Fictions Mentioned:

Episode 28

OP Song:

仮面ライダーBLACK RX (RIDER CHIPS Ver.) · RIDER CHIPS

Insert Song: Start

Dies irae - Animation OST: disce libens

Flashback

The married Itsuka couple, Shidou Itsuka and Sona Sitri, would sport grave expressions on their faces as they were seated on their respective chairs, somewhere in Azazel's personal office.

Why?

Because Sona in particular, with a face that was conflicted and etched with a hint of sorrow and concern, with her hand placed to her face's mouth as she takes hold of and would look upon a folder that detailed a few classified information. Shidou in turn was holding Sona by the shoulder and giving emotional support to his beloved wife. The atmosphere was grim, despairing, and sober.

It started in the past few days of June, sometime after Shidou's temporary transfer from Kuoh Academy as secretly part of a mission that Azazel and Bishop discussed with him. Or Sona supposed that it may even start during that time. Little flashes of certain memories, memories of another life, of another Sona Sitri, memories of her.

Sona had started to remember, much to her distress.

Her alternate self. The Sona Sitri that came from the original universe that Azazel came from. The Sona Sitri whose life the Sona Sitri of this world had dreaded to think about because unlike with that world, she never ended up with Shidou and spent the rest of her days being bitter on the inside even as she is surrounded by her dreams, no more than a mere spectator, a background character, one who holds no power at all, and is just relegated to the side, forced to always be on her sister's shadow.

There was a sigh that came forth from Azazel, carrying a saddened but nevertheless expected look.

In hindsight, Sona felt a little unsurprised by the revelation and her logical instincts would lead her more on trying to confirm what had already been there for her to unknowingly went about her life ever since she was a child. As she grew up, by the time when she is seven, and the more time that passes, she would tend to have strange dreams, dreams of her being a little older, but the rest of the details at that time were blurry. They weren't dreams, they were memories. And then, there were the times when she meets a few people in her life, such as Rias Gremory and Seekvaira Agares.

Ever had the strongest feeling of deja vu, on how you somehow knew that you had done something before and now it's being reenacted again?

It always felt that way for Sona Sitri. From specific people, Sona has that tinkling sensation, like she is familiar with this person somewhat. A strange and uncomfortable feeling at times.

"...I'm really terribly sorry to keep all of this from you, Lady Sitri," Azazel spoke with a contrite but serious tone. He was sitting on a chair, just opposite the desk. "But I couldn't tell you everything, not right away. Similar to Shidou, I had to keep your other past life a secret. I had to let those lingering memories come back naturally or else there may be potentially unpredictable consequences that I do not want to trigger."

Actually, Sona never really holds this against Azazel. Thinking from a logical perspective, it made sense. It's like dealing with the case of amnesia or memory loss. One cannot just force everything down the throat of the person and make them remember. It has to be natural. It wouldn't do for the person in question to be stressed out and worry about this situation as it may form even more of a blockage than needed. But there is also the hindsight that Sona already knew instinctively that she felt like she doesn't belong in this world.

Yes, Sona had that kind of feeling ever since she attained the age of reason.

"...Still," Shidou muttered gravely, still holding Sona by the shoulders and lightly embracing her. "This is quite the surprising news, Avenging Eagle." Shidou would use the old codename of his superior, denoting the grave seriousness of the topic. This was no longer just student and sensei talking. This was a soldier talking with a superior officer. Right now, his Little Remnant persona was showing. "Even I never thought that I would meet someone who is in a similar boat to my own situation, and my own wife at that."

Maybe that was the reason, one of them anyway, why Shidou was deeply attracted and attached to Sona. Both of them suffered in their own way through the loss of their respective home universes and had been reborn into this one. Somehow, when the dead universes and borrowed elements merged to form the current universe, Sona's soul would be one of those elements that carried over to the newly built timeline, being reborn once again as Sona Sitri.

"...And," Shidou muttered softly, lightly narrowing his eyes in understanding. "Knowing this now, this would be one of the main reasons why you are quite supportive of my relationship with Sona, because you knew that at some point, she may need a man who is suffering from the same situation as she was."

