Chapter 3: A Simple Day Out
Kuoh Town, on the surface, was nothing special.
Known for having a somewhat higher percentage of catholics than most japanese towns, and a rather rich tapestry of local myths and folklore, it was still seen mostly as just someone's hometown, a beautiful place to raise a family to grow in before eventually moving away for greener pastures or more exciting places. It was the pinnacle of Everytown, Japan.
That being said… that wasn't entirely true.
Because you see, this town was Devil territory. Specifically, it was the responsibility of Rias Gremory and Sona Sitri (under the alias Shitori). And they liked to think that no one moved in or out of town without their knowledge. Anything related to the supernatural (well, natural but dangerous to her) was to be dealt with accordingly. They took their duties as the town's co-overseer very seriously.
It was a stressful job at times, especially for Rias, since she had more problems than the average 18 year old would or should (arranged marriage, notwithstanding), but someone had to ensure that this town didn't end as the hunting grounds of vile entities, a battlefield… or a crater.
That being said, Rias did her best to keep her graceful and polite demeanor, even as Koneko told her about the latest problem she was going to have to deal with.
"So these people, they only arrived in town this morning?" Her Knight, Kiba Yuuto, muttered with a concerned frown. Currently, most of her peerage had gathered in the Occult Research Club room and were listening to Koneko reporting from Rias' phone as it rested atop the table on speaker mode.
"Yes. They checked into a motel downtown, and left." Koneko, a petite girl with silver hair, reported through Rias' phone. "I'm following the… the one in black right now."
"Any word from Sona?" Rias asked her Queen.
"I'm afraid we're alone on this one. She took everyone in her peerage to the Underworld today." Akeno Himejima, a black-haired beauty and Rias' best friend, reported with a shake of her head.