NMHA Ch. 56 - Sting


A/N -

Ain't no rest for the wicked, money don't grow on trees~


Issei couldn't help but show his troubled expression as he was frog-marched into the Student Council by Koneko and Tsubasa, though it was alleviated somewhat by Asia .

The main story was that he was being taken aside to receive discipline for his tardiness for the previous day, considering that he hadn't showed up until what was close to halfway through the day, but the real reason was for a far more serious matter than truancy.

As he and his best friend sat down, Sona staring intently at them across from where she sat, elbows on her desk as Rias stood nearby, Issei idly noted that the two had similar expressions.

"You two ran into the Dark Moon," the Sitri worded it as a statement.

Issei swallowed, but nodded. "Yeah. She wanted to speak to me regarding what I learned from Yuuma- ah, Raynare-san."

"She didn't deny it then?" Rias inquired, tilting her head. "That she's a criminal and an heir-killer?"

He shook his head. "No. She justified it as a matter of self-defense, but I'm not sure I buy it."

"I do," Asia admitted, tilting her head. "But... whatever the case, I... don't think any of us could do anything to stop her."

Sona grimaced, as did.

Genshirou, on the other hand, had words.

"Bullshit! How could someone be that powerful and none of us could have been the wiser that she was even here!?"

"-Saji-san, enough." Sona cut him off. "I believe them."

"E-eh? But Kaichou-"

"I spoke with my sister yesterday morning, after receiving notice from Rias about the Dark Moon's appearance." She bowed her head at Issei. "Considering what I've learned, I thought it prudent to give you the opportunity to recuperate after what was undoubtedly a harrowing experience."

He shivered, but nodded. "I appreciate that, Sona-kaichou. I should have been able to contact you yesterday though regarding what happened - I tried to, even."

She sighed. "Apologies. I needed time to process what I heard from my sister as well, so I was not able to speak with you then."

"How bad was it?" Koneko cut in.

"It's... disturbing, but it is in the best interest to get the most disturbing piece of information I'd learned out of the way." Sona tapped the desk once. "We do not stand a chance if Lunarunn Noname nee Bael decides to attack us. Serafall admitted that she's been in contact with Lunarunn, and that at this point Lunarunn is - at the very least - as strong as my sister is."

Sona's Peerage had varying reactions of shock and fear, Saji going so far as to stagger back. Rias paled and Koneko grimaced, but both the petite Devil and Issei nodded. "That's... that's the impression I got from her too," he admitted.

"You say that like you know just how powerful Serafall-sama is!" Saji burst out.

"I have Scale Mail," Issei cut in, to the gasps from the rest of the room at his supposedly explosive growth rate. "I'm not too far off from Juggernaut Drive either. If I had to take a guess I'm probably stronger than the rest of you. But even so, after I attacked she broke my spine and shattered my Balance Breaker into countless pieces before I could even blink."

"...You seem pretty alright for someone who should by all accounts be dead," Sona pointed out, though there was a faint tremor in her voice. Issei ran a hand through his hair.

"She healed me. Called herself a monster to eat monsters or something, said that Asia and I weren't, then she... I dunno, erased the damage she inflicted? It's still hard to wrap my head around."

"Balance Breaker of a Longinus? That's definitely on the scale of an Ultimate-class Devil." Rias seemed... intrigued, as she leaned forward, arms crossed, with a lifted brow. "That's a bold claim to make, much less achieving Scale Mail maybe two weeks since you first awakened your Sacred Gear?"

Issei said nothing, instead willing forth the Boosted Gear and its enhanced form, the familiar(?) red armor springing into being around him without so much as a warning.

"...I stand corrected." She didn't seem perturbed by the fact, though. If anything, the redhead seemed... excited? She certainly had a grin on her face, though the look in Rias's eyes certainly reminded him of when she first tried making him sign her Pact. "...That sort of growth curve is... amazing, Ise-kun-"

Even Sona seemed a little frazzled, adjusting her glasses and coughing into her fist to regain her composure at the appearance of a Longinus's Balance Breaker.

Asia just wrapped her arms around one of Issei's, hugging it to her chest.

The armor vanished just as quickly as it appeared, giving a single nod. "So your sister's been in contact with Luna, right Sona-san? Did she say anything about what Luna's intentions might be."

"Only that if she wanted to harm us, we'd already be dead," the Sitri replied, pushing her palms on her desk. "But not much else in that regard, unfortunately. Did Lunarunn say anything to you about what she wants to do?"

Asia gulped, and nodded, hugging Issei's arm a little more.

"...War."

The word hung heavily over the room, that single word shrieking out deafening silence. Nobody spoke, though everybody reacted.

Sona and Rias paled again, as did their Peerage members, various expressions of fear, shock, worry, and concern playing out over all their faces. Koneko's reaction, however, was the most poignant of them all.

Koneko trembled, eyes wide and pupils dilated, lips wobbling. It was such a massive change in her usual mien that it snapped Rias out of her stupor.

"K-Koneko...? What's wrong?" she asked, haltingly.

Then the white-haired girl turned and bolted out of the room without another word.

"Wait, Koneko!"

"I think she needs to process," Asia pointed out, her own expression solemn but her voice firm. "I think I've seen that sort of face before. It's the same kind of expression I saw from children who'd survived being on a battlefield."

"...Or maybe hearing that their siblings are involved in something just as dangerous..." Rias spoke. She grit her teeth. "Her sister is Lunarunn's Bishop."

Once more, silence reigned, until Saji broke it with two succinct words.

"...Oh shit."

"That... isn't good." Issei agreed, shaking his head before turning to the two Pillar Devils."So what's the plan for now?"

"...We wait. There's not much else we can do." Rias lifted a finger to her mouth, as though to bite it. Her expression was hard, but the brunet could see the gleam of trepidation in the Devil's gaze. "Especially if we want to keep stewardship over Kuoh."

