilith would say "dick move"." Ranma shook his head in amazement. "You know, I just realized something, Michael's been around since before humanity, right?" Irina nodded and Ranma suddenly grinned. "Great, he can answer some questions I got then." The others looked at him in confusion. "What? I can't have questions about things?"
"You usually know a good amount of information." Nabiki muttered as she woke up. "Though I bet it's something that can't be found here or in Hell, huh?"
"Can we just go before something weird happens?" Mittelt asked.
"Weird like what?" Irina asked as she prepared the device for transportation.
"I dunno, like a horny black-haired catgirl who decided to dominate sexy time last night and wouldn't let me have my turn and even that was cut off by the four foot tall talking rabbit who said he was in the wrong universe." Mittelt sighed at the looks that Irina and Issei were giving her. "Don't ask... Just don't ask."
"And that's why we don't humiliate the old man." Ranma muttered, knowing just how that rabbit had gotten into their world. Thankfully he left just as quickly.
"Also, and ... I know I have to say this now just in case His Will is tempted, but there is no sex or orgies in Heaven," Irina declared.
Ranma nodded.
"Never was," Mittelt waved off.
"Doesn't seem like Heaven then," grumbled Issei.
"Don't complain to me." Irina muttered, it wasn't like she wrote the rules or anything! "Anyway, we're going." She pulled out a device that looked like a remote control and pressed the button.
A flash of light and the group was gone.
(-)
"You know..." Ranma muttered as they reappeared in front of gates and clouds, "I wasn't sure what I was expecting. Flaming chairots maybe?"
"Those haven't been used since Jesus was crucified." Irina answered and sighed at the looks she was getting. "I know! I was so disappointed too! I wanted to ride around on a flaming chairot to and from Heaven!" Irina suddenly grinned and pretended to hold a whip in her hand. "Mush, horsie! Mush!"
"Those are dogs that you say mush too." Issei pointed out.
"...We don't have dogs that pull chariots." Irina muttered, disappointed. "But we have lots of dogs."
"Dogs tend to get free passes to heaven." Mittelt answered the confused looks from Ranma and Issei. "They get their own Heaven and everything."
"Dog lovers everywhere rejoice." Nabiki muttered flatly, though she didn't mind the thought of dogs being in heaven, so long as they weren't little yapping dogs or dogs that liked to bite.
Issei looked at the Gates of Heaven and gawked in surprise. "I thought someone guarding the gates was just a saying! There really is an old guy at the gates!"
"...That's it?" Ranma asked, bewildered at that. "How has Heaven not been invaded?"
"Because God gave Saint Peter the ability to nullify anything that would cause harm to those under his protection." Irina answered, getting a nod from the others as they walked up to the gates. "Hello, Saint Peter."
The old man smiled at Irina. "Hello, young Angel. I take it that the Unholy Ones with you are our guests today?"
Irina nodded at him. "Yes, but, please don't call them that. They're my friends."
"Even the Lord Christ was on speaking terms with the original Great Devil King Lucifer when he was on Earth." Saint Peter reminded Irina. "However, I have been assured by Lord Michael that these Unholy Ones are not the same as the ones who fell from Heaven." He looked at Mittelt. "Well, most of them."
Ranma and Issei both gave him an annoyed look while Mittelt tried to ignore him and Nabiki just rolled her eyes.
After the gates opened up and the group walked through, Irina turned to the others and bowed to them. "Please forgive him, Saint Peter is, after all, one of the founders of the Church and extremely loyal to God."
"A little annoying, but that's fine." Ranma said as he looked around. "I've dealt with magical girls who tried to kill me for simply being part Demon."
"Just what kind of loonies did you hang out with before meeting us?" Issei asked out of curiosity. "I mean, you keep mentioning magical girls, but you never really..."
"Don't ask." Ranma grumbled. "Most of them deal with either aliens or demonic creatures, which, thanks to Rias and Nabiki confirming for me, were foot soldiers of the Old Satan Faction."
"If magical girls bother you so much, how come..?" Issei began as Ranma sighed.
"Because for all their annoyances, they do tend to save the world, as do Hunters from a lot of stuff." Ranma gave Issei a wry smirk. "The Moonlight World has a LOT of nasty stuff in it, Issei. There's always some idiot necromancer who accidentally starts a zombie apocalypse, a novice summoner who gets some ancient evil to wake up because their supply of pudding was stolen, an alien invasion..." He shrugged at Issei's look of disbelief. "Trust me, it's like that."
"So how come none of the leaders of any of the supernatural factions don't deal with it?" Issei asked and looked at Irina, who shook her head.
