Second chapter away! Had some formatting issues the first time around, but I think I've got it figured out now. Thanks to all those who have read so far.
Yuuji woke up feeling better than he had felt in ages.
His head was clear, his body wasn't even the slightest bit stiff, he felt so well-rested and..
There was a glossy curtain of crimson hair, draped across his chest.
Oh, it had been that kind of night.
His movement must have caused her to stir, because she raised her head, cutely blinking a pair of bright blue eyes.
When they made eye contact, she blinked once more and promptly flinched.
His memory was a bit hazy, but he liked to think he had been trained well.
So the first words out of his mouth were the appropriate ones.
"You were amazing last night."
She blinked.
"Huh? No, I didn't do-"
He held up a hand.
"Have more confidence in yourself. I enjoyed it."
She blinked again.
"Yuuji-kun~. What exactly are you talking about~?"
He would have noticed the warning tone if he was more awake.
Which he wasn't.
"The sex of course."
Slowly, gradually, the dumbstruck girls face reddened to match her hair. She was trying to speak, but the words wouldn't come out.
A common problem.
"Throat dry? It happens. I'll grab you a glass of water."
He shuffled away, and then stepped over her and off the bed, ever the gentleman JB had raised him to be.
Just another one of JB's lessons, another one of her lessons she considered an abject failure.
"We didn't-I didn't-we-you."
He raised his eyebrow.
"I'm a virgin."
She finally got out.
"Really?"
Yuuji tilted his head to the side, puzzled.
".. Ah, I fell asleep too early? I apologize. We can try again if you'd like?"
"WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!"
"Then why are we both naked?"
"I WAS HEALING YOU!"
"Naked?"
"YES NAKED!"
"Oh. Okay then."
If she didn't want to admit to anything, he'd be a gentleman and push no further.
Not everyone believed that sex was nothing to be ashamed about.
... She was glaring at him now.
Yuuji stared blankly back.
Come to think of it, she was kind of familiar.
"Don't I know you?"
"I'm Rias Gremory."
Yuuji tilted his head, deep in thought.
"That name is kind of familiar."
"We go to the same school."
"Are you in my class?"
"A year above you."
"Oh, do you know Akeno?"
Maybe Akeno had mentioned this Rias girl? He couldn't recall.
"Yes I know- how do you know Akeno but not me?"
"Because I've met Akeno but not you?"
"The entire school knows me!"
"The entire school except me."
"How!?"
"I'm new."
With each exchange she had deflated a little more. She let out a long sigh.
"I can't even be- you're not even going to ask how I healed you?"
"Rias, how did you heal me?"
Yuuji sounded very interested, interested enough that he might fall back asleep at any second.
"Don't force yourself to ask."
Rias was definitely glaring now.
"You're still naked. Are you sure we didn't-"
"YES I'M SURE!"
She was trembling from a combination of frustration and embarrassment, and now, the corner of her eyes were starting to glisten.
"Sorry Rias, I went too far."
"Mmm it's fine."
"Rias. Thank you for saving me."
All the sincerity he could muster.
She hadn't really meant it was fine.
No woman ever did.
"Hmph."
She crossed her arms and looked away.
A single eye turned back, accompanied by the faintest of smiles.
"You're welcome."
Trained well indeed.
He did eventually ask how she'd healed him.
Yuuji had also wanted to ask about the creepy angel, and what had happened to the less creepy Yuuma after she'd killed him.
Or, maybe why Rias was involved in the first place.
The little details were important, he felt.
Rias, however, was still just a little mad, so she told him she'd spend someone to fetch him, after school, and explain everything then.
Yuuji kept to himself just how well she wore that smug little smirk.
Classes passed by uneventfully, and as Yuuji was staring out the window, someone coughed politely beside him.
Standing at Yuuji's desk was the good-looking blonde boy from the front of the class.
"Oh, are you that 'damn pretty boy' they keep talking about?"
"Most of the time. You're pretty popular yourself, Kazami-kun."
The blonde chuckled.
"I am?"
A raised eyebrow.
The blonde chuckled once more, blue eyes twinkling with mirth.
Looking at him more closely, Yuuji could kind of tell why he was so popular.
Handsome, with fair skin and a mole under his left eye.
Slender, more so than Yuuji, but in a way that made him seem athletic, rather than delicate.
"Anyway Kiba, were you the one Rias sent to fetch me?"
"Correct. I wasn't even aware you knew my name Kazami-kun."
"Yuuji is fine."
"As you wish, Yuuji-kun."
The two boys walked the halls together, ignoring the gossip as the girls noticed the "Two Princes of Kuoh" walking together.
Yuuji ignored it because he wasn't interested in the chatter at all.
Kiba just had practice.
Kiba led him out to the back of the school yard, to a creepy, worn out old building tucked away in the corner.
Yuuji gave it a critical eye and decided to ask the obvious.
"Kiba."
"Yes Yuuji-kun?"
"Are you in a cult?"
"Haha, nothing so sinister I'm afraid."
"Okay then... if you're sure."
Yuuji said, giving him a dubious sidelong glance.
"Buchou is upstairs."
Kiba beckoned him forward with a sweep of his arm.
"Right."
They entered the building, which in contrast to its shabby exterior, was quite well-maintained on the inside, if a little dimly lit.
The sign on the door read 'Occult Research Club', and Yuuji's raised eyebrow spoke louder than he ever could.
Kiba's smile was just a little sheepish when he knocked on the door.
"I've brought him."
"Yes, come in."
A familiar voice.
... He'd probably heard it somewhere before.
Kiba opened the door, and they entered.
The room was covered in strange signs and drawings all over the walls.
Standing out most of all was the large, intricate red circle on the floor.
There was also a desk, and some sofas with small figure sitting on one of them.
In the back of the room, accompanied by the sound of running water…
"A shower?"
"Buchou has a fondness for them."
Another raised eyebrow, before belatedly turning his head to the figure on the couch.
A small, white haired girl.
She was familiar, though they had yet to actually talk.
She, Koneko, had just mostly just followed him around.
She was also looking at him with faint traces of suspicion, and some other emotion he couldn't quite place.
There was no need to put her on the spot, though.
Yuuji met her eyes, and gave her a small nod.
She seemed to relax, and gave him a small nod in return.
Understanding was important.
Satisfied at the successful introduction, Yuuji allowed his eyes to be drawn to the back of the room, and the sound of the shower turning off.