"I'd be a bit more worried about your lives," Issei suggested, though the black-haired girl shook her head.

"Again, if our lives were at risk, Lunarunn would have already killed us," Sona added, her own expression inscrutable. "I'm in agreement with Rias here... though I would recommend continuing your training with whomever you planned on doing so with."

"Isaiah-san is a capable fighter," Rias pointed out. "You said you'd be training with him, right?"

At Issei's nod, the redhead clapped her hands together. "Then he, Gasper-kun, and Valerie-san should be made aware of the threat looming above us too. The more people know about Lunarunn, the more they'll know not to stir that Sword of Damocles."


Koneko ran through the hall, heedless of the way students passing by turned to stare, or the way she knew her face was drawn back in panic-

The Conference.

She was going to attack the Conference!

Her mind wandered back to the visions, and condemned herself for not recognizing the signs earlier.

A man, wielding the greatest of all spears, accompanied by a man who commanded space itself.

An attack on Kyoto, the subsumption of the Yokai faction, and then-

"Move!" she yowled, shoving someone in her way out of the way. She knew she'd get hell for that later, she was pretty sure that was a teacher-

'That doesn't matter!'

Had she gone mad?! Had her sister truly gone insane? Had the taint all those years ago reached deeper than it did for Koneko herself?

Why would Kuroka willingly follow someone into war?!

She couldn't make sense of it. Revenge? Infatuation? Bloodlust? Madness?

How could Luna be following the same path as the Khaos Brigade?!

Normally she wouldn't have been so much as panting after a little run like that, but she found herself short of breath as she recognized the familiar feel of wood beneath her hands and beneath her feet. Apparently she scrambled up a tree-

'Unimportant!'

She had to know, now that she was in a quiet spot with nobody nearby-

"You look spooked, Koneko-chan. What's wrong?"

She recognized the voice. It calmed her down, a little bit at least.

"...How did you get there, Kiba?"

"Kiba?" Isaiah lifted a hand to his chin as he stared up at the branch that Koneko found herself on now. "...You called me that before too, didn't you? Do I remind you of someone?"

Koneko grimaced. Shit, she'd slipped up-

"Y-yes." 'Pull yourself together!' "You remind me a lot of someone I... knew."

The blond tilted his head and smiled.

"Was he someone close?"

"He was... like a brother." Koneko looked away, taking a deep breath and forcing her emotions back down- "Apologies."

"It's fine. I like it; maybe in another life I'd have taken up that name instead."

Her heart skipped a beat, and she faced Isaiah again, eyes wide.

He lifted a hand. "What's the matter? Did I say something bad?"

"No." A sinking feeling entered Koneko's chest as she looked away again. "He was a lot like you. But deep down he was angry, hateful. I think... I think it drove him mad. One day he was there, then he was just... gone."

Not entirely untruthful. After all, Isaiah and Kiba were different people. Though she wasn't ready to share her visions just yet-

"I'm sorry, Koneko-chan."

That was two for two. The white-haired girl looked up to see Gasper hanging upside-down, head tilted and red eyes clear with concern.

She should have sensed them. How could they slip beneath her Senjutsu senses?

'Wait.' Forbidden Balor View. It was certainly plausible that Gasper had more control over it, especially given how he doesn't seem like a total recluse this time.

"It's fine." Koneko leaned back against the tree's main trunk. "He made his choice."

"It doesn't sound fine, if you're still holding onto that name," Isaiah supplied.

"Maybe not. I don't really care, though."

Gasper tilted his head to the other side. "Doesn't that contradict itself?"

The nekoshou closed her expression off and looked away.

"...What happened to scare you so badly?"

"Nothing. Nothing happened."

"I don't even need to point out how blatant a lie that is, right? You normally don't shove a teacher into a locker hard enough that you knock the wind out of him," Isaiah pointed out.

"Maybe I just don't want to talk about it," Koneko corrected herself pointedly.

"Maybe it'd help clear up your thoughts if you did," Gasper countered softly.

"Enough." She swiped a hand to the side. "Just leave me alone."

After a few seconds, Gasper fell out of the tree, landing on his feet, and Isaiah sighed.

"...You don't have to be," the swordsman said softly, before turning to walk away. "In any case... I hope that you're able to think things through, rather than go down the same path Kiba did."

And die for his selfishness.

Koneko blinked, and looked back, but he and Gasper were already gone.

...Did he actually say that last bit, or had she just been thinking that?


"Cousin. I was hoping to find you."

Raynare's eyes shifted over to the young woman who had spoken with her, feet dangling over one of Kuoh's buildings, cloaked by a simple glamour to prevent anybody from below seeing her.

Upon noting the batlike wing, and the raven-feathered wing, spread wide and proud, she looked away from a face she knew was very similar to her's.

"Nephilim," the Fallen said dryly. "Why are you here?"

"Why?" Akeno giggled faintly, lifting a hand to her mouth as she moved to sit. "Well, do you want the official, or unofficial reason? I could give you both... but where would the fun be in that?"

Raynare glared at her, but didn't move from her spot, letting the half-Fallen sit next to her. "The official reason, then."

"Buchou - ah, Rias-sama, apologies - wanted me to plumb you for your intentions here in Kuoh. I had... other things, to deal with beforehand, though. Hence why I am here now."

"I already told the other idiot from your King everything," she replied, turning her glare back to the, kicking her feet out lightly. "And like the idiot I called him, neither he nor his girlfriend decided to listen."

"Humans are rather dumb, aren't they?" Akeno empathized. "Stupid, arrogant, selfish, and hateful creatures." She hummed. "Y'know, I always wondered why the Fallen were so enamored with them. My mother is one matter, but I've found she's the exception, not the rule."