"Because of the Great War between Heaven and Hell, the forces of Heaven didn't have time to look into anything that wasn't a direct threat to them, such as Albion and Ddrag."
"Indeed." Ddrag spoke up at that point. "Dragons are much the same way, and the Gods mostly only care about what's going on in their direct territory. Anything that isn't a threat to them or in their territory is often ignored."
"That's..."
"It's why we're trying to unite the Moonlight World, Red Dragon Emperor." A female voice spoke up and Issei looked to it to see Griselda Quarta, wearing long white pants and a white shirt. She tilted her head at his confused look. "What? Were you expecting robes or a toga perhaps?"
"Yes." Issei and Nabiki both said at the same time, causing Griselda to laugh at them.
"Angels that are reincarnated or stationed on Earth and have to blend in are given special exceptions." Irina answered them. "So long as what you wear is appropriate for business, school or church, it's acceptable here."
Ranma started laughing, causing Griselda to raise an eyebrow at him. "I hope you're basing that off of Western Europe or America and not Japan."
"Of course." Irina laughed with him. "Some of the school uniforms for Japan don't cover much at all."
Issei thought about Irina and Griselda in skimpy school girl outfits and started giggling with a perverted grin on his face.
A moment later he was on his face as lightning blasted him from the clouds.
"OWW! WHAT THE HECK?!" Issei screamed as he got up. The blasts weren't terribly strong, but they felt like a strong hit to the back of the head or something.
"You're in Heaven." Mittelt reminded him. "Where do you think Catholic nuns got the idea to use a ruler on children's hands came from?" Issei gave her a confused look and she sighed. "Dummy, you think that the rules in the bible for humans to live by wouldn't be enforced in Heaven?"
"Indeed." Griselda nodded. "While there is no rule against feeling emotions such as lust, do keep it under control while you're here."
"But that..."
Ranma put a hand on Issei's shoulder. "Keep it under control, that's all. If it helps, just realize that if you keep it under control, well... You can ask Rias or Xenovia for a reward when you get home."
Issei perked up at that. He knew exactly what to ask for when he got home too.
Griselda gave Ranma a dirty look. "While I have no problem with Xenovia with a man that makes her happy, please refrain from encouraging him to procreate with my daughter until they're married."
Ranma shrugged at her. "Sorry, soul bonded with a succubus, been getting laid since I just entered puberty, probably screwed up in the head more ways than I can count. To me, he's pretty tame."
"Do we need to stick together?" Nabiki asked Griselda, looking a bit anxious. "I'd like to see Akane if possible."
"Of course." Griselda smiled at her. "If you would follow me. Red Dragon Emperor, you as well, Lord Michael wishes to see you. Irina, could you show Ranma to Leonardo and show Mittelt around while you're at it?"
"Of course." Irina smiled at the other Angel. "Follow me, Ranma, Mittelt, and Issei, behave please?"
Issei groaned and hung his head. "Sheesh, it's not like I'm going to go around sexing up all the pretty Angels or something."
"I'd hope not." Griselda answered him as Nabiki and Issei followed after her. "Heaven needs Angels to work after all."
Ranma nodded and waved as he and Mittelt followed Irina.
After a few minutes of traveling, Griselda looked at Issei and sighed softly. "You know that I'm not exactly... Thrilled that you're sleeping with my daughter right now." Issei nodded, wondering why she was bringing it up. "Tell me something, why Xenovia? Surely as the Red Dragon Emperor you could have any woman, why her?"
Issei sighed at the question while Nabiki kept quiet, wondering where this was going. "You'd think so, wouldn't you?" He chuckled softly. "As much of an open pervert as I am, I'm actually a bit of a coward." Griselda raised an eyebrow as she waited for him to elaborate. "I didn't like the thought of being shot down by a bunch of girls, so I never really asked too many of them out on dates."
"Plus you probably would have been accused of trying to get into their panties." Nabiki added, getting a nod from Issei.
"Yeah, there's that." Issei chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "It's not like I didn't try to get a harem, but the girls at school, they kind of detested me."
"Perhaps if you were a bit more virtuous that wouldn't have been a problem." Griselda commented, getting a nod from Issei.
"Yeah." He sighed softly. "As for Xenovia, well, neither of us were in a good spot when she decided to try and get pregnant with my kids." He gulped as Griselda narrowed her eyes in annoyance. "What I mean is that I was going through some issues from my ex who raped, traumatized and killed me." He blushed at Griselda's confused look. "I'd rather not talk about it. It wasn't a fun time for me. I died after all."
"Fair enough." Griselda wasn't going to pry if she didn't need to. "So what about Xenovia then?"
