The entire village was now in an uproar at the wee hours of the morning. What had begun as people complaining of noise turned into people fearing for their lives. The attacks on the townsfolk had already set the entire village on edge but a brazen attack on the ruling family's home was all that was required to set the tinder box of fear ablaze. Villagers gathered outside the Furude Manor, clamoring in fear and demanding questions be answered.
Ayaka rubbed her forehead, seeing the group of rattled villagers before her. Her fellow clan heads were of no help to the situation. Yasuo was standing off to the side, silently enjoying the amount of pressure Ayaka was under while Hakua stood like a statue, watching her every move.
"Okay! Everyone, quiet down!" Ayaka said, trying to silence them.
Her words failed to reach the villagers as they continued trying to speak over each other.
The manor lights provided dim, flickering illumination that only served to annoy her even further.
"I said be quiet!" Ayaka unleashed a wave of ki pressure from her body that washed over the entire crowd.
The ground beneath her cracked forcefully, sending fragments of earth into the air and ionizing the atmosphere.
Her words and display of power proved to be effective as the crowd quieted down.
She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"I understand your concerns but rest assured, we have everything under control. My sister's son chased off the offenders but they lost them in the woods of Mount Benizakura. There is nothing more to be done here. I implore all of you to go back to your homes so we can begin working-"
"Why hasn't Shuen been apprehended!?" A villager asked.
"That's because-"
"Is it because of the rising number of half-bloods in our village?" another asked.
"Wha-? What does that have to do with-"
"Your family is the head of the town! Do something about Moryo's curse!" one other said.
Ayaka suppressed the urge to groan.
"Please be calm. We are trying our best to effectively deal with this situation! The sooner you all go home, the sooner I can start dealing with this!" Ayaka urged.
"You heard what she said! Head home! All of you!" Yasuo suddenly spoke up. "After all, this is Ayaka Furude we are talking about. She is our village leader so you should all have more faith in her. Unless you want Moryo's curse to claim everyone here tonight!"
The villagers quieted down to a sea of hushed whispers. After a few minutes of speaking amongst themselves, the crowd dispersed to each their own, heading back to their houses.
"Thanks, Yasuo," she said.
"Hmph. We all know why Moryo's curse is much more active this year. Do something about it or I will," Yasuo said, stalking off.
Ayaka narrowed her eyes before glancing at Hakua, who had also left.
"Useless bastards," she cursed.
Ayaka turned around and opened the door to the manor to see Asia, Kureha, and Shin spill out onto the ground before her.
"I told you three to go to sleep- Akane! I told you to get them to bed!" she said.
"Sorry, Auntie but they…" Akane grabbed Kureha and Shin by the backs of their collars.
"Onee!"
"Aka-nee! Don't sell us out!"
"Riser, go get these four back into the house," Ayaka said, walking past them.
Riser nodded and helped Asia to her feet.
Akane let go of Kureha and Shin, who began dusting themselves off.
"I didn't think they'd be bold enough to attack the house," Kureha said, crossing her arms.
"I can't believe you chased them all the way to the woods," Akane said, glancing at her younger brother.
"We almost got them too but they used a Heavenly Bright talisman to disorient us," Shin said.
"No use crying over it now. We just need to get our pieces in order in case they try something again," Riser said, patting his shoulder.
"Whatever. You three should go back to bed. Riser and I are going to stay up and set up a new barrier around the house just in case they come back," Akane said, pulling a few talismans out of a magic circle.
"Onee, we can help-"
"You can help me by making sure that these two get back to the house. There's nothing more we can do here. Mom, Dad, and Aunt Ayaka are probably on this right now so we just have to sit and wait," Akane said, shutting down his protest.
Shin clammed up, clenching his jaw slightly. She was treating him like a kid again. Wait no… cut that train of thought, Onee's right. But… Shin thought.
A tug on his sleeve snapped him out of his inner monologue. He saw Asia pulling on his sleeve and he sighed.
"We'll see you guys back in the house," Shin said.
Riser and Akane only gave them subtle nods, not taking their focus off the series of Japanese and Arcane symbols that began encircling the house.
The rest of the night had passed without incident. The townsfolk were still voicing their concerns but Ayaka had assured them that they were on it. To prove that she was acting on the matter, she sent the most elite exorcists in the village to scope the edges of the town. Seeing this pacified the villagers if only by a small amount. But that reassurance allowed daily life to continue albeit with much fear. The festival preparations continued at a slowed and subdued pace.
Shin moved his feet, strafing and firing shots at the standing targets in front of him.
