"Issei, you have to remember this… no matter what happens, you must live!"

A woman with white hair and blue eyes stood before him. A sad and forlorn smile marred her inhumanly beautiful face. On her head was a flickering violet crown that resembled horns. The feathers on her black wings were torn. She turned around, looking out of the opening behind them.

The world was burning. Above them, the stars of the universe no longer shined. All around them, their friends and loved ones fell one by one to the encroaching threat.

It was the end of the world. The dreaded apocalypse foretold since the days of old. The dreaded Beast of the Apocalypse was merely a precursor. A messenger. A vanguard. And soon, after the invasion of the other world, these shadows began to infect the world.

There was no place in the world where the darkness did not reach. The Gates of Heaven were obliterated, the Pits of Hell were buried, and even the High Mountain of Olympus and Meru crumbled to the ground.

The shadows had claimed them all, one by one. The alien machines. The high spirits. The gods. From the youngest child to the most powerful god, they had all fallen one by one, slain by these things that had appeared from seemingly nowhere.

Even… his own wives. His children.

Rias.

He clenched his fist, remembering her final words.

"Live."

And here, before him, stood the sole survivors. The last living beings in the entirety of existence.

Truly, this could be called the End of the World. The moment of Finality where despair and dread gripped the souls of all living things. But for them, this was their last shred of hope.

"Is he ready?" a white-haired man asked. He kept checking through a crack in the wall. His hand was tightly gripping a black flaming blade.

"I think so. Give me a few more seconds," she said.

She turned back to him.

"Live. You must live. Through you, as long as you survive, our hope will still live on. So, please…"

Wake up!

Issei shot up, feeling a cold sweat running down his forehead. His messy brown hair was matted with his sweat. An unknown pain throbbed inside his chest.

Wake up, Master! Wake up!

"Where…?"

It took him a few seconds to acclimate himself to his surroundings. Issei blinked several times before recognizing where he was. Ah, right, this was his room. He rolled out of bed, feeling an odd sense of fatigue set in. It was as if he hadn't slept in properly in days, no years even.

"What a weird dream," he murmured, walking out of his room. He had been having odd dreams since he was a child but he made nothing of them. Not that he cared, he couldn't remember them after he woke up, at least not too clearly.

There were a few constants in the dreams that did persist in memory. The white-haired woman and the shadowy beings were some of them.

Issei yawned and scratched his leg.

The smell of food wafted into his nose and his mouth began to water. He could barely recall the contents of this dream except for the sole fact that he was married to Rias.

"Hehehe, being married to Rias-senpai. Must've been a good…" he trailed off as he recalled a small portion of it.

His heart clenched and Issei banished the thought from his mind altogether.

Deciding to get breakfast, Issei walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. No one was home. His parents were away on a third honeymoon for their 18th anniversary and thus, Issei had been left all alone at home. Sighing, he walked to the fridge and opened it. There was a note in the fridge taped to some pre-cooked meals.

Don't forget to eat breakfast. I made you some so just heat it up and eat. I also left your lunch here in the fridge so don't forget to grab it on your way out. I texted Shin and Mii to make sure you had your lunch so you don't go hungry like you did yesterday. If I find out you left your lunch at home again, I'll spoon-feed you the lunch in front of the entire class.

Yozora Izayoi

Sora-nee…

He smiled softly. She always did dote on him and she was extremely protective. Yozora had been his caretaker since he was young. Caretaker was a poor choice of words to describe her. She was more like his babysitter. Someone his parents hired to look after him when they were on date night or when they needed a few nights for their anniversary. To say that Issei saw her as his older sister would be nothing short of an understatement.

"Alright, Sora-nee. I got it," Issei said, taking the food out of the fridge.

He ate alone like he always did whenever his parents went on their vacations. Today was the beginning of Spring Season. It was one of his favorite times of the school year. Girls began to shed their winter uniforms and opted for the lighter ones, meaning that he could see all their most important features more clearly.

A dopey smile spread across his face.

Since his dream had some mention of Rias in it, maybe he could get lucky and see if she started wearing the summer uniform early.