"Well, she just became a Devil and had lost her faith after all." Issei commented, his expression a bit somber as he thought about it. "And then she came onto me rather strong." He chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "I actually got nervous about that, and I certainly didn't expect my first real time to be in a closet while being watched by others."
"...Do you love her?" Griselda asked, genuinely curious. She sighed as Issei gave her a confused look. "You're going to marry her and you don't know if you love her?"
"That's not it." Issei shook his head. "I'm wondering why you're asking."
"Historically," Griselda spoke up, "harems aren't full of love and affection. Sex, sure, there's lots of that, but genuine affection and love? Not so much. Even King Solomon, who had a thousand wives and concubines, didn't love them all."
"That's... A lot." Issei muttered, wondering how that situation was handled back then.
Nabiki chuckled softly. "Ask Rias's mom sometime how she handles her husband's harem." Issei looked at her in confusion. "Ask her sometime and then realize that Rias will probably be doing the same with your harem after you marry her."
Issei blushed softly and cleared his throat. "Do I love Xenovia? I'd say I do." Griselda raised an eyebrow at him. "I won't say that I wasn't attracted to her pretty face when I first saw her or that killer bod when she took that cloak off when she and Irina sparred with me and Kiba, but I actually thought she was really scary the first time I met her."
"So why did you fall in love with her?"
Issei sighed at Griselda's question. "...I came to see her for all her faults, her strengths... She's steadfast, earnest, cares deeply about her friends, she's a bit stupid, but I couldn't ask for a better person to be around me if I need help."
"I'm sure that her skill in the bedroom helped a lot." Griselda grumbled at the thought of Xenovia sleeping around before marriage. "I'm sure that she had lots of skills to demonstrate."
"We were both virgins when we had sex that first time, it was pretty awkward for both of us." Issei commented, causing Griselda to raise an eyebrow. "I, um... Let's just say that there was some blood and she was in a bit of pain when it happened."
Griselda sighed and shook her head. "I apologize for assuming the worst then."
"Were you worried I'd just leave her?" Issei asked, getting a nod from Griselda. "Why would I do that?" He gave her a large grin and the elder woman raised an eyebrow at him. "What kind of harem king would I be if I didn't take care of the ladies in my life?"
"Do you plan on marrying them all?" Griselda asked, getting a nod from Issei. "Oh?"
"Yeah. I plan on marrying Rias, Akeno, Asia and Koneko when they're all ready. I'm not sure about Rossweisse, but if she wants to marry me, then I'll be all for it."
Nabiki chuckled softly. "Considering she slept with both you and Ranma at the same time for her first time, maybe she'll marry you both?"
Issei sweat-dropped heavily. "I don't even want to think about the problems that would happen if someone wanted to marry both Ranma and myself."
Nabiki blinked, her eyes flashing blue for a moment before she doubled over laughing. "Oh my! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! That will be so amusing!"
Both Issei and Griselda looked at her in confusion.
"Sorry, I just caught a glimpse of a possible future." Nabiki smirked at Issei. "I won't give you any details, but I know that I'll be amused to no end."
"Now I'm worried." Issei muttered, wondering what Nabiki had seen.
(-)
"Can I ask you something, Ranma?" Irina began as she, Mittelt and Ranma made their way across Heaven with some of the Angels stopping and talking to the three of them.
Ranma shrugged at her. "I'm not going to tell you my favorite foods or any of the things I saw when I was working for Jedah that shouldn't be discussed in polite company." He smirked as Irina face-faulted at that. "Sure, go ahead and ask."
Irina grumbled to herself as she got to her feet. "No offense, but you really seem like Issei, you know, act first and think later kind of guy. Ever since I got to know you, it's always bothered me how... Thoughtful you are when making decisions and... Well..."
Ranma chuckled softly. "My magic teacher is an ancient Vampire that fought off a moon spirit or something in another world." He shrugged at Irina's befuddled expression. "He said it was a Type Moon or something. He didn't clarify, but he made me see some crazy stuff." Ranma shivered softly. "There are beings in his world that I hope aren't in this one, because then we're all completely screwed over."
"Like what?" Mittelt asked, genuinely curious.
"Aliens that have no concept of death for one." Ranma sighed at Irina and Mittelt's confused expressions. "They can't be killed because of it."
"...Oh." Both girls nodded, not really understanding.
"Don't ask any more, he made me see some crazy stuff." Ranma really wanted to kick that old man's ass for some of the stuff he was put through, even though he knew it helped him out in the long run. "He's a Sorcerer and taught me how to use magic. He had to go eventually." Ranma wondered if he should tell them that the old man had mentioned something about having a cute female student around Ranma's age or not before shrugging it off. 'If we meet, we meet, if not, we don't.' He knew better than to think it was impossible, because he knew the instant he did, the old man would make it possible just to spite him.