Touki and divine power flowed through his body and he vanished in a burst of speed. In the span of an instant, the targets were shredded, reduced to nothing by a hail of bolts from Failnacht.
It was an application of his style that he had been working on with Akane.
The mix of both swords and firearms.
A style imbued with his own personal concept.
"Are you still on edge about last night?" Vivi asked.
She sat on the edge of the porch, watching him go through forms.
"Who wouldn't be?" he said.
"Or are you more miffed that Akane dismissed you like that," she added.
Shin stiffened momentarily. He relaxed by taking a deep breath.
"It's not that I'm miffed. I just wish she let me help. I could have cast a Perfect Cube around the house or made a protection stave," Shin replied.
"I see. I guess even time inside your own head won't completely erase that feeling from you," Vivi said with a sigh.
"What?" Shin raised an eyebrow.
"You're still want to prove yourself. Well, I guess that's never changed but there's still some part of you obsessing over becoming Akane or proving that you're just as good as Akane," she said.
"I… It's not easy, you know. It's who I've been for the past four years. I've spent the past four years trying to prove to my sister that I'm good enough to stand next to her and seeing the gap between us become so massive… And now that I've spent time in my head that I never want to do again, I guess it's just me coming to terms with those feelings. Besides, I'm feeling a little aimless right now considering my one goal in life was not a goal at all. It was just a coping method. A horrible one at that," he admitted.
"There's nothing wrong with having aspirations. Just don't let them control you completely. And that's fair but don't let that get in the way of your training. There's still a lot we have to do. Creating another weapon from King Arthur's treasury was your next step but there was one other thing I wanted to have you do. I forgot to bring this up last night because of the whole debacle regarding the Shuen," Vivi said.
"Other thing?" Shin lowered his swords and looked over to Vivi.
Vivi sighed.
"Did you forget?" she asked.
"I… I have no clue what you're trying to get me to remember," he said.
"Figures. Listen closely. Your Stigma has undergone drastic changes and I don't even know if you can even enter it now," Vivi said.
"..." Shin said nothing.
Apotheosis.
It was the highest state of a Contractor. A form that brought out the full power of the Contract, elevating it to the level of their Sponsor's Authority. The Stigma would completely manifest on the user, changing their physical appearance. To compare, it would be similar to the Juggernaut Drive of the Divine Dividing and the Boosted Gear. And it was aptly named. A state that elevated its user to Godhood for a period of time.
"I've never even entered Apotheosis," Shin said.
"I know. I'm aware. I regret not bringing this up when we were training before the whole Kokabiel debacle but now's a good time as any. Listen up. Our enemy is the Goddess of Order and Chaos, Yaldabaoth, and the Horseman of War. We need to get serious with this and I need you to be at full power. No more training wheels. Your sister has keyed in on that too which is why she's training you even harder than before," Vivi said.
Shin nodded.
"You want to protect Akeno right?" she asked.
Shin's face flushed upon hearing her question. "W- Why did you bring her into this?" Shin sputtered.
"You said you're feeling a bit aimless. That's normal considering your goal is a goal that is very difficult to attain and thinking in the long-term is not something people do," Vivi said. "I figured that I might as well use Akeno as a motivator."
"O- Oi! It's…"
"Don't deny it. Otherwise, someone will take her away from you." Like what happened with Arthur, Vivi added the last part as an afterthought.
"I… I don't… I want Akeno to receive the best me. That's why I have to deal with everything regarding myself and Issei and Irina before I enter any sort of commitment. I don't want her to date someone half-baked as a person," Shin said.
"Well, that's all well and good but… we never know what will happen so I wouldn't put such stock into thinking that nothing will happen between you two," Vivi said.
"R- Right. Anyway, about Apotheosis!" Shin changed the subject before they got sidetracked.
"Right. You won't be able to enter Apotheosis in one day so don't expect to get it down," Vivi said.
"Okay, just explain how," Shin replied, dispelling the swords.
"Apotheosis is a state that can be achieved by any Contractor. A state that allows them to temporarily enter a state of Godhood for as long as their body can allow. Your body is subconsciously suppressing that form to prevent you from harming yourself by unleashing a flood of divine power from your Stigma," she explained.
"All we have to do is strengthen your body and begin mental training to overcome your subconscious instinct of repressing it," Vivi said.
"You make that sound easy," Shin said.
"Luckily, we have time. Here and at Kuoh. We'll practice every day as an addition to your training starting now," Vivi said.
"Now?" he raised an eyebrow.
It was a sudden move but seeing the house get raided must have rattled her.
"Sit," Vivi said.
Shin nodded and sat down in a cross-legged position.
