Light in a Bottle
Note: A small update for two reasons: one, I'm struggling to write a complete chapter for any of my stories at the moment. And two, I forgot polls exist on FF since I use the app so often. I put one up on my profile, regarding what direction to take the story.
Surprisingly, polls still work when a lot of other features are having issues these days.
Repasting the options again:
I'm still undecided whether I want Issei to go to the academy as a part-time student or not.
If the latter, you'll get various intermissions from inside by Rias, Mei, or Irina's group. All the while, it'll be heroics from Issei until he eventually runs into more and more the supernatural world against or to uphold his will. Ensuring I have a ton of future work to plan out those plotlines lol
If he goes, it turns into a pretty generic "try highschool during an ongoing apocalypse" (not that common but still). Pretty basic imo but it'll include the normal cast a lot more and introduce him into the supernatural side he's been avoiding in a smoother manner. Obviously, it'll be nothing like canon, but it'll work with juggling his heroics and his identity more than the other choice.
Going to the academy is winning fyi.
Enjoy.
—[†]—
Intermission: Hyoudou Miki, Japanese Sect., Hyoudou Household
With small but rough knuckles, the matriarch to the Hyoudou House knocked on the door nearest to her own hollow room. "Issei? I'll be preparing breakfast now. Please don't be late on your first day."
Her hands drifted to the doorknob. For a brief moment, she struggled to fight back the urge to enter. Her knock would have definitely awoken him. Her son was a light-sleeper but hated being awoken.
—Not that he'd ever lash out at her, just some grumbles and burying himself deeper into his bed. It was just precious that despite everything, he was still her baby that hated waking up. He'd muster the strength to revive himself.
Despite all the ruinous upheaval of society a decade ago, teenagers would be teenagers—even the ones going off to fight the evils in the nearby school. All the Devils, Youkai, and spiritually gifted pretty much acted the same as any human child, really. In specific, Issei had a bit of a rebellious streak going ever since Gorou died. Thankfully, he had mostly grown out of it, and it has long simmered down to him preferring sleeping in. However, every school break, he'd relapse.
Twice was a coincidence. Three times was a pattern, but it could be a lot worse. It was arguably better than skipping school to disappear to who knows where.
Maybe if Gorou were still alive, her son wouldn't be so...
She shook her head softly. It wouldn't do her any good to linger on the loss of her other half—her better half. She had Issei to focus on. Her lovely son tried his best to keep a strong face. Honestly, it was quite amazing how long he's held it. It was much longer than she ever could. Still, he was her child. She wondered how long it would take him to understand and accept that.
Miki stepped away with a content smile and turned to the once empty guest room.
It had been a shock to see her son's childhood sweetheart all grown up when she had entered to clean off the dust for the week.
Miki bit back a wry grin at the memory. She had barely managed to catch herself before she woke up the poor girl when she got home that evening. Her son left a note on the desk, explaining how he found this girl who was slaying all the nearby monsters by herself, and how he was off to check in with the rest of the community—bless all of their hearts.
It seemed like he didn't realize just who he managed to pick up. That was Gorou's level of obliviousness at play. She cracked a smile and shoved away the darker thoughts.
Either way, there was no way she could mistake the chestnut hair and the slight European features. It was all Miki imagined the girl to grow into and then some. Her mother must be so proud of the girl. The widowed woman knew she was.
Miki had scanned the area for luggage of any sort but found none with a frown. Her son wasn't so thoughtless to forget that... unless he came across her while she was fighting or on her last legs, based on what he hurriedly explained on his note. Her brows furrowed deeply at that.
She couldn't imagine allowing her last child to fight against the Khaos. Still, it wasn't her right to judge others on what they allowed their children to become. Someone had to fight. And for that reason, the mother was forever thankful for the sudden appearance of the Red Dragon Emperor and its sheer dominance on the front lines. It allowed her son to remain a normal boy, separate from mortal harm and Khaos.
Either way, she would finally be able to talk to Irina about her reason for returning to Kouh and catch up with the tomboyish girl. She swallowed harshly about the last part. Hopefully, the Shidou family had remained untouched throughout the rapid 'changes' sweeping around the world and beyond. They deserved it for protecting Kouh until the Shidou Patriarch was called back to Europe—or what was left of it anyway. There were a few close calls, but the exorcist with the help of the previous devil owner had remained resolute through it all.
