Hollowreaper93: Thank you very much for the review and your input on the romance :) I am so glad you liked the Himejima reunion, I knew I had to get that right in particular. A bit late but a happy new year to you as well!
J0ker981: Never saw Granblue Fantasy, but that Yggdrasil from that is pretty cute lol. Exactly, even old, Dorian won't let that get in the way of helping others :D
SomeDudeThatReads: Romance doesn't make a review crappy lol. And I agree, with how big the Crossroads are, having most/all would be faarr too big. Imo canon went too big with Issei so I wouldn't follow that route. It truly means a lot you have been liking the story and how I've written the romance, thank you for that :D . Fleshing out Kuroka was one of my more focused ideas for later in the story. In that regard you should be very pleased lol and I hope not to disappoint as I continue ;)
Gan315: Hello! I am doing well and hope the same for you :D As usual I sent a full PM with my reply but will answer your direct questions here. Indeed, I can't wait to unveil long-haired Xenovia. Ever since canon mentioned she used to have long I have been curious. She only cut it out of practical reasons, but plenty more characters have super long so it shouldn't be a problem now that she's so strong. Oho, the panty stealing pervert priest OVA? That was a funny one...I imagine Dorian would have some words for him lol. I will definitely consider it ;) Thank you for your input on your romance preference in my story and I hope you are having a great new year too!
OBSERVER01: Yes! I am so surprised no one else has really focused on this I can find. They are like perfect for each other based on age and personality lol. Tails and wings on their kids? That would be interesting XD And I am so glad you liked the Himejima reunion ;)
fanficcyberman: Awww, thank you very much for your kind words! Knowing you liked this chapter, which I knew had to be a good one for the arc finale, really brings a smile to my heart. Also always great to meet a fellow Who fan :D. I had quite a good break and I hope you had a wonderful holiday season too!
ahsoei: Yep, in canon her leadership was mostly implied right up until Volume 11, but I wanted to show with this and previously with Katerea how she led them. Being the infinite dragon, she'd have quite a bit of pull.
WinterRuneWolf: I get that, in my mind they can't just rush into the situation and need to consider what it means. Especially while Dorian is healing from the overuse of his Breakdown. Not to worry, that decision and outcome will be settled before the end of the next arc ;) That is sometimes true, though imo it only gets harder if you don't have ideas...and I got plenty lol. I hope the wait wasn't too long :D You stay awesome too!
Spectrvs: And a wonderful new year to you too man :D As usual I sent a full reply to you via PM ;) Thank you for the kind words, I know what you mean, I would have loved Akeno's reunion to have been more than a single moment. I knew I had to get that scene perfect. To answer your question, yes I am hoping to expand Seekvaira more. I agree she was such a good character but gets so little canon time. I adore her, but Sairaorg too...good eye on my insinuation at the end with Sairaorg's mother, that will be just a few chapters from now :D You stay safe as well my friend, all the hugs lol.
dragon slayer of death 98: Noted :D Fleshing out her character a big based on what was implied in canon has been a lot of fun.
Cchang3: Oof, glad the Civil War didn't happen, my soul couldn't take it lol. I am glad you like my current path with the romance, hope you like my future plans ;) . To answer your question, I am currently following mostly the LN path but have some of the anime elements added in. I never got a chance to read the manga beyond a few panels and it was canceled early unfortunately.
AlexLucifer: Will do ;) Hope the wait wasn't too long.
Guest69: 6 years? Oh wow, I don't know what to say, it truly means a lot that you count mine so highly among so many (and that you've been enjoying the art I have made :D ). I know what you mean about Issei, I'll admit I was not a fan of his portrayal/actions late in the series but I could never bash him utterly. He may not be the center of things in mine, but that doesn't mean he isn't integral to the DxD-verse. And yes, Rat is definitely one of the funner aspects to write lol. Kuroka I always adored her design, and thought for a while why can't nekoshou's repopulate the same way devils and angels did. Thank you for the input on the romance as well. I always liked the smaller numbers, enough to show how many can be drawn to one without getting into double digits or ridiculous numbers XD.
LOL, you are very welcome. Unique powers are the spice of fanfics, I must have spent months tweaking his abilities and paths before posting. This way, even readers of the series can't completely predict what he'll do next. (I laughed far too hard at MILFius XD XD XD ). Hmmm, I see your point with Kiba and Xenovia, granted his loyalty was just one aspect to why she chose him along with how he protected her even as a foe, but I could definitely have worked on that point better than I did. I will keep that in mind, Kiba was one of my favorite characters so I knew I had to make him more human than canon, I personally loved the chemistry between he and Xenovia before she became obsessed with Issei.
More than canon you say? That is among, if not the best praise to give a fanfic. Truly, from the bottom of my heart thank you for the review and kinds words. I certainly hope to see this to the end, possibly more depending on where things are come Volume 21. I wish you well and a wonderful day! :D
Uday Sra: Thank you!
And with that, Happy Valentines Day…and ONTO THE SHOW!
"Oh, this one can live for centuries with the proper nutrients," Iggy commented as she gently tilted the watering can the slightest bit. "It is native to the base of waterfalls in Jotunheim."
"That…explains the size," Asia smiled awkwardly as the flower Iggy tended was easily the same height as she was.
The magenta foliage loomed above with a connecting web of roots supporting its weight in the planter that had come with the tower. As a former nun, she had helped tend to gardens back home, assisting Iggy first thing in the morning being a calming activity for her. She couldn't take her eyes off the exotic plant. It was one of many that bloomed on the roof of the Crossroad's Tower donated by Lady Freyja. Within the protected greenhouse dozens of species flourished
"Just imagine how large this could grow in time!" Iggy continued to gush, having taken easily to the various activities around the buildings since she had learned to manifest herself physically. "We may need to expand, or maybe start a second garden in your home."
"They had something like this outside the castle," Gasper chimed in next with a smile as he practically glided from flower to flower. "They always smelled so wonderful."
"A castle?" Iggy perked her ears up with a growing interest in his choice of words. The young vampire devil lowered his ears sheepishly as if realizing he had said something by accident.
"I-it's nothing," he shuffled a little further away. Rias' first bishop was still arrayed in a kilt like the one Dorian had first given him only now with an accompanying sash over his chest. He had taken to the style ever since discovering them and had only jumped deeper into the look each time they saw him. Iggy could sense his trepidation and decided not to press further. "Where is Mr. Dorian?"
"Downstairs in his office. We are testing how far apart we can be while I am manifested. So far I have not discovered any limit." Iggy blushed a little at her words. "The furthest we've ever been was back in Helheim when Loki possessed him, here I haven't gone more than three floors away."
"You really care about him," Asia remarked as a matter of fact. "You don't want to be far from him."
"And I hope to never be," she replied with a smile. "Oh my, look at the time! You'll be late. Come, I'll got get Dorian! Mrs. Hyoudou will be wondering where you are!"
"Oh no!" Gasper looked at the clock having lost track of time with the rest. With all the polite restrained worry he could muster, he put away the watering cans and rushed for the elevator that would take them back to the first floor.
As Asia and Gasper moved to the lift, Iggy took the stairs knowing that Dorian was only a few floors down. Unlike the others, she did not have to prepare for a day of schoolwork ahead. All the same, the simple pleasures associated with school life fluttered in her mind what it would be like.
To get to be with friends during the day, spend lunches together. I've seen what Dorian thinks of the girl's uniforms when he saw Thrud in one. How would he look at me if I wore them?
Inside…
"Just a little bit…and…there!"
Dorian sighed in relief as he attached the final plank of the model he had purchased in Kyoto of Kinkaku-Ji. Working on something so meticulous helped him to gauge how well the Sage Arts healing was progressing, his hands growing steadier and steadier.
"I'll be back to shape in no time," he told himself again with a flex of his sore fingers. The construction of the model landmark may have been done, but there was still plenty of final details and paintwork to do. With work for the Crossroads being slow since Kyoto coupled with school life easing back to normalcy, it was his best chance to take part in the simple things in life he so enjoyed. "Baby steps."
Glancing to the side, he spotted his lyre and the desire to play again sparked in his mind. The Einherjar hadn't attempted since the lackluster performance he'd done at the party celebrating Loki's defeat. He needed to practice, he knew that, but the image of others hearing him while his new mechanical hand regained the muscle memory his original had made him nervous. He had no reason to be, knowing they would understand, but the thought was there.