"Funny you say that, when you're half-human yourself."

"I don't see myself as a human." Akeno waved her hand. "Really, if I did, then I wouldn't have become a Devil."

"You became a Devil because you didn't want to be part human?"

"It was a hasty decision, really." The nephilim admitted with no hesitation. "I was angry at Tou-san because he wasn't there when Kaa-san's family decided to try and crucify us. But quite honestly, I couldn't care any less about that side of me. I do quite enjoy being able to have my fun with the primates."

Primates. That was rather... supremacist. "Then why are you here in Kuoh, and one of the Queens of its private, high-accolades academy?"

"Because Buchou, in her unlimited curiosity, wanted to see what the overworld was like." Her face pinched up. "A pity she's actually taken a liking to humans. She doesn't see what they'd do if they knew half of what she is."

She sighed and gave a shrug. "At least the worship they lay at our feet is enjoyable. It's almost cute, if I ignore how pathetic it is."

"Worship," Raynare drawled, narrowing her eyes at Akeno.

"But of course. Fallen and Devils may not have the 'infinite potential' that Tou-san always insists humans have, but that doesn't make them special, save for a select few."

"You say that, when you are - or were - human yourself."

Akeno's smile was beautiful in its coldness, something dark flickering behind her eyes.

"Unlike the rest of them, I've been actually making something out of myself."

The full-fledged Fallen's eyes slid shut. "You know that you say this to a Protectionist member of the Grigori, right?"

"I think you have your doubts. After all, it's humans that keep causing you to fail your mission to protect them, isn't it?"

Raynare turned to Akeno, eyes opening wide. "How did you...?"

"Tou-san really wants me to feel like part of the Grigori, so he keeps tabs on my peers for me," she replied, her smile widening briefly. "Let's see here... Yemen, South Africa, Brazil, Yugoslavia, Texas... Your track record really is not great, is it? Where should I start?"

Akeno didn't flinch as a light spear snapped into existence in front of her face. Her expression didn't even shift, even as Raynare's was dark.

"How about at the part where you shut up."

"But there's a pattern there that you don't seem to recognize-"

"I recognize it," she hissed. "Damned stupid humans with their damned complete lack of self-preservation, always getting themselves killed somehow."

The nephilim tilted her head, lifting a finger up to gently hook around the light spear, and gently lowered it.

Somehow, despite her nature of a Devil, Akeno seemed unfazed by that direct contact.

"Then why do you keep trying?" she asked quietly. To that, Raynare lowered her light spear, letting it vanish.

"Because even if they put lemmings to shame with how eagerly they get themselves killed, I can almost respect that sort of drive. They might be worthless by and large, but you said it yourself; there are those handful that aren't."

Her Nephilim counterpart's lips tugged down slightly. "Though I do wonder, how much of that is what you actually believe, and how much is because it was drilled into you?"

Raynare paused briefly, then snorted.

"You're one to talk. Your mother is a human, after all; I'm more surprised that Baraqiel isn't part of the Protectionist sect himself after what happened."

"Considering I survived that incident, I learned that you can't dissuade humans from what they want." Akeno tilted her head again, folding her hands in her lap. "Well, why not give them exactly that?"

"Eh?" Raynare lifted a brow. "What the hell are you on about?"

"Simple. Give them what they want." Akeno shrugged, violet eyes sliding shut. "If they want favors, then they're more than happy to help you later. If they want information, don't hold back for their sake. If they want your opinion, give it to them in no uncertain terms."

One amethyst orb reopened. "And if they want to die..."

Raynare's thoughts flashed back briefly to how Issei and Asia seemed intent on doing things their way, unaware of the danger they faced...

"...Are you insinuating that you want me to kill those two brats?"

"I'm not insinuating anything," Akeno replied airily, giggling at the thought. "Simply offering my advice. Whether or not you decide to give them what they seem to seek, well. That's entirely your choice."

"What are you up to?"

"Oh, nothing." The Nephilim stood, beaming at Raynare. "Just wanted to have a friendly talk with my dear older cousin, that's all."

Then with that, Akeno waved and stepped off the building, her mismatched wings catching air and propelling her into the sky but an instant later.

Raynare just stared at her lap.

Just how much did she let the others she worked with cloud her judgment?

She liked working for Kokabiel, but even so... did she like working for the sake of those damn near suicidal humans?

Rather, did she want to keep doing it?


"Are you ready?"

The question, innocuous enough, represented a far greater onus than Masaomi would have initially expected of it. He stared down at the outstretched hand of the black-haired Magician, then back up at him, brow scrunched together in thought.

When he was told that the wielder of Dimension Lost was going to collect him, the exorcist imagined him to be a formidable individual.

Certainly, Georg had a remarkably sharp look about him, with intelligent eyes and a crisp business suit, but he looked so... young, in comparison to Masaomi.

"I take it you were expecting something different?" the man in question asked, a faint smirk adorning his features as he lifted a brow.

"Somehow I expected you to be... larger," he replied honestly. "Lunarunn always spoke of you as though you were a demon in human flesh."

"Ah, that." Georg cleared his throat. "Let's just say that I have a competitive streak and leave it at that."

'Compet- ah.' Message received.

The Magician shook his head. "Enough of that, however. Are you ready?"

"I intend to be back before Asia and Issei return from school," Masaomi insisted.

"Then we'd best get going, now shouldn't we?" Georg waved his hand, purple mists trailing in from... somewhere, wrapping around them both. "Mind your breath, Dimension Lost tends to give first-timers nausea."

With a nod, Masaomi took a breath, and nearly staggered as the world around them shifted. It was only a few seconds, but the exorcist had the distinct feeling he'd get a similar experience from stopping suddenly after spinning in place for several minutes.

