Chapter 7: Training and Feelings Revealed
It's been a few hours since the group arrived at the vacation home.
Currently everyone was training hard, well... almost.
Issei was on the ground, out of breath.
"Cmon Issei. We just started." Colton said.
Colton and Issei were doing physical exercises to increase their physical abilities.
Colton had suggested they do 100 push ups as a warm up.
Issei had gotten only to 10, and even then, that was with some struggle.
"Why do we have to do 100?" Issei complained.
"You need to increase your physical strength, otherwise you'll be a liability during the Rating Game. Plus, if you become physically stronger, then you'll be able to handle more of the Boosted Gear." Colton explained.
Colton then caught a whiff of Issei's current condition.
"Augh. Dude! How are you this sweaty already?"
"I can't help it! I'm not used to this much exercise."
"More like not used to exercise at all." Koneko commented as she brought two bottles of water and set them nearby. She was holding her nose. "Seriously. You stink."
Colton shook his head in disappointment. "This is going to be a hassle."
Colton then summoned a small magic circle in his hand. "Time for you to freshen up."
Colton tossed the circle into the air, and it stopped directly above Issei.
"Isn't that a teleportation circle? What are you going to do with that?" Koneko asked.
Colton then had a devious smirk. He snapped his fingers.
The circle glowed a little before a bunch of water went through the circle dousing Issei.
Colton closed the portal and it was shown that Issei was completely drenched.
"Clothes Beam!" Colton shouts, using the spell.
Issei was now in a sporty outfit, similar to the one materialized on everyone during the dodgeball game a few days back.
Issei looked at his outfit for a moment before gaining a perverted look.
"... Issei. What's with the look?"
"Oh! Nothing!" Issei tried to deny.
"Issei. If you try to learn the Clothes Beam simply to force girls to wear indecent outfits, then you should know that the spell doesn't work like that." Colton explained with a deadpan look.
"No, no. I'm not planing on learning the Clothes Beam." Issei assured.
Both Colton and Koneko narrowed their eyes.
Issei just looked away.
"Ugh. Let's just continue." Colton said, holding his face.
After another hour of exercise, everyone was gathered in the kitchen, with Colton at the counter cooking.
"So, how'd it go training Issei." Rias asked.
"So far, hopeless."
"Hey! I'm not hopeless!" Issei exclaimed.
"You could barely do ten percent of the exercises I had the both of us do." Colton deadpanned.
Colton was done cooking and turned around.
When he did, he could see that everyone looked like they were trying to hold in laughter.
Colton put his hands on his hips. "Just because this apron was the only one available, doesn't mean I'll tolerate the laughter."
Truth be told, Colton was wearing a pink apron due to the meal being really messy to cook. The apron read: "BadMan".
Colton then looked at the apron. 'I feel like this a call back to something, but I don't know what.'
Colton then brought the food over to the table, setting it in front of everyone.
Everyone took some food, while Colton watched. They all slowly took a bite.
"This is amazing!" Asia declared.
"My, my. This food is delicious. You've outdone yourself." Akeno complimented.
"You certainly know how to cook." Kiba added.
"This isn't fair! How is this so good!?" Issei exclaimed.
"I certainly wasn't expecting the food to turn out this well." Rias said.
Colton then looked at Koneko to see hear her reaction. What he saw was Koneko completely zoned out, eating the food with a joyful look.
"Well, looks like you're cooking skills are enough to impress Koneko." Rias commented with a small giggle.
Koneko then got up, seeming to be done zoning out.
Koneko then walked over to Colton.
"What's up Koneko?" Colton asked.
Koneko then put her hands on Colton's shoulders. "Cook for me more often."
Colton blushed a little from the action. "S-sure."
Koneko then let go and walked back to her seat.
Rias then looked around. "By the way. Where's Uria?"
"Oh. He's currently back in Kuoh. He's stray hunting in our place." Colton explained.
"Really? Well that allows us to focus more on training." Rias said.
"Yeah. And it helps him as he can just eat the strays he hunts." Colton said, taking a bite of food.
This caused Issei to start choking.
Once he spat out the food, he turned to Colton. "He eats strays!"
"Uria can eat almost anything. Food, living beings, energy. It's just safer for everyone if he is eating strays, as those are the most filling of all the things he will be allowed to eat."
Everyone then continued eating and once they were done, they got ready for bed.
Colton sat on his bed as he got a notification from his communicator.
"Test."
"Test?"