You worry too much.
I can't help it; I haven't gotten a chance to play nearly enough. Dorian replied. He had been growing accustom to the second voice in his head alongside Iggy's. She was not always there, being like a frequent visitor often when Iggy was resting or away. All the same, he enjoyed her company.
Never enough hours in the day? Is that why you haven't asked to see the dreams yet? Dorian didn't answer. I get you don't want to hurt Iggy, but you have to see these. If that future comes about before you are ready, all will turn out that way.
I will, I swear Despoina. But not now, I have been reading Rossweisse's essay, almost done. According to her research, this thing would have been the basis for several, if not every, myth's concept of an apocalypse. How is that possible? It would have to predate them all for that to be the case!
You think these Old Gods have something to do with it? She did not need him to finish, even without being in his mind, she had gotten proficient at following his trail of thinking.
At the very least, they may know something, been there when this thing was around. If only I could contact that Kassaegtha again. Ask her.
She was very intent on staying away from you, it would take a lot to bring her back.
Maybe I'll think of something, after the festival and Rating Game, that would be a good first attempt at the nightmares.
Until then, I can show you some more good dreams. Like those ones Azazel's device did.
Dorian froze, raising his head slowly at her insinuations, the vague memory of the Rossweisse that straddled him surrounded by the many women shifting to purple hair for a moment.
You saw those? Wait, you didn't…?"
"HOLY FR…!" Dorian shouted as he toppled over as a disembodied head materialized directly in front of him as he turned around. No matter how many times it happened, he could never prepare for it. "BENNIA!"
"That's me," she bounced out of the portal with a flourish. "You can't be mad at me you still get jumped scared so easily. You'd think horror movie night would knock that right out of you. If you didn't make it so much fun, I wouldn't do it as much."
"Far be it for me to ruin your fun," he replied with a slight chuckle, her positive attitude unwavering. "Good Morning Bennia."
"Good morning!" She snapped to a salute. "I am happy to announce that breakfast is served downstairs. Mama Hyoudou actually broke out some bacon for you, wake up your Misseses and come on down!"
"Rossweisse and Thrud are in the shower," Dorian remarked with a sense of normalcy Bennia could not help but adore. "They'll be out soon, bacon? For me?" He looked truly touched, it was not a common staple of food in their house and was a bit pricier to obtain. "I'll have to thank her later."
"As well you should, but it sounds like you have a shower to get to, so I'll let you be."
"But I already took mi…" his eyes narrowed as he saw her incorrigible smile and realized her statement's meaning. "Have you been spending time with Azazel?"
"Nope, just way too easy to get those rosy cheeks flaring," she teased once more. "Don't be nervous, if anyone can make them happy, I know it's you. But if you break their hearts I'mma coming for that soul. If you ever need an ear, I'm your woman."
"An expert on love?" He raised an eyebrow; relatively certain he'd never seen Bennia show an interest in anyone since meeting her.
"An expert on women, being one last I checked. That and I crafted a love charm or two back in the day." Her smile widened as Dorian coughed, barely able to stifle a laugh at the unexpected joke. "Just be honest with them, it's that easy. Breakfast in five!" She called out once more with a wink before disappearing into another portal.
She could have brought me with her, Dorian pushed out the chair to stand, stumbling a little bit as a soreness shot through his leg. Damn joint pain, it won't be too soon I finally get young enough that doesn't keep happening. Is it so simple? Can I say I love you to both without it losing its meaning?
"Dorian!" Rossweisse called out, drawing his attention as she wrapped her head around the corner. "Who was that?" Thrud's head appeared next drying her own hair, the fact painfully obvious that behind the corner neither were wearing anything. All the same, they were utterly comfortable with him looking in their direction.
"Bennia! She said breakfast is ready."
"Go on without us," Thrud insisted with a twirl of her hair. "We'll be right down; it'll give us a chance to get dressed."
"Will do, I'll save your plates," he picked up his satchel for the day before disappearing out the door. "Love you!" He said it as such a part of his routine he didn't even realize the complication by saying it now.
"Love y-" Thrud and Rossweisse almost simultaneously answered as they emerged into the main room. They stopped, glancing down a bit shyly at the identical response.
"I won't hate you for saying it," Rossweisse hugged Thrud meaningfully. "We are in the same bed now, how many times must I say it?"
"You don't," she quickly discarded the towel she'd been drying with as she moved to get her uniform and underwear. "You don't need to tell me anymore. But..."
But I want to hear him say it to me. He said it surely to her, he said he wants us to make this work…but will he say that to my face as well?
1st year Class…
"And that is another vote for a fortune telling booth, I think we have a winner!" The teacher called out with a cheerful flourish. Koneko had learned long ago that no matter how calm the class was, she felt the need to make up for it herself to keep the energy high. No doubt it was why she was chosen to teach the younger classes at the academy. "It is so wonderful the choice was the same as our newest student."
Ravel Phenex sat in a seat towards the back behind Bennia and Koneko now sporting her own uniform. Her arrival and introduction to the class had been unexpected but she received a warm welcome from the entire room. The questions as to who she was and where she came from sparked quickly but she handled herself well, years of press conferences and galas for the Phenex family had prepared her well for a high school introduction. It was all that followed after she was having difficulty with, the socializing with normal people.
"It's a win win," Bennia leaned back putting her hands behind her head. "We get to give fortunes to people to make them feel better, set up stalls around the school to see the other classes AND wear spiffy cloaks all at the same time."
"It doesn't take much to entertain you does it?" Koneko asked in her usual monotone, Bennia only replying with a V-sign and grin.
"Fortune telling can be an honorable craft!" Ravel pointed out with a huff at Koneko's dismissal. "I have dabbled in it since…"
"Since you were a little girl with your first crush?" Bennia hit the nail on the head, the Phenex daughter's face betraying her denials. She would never admit she'd asked a question or two in regard to her and Issei's future together prior to enrolling at Kuoh Academy. She never knew how Bennia could see through her, the two having spent more time together since moving into her tower, even giving her the grand tour.
"Now all the projects are set!" A young man in the front let them know. "We can start making everything!"
"The theater arts club said they would help on the stalls," the teacher looked over her sheet of upcoming duties. "The problem is our budget is a little thin on costumes. The other classes got to the props department first I am afraid."
The entire class groaned in unison, faces cupped and conversations sparking as classmates turned to one another if they knew anyone who could add to their budget or perhaps pay for the clothes. Each other came up empty, that is until Bennia's chuckle broke the contemplation.
"Well…I may know this friend of mine who is quite good with a thread and needle…"
Kuoh Academy, hours later…
"You are improving, I assure you," Sona promised Dorian as her knight claimed his queen. Were he not in good company, the young man would have had a few choice words for the maneuver. The outcome was swiftly coming to a head as it always did.
"It doesn't feel like that," he sighed upon repositioning his king to prevent another checkmate. "What is the definition of insanity? Trying the same thing expecting a different outcome, I think playing you at chess falls into that category."
The pair were in between classes when third and second years had a free period. While some studied or hung out with their friends and other activities, Dorian spent twice a week in the Student Council room attempting to best Sona at her preferred game. Even in all the time since coming to Kuoh, he had not won once.
"Do you have much work?" She asked to break the silence, more than capable of multitasking against an opponent like Dorian.
"Quizzes are graded for Ms. Rossweisse's class, so she went shopping for a few groceries, said she didn't need an extra hand. I have a paper for Mr. Taketa's but that isn't due until tomorrow." He tentatively moved his last pawn to a safe position that could threaten her rook.
"I thought you liked strategy games," she moved her knight from the back a bit closer around his pawn. "Didn't you win a Tafl match back in Jotunheim?"
"It doesn't quite translate, and I had memories of the king in my head at the time. I remember it all, but the rules are different. Try me at that and I can teach you a thing or two."
"Then we shall have to play some time, I enjoy our games. Big sis was never much into these growing up, I spent more time trying to stay out of those magical girl costumes of hers. Things have been, shall we say, busy for the student council as of late."
"How so?" The two continued their game while speaking.
"Recently, rumors have been spreading of a 'ghost' around the old music building after hours. Have you heard it?"
