Chapter 7

First Fight and Discipline

"Are you…a devil…?" Asia asks as she trembles.

Isabella bites her lip, clenching her fist. "I am…"

"Why…?" Asia is shocked to hear such a thing. "Why did I befriend….a devil? It will be just like before…! I'll be called a traitor. I'll be nothing but the bad guy…!"

"No you're not!" Isabella shouts. "You're just a person! Like me! Despite who you are, I will still be your friend! I will stand by it until the very end!"

"Onee-sama…!" Tears sting Asia's eyes.

"Hahahaha!" Raynare cackles. "What a lovely speech. Too bad you won't live long enough to achieve that goal!" She holds out her hand and summons a purple spear.

"wh-what is that….?" Isabella says.

"Oh, this little thing~?" Raynare says. "It's to penetrate devils like you…and kill you just like I did before!"

"No…way….!" Isabella backs away a step, but she clenches her fist. "Wait…I have powers now. I can fight back."

"Hehehe~" Raynare chuckles. "I doubt you will defeat a being like me, the Fallen Angel. Do you really think you can take me down~?"

"We'll find out soon enough…" Isabella closes her eyes and summons two red fans. She goes into battle position, one fan over her head and the other at her waist.

"Onee-sama!" Asia cries. "Don't do it!"

Isabella grits her teeth. She then charges at Raynare, clashing her fans with the fallen angel's spear. They clash back and forth, Isabella ducks from the swing of the spear and rolls to her feet. Raynare lets out a battle cry as she thrusts her spear forward, but Isabella hops away to evade and raises her arms to hit Raynare with her fans. Raynare smirks and spins around to evade the downward swing. She gets to her feet and blocks Isabella's attacks. The brunette swings wildly, trying to get a hit on Raynare, but she is failing miserably. She's athletic, but that doesn't mean she can fight well.

Raynare blocks the next attack, shoves Isabella backward and strikes her with her spear. Back and forth and then upward to make Isabella stumble back. Raynare then makes the spear glow brighter and she makes an upward, diagonal slash, purple light trailing after and hits Isabella hard. The brunette screams in pain as part of her uniform tears to shreds. Her sleeves, part of her skirt and the waist and she falls to the ground, severely injured.

"You're not as a formidable opponent…as I thought~" Raynare smirks.

"Onee-sama!" Asia crawls toward the brunette. "Onee-sama, hang in there!"

"Asia….run…" Isabella says weakly.

"I'm not leaving you…!" She holds out her hands and closes her eyes. Green light appears on Isabella's body, and her wounds close up quickly. "You're my Onee-sama. You're family to me. I'm not going to lose her again…!"

"Interesting~" Raynare says. "You have a Sacred Gear yourself. Twilight Healing, was it~? I've heard so much about it."

"Yeah, what of it?" Asia says.

"Instead of having Isabella's power, I shall have yours instead~" Raynare holds out her hand. "Come with me so we can have some fun~"

"No way!" Isabella jumps in front of Asia, completely healed. "You gotta go through me first!"

"Tch! You never learn when to give up, do you?" Raynare frowns and puts a hand on your hip. "Your powers are weak. You have not learned to harness your magic. Your death will be swift!"

"I'm not as weak as you think, girl!" Isabella shoots back. "Just you watch!" She closes her eyes and spreads out her arms. "Power…of the Phoenix!" Flames surround the brunette and they transfer to her fans.

"What the….!?" Raynare's eyes widen.

"HIYAAAAAAHHHH!" Isabella bellows as she swings her fans upward, shooting fiery arcs at the Fallen Angel.

They successfully hit her and send her flying in the air. She falls to the ground hard, making a bit of a crater as a result.

"It's on now!" Isabella says, feeling that she has succeeded on making her first hit. "Yaaaahh!"

"Grrrr…!" Raynare gets to her feet. "You're more powerful than I expected…!"

Isabella keeps on charging. But Raynare flaps her wings and jumps in the air. She summons at least 5 spears out of thin air and points her finger. They shoot at Isabella, stopping her in her tracks and send her flying toward the fountain, breaking the statue and having her fall into the water.

"Tee hehehehe~!" Raynare cackles.

*Occult Research Club*

"She's late…" Rias says as she impatiently sits at her desk, arms crossed under her bosom. "What could she be up to?"

"Maybe she lost track of time?" Akeno says.

"Even a fool like her wouldn't be that stupid," Rias says. "I really hope she's not doing what I think she's doing."

Kiba-chan gives an assuring smile. "She may have her reasons, though."

"Even so, it's not like her to do this," Rias says.

Akeno gives a nervous smile. "Well…what do we do?"

"Haaah…I say just leave her be," Rias says. "If she knows she disobeyed me, she will have to learn from it. When she gets here, I'll give her a lecture."