Bless the exorcists' heart... and damn the devils'?
Miki sighed softly before knocking on the door, "Irina-chan?" There was no sound. After a few more moments, she tried again. "Irina-chan, would like some breakfast?" She paused once more.
Her hand held itself over the doorknob since she restrained herself at the last moment. The woman didn't want to intrude on the girl's privacy, but something was wrong. Her gut said so. She tried to ignore it back at her son's room. She was the fretting type; she tried not to baby her son too much. It wasn't as if he was ignoring her. Other than the tailend of summer break, her Issei never failed to arise for breakfast as she left for work.
"I-I'm coming in, Irina-chan... Excuse me," she whispered, cracking the door open for a moment before stepping in.
The girl was gone. The sheets were folded, and the bed was neatly tidied up as if Miki herself had come by to clean. On the desk, however, sat a new note, taking from the leftovers of Gorou's home office station.
Gingerly, she grasped the folded page and read it to herself.
Dragon Emperor Clan, Japanese Sect., Sekiryuutei Shrine
The many whispers circling about the area eventually got too much for Issei. His neighborhood wasn't usually this noisy. Their footsteps felt like they were pounding against him even though they should be buildings away. Each breath of theirs wouldn't just stop brushing against his ear. It was weird!
He couldn't help the nonsensical grumble that slipped through as he dug himself deeper into his sheets. He didn't get to cherish sleep much, often forgoing it to play the hero he wished existed all those years ago. He hadn't gone this hard on the Khaos since he had first appeared as his alter ego.
He deserved this full night's rest and then some.
Issei groaned, failing in further by burying himself into the puffy blanket. His nose, previously numb to the world—a nighty habit since it was more sensitive than his ears—took in a wide whiff of the blanket he stuffed himself.
It didn't smell like his. Nor could he smell traces of his mother. It definitely wasn't the homemade, jasmine-fusion detergent his mother used to clean the sheets.
His body reacted faster than his brain connected the dots.
He flung himself from the bed, tearing himself from his puffy, yet silky cocoon and scanned his surroundings immediately. His eyes were slits and bloodshot. His arms twitched, and his hands shifted into something more claw-like. Scores of red scales inched through his naked skin. They all intersected at his heart, where they glowed as if superheated from within him. It grew brighter with each inhale but dimmed all the same when he exhaled.
The Sekiryuutei stilled at the sight of a pink-haired girl in the corner. Her back was against the wall. The back of the chair instead supported her arms and head. Drooping from her head was a pair of long pink ears. He could recognize them anywhere. They were the infamous bunny ears—he hadn't seen these since his best buds had unceremoniously died.
He knew they existed in theory. Youkai appeared in almost any form imaginable. There had been more than a couple times he saved Youkai creatures. They deserved their life just as much as the next human. They all suffered from the Khaos all the same. Being the Hero he was, it was his duty to save all he could. Monsters. Demons. Humans. Angels. And occasionally, an unlucky (or lucky) God or two. They often came in pairs or more for some reason...
He assumed they only left their habitats when there was no other choice.
As if feeling his gaze, the pink-haired woman stirred. First, her long ears rose straight up from her head before falling behind her. Her eyes, purple and sharp, blinked up to him with a fogginess that seemed misplaced on her vaguely familiar face.
"..Rin..?" the woman mumbled but Issei didn't pay it any mind.
Now that he thought about it.. with the ears hidden behind her, she looked like the shrine maiden fro—
The events from last night screeched into his mind like nails across a chalkboard.
He shouldn't be here. Issei should not be here. His mom was going to freak. Oh fuck—was Irina properly reunited? It was why he had made the trip in the first place. School was about to start too! He promised to make a good first impression at school to his soft-spoken mother.
"Issei—" his attention nailed her to the wall, but still, the Youkai continued, softening her tone when she realized how offended she sounded for being caught off guard. It was entirely her fault and definitely was unlike her to nod off with a mission on her mind. "Sekiryuutei-sama, we are here to serve you." She set a bundle of fresh clothing and knelt on both knees. She pressed her forehead onto the woven bamboo floor.
And as she rose, she somehow diverted his attention to the alarm clock at the bedside with just a look. "I can answer any questions you have, but it's best you return to the Great Mother."