"Let's see…" Issei pulled his phone out and saw five messages.

Shin

Dude, where are you? We've been outside for ten minutes! Come on!

Mii

Aniki! Get your ass out here already!

Issei blinked before looking at the time.

08:30

He spit out his drink.

"S- Shit! I'm going to be late! Crap!" he bolted out of the kitchen and quickly ran to his room to get changed. Rushing down the stairs and miraculously not tripping on anything, Issei quickly grabbed the bento that his older sister had left for him and burst through the door.

"Eh? I told you he's not dead! Stop making dumb jokes like that!" a black-haired girl with violet eyes said upon seeing Issei run through the door.

"I never said he was dead," a black-haired boy with a cool expression said.

They both wore the same high school uniform that he did. Well, except the girl. She had on a grey pleated skirt instead of the grey khakis that the boys wore.

"Shin! Mitsuki! Sorry! I overslept! I set my alarm too late-"

Shin raised his hand and nodded knowingly. "I know. Don't describe your midnight activities in the middle of the street."

"Yeah, Aniki. Let's just go to school," she said.

Issei's eyebrow twitched. They could have been a little more worried. He huffed and walked past them, causing the two to stifle their laughter. His cheeks turned red and he whirled his head to face them.

"What?" he asked.

"You forgot to take the tag off your blazer," Mitsuki said.

"E- Eh-"

Shin said nothing and walked over, ripping the tag off. He patted Issei on the back. "Come on, you guys. Before Sora-sensei makes us stand outside with buckets of water again."

Issei and Mitsuki paled at his words and the three ran to the school at full speed.

"Come on! The student council is at the gate! We have to hurry!" Mitsuki said, vaulting over a table.

Issei and Shin quickly followed after their agile friend as the gates began to close. However, before the gates could close, the three sped past the student council members.

"We made it!" Issei said.

He kept running until he slammed into something, knocking him to the ground. He groaned and felt a pair of soft pillows enveloping his face. Issei placed his hand on one of the mounds, squeezing it. All of a sudden, he heard a soft moan coming from the pillow.

His face turned red and he sat up, backpedaling in surprise.

"R- Ria… Ria-"

In front of him, sitting and nursing her head, books spread out all around her was Rias Gremory. One of the Great Ladies of the School. She was every bit as inhumanly beautiful as the other students said. Long luscious red hair going down to her thighs. A large bust capable of swallowing the hand of any man that was lucky enough to cop a feel. A round yet perfect rear with wide hips and long slender legs. In short, to Issei and the other male students, Rias was the entire package wrapped in a bow.

But right now, Issei was more afraid of what her fanclub was going to do to him for running into her rather than meditate on what her breast felt like in his hand.

"I'm so sorry!" Issei said, prostrating himself before her.

"E- Eh?" Rias blinked and looked down at him.

"Issei!"

"Aniki!"

Rias looked up and saw Shin and Mitsuki running toward them. "Ah, Adashino-san, Furude-kun, is this your friend?"

"Yeah, sorry about that," Shin said, helping Issei up.

"Ah, it's no worries really. I was just surprised by his… sudden appearance is all," Rias said, smiling at the three.

Issei's knees felt like jelly. Not only was he able to touch the forbidden fruit, he was able to listen to that angelic voice first thing in the morning.

"Issei Hyoudou-kun, right?"

Issei blinked. She knew his name. He nodded dumbly.

"I'm Rias Gremory. I'm in the year above you. You don't have to call me Senpai and all that and in exchange, can I just call you Ise?"

"Nice to meet you, Issei Hyoudou-kun! Can I call you Ise~?"

Issei blinked. Those words sounded… familiar. Had they met before?

"Ise?"

He rubbed his eyes and faced Rias. His eyes widened when he saw a mutilated woman in front of him. She smiled yet there was no life on her face. Blood poured from an empty eye-socket, and a black barbed cross was jutting out from her chest.

"Live."

Issei took a step back, trembling at the sight of her.

"I- Ise?"