"Good. Now, this part is the simplest but hardest part. As a Contractor, you're well attuned to your own Stigma and draw an amount of power from it but there is a set limit of divine power you can draw before having to recharge, no?" she said.
"Yeah," Shin said.
He closed his eyes and drew upon the divine power stored within the Stigmata, allowing it to flow through his body. A faint blue aura began to flow out of his body. He opened his eyes, which were glowing with a bright blue shine.
"That's because of your body instinctively putting a limit on yourself to prevent the divine power from overflowing. I call it your body's Shackles. Our goal now is for you to try and break these Shackles through sheer mental will," Vivi said.
She was now floating in front of him, resting her head on her hand.
"That sounds so easy when it's said," he said.
"That's why we're doing it. Unless you want me to do it Tenma's way and brute force our way through it," Vivi replied.
"Um…" Shin thought back to his grandfather, who had so graciously thrown him into the forests of Mount Benizakura. Though, to be fair, Shin had asked him to do so.
"No thank you," he said.
"Right. Anyway, close your eyes and began tracing your way back to the Stigmata."
Shin nodded and closed his eyes, focusing deep within himself.
"Follow the flow of the divine power in your body. Treat it like a river with many branches. All with different ends but one start. A lake. A reservoir."
He nodded, imagining the power he was feeling as a river. He followed that river until…
A burst of divine power exploded from his body that knocked him flat on his back.
"Ow… shit…" Shin groaned.
"This is going to take a while," Vivi said.
"I can keep going," Shin said.
"I know. Now, close your eyes and imagine that river once more," Vivi said.
Shin nodded and reconstructed the image inside his head. He had a clearer picture now. A river in which pristine, crystal blue divine power flowed through. In his mind's eye, Shin began walking along it, going in the opposite direction of its flow.
After following it for who knows how long, Shin found himself feeling weighed down. Each step became heavier and heavier as if some unknown force was dragging him down. The image of the river became harder to visualize as he struggled to maintain a mental grip on what he was doing.
Sweat dripped down his forehead as he tried to force his way through only for… another burst of Divine Power to surge from his body, disrupting his focus and knocking him back.
"Ow," he groaned.
"You lasted longer this time. Six minutes at least," Vivi said.
"It… it got harder the more I tried going forward," Shin said, clenching his fist.
"That's your body's primal instincts keeping you back. Every fiber of your existence is telling you to turn back which is why you're reacting like this whenever you try to go on," she explained.
"How do you know so much about this?" Shin asked.
"Arthur was in the same spot as you all those years ago. When Arthur was on his quest to make a Kingdom that would shine for 1000 years, learning Apotheosis was something he strove for. There were other Contractors in Britannia at that time who showcased the ability to Arthur and it was only through training and sheer luck that we discovered that he could do it as well, despite my status," Vivi said.
"So Arthur… called it Shackles?" Shin asked.
"That's what you got out of this?" Vivi raised an eyebrow.
"But to think that, King Arthur was doing this too," he said.
"That man was an idiot who brute-forced his way into it by facing death. When an animal is cornered, it gives into its will to survive and overcome all other base instincts. This was how Arthur was able to achieve it and it's not something I want you to go through," she said.
"Aww, you really do care," he teased.
"Oh, shut up. But in the end… it granted Arthur power at least a thousand times greater than he had at his best," Vivi said.
"A thousand times!?" Shin's eyes nearly bugged out.
"It has a steep cost. If you can't handle it, the amount of divine power coursing through your body can actually incapacitate you the longer you stay in it. Arthur fought in his Apotheosis form for several days but ended up being unable to fight at full strength. If he had fought any further, the strain would have undoubtedly killed him," Vivi replied.
Shin gulped and nodded.
"Now, let's continue to-"
"Shin! Oi, Shin!"
Vivi and Shin turned around to see Riser walking up to the porch.
"Ah, there you are. I was asking your dad where you were but he wasn't here so I asked Ran and she said you'd be in the back," he said.
"Eh? Riser? Aren't you supposed to be with Onee?" Shin asked.
"Apparently, only girls can go to the Shrine right now since they're practicing the Ryugami Kagura. Ravel is there too because your mom asked if she wanted to try doing it," Riser said, sitting down on the porch.
"Anyway… do you need something?" Shin asked.
"I was just coming over to see if you wanted to go hang out. You're my girlfriend's younger brother but we rarely spend much time together," Riser said.
"Oh, yeah sure! Let me get cleaned up!" Shin said, getting up.
"Wait a minute! What about Apotheosis!?" Vivi asked.
"Sorry! I promise I'll make up for it later. I'll be back!" Shin said.