He leaned against the wall, holding a hand to his head as he waited for the room to stop swaying, while Georg stepped forward unperturbed. The black-haired man could hear his younger chaperone just fine, however.

"Welcome to Horizon Base."

A few more seconds passed, and Masaomi regathered enough of his sense of balance to take in his surroundings.

It was a command center of some sort, technicians walking to and fro, holding various electronic tablets as they talked amongst themselves. Some sort of table sat in the center, a slightly flickering blue globe slowly rotating above it.

"Her idea," Georg explained when he noticed the direction of Masaomi's gaze, shaking his head with some bemusement. "Lunarunn really wanted a holo-table. Took Fay and I weeks to get the right runic array to make it work. It's been useful though, so perhaps she was on to something."

"Noted..." he trailed off. "Sorry, this is all... much different than what I was expecting?"

"You mean you were expecting more underground bases and secret lairs, nya? Do you know how bad that would be for my skin?"

The two black-haired men were joined by a woman of similar coloration, a faint smirk and the humor in her feline eyes betraying her good cheer. That she wore a revealing yukata and had a pair of black-furred tails swaying behind her were indicative of her origins. To say nothing of the cat ears.

'You..' his mind uttered, thoughts briefly flashing back to that fateful day...

He forced them down with practice. That was then. This is now. Besides, he knew this Youkai.

"Kuroka," Georg briefly introduced her. "Masaomi, meet Kuroka Toujou, our resident Senjutsu expert."

"We've met already, nya. Back when Luna was recovering from... that." She pulled a brief face, before crossing her arms beneath her bust and fluttering her eyelashes. "But I have to say, you've aged quite gracefully Masaomi-san. Give you another twenty years and you'd be a real silver fox; you look like quite the specimen even now, nya~"

"I'm afraid I'll have to pass, thanks." He held up a hand, palm-out, and held another at his heart. "I have a daughter to set an example for, after all."

"Mh." She pouted cutely, before beaming and shrugging. "Ah well. Welcome to the team, Masaomi-san. Georg, Fay's asking you to help her out with another circle design she's come up with. Says it might be dangerous enough to need you both."

"She really has to go and ask this of me now? I swear, if this is another circle that teleports bread..." Georg lifted his glasses to pinch his nose. "Fine, I'll handle it. Kuroka, show him around."

Mist rose from his feet to over his head, and by the time it dissipated, the magician was gone.

"Soooooo," she trailed off, swaying slightly from side to side. "Did Luna-sama end up recruiting you?"

"She did," Masaomi confirmed. "I spoke with Gabriel about it too, and she asked me to operate as a... diplomat, between her and Heaven."

"That... might be a little tricky to pull off," Kuroka admitted. "My King's tried talking to Heaven, sending messages and whatnot, but they never replied back."

"Oh, I forgot that you are part of her Peerage." He remembered that Luna offered him a Knight Piece, but since he turned it down... "Has she added more members to her Peerage any since then?"

The nekoshou fixed him with an odd look.

"I'm going to take that as a 'no'," he guessed.

"Why give a Piece to someone who wants to follow her, but doesn't need it to do so, nya?" Kuroka asked back, tilting her head.

...She raised a good point.

"Never mind, in that case." Masaomi waved off the topic. "So what is this about a tour?"

"Uh..." the Yokai-turned-Devil trailed off, glancing around before pointing at the holodeck. "So this is the center of command. Georg and Fay came together to make the holographic table here."

"He mentioned that," the exorcist pointed out.

"R-right. Did he mention what it does?" At Masaomi's silent negative, Kuroka appeared to relax a little, walking up to the holo table and tapping a few buttons on it. The world stopped spinning, before zeroing in on a high-up view of a province in Japan, with a particular town practically shining.

He recognized the region.

"Is this...?"

"It's connected directly to the leyline beneath us to operate as a worldwide sensor." Kuroka hummed. "It's not perfect, but it gives us a visual on the concentration of supernatural powers in various locations on the overworld. When there is a powerful being or a collection of supernatural creatures in a general location, that location lights up. The stronger the being, the brighter the glow. We're also working on expanding this into the other planes, with... mixed results. Anyway, as you can see, Kuoh's got a lot going on in it right now. We also got word that it lit up even more not too long ago as well."

"Some other supernatural party is getting involved?" he guessed.

"Yep. And Luna said she'd handle it on her own." Kuroka closed her eyes and crossed her arms again. "Though I have to admit, whatever it was that caused Kuoh to go even brighter is a powerful one, nya. Certainly stronger than most of us here."

"Most?" Masaomi blinked. "How strong are we talking about here?"

"Can't say for sure, nya." She tilted her head from side to side, cat ears flopping slightly alongside. "But judging by the glow, they're probably a reeeeal powerhouse."

That didn't bode well for Kuoh, and his consternation must have been apparent, since Kuroka commented on it.

"Don't worry, Luna's there to keep the damage at a minimum."

"Wasn't she also there to recruit me?"

"Luna-sama is in Kuoh for a lot of things," Kuroka cheerily replied, opening one eye. "One of which you'll probably figure out as the tour goes along."

The exorcist nodded slowly. "Then I take it that we'll be moving on to the next point in the tour?"

"Yep! Follow the tails, mister DILF~"

Masaomi obliged and followed Kuroka, but he had a very put-upon expression at what the nekoshou just called him.

As they walked through the halls, he figured to ask another question. "...Where are we, anyway? I haven't seen much writing to judge where we might be."

"North America," the Nekoshou replied. "After the Europeans colonized, the gods here were hunted down and killed. We figured we'd try and make use of the territory they left behind, so we aren't rubbing shoulders with, say, the Trimurti."

From the sounds of it, that would have been a very bad idea. "I am unsure whether to call using the land of dead gods smart or opportunistic."

"If it's any consolation, I think they would approve of what Luna-sama is doing, nya."