He even showed him some stuff that even he couldn't explain.
(-)
"A breakfast bar ...at a strip club?" Ranma asked, looking at the sign. "Is that for people who come here in the morning after waking up, or people on midnight shifts ...or what?"
"No one knows," the old man said, waving his fingers to add a creepiness factor.
"Seriously?"
"Seriously," the vampire said, looking at the sign. "And if the money they give the strippers smells like bacon ...well, this is just a riddle maybe no one should answer."
(-)
"Crazy stuff," Ranma said, shaking his head.
Both girls didn't know what to say to that.
(-)
"So this is where we part." Irina said as she led Ranma to where Leonardo was sitting and looking at a fountain. "He's still human, if you want to know. He said he wanted to talk to you before deciding his future." She shrugged at Ranma's raised eyebrow. "I don't know. Anyway, I'll take Mittelt from here."
"Try not to corrupt any of the Angels." Ranma chuckled as Mittelt huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Unlike you, I'm not a sex fiend or anything like that."
Ranma smirked at her and grabbed her shoulders before she left and leaned in, whispering. "I wouldn't say that if I were you, even Lilith is saying you're starting to take on succubus traits in the bedroom." He gave her butt a swat and chuckled at her yelp of indignation as he walked towards Leonardo.
Rubbing her butt and grumbling about Ranma swatting too hard, Mittelt followed Irina as she made good on her promise to show the Fallen Angel around Heaven.
"Yo, Leonardo..." Ranma waved at the tan skinned young boy. Leonardo turned to look at Ranma and he paused, seeing the disturbed, haunted look on the boy's face. Biting his lower lip, Ranma walked over to Leonardo and sat down next to him as the boy turned back to look at the water.
The two sat there in silence. Though Ranma wanted to say something, he found the silence bearable at least. He could wait for awhile.
(-)
Meanwhile...
"We're here." Griselda said as she stopped in near a gazebo-like structure.
Nabiki raise an eyebrow and stared as she saw Akane sitting at a table. "So..."
"Go ahead." Griselda smiled softly at her. "A word of warnng though, things have changed with her."
Nabiki wondered what she meant and sighed, she'd find out soon enough anyway. Walking away from Issei and Griselda, she made her way to Akane. "Hey sis."
Akane turned her head to look at Nabiki and blinked, before her eyes widened in happiness. "Nabiki!" She got up and ran forward, hugging her sister. "It's been too long."
Nabiki smiled and hugged Akane back. "Yeah, it..." She trailed off, her eyes widening. "Akane, what?" She let go of the hug and stepped back, staring at her in shock. "You've been reincarnated into an Angel?"
Akane sighed and nodded. "Yeah. They couldn't do anything for me. Lady Gabriel told me that I would have lived the rest of my life as a vegetable." Two white wings popped out of her back. "So, yeah, I'm now an Angel and you're a Devil. Funny how things work for us, huh?"
Nabiki suddenly laughed for some reason. When Akane looked at her in confusion, she almost fell over laughing. "I just... Bwahahahahahaha... Imagine Kunou-baby's reaction to finding out, hahahahahaha, that you're an Angel now."
Akane's face turned green at that. "Please don't tell him, I like it here. No one's a pervert." She pouted. "Even if Lady Gabriel has a body I would have killed for when I was still human."
"Trust me..." Nabiki said as she continued to giggle. "Outside of Lady Yasaka, there isn't a woman in any of the realms that wouldn't kill to have her body."
Akane giggled softly. "Probably, I wouldn't know, but..." She shook her head. "They're taking a real risk with me. I wasn't a believer in the Christian God, and with my temper..."
"You're likely to become a Fallen Angel if you lose control of it, huh?" Nabiki asked, getting a nod from Akane. "You should at least come home. Daddy's been so distraught, I've called him to let him know that the cultists that kidnapped you were dealt with and you were seeing a specialist for the fallout."
"We should let him know about us..." Akane said softly, getting a nod from Nabiki. "...Do you think he knows?"
"About the Moonlight World?" Nabiki shrugged at her. "Probably. About anything specific? Unlikely. It's like being told about some really bad stuff that's happening or seeing predictions from thirty plus years prior being eerily accurate. Sure, you know that it's true, but a part of your mind refuses to accept it, even when you see it happening in real time."
Akane sighed softly. "Maybe we shouldn't tell him then?"
Nabiki shrugged at her. "Maybe, maybe not, it's up to you." Akane gave her a confused look. "Unless Azazel decides to turn Shouji pieces into Fallen Angel reincarnation pieces like the Devils did with Chess or Heaven with a deck of cards and turn Kasumi into a Fallen Angel, I think we can get away with not telling daddy about this for right now."