With that, she returned to a submissive pose. She bit back a shiver as his emerald gaze narrowed and bore into her.
"Your identity is safe with me, Issei-sama. I-I've kept it hidden from the church and Youkai."
Apparently, using his name was the wrong move when he was fully conscious since his gaze burned harsher still as she talked. Kasumi could not afford to lose what little favor she had. "Your.. your mother is about to storm your room, Sekiryuutei-sama."
The boy grunted. His voice was a touch deeper than normal as he said, "I'll be back." His famous blood red armor encased him in a green flash. And before she could give him a farewell, his afterimage was the only trace of his presence.. beside the mess of her bed. The bundle of clothing was gone as well.
It was his school uniform. He had completely forgotten it during his spring slaying stint.
Kasumi heaved a sigh. She screwed up, massively. It was one thing to know the boy's habits, but it was a whole other ballpark to interact with him on top of throwing it in his face. His heroic desire was the only reason he, a dragon-incarnation, did not lash out twice now.
Maybe, I should've gotten Mei to join me.
If nothing else, her altruistic nature would bare itself to his senses and dial down his more intense reactions. Kasumi was too... willing to do what's necessary to be a hero and bogged by the scent of sin and blood. It's why she banked so hard on his continued success. A True Hero would save the World. She was no hero, nevermind one that could defy the world when she worked well within its limits.
She huffed out a small laugh.
It was quite impossible for a young man to be so strong. It wasn't fair. However, that was what made her a side character. In her past life. This one. And in her alternate one. Whereas, this Hyoudou Issei, loved by the world, defied Fate actively with success.
Just.. where was he in the other worlds?
Kasumi collected herself, steeling her expression, and locking away the woes of lives that never were. There was no point in lingering on such useless things. There was no time to enjoy her last few teenage years.
The mornings simply made her reminiscent. They were her moments of peace before the storm that was somehow upholding society from the shadows. There were too many things to do. However, someone had to do it.
A voice in her mind whispered, 'Why must it be you of all people, again?' She neither had an answer, nor paid it mind. She wouldn't be doing the heavy lifting for long, anyway. All she had to do was set it all up.
And for today? She had to prepare for the Sekiryuutei's return. Since he didn't state when, she could only guess he'd return around lunch time or after school. The young woman summoned a talisman and whispered into it. Not a second later, Shinobu Kuki dropped to the floor on a knee and a head down.
"Our Deity has deemed us worthy of another visit today. Please spread the word." The pinkette paused, recalling last night. Their collective effect on him wouldn't be as intense since he was no longer sleep deprived, but it would be best to limit the people. "Retire all unpowered for now; there will be no classes today. We don't want to recreate last night."
"Hai!"
"May ruin always follow."
Those words may seem strange for a farewell, but not in the case of this new faith she founded. The Red Dragon Emperor was a being of destruction. With it? New beginnings were possible. And so, the unsaid words for the hymn were 'Breathing Life with each scar.' The young these days liked to keep it short and sweet—slightly edgy too.
It really was no wonder the Sekiryuutei's biblical appearance captured the youth of today. All she had to do was capitalize on it.
With that. the younger girl flickered away with a flash of energy. She had really taken to her new abilities with the genius Kasumi knew she would despite having them for less than a day. The girl had really doubted all the training Kasumi put her through for a moment before applying her newfound abilities to them.
Her eyes paved over to the bed without any input from her. Kuki hadn't notice it given her mask and brief stay, but his scent radiated out from the sheets. It was drenching the floor and walls, not unlike the corruptive Khaos. The Head Priestess would have to cleanse it. She bit her lip, squirming on her knees a little. The effect on her had built through the night, subverting any defenses she had.
The rabbit woman rose, acutely aware of how uncomfortable she felt in her hand-made clothing. Her throat felt dry as her mouth was overly moist. It didn't make sense, but she had an inkling of what was happening. However, like her previous lives, she was a sinful creature. In this life, Fate casted her revival with lust instead of wrath, pride, or greed.
A little... taste wouldn't hurt, right?
Issei really wasn't fair.
Here she was, beginning to lust over a boy fresh into his highschool years. She knew it wasn't right. In no shape or form was this proper. She was at least his senior by three hundred years.