"Is that so...?"

"She might have that disgusting curse, but she only uses it when she needs to prove a point," Kuroka glanced back . "Otherwise, it's like the world itself is acting on her will. The old gods here, they weren't strong, but even coming here I've picked up tricks of Senjutsu from the locals. They were in-tune with the world itself, in pretty incredible ways." She smiled and shrugged. "They might be dead, and their people... struggling, but they do live on. We try to help each other how we can, anyway."

"How so?"

"Food drives and helping build and fund schools in reservations are a good start." The Reincarnated Devil hummed thoughtfully. "Though that doesn't solve all their problems, we get a lot of goodwill from the Native Americans for doing more than most."

Masaomi was going to say something more, but then Kuroka stopped at a pair of double doors and pushed them open. "Here we are, the training groun- Kyah!"

She stumbled back as a burst of wind from what sounded like the crash of weapons, and likely would have toppled over had Masaomi not swept in behind her to keep her from falling over, instead landing against his chest.

"Oh, those muscleheads are at it again," she muttered, before smiling with lidded eyes up at the man who caught her. "Not even a step back. Strong, too... you really are a keeper, aren't you?"

"Don't make me drop you," Masaomi's eyebrows rose.

The lidded smile turned into a pout as the black-haired man pulled away, peering inside to see what 'muscleheads' Kuroka was talking about: three figures, one in draconic armor of gleaming silver and bearing blue energy wings diving down at another with gold hair, the second wearing no armor and instead lashing out with a blade while a third with silver hair ran around their flank, a golden axe dragged against the ground leaving a trail behind him.

This time, both visitors were ready, and braced as the shockwave washed across them from the swordsman and dragonoid brawler's collision, and again when both avoided the swing of that golden axe, the very impact of it against the ground once more causing tremors throughout the training hall.

"Alright boys, time out, we have a visitor here!" Luna's Bishop called, gesturing to Masaomi. "And stop hogging the training ground for yourselves; we have another room for that sort of free-for-all!"

It took a second for them to recognize that, before breaking off from their clashing, allowing Kuroka and Masaomi to approach - as well as allow the other people there to get back to their own, admittedly not nearly as dramatic, sparring.

As they got closer, the silver-armored Devil - it had to be, based on the scent they gave off.

"...Vali?" he asked, eyes widening as he recognized the Devil behind the armor.

No, not a Devil. A Cambion.

"...Hold on, I think I recognize you," the half-Devil in question replied back, blinking several times before realization dawned on his face. "Wait, you're the exorcist from before!"

"You two know each other?" the other silver-haired young man asked, glancing between them.

"He... saved, mother and I, after my miserable excuse for a father set a lynch mob on us," Vali replied, crossing his arms as he met Masaomi's gaze. "It's been years."

"That it has," the exorcist replied, a smile breaking across his face. "It's good to see you again, Vali. You've definitely grown."

"In more ways than one, mrowr~" Kuroka purred under her breath, a dirty grin on her face as she watched the Devil and Masaomi's reunion.

"Eyes off my crotch," Vali said bluntly, not even looking her way.

"Aw..." She pouted, but complied.

"I... would not have expected a holy man like you to be here," the silver-haired Cambion spoke to Masaomi now. "You don't work with the Church?"

"I got excommunicated because I helped a 'dark creature' escape 'justice'. Specifically, you," he replied. "Thankfully, someone in Heaven didn't agree with that judgment, so I was able to leave with my life - and a surrogate daughter, too."

"Pah. Wretches." Vali wasn't the one who said that. It was the axeman, who spat to the side. "Good to hear that someone up in those clouds gives a damn."

"You have history with the Church as well?" Masaomi inquired, brow raised.

"Escaped test subject. A Devil freed my family and I from a Church compound before they could gas us." He stuck a hand out. "Nice to meet another Church refugee. I'm Gil."

'Gassing test subjects?' Masaomi's eyes narrowed. 'He can't be serious, can he?'

"And I am Arthur," the final male, the swordsman, introduced himself. "If I may... you seem to have the aura of a swordsman. I assume you specialized in the blade during your training?"

"Arthur," Kuroka warned. "No fighting right after you stopped fighting, nya."

"Ahem. Pardon me." The blond certainly didn't seem sorry, if the faint smirk and the gleam in his eye was any indication. "I'm just curious how we match up."

...Admittedly, Masaomi was a bit tempted himself, particularly to take his mind off the fact that the Church - or at least a part of it - had supposedly taken a page out of the Nazis' playbook. He didn't rise to the bait, though.

"Perhaps another time," he deferred the discussion, lifting a hand briefly. "So this is the training grounds, correct?"

"For the vast majority, anyway," Kuroka replied, nodding to where one of the other people in the hall was laid out on the ground after a magical circle backfired with a resounding crack. He got back up quickly, though his face was blackened with soot and was undoubtedly cursing up a storm. "The Officers and Enforcers - that is, the individuals who are in the Ultimate class of power and above, have a separate hall where they can spar without interfering with everyone else, nya."

She glared. "So why are you three duking it out in this room rather than the officer's hall like you should be?"

"They wanted to see how we fought," Gil replied easily, putting his hands on his hips and smirking. "So I figured, why not be a good leader of men and show just how strong even a mere human can become?"

"He wanted to show off," Arthur translated dryly, causing the silver-haired axeman to flip the swordsman a middle finger.

"Inanna?" Vali guessed just as dryly.

"Inanna," Arthur confirmed.

"Inanna?" Masaomi parroted, turning to a facepalming Kuroka for explanation. His eyes flicked over to the silver-haired Cambion. "Also, you joined a fight without knowing why?"

"It's enjoyable, asserting my dominance over these two fools," Vali shot back, a faint smirk on his face.

