Issei twirled his tentacles restlessly as he lay in bed. Irina… She recognized him despite his ugly exterior. Maybe he should meet his parents. If his childhood friend was able to know that it was him under all those mutations, then there was a chance…

Right?

The twelve year old hopped out of bed and onto the cold floor. He slowly walked through the empty halls of the villa before arriving at Rias' room. Issei knocked twice.

"Come in Issei!" came Rias' voice from within.

Issei opened the door to find his master, his King, on her laptop. She was thirteen years old and was growing up to be a beauty. The sight of her naked thighs and chest made Issei blush despite having seen them a thousand times already. Issei scratched his cheek, trying to calm down the heat on his cheeks.

Rias looked at him and smiled. "Come here!" she patted the spot beside her on the large bed. Issei swiftly sat where she indicated, careful not to touch her naked skin.

His efforts were nil, Rias immediately wrapped her arm around him to pull him closer without shame. "Look look! They're releasing a new Tokisaki figurine!" Rias said excitedly. Issei looked at the laptop screen. A woman in a gothic lolita dress with two flintlock guns was posing. "Shirakami Fubuki will also be arriving tomorrow!" she spoke with glee.

"That's nice."

Rias glanced at Issei. "You don't sound so excited. Something on your mind?" Rias closed her laptop and set it on the bedside table. She threw a pillow at Issei and sat indian style. Issei caught the pillow and averted his gaze from Rias and her lack of shame.

"Well, I met this girl yesterday…" Issei began. It felt like the room had gotten a few degrees colder but when he glanced at Rias, a smile was on her face.

"Yes?" Rias urged him.

"She was my childhood friend and…"

Rias listened expectantly, patiently. She waited for Issei to say what he wanted to say.

"She… she recognized me."

Rias smiled gently. She reached out and ruffled Issei's hair and patted him on the shoulder.

"I think," Issei said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I think I'm ready to go see my parents."

"Should I come with you?" Rias asked.

Issei sighed heavily and lay flat on the bed. "I want you to come with me."

"But?"

"No buts. I want you to come with me," Issei got up and looked Rias in the eyes.

Rias tilted her head in thought. She nodded to herself. She crawled over to Issei. She sat side-saddle and gently carried Issei's head to her lap. His fuzzy hair lightly tickled her but Rias didn't let that bother her. She trailed her fingers through his hair, snagging a couple tangles here and there.

"I will not come with you to see your parents," Rias bent over Issei, so that their noses nearly touched. Her red hair was splayed all around Issei. Her pretty face and blue eyes entranced Issei, in this world of red. "But I will watch over you as you go meet them," Rias kissed Issei's forehead.

Irina hung upside down on the jungle gym, her twintails spread out like bat's wings. Her skirt was flipped but she didn't mind, she was wearing tights and shorts over the tights. She spied Issei. She grinned and elegantly flipper over and into the air, landing on her feet not one bit dazed.

"Yo dayo, Ise-kun~" Irina hailed as he got near.

"That was awesome Irina!" Issei exclaimed.

"Thank you," Irina bowed and hopped down onto the ground, doing a superhero landing as she landed. "Henshin!" She did a Henshin pose, a holy aura covering her. "Are you ready to go watch Kaben Rider 8? I hear that it's very good too."

"I'm pretty excited!" Issei said. He punched the air. "The seventh movie had such a good ending though. I'm not sure eight could top that!"

Irina lost her holy aura and hopped over to Issei. "The only way to prove it is to watch! Come on, come on, come onnnnn!" she pulled Issei by the hand, like she always did. Issei kept in step with her through the park and into the mall. Irina was barely able to stop moving even as they stood on the full escalator— which was pretty odd— she would shift from foot to foot as they ascended slowly, too slowly.

When they finally got to the cinema, Irina was crestfallen to find a super long line. They wouldn't make it to the first OR the second showing! Issei was sad to see the line, but not as disappointed as Irina was.

"We can–" Issei looked at the girl beside him. Tears were in her eyes. He stopped his words immediately. Irina must've really looked forward to seeing the movie.

Irina glanced at Issei. "Ah- I'm sorry. Uhm, we can come back again some other day," she stuttered as she wiped away her tears. She turned around to walk away but Issei grabbed her wrist before she could go. Stopped in her tracks, Irina turned back to look at Issei.

"I have an idea," Issei said with a small grin. He raised a finger to his lips, making a shushing motion. "Do you trust me?"

Irina smiled and fully turned to Issei. "Always."

Tentacles coiled around them and wrapped them in darkness. Irina gasped as she felt her whole body get wrapped around in rather dry appendages. But nobody noticed this supernatural phenomenon even if they stared straight at it. It was like a cloak of invisibility that surrounded the two, blinding the outside world from them but they could clearly see the world.

Issei pulled Irina into a princess carry, earning a surprised eep from the girl. He stealthily glided across the tiled floor of the mall and quietly into the cinemas. Nobody saw them enter. Nobody did.

Issei brought them to the ceiling, where he used the suction cups of the tentacles to stick. Fur made a comfortable cushion for the two to sit down upon, even lay down on. All of this was Issei of course.

"Wait a moment," Issei said as he disappeared into the darkness. He returned with several bags of different flavored popcorn. "Here you go."

"Woah," Irina reached out for one but hesitated. "Did you pay for these?"

"Uh…"

She gave Issei a cheeky grin. "Just messing with you," she laughed softly and bumped shoulders. "Thanks for the meal," she took one of the bags and started munching upon it happily. "But, seriously, Ise-kun, stealing is bad. Okay?" she said with a frown.

"I'll be sure to pay them back later…"

Irina nodded, happy that he understood. She joyfully chomped on the crunchy popcorn, not caring if anybody heard them. Issei liked that aspect of her, pretty carefree– if a little airheaded. It brought a smile to his face whenever Irina did something silly or mundane with happiness.

It was different from Rias' more grounded frame of mind…

Issei didn't want to compare but…

While Rias saved him years ago…

It felt like she couldn't free him from the pain inside of him. The haunting fears that he felt whenever he looked in the mirror or when he looked a person in the eye. He was scared to see the beast reflected back at him. Issei couldn't tell her that he was scared of the monstrosities within himself. He felt that Rias wouldn't understand. She wouldn't be able to sympathize and help him. She didn't feel the pain of self doubt or anxiousness. Rias wasn't human…

Rias was Rias Gremory… Confident, strong, and distant. They lived in different worlds despite living together. She was of noble blood while Issei's blood was tainted with all the possible beasts of the world.

Issei couldn't share his pain with her, no matter how hard she tried to get him to do it.

Irina though… Issei felt that he could share anything and everything and she would understand.

"I'm going to see my parents tomorrow," Issei said.

"That's good!" Irina said as she gave him a thumbs up. In a much softer tone, she added: "They'll be overjoyed to see you."

"You sound so sure…" Issei mumbled.

"Because you are their son. Their only son," Irina whispered.

Issei nodded, still not entirely sure. He was confident he could convince them that he was their son. But… he was still afraid. Deathly afraid that they will reject this monster even when they knew that he was their son. His rationality told him that wasn't going to happen… but fear wasn't rational at all.

His fears were forgotten when he felt a warm, smooth hand cover his. Issei looked at Irina who had a soft smile on her face. "Thank you, Issei."

"You're welcome," Issei grinned.

A warm feeling filled all of Issei's beating and non-beating hearts.

The lights turned off and Kaben Rider 8 started. Needless to say, the two had so much fun watching the movie and would discuss it before they went their separate ways.