"Err… ugh, fine. I'm going to go take a nap. Last night's events kept me up all night anyway," Vivi said with a yawn.
"So… where exactly are we going?" Shin asked, following behind Riser.
The older man was carrying a few fishing rods in one hand and a bucket in the other. Riser had forgone his usual maroon blazer and opened white button-up for something more simpler. He opted for a more simple outfit, wearing brown shorts and a white t-shirt.
The two had trekked a considerable distance from the town in the countryside summer heat. Shin could hear the cicadas chirping, wondering if something mysterious would happen if he ever heard them cry. He stepped over a rock and perked up when he heard the sound of rushing water.
"Fishing?" Shin asked.
"Yeah, I figured this would be a good way to take your mind off what happened last night. Your dad and grandpa told me that there were some good perch in this river," Riser said.
"Do… do you even know how to fish?" Shin asked.
Ran barked in agreement. The little dog had tagged along since Vivi had kicked her out of the room so she could take a nap.
"Well… I figured I could do trial by error," Riser said.
Shin nodded and the two broke the treeline, arriving on the rocky shore of the Serikawa River. The Serikawa River ran through the valley, feeding into the Sea of Japan. It fed and nourished the valley around it, sustaining both man, animal, and youkai alike. Legend had it that this valley was carved by Akatsuki Furude's Ama-Kakera-no-Ken when she sealed the Dragon of Fragments, Moryo, beneath Mount Benizakura.
But for now, it was a fishing spot for Shin and his older sister's boyfriend.
He didn't know how to feel. He figured that his feelings of slight animosity towards Riser were normal. After all, what sort of younger brother did not feel a little possessive over their kind and loving older sister?
Riser laid out the fishing gear next to him before finding a rock to sit on.
Shin grabbed a fishing rod and sat next to him.
Ran bounded up to Shin and hopped on his lap.
The two sat. Neither knew what to say.
Shin sat cross-legged, watching the stream pass by. The hot sun glared down at them like some sort of omnipotent god and it might as well have been. If anything, the sun was the most powerful entity in their solar system and was capable of wiping the Gods out should it ever decide to go supernova.
He decided now was the time to cast his line. Slinging his rod over his shoulder, Shin threw it forward, casting a line into the stream. The hook and bait landed with a satisfying plop into the waiting water. Another line landed next to it and out of the corner of his eye, Shin saw that Riser had done the same.
His eyes absentmindedly scanned his surroundings.
Perhaps it was a habit ingrained into him by his older sister or rather it was some sort of hidden trauma from his time spent within the woods of Mount Benizakura. Shin sat, waiting for a bite or for one of them to speak a word to the other.
To say the whole affair was awkward was an understatement. Even nature and the youkai in the woods seemed to shy away from the immense amount of anxiety radiated by the two.
Riser, who invited him out here, was now grasping for words as to how to formulate his sentences. He had invited Shin to try and get closer to him before asking him if it was okay. However, now, Riser was incapable of uttering even a 'hello'.
The two awkwardly sat, watching a perch swim through the clear water, squirting some sort of fluid into its surroundings. It was followed by a smaller perch, who swam by and let loose a white cloud from its underside.
"Did we just…" Riser began.
"Yeah. We just watched two fish do the deed," Shin replied.
After a few seconds, the two began laughing hysterically.
Ran rolled her eyes and laid her head down on her master's laugh.
"Oh, man! Our lines!" Riser said.
"Wait! It's fine! More of them will come by," Shin said, wiping a tear from his eye.
"Man. Never thought I'd see that today," he said.
"Yeah. Haah," Shin said, calming himself. "So… why did you bring me all the way out here? We could have done anything else but fishing?"
"Fishing's a good way for two men to bond, I heard," Riser said.
"Grandpa likes to say that a lot," Shin replied.
"Look, about last night-"
"It's fine. It's just I'm a little on edge because of it. And well…"
"Is it because Akane wouldn't let you help?" Riser asked.
"No. Well… maybe. It's complicated," Shin replied.
"Akane told me about your fight," he said, tugging on his line.
"She did? Well… I would be surprised if you didn't overhear our argument. I… I really hurt her," Shin said, gazing over the calm stream with a melancholic gaze.
"Yeah. Bringing up what happened four years ago and outright blaming her for it was the straw that broke the camel's back," Riser said.
"Look, everyone already tore into me for doing that. I've done more than just hurt my sister. I hurt my best friends too," he said.
"It looks like you're gonna have a rough time with that," Riser said.
"Hey, can I tell you something? And don't tell Onee about this. I may have told her how I felt but... I never told her everything," Shin said.