"Fuck off!" Gil barked, cheeks red. "Just because you two don't have functioning dicks doesn't mean I'm the same!"

"Inanna's a Sumerian goddess," Kuroka replied dully to Masaomi's inquiry, slumping over now. "So unfair."

"Did somebody call me?"

Masaomi turned, and was reminded of the time he'd accidentally caught Luna nude in the bathroom.

Now that wasn't because the woman who was walking toward them was naked. Though her robes did leave little to the imagination, and the sheer sensuality that radiated off of her had a similar pull. It was nearly staggering, and he barely managed to look away.

Inanna. Sumerian goddess of sex. Yep, she certainly fit the bill, no wonder it sounded like Gil was infatuated.

"Also, Kuroka, I know nothing of what you're talking about. 'Unfair'?" The blonde put a hand to her cheek and smiled indulgently. "You only say that because you haven't figured out your own charms quite yet."

Masaomi and the goddess's gazes met, and she bowed her head. "Ah... a servant of Heaven. I hope that Horizon Base has been receiving you well?"

"Quite well, thank you," he replied, forcing the words out despite the way his tongue seemed thicker than usual. He shook his head, and shook off the remaining influence of the Sumerian deity. "How did a Sumerian goddess end up joining... here?"

"Oh, think of it as a debt we need to repay to Lunarunn," she replied, smile turning enigmatic. "Nannar, Ninurta, and Utu will be here and there as well. Please do speak with them if you get the chance, it's always good to speak with a newcomer."

"Surprisingly open of the reclusive Sumerians," Masaomi commented.

"It helps that we were dragged out of our metaphorical house back to the outside world," Inanna easily explained, waving the comment off. "Though it certainly helps, to be part of something... bigger."

"There is a reason we're all training, y'know," Gil commented, leaning on his axe.

"War," Masaomi summarized succinctly.

"As is the answer when all other options have been exhausted," Inanna returned. "In our eyes, a valid option to make the changes we wish to see. In Luna's eyes, a destructive tool that is only useful when directed against evil."

"It's easy to say that the 'other side' is 'evil'," Vali pointed out.

"True, but I believe that is why she reached out to a holy man such as you," the Sumerian goddess's gaze shifted over to Masaomi, full lips quirking upward faintly. "We've had our fair share of holy swordsmen enter our ranks, but you are the most experienced of them thus far from what I have heard."

"Which is why I want to test him," Arthur interjected.

The black-haired man held up a hand and shook his head. "I'm still not sold on the idea of breaking a peace that has held for decades,"

"All times of peace end eventually. Eternal peace would be boring, would it not?"

A swirl of sand revealed a newcomer to the impromptu gathering. Another god? This one wore only a desert-styled skirt, bare blood-red arms crossed over a muscular chest of similar shade, the black goatee and bald head giving off the impression of a dark genie were it not for the headdress he wore, the eyeliner, and the way his eyes glittered with a wild cunning.

"...Set." Masaomi set a hand on the hilt of his blade. Why was the Egyptian god of chaos here?

"I'm not going to cause trouble." The silent 'yet' was heard by everyone there. "Just decided to take a visit."

"Settle down, Masaomi," Vali said. "He's one of us, too."

His grip on his blade loosened slightly, but the exorcist's hand didn't rise from the hilt. "Explain."

"After Luna manage to procure our support, she decided to try and do the same with the Egyptians." Inanna's smile was cold. "They didn't quite like the idea of shattering the current order of the world. Ma'at is important to the Pantheon of the Nile, even moreso than the Sumerian belief of order, and what Luna was asking was a violation of that no matter her wording."

"Of course, that interested me," Set put one foot forward and swept his upper body down in a bow. "How could a usurper such as I not be intrigued when someone stands in front of the sun and asks it to move for her? The last one I remember doing that was Maui, and Ra never let go of his grudge against the Polynesians for that time Maui forced the issue."

"They attacked her?" the exorcist guessed.

"Of course not. Does the sun pay heed when a beast desires the evening?" Set rose, smirking. "No, she was simply dismissed, though it was made clear that further attempts to contact them would not be received as tolerably."

"So Set comes in and offers his own assistance," Arthur finished. "And our leader decided to accept his aid in a probationary role."

"A smart woman if I ever saw one," he admitted. "There's no telling what I might get up to if I'm not constantly given attention."

He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, before Gil just exhaled. "Dude. You're castrated."

Another single eyebrow waggle. "And?"

"Okay, enough of that." Masaomi held up his hands. "So why are you here?"

"What, seeing the newcomer isn't reason enough? I'm curious why our illustrious nightbeam went out of her way to recruit the likes of you."

Set gave Masaomi a long inspection, before letting out a final 'hmh'.

"I have to say, I'm not impressed."

The exorcist's teeth grit, and the hand on his hilt tightened again. Still, he held his tongue.

"Okay, enough." Kuroka finally intervened. "If we're going to keep talking, we might as well go to one of the actual meeting rooms, nya."

"No matter. I was just on my way anyway." Set waved his hand as he turned around to walk off. "I got what I wanted, so you lot have fun. Don't cause too much trouble - leave that to me."

And with another swirl of sand, the Egyptian god was gone.

"...Why did Luna let him join, anyway?" Masaomi wondered aloud.

"You would have to ask her, nya," Kuroka replied drily. "I don't get it, myself. He's an Evil God, after all."

"I also need a word with young Gil here," Inanna added on, taking him by the hand before pulling the silver-haired human to the side, though it was with nary a complaint.

So that left Kuroka, Masaomi, Vali, and Arthur.

"...Anyway," the sole female in the party trailed off, shaking her head. "Never a dull day, nya."

"So it'd seem," the exorcist drawled.

"C'mon, there's more to show you."