"Here, Buchou."
That voice was definitely familiar.
"Thank you Akeno."
Mystery solved.
A minute or two later, the curtain was pushed aside to reveal Rias in her uniform, still with damp hair and a towel around her neck.
Standing behind her was a smiling Akeno, hands clasped dutifully in front of her.
"Ara ara, if it isn't Yuuji-kun."
"Hello there, Akeno."
"There you are Yuuji-kun."
Rias spoke up.
"Welcome to the Occult Research Club. We'd like to welcome you-"
A pause for effect.
"-As our fellow Devil."
At that, there was a whoosh of air, as everyone in the room sprouted leathery, bat-like wings.
Including Yuuji.
"Huh."
Rias blinked and stared at him.
Akeno followed suit.
As did Kiba.
As well as Koneko.
Probably?
Yuuji stared back, trying in vain to interpret the sudden, inexplicable silence.
"Here's your tea."
A soft clink as the saucer settled down on the coffee table.
"Thanks Akeno."
Yuuji gave a slight nod.
"You're welcome Yuuji-kun~."
She winked at him with a sly smile, as he brought the cup up to his lips.
"It's delicious."
Yuuji gave a polite nod, before slowly taking another sip.
Akeno put a hand on her cheek and laughed softly.
"Ufufu glad to hear it Yuuji-kun."
She drew out that last word juuust a bit.
Their eyes met. They turned, and with matching smirks-
"Rias, are you okay? You're looking a little flushed."
Rias was a proper lady.
Thus, she would forever deny that her response to that innocent line of questioning was a frustrated scream.
"Anyways Rias, you were going to explain a few things?"
Yuuji asked, as if nothing had happened.
"Does nothing faze you? You've abandoned your humanity to be reborn as a Devil."
Rias was pouting again, arms crossed under her breasts.
"Pretty sure I was dying."
"I reincarnated you."
Another pause for effect.
"... As my servant."
"Oh, that makes sense."
Yuuji crossed his arms and gave a knowing nod, as if everything had fallen into place.
"...Yuuji-kun is quite adaptable it seems."
It was unclear if Kiba meant that as a statement or a question.
"Strange."
Koneko, as if it explained everything.
To be fair, it probably did.
"Well, enough playing around for now."
Yuuji said, as Rias pouted again.
"So tell me, you brought me back to life as a Devil, and in exchange I'm your servant?"
"That's exactly it, your wish summoned me, and I used my power to save your life."
"'Summoned you'?... So that weird paper I got from that cosplayer?"
Rias blinked at that.
"Cosplayer-? Ah, my disguised familiar."
"So then what are my duties to be ... Ma'am?"
Straight to business, as Yuuji responded in a clear, almost formal tone of voice.
Rias blinked, taken aback at the sudden shift.
"... Ma'am? No no, you can call me Buchou. Mind if I call you Yuuji?"
Yuuji shrugged indifferently, so Rias carried on, taking that as acceptance enough.
"The Occult Research Club is a cover, which you'll be joining."
"Yes, Buchou."
His tone remained unchanged.
Rias' smile was apologetic.
"For what it's worth, I am sorry for reincarnating you without the chance to hear your wishes on the matter."
Yuuji shook his head.
"I'm not so ungrateful as to blame someone for saving my life."
... Though a small part of him wanted to.
Blissfully unaware, his new owner's smile came more easily that time.
"And don't worry about being a servant. I treat my servants as family, I want you all to be happy."
"Then you-"
He bit the words off before they could escape.
"Yes Yuuji?"
That hopeful gaze was more painful than Yuuji cared to admit.
"No, it's nothing."
She was smiling. They were all smiling.
Yuuji couldn't quite bring himself to ruin that.
From there, Rias explained that Devils had been fighting against Fallen Angels since ancient times for control over the Underworld, and of a Great War between Devils, Fallen Angels, and Angels.
The the ones who attacked him had been Fallen Angels, hence the black feathers.
Yuuji noticed that she hadn't explained why the Fallen Angels had attacked him, but Rias was getting into her stride and he had teased her enough.
So he'd exercise a bit of patience.
... Where did she get those glasses from?
On second thought, maybe she'd had too much fun.
Interrupting her spiel about Sacred something or others-
"So what do I have to do with any of this? And why'd Yuuma go after me? I'm a normal human."
Though a little put out by the interruption, Rias decided to push things along.
From beside her desk came Akeno's soft giggle.
"You were just unlucky. Most possessors aren't even killed."
"Possessors of-?"
"A Sacred Gear."
Rias declared, standing up as she did so.
Yuuji remained silent.
Rias deflated yet again, disappointed at yet another lacking reaction.
"'Ahem'. A Sacred Gear is a power granted to humans. You must have been approached after giving off a weak response. There are several methods available for detecting dormant Gears, and the Fallen are the leaders in such techniques."
Kiba piped up then.
"Most of these Sacred Gears aren't of much use to the supernatural world. Many of the famous people throughout history had those sorts of Sacred Gears. But some few are far more dangerous, and those rarely go ignored."
Rias caught his attention once more.
"Hold out your hand, and imagine the most powerful weapon you can think of."
Yuuji gave a thoughtful frown.
A rocket launcher, maybe?
No, there was no way a Stinger was practical in a room like this.
In a room like this- a dull, shimmering dust rolled off Yuuji's hand.
Something solid took shape, and soon he was holding the standard-issue sidearm.
The Glock 17.
"Eh? A gun?"
Everyone seemed a bit surprised.
"This will do."
Yuuji seemed content, however.
"Ara, why a gun?"
Akeno was the first to ask.
"We're in an enclosed space. Any smaller, and I'd just use a knife, or nothing at all."
Yuuji spoke casually, as if commenting on the weather.
"…."
"Didn't he just say something worrying?"
Kiba said, smile a tad strained.
"Strange."
Koneko said, as if it explained everything.
To be fair, it probably did.
"Summoning a gun? I know of Sacred Gears that summon swords-"
Yuuji noticed Rias glance Kiba's way-
"But guns are a new one... I'll have to research into it. It's design isn't particularly distinctive though, so it might take a while... we may have to experiment."
"Anyways, that is your Sacred Gear. From now on it will appear whenever you need it. Just call it forth and it will appear."
"Now, onto our next our next order of business. As a Devil-"
Rias wore that smug smile just as well as the last.
Akeno was the first to break the silence in Yuuji's wake.