"Issei?"

"Aniki?"

Shin and Mitsuki turned to face Issei when they heard Rias's worried voice.

"Ah- Ahhhh!" Issei's knees buckled and he fell down to the ground, gripping his head in pain.

"ANIKI!"

"ISSEI!"

His vision began to swim, unable to bear the pain of this world-splitting headache he was having. He looked up to see the worried faces of his friends and senpai. His beautiful, loving senpai. That worried face that should only be filled with a loving smile.

"Don't… worry, Ria…"

Rias's eyes widened when she heard the whisper come out of his lips.

Issei managed to get out a pained smile before he lost consciousness, with the last thing he saw being her surprised face and her brilliant red hair swaying in the breeze.

"Ow… my head." Issei groaned as he slowly sat up. "Where am I?" he wondered, looking around. Sterile white walls. White curtain. A bed. A table next to his bed with some gauze and antiseptic to clean a wound that was most likely on his forehead.

Ah, he was in the Nurse's office. He passed out at the front of the school in front of Rias Gremory of all people. He wanted to hide. He wanted to-

Red hair? Issei noticed a mass of red hair sprawled across his covers.

R- Ri-

He blinked several times and rubbed his eyes.

No, no, this had to be a dream. There was no way that Rias Gremory would be here, sleeping next to his bed in the Nurse's office.

He pinched his arm, sending a jolt of very real pain through his body.

She was still there. She was sleeping so casually and snoring so lightly. And her face was dangerously close to his-

Issei placed both hands over his crotch. Any more and he would have to explain too many things to the school nurse. He quietly began taking off the blanket to slip out of bed.

No, there was no way. If he stayed here any longer, he was going to get ripped into pieces by all the boys in the school. Issei may have been a self-proclaimed lover of tits but how was he going to love and see all the tits in the world if he was dead.

He needed to go.

He needed to find Shin or Mitsuki or hell, even Sora-nee.

"Ok, I just need to be quiet-"

However, the world was not on Issei's side. His wrist struck the bedside table, sending a wave of jitters up his arm. The noise was loud enough to wake the girl who slept so peacefully on his bed.

"Mmm? You're awake already?"

Issei mechanically turned his head to see Rias rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She yawned as she sat up.

She was awake.

"Hey? Are you alright? Did you hit your head too hard on the ground? Do I need to go get the nurse?" she asked with a worried tone in her voice.

Issei, despite his growing nervousness at being alone in a room with such an inhumanly beautiful girl, managed to smile. "N- No! I'm fine really! You don't need to go so far for someone like me, Prez."

Issei blinked.

Prez?

Rias had a surprised look on her face when she heard the word leave his mouth. She brought her hand up to her mouth and stifled her laughter. "Pffft…"

She was laughing.

"P- Prez? Pfft, ahaha! Are you perhaps looking to apply?" Rias asked, smiling warmly at him.

"A- Apply?" he asked, gulping.

"Mmm? To my club, of course," Rias said.

Ah. That's right. Rias had a club. Her club was quite famous around the school and was known as a gathering ground of the most iconic characters in the school. The Yamato Nadeshiko, Akeno Himejima. The School Mascot, Koneko Toujou. The Prince of Kuoh, Yuuto Kiba, idol of the Kendo Club. And there was of course, Rias Gremory herself.

But officially on paper, the place was known as the Occult Research Club, located in the old school building. Wait, how did he know she was in a club? Issei was about to scratch his head in confusion when he saw her face.

"Are you not looking to apply?" Rias asked with a slightly disappointed look on her face.

"Um… ahhhh…"

"Pfft, no need to look so stiff. I'm just teasing," Rias said. "I was a little taken aback when you called me Prez. Only Sona gets called that in public. I think it's cute."

"Ah, yes," Issei said. He blushed. Rias called him cute. The Rias Gremory called him cute. There was just no way.

"Anyway, you really scared me earlier, Ise. You just passed out on us," Rias said, moving a stray strand of her hair.

Issei nodded dumbly.