"...That's one part of it, Little Remnant," Azazel was now speaking in a tone of a superior officer. "And as I told you both before, I'm not cupid. I may try to nudge a few things together, but at the end of the day, love is rather unpredictable and a constant, it can never be forced, otherwise it wouldn't be love, that much I know. At the very least, even if you two didn't end up together, I would have wanted you both to at least be very close friends and confidants of one another, especially when you both need it the most."

"...Those memories," Sona finally spoke, gaining some of her composure while grateful for her husband's support, putting one hand to one of the latter's hands. Her face was conflicted, laced with a tone of sorrow, but nevertheless strictly professional. But it cannot be denied that this shakes her to the core, but she wants to stand her ground. She will not let despair get to her, not when her husband may count on her the most, especially when it relates to her pride as a Sitri. "...All this time, when you were talking to me at times about my alternate self's past and how in that reality, I had lived a life of regret and bitterness in spite of my dreams...You were actually referring to me when you were talking about that. You kept giving me all of the hints that I need so that I do not make the same mistakes twice. Meaning, there was no other self, and that other self was me."

"Yes," Azazel nodded grimly. "As I said to you before, I did a whole lot of planning to ensure that the current timeline that we both live in has a much brighter future. Do you remember the one major mistake that I and many of the adults back in the day had done in our universe?"

"Yes," Sona nodded grimly. "You said that you trusted in children far too much. Children are the hope of the future, but that does not change the fact that an adult would need to step in when it comes to more serious matters of the future that may not be at the capacity of the children to handle."

"Yes, in other words, lazy or uncaring or unintentionally naïve," Azazel spoke with criticism, but he was also criticizing himself. "Which is why, despite the fact that the kids do represent the future and that they do need to be prepared for the challenges of life in this world and that they do have the potential to maybe even surpass the adults one day, it's also important to remember for us adults that we are the ones who make sure that the kids get that chance to have a brighter future. In other words, we all work together, both children and adults. It is a lesson that I should have learned a long time ago...before it was finally too late to realize it."

Azazel's tone gave way to bitterness. Memories of his Last Angel status still continued to haunt him.

"...(Sigh). You know," Azazel smiled a little. "You are quite the surprise in the end, Lady Sitri."

Sona paid attention to him.

"When I first found out that I was not alone and that I was not the only survivor of my universe, I was thrilled, I was happy, jumping for joy even. You may be a devil, Lady Sitri, but that does not change the fact that you were just like me, one of the only inhabitants left from the universe that we came from. Since then, you were my responsibility and under my protection. Your father, Lord Aristotle Sitri, is one person that I confided with regarding the origins of your birth and the findings of what I gathered."

"Wait? My father knows?" Sona asks, noting this information. Some part of her felt that she shouldn't be surprised. Her father, being a man of many connections and a harborer of many personal secrets, would know something of this topic. "If that were the case, I feel like my mother knows too."

"Yes," Azazel nodded. "The man can never really keep a well-guarded secret from his wife. Either way, even with this, they still love you, Lady Sitri, for who you are. It does not change anything. You were still born to Lord Aristotle Sitri and Lady Victoria Sitri. You were still the younger sister of Serafall Leviathan. You are and still you, even when you are reborn to start yet another round of your life, if not different."

For Shidou Itsuka, when he heard this, he can relate to this feeling all too well. The fact that in this new reality, Haruko Itsuka and Tatsuo Itsuka. Kotori Itsuka was his blood-related sister now. Most of the Spirits that he knew were not Spirits in this reality, and they lead much healthier, happier, and better lives compared to his old world. The people that he knew back in his old world were having much better lives. Isaac Wescott does not exist in this world. If it weren't for the circumstances that surround this world, this may as well be compared to paradise.

But Shidou sometimes feels that he does not belong in this world. He isn't really. He was reborn into this world, but he never belong to it. And the feeling, Shidou can tell, was present within Sona. Judging by her face, trying to make a serious and professional tone that made her attractive in his eyes, was also quite saddening. To think that...the wife he married was also suffering the same fate as him.

"...And yet," Sona made a saddened smile towards Azazel. "The same people are not the same."

Azazel sadly smiled. "Quite true. Both of us...were pulled out of our time...and sent to another...for better or for worst..."

"Who else knows about my condition?" Sona asks seriously.

"Your sister," Azazel revealed.