"Sounds fair," Akeno says.

"Onee-san…" Koneko mutters as she has her back against the couch.

*Meanwhile*

Raynare charges and tries to attack Isabella, but she jumps out of the water and opens up her fans. She tries blocking Raynare's attacks, but they get pushed back, leaving her open and then getting hit shortly after. Before Raynare can get another hit, Isabella blocks it and tries to push her back.

"You will die today!" Raynare growls. "That I promise you!"

The Fallen Angel slashes Isabella hard. Asia watches in horror, seeing her older sister figure getting beaten to a pulp. Raynare gives another upward, diagonal slash, hitting Isabella and sending her flying. She screams in pain and falls to the ground, severely injured once again.

"Onee-sama!" Asia cries and rushes to the brunette. "Don't worry! I'll do it again…!"

"Don't bother~" Raynare says. "No matter how many times you do it, I'll still injure her. If you want her to live, come with me~"

"No!" Asia spreads her arms and stands in front of Isabella. "I will stay here with Onee-sama!"

"Stubborn girl, aren't you?" Raynare says. "Do you really want Isabella to die again? After all…she's the one you call 'Onee-sama' am I right? You don't want to lose the one closest to you like before….right~?"

Asia bites her lip. Raynare knows about Asia's past and she's using it against her. What choice does she have? She wants Isabella to live, but on the other hand…she doesn't want to work for Raynare either.

"Take me…." Asia mutters.

Isabella's eyes widen. "Asia! What are you saying!?"

"I knew you'd see it my way~" Raynare gets rid of her spear and takes Asia's hand. "Come, my darling. It's time to prepare for our ritual~"

She summons a purple magic circle. Asia turns back to Isabella with a sad smile.

"Forgive me…Isabella-onee-sama…" she says softly.

Isabella struggles to her feet, holding her hand out. "Nooooo!"

But the Raynare and Asia disappear within the circle while the Fallen Angel laughs evilly. And soon…they are gone. Isabella shakes and drops to her knees and then her hands. She looks down at the ground, her long tresses falling of over her shoulders.

"Asia…my friend…!" she says, tears stinging her eyes. "Why…!?"

She has done her best to fight, but at what cost? She lost the battle and her friend. She will never be able to forgive herself. And what's worse…she will have to deliver the news to Rias and prepare for what's to come next.

*Occult Research Club*

SMACK!

A slap to the face is heard throughout the room. Everyone else falls silent as they just stand and watch. Isabella's cheek is red from the slap, yet the brunette just takes it as she deserves that hit.

Rias sighs and puts her hand on her hip. "Sorry for hitting you, but you need to learn discipline. I warned you about that girl and you disobeyed me. It's best to leave her alone."

"Why would you say that…?" Isabella says.

"Didn't I tell you? She's an exorcist," Rias says.

"Exorcist or not, she's still a person!" Isabella says. "I have become her friend…her one and only friend! I can't just leave her like that!"

"That's your problem," Rias says.

"Fine, I'll go rescue her myself," Isabella says as she turns her back toward the President, her beautiful tresses fluttering. "While I do that…I don't mind being kicked out of the club…or terminating our contract. I'll go save Asia even if it kills me."

"Are you really that stupid?" Rias says. "Do you think I'd go as far as that? You disobeyed me, yes, but that doesn't mean you're leaving us. You're needed here."

Isabella turns to Rias. "President…please. I apologize for disobeying you, but Asia is not who you think she is. She's a girl with a terrible past. I will never forgive myself if anything happens to her."

Rias turns to Akeno, who just smiles. Kiba-chan and Koneko join in.

"Listen…you cannot take down the Fallen Angel yourself," Rias says. "Akeno and I will go investigate."

"W-w-wait…what do I do then?" Isabella asks.

"That's up to you," Rias says as she summons a magic circle. "If you are so eager to rescue your dear friend, then you must go. Akeno and I will investigate the matter while you do that."

In a flash, they disappear within the circle and the flash fades. Isabella looks down at the ground. Kiba-chan walks over to the brunette and puts a hand on her shoulder.

"The President cares deeply about you," the blonde says. "She may not show it sometimes, but I can see the way she treats you."

"Do you really think so…?" Isabella says softly.

She looks up to see Koneko standing in front of her, holding out her hand.

"Onee-san…you can do it…" she says.

Isabella looks at both Kiba-chan and Koneko and smiles a small smile.

"Thanks, you two…" the brunette takes both of their hands.

"Now then, let's all go save Asia," Kiba-chan says.

*Meanwhile*

"So…boooored!" A petite blonde girl dressed in a gothic lolita outfit whines as she sits on top of a branch of a tall tree. "Why do we have to stand guard in case intruders interrupt the ritual!?"

"Patience, Mittelt," Kalawarna says. "Lady Raynare ordered us to do this. If we do this right, we will get an awesome reward."