It was with a strange look on his face, that the black-haired man turned back to the doorway and started walking, led on by the nekoshou and followed by two of the three fighters that had caused such a ruckus in the training hall.

The rest of the tour went by in a blur, though Masaomi did pick up a few things in doing so:

Arthur and his sister Fay were of direct descent to the original King of the Round Table, something that Arthur seemed rather irritated about.

"It comes with... many expectations," he explained when inquired. "Of which I care nothing for. Georg has a similar opinion. We're accepted here for our skill, not our heritage."

He also learned that Georg and Fay were director and vice-director of the Research and Devlopment department, respectively.

"Runic arrays, high-efficiency circles, magitech melding, you name it." There was a smirk on Georg's face as he pushed up his glasses with a single finger. "Luna lets us have free reign, and we let the rest of the faction make use of the tools we design."

Masaomi also learned that the Devil that recruited him had managed to bring together an entire supernatural faction.

"We tend to keep on the quiet side," the other member of Luna's Peerage, that ravenette with piercing red eyes. "Though Luna plans on changing that soon. Until then, however, we make do."

"...You mean to say Luna invested in these companies all those years ago?" Masaomi wondered aloud as he stared at one of the base's quarterly reports, before looking back over at the Pawn.

"She did. And they have paid off in spades once the tech boom occurred. You're looking at a member of one of the richest Peerages around." Jaspal grinned with glee, a surprisingly bright expression on someone who seemed so refined. "And I am proud to call myself Luna's financial ally, after she managed to point out all the hidden gems."

There was something about that which drew Masaomi's brow. How would she know the tech boom would happen? How would she know to invest in all the current powerhouses when they were still on the ground floor?

It was... odd, but he wasn't going to focus too heavily on it.

"So it's a well-funded, grassroots faction with support from multiple gods from multiple pantheons with multiple domains. That... is quite a lot to bring together in just fifteen years."

"She has worked night and day for this," Jaspal sighed. "Between setting up interpersonal relations between various leaders, winning the support of small factions, and leveraging her experience as an ascendant politician, Luna is uniquely suited to achieve what she has."

The Devil slid a folder across the table, which Masaomi caught, hand resting atop it as he glanced at the others.

"Is that his first mission, nya?" Kuroka inquired curiously from her spot at the conference table.

"Yes," Jaspal replied shortly. "As well as his allotted equipment and recompense."

"He is bypassing the usual examinations to determine if he's worthy of a mission commander?" Arthur inquired, tilting his head. "No offense to Masaomi, but Ultimate-class individuals and above are far and few between; Ultimate-class humans even more so, especially without a Sacred Gear."

"Masaomi Yaegeki is a special case. He played a major role in helping Lunarunn recollect herself after her parents' death," Jaspal nodded his way. "I have only heard stories, but it takes a strong individual to spit in the face of Cataclysm Eclipse's progenitor, if even for a moment."

"I can corroborate regarding Masaomi's character," Vali added. "Not in that specific scenario, but one regarding a mob in Germany."

"A strong spirit perhaps," Masaomi allowed, tapping a finger on the folder, though not yet opening it. "but the fact still stands that I am a human leaving his physical prime, in the face of Devils, Gods, and Youkai. I would need some sort of boost to help me square off against supernatural elements of the Ultimate delineation."

"We can assist with that," Jaspal nodded briefly. "It can even be a brief detour on your way back. Luna already sent a missive regarding giving you the equipment you might need. Do not worry."

"Always thinking ahead," Vali nodded shortly. "Smart. So, what is in store for Masaomi?"

Jaspal nodded to the folder in Masaomi's hands as answer, to which the exorcist picked up the folder and opened it.

His eyes trailed through the papers in there, papers regarding equipment and mission, and with each passing page he felt something growing in his gut.

'Is this...?'

Memories of a life long gone flashed through his mind.

Masaomi lowered the folder back to the table, hands clenched into fists even as he released the papers.

"You can't be serious," he heard himself say through the heavy heartbeats in his ears.

"We are."

"And you expect me to just go along with this?"

"There is reason for it. Keep reading."

"If it's more of this shit-"

"It's a report of various memories, consensually extracted and copied from various members of our military lineup by an allied mentalist," Jaspal interrupted, smoothly but firmly. "Not only that, but the equipment was suggested by Lunarunn herself."

"That's the problem," he whispered, standing up sharply. "I... am very tempted to walk out right now."

"Look, I know it seems like a lot to take in, ny-"

"Shut up, Youkai."

The glacial tone stopped Kuroka cold, her eyes widening briefly before Vali shot to his feet, extending an arm between Kuroka and the priest. He was followed closely by the blond in the room.

"Masaomi, enough," Arthur interjected. "I understand that this is distressing, but lashing out will get you nowhere. Breathe."

He knew he was out of line.

Still, considering what he'd read, Masaomi felt very justified in being pissed off.

But Arthur was right. Lashing out wouldn't help anyone. He'd learned that ages ago.

So the exorcist did as he was told. He clenched and unclenched his fists, taking in a deep breath. He counted to ten. Exhaled.

Then he did it again.

Then he did it one more time.

BANG!

Kuroka jumped at the sudden, loud noise.

The exorcist withdrew his aching fist from the crater in the metal table, and stared balefully at the swordsman.

"I'll take you up on that offer of crossing blades, Arthur," he said, voice soft and dangerously calm. "I need to vent before I keep reading this damnable folder."

Even if he understood why Luna went and took the steps she did.

No, especially because he understood.

The other swordsman nodded once, recognizing the request for what it was.

All the while, Jaspal sat, eyes gazing intently at Masaomi, unperturbed in the slightest.


"Hey, buddy! I got a mission for you!"

"...What is it now?"

"Oi, don't be like that. I picked this one out for you especially! Y'know, because you got that hate-boner for the Underworld-"

"Get to the point."