Sona slightly widen her eyes a bit, because she instantly realized something. "Hold on...That would mean that-"

"The reason that she supported your relationship with Shidou? Yes, actually," Azazel nodded. "Serafall knew that you needed someone who can relate to you in the closest manner possible when the time is right. She wasn't just trying to plan on getting rid of your potential suitors just because she doesn't want her sister taken away by unworthy men, though that does seem to be a part of it. When I eventually told her and the rest of the Satans about Shidou's condition, she inquired of the latter."

Azazel looks at Shidou who made a serious expression. "Serafall had been watching Shidou in secret ever since that day."

"...And who else?" Sona asks again.

"...None," Azazel shakes his head. "Just your closest family, nobody else."

"...And...are there any other survivors from our universe that you had found besides me?" Sona asks, but this time, there was a sense of pleading, some kind of hope that there were other survivors besides Azazel and herself.

Azazel however made a darkened frown, saddened eyes that threaten to cry out tears but could not. "...None."

Sona Sitri.

Her past life in Azazel's universe was nothing special. In fact, she may as well be what people would call a background character. She was the smartest and most beautiful, awed and admired by everyone at Kuoh Academy for her strict but just and fair rule. Even the Perverted Trio, despite their prankish and perverted tendencies, would tend to fully respect her and not do anything lewd in her presence as they feel that it was improper.

Rias Gremory was her rival, not in power certainly but in mind. Of the same mind, wanting change for both of their lives. Sona in turn leads her role as the student council president and the heiress of her house very efficiently and effectively, before inevitably becoming the head of the house entirely due to her father suffering from a disease that affects devils.

Her dreams of founding a Rating Game School were more or less achieved via Auros Academy, named after the city of Auros located in the Underworld. But still, even with all of her accomplishments and brilliance, she was still unacknowledged. Fighting against discrimination and racism among her kind was her dream, but it was Issei Hyoudou who more or less curb these tendencies, and she only played but a small role in the end.

Naturally, this would have made her fully content. Finally, she was seeing change within her society. No longer was it to be the place where the old rules of the old society still aligned and reigned with a cold-hearted need for hypocritical pragmatism. No longer would the half devils and low devils feel discouraged, for they can finally achieve dreams of their own.

But, she became bitter and cold. Even as she smiles genuinely at the few she cares for such as Rias or her peerage or some others, underneath all of that, she felt bitter and cold. Aside from the fact that nothing really changed much regarding her body and its breasts, and yes, Sona can be just as vain as any devil regarding one's breasts, no one except for Genshirou Saji would ever really pin their feelings on her. For the most part, they were all intimidated by her strict, cold exterior.

She never had a soulmate in the hundreds and hundreds of years that had passed. She never had anyone. Genshirou tried, but Sona never felt any form of romantic affection for the latter and only considered him as a little brother, nothing more, nothing less.

And Sona recalls one particular moment before the end came. She was sitting at her office chair, looking at her desk to find a picture of days gone by, of her days as the student council president, of a time when she was happy and less burdened with the work of an adult. As she looked back, she never thought much of how much time had truly passed. Always the one to maintain focus on the goal, always the one who would never take a break, always the one who wants to do too much and not relax a little bit. All of that made her realize that in a way, she may have wasted some of her innocent younger days.

And then, she recalls Rias having a much more prestigious form of life compared to someone of her stature. Now Rias Gremory was one of the Satans, replacing Sirzechs Lucifer as the head when the latter, along with a couple of other high profile individuals from different factions, were still trying to find a way to hold off Trihexa so that the ones who are left behind can formulate a plan to finally defeat the dreaded beast that had caused such headaches and heartaches. And Rias, being the wife of the Red Dragon Emperor, would lead the rest of devil kind with her firm but just hand.

But then, being the ruler of devil kind is not without problems.

Issei hasn't come home for months and is stuck in this or that location due to political reasons. And of course, gaining a wife or two along the way, for political reasons of course.

Sona recalls sighing as she basically became the listener to the various complaints of the Crimson-Haired Ruin Princess, or was it the new Satan now? That was the problem when Rias is married to a man who have more women than you could count with your own five fingers and toes. And of course, one of the main reasons why Sona never really did like a harem at all, by concept, by theory, and by practice. It was just too troublesome and burdensome. She has a life that she has to live. She does not need to worry about things like her husband gaining yet another woman for his harem.