"Yeah, of course. Though I don't know for how long I can keep it secret," he replied.
Shin nodded before taking a deep breath. "Back in the dream world, the one the Baku put me through, I met myself. A darker version of myself. He threw all my faults back at my face. Showed me all my shortcomings and All I was doing for four years ever since Onee grounded me was coasting and the occasional training with Vivi. And all that time, I blamed her for something she never had a hand in."
Riser sat in silence, listening as Shin's words spilled out of his mouth.
"He was right. Yaldabaoth was right too. I propped who I was around being Onee. Helping Issei… there was a part of me that wanted to do it to look more competent. Maybe if I helped the Red Dragon Emperor become stronger, maybe I could get close to my older sister. Show her that my skills were competent enough to make Issei strong. Then… Kokabiel invaded Kuoh. Sophia and I faced him alone. Then, Onee came and saved us. I was reminded again and again that no matter how much I train, Onee will always be 10 steps ahead of me. So, I spiraled. I tried learning how to be Onee. I threw myself into obsessive training, thinking that I could finally break out of that rut that's been keeping me still.
"In the end, Yaldabaoth called me out for who I was. A hollow shell of a man pretending to be someone else. And then, I faced the real me. The one who I buried deep inside. The wide-eyed me who wanted to be just like his big sis really put things into perspective. I was using Onee and Issei to hide the fact that I felt helpless. Not about other things but about how I feel about myself. I felt jealous of Onee and later became obsessed with becoming as strong as she was. In the end, I barely made a dent in Kokabiel. I was humiliated by Yaldabaoth. And after that, I lashed out at the people I love because of my own weakness being shoved in my face. Hah, even now I guess nothing's changed. I'm still thinking like this… at this point, I'll end up just being a burden to Onee-"
"That's not true," Riser said, reeling in his line.
Shin raised an eyebrow.
"Look, I don't know you as well as your older sister does but I do know that despite everything you went through. The insecurity, the pain, the jealousy, you've changed. These past couple of days. You're different and I think you've grown stronger. And you've returned to that person I met all the way back at the post-Rating Game Ball. And you're most definitely not a burden. Especially to Akane," Riser said.
"Akane loves you and depends on you. I think she's told you this before. You're her strength, Shin. You are her reason to keep going. She mastered the Ama-Kakera-no-Ken at the age of 8 and developed the Musou-no-Onigari-Ryuu so you can depend on her as much as she depends on you. So don't sell yourself short. You might not be as strong as your big sis now but strength manifests itself in different ways. And you got it where it counts," Riser said, tapping his chest with his fist.
Shin's eyes widened a little before a small smile spread across his face. "Thanks, Riser. I… I don't know what to say…"
"Hey man. Guy talk. I know there are things you can't share with your Onee and Ravel is the same though she runs off to our Mom or Akane," he said.
"Yeah," Shin replied.
The two sat in a more comfortable silence this time. A few minutes passed by with no bites on their line when Shin opened his mouth to change the subject to something a tad bit more lighthearted.
"Hey, I got a random question. How did you get Onee to date you? She might be scary but ever since middle school, lots of guys ask her out. Even Issei tried but he got shot down. It's only in Kuoh that no one asks her out," he said.
"Your sister? I actually met Akane six years ago. About a year and a half before your accident," Riser said.
"A year and a half? Wait… you met Onee all the way back then?" Shin asked.
"Yeah. I was fifteen. Yubelluna was my only piece. I was headed to China to find some more when I ran into your older sister," Riser said. "You see back then, I don't know if you knew but I was pretty obsessed with Rias Gremory."
"You were?" Shin asked, reeling his line in before casting it out once more.
"Mm. Our parents set us to marry once she reached a certain age. Of course, I was ecstatic. Rias was the gem of the Underworld. A blood ruby that many devils fought over just to have. The sister of the Current Lucifer. Of course, there was Princess Sophia but she was untouchable and unknowable so no one really paid her any heed," he said.
"I think Sophia liked it better that way," Shin said.
"Yeah, I bet she did. But where was I? Oh right! China! I was there to recruit as many…" Riser looked around, trying to sense Akane's ki before leaning in to whisper into Shin's ears. "Before I met your sister, I was trying to build myself a harem. I just needed the martial artist chick and I heard about her on my trip there."
"Hah?" Shin had a perturbed look on his face.
"Honestly, I don't know what I was thinking back then. But I heard about Xuelan through the Underworld Grapevine and not the Devil one. The criminal underworld of China. She was a martial artist who fought in tournaments for money. People called her the Heaven's Skyward Fist," Riser said with as much bravado as an announcer.