"Ara ara, vindictive aren't we? Our poor kouhai~."
Yuuji had left the clubroom to begin his new life, and more importantly his new work.
Rias still had on that same smug smile.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Her grin widening was coincidence, thank you very much.
"I'm surprised though. He just went with it, as if it was nothing out of the ordinary."
Kiba didn't quite seem sure what to make of it, so Rias turned to her youngest peerage member next.
"And you Koneko? You're the only one who's seen him in action."
"Scent of blood."
Koneko frowned and looked to the floor.
Rias smiled patiently, allowing her taciturn Rook to gather her thoughts unimpeded.
"Smells like blood and iron... scary, but... directed? Not scary towards... us?"
Koneko suggested hesitantly.
Better than she'd expected, honestly, after their first encounter.
A slight turn of her head, and Akeno took the hint for what it was.
"Having another cute underclassman to tease will be nice. But it seems like he'll be doing most of the teasing~"
"Don't sound so excited."
Exactly what she'd expected.
The two older girls were now alone in the classroom, so she, Akeno, decided it was the ideal time to ask the question she'd really wanted to ask.
"It's not like you to apologize so easily. So tell me, what's really going on, Rias?"
Rias let out a long sigh, leaning back to stare at the ceiling.
"I'm fine it's just… I just… I didn't really have time to give Yuuji a choice, sure. But did I really give any of you a choice?"
This again, was it?
Akeno sighed softly before wrapping her arms around her friend from behind, resting her chin on Rias' shoulder.
"None of us think that way. I'll repeat it as often as I need to but, we have nothing but gratitude towards you. You offered your hand when no one else would, took us in when the world had abandoned us, and you've tried so hard to give us back the happiness we lost."
Akeno believed every word, and she'd say it as many time as she needed to until her best friend and King did as well.
"...I'm not sure if Yuuji had any to lose in the first place."
... Did anyone see where that determination of hers just went?
She'd like it back.
"W-what do you mean? Like I said, he seems to have plenty of fun teasing you."
Akeno would still try to lighten the mood, even if just a little.
Her smile felt forced, even to her.
"Scars."
Rias trembled in her embrace.
"Rias, what do you mean by scars?"
The arms around her shoulders tensed ever so slightly.
"You know we need skin-to-skin contact for the healing to be most effective."
Rias took a deep breath.
"Akeno, he has scars who's sources I can barely even guess at."
Rias paused, and took the opportunity to return the embrace, gripping on to her friend tightly.
With the next words, Akeno tightened her grip further as well.
"I have no idea what kind of life he's lead. His home life fell apart after his older sister died and both his parents were found dead... Kazami Yuuji vanished for years. There are no records of where he's been or what he's been doing, but those scars are impossible for someone with a quiet life."
A heavy silence fell.
As it stretched on, Akeno hummed thoughtfully, rallying for one last attempt to lighten the mood.
Or, at least distract Rias.
She lifted her head to speak softly in her King's ear.
"You mentioned skin-to-skin?"
Rias knew where this was going.
Akeno couldn't see her roll her eyes, but she didn't need to.
They'd been friends a long time.
"Why don't you share all the fun little details~?"
Deals with the Devil it seemed, had never gone out of style.
Nonetheless, Yuuji was a bit grateful that human souls were no longer the asking price.
JB would never let him live it down, and if Asako was still around, she'd buy him a little red pitchfork for his birthday.
Every birthday.
In spite of Rias' (admittedly justifiable) desire to get even for all the teasing, Yuuji had real no complaints about the grunt work he was doing.
Handing out flyers was a cakewalk compared to scrubbing hallways with a toothbrush.
His new master had clearly never been through basic.
On that note though, he should really talk to JB.
Becoming a Devil was quite possibly a 'conflict of interests' with Ichigaya, so he'd have to see if they could work something out.
Alas, that seemed troublesome, and he needed his problems to sound believable before he could dump them on her desk.
She was his handler after all.
There was an order to things that needed to be followed.
Come to think of it though, not a lot had actually changed.
The chain of command had some new faces, but he was still expected to toe the line and follow orders, whatever they may be.
Given the life-time commitment, outliving his usefulness would probably involve an 'accidental death' as well.
There was even a chance for promotion, as it seemed rank was very important to Devils.
Ignore the real-life mythology and the hocus pocus, and it was business as usual.
Yeah, Yuuji could work with this.
The sun was just setting by the time he'd finished handing out flyers and returned home.
Yuuji was beginning to wonder when they'd begin training.
Clearly, the world of the supernatural was a violent one.
The hole he'd had in his chest seemed evidence enough, though he'd keep to himself his relief that he hadn't imagined that encounter.
He wasn't sure what training constituted for Devils, but if he was being honest, most of his frustration came from a sense of anticipation.
After all, he was in a world where magic was real, and judging by the spear that had started this whole mess, a viable, perhaps even preferred form of combat.
Maybe Yuuji would be able to learn magic as well?
Learning new things was always fun.
For the first time in a long while, something like excitement was tugging the corner of his lips in an upwards direction.
With those thoughts in mind, Yuuji stood in the small living room, and attempted summoning his handgun once again.
The faintest chill in his right hand, and a whisper of dull grey brought the gun to his hand.
... Safety on.
... Magazine loaded.
For all intents and purposes, it seemed he had a loaded Glock in his hands.
On a whim, he expelled the magazine, letting it fall to the ground, and reaching to the side where spares would be clipped on in more conventional circumstances.
The falling magazine dissipated before hitting the ground, and a new one was in his hand, heavy enough to seem full to capacity.
He slammed it into place, then immediately ejected and repeated.
After about a dozen tries he was confident that the process was reliable, and despite said process using his 'demonic energy' as Rias had put it, he didn't notice any physiological changes outside of the slight chill in whichever hand did the summoning.
No notable downsides.
Yet.
A honk of a car horn snapped him out of his musings.
He went back to what he was doing.
Another honk.
Still busy.
A pounding on the door.
Still busy.
"Y.U.U.J.I."
….He should probably let JB in.
"You'll wake up the neighborhood."
A beautiful blonde in a dark woman's business suit was pouting on his doorstep, tapping her glossy black high-heels impatiently.
On the road behind her was a sleek yellow Mustang.
"Were you ignoring me?"
The blonde glared as he nodded without a hint of shame.
"You were being noisy."
"So harsh!"
The pouting intensified.
"What do you want JB?"