"Spoilsport. Alright, fine, I found an in to the Dantalion estate. I want you to take it and deal with them."

"A mentalist versus a family of mentalists."

"Yes, but I think the only one you would have issue with is the patriarch."

"...Why go after a traditionalist family, especially one which would likely ally themselves to the TSF?"

"Let's call it 'taking out the trash'."

"You've got issues with him?"

"Not at all!"

"Then what do you have to gain out of this?"

"Let's just call it convenient timing to send a message. The time will come soon, but I'd like you to prepare for things to get wild."

"And why should I be involved?"

"Because I've got it on good information that he answers directly to good ol' Zekky, of course!"

"..."

"..."

"...Shut up, I know-"

"Oh?"

"...Apologies. It's nothing."

"So? Whaddya think?"

"I'm probably the best equipped for this type of mission anyway. I'll gather my Peerage."

"Why not bring 'Alice' with you?"

"...That could be useful."

"Then I'll be sure to send her your way! Be sure to treat her nicely!"


"We're getting close," a first voice said.

"So we are," a second one agreed.

"Gotta say, I'm surprised. Normally you never miss a night of sleep."

"I will sleep when I'm dead. Or when everything is said and done."

"Bold words."

"We're nearing a tipping point. If I miss it I will have thrown away everything."

A brief chuckle. "You're pretty scary when you're motivated."

"Hmh. The time draws near, and I still have tasks to accomplish beforehand. Everything goes smoothly, that should fill you in on what you need to know. Good day."

Footsteps, followed by a period of silence.

"...So you're tiring too, of the wait. That, and..." A third voice finally said, trailing off, firm but concerned.

A low, sad sigh.

"I am. But if he's right in one regard; there's precious little time remaining. We can't stop now."


He was here already.

She could feel it, that holy aura.

It was reined in, rendered unknowable by the mundane, the weak, and the strong alike.

But it couldn't fool her.

He was here.

He was close.

He was on the hunt.

Luna stepped through the crowds, breathing slowly. The memories of the one-sided beatdown she received the last time they met flashed through her mind.

But it was different now.

She was different now.

She was more than what she was.

But he was ready for war.

Luckily, so was she.

Ready for a battle.

Ready to kill.

She could feel it, in that razor-sharp edge of his hidden light.

Where was he?

He was here.

He was close.

But she still couldn't pinpoint his exact location.

She knew that if they fought, it would be calamitous.

Especially without preparation.

She had that preparation.

But there was something in the way.

Many somethings.

No. Many someones.

Luna stepped by a businessman, before she felt it.

The eyes of the Watcher.

She stopped, lifted her head as people passed her by.

She breathed slowly.

She lowered her head, then turned around.

He was here.

Eyes glimmering with repressed holy light, darkened but not corrupted, glared back at her, framed by long black hair.

Luna met Kokabiel's eyes, ignoring the beating of her heart. He had put the fear of God in her heart that day he nearly killed her.

But still, their gazes remained locked. Even if she was afraid of what might happen, she knew that now wasn't the time to back down.

Her head tilted to a passing businessman briefly, even if her eyes didn't leave the Fallen Cadre's. Then, she shook it ever so slightly.

'Not here.' Not when innocent people would be killed.

Kokabiel's eyes narrowed faintly. Did he take her request as an insinuation of Kuoh being her hostage?

She shook her head again, a bit more visibly this time.

Luna didn't want them hurt any more than he did. She just hoped he got the message.

She swallowed once, before taking a deep breath and mouthing out brief words.

'Later. Academy.' She tilted her head at a passing mother, her child staring at the brunette briefly before something else caught his attention. 'Emptier.'

The Fallen Angel stared for several more seconds, and even now Luna could feel that bundled-up holy might start to stir, as though he were preparing himself for a fight.

She didn't respond. She knew that any provocation would be disastrous. This was a hunter out to slay his prey, and if he had to make collateral to get it done, Luna knew he'd do so without a second thought.

She was too dangerous.

Yet... she waited, bowing her head slightly.

'Please.'

Would he be willing to delay their confrontation?

Or would he attempt to strike her down now, and damn the consequences to the people?

Slowly, but finally, Kokabiel's aura started to dim ever so slightly.

He gave her a short, curt nod, eyes flicking up to the sky. Then again.

She gave a single, tiny nod back. She understood.

'Tonight.'

It was settled. She turned to walk away, but she knew that Kokabiel watched her with every step.

Yet he didn't try to take advantage of her showing her back.

He wouldn't hold back when the time for blows came. But he would now, for the sake of the people around them.

She could respect that, even as she felt something drape over her senses. A tracking ward, from what she could tell of the low-level holy energy within as it got closer.

'Still think I'd try and run?'

Maybe if she were younger, she would have, but it didn't change what Luna had already intended to do.

She would meet him at the academy.

For better or worse.


A/N -

Reports, reveals, and a spooked kitty cat. As well as maybe even more reveals? Oh my-

Akeno and Raynare have a friendly little chat. Well, maybe not so friendly. What's going on here? Why is Akeno acting in a far more supremacist manner than in canon?

Well, let's call it the unforeseen circumstances effect. Story reasons are here too, but this should serve as a good initial explanation.

We also get a glimpse into what Luna has been up to over the timeskip years. What might have pissed Masaomi off so much? I've certainly laid hints here and there, both in this and in prior chapters.

Also, Kokabiel and Luna meet again. It isn't so much a meeting, as a delay of confrontation. The only reason they didn't fight was because they met in the middle of the day, in the center of Kuoh.

Delayed, but not stopped. She could probably run, but that means leaving Kuoh Academy to potentially (probably) get Antioch'd, thus kickstarting the War of Extinction. Luna might be gearing up for conflict, but hopefully it's clear enough that she doesn't want that.