"Oh! It worked! This is Ravel Phenex."
"Oh! Hey Ravel! How are you?"
"I'm okay. Thank you for asking."
"That's good. Do you want to talk about anything?"
"Is it okay if I vent a little?"
"Sure go ahead."
The next few minutes were a mostly one sided conversation as Ravel sent message after message and Colton just read them.
"For one: my brother is acting way to confident for the upcoming Rating Game. He's not even having us train. Instead he's just pleasuring himself with the others."
"Two: he hardly gives me any freedom. I just want to do my own things without his permission for once."
Ravel had stopped with the rapid texting, signifying that she was done ranting.
Colton then decided to text back.
"Does he force you to participate in his 'pleasures'?"
"Thankfully, no. But it doesn't stop him from touching me in places that make me uncomfortable."
'Now I really want to hurt him.'
"Once the Rating Game is done, why don't he meet up sometime? Talk face to face?"
"That would be a great idea..."
"I'm sorry, I just realized that I never got your name."
"Oh, yeah. Sorry about that. I'm Colton. Colton Akuma."
"It's nice to properly meet you Colton."
"You too, Ravel."
The two of them then talked for a while longer, before they needed to get some sleep.
The next day, everyone was training with each other.
Surprisingly, even though it's only the second day, Issei was already starting to show signs of improvement. Even if it's just a little.
The day seemed to go by relatively quick.
In the evening, Koneko was walking towards her room when she saw Colton walk out to the patio.
Curious, Koneko followed.
She saw him sit on one of the chairs.
Akeno was on another chair.
Koneko then decided to listen in on their conversation.
"So what did you want to talk about Akeno?" Colton asked.
"Well, how about your relationship with Koneko." Akeno said in a teasing tone.
Colton was caught off guard by that. "Huh!? I- Ehh- Wh- What!?"
Akeno laughed at his reaction. "You know exactly what I mean. You like her don't you? Like her more than a friend?"
Colton looked down. "I- Yes. Although I'm afraid that she doesn't feel the same way. I want to tell her how I feel, but I'm afraid that if she doesn't feel the same way, then we'll become distant."
"C'mon. I want to hear you really say it." Akeno encouraged.
Colton sighed. "I love Koneko."
Koneko then stepped out. "You do?"
Surprised, Colton turns around and faces her. He could see that she had a tear running down her face.
"Koneko! I didn't know that-" he was cut off, as Koneko tackle hugged him.
Koneko then let go and stepped back by a foot. "Tell me straight to my face."
Colton took a deep breath. "I've known you for a few months now, and I feel like we've really bonded during that time. Over time, I've developed feelings for you: my best friend. You are my very first genuine friend and nothing could ever replace that. When I was reincarnated, I mainly excepted it because that meant I could be around you more. So yes, I love you, Koneko Toujou."
Koneko then started to cry. It wasn't tears of sadness, it was tears of joy.
She grabbed Colton by the shirt and pulled him down to her level, due to her being an entire foot shorter, even though they're practically the same age. Once he was level with her, she kissed him on the lips.
Colton was shocked at first, before kissing back.
When the two were done, they pulled away.
"I love you too." Koneko said.
It was Colton's turn to cry tears of joy.
"Well. Isn't this an adorable moment." Akeno said.
Both immediately turn red in embarrassment, having forgotten that Akeno was there.
Akeno then began to giggle. "Now that's the face that I wanted to see. Well, I'll be heading to bed, good night you lovebirds."
Akeno then walked off.
Colton turned back to Koneko. "So... does this make us..."
"Boyfriend and Girlfriend? Yes." Koneko finished.
The two then embraced in a hug.
Once they were finished, they decided that sleeping in the same bed would be the best option.
The two got in Colton's bed, at first they were on opposite sides of the bed, feeling a little awkward due to them not having shared a bed with someone of the opposite gender before.
After a little bit, the two then started to cuddle, which felt natural to them.
Soon the two fall asleep in each other's embrace.
The next day, Rias is looking around for Koneko.
Rias then spotted Akeno. "Hey, Akeno. Have you seen Koneko? She's not in her room."
Akeno then giggled. "Check Colton's room."
Rias was confused. "Why Colton's room?"
"You'll see."
The two then head over to Colton's room. Rias knocked on the door. After a moment of nothing happening, Akeno opened the door.
The two were greeted by an adorable sight.
Colton and Koneko were asleep while cuddling, with Koneko on Colton's chest. Uria was on top of Koneko, sleeping soundly.