"The love ghosts?" Dorian chuckled only to stop as he saw the glare in her eyes. "You're serious? I thought it was just another legend of Kuoh Academy like marrying the one you confess to beneath the old pavilion or the spirit in the women's second floor restroom. Wasn't there a UFO sighting a few weeks back?"
"As did we at first, but the sheer number of ACTUAL encounters has me thinking otherwise. The stories are all similar, hearing the ghost's song before everyone starts acting strange. At least one person has suddenly out of nowhere confessed to their secret love each time it was heard. My peerage and I patrolled the school several nights with no luck. There was a presence, but whatever it was is skilled at evading detection. That is part of why I wanted to play with you today. I wish to enlist the Crossroads for this."
"Ghost hunting?"
"I suppose if that is what it turns out to be. It is possible this 'ghost' is just good at avoiding devils. In that case, you and your team would be most suited to tracking it down."
"Is it that serious?"
"Fights have broken out," she shifted her glasses. "This ghost's presence seems to make people more…open than they would otherwise be. If this is from a supernatural source, it would be best to deal with it quick and efficiently. It is still your move."
"I'm aware!" Dorian snapped with a pout as he still pondered his next idea. No matter where he looked, he could see only check mate in his future. "How you do this every time I have no…"
"Mr. Dorian!" A voice called out entering the room escorted by Saji. "I couldn't find you in the classroom, so I came looking."
"Kassumi! I am so sorry I lost track of time. I think I'm about done here so it will be just a few minutes."
"So, he is the source of your improving grades?" Sona nodded to the woman she clearly recognized. "Keep it up and you may be on the student council next year."
A second year knowing the student council president so closely? You don't say?
Dorian shook Despoina's oddly random question from his head, he was out of ideas. His next move would be the last, he was sure of it but all the same he kept straining his mind for another alternative.
Knight to take her pawn? No, then my king is wide open. My bishop is taken if I move it anywhere and any move of my king puts me into check. It's like she can see twenty steps ahead of…
It was a subtle thing, barely noticeable but as he looked up to apologize again to Kassumi, he noticed her gaze locked squarely on the chessboard. He followed her eyes straight to his rook out in the middle of nowhere having sent it to claim a bishop earlier. He had no idea why, and then it clicked. Without a word, he moved his rook down the board and leaned back. Sona looked up with a raised eyebrow.
"You saw through it?"
"You were keeping me so focused on my king to keep my eyes off my last rook," he explained as it all became clear. "That was keeping a flank closed to you which limited my options. If you don't deal with it, I can have you in check in three turns."
"Well done," she smirked a little bit as she claimed his now-defenseless pawn. "I suppose this game won't be over quite as fast."
Sona said those words, but the result was the same. Dorian lasted another dozen or two turns before he found his king cornered and defeated. Even with the loss, he felt a swell of pride. It was the longest he had ever lasted against her and the first time he'd managed to get her in check multiple times that weren't traps. His spirits were higher than ever for Kassumi's lesson and the mission ahead. The dark-haired fellow student had left to await him outside, Saji deciding to walk with him.
"You must be learning man, not long ago she had you dead to rights in a dozen moves, that one was like 50."
"Still a loss," Dorian sighed with a stretch of his arms. "She is incredible, all these weeks and I've never come closer to beating her."
"She sure is alright," the lovestruck expression was painfully obvious on his face. "Just imagine the two of us together."
"You and Sona?" Dorian glanced over confused, not having heard of such news.
"Well…no," he admitted with a downturned head. "But I'll prove to her that I am the man for her. I know her better than anyone except Tsubaki, I will admit I get a little nervous every time you play her."
"How so?"
"Well, back before I was her pawn, she had an arranged marriage set up by her parents like Rias did with Riser, but Sona made a requirement of her own. He had to beat her in a chess game to prove his intelligence…and she absolutely thrashed him!" The young pawn barely held back laughter at his joy. She wants a guy who can match her intelligence and no one else. If you ever win, that could be trouble."
So THAT'S why he watches our games so intently.
"Have you tried something simple? Asking her out on a date maybe?" Saji looked like he was going to laugh harder.
"Sona isn't a simple woman; I wouldn't be as head over heels for her if she were. She needs…no, DESERVES absolute perfection. Until I have that, I have no right to ask her."
"I thought the same of Rossweisse," Dorian laid a hand on his shoulder. "That I could never be good enough, I was wrong. You might be too."
"Oh, if only," he shed a tear at the dreams entering his mind. "Just think of our beautiful children…"
"Kassumi!" Dorian flagged her down, despite the added time she did not seem to have minded waiting. "The economics questions from yesterday right?" She nodded as he flipped open the book while continuing to the study hall. "How have you been?"
"Bored," she admitted with a sigh. "If only I could have made the class trip. Do tell me about Kyoto, you must have such interesting stories…"
In his office…
"The youkai have been true to their word," Ajuka updated Azazel of the situation away from Kuoh. The Grigori leader was huddled in a corner of the Occult Research Club headquarters where none would interrupt tinkering with a series of contraptions in his hands. "Any traitors in their midst have gone to ground, but we'll find them. The kyuubi Yasaka keeps asking when you will be joining deliberations."
"Tell her a teacher's work is never done," Azazel replied with an awkward chuckle remembering the kiss at the station. His millennia of experience with women made him suspicious that her invitations were more than just that.
"Suzaku has gathered the clans as she promised," Baraqiel spoke next as a shimmering hologram. "One or two are putting up a fight, but they won't last. Not many can against her. What is that you are fiddling with?"
"Just an idea for a little invention," he winked. "No peeking, let's just say I was inspired by Cao Cao's little anti-woman power and I got to thinking."
"Trying to take your mind off Yasaka's invitations? What happened to that bravado you always wear around the kids? The harems you boasted of to Mr. Hyoudou?" Baraqiel almost regretted his words, despite Azazel appearing unchanged, for a half-moment the light in his eyes dimmed but was quickly replaced, making him question if it were his imagination.
"I'd be a bit of a heel jumping in with a recently widowed woman," he tried to deflect. "That and trying to think how livelier you look old chum; you are practically glowing. You should go back to Takamagahara if the gods allow it. Did you get to stay a bit longer after the others went to bed?" Baraqiel refused to answer, but the sliver of a smile seldom seen on the old man did Azazel's heart good.
"Even if that were a once in a lifetime moment, I will not mind," Baraqiel's mind fell back to those blessed hours with their family reunited again for the first in years. "Unfortunately, somehow the events of that day made their way to Asgard…"
"What do you m-?"
"COME MY FRIEND!" A booming voice shattered the relative calm of the room. "TO BE REUNITED WITH YOUR BELOVED FOR WHOM WE DRANK TOGETHER MANY MOONS PAST…HAVE ANOTHER! TO YOUR BELOVED, YOUR DAUGHTER, AND THE YOUNG MAN SOON TO JOIN YOUR FAMILY!" The last thing Ajuka and Azazel saw before the transmission cut was an almost comedically large beer stein slam down onto the table in front of them.
"How did Thor find out about his trip?" Ajuka pondered fully recognizing the voice and forearm of the man who had joined Baraqiel. His question was quickly answered at Azazel's uncontainable laughter lasting far longer than it should have.
"He doesn't have enough boisterous friends," Azazel gasped after finally controlling himself. "Who is livelier than Ms. Thrud's papa? If the apple fell within the same area as the tree, that Einherjar will have a fun time. Speaking of which, have you looked into what he told us?"
"Everyone with any level of time-based magic is looking forward, but they don't see anything of this 'dead future' he speaks of." The tone became serious between the two. "But so far there are no signs or portents to an extinction-level event anywhere."
"They didn't foresee Mr. Held either," the Grigori Governor-General noted. "What if this event has the same blind spot in time?"
"Then we have no way of getting ahead of this calamity until it is upon us."
"At least until he translates a few more of the memories," Azazel crossed his arms. "I don't like it; our world has been through Hell and back…literally and always made it out in the end. Groups may be wiped out here and there, but everything? Maybe we'll get lucky and it's not real."
"I am not a gambler," Ajuka made his stance known. "I will keep an eye on the boy and his Sacred Gear, perhaps when he visits my lab for the nekoshou pieces, my new assistant is quite insistent on seeing him again."
"You took her on? I'm telling ya, you and crazy go hand in hand. Though I suppose if you need a time expert, she's your nutjob. Just be careful."