Akane sweat-dropped heavily. "One, why bring up Shouji pieces?"
"Apparently every leader of the Fallen Angels likes the game." Nabiki shrugged at her.
"And two, what makes you think Kasumi would become a Fallen Angel?"
Nabiki smirked at that one. "Well, for one, we both have Irregular Sacred Gears, so it's possible Kasumi has one, or even a regular one, so that would be a boon for the Fallen Angels. Secondly, I'm a Devil, you're now an Angel, so if the pattern continues, she'll become a Fallen Angel."
Akane shook her head. "That won't happen. Besides, I'm only the way I am now because of my ignorance of things. If I had just listened to you when Ophis showed up..."
Nabiki sighed softly as she thought about it. "I don't know if it would have mattered, she might have taken you by force. But..."
"If you had told me and I had listened, I might not be in this position." Akane said softly.
Nabiki snorted at her. "Like how you listened to us anytime we told you about your cooking?"
"...Now that, I had coming." Akane muttered and wondered why it felt like the universe was laughing at her. "But Kasumi might listen, I mean... She's not me."
"True, despite your best efforts in trying to emulate her." Nabiki conceded. "You know, for someone who nearly doomed the world, being reincarnated into an Angel might seem like a reward to some people."
Akane scoffed at that. "Reward my new white wings. I'm stuck up here, forced to learn a lot of stuff I never cared for, have to learn to reign everything in and while I'm thankful I won't have to deal with the idiots back in Furinkan, I had to have my humanity stripped from me just to be able to function again." She rolled her eyes. "Some reward."
"Considering that I'm a Devil, my fiance is a prince of Makai due to his bond with Lilith," and Nabiki knew that Ranma might rise to be a ruler of Hell if Sirzechs ever implemented a Seven Deadly Sins ruler set-up instead of the current Four Infernal Kings that Hell had right now, "mother's currently a ghost in the Underworld, do you think less of me? Of yourself?"
Akane sighed softly and looked at Nabiki curiously. "Why did you become a Devil?"
"Remember the accident I was in that I miraculously recovered from?" Nabiki asked, getting a nod from Akane. "That's when I became a Devil." She sat down on the clouds and chuckled softly. "I didn't want to ruin daddy if I died, that's why I became a Devil." Akane stared in shock. "I know, selfless of me, right?" Nabiki scoffed softly. "Truth was, I just didn't want to die, I justified my decision with that lie."
"...I think we should tell daddy and Kasumi." Akane said softly. "Lady Gabriel said that I could go home, with supervision, but I'm a long way from being able to do any of my real duties."
"And if you become Fallen, I'm sure that Heaven won't take a risk again." Nabiki muttered softly. "Then again, with how things are in the world, Heaven might not have a choice." Or they'd start taking in Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses, and no one wanted to see them have to resort to THAT to keep their numbers up. Nabiki shuddered at the thought of flaming bibles and pamphlets falling onto non-believers from the more zealous members of those religious sects.
"By the way, how do you know mother's in the Underworld?" Akane asked, suddenly remembering that tidbit that Nabiki had dropped.
"Because I talked to her." Nabiki answered. "If you want, I can show you the last conversation I had with her."
Akane smiled and sat down next to Nabiki. "I'd like that."
(-)
Meanwhile...
"Hello, Issei." Michael smiled as Griselda bowed to him. "It's good to see that you're doing well. Griselda, would you be so kind as to leave us for now?"
"Of course, Lord Michael." Griselda said as she got up and left.
"So you wanted to see me?" Issei asked, getting a nod from the leader of Heaven. "About what?"
"Mostly curiosity on my part, I admit." He turned and motioned for Issei to follow after him. "I understand that you were raised as a normal human, but I wonder why you agreed to go along with the peace treaty. Is it because of Sirzechs's sister?"
"Rias?" Issei asked and nodded. "She's a big part, yeah. At the time I wanted her more than anything in the world, when Azazel commented that if there was peace the two of us could actually have children without worry, I was all over it."
"And now?" Michael asked, a pleasant look on his face.
Issei took a deep breath. "Because I've gotten to know more about the Moonlight World, about the supernatural, and the things that exist in not only this world, but others."
"That influences your decision?" Michael asked. "Do you regret your snap judgement back then?"
"No." Issei shook his head. "If anything, I'm more determined to make this peace work. Azazel said that he wants to unite as much of the Moonlight World as possible, I'm not exactly sure what he's planning on, but he's a lot smarter than I am."