"Ohhh, kind like the reward where we lie in bed and-" Mittelt begins yet Kalawarna bonks her on the head. "OW! What was that for!?"

"Privacy, okay?" Kalawarna can feel a vein pop in her head. "Now's not the time to be simping for our Lady Raynare."

"Ohhhh~! You said 'our'! You love Lady Raynare, too, don't you~?" Mittelt teases.

"Shut it!" Kalawarna snaps.

Just then…they hear some footsteps coming toward them. The two Fallen Angels hop down toward the ground to see Akeno and Rias walking along the path.

"So you two decide to show up," Kalawarna says.

"I thought there would be more of you~" Mittelt says.

"I'm fine with that," Rias says. "We are here just so we can get information out of you."

"If you dont~" Akeno holds out her palm and a ball of lightning appears. "Let's just say we will teach you two a very hard lesson. And it's going to be a very shocking one~"

"Heh," Kalawarna says. "You want to know about Lady Raynare's plan? She's busy with some sort of ritual right now."

"What sort of ritual?" Rias asks.

Mittelt grins evilly. "The sort of ritual that has to do with Sacred Gear~"

Rias furrows her eyebrows.

*Meanwhile*

Isabella, Kiba-chan and Koneko run through the forest. It's dark outside. Isabella can see the large clock from the church up ahead. She gives a nod and goes faster and faster. Just then, magic vines start to rise up and try to catch the three girls. They jump, duck and dodge the tangling vines until Isabella jumps through a small opening and the vines create a wall separating the girls.

Kiba-chan and Koneko turn around to see an army of female fallen angels. The blonde girl turns toward the vine wall.

"You go!" Kiba-chan says. "We will handle them!"

"R-right!" Isabella nods and keeps on running along the path toward the church.

Please be alright! Isabella thinks. Please be alright! I'm coming for you! Don't worry!

She gets out of the forest and the church is in plain view. She pants a little, seeing the two double doors and then dashes toward them. She slams them open and she is greeted by Raynare and an unpleasant sight that makes Isabella drop to her knees. Asia is chained to a cross, dressed in a plain white gown.

"Oh~?" Raynare says. "An unexpected guest to our ritual. Sorry to say, but you are too late~"

"A…ASIA!!!" Isabella cries.

The smaller blonde's eyes flutter open and she weakly turns her head to see her big sister figure. "O-Onee…sama…?"

"Hang in there, Asia!" Isabella gets to her feet and rushes toward the cross. However, a spear lands in front of her, making her fall on her behind.

"It won't matter~" Raynare says. "The ritual is almost complete~"

"What are you doing to her!?" Isabella shouts. "What is it that you want!?"

"Heh…you're so desperate~" Raynare says. "I'll tell you everything~"

*Meanwhile*

"So what you are saying is…" Rias says. "There's an ultimate goal that the Fallen Angels?"

"And that is the Sacred Gear?" Akeno adds.

"Correct," Kalawarna says. "Mostly this priestess' Sacred Gear. It contains incredible power. If we were to obtain it, meaning Lady Raynare, she will be the most powerful being on earth."

"So that's what the ritual is all about," Akeno says.

"So what would happen to that girl would be…"

*Back at the Church*

"Dead…?" Isabella's eyes widen in horror. "No…it…it can't be…"

"Oh, I'm afraid so, dear Isa-chan~" Raynare says. "Sacred Gear is a part of you. Your soul basically. So if that Sacred Gear is removed…you know the rest~"

"You can't do this to her!" Isabella gets to her feet. "She has a life with a terrible past! Her death will be for nothing!"

"Do you think I really care~?" Raynare says. She holds out her hand in front of the weakened Asia. "I have a life to live, too. And that is being the most powerful Fallen Angel in the universe. And everyone…will bow to me!"

A green glow appears on the cross, as well as Asia's chest. Asia screams in agony as the glowing gets brighter.

"NOOOOOO!" Isabella reaches out her hand, watching in horror as Asia's life gets drained, so slowly and painfully.

A green orb comes out of Asia's chest. Raynare grins devilishly as she reaches both hands out, beckoning the orb to come to her.

"At last~" she says. "It's mine~! Twilight Healing~! Hehehehe~!"

The glowing stops and Asia goes limp, her hand hung low. Raynare absorbs the green orb into her own body. Her body glows green as a result and then it fades after a few seconds.

Isabella is crying now. She just witnessed someone die in front of her.

"Now what are you going to do~?" Raynare says. "As long as I have the sacred gear, no one can stop me. I am…your doomsday~!"

A/N: Probably butchered some of this, but who knows?

It's going to hurt even for me when I write the next chapter. Cause…poor Asia.

Anyways, thanks to those who reviewed and favorited and followed.

Have a nice day.