Maybe except in her first life would such sentiment be acceptable, but according to the years here, that age of Japan had long passed. She bit back a groan, rubbing her thighs together beneath her shrine uniform. Her demonic (bunny) nature in this world was stronger than ever before. It wasn't a fair coincidence.
The voice returned, sounding as if it were right beside her, 'But, you're only three years older than him.'
She squeezed her eyes, gulping harshly, unable to deny or response to the voice.
It was fine to tempt temptation every once in a while, right? Kasumi refused to answer that, dragging to her feet then herself out from her suffocating clothing. For the first time in years, she stopped thinking and merely reacted. It worked to clear her mind, but not in the way she ever wanted.
These newfound hormones were NOT her, but they certainly felt good.
Issei, Japanese Sect., Kuoh Public High School
Throughout the first half of his schedule, Issei found himself frustrated.
He had made a mistake when trying to calm down his mom. He had admitted to seeing the exorcist off and helping her return to her group, as the girl had put it. Of course, wandering the night didn't sit well with his mom. The Khaos were more active then, and they could've certainly waited until morning.
Tell that to Irina!
His mother had more to say, but she didn't want him to run late. At school was good for one more thing. The boy sighed for the nth time as his gaze wandered. He had tried to give off an air of a jokester and laid-back type. He hoped he succeeded. There were too many scents for him to even try.
His brown eyes glanced over the clock. Class was about to be over, and lunch would start soon. In the past, he'd gush about perverted stuffs with his buddies.
—Snap!
A few of his classmates turned back to him. It took him a split second to realize he had broken his mechanical pencil into thirds. He shoved down away his strength and tempered his speed to "slowly" stow away his pencil at a normal speed.
Issei laughed sheepishly. Thankfully, such minor showing of strength was nothing special. The last thing he wanted to do was to stand out. Yeah sure, schools nowadays had classes on combat training, but the last thing he wanted was to change his daily routine with his mother. Call him selfish, unheroic or whatever, but he was fairly sure he was doing more than anyone else.
The world would just have to settle for his time during lunch, after school hours, and throughout the nightmarish nights. Or whenever he heard a scream, a call for help, smelled the scent of blood, or a twinge of flaring energies. Nevermind the times he just felt like going on a quick sweep...
Anyway, that wasn't the point! He was doing the best he could. The lax school allowed him to disappear for short periods of time, as there were not enough teachers for the basic humans or other 'useless' races.
A lot of educators perished in the first wave that arrived midday, trying to evacuate their students—may they find peace in the afterlife; if they hadn't reached it yet, he'd be sure to put them out of their zombified misery.
The late principal here was one such "teacher." Another example that his mind couldn't help but recall was the infected and semi-crystalized form of his six-grade math teacher. She had put him and his friends onto the right path before it all reached a new level of hell in Japan.
One that only sunk deeper before he had to claw Japan out of it single-handedly.
Nowadays, the more combat oriented schools took priority over everything else and to be at a more normal school meant you were simply lesser and simply manual labor. With him protecting Japan so heavily, the simpler schools had enough breathing room to remain in use. In Europe for example, Issei had noticed a lot of schools were interwoven with closest deities or faith. Everyone had join the fight, be it as blacksmiths, wizard-wannabes, nurses, or whatever helpful positions an area needed at the moment.
It would destroy his mother to be anywhere near Khaos again.
His brown eyes narrowed on his newly bent pencil. With how strong he was getting, it only got harder to contain his strength on a regular basis. He had gotten so used to holding nothing back against the Khaos. This was exactly what Ddraig warned him of. The boy refrained from clicking his tongue in annoyance. It might tip off the dragon and ruin his fresh image at school.
It wasn't much longer until the bell rang for lunch, fortunately. He swept his things into his bag and rushed out of the room. It wasn't an odd sight as he wasn't the only one. Most people came to school just to eat if nothing else, while their parents struggled to hold up society. The best foods were always quickly picked. It hid his departure easily.
It was time to check in with the shrine.
—[†]—
Aes: Perhaps it was a mistake to introduce so many named characters in the previous chapter. I meant for it to mostly just slip through the radar and be easter eggs (I think that's what they're called) if anyone recognized them. If you don't, it should be fine.
Words: [3,760]
Edits: not much