"My fallen brother is rather intelligent, I grant you that." Michael said as they continued to walk. "I once mocked him over his research into Artificial Sacred Gears." Issei looked at Michael in shock, causing the Angel to chuckle. "I was immature at the time, but sometime before he fell, I asked him why he wanted to make Artificial Sacred Gears. He told me that he was preparing for the future." Michael shook his head. "I told him that was foolish, so long as Father was alive there was no need for that."
"He obviously disagreed with that."
"Indeed."
*Flash*
Azazel looked at Michael, both Angels glaring at each other. "Listen, I get that it's pointless now, but what about in the future? Who knows what will happen?"
Michael shook his head. "So long as Father exists, there's no point in researching Sacred Gears, Azazel."
Azazel growled and turned away from his brother, walking off. "One day, Michael, you'll see that I'm right. Nothing lasts forever, you know."
"By Father's light, I pray that you are wrong."
*End Flash*
Issei shook his head. "Amazing what kind of insight Azazel has, huh?" Michael nodded and Issei put his hands behind his head and thought about it for a moment. "I don't want war. Maybe this is because I'm a reincarnated human or whatever, but what's the point of war?"
Michael remained silent and let Issei speak.
"There was a really popular song about it I think." Issei couldn't remember what the song was, but he remembered some of the lyrics. "But, looking at it, all war does is cause people to die and makes everyone miserable, right? There's gotta be a better way."
"I agree." Michael nodded. "It's sad that it took the loss of our leaders for Heaven and Hell to realize that, and even more lives lost during the ceasefire for us to stop fighting. But, alas, things are not cut and dry in the Moonlight World."
Issei snorted at that. "Things aren't cut and dry with regular humans either. Hasn't the Middle East been killing each other since Christ died or something?"
"Indeed." Michael had several comments he could have made about that section of the world, but refrained from it, it wasn't important at the current point in time. "So what do you think needs to happen?"
"...I don't know." Issei sighed and hung his head while slumping. "I'm not as smart as Azazel, or calm like you, or clever like the four Devil Kings, or as cautious like Ranma, all I can do is try and get a harem of pretty girls and punch things in the face."
Michael chuckled softly. "Sometimes that's all one needs, a motivation and a means to do so. Tell me something, you wish to end the wars of the Moonlight World, but what about after that?"
"...Is it wrong to say that I just want to have my harem and that's all?"
Michael shook his head. "Not at all. So long as all of those who are part of your harem are there willingly, even I have no problem with it."
Issei tilted his head in confusion. "Is that so? I thought that you guys taught everyone 'one wife and one husband' or something."
Michael chuckled softly. "Rules for normal humans don't apply to the supernatural, Red Dragon Emperor. You are right that I would prefer that you have one wife, I know better than to force my rules upon Devils, Dragons or others."
Issei frowned softly and focused on his arm as Boosted Gear formed on it. "Why? The big guy, your father, um... Well, why did he create these Sacred Gears?"
"So that humanity could survive against the supernatural." Michael answered, that was common knowledge.
Issei shook his head. "No, not that. I get that Sacred Gears like what Kiba or Asia have to help protect humanity, but I'm talking Longinus Sacred Gears." Michael raised an eyebrow as Issei looked at Boosted Gear. "These have the power to kill Gods and Buddahs, right? Never mind Angels, Fallen Angels and Devils... Isn't the reason that everyone wants people who have Sacred Gears on their side because of these?"
"You are correct." Michael nodded at him. "Father created the Longinus to kill rival Gods and Buddahs, he detested other Deities and wanted to eliminate them. However, should he do it himself, it would turn all of the other mythologies against us and even Father, at his peak, would have had severe trouble against the other Gods who rivaled him in strength."
"But if humans had these weapons and used them to kill the Gods, then there's nothing that could be done because they're gifts to protect humans from the rest of the Moonlight World." Issei finished, getting a nod from Michael. "...For someone who supposedly all loving, your dad was kind of a manipulative jerk, wasn't he?"
Michael chuckled softly, while it didn't sit well with him to have his dead father insulted, he knew Issei didn't mean anything by it specifically. "I suppose that's one way to look at it."
"Ah, sorry." Issei rubbed the back of his head. "But I can understand things like Boosted Gear that are used to seal stuff away, that helps protect everyone."
"Partner, are you saying that I'm a threat to the world?" D'drag asked as the gem flashed. "I'm hurt."
"Well, yours and Albion's fight DID force Angels, Fallen Angels and Devils to team up to defeat you two." Issei chuckled softly. "You were strong enough back then to be a threat to Gods and Buddahs too."
"Fair point, if I had known that my sparring with Albion would have led to this, I would have made sure to pay more attention to where I was fighting."