"I have contingencies if her desires are not genuine. It has been a long time since I had one of the young in my lab and her enthusiasm is welcomed."
"Good luck with her," Azazel held up a strange futuristic-looking ray gun in his hands with a frown of disappointment it wasn't ready. "You should come visit sometime, Kuoh is a lovely town, I know the best places after dark we could visit…"
Kuoh Academy, Lunch…
"DeviTube? You, an angel?" Kuroka smirked towards Irina as she bit into her fish sandwich. "Are you sure the website won't burst into flames?"
"Tease all you like!" She pouted just a bit. "My channel gets hundreds of views! I talk about what it's like adapting to life in a foreign school. Many can relate!"
"Ravel will appreciate it, she's to be on your next episode, right?" Irina nodded proudly to Xenovia only noticing then she was watching something on her phone.
"What is that you have there?" Xenovia turned her mobile around to reveal Dorian's face. Unplugging the headphones, she allowed them to listen.
"And that," Dorian announced towards the camera like he was still teaching in class, "Is the legend of the first Norse God, Buri being freed from the frozen wastes."
"Dorian made his own channel? Good for him," Akeno leaned closer finding his continued professional demeanor even on the small screen precious. "I am surprised he didn't ask for any help."
"Well," Xenovia answered slowly. "He recorded this a few days ago, and he already has a cohost."
"Don't forget Dorian," a voice from off camera interrupted his explanation on Buri's family. "That Buri was only freed thanks to the cow Audumbla licking him free." The angle turned to see the young woman standing off screen now waving innocently at the crowd.
"Of course, Iggy," Dorian smacked his head as if it had just come to him. "Truth is in the details. Everyone," he motioned to the audience, "allow me to introduce my cohost who I have known all my life. My better half, her name is Iggy."
"Oh, that is precious," Irina gushed at how they played off one another, each remembering specific details to tell the whole story. Amid their constant training to improve as the days went on, simple moments like these are what made life so wonderful to her. "Those two really are soulmates. To think she was always there even when I knew him back in England."
"Even longer than you," Akeno remarked to Thrud she caught watching the video more closely than others. "I bet she could tell you a lot about him."
"You act like I don't know plenty," she smirked back, the two women of thunder playing off the other's statements to stay on top. "I was the first person he saw after waking up."
"Maybe he imprinted on you like a baby bird," the half-fallen angel chuckled. "He knows about your weakness for your own lightning, correct? How personal."
Thrud raised an eyebrow at her last comment. It was true, while she could summon lightning of her family and augment her weapons, her body did not take to the power easily. If she channeled it through herself, she suffered immense damage. The battles against Heracles and Sairaorg coming to mind forcing her to cover more until they healed. It was the one shame in her abilities she had but never would admit it. She didn't need to answer, Akeno sensing all she needed to.
"My body didn't like lightning when I was little either," Akeno continued. "But Rias and her family taught much to help me past it, maybe it is something I could show you? It would only be fair with how you helped Koneko and I improve our own skills to such a degree."
"I don't know…" Thrud leaned back in thought. She wasn't used to asking others for help, as much as she trusted Akeno, she had always seen the fault in her power as her own, something she needed to overcome.
"Well, imagine how impressed Dorian would be seeing you got past it." The young Queen choosing which buttons to press. Thrud stopped leaning back on her bench, eyes narrowing in her direction. She knew exactly what the raven-haired woman was doing…and she didn't care.
"After classes, we can…" She froze as a series of beeps interrupted the group. It wasn't coming from just her phone, but everyone's who was part of the Crossroads. In an almost synchronized fashion, they all checked their phones. A single message danced across the screens for all to see. It was from Dorian.
We have a mission for tonight. Be prepared to stay in the school after dark for an investigation.
"Oh my," Akeno coyly looked up at Thrud who was replying confirmation of the orders. "I suppose our session will have to wait, whatever does he have planned after dark?"
Kuoh, after school…
"It should be somewhere around here," Dorian mused as he glanced left and right outside the old music hall. "Anything?"
"No," Rossweisse held her hands aloft, seals of detection and other spells to find the departed or unseen foes. "I am not getting anything as of yet."
Dorian had chosen a few for the investigation including Rossweisse, Thrud, Irina, and Bennia. The others were off on their own missions, though Sona's peerage were not far scattered around the perimeter to prevent anything from getting past them. The school grounds appeared almost eerie; shadows cast where they hadn't been before. If there was an ambiance needed for ghosts to appear, surely this was it.
"If this is some wayward spirit, we can help it move on to the bliss of Heaven," Irina clasped her hands together.
"Or reap them for my collection…oh come on I'm kidding!" Bennia quickly backpedaled as Irina's horrified expression at her words fell on her.
"Irina, you and I can take the north side, Bennia, you and Rossweisse the south. Thrud, are you good watching the path out?" She nodded with confidence as the team split their separate ways in search of their mysterious quarry.
"Maybe this will be like the old abbey," Irina called back to Dorian once they were far enough from the others, her eyes glistening with nostalgia. "Remember?"
"How could I forget?" His memory fell back to the year he'd spent in England and met Irina. Several months into his stay, she pulled him out of bed under the cover of dark. Admittedly, he'd been uncertain of her intentions until she led him to an old building outside the town. According to Irina, it was one of the most haunted places in the country and she wanted to help the spirits move on. That selfless desire was Irina through and through. In the end they had spent all night tripping over each other in the dark without finding any sign of them. Even with their failure, they were fond memories. "You forgot your coat, even though you planned the outing!"
And you gave me yours, Irina could not help but recall with a smile. Refusing to admit you were cold even as your hands shook.
"But I am certain something is here," she closed her eyes with clasped hands. "There is a presence, will you speak to us?" She called out with her gentle, melodious voice in prayer. "We are here to help!" Oh father, tho thou are no longer in Heaven, grant us the guidance to show this…"
A gust of wind picked up, interrupting her words, and causing Dorian to hold his shirt from rustling, the team having decided to take the mission at the last moment had no time to don their Crossroad apparel. Instead, they wore their Kuoh Academy uniforms with the heavier jackets over them for warmth. It was no natural wind, the air calm elsewhere around them as if something had rushed past at incredible speeds accompanied by the sensation they were being watched. The feeling only grew as what they at first mistook for the whistling of the wind became a song all its own rising up louder and louder.
"It's…beautiful," Irina smiled at the tones dancing through the air. It started as simple whistles yet grew into a feminine hum as if from a beautiful singer. All the same, it was obvious the sound did not come from a normal voice. "Not a ghost…an angel!"
"Where is it coming from?" Dorian glanced around, the song echoing across the yard causing it to be heard far and wide. "Irina, can you…?"
Dorian froze up as he saw Irina no longer looking around for the source of the noise, but at him. Her eyes were gentle, soft, and focused solely on him as if seeing him in a light she had not before. With small steps, she made her way over straightening her hair as she went.
"Dorian, I missed our time together after you left England, did you miss me too?"
"Irina, are you alright?" He felt her head as she finally reached him, almost falling over as she threw herself into his arms and pressed tight to his chest. "Wh-what are you doing?"
"Let's just stay like this," she sighed contentedly. "We don't need to do anything else."
Dorian, the song! Iggy warned him, able to sense it was more than simple musical notes. It is doing something to her.
"Then something IS out there," Dorian summoned a horned circlet about his head and a single golden white gem while his hands were busy holding Irina. "Alfheim!"
The bright light illuminated the area, sprinkling a gentle rainfall of sparks like the after effect of fireworks. As they fell, a form took shape high above in the sky previously unseen. The source of the mysterious music, a lone bird soared above circling them like a hawk.
Our ghost it seems, it has to be supernatural with that music. Where did it come from? I could swear I've seen that and heard this tune somewhere before.
"Dorian, why won't you look at me?" Irina pulled him in tighter. "We haven't talked as much as we should."
"Don't worry Irina," Dorian aimed a seal up at the bird prepared to stun it out of the sky. "You'll be back to normal in a minute. Just give me a moment to…"
He didn't get a chance as a shape leapt from the shadows tackling the pair to the ground and pinning Dorian beneath them. He would recognize the crush of her legs anywhere, powerful arms holding him down as the same eyes of longing bore into his very soul.
"Thrud! Not you too!"