"Ah! Where's Shin and Mii?" Issei asked, noticing that neither of his childhood friends were in the room. Did they… purposely leave him alone with Rias?

"Adashino and Furude? They went to get some food to bring back once you woke up," Rias said.

"I see. Wait, when did you start calling me, Ise?" Issei asked.

"Eh? Is that no good? I never did hear your reply on that," she said.

"N- no! It's okay! My friends call me Ise too!" Issei said.

"Ah, what a relief."

Issei just smiled in return. He felt like melting. Even beautiful people have beautiful personalities, he guessed. Her smile was enough to make him melt into a puddle. He was so going to brag to Motohama and Matsuda that Rias Gremory smiled at him. As he was lost in his own jumble of thoughts, he never noticed Rias's expression change for a brief second.

"Ah, Ise. Akeno is calling for me. I'll have to head out first, okay?" Rias said, getting off from her chair.

"Uh, yeah! Thanks for looking after me, Senpai," Issei said.

"Mmm? What's with that? I told you, didn't I?" she said.

A confused look crossed Issei's face.

"Don't call me, Senpai. Rias is just fine. We're friends now, aren't we?" Rias said.

"Y-Yeah…," Issei said.

Rias parted the curtain and walked toward the door of the Nurse's office. She placed her hand on the doorknob and paused for a few seconds.

"You know… about what I said earlier. Think about it okay? I wouldn't mind having someone as cute as you joining the Club," Rias said. She gave him a wink before opening the door and leaving the room.

Issei sat there, dumbfounded by this development. Was he finally going to graduate? Was he finally going to no longer be the only person in his friend group that was single?

Mii… Shin… years of me third-wheeling you two is finally going to come to an end! All I need to do is apply for the club and… wait, how do I…? Issei wondered.

"Mmm?" Issei saw a blank form sitting on the table. There was a magic circle etched into the center with a few words that Issei didn't understand. "Is this their club application form or a flyer?"

"Oi!"

Issei grabbed the sheet of paper and stuffed it into his pocket. He didn't know why he did it. It just felt… like he had seen that piece of paper before.

"Aniki…?" Mitsuki peeked her head inside the room.

"Mii?"

"Dude, you awake?" Shin asked.

The two walked in with bags of food in their hands. Where did they get the time to order all of this?

"Ah, Onee brought it. I called her and asked if she could bring us some lunch," Shin said.

Issei nodded.

Shin's older sister was one heck of a person to do that. And the Student Council must be extremely afraid of her to just let her walk in as she pleases.

"Rias didn't do anything weird to you, did she?" Mitsuki asked, sitting down in one of the chairs.

"No? Why?" he asked.

"No reason," Shin said.

"Oh, she did ask me one thing," Issei said.

The two perked up when they heard him. Issei almost felt like suffocating from the combined pressure of their stare. That saying really was true. The longer two people dated, the more they became like their partners.

"She wanted me to join her club!"

Shin's mouth hung open, and Mitsuki dropped her smoothie.

"WHAT!?"

He was alone today. Today, his friends were being functional members of society and so, Issei had to walk home alone. Shin was practicing with the other participants to go try out for the Informatics Olympiad. Mitsuki was with the Kendo Club, practicing and training the others for an upcoming meet with another school. Issei grimaced. He remembered when a third-year senpai tried to challenge Mitsuki to a match just like in a doujin he had once read. It was the last time he ever confused porn for reality.

Motohama and Matsuda weren't available either. Motohama had plans with his cousin while Matsuda had to go pick up his younger sister from the elementary school across town. And so, as it was on certain days a week, Issei had to leave school by himself.

"I don't even have a shift at the live house today," Issei grumbled.

He was truly alone today.

"But… why were Shin and Mii being weird about Rias wanting me to join her club?" Issei wondered.

"Oi! Wait a minute! Are you really going to join the ORC?" Shin asked.

"Aniki! Think about this! Think about what you're going to do? What would Irina think!? Remember what you promised!" Mitsuki said.

"Eh?" Issei blinked.

"Issei, we're not trying to tell you what to do but you really need to give it some thought," Shin said.