Issei nodded and dismissed Boosted Gear. "So is that why you asked for me to show up?"
"Partially." Michael nodded, "but since we were allowing some who are non-Angels in, I figured it would be a good time to meet with you personally and talk."
Issei nodded, he could understand that, though he had no way of knowing how to continue the conversation at the current point.
(-)
"Why?" The voice was soft and Ranma would have missed it if it wasn't for the fact that everything around them was quiet.
"Hmm?" He looked at Leonardo, who had a troubled look on his face. "Why what?"
"Why did you save me?" Leonardo looked at him. "You could have left me with Jedah, or had me eliminated, it would be safer to wait for the next Annihilation Maker user to show up than allow me to run around." A smirk came to his face as he chuckled. "I mean, I was created as a way to recreate the legendary Hero Seigfried, but I couldn't use any Holy Swords. Then Cao Cao finds me and wants me to work for him."
"It was better to work for him than to be an experiment, huh?" Ranma asked, getting a nod from Leonardo. "I don't know if it helps, but sorry that you went through that stuff." He looked away from Leonardo and thought back to his life. "You know, life sucks for everyone. Some of us are unfortunate enough to be like you, some of us are taken from our mothers just before we're old enough to go to school and travel Japan to train in martial arts, some of us lose our entire families growing up, some of us have no choice but to train and fight as our ancestors made powerful enemies and we have to be ready for them."
"Not everyone has a bad life." Leonardo muttered softly.
Ranma snorted at that. "Unless you're one of the richest people in the world and never had to struggle for anything, then everyone suffers." He chuckled softly. "Right now your old buddy can't even lift his fancy stick to fight with."
"Was the reason you saved me because you want my power?" Leonardo asked, causing Ranma to look back at him. "Everyone else does. Cao Cao wanted me because I'm a human with a powerful Longinus, the Church wanted to use me to recreate Seigfried, Jedah wanted me so that he could maximize the power of that alchemist power, so what's your reason?"
Ranma shrugged at that. "Partially because the longer Jedah had you on his side, the worse things would have gotten and partially because no one deserves to suffer through what you went through." He looked at Leonardo, "you know that I killed that Vash wannabe of your old crew, right?" Leonardo shook his head. "I killed him and took away your old boss's strength. Right now he couldn't beat a toddler in arm wrestling."
"Do you want to kill me for my part in what happened to your wife?" Leonardo asked, getting a shake of Ranma's head. "...Why?"
"Because you just went along with it." Ranma shrugged, remembering some sort of trial about how that wasn't an excuse. "Besides, you weren't there when we saved my wife, so why should I be mad at you?"
"I see..." Leonardo looked away while Ranma stood up.
"Why don't I just leave your thoughts for now?" Ranma asked and left the young boy to his own thoughts. As he walked off, Ranma was glad that Lilith wasn't with him. He knew that she'd try to convince him to seduce Leonardo. 'I swear, just because she likes the thought of me sleeping with a guy...' His thoughts trailed off and he smirked slightly. 'Well, if she knew the details of what happened with Rossweisse, maybe she'd stop trying to get me to have gay sex.'
After thinking about it for a moment, Ranma shivered. "Or worse, she'd try to convince me to pretend I was Rias in female form around Issei."
(-)
Meanwhile...
Irina gave Mittelt a concerned look. "Something wrong?" When Mittelt nodded, she hesitated for a moment before putting her hand on the Fallen Angel's shoulder. "Want to talk about it?"
Mittelt was silent for a moment before nodding. "This... This might have been the first time I was actually in Heaven. Kokabiel kept calling me his daughter, and as I look around, I... I don't recognize any of these places."
"So you have fake memories you think?" Irina asked, getting a nod from Mittelt. "So what?" Mittelt blinked in confusion as Irina smiled at her. "Even if you are Kokabiel's daughter, you're still an Angel, albeit a fallen one, so this is home to you regardless of how you were born."
"Well, technically not, if I wasn't born here." Mittelt smirked before laughing as Irina giggled. "But thank you. Truth be told, I don't care if I was born a Pure Angel or not anymore."
Irina watched as Mittelt's face turned slightly red and she practically squealed in delight. "You need to be careful, too much love in you will cause you to become pure."
Mittelt snorted at that. "That would be hilarious, a Fallen Angel turned Devil becoming a Pure Angel? Next thing you'll tell me is that Lilith could not only come to Heaven with no problem, but she could also restart God's system and get it working again."
Both of them paused at that and looked at each other, sweating heavily. "You know..." Irina began. "Considering how much impossible things happen around her and Ranma, maybe we shouldn't joke about that?"