"Me too," Thrud loosened the ribbon of her uniform and popped the top buttons as if they were restricting her breathing. "Why didn't I say anything before Kyoto? Rossweisse and I have shared everything…why would you be anything different?" Without awaiting a reply, she leaned in and planted a deep kiss on his lips letting her black mantle float away.
She's so soft when she wants to be.
"Thrud," he gripped her hand and stared into her eyes even as Irina advanced from the side to grip an arm. "I care about you, I told you that. But this song, it's making you say things. If you let me capture it then we can…"
"I want to say it now," she pressed down harder, the strength in her thighs incredible. "If it weren't for Kyoto, I may never have said anything. Let me say it now and let me show it."
Dorian's eyes bulged out of their sockets as Irina and Thrud shed their black button-down corsets. If things went as they were, they'd be naked in a matter of moments all the while the songbird continued to fly overhead singing its enchanting tune causing those around to say more than their inhibitions should have allowed. Pinned by Thrud with Irina clinging to him, he couldn't get a clear shot to bring it down, he needed a plan.
"We spent so much time together in England," Irina slipped her own ribbon off next. "This joy when we are together, surely this is love isn't it? Oh, but you love Rossweisse and Thrud, God states love should be between one man and one woman…but can such a feeling truly be sinful? Let's pray together."
As Dorian tried to find the right words, he saw the majestic rainbow-blue feathers of the bird turn. Seemingly not finding what it wanted, the creature flew in another direction still singing all the while. Dorian readied Alfheim once more.
"Sorry you two," he closed his eyes as he set off a point-blank flash blinding the two girls. They gasped as their vision went white, when all cleared and they could see again, Dorian was gone and Thrud was instead straddling a root of Jotunheim summoned as a replacer. Out of frustration, she crushed it into splinters with her legs.
"Dorian! Why did you do that?" Thrud called out as they spotted him sprinting into the distance giving chase after the bird. "Irina, come on!"
"Just…hold…still," Dorian groaned as he chased the songbird, the appearance slowly starting to come back to him. With a flourish of his hand, a portal opened to the roads depositing a confused looking squirrel upon his shoulder. "Rat! Is that thing from Yggdrasil?"
"Good morning to you too," he groaned with a crack of his back as he looked up into the air. "Oho, a Fossegrim Songbird? You found yourself a winner boss! You better bet your ass he's from the Roads. Where'd you find it?"
"The school," he motioned to the area around them. "We thought he was a ghost, has a strange effect on the girls," he shouted in quick spurts to get the information out as fast as possible while pointing out the pair currently giving chase behind him. "What does it want?"
"Well, Fossegrim are water spirits that play music on their violin. These puppies are attracted to them and can spend years flying around one. Did you break out the lyre recently?"
"No," he struggled to recall what happened before the rush of air heralding its arrival. "Just Irina started praying right before it emerged."
"Well, there's your answer," he patted Dorian on the back of the head. "That angel's voice would make the heavens come down, it's only natural this little guy was attracted. They usually stay hidden, maybe it followed you out from the Roads at some point while it was invisible and made a home here. I guess that explains the babe parade after you."
"Why is that?"
"Well, their songs maaaayyy have the side effect of causing people, women especially, to be more open about their feelings, huge hit at wedding parties. I heard the old man Odin actually had one at his to ensure his vows to Freyja were genuine."
That is surprisingly sweet for him.
"Then why isn't it affecting me?"
"Maybe hearing it in the distance of the Roads gave you some resistance to it? I am not a walking encyclopedia. It may be affecting you more than you say, I see those red cheeks of yours."
Dorian narrowed his eyes at his friend with a glare of annoyance.
"Irina AND Thrud after you eh? You lucky dog, sure you don't want to put off hunting the featherball for an hour or three? If you find Rossweisse around here it'll be a party."
"Rat, now is not the time for…"
A blue blur came out of nowhere tackling Dorian and causing him to crash. Once more he found himself pinned, this time to a wall, as the dark blue eyes of Sona's Rook stared into his.
"I thought I heard a call for help," Tsubasa Yura licked her lips with a sly smirk. "You always fight so seriously, no matter how hard you get hit you always get back up. That blow I gave you now could drop a lot of guys I know. Want to feel another?"
"Please don't do anything you'll regret in an hour!" Dorian gripped her wrist and with a twist sent her flying using the same technique Thrud had used on him at their first meeting. The girl slammed hard into the opposing wall as he took off after the retreating bird.
"THAT was a superb move," she smiled while joining Thrud and Irina in the pursuit, her drive only heightened to catch up to him after the display of his skills learned over the past months.
"That's three Dorian," Ratatoskr pointed out nonchalantly from his shoulder. "Keep running and maybe you'll snag another."
"I am going to strangle you after this," he was not in the mood for his friend's playful banter. "How do I stop it?"
"Gotta get the bird brain to stop singing, good luck with that from this distance. Who knew they had the hots for you? Maybe if you stop running it'll come back for a different kind of song between you four." His smug grin made Dorian want to murder him even more. With new seals active, Dorian started firing blasts of lightning and fire in its direction. To his ever-growing frustration, the creature bobbed and weaved around his attacks emerging completely unharmed.
"Heyo Dorian, what are we shooting at?"
For once, Bennia's inclusion did not startle him as her head poked through a portal floating alongside keeping up with his breakneck pace. To his relief, she did not have the lovestruck gaze of the other girls.
"Bennia! You aren't going to chase me too, are you?" He quickly explained what was happening.
"Huh," she saw the others behind him. "That is a rather pretty song."
"Why aren't you affected?"
"The bird doesn't create love boss," Ratatoskr explained. "It just, shall we say, heightens the feelings that are already there and makes them way more honest about it."
"No offense leader sir, but you aren't my type. You're like my brother."
Oh wow, that is good to know. Wait, so that means that the others…they feel that way?
"Though I must admit, you do have a rather cute butt…"
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY TO HIM?" The voice of Rossweisse on Bennia's end rang through her portal.
"Just…stay where you are," Dorian stressed. "I don't want you both succumbing too. If you spot that bird near you try and shoot it down without hurting it. It's my fault it's here, it belongs in the roads. We need to send it home."
"But Dorian…" He didn't let them say another word, cramming Bennia's head back inside the portal as it closed.
If this song amplifies existing feelings, what would Rose do to me if she heard it? What would I do to her out in the open? He would never admit that since hearing her voice coupled with the song, his thoughts were drifting to those of a more amorous nature.
Elsewhere…
"Was that Dorian?" Saji perked his ears up certain he had just heard a blood-curdling scream. "I can check it out."
"We'll remain here," Sona answered in her usual cold tone. "If it gets out of hand, I am sure he will alert us, until then…what is that?"
The two looked around as a song entered their ears. Unbeknownst to them, the songbird flew not far from them still pursued by Dorian. They may not have been able to see it, but they could hear it.
"Wow, it's beautiful," Saji remarked with a smile. "Almost as beautiful as you." He immediately clamped his mouth shut, a cold sweat running down his neck at the realization of what he'd just said. "I don't know why I said tha-"
The dragon king Pawn's brain started to fry as Sona slumped into his arms when he turned to apologize. The moment he had dreamed of since first laying eyes on her his first week of school was upon him. Sona Sitri, next in line for her family name was holding him. At first, he thought she may have collapsed, but her eyes were clearly open trembling behind her glasses as if torn by what she was doing.
"S-Sona?"
"You love me, don't you?" Her question was direct and to the point, just as she was. He adored that quality of her. Saji could only nod ever so slightly, swallowing so loudly he was certain the entire school heard it. "But you've never said it to me, just everyone else."
"I-I need to earn it," Saji explained, the words oddly flowing out easier than every time he considered telling her. "I am the Black Dragon King now, but that's not enough. I heard about that old man who wanted to marry you before I became your pawn."
"I got rid of him," she remembered well the satisfaction when she defeated her husband to be, his look of utter shock at her beating him at chess with so little effort. "And swore that only a man who could match my intelligence could take my hand in marriage."
"I'm pretty far from intelligent," Saji muttered low while scratching the back of his head. He dreamed of Sona more than he could ever say, often comparing it to Issei's obsession with a harem albeit focused on her. All the same, Sona was not secretive about her preference in men, of which he was sorely lacking.
"I…don't think I'd mind it if you became that man."