"That's a bit…"
"Excessive, right? I never got what the point of titles and epithets were even back then. Well, your Onee is the one exception though," Riser said.
"Vermillion Star is a position rather than a title. Though… she did have a few others and she had that one before she became a member of the Seven Stars," Shin said.
"Huh. So yeah, but I was there in China. I approached Xuelan with the intent of reincarnating her when these… I think they were members of the Chinese Mafia who attacked her. Man, I can still remember it like it was yesterday…
"Xuelan had just won an underground martial arts tournament in China in order to feed her family. On the way back, she got ambushed and Yubelluna and I fought them off. It was kind of weird to say the least. I was basically beating up a bunch of humans far weaker than me. Let me tell you, the difference between people in manhua and people in real life are-"
"You believed that Chinese people were the same as they were in manhua? That's like when Rias-senpai believed that you could make manga situations in real life," Shin said.
"I know. It was weird but anyway, after the fight, your older sister came in and stopped me. I remember it because she had a boot to my throat and Sakura pointed at my face," he continued.
Akane placed her boot on Riser's throat, grinding her heel on his trachea.
Riser gasped, weakly grabbing her ankle.
"I saved her from those men!" Riser hacked.
"Men that you hired!" Akane snarled.
"I didn't! I swear on the pride of House Phenex!" Riser said.
Akane raised an eyebrow. Swearing on the pride of one's house was a serious thing to do in Devil society. If this man was willing to go this far just to prove a point… Akane sighed and sheathed her blade.
"Wait… so Onee thought you were going to kidnap Xuelan?" Shin asked.
"Yep," Riser popped the 'P'. "The way your sister and I met was all a misunderstanding. Imagine how hurt my pride was at that age. A fifteen-year-old boy and a High-Class Devil getting his ass thrown through three dozen buildings by a girl who was a whole year younger than he was."
"What happened after?" Shin asked.
"What do you think? Your sister kicked my and Yubelluna's ass through several walls and caused millions in property damage. It took me begging to keep her from driving Sakura through my chest," Riser said, chuckling. "I want to say that it wouldn't have done anything but… you know Akane."
Shin nodded.
Even at a young age, before he had gone out to do jobs with his family, Shin was very well aware of the reputation his older sister had made for herself.
"And? What happened after?" Shin asked.
"Well, I explained the situation to her and she took it surprisingly well," he said.
"That's… surprising," Shin said, shocked that his sister didn't behead Riser then and there.
"I know."
"That still doesn't answer my question. How did you get Onee to date you?" Shin asked.
"Simple. I went for it. After that, your sister and I would keep running into each other, whether it was on a mission or when we were just going out. The coincidences kept piling up…"
"And then, the whole incident with you happened," Riser said.
"Me?"
Riser nodded.
"I heard from Lady Leviathan that you were in the hospital when she raided our house for Phenex Tears and I offered to give you mine," Riser said.
Shin's eyes widened. "W- Why? We've never even met at that point," Shin said.
"I know but… I love your sister. I didn't want to see her so… broken like that," Riser said.
"Akane! Akane!" Riser ran inside the halls of Serafall Memorial Hospital and slowed down when he saw four people standing outside the room.
He recognized the Governor General of the Grigori. It was hard not to. There were photos of him in Devil History books and Riser could sense the massive amount of Divine Power flowing through his body. However, the Governor General looked fatigued and sported several injuries.
Riser froze when his blue eyes locked with two pairs of violet and hazel-orange eyes.
Rowan and Akari Faulkner.
His girlfriend's parents.
He had yet to properly meet them but to think that their first meeting would be here in the hospital.
"Mmm? The Third Son of House Phenex?" Serafall said, raising an eyebrow upon seeing him.
Riser swallowed a lob of spit audibly and puffed himself up. He needed to make a good presentation in front of his best friend's parents or at the very least, survive an encounter with her father.
"I'm here to see her," Riser said.
Serafall quirked an eyebrow and nodded. "Rowan. Akari. This is one of Akane's benefactors. The Third Son of Phenex. The two often work together."
"Really now?" Rowan's eyes narrowed.
Before Riser could say anything, Akari placed a hand on her husband's shoulders.
"Akane is fine. Serafall just put her to sleep with a spell," she said.
"Oh." was all Riser could say. "So why is she…?"
Rowan ran a hand through his hair and sighed in frustration. "Our wayward daughter went on a rampage in Grigori Territory and mutilated their most elite team of Sacred Gear Wielders, slaughtered dozens of Fallen Angels, and injured the entirety of the Cadre. Azazel and Serafall had to knock her unconscious and bring her here."