JB let out a sigh.
"Cold as ever, I see. Would it kill you to just give me a nice greeting for once?"
"The odds don't seem in my favor there."
"... Or the snark?"
"Now you're just being difficult."
Rolling her eyes, JB stepped up closer, a sly grin replacing her earlier weariness as if it had never existed.
"I came to check up on you. How's being an 'ordinary student at an ordinary school'?"
JB leaned forward, enunciating the phrase with pokes to his chest.
"No complaints."
A long sigh.
"Of course I'd have to drag any info out of- WAIT! I almost forgot! You entered the city on foot didn't you? After I bought you a train ticket!?"
She stamped her foot in a lady-like fashion.
It was a testament to how elegant JB normally was that she could pull that off.
"I hate trains."
JB slumped momentarily at that, gaping at him.
"What kind of idiot walks several hundred kilometers for a dumb reason like that!? I'm the one who got an earful from the higher-ups when you got arrested!"
... Elegant around anyone other than Kazami Yuuji.
.
.
.
"Your eyes are saying 'This woman is a huge pain'."
"How did you know what I was thinking?"
Yuuji jerked back in genuine surprise, unwittingly giving the knife that one final twist.
JB actually looked a bit hurt at that, so after a moment, Yuuji sighed and apologized.
"No, I went overboard. Sorry JB."
"*Sniff*... As long as you understand. I'll get in touch with you later."
She swept away with an artful flick of her hair.
"Good night, JB."
She couldn't see his slight smile, but she didn't need to.
They'd known each other a long time.
For the next several days, Yuuji would meet Rias in the ORC building and receive a bundle of fliers.
He'd then spend the next several hours handing them out.
When Thursday rolled around, his phone began to buzz right as he was heading to the ORC.
Not his personal phone, but the small, nondescript flip phone he kept with him at all times.
His work phone. JB spoke to him from the other end.
"You've got work to do. Pick-up from home in one hour."
"Understood."
A quick text to Rias;
Y: Part-time job called me in last minute. I'll catch up tomorrow.
R: You have a part-time job? What is it?
Y: Later.
R:-
Yuuji had already put his phone away.
A long black case from under the bed.
A simple combination lock.
9029.
Business as usual.
"Where exactly were you last night?"
In the club room, Rias was casually sitting, with one leg crossed, atop her desk.
"Work."
Yuuji wore his typical blank expression.
"Which is…?"
"I clean up 'garbage'."
"So... a cleaning company?"
Yuuji gave a nod.
There was probably more to that, she felt, but how bad could it be?
More importantly, she was hesitant to push the issue.
Yuuji might have seemed adaptable, but he also seemed... closed off.
There was a wall around her newest servant, and thoughtless attempts to tear it down might only serve to drive him away.
-Her troubled musings were cut short as the other members stepped into the room.
As the usual pleasantries were exchanged, Rias, took a second to gather herself before turning to Yuuji once more.
"You won't be handing out fliers tonight. Kiba received two requests for the same time, so you'll be taking one of them."
Kiba smiled.
"Thanks for your help, Yuuji-kun."
"So what am I going to be doing exactly?"
Yuuji turned back to Rias.
"You'll step through the summoning circle to the clients location. Akeno will link it up to the summoning circle on the pamphlet. Once there, you'll fulfill their request and accept suitable compensation. Kiba is popular with middle-age business women and housewives, who tend to request cooking, cleaning, or the occasional massage."
She handed him a small device.
"Not all wishes were created equal, and not all people were either. This will judge the relative value of their desire. I'll let Akeno take it from here."
Akeno had stepped up to the magic circle in the center of the room.
Pale yellow sparks danced from her hand, shifting to red as they linked up with the circle on the floor.
"Hold out your right hand, Yuuji-kun."
As he did so, red light flared on the back of his hand, as a smaller version of the circle on the floor appeared there.
"For servants like us, it's something like the Gremory family crest. It will respond to your demonic energy."
With a raised eyebrow, Yuuji turned to Rias, who was already dreading the question to come.
"You tattooed me in my sleep? Which country is this again?"
"It's part of the process of reincarnating you."
She could feel her eyebrow twitching yet again.
"Whatever you say."
The twitching intensified.
"Get in the circle."
"Roger."
The entire peerage rose to their feet to offer him good luck, even Koneko.
As red light swirled into the air, engulfing Yuuji in its glow, he decided that maybe, just maybe he could get used to this.
When the light faded, he was standing in a softly lit living room, with leather couches, and a small, minimalist coffee table.
Sitting across from where he stood was a petite woman with a wavy light brown hair, wearing a light blue women's business suit, with a pencil skirt and dark nylons.
She had kicked off her pumps and was loosening the collar of her white shirt.
She looked to him with one eye open.
"Oh? You're not Kiba-kun. Who might you be?"
Yuuji gave a polite bow.
"Kazami Yuuji, at your service."
She looked him up and down before staring into his dark eyes for a moment.
If her sultry smile was any indication, he had passed the unspoken test.
"Not bad, not bad at all. Well then Kazami-kun, I'm Irusu Kiyoka, and I'll be in your care. Hope you're as good at relieving stress as Kiba-kun~."
Yuuji knew exactly where this was going.
"Irisu-san."
"Hmmm?"
She smiled languidly at him, fluttering long lashes.
"The couch or the bed?"
It was well after dark when Yuuji returned to the clubroom, but Rias was still there to greet him with a smile.
"So? How'd it go? Did you manage to make your first contract?"
"The operation ended in failure. I'll accept my punishment with grace."
Yuuji spoke in an oddly serious tone, even straightening to give a sharp salute.
Rias merely tilted her head, confusion clouding her features for moment before her smile returned.
"Ara? Punishment? No need for that, I have faith that you'll do better next time. Tell me, any idea where you went wrong? What was the request?"
"I went overboard. She passed out before we could sign the contract."
He still had that same serious expression and had yet to relax his posture.
Rias was just as confused, but now a slight frown had replaced her smile, bringing with it a niggling sense of unease.
"Went overboard? What exactly were you doing?"
"Stress relief?"
Yuuji cocked his head to the side.
"Stress relief?"
Rias parroted, as she too cocked her head to the side.
"Taking care of her needs."
Yuuji gave a few nods of his head.
"Taking care of…"
"Yuuji you didn't..?"
Rias was beginning to feel a sinking sensation.
Yuuji tilted his head once more and raised an eyebrow.