Saji had no idea what to say. It was true he was in love with her and having a child together so they could be married was among his penultimate wishes but knowing his shortcomings had held it back from being any more than that, a dream. Hearing those words from her shattered his previous status quo he'd feared would never change.
"Y-you mean it?" She quickly glanced away at his question, her normal demeanor fighting in vain against the ancient magics permeating the air. She wouldn't answer his question, but she wouldn't refute it either.
I have a chance? Hope isn't lost? Holy shit, calm down, just calm down. You haven't won yet; you still have to become the ideal man for her. Something is clearly making her say this, but if there is even a slightest chance…
"I will!" He gripped her shoulders securely with newfound confidence. He'd noticed Sona was moving towards him, clearly hoping for more as the song released emotions she kept hidden. "I will become that guy, you won't have to settle, and I don't think I could bear seeing you with another man." Sona stared on wide-eyed as her glasses slid down her nose. "If Issei can win Rias' heart, there isn't a reason in Hell I can't do the same. You just wait Sona, I'll get my grades up, study and beat you at chess…count on it!"
"You…you don't mean that!" She finally pulled away; face flushed at what she wanted verses what propriety would allow. "This entity we are hunting, it must be responsible. If it is, I will obliterate it immediately. We should contact the others; they need to be warned about…"
"Tsubaki, you are so lucky!" The unmistakable voice of Reya, one of her two Bishops. "Kiba looks at you and Xenovia so dreamy." She sighed with memories of seeing him at the Rating Game. "What I would do to make him look at me that way."
"He doesn't, does he?" Tsubaki asked back, face reddening while twirling her hair between her fingers.
"I think they already know," Saji glanced at Sona as they found nearly her entire team now gossiping like normal schoolgirls behind the nearby tree line.
"Not Kiba, that cute little vampire," her knight Tomoe giggled. "He is so cute; I just want to eat him up. The way he and that Koneko girl hang out has me so jealous! Do you think he'd like me if I chased him around with garlic?"
Yura was nowhere to be seen, but Momo and Ruruko were away from the others a little closer to where Sona and Saji were watching unnoticed. They were both glancing away from the other as if each wanted to speak but were afraid to make the first move.
"Genshirou?" Momo asked.
"Genshirou," Ruruko confirmed, the young man uncertain as to the context of their meaning until they continued. "Think he'll ever look at us over Sona?"
"We won't know until we ask," her white-haired classmate swooned. "Maybe we can catch his eye, Sona is our friend, but maybe she'd be willing to…"
"Don't listen!" Sona pulled on Saji's collar in an attempt to keep him from overhearing the two. She had long known they had feelings for him, a fact among the reasons she had previously refused to look his way. All the same, she suddenly felt the urge to keep him from hearing. She overcompensated, causing her pawn to bounce backwards into the bush and collapsing out the other side.
"Genshirou?" The pair called out his first name in unison, their eyes locking onto him with a sparkle. "You have been such a kind teammate, always looking out for everyone ever since you joined." Momo was first unbuttoning the top of her jacket. "We may not be like Sona, but…"
"G-get ahold of yourselves!" Sona emerged from the bushes next between them. "He is my Pawn, my…"
"But he's OUR teammate," the song had broken down the hierarchy between master and servant, the three speaking as fellow women. "But he only looks at you, you have been taking all his attention!"
What the hell? Saji scrambled with his thoughts as he sat there afraid to move lest he draw their attention which was currently directed at each other. He prayed it would remain this way until the strange power affecting them wore off. This is either an amazing dream, or terrible nightmare. Is this what Issei deals with on a daily basis? The others care about me too? What does that mean with me and Sona?
Hyoudou Residence….
"I am starving," Issei groaned as he wandered into the kitchen only now grumbling at the enormity of his upgraded house. "I wonder if there are any leftover…Ravel?"
"Lord Issei!" The blonde devil spun on her heels as he turned on the light revealing her in the dark. "Wh-what are you doing here so late?"
"Hungry, what about you? If you wanted a midnight snack all you had to do was ask." Ravel was staying in the Crossroad tower next door among their many guest rooms. Intended to be a temporary solution until she got her own place, she was slowly beginning to enjoy the décor with options available for each group in their alliance.
"I was not seeking a snack," she pouted a little at the insinuation. "I was merely…learning the territory." Issei looked past her, noticing the shelves she had been perusing contained various ingredients used by Asia and Hecuba when making breakfast. In her hand, the most incriminating evidence, was a box of pancake batter.
"Oh wow!" Issei's eyes lit up at the sight and mouth started to drool a bit as the memories of his time in the Dragon Mountains came back. "Were you making those pancakes of yours?"
"Of course n-" she started, words halting as Issei sat at the countertop with a big smile on his face. It was the same he had often with his friends she had noticed since paying closer attention. With a content sigh, she reached for the nearest apron, a red and white number, and tied it off tight. "I suppose a single batch wouldn't hurt, but no more than that! It's not healthy to eat too much before bed!"
"I promise, one batch, less than that if you have some with me." His offer surprised Ravel, forcing her to turn before he saw her face redden. "I'll need all the strength I can get, the big event for the show is coming up."
"Your…dragon show?" Ravel expertly started adding ingredients, unable to bring herself to say the full name yet out of embarrassment. "I saw the ratings for that, I have no idea how it got so popular so fast. The public promotions alone would keep you busy."
"Don't remind me," Issei lowered his head into the table somewhat. "Goldie and I will be having a few after the show. I don't know how we'll have enough time."
"Well, I'm sure your manager will take care of everything," Ravel turned with a spin of her apron skirt, currently in the process of mixing the batter. "Who did you choose?"
"Well, I think Rossweisse or Seekvaira were helping him, but I don't have one."
The sound of the wooden spoon clattering to the countertop echoed throughout the kitchen, bits of batter splashing each way. At first Issei thought she'd dropped it until looking up as the shock wide eyes met his own boring through his very being.
"You…are the lead actor in an up and coming show for all audiences…and you have NO agent managing your work and schedule?"
"Um, no," Issei shuffled the slightest bit from her as an air of murderous intent wafted towards him. "It never came up."
"But what if you get cheated on a marketing deal or tie in!" She slammed her hands on the counter, the batter forgotten to the side. "Or you miss an important line of a contract to say nothing of the sheer scheduling nightmare you'd have from the different events!"
"Well, Mr. Azazel did say they were starting an Oppai-con…plus Rias' family do most of the marketing I think."
"That's not the…" She sighed deeply, rubbing the bridge of her nose to drive off the migraine slowly forming. "You need a manager, plain and simple. I suppose I have no choice."
"No choice?" He leaned back to dodge her finger pointing in his direction.
"Issei Hyoudou! I will be your manager for work related to the Oppai Dragon Show!"
"You? You've done stuff like this before?"
"Of course," she huffed, pressing a hand to her chest with pride. "You are looking at the woman who secured an ELEVEN percent increase to Phenex-clan sales in her first month of assisting mother! Next to that, managing your schedule and responsibilities would be a cakewalk…oh yes!" Her last words reminded her of the pancake bowl still sitting to the side. Quickly, she resumed mixing. "Why, you never know when someone may try an underhanded trick, just last year…"
Wow, she sure is vibrant when she thinks about this kind of stuff, Issei thought as he listened on. He was no expert on matters of business, but there was a calming aspect to Ravel both teaching him about the word he was to step into while simultaneously baking in an apron. He couldn't put his finger on it but was certain it may have been her beaming smile that never faded. She's good at the business stuff but still look so beautiful while baking. She has a much better figure than I thought too, his eyes drifted against his will, noticing the snugness of the apron showing a bit more than her dresses he had always seen her in.
Kuoh Academy…
"They aren't giving up," Dorian panted as he hid behind a building on the school grounds. He had temporarily lost his lovestruck pursuers, but it was only a matter of time before they found him again. Ratatoskr had been thrown clear as he dove for cover and was nowhere in sight. "I can't get near the bird like this!"
Perhaps I can delay them while you trap the songbird. Iggy offered as she began to take shape beside him. "Two hands are better than…Dorian, oh you've grown so tall. How did I never notice?"