"Agreed. The last thing we need is to find out is if she could do that." Mittelt knew that Lilith would probably change things so that Pure Angels could do lewd things and not be punished for it if she had that power. Though a small part of her kind of wanted to see that happen, just to throw all of reality into chaos as a result.
"Can I ask you something?" Irina spoke up, getting a nod from Mittelt. "What's it like? Living with a bunch of crazy people?"
Mittelt gave her a look of befuddlement, complete with a raised eyebrow. "Crazy people?" She muttered and thought about it. "Well, sure, Lilith and Ranma both do insane stuff all the time and Atsuko makes the laws of physics her bitch, then there's Bulleta... Okay, you have a point." The gun user was certifiably insane and Mittelt was worried that there wasn't any psychologist capable of handling her issues. "As for living with them, it's not so bad, don't take food from Bulleta when she's reaching for it. Kuroka did that the other day and had to flee from a bunch of bullets."
Irina sweat-dropped, it almost reminded her of the day she accidentally sat in Koneko's spot and ended up in the living room as a result.
"It sure is pretty here though." Mittelt muttered as she looked around. "Almost makes me wish I could be here more often." She then smirked at Irina. "Almost, but I don't want that level of responsibility. I'd rather be with Ranma and the other crazies and having fun adventures."
Irina laughed as she heard that.
(-)
It was a couple of hours later when Ranma was brought before Michael by a few Angels.
"Hey, thanks for bringing me here, guys." Ranma waved at them and they nodded before taking off.
"Oh?" Michael looked at Ranma in mild surprise. "Is there something you want from me, Prince of Makai?"
"I'd ask what you were going on about, but then I remember that Lilith is Makai nobility." Ranma smirked. "But, yeah, I got a question for you." Michael nodded and Ranma gave him a serious look. "You've been around since before the dawn of humanity, right?" Michael nodded again. "You're also the one who's known as the one closest to God, right?" Ranma twitched at the pain in his head and ignored it.
"Indeed, if it helps, you can say the Big Man and I'd know who you were talking about." Michael supplied for him. "So, what is it you wish to know?"
"If the Big Man is supposed to be all loving, why did he allow humans to suffer?" Ranma asked, "and don't give me what happened in that garden as the reason why either."
Michael shook his head. "For someone from Japan, you are very well versed in our mythology."
"I had to participate in a Martial Arts Bible Studies match a couple of times." Ranma gave him a deadpan answer, causing Michael to openly gawk in surprise. "I lost the first time. Also, don't ask, just... Just don't ask."
"I see..." Michael shook his head and tried to ignore the headache that was forming. "I must take a closer look at Japan if something like this was created there. As for your question, God loved all of humanity, even those who fell out of favor with him to become Fallen Angels or Devils were not excempt from his love. But because He loved everyone, it hurt when they turned away from Him."
"That's not..."
"I'm getting to it," Michael said softly, "I once asked Father the same question you're asking me, and he said while it seems cruel that he would allow suffering to happen to humanity, it was actually a kindness."
"I... Don't follow." Ranma said, a confused look on his face. "How does allowing pain and suffering equate kindness?"
Michael had a wistful look on his face. "Again with questions that I once asked him." Michael closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "As for how it does, Father told me that if allowing them to suffer would be cruel, stripping them of their free will and minds was even more cruel." Michael smiled as he opened his eyes to see the look of shock on Ranma's face. "Father was many things, some might say that He was needlessly cruel to humans at one point in time, but He believed that humanity should be free to choose who to follow, if anyone."
"Yet he developed Sacred Gears that could kill Gods because he hated the other Gods?" Ranma asked, getting a wince from Michael.
"I did say Father was many things, did I not?"
Ranma nodded and tapped his chin. "You know, I was once told that without Angels that the universe would cease to exist, is that true?"
Michael sighed softly. "If it is, I would not wish to find out. As it is, you know the truth about God's system and how we barely have it working." Michael turned and looked off in the distance before shaking his head. "I truly wish that I could do more, but I just lack Father's power."
"Lord Michael!" A young man with blonde hair and green eyes who wore a priest outfit appeared in front of them.
"Ah, Dulio." Michael nodded. "Oh, where are my manners? Ranma Saotome, this is Dulio Gesualdo, my Joker. Dulio, this is Ranma Saotome, Prince of Makai."
"Greetings." Dulio waved at Ranma. "But Lord Michael, there's trouble."
"Huh?" Michael had a confused look on his face. "What trouble?"
"I scoured all of Translyvania..." Dulio shook his head. "Well, in-between looking for food, but... The Vampires have disappeared."
Both Ranma and Michael's stared at the reincarnated Angel in shock.
End Chapter 7
Bah, I'm way behind on my writing for the next arc. :(