"Isn't that our job as Devils?"
Rias flinched.
Yuuji was the one confused now.
'I can't believe he thought that was normal. What have I made him do? Rias, you idiot!'
Yuuji had no idea what she was thinking.
Why was Rias so freaked out over a back-rub?
When he said as much, he was a bit taken aback to find her suddenly in his face, shaking her finger and sternly berating him for 'making her worry'.
If that was enough to make her angry, Yuuji had no intention of telling her what had happened after the back rub.
...Maybe he wasn't doing the same job as Kiba after all.
... She hadn't wanted to kill him.
But she didn't have a choice.
... He didn't seem like he really wanted to go on a date with her.
A smile that never reached his eyes.
... He was nothing but kind. Even though she could tell.
He knew she was lying.
She had hoped that maybe, somehow, he would put up a fight.
He was just a human but still... maybe a struggle would ease the guilt.
But Yuuji just sat there.
His first real smile, and it had been when she had just asked him to die.
He smiled…
As if all his prayers had been answered.
She'd had to do it.
Hadn't she?
The woman was tall and slender, dressed in a maroon suit jacket left open in such a way that her assets seemed concealed by more luck than anything else.
A short, matching skirt bared her long, pale legs to the moonlight as her hair, the same deep blue of the ocean, drifted behind her like a river.
One hazel eye was concealed by her bangs, but the one left visible glittered with a barely contained worry.
Raven-feathered wings carried her up onto the roof, towards the source of her worries.
Raynare remained silent at her approach, but she could see the shaking of her shoulders.
Sadly, nothing out of the ordinary.
As Kalawarner landed on the rooftop with a soft click of her high-heels, she bent forward to reach out slowly to the younger girl, sitting in silence, huddled over herself and shivering.
Raynare beat her to it though, throwing herself at her taller friend and burying her face in Kalawarner's chest.
Kalawarner wrapped her wings around the two of them like a curtain.
Trying her best to muffle the noise as quiet sobs turned to agonized wails, Raynare's tears ran into the valley of her chest and stained the fabric beneath.
She bit her lip until it bled, a red trail running alongside the clearer trails down her cheeks.
Just a little longer.
She could only hope one of them didn't break before then.
What felt like an eternity later, Raynare had wound down to the occasional, shuddering sob.
Kalawarner hadn't let go in all that time, but she could still feel Raynare shivering in her arms, the smaller girl's white-knuckled grip forming bruises she'd never be allowed to see.
It wasn't the first time, so why change things now?
Though if that was from pent-up emotion, or the fact that she was still wearing the thin dress and jacket from her 'date', Kalawarner couldn't tell.
"I'm sorry Kala... I'm so sorry. I just can't keep doing this. How many people have died because they might be a threat? I just... can't get it out of my head. He just... smiled. How could he look at me and just smile!?"
"I know, I know. But you did what you had to, and we're almost done."
She rubbed soothing circles into her friends back as she continued to speak in a soft tone.
Mentioning the targets obvious death wish would do no good here.
It wasn't like she hadn't practiced this conversation.
Raynare had barely slept in days.
"None of the gears we've gone after are as big as Twilight Healing. If we pull this off, all the Grigori will acknowledge our worth. Or..."
Kalawarner paused. This was the dangerous part, but she had Raynare's attention now.
"When the ritual is complete, we run. The other two won't chase us because they'll have Twilight Healing. They can say whatever they want, they can call us traitors, they can say we died. And no one will care to look for us because we aren't nearly as valuable as Twilight Healing."
Truthfully, it stung her pride a bit to admit that, and Raynare felt it too, if the way she wilted against her was any indication.
She pushed on, though, because there was no other choice.
"Do you really think they'll just forget about us?"
Kalawarner forced all the confidence she could into her voice.
"I do. Our magpie of a leader has always been far more interested in things than people. As long as we don't stand out, he'll forget us in favor of the next shiny thing."
"You really think it'll be that simple?"
Her question was tinged with more than a little desperation, but at least Raynare was smiling now.
A strained, fragile smile, but a smile nonetheless.
"Azazel was always a lazy bastard. Kokabiel might hate traitors with a passion, but he hates boring fights with an even bigger passion."
To Fallen with only one set of wings like her and Raynare, a ten-winged Cadre like Kokabiel might as well have been the Father himself, for how big the gap in power was.
It was in no way, shape or form a good plan.
It was just the best chance they had, perhaps the best chance they would ever have.
Just the tiniest ray of hope that Raynare could cling to, just one reason to carry on.
As the girl in her arms finally drifted off into a fitful, exhausted slumber, Kalawarner drew her in closer and reaffirmed the promise she'd made herself.
As long as Raynare would carry on, Kalawarner would carry on as well.
After all, the only thing she had left to believe in...
Was right there in her arms.
For Yuuji, this was familiar territory.
Rias had gathered the peerage for a request to take care of a 'Stray Devil'.
A Devil who had turned on their master.
Yuuji knew exactly what happened to stray dogs.
Apparently, Stray Devils were a big enough of a concern that even Angels, both pure and Fallen, would go out of their way to hunt them down without mercy.
No one liked a rogue asset, he supposed.
This one had wandered into the territory of Rias to feed, so it's master had requested that Rias do the honors.
It had been luring humans into an old abandoned warehouse.
First mistake.
Rumors were starting to spread.
Last mistake.
Yuuji was feeling a bit nostalgic, all of a sudden.
It was midnight, classic night-op.
He appreciated being able to see clearly, without any extra gear, though.
Perks of being a Devil... maybe Ichigaya should look into that.
Entering in boldly through the front did feel a little weird, though, and he also wondered why they were all still in their school uniforms.
Maybe they were sending a message, making an example?
No... there was such a thing as too confident.
Rias was in charge, though, so he'd keep quiet.
"... Fresh blood."
Koneko must have had a sharp nose.
Rias decided then to begin her explanation.
"Yuuji, I want you to observe only. We haven't had the time to see what you can do with your Gear, so for now just watch how Devils fight."
"Of course, you're all living examples of how Devils reincarnate humans as their servants. But the basis for that system is actually a game I'm sure you're familiar with."
She missed the incredulous look that Yuuji shot her.
"Namely, chess. The leader of the peerage takes the roll of the King, and imbues what we call Evil Pieces into their chosen servants to create powerful new Devils."
Akeno spoke up next.