"Iggy?" Dorian's face paled at the look in her eyes matching the others. He was confused as up until that point his soulmate hadn't been afflicted by the music. However, it appeared that was only due to her presence as a spirit. The moment she took physical form, the effect was instantaneous with the music still drifting on the wind. "Y-you don't have to. If you get back in the gear, we can…"
"The gear was so cold," she fell forward embracing him. "I wanted to come out so many times but was scared. You were the first man I ever touched; I'll never forget that. You liked my dresses right? I can wear anything you'd like." She tugged on the front of her white dress to expose more cleavage.
"You look great in all of them," Dorian answered truthfully, gripping her hand to stop anymore being revealed, realizing as muted as it was for him he was still susceptible to the bird's magic. "You were scared, so that is why you hid before the fight with Loki?"
"That," she sheepishly answered while clinging a little tighter. "And the nightmares, I could hide from them in your mind. Having my own body...they are more prevalent. Let me be with you," she tightened her grip. "We can be together now that we can touch."
"Oh Iggy. I'm sorry, I'll be with you forever, don't fear that...but let's talk when you are more yourself," Dorian hugged her before sliding beneath her dress, eliciting a gasp of surprise before taking off again now utterly without allies. The bird was still near, he could hear, but couldn't focus to find it. "If I can just avoid them a few more minutes I can find it and with one good shot drop it."
"Dorian!" His heart plummeted as he heard the voice of the woman he had hoped would stay far away. "You don't need to run anymore, I am here."
Rossweisse was standing on the other edge of the path leading to the main campus. She was panting like she'd been running hard to reach him, Dorian could only guess she'd wanted to find a way to help but stumbled into hearing distance of the bird.
"Rose, please stay back. With that song…"
"It doesn't matter," she interrupted. "Our feelings are already known to all. Why not let them out?"
"Thrud and the others..."
"She loves you as I do," her words silenced his protests. "If you thought the same of her, I wouldn't be sad, she deserves to be this happy. Please stop running."
He didn't get another word off, magic seals appearing beneath his feet freezing him in place. Like the others, her eyes bore into him longingly not too dissimilar from how she had looked at him in Kyoto. To his horror, the others caught up to him lining up alongside Rossweisse. Most of them were half undressed, slipping off their jackets enticingly while advancing. Each one looked as if they wanted nothing more than to lose themselves in his arms. Any man would have been lucky to be in such a situation, but all Dorian could think was how forced it was. Were they doing it naturally he may have given in, however with the music playing, they were almost working on instincts. Any thought of going with the flow he quickly pushed from his mind at great effort.
There has to be some way to get through to them! What did Rat say? This bird seeks out music? Maybe…that's it!
Waving his hand, a portal to the Roads opened depositing a small object before him, his lyre he had kept even since back in Asgard. If music is what the bird wanted, perhaps it would delay its song to hear some. Uncertainty filled Dorian's heart, he had not truly played since the celebration after Loki's first defeat and it was a lackluster performance at best. He needed practice, this was certain, but the itch in the back of his mind at continued failure trying to get used to it with his new mechanical hand caused him to put it off. That time was done.
"Before we continue!" Dorian held up his hand towards the advancing women before they could unbutton their undershirts. "Perhaps I could play a song for you. Something to set the mood."
"Oh Dorian," Irina gushed alongside Iggy. "Of course we'll listen.
"Nothing like a good song before a rousing conquest," Thrud thumped her chest. Pulling Rossweisse in front of her, the two sat down leaning on one another.
"Go on Dorian," Rossweisse held Thrud's hand. He didn't know it, but it was often how they sat when they were younger growing up listening to the minstrels of Asgard. Even Yura was kneeling to listen. "We haven't heard you play in so long."
Here goes nothing.
Raising the instrument, Dorian began to strum gently trying to start off with a simple tune. It was nothing special, but the transfixed women hung on every note. The sight was admittedly bringing confidence back to his fingers, his mechanical one striving to remember the moves his old had learned as second nature. Gradually, ever so gradually, he dared to risk the more complex notes.
Come on, come on, he thought as he realized the music of the songbird had faded. The effects weren't wholly gone, but it was clear the girls were starting to become more clear-eyed. At last, as he entered the third verse, the unmistakable blur of its rainbow feathers entered his view just behind his captive audience.
The Fossegrim songbird glided closer, finally taking a perch upon the top of a flagpole a few dozen feet behind Rossweisse's head. As Ratatoskr had promised, it seemed to be swaying to and fro with his music reveling in something new. Dorian was so caught up in playing again he almost forgot he needed to stop the bird from taking off, or worse singing again.
I can get at least one good shot off, but I'll have to make sure it's a weak move. I don't want to kill it; poor thing is just in an environment that can't handle it. I can generate a seal in about three seconds. With the right timing I can knock it off its perch and…
Dorian stumbled with his fingers. Between his lack of practice and mind wandering towards his next actions, he missed a note, causing an unceremonious twang that even had the girls watching twitch in discomfort. The bird's reaction was clear, it was unhappy with the outcome even as he attempted to recover. To his dismay, it spread its wings preparing to fly again, the song returning to the air.
"Dorian, we've waited long enough," Rossweisse half moaned as she undid the last buttons of her shirt. "You can play for us after…"
"The things I do for ya boss, you'll regret this tomorrow. GET DOWN!"
Sitting within a nearby tree behind them, clearly having been getting situated for the perfect shot, was none other than Ratatoskr. Confusing Dorian to no end, he seemed to have what looked like a miniature version of an anti-tank rifle. Unlike a real one, the barrel was clearly loaded with a rather large acorn as he looked through the scope at his target.
"I was saving this one for an especially long winter. You owe me a month of strawberries for this. Smile you son of a bitch!" With his final cry the weapon discharged, launching the nut straight at the bird which had yet to fully take off.
Dorian fell forward, dragging the girls with him out of the firing line. His old friend's aim held true, the acorn nailing the bird directly in the forehead. Going cross-eyed, the Fossegrim songbird fell out of the sky slumping into a soft patch of grass. With a sigh of relief, they realized the music had now utterly stopped.
"Doria...!" Thrud asked as her senses returned to her, realizing he had ended up on top of her from the tackle. His arms were wrapped around her, Rossweisse's previous words and assertions of wanting her friend to be happy echoing in his mind.
"...love you."
"What?" She asked again but didn't truly need it repeated. He said it quick but assuredly without hesitation, whatever the lingering effects of the bird that may have remained...the words were genuine. Their eyes met as he cupped the back of her head, ensuring she wasn't hurt from the fall. The moment of silence did not last long, much to their frustration.
"Dorian?" Irina staggered a step back only then noticing her disheveled state. "Y-you didn't see anything did you?" She quickly scrambled for her clothes that were forming a trail back the way they had chased him.
"Not a thing!" He shouted while jumping to his feet, though they all knew he was lying. Their inhibitions may have been removed by the song, but they still recalled everything that happened. "Rat, will you do the honors?"
"I got this one," he hefted the unconscious songbird over his shoulder as Dorian opened a portal. "I'll get this little guy back home, bet his momma's worried sick. Don't worry, once he hears another Fossegrim playing he'll start hovering around him. The odds of one following you outta there is astronomical, the chances of it happening again are nonexistent.
"Let's hope so!" Rossweisse blurted out as she finished getting her suit back on, tightening her black skirt. "It's a good thing this species is nocturnal, imagine the chaos if it had been singing across the school during the day."
"You missed this," Thrud tossed Rossweisse's tie back to her. Despite the awkwardness of the situation, she wasn't ashamed at what happened, the confession of his feelings still fresh in her mind. She saw no shame in acting how she did beyond not being at a better time or under her own compulsions. Her lifelong friend accepted the tie, a heartfelt smile giving away the fact she had heard what Dorian said.
"Thank you," she whispered. "I told you, we can do this...together."
"I…I should find the others," Yura looked as if she was still in a trance, staggering groggily as she realized the man she had a crush on had just seen the most embarrassing side of her. "I actually acted that way towards him, oh, what will the rest of my team say?"
Yura did not need to worry about the potential teasing of her peers. By the time she found them it was clear they were in the process of putting their clothes back on, each one barely able to look the other in the eyes. None appeared more awkward around one another than Sona, Momo and Ruruko with how they looked at Saji. All the secrets hidden between them were laid bare, the Sitri Peerage now aware of how each felt and pondering what it could mean for the future…
Tower, not long after…
"That was…an interesting night," Bennia sighed with an oddly chipper smile as Irina slinked back to her room contemplating the thing's she'd said and thought. "It's too bad Sona wanted that oath of silence; it'd make a good movie or at least episode of a popular sitcom."