Sona Sitri was no yes woman. She does not conform to the status quo. Even with her ice-cold bitterness, she still is not that desperate to gain a spouse even after all of these years. Especially when said husband would probably not consider her the top woman or the main desire of his affection. Only a trophy wife, nothing more.

But then, the cold feeling of being alone settled in. While everyone else that she knew had a family to call their own, even her Queen Tsubaki Shinra would be capable of boasting such a fact, and even...Genshirou Saji himself after finally moving on from her, not because he was tired of waiting, but because he started to slowly love someone else. He still considered her important, but not that important anymore.

"...What did you expect, kaichou?" Genshirou would tend to ask with a bitter smile. "Do you expect me to continue pinning after you, even when I know that it isn't possible?"

It lightly stung a bit. But she knew that Genshirou had a point and thus was a little relieved that her Pawn finally found happiness and a family of his own.

But not her...

She was all alone...

With no one...

Yes, she accomplished her dream. But at what cost?

Sona recalls sighing at everything, laying her back down on her office chair, her violet eyes raised to the ceiling, and her mind wandering to things that never were. She was currently thinking of hypotheticals.

"("What is it like to actually love someone?")" She thought sadly.

In the past, Sona had been a little jealous of Rias because the latter had what she does not. A man that she is in love with and the feeling is more or less the same for the man. There were thoughts about her wanting to find a boyfriend, and some part of it was sparked by the rivalry between her and Rias.

But she never really found anyone. Not after how many years and more than two centuries had passed.

Perhaps this was her destiny. To remain single forever. To have no one. To be alone.

That was the last thought that she had...right before the end came down...

It was sudden. No warning. No announcement.

What Sona could remember in the first few moments was nothing but the screams of death. Sona, sensing the ruckus outside, would stand up from her chair and look out from the window. All she saw were the heavens dimming their light. Cracks were seen from the skies and explosions followed, rocking throughout the land and air. The Underworld is being attacked. Screams were everywhere. Death was everywhere.

EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!

The shrill cries of what appeared to be bronze metal pepper potts in shape and design, with its one-eyed eyestalk and gunsticks, were seen from the skies and roam free, firing bolts and rounds.

The end had come.

That was her first memory.

In the present time, Sona Sitri would cry as her face buried herself in her beloved husband's—Shidou Itsuka's chest. She can feel her husband's strong hands gently comforting her. He did not need to speak. He just needed to be there. His presence was more than enough for her.

They were both sitting on a chair in a private hallway. After the information that Azazel gave at long last, Sona had once asked to be excused for a bit if there was nothing left to say. Azazel agreed, and so, Sona walks away. But Shidou of course followed close to Sona. And by the time they came outside.

"...Ahhh...Ahhh...Ahhh..."

Sona was crying softly, one that was not loud, but it nevertheless can be heard, the tears releasing everything that burst forth from one single dam. His beloved wife was crying. It hurts him to see her like this. Sona cried for many minutes, and it felt like several hours passed by. The sober tone never wavered. Each soul felt a kindred spirit now with one another. Now that it was revealed that Sona was just like him, Shidou would do the same for her as she did for him. To be there for her. To be her support. To comfort her. To make her find joy again.

As Sona would try to stop herself from crying, she turns her face to her beloved husband.

"Kiss me...please..." She quivered in desperation, tears still rolling down her cheeks. Her violet eyes were flashing with a luminescent effect. She doesn't want to feel alone. She doesn't want to be alone again.

Shidou could not help but comply as he kissed her, but unlike other times, this was a gentle and accommodating kind of kiss. It did not lose its passion, but it was nevertheless very gentle and sweet. Shidou can feel the loneliness with every deepening but still gentle kiss, he can feel the body warmth and the maternal breast of his woman that felt heavier with each cry of anguish, and embraced her in an act of comforting her. He can feel the tears that enter his mouth as he tastes his wife's sorrowful tongue. A mutual feeling ignited within them. They were simply content to stay like this, embracing and kissing one another.

And from the windows, there was a moon that showered its light upon the married couple, coming from the windows.

Insert Song: End

ED Song:

Dareka ga Kimi o Aishiteru