"Wait… Akane would never go on a rampage. What happened?" he asked.
Akari bit her lip as a few tears streaked down her face. "Our son… was injured on a joint operation by Tobio Ikuse. His wounds were lethal and well… we don't know if he's going to make it. His body is resisting Phenex Tears and we don't know why-"
"It's probably his Stigmata," Azazel said.
"Anyway, we're contemplating a Phenex Tear drip but that has to be prepared in advance," Serafall said. "And we don't have time to-"
"I'll do it."
"What?" Rowan said.
"I'll provide the Phenex Tears for the drip," he said with more confidence this time.
"Why?" Akari asked, "You don't even know our son."
"Yeah, but I do know Akane and the last thing I want to see is to see her cry," Riser said. "She's my best friend and I'd do anything to see her smile."
Rowan and Akari glanced at each other before turning to Serafall.
The Maou Leviathan was sporting a massive smile on her face. "Well, that's settled then. Let's get you comfortable, Mister Third Son."
"After that, I began wanting to see her more often so…"
"So?" Shin said.
"I began visiting Kuoh under the guise of seeing Rias but in reality, I used that time to meet up with your older sister," Riser said.
"Wait… what?" Shin said.
"We began keeping contact with each other and Akane would tell me when she went on solo missions so we just kept meeting up. After she finished, we would hang out and go on… dates. At that point, I didn't know if your sister liked me until… one day, I just decided to ask her. We were in Takamagahara because Akane had a bodyguard job for Lady Tsukuyomi. We were watching the Kagura of Ame-no-Uzume when I decided to confess to her out of the blue," Riser said.
"Onee must have been very surprised," Shin said, looking out at the lake.
"Heh. She was. Your sister was also worried. I was already engaged to Rias during the time we knew each other but I was unhappy. Rias constantly expressed her displeasure for our engagement and while at first, I was excited to be dating the Demon Lord's Sister, I was it as a cage too. I told your sister that for her, I would even leave House Phenex just to be with her."
Riser smiled and closed his eyes.
"Wow." Shin reeled in his line and removed the fish. He tossed it in the half-full bucket. "You were really prepared to leave House Phenex just to date Onee?"
"Of course, I was. I couldn't think of a life without your older sister by my side so I was prepared to cast everything aside just so I could be with her. You know what they say. True love makes people act like an idiot," Riser said.
"That sounds super corny, Riser," Shin said.
However, a smile crept onto his lips.
"But it sounds like something Onee would say. She really loves you, you know," he said.
Riser smiled.
"That's why I'm thinking of popping the question to her at the end of all this," Riser said.
"Popping the what now?" Shin asked.
Ran perked her head up from Shin's lap and tilted her head.
Oh? What's this? Vivi said.
V- Vivi!
Shut up. I'm listening to what this himbo has to say, she said.
"Yeah. I want to ask Akane to marry me during the festival. What do you think?" Riser asked.
Shin froze. Riser's words repeated over and over within his head, overtaking his thoughts in mere seconds. The mere notion of his older sister marrying someone was an alien concept to him. His older sister. The one constant in his life through thick and thin marrying someone was terrifying to Shin.
What if Akane stopped spending time with him afterward? Was he supposed to just sit there and accept it?
Onee… marrying Riser? he thought.
It sounds terrifying, doesn't it? Vivi asked.
I…
But think about this Shin. Your older sister loves Riser with all her heart and soul. Are you really going to stand in the way of your sister's happiness just because you can't let her go?
I'm scared, Vivi. What if Onee stops spending time with me because of her marriage to Riser? Shin asked.
You silly idiot. Akane will never stop being your older sister just because she's getting married to Riser. She loves you too much for that. All you can do is be there for her and support her through this joyous moment of her life, Vivi said.
Shin tightened his grip around the fishing rod, replaying Riser's question in his head one last time. He let out a sigh before facing Riser with a smile.
"I… I don't feel comfortable at the idea of Onee getting married but… if it's you, then I guess it's fine," Shin said.
Riser glanced at Shin with a slightly surprised expression. A small smile crept into his face. "So is that a yes?" Riser asked.
"What do you think?" Shin said with a cheeky grin on his face.
"Holy shit! I thought you'd be the hardest to convince!" Riser said.
"No, that's Mom and Dad," Shin replied.
"I already asked your parents and… Akari said she's happy for us and held your dad back from crushing me inside a black hole," he said.
"That sounds like dad alright," Shin chuckled.
"Yeah, it does," Riser said.