"Too many of the purebred Devils died in the Great war. With their low birth rates, reincarnation is the only way to keep the population from dwindling further. The properties of the Evil Pieces are an attempt to insure quality increases with quantity."
Yuuji would admit freely admit he was interested in the why's and how's, but honestly?
They were closing in on their target.
He found it baffling that they thought now was the best time to start the history lesson.
Was this some kind of field trip?
Though, he honestly doubted they were being sent after any sort of significant threat.
Everything about Rias screamed "VIP".
Those 'low birthrates' likely made pure-bloods like her even more precious.
Phrases like the 'the cornered rat will bite the cat' existed for a reason, though.
... Well, not like it was his place to speak up anyways, as per the norm.
Following the chess theme, though, Yuuji had already had a good idea of who fit what roll.
Except for Koneko.
'Tiny, quiet and likes snacks' were not characteristics of any chess piece he knew of.
He was probably a Pawn, though.
Pawns had their uses, so assuming he was correct, he wasn't too bothered by it.
He just needed to keep the important pieces alive.
From the back of the warehouse, something massive stirred.
"I smell something disgusting. But I also smell something delicious. Is it sweet, or is it sour?"
"Stray Devil Viser. We've come to eliminate you."
Rias declared with a sweep of her hand.
"Ehehe... AHAHAHAHAH!"
A woman's hysterical laughter, underscored by the snarling of some massive beast.
A topless woman drifted from the shadows, floating high above.
A massive clawed foot stomped heavily into view.
... Not floating then.
Her lower body was that of some massive beast, covered in dark shaggy fur.
Thrashing around behind her was a slender, serpentine tail.
In her hands was clutched some kind of crude spear.
Viser was bigger than an elephant... probably meaner and hungrier, too.
Rias spoke up again.
The air thrummed with power as she spoke with all the authority granted to her.
"Turning on your master to rampage as you please! In the name of Duke Gremory, your life is mine!"
"Foooolish little girl! I'll dye your skinny body as rrrred as your hair!"
Rias simply smirked, unimpressed.
"Yuuto, if you would?"
"Understood."
Kiba blasted forward in a great rush of air.
Yuuji could barely follow his movements.
No civilian would be able to, nor Viser, it seemed.
"Yuuto's position is a that of a Knight. It grants them increased speed, and combined with their weapon of choice…"
Viser raised her spear above her head and plunged it forward blindly.
Bad move.
The spear slammed into the ground.
A glint of steel.
Viser reared back with an agonized screech, leaving her severed arms and spear on the ground below.
Kiba had reversed his direction to fall back to the others.
... Holding a bloody long-sword in both hands.
"A sword? An edged weapon with speed like that must be hard to deal with."
Yuuji went silent for a second.
"Sacred Gear?"
Kiba looked surprised at the question, but nodded.
"Sword Birth is it's name. Just as it sounds, I can create swords with my demonic energy at will."
Viser gathered herself for a charge, apparently the loss of her arms was more a source of irritation than anything else.
Note to self, aim for the head.
Second note to self, double tap.
Repeatedly.
Unconcerned, Rias pointed forwards.
"Koneko."
"Yes, Buchou."
Koneko met the charge of the far larger beast.
While he expected some form of plan, Yuuji was a still a bit surprised when the Stray Devil was the one to tumble back and collapse.
An enormous stomping foot, caught by a tiny Devil and hoisted into the air.
"Koneko is my Rook. As strong as a mountain and just as tough. Viser could strike her all night and be no closer to victory. Of course, she doesn't have all night."
Laughing, Akeno circled off to one side with a playful swing of her hips.
"Ara ara, my turn to play with our new friend~."
"Lastly, Akeno is the Queen. My right-hand, with all the power of Bishop, Knight, and Rook."
"She excels in using her demonic power to wield the elements of nature, with a preference for lightning, and..."
Akeno raised a hand to the sky, approaching the fallen Devil.
"My my, so energetic even now?"
A bolt of lightning crashed down from above, causing the monster to scream and twitch convulsively
"Oho? Looks like you can still take more."
Again, and again, lightning struck, wielded by dark-haired Devil with a bewitching smile on her lips, and a cruel, savage light in her breathtaking eyes.
... She'd never seemed more beautiful.
"Sadist."
Yuuji and Koneko said together, Yuuji slapping a fist to his palm as he spoke.
"The ultimate sadist, as cruel to her enemies as she is kind to her allies."
Rias spoke up again.
Lightning crashing from the sky as if to emphasize her every word.
"She does tend to get a little worked up in fights but, she never forgets her comrades even then."
Yuuji had notice that actually.
Akeno had circled around just enough to keep the rest of the peerage in her peripheral vision... she was too busy playing for that to actually mean much, though.
"Ufufufufufu! How much lightning can you take, Miss Monster? Don't go dying yet! Buchou is the one to take your life!"
Yuuji was looking at Rias with a raised eyebrow and an expressionless face.
"D-don't look at me like that! She's nothing but kind to the people she cares about. She said you were cute, so I bet she'd spoil you lots if you ask."
Rias defended her Queen.
"No wonder we're getting along."
.
.
.
"Eh?"
Akeno continued toying with the monster, laughing happily.
Her cheeks were starting to get just a little flushed, and her breathing was getting just a little huskier.
"That's enough now Akeno."
Rias strode forward.
"Yes Buchou."
Akeno took a step back, expression composed into a demure smile, and hands folded in front of her, as if she hadn't spent several minutes torturing a Stray Devil with lightning.
An ominous aura of red and black swirled around Rias as she strode forward.
Kiba spoke up.
"That light is the Power of Destruction that Buchou inherited. Demonic energy externalized to vaporize her foes."
"Any last words Viser?"
Viser was cut off as Yuuji called out.
"Permission to engage Buchou?"
Rias halted in her tracks. All eyes on him.
"That's not necessary Yuuji. I'll take care of it, so just stay there for now."
"Sorry Rias…"
"But I wasn't asking."
With that declaration, a dull grey assault rifle coalesced into his hands as he took a knee, spinning to the side.
RATATATATATATATAT!
...Unloading the entire magazine into the corner of the room where the abandoned machinery rested.
A staccato beat to the rhythm of an agonized, stuttering scream.
The room was silent as Yuuji lowered the smoking gun, slipping his finger from the trigger guard and flicking the safety on.
"Clear!"
Everyone was staring at the corner where Yuuji had fired, wide-eyed.