"No more ghost at least," Dorian cracked his neck as he made for his room, bidding the young reaper good night. Thrud and Rossweisse had gone on ahead to get ready for bed, adamant on going first. If he'd been less exhausted, he may have found it suspicious. "After that I need a nice…rest."
"Oh, there you are, I've been waiting nya," the playful tone of Kuroka greeted him. The nekoshou was sprawled out across his bed wearing a skimpy fluffy nightgown. "It's time for some hands-on healing."
"Kuroka, you know the deal," Dorian raised an eyebrow. It was true that it was her turn to administer Sage Art healing to give Thrud a chance to rest, but he certainly had said nothing about her attire.
"JUST healing," Thrud finished for him as she entered from the bathroom in her usual baggy jersey. "Your hands, tail and every other part of your body stays accounted for."
"Of course, nya," she purred in agreement. "Though that only applies to mine right? Should you or Dorian get a bit frisky…"
Kuroka's cat ears twitched at her words, Thrud's eyes going wide as she held her wavering composure. Somehow the young woman had deduced her love of the feline species and was preying upon it. The Valkyrie-Goddess' fingers twitched instinctively remembering her time by Freyja's fireside playing with the ones she owned.
"Kuroka," Rossweisse backed up her friend, arms crossed as the two stood over her.
"Okay, okay," she slid over to give them room. "You get some rest; you've done such a good job healing our little leader these many days. I was almost thinking you weren't going to give me a turn. If you are only here for healing, shouldn't you be sleeping back in your room tonight?" Her face was as smug as they'd ever seen her.
"The more bodies, the more potent the healing will be," Thrud asserted as she laid down on the opposite side of Kuroka. As much as it pained her, she would need to be touching Dorian for it to work. "D-Dorian, you next."
After finishing his nightly rituals, Dorian crawled hesitantly into his bed seeming to grow ever smaller. On his left, Rossweisse cradled him as she always did, Thrud beside her with arms wrapped around her friend's shoulders. On his other side, Kuroka held him like a vice, the warmth of her Sage Arts already spreading throughout him. It felt different than when Thrud did it,
"You just get your sleep," Kuroka whispered in his ear. "And by the time you wake up, you'll feel aaaallll better."
Dorian had no idea how he managed to drift off to sleep now with three beautiful women around him. Despite her words and insinuations, he felt that Kuroka would never cross that line without permission…at least he hoped not. Little did he know that the trusting sentiment was shared by the others in that bed with him. Even with the insanity of the night and awkward situation they now found each other, things were starting to look up.
Hyoudou Residence, downstairs…
"So, you'd read all the contracts, plan the schedule, the works?" Issei said through the last few bites of his pancakes. The impromptu snack had dragged on as the sun had set while Ravel had discussed her role as his manager.
"Precisely," she raised a finger as if addressing a student. "I will go over everything with you, read between the lines and make sure you get the most out of every deal. "Just sign here, and here, initial here…and done!" Issei couldn't have been sure, but she looked to be absolutely glowing at the prospect despite the sheer amount of work it seemed to entail.
"So, this is where you snuck off to," the voice of Rias Gremory interrupted them. The devil heiress glided into the kitchen still wearing the nightie she often did to bed with Issei. His preference for the clothing evident on his face as he was incapable of making eye contact when she wore it. "And here I thought I'd surprise you in bed. You are very sly Ravel, trying to get to him through his stomach."
"W-we were having a business discussion!" The young Phenex daughter asserted, producing the contract as if it were evidence.
"Over pancakes?" The still-dirty bowels and spoons were stacked high on the counter. She could not defend that, or the plates still covered with syrup between them. "We were both busy then, Issei, I had a few ideas for our tactics against Sairaorg's peerage. Sorry I was late coming back."
"Don't be sorry pres," he smiled back in that goofy innocent way only he could. "You got a lot on your mind. We'll beat Saiaorg, that's for sure! I swore I'd help make you a Rating Game Champion, and I meant it!"
"Don't take him too lightly," Ravel warned. "I've seen almost every one of his matches. I don't think I've seen an opponent he couldn't defeat in a single punch or two at most."
"Goldie lasted against them," Issei recalled the titanic clash back at the celebration for Loki's defeat. "If he can, there's not a damn reason I can't!"
"Let's go to bed Issei," Rias caressed his shoulders, sending a chill through him at her gentle touch. "You can use the rest; I'll be right up."
"Yes ma'am!" The Red Dragon Emperor shot out of his seat like a bullet, disappearing around the corner in a flash. "See you later Ravel!" His call of her name not being missed by either woman. The Gremory heiress recovered quickly however, turning back to her guest.
"Enjoying your stay so far?" Rias smiled as she leaned on the counter next content to follow in a few minutes. "I promised your mother I'd watch over you, you are her Bishop now after all." They had been informed of the trade, Ravel joining her mother's team since her engagement match with Riser's team.
So did Issei, Lady Phenex was very insistent on him keeping an eye on her daughter. You are just good at drawing women to you, aren't you Issei? You want that harem of yours…just how many would you look at for it?
"Everything has been…most acceptable," Ravel answered hesitantly, an air of discomfort settling between the two only then realizing they had barely spoken since that match except their meeting to help Riser. "It was no intention to become his manager so suddenly, certainly no insult to…"
"Calm down," Rias relaxed in a way the younger girl noticed. "There are no hard feelings for the fight between Riser and myself, act around me like you would any other friend. And I fully approve of you helping Issei as his manager. I can't think of anyone better for the task."
She can look past disagreements just like that? Father told me the Gremorys were different, I suppose he was right. If there is anyone I should get to know better it's Rias. She was the first that Issei…grew close to. If I wish to do the same, it'll be with her.
"Thank you," for all her plans and ideas for growing closer to Issei, Ravel could think of nothing more to say.
"He has that effect," Rias concluded with a hand on her shoulder. "I'm heading to bed. Good luck with…all your plans."
Does she…? No, no way she knows, could she? Ravel thought at the almost sly smirk and wink of Rias before she turned to follow after Issei. Issei Hyoudou, I will show you how useful I can be, let me be close to you. That is all I ask.
Next Morning…
Rossweisse moaned with the pain of light falling upon her face with the morning sun shining through the blinds. She squeezed the body beside her, basking in the warmth found wishing she could just stay there forever.
"Dorian, it's morning. I think we…HUH?"
Rossweisse shot up realizing it was not Dorian whom she embraced, but Thrud who held her back clearly still asleep with an uncharacteristically goofy expression for her lost within an enjoyable dream. Upon surveying the bed, she realized that both Kuroka and Dorian were nowhere to be found.
Oh no, if she tried anything nefarious while we slept, I will never let her in this room again!
Any anger towards Kuroka's possible schemes fell away as she heard a noise from the bathroom. It was a common sound she recognized, all the same it was something she never imagined hearing anytime soon, especially not within her own room.
The unmistakable sound of a baby crying.
"What is that?" Thrud shot up, her bedhead out of control. "Rossweisse?"
The pair did not need to wait long for an answer as the door to the bathroom opened slowly. Emerging from it was Kuroka with a slow walk of shame barely able to make eye contact with them. In her hands, she held the source of the sound. A small child no more than 6-8 months old rocking back and forth clinging to her breasts but wailing with tears in its eyes. They could not help but notice the tuft of blonde hair and grey eyes.
"D-DORIAN?" They looked up into Kuroka's face as her gaze finally met theirs at last only able to utter a single word in reply.
"…oops."
Thrud hears the words she wanted to hear, Rossweisse giving full approval as the three forge ahead with what they mean to each other. Issei and Dorian both preparing for their upcoming Oppai Dragon event...with a slight speedbump with the Einherjar's suddenly appearance as a shadow of his former self.
I hope everyone enjoyed the fun little Valentine's Day chapter. Hijinks and comedy continues next time as they get to the bottom of Dorian's sudden transformation. Also, I decided to start a page on the DxD Fanon Wiki site. It's small atm, just the main page and Dorian, Thrud and Hecuba's pages, but I am expanding it slowly. Until next time, I hope everyone stays safe, Reads and Reviews...but most of all Enjoys! :D