"If you want to propose to Onee, I think doing it after she finishes the Ryugami Kagura would be the perfect time. I can tell Mom, Dad, and Aunt Ayaka and they can pull some strings to get you up there," Shin said.
"Really?" Riser asked.
"Yeah, really," Shin said. "Just don't break my sister's heart okay?"
"I won't. You know I'd rather die before that happens. I fought tooth and nail and let myself get stabbed in the chest just to break the engagement with Rias," Riser said.
"I know. Hah, this is just something I'm obligated to say as her younger brother," he replied.
They sat silently for a few seconds, listening to the cicadas singing around them. The refreshing sound of the flowing creek resonated in their ears, washing all their worries away as if they were grime on a stone.
"Hey, Shin. I promise. I'll make Akane happy," Riser said, breaking the silence.
"Hmph. I know. You already are," Shin said.
Shin hated to admit it but his older sister was the happiest he had seen her whenever she was with Riser. And who was he to stand in the way of her happiness?
And so, the two sat comfortably next to each other, watching as the sun began to dip in the horizon.
"We should head back now," Riser said, watching the sun setting on the horizon.
"Yeah, I think we got enough fish," Shin said, looking into the bucket.
"Hey, don't tell your sister, okay? I contacted Yubelluna yesterday and I have the ring with me already. Ravel's holding onto it for me," Riser said.
"I won't. Trust me. It's better if it's a surprise," Shin said.
"They're not back yet?" Akane asked, seeing Vivi lazing on the couch.
"Nope," Vivi said.
She had heard the conversation between Riser and Shin by pure coincidence and now… she was not going to ruin such a romantic surprise. Vivi smiled and levitated into the air, lying on her right with her head propped up by her hand.
"Those two went fishing. They said they'd be back once they caught a lot of fish," Vivi said.
"Don't worry about them, Akane. Riser and Shin can take care of themselves," Rowan said, looking up from his magazine.
"But… the creek is close to the treeline. I'm just worried Shuen might try to pull something-"
As if on cue, the door opened and Shin and Riser walked in laughing. Riser carried a bucket full of fish in his hand while Shin carried their fishing rods.
"No way! Onee did that?" Shin asked.
"I did what?" Akane asked, causing them to stop in their tracks.
"Oh nothing. Just telling Shin that time we ran into each other in France," Riser said.
"Uhuh," Akane said with narrowed eyes.
"I got the fish," Riser said, holding the bucket up.
"Oh good. We can filet it and make something good tonight," Akane said, taking the bucket.
"Do you need help?" Riser asked, following her into the kitchen.
"Are you actually going to help me this time?" she teased.
Akane walked over and wrapped her arms around his neck. A cheshire smile spread across her face when she saw Riser's face turn red.
"O- Of course, if there's one thing I'm confident in, it's frying things," Riser blustered.
"Oh~? Okay, then. Come on. Let's start making dinner," Akane said, removing her arms from around his neck. However, she decided to tease him a little bit more.
She brought her finger up, underneath his chin, and traced the underside of his jaw.
Riser shivered at the sensation of her caress as he followed her into the kitchen.
Shin stood there, watching the whole thing awkwardly.
"Did he tell you?" Rowan asked.
"Yeah, he did."
"And?" Rowan raised an eyebrow.
Shin merely smiled at his father's question before sitting down on the couch. Rowan chuckled and wiped a tear that threatened to fall from his eye.
This chapter was a nice little break from the ongoing events of this current arc. Riser proposing to his girlfriend is a kind of sweet event. Shin also admitting how he feels about the whole psychedelic encounter within his own head and how it's affecting him emotionally and psychologically to his future brother-in-law. And then a little tidbit set up for a future event in the next arc regarding the full power of a Contractor.
Rest assured, the next chapter will slam us right back into the path of the current arc of which we are nearing its end. To answer a few questions, there was a very good question about Sacred Gears, particularly the Boosted Gear and Divine Dividing, and their relation to Laws. First off, those two are not related to the Law of Conquest. Sacred Gears are more related to another Law than Conquest. All will be revealed a little later. But for now, you are on the right track that all Sacred Gears, not just DD and BG, are all related to a Law. Just not the Law you mean.
This is the first post of the New Year too. How fitting. Anyway, Azure is also up on Ao3 though it is just Arcs 1 and 2.
So yeah, please leave a review. Like. Follow. Go read my other fics like The Doomsday Option.
Go read Cat Got Your Tongue too! It just updated and it's glorious. You might see familiar characters such as our unholy lovechild of Nanami Yasuri and Vergil.
Anywhoozles, that's it for me.