Rias looked at them with a genuine smile. The two then walk out of the room and quietly close the door.
"You knew about this, didn't you?"
"They confessed to each other right in front of me. You have to admit, it's good to see them like that."
Rias nodded. "For sure. Seeing on how much Koneko cared for him, it was only natural that they got together. It's probably best to let them sleep. Come on, let's go get Asia so the three of us can make breakfast together. We can't rely on Colton to cook for us forever."
Back with the sleeping duo, Colton just started to wake up.
He tried to get up when he noticed a weight on his chest. He looked, and found Koneko sleeping peacefully.
Colton blushed, then remembered the previous night.
He smiled, remembering that they are now a couple.
He leaned in and gently kissed Koneko on the lips.
This action caused her to stir. Koneko slowly woke up.
Koneko woke up and looked at Colton. She gave a smile. " good morning."
"Good morning." He greeted back.
Koneko then began to cuddle him some more, which Colton accepted.
After around 10 minutes of cuddling, the two decided to get up.
They carefully moved Uria so he could sleep on the bed, while the two of them leave the room, and head to the kitchen.
When they got there, they noticed everyone else.
"How'd you two lovebirds sleep?" Akeno asked in a teasing tone.
Asia and Issei looked surprised, while Kiba looked intrigued.
"Hang on! You guys slept together!?" Issei exclaimed.
"Get your head out of the gutter Issei. We just cuddled." Colton explained.
"Did the two of you get together last night?" Kiba asked.
"We did." Koneko answered.
"Congratulations!" Asia said.
"Thank you." Colton said back.
Issei then deflated. "He got a girlfriend before I did." He complained.
Kiba, who was right next to Issei, patted him on the back.
Colton then noticed the food that was on the table. "You guys cooked without me?"
"We thought it would be a good idea for us to cook, to celebrate the two of you becoming a couple." Rias answered.
Everyone then sat down and began to eat.
Once they were done, everyone began to get ready for the day.
Currently Colton and Koneko were sparing, getting Colton used to close quarters combat.
Colton was pushed back, but regained his balance. He looked at Koneko with a smile.
She smiled back as the two of them charge at each other again.
Colton jumped right over Koneko, aiming an axe kick at her.
Koneko dodged at just the right time, and threw a punch right at Colton's stomach.
Colton was knocked flat on the ground, with the wind taken out of him.
Colton laid there for a solid minute before sitting up. "Nice shot."
"Thanks." Koneko said as she helped him up.
The two then share a quick kiss, before moving on to some exercises.
Later, Issei, Asia and Colton were all training their magic with Akeno.
Colton was having the easiest time of all of them. Currently he was trying to get used to firing off multiple spells in succession.
Colton fired off magic blasts in waves, then he got to using offensive spells.
Issei was falling behind due to his very small amount of magic.
Akeno then approached Colton. "I want you to fire your strongest attack at that mountain."
Colton looked to see the mountain in the distance.
"I'd like Issei to see what he has to strive for." Akeno explained.
Colton nodded and faced the mountain.
Colton called upon as much magic as he could before aiming his hands outward. No one noticed, but Colton's eyes turned black and red for a moment and his power skyrocketed. As soon as the eye change and power boost appeared, it disappeared.
"Death Ultima!"
Colton fired a pure black magic ball at the mountain.
The blast traveled quickly to the mountain. Once it reached, it caused a powerful explosion.
Once the explosion was gone, all that was left of the mountain was dust.
Colton then fell back in exhaustion, having used practically all his magic.
Rias, Kiba and Koneko then run over.
"Is everyone okay!? There was an explosion!" Rias exclaimed.
"We're fine Rias. Colton here just used almost all his magic to destroy a mountain." Akeno explained.
"I'm... never... doing that again." Colton said in between breaths.
'He used almost all of his magic to do that. If he is able to increase his magic reserves, then he might be able to become so much stronger.' Rias thought to herself.
Koneko then helped Colton up.
"Thank you Koneko. I need to get some rest now." Colton said, walking slowly to the house.
Over the rest of the days needed for training, everyone had gotten stronger.
Colton and Koneko got closer as a couple. Sleeping in the same bed had become the norm for them.
Colton and Koneko both agreed for her to move in with him at his house, which everyone agreed to help.
Colton had also been having text conversations with Ravel in his free time.
Soon the Rating Game was one day away, and they were ready.