"Uh… huh," Issei replied.

Issei grumbled, remembering their words. It was just an offer. It's not like Issei was cheating on Irina or anything. They weren't even dating. All they did was have calls together. Why did they always think he and Irina were dating? Was it because Irina called him more than she did them?

"Besides… this might be my only chance to get a girlfriend and graduate from being a third wheel," Issei said.

As Issei approached the school gate, he noticed someone standing there. She was beautiful. Extremely so. Her beauty could very well rival that of the school's great ladies. Her uniform, however, did not belong to the school.

Is she from a different school? Issei thought. "Mmm?"

He decided to focus on her other features. She had long black hair, soft pink eyes, a large bust, and long legs with a round firm rear. There was a cute little P-shaped hair clip on her head. He felt steam escape his nose. She had all the features that a virile, young male high school student looked for.

Is she waiting for someone? Issei wondered.

Her eyes met his and Issei unconsciously froze. She looked familiar but he couldn't place where he had seen her.

The girl got off the wall and started walking slowly toward him.

"Are… Are you Hyoudou Issei-kun?" she asked.

"Y- Yes," Issei stuttered. No, Hyoudou! Calm down! This is it… This is… huh?

There was a warped, twisted grin on her face. Issei blinked a few times and saw nothing but a concerned expression on her face.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"Y- Yeah, um. You are…"

"Ah! My name is Yuuma! Amano Yuuma! And… um…" she began to blush and play with her hair.

Issei's heart began to beat out of his chest. Who was this cute creature?

Here it comes! Issei thought excitedly.

"I… I've always had feelings for you, Hyoudou-kun! Please! Will you go out with me?" she bowed and held out a bag of handmade cookies toward Issei.

At that moment, Issei's mind shut down.

Will you go out with me?

That phrase repeated in his mind over and over again. This was a dream. Truly, such words did not exist in Japanese, at least not for him.

He pinched his arm. Pain. This was real. This was very real. Issei had to fight to keep a shit-eating grin from breaking out across his face. This was his chance.

"Y- Yes! I'd love to!" Issei said, bowing in return.

"R- Really?" she asked. "You'll really go out with me?"

Issei nodded. "Yeah! I'd love to!"

Her face brightened up like the sun as she smiled at him. Issei almost had to look away. Her smile was completely blinding. Was this how other guys felt when they met their significant others? Truly, this was some sort of divine phenomenon created by God. It was the only logical explanation. Such radiance and beauty could not be explained by science.

"Thank God… Thank you so much! I'll… How about Saturday?" she asked.

Saturday? Yes, that would work. He could just ask Aka-nee to reschedule his shift and give it to Mii. Or if she's not there, then Hanako-nee could do something. He needed this Saturday off. He, Issei Hyoudou, was finally going to get a girlfriend.

"Yes! Yes! Saturday is fine," Issei agreed.

Today was Thursday. He had one more day to get ready. He needed advice. He needed advice from people who had girlfriends or a wife. That's right. He knew two people.

"That's great! I'll see you then, Issei-kun!" Yuuma said. "It's… okay if I call you, Issei-kun, right?"

Issei nodded vigorously.

"Then, you can just call me, Yuuma-chan~!" she replied.

Yuuma. They were on a first name basis already. At this rate, would Issei hit second base on the first date?

"Oh." She looked down at her watch. "I have to go. I'll see you by Central Plaza on Saturday at 10 am!"

10 AM.

He had a time.

He had two friends he could ask for advice.

A bunch of girls that he knew that could give him a makeover.

Issei was going to be ready for this date. He would even if it killed him.

"I can't wait to brag about this to Shin and Mii!" Issei said. "I need to get to Hatch Potch!"

And so, Issei ran out of the gate, determined to get to the live house.

Yes, I wrote another one. I didn't abandon the other two. Azure is on break and the other one is being worked on. This is the story that links both of them together and why so many concepts and characters seem the same. Anyway, have fun reading. Don't forget to leave a review because I'm a slut for reviews.