Viser forgotten, the rest of the peerage moved slowly to the corner of the room.
Amongst shredded metal and pitted concrete was an equally shredded Stray Devil. About the size of a horse, a female Devil with a woman's head and the body of a lion.
Vacant, staring eyes and a fanged mouth gaping open with a now silent scream.
"He killed it…"
Kiba whispered with amazement.
"We didn't even know it was there. T-there was only supposed to be one Stray in the area… s-she was supposed to be solitary."
Rias whispered, pale-faced.
'If Yuuji hadn't seen it, it would have pounced on us before we even knew it was there. We could have easily... dammit... Rias, you failure.'
Rias shuddered, but with a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and schooled her expression, turning with words of praise upon her lips.
Those words vanished like smoke when Rias turned just in time to watch Yuuji, on hands and knees, begin to vomit violently.
Akeno got to him first, dropping to her knees to put a hand on his lower back.
Bewildered, she began to rub gentle circles as he continued to heave and retch.
"Yuuji, Yuuji what's going on!?"
Rias had reached them and was crouched at his other side.
Dimly, she could hear a low grunt as Kiba skewered the now unconscious Viser through the eye, ending their appointed task.
Koneko stood guard over them, wild-eyed but focused outwards.
"Didn't... mean… to kill... not... supposed… sorry... Asako... killed."
Yuuji went limp, and would have fallen in his own vomit if the two girls hadn't caught him.
He was panting heavily, eyes wild and staring.
Akeno looked at Rias helplessly, still rubbing Yuuji's back with one hand.
They hadn't missed the unfamiliar name, but that wasn't important right now.
"I don't understand… Yuuji, talk to me please!"
Yuuji continued to raggedly gasp for a few moments before responding.
And when he did, he took a deep breath and stood with the same blank expression as always.
"Dammit, was just trying to wing the b- sorry Buchou, but I'm not going to be all that useful of a Pawn. I can't kill anyone."
He gestured to the ground.
For the first time, Rias noticed the puddle was awfully red.
"Not useful- Yuuji, you don't have to kill if you're a Devil. I should have noticed the other Stray, that was my failure as your King."
As she said that, she stood up and drew him gently into her arms, pulling his head down closer.
Trying to ignore how his body recoiled minutely.
"It's okay, I won't make you do anything you don't want to. Good work okay? You saved us, and I'm proud of you. Let's just go home, alright?"
Speaking gently into his ear as she held him.
"Akeno, please."
Rias spoke without releasing Yuuji.
"Y-yes, Buchou."
Akeno began to summon a portal as the others gathered, shooting concerned looks at their newest member.
They were gone a moment later.
Back in the clubroom, Rias took a step back without releasing Yuuji, holding him at arm's length.
With a gentle, comforting smile across her lips, a glimmer of concern in her blue eyes that swept carefully over him.
"Are you okay now? Don't feel bad, most don't react well the first time they kill. There's no shame in it, and if you don't want to kill again I'll never force you to okay? I want you to be happy."
Yuuji had relaxed a bit at this point, and stepped back with a sigh.
"It's fine Rias, it's not a big deal. Just forget it."
The casual dismissal brought a frown to her face.
... Why was he so set on them ignoring his needs?
"It's not fine Yuuji, you never should have had to do that. I-"
Yuuji cut her off with a stern glare.
"Don't say it Rias. Your failure isn't what you think it is."
"... What do you mean?"
She didn't like where this was going all of a sudden.
Yuuji let out another sigh, sounding so disappointed.
That was somehow far, far worse.
"You failed, you all failed, because none of you understand what a real fight is."
Rias and the others jerked back in surprise.
The last thing they expected was for him to turn on them.
"What do you mean we don't understand a real fight? What the hell makes you say that!?"
Concern momentarily forgotten, Rias glared back at Yuuji.
"I mean, Princess, that someone taught you how to fight in a safe environment. Out there? There are no rules, there are no guarantees, and pretending otherwise will get you all killed."
The others were silent, shocked not just by the sudden outburst, but the venom in Yuuji's voice.
The most emotion they'd ever seen from him, turned on them like a weapon.
"A lecture in hostile territory? By rights, that Stray Devil should be picking at least one of you out of its teeth. A mission where you're expected to kill your target is not a damn field trip."
Yuuji loomed over her, eyes stormy.
She knew that.
She knew that, but it still hurt to hear it thrown in her face.
The room was silent for an instant before she grit her teeth.
"I know that! I… I know it was my fault! I don't need you telling me that! I'm trying my hardest to make this work, and I don't need you throwing my failures in my face like that! I-! You-!"
Rias was yelling now, and she didn't care.
The room went silent in a heartbeat when Yuuji cut her off by gently placing a hand on her head, ruffling her hair.
No more stern glare, just a soft smile and a long, weary sigh.
"I know, that wasn't fair of me at all... sorry, you did just fine alright? All of you, good job. Next time will be better."
Rias stared at him for a moment, not moving at all.
Something broke.
The next thing she knew she had slammed into Yuuji, burying her head into his chest, and grasping tightly onto his shirt.
Now, it was Yuuji's turn to rub her back as Rias sobbed raggedly, shoulders shaking.
Yuuji wrapped his arms around her shoulders.
Akeno joined in a moment later, wrapping her arms around both of them, from behind Rias with crushing force.
Tug, tug.
Yuuji turned his head down and to the side, where Koneko was pulling on the hem of his shirt.
She had her head towards the floor, but her trembling, weak grasp said enough.
"Scared."
She wasn't the only one.
"I know."
Yuuji put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her in.
Akeno made sure to drop an arm to her as well, smiling through the tears.
Yuuji turned to the sole other male in the room with dead eyes and a soft frown.
Kiba hadn't planned on moving, but he put he still put up his hands and chuckled.
The slightly desperate edge made Yuuji narrow his eyes, and he offered a slight, reassuring nod.
Yuuji wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, but Rias was the one to break the silence.
"I'm okay now. Sorry you had to see that."
She wiped her eyes.
"Ara, Yuuji sure is dependable isn't he?"
Akeno hadn't let go either.
"Hey Rias."
Yuuji locked his blank gaze back onto Rias.
"Yes Yuuji?"
She smiled at him.
"Your cheeks look a little puffy. Do you have allergies?"
She pushed away from him with a huff, the sudden movement causing Akeno to stumble.
"Mou~! You're so mean! And we were having a moment too!"
"My, I think you've made poor Buchou upset, Yuuji-kun."
Akeno giggled.
"Quiet you! I don't want to hear that from the girl who soaked my shoulder like that!"
Akeno's mouth clamped shut, cheeks a little red.
Koneko hadn't let go of Yuuji yet, still staring at the floor.
Yuuji looked down at her, and ruffled her hair with one hand.
"Ready to sit down now?"
A nod.
Without letting go, Yuuji shuffled back, allowing them to hit their legs against the sofa and all into it.
Koneko curled up beside him, resting her head against his arm with a quiet sniffle.
She still wasn't so sure about Kazami Yuuji, but she was scared and he seemed somehow the most stable thing in the room.
She was used to having at least one of her Senpai to turn to, but those familiar faces were still a little pale.
... So Yuuji it was.
Kiba couldn't help but smile at the odd sight.
"Koneko-chan usually doesn't warm up to anyone that quickly."
"Safe."
Koneko, as if it explained everything.
To be fair, it probably did.
Kiba took the silence as an opportunity to bring up something that had been nagging at him.
"Yuuji-kun."
Yuuji turned his head.
"How did you figure out you were a Pawn?"
Everyone turned to Yuuji at that.
They'd forgotten his comment in all the commotion.
"Wishful thinking? No one will pay me much attention when there's 7 other people just like me."
Rias and Akeno turned to each other in alarm as warning bells went off.
Koneko prodded him hard in the side, tilting her head back to glare sternly at him.
"Wrong, Senpai."
"Sorry, Koneko."
Rias put her hand on her hips.
"She's right Yuuji. Not only are you wrong about ever being pushed aside like that, you're wrong about there being 7 other Pawns."
She declared with a smile.
"What do you mean Rias?"
Yuuji looked at her with confusion.
"I mean, it took all 8 Pawns to reincarnate you."
The pride in her voice was almost visible.
... Yuuji tried not to sigh at the obvious waste.
Later, when Rias and Akeno were left alone in the clubroom, Rias finally allowed herself to relax fully.
"Uuugh that was awful! I can't believe… we're so lucky to have Yuuji, but I've never shown the others such an uncool side of me, and I can't believe he scolded me like a naughty child and it worked!"
"Fufu I don't think anyone will hold it against you. We were all a little scared by the appearance of a second Stray. We're lucky indeed to have Yuuji. I didn't expect him to lay into us like that, but that side of him isn't bad either~."
Rias didn't miss how she rubbed her legs together.
"Akeno, you don't even like men."
"I'll make an exception."
"Just don't go overboard."
"No promises~."
"...You're fine with what we discussed with the other two?"
"Of course I'm fine with it. It gets me all hot to think of Yuuji taking charge. I do think you made the right choice. Yuuji obviously has a lot more experience than we do. That 'cleaning company' of his must deal with some truly dirty situations."
"Of course you're fine with it. Don't know why I'm even bothering to ask if a closet masochist wants to be bossed around."
"Ufufu~."
Rias turned serious.
"I think I have an idea what his Sacred Gear is now. Seeing him form that assault rifle tipped me off."
Akeno grew worried as Rias frowned and looked to the floor.
"What's wrong Rias? I thought you'd be excited to know... what Sacred Gear does he have?"
"There aren't any Sacred Gears that can create multiple kinds of gun. Guns didn't even exist when the Sacred Gears were created by God."
Rias spoke slowly, hesitantly.
Akeno had known her long enough to know that her oldest friend was well and truly scared by the knowledge she was about to share.
Akeno gulped audibly as Rias continued.
"But there's one Gear that can create any weapon the wielder is familiar with. And I hope Yuuji doesn't have it."
"Why? What is it?"
Akeno could feel a pit beginning to form in her stomach.
"It's name is Arsenal Memoir."
The King's voice dropped into a hushed whisper, as if afraid to speak that name aloud.
"It's said to be powerful, but no one knows exactly how powerful."
"... Why?"
The icy claw around her heart was squeezing so very tightly.
"Because it's believed that Arsenal Memoir is cursed. It's usage has been recorded countless times throughout history, but not a single wielder has been identified."
"None of them? How is that even..."
Akeno's voice petered out weakly.
"There's been detailed accounts of the Arsenal being used in countless battles, and then disappearing, not being seen again for decades or more. But who wielded it never makes it into the accounts. Not even once. Dozens of recorded uses, and not a single name. As if something about the Arsenal simply erases all recollection of it's wielders. "
Akeno certainly wasn't imagining the chill in the air. Clearly, Rias had felt it too.
So it couldn't be helped that Akeno spent the night at Rias' house, the two girls huddled up together to comfort one another where no one else could see.
Surely, it was the cold.
Nothing to do with how unwilling they were to spend the night alone, with only their own thoughts for company.
I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. Yuuji is a cheeky bastard to be sure. I had a lot of fun coming up with his Sacred Gear as well, and his Balance Breaker. Don't expect that for a while yet though.
I had every intention of introducing Asia this chapter, but I wanted to post the chapter before I go on vacation. I won't be gone that long, so expect the new chapter in three weeks or so. As it stands, I intend to release a chapter every two to three weeks.
The scene with Raynare and Kalawarner took a few tries. In case it wasn't obvious, I intend to keep them around for a while. So I wanted to have them needing a reason to want to escape their current situation, but it was important that they didn't have a very good idea of how to do so. Hopefully I communicated that well enough.
And don't think I'm bashing Azazel, because Azazel is great. Keep in mind that the only information you have on him is from a grumpy, upset Kalawarner well on her way to a mental breakdown. Raynare would definitely win that race though.
You also might notice that one of the many differences between Issei and Yuuji is that Yuuji could successfully use a summoning circle, meaning he has more demonic energy than Issei. Don't get your hopes up though. Issei had less power than a Devil child. Yuuji is likely on par with said child.
PS. Don't expect Yuuji to be OP, but don't expect him to have the same troubles either. A lot of the early issues the peerage had came from lack of experience, Issei was just a normal guy for example. In contrast, Yuuji easily has more combat training and experience than the entire peerage combined.
Feel free to review or PM me with any questions, and if you have a theory on Yuuji's Balance Breaker I'd love to hear it.
Thanks to everyone who's read and reviewed so far, and I'll see you all next time.
PPS. The assault rifle Yuuji summoned is the M16A4. For now, I'll be sticking to guns that actually appeared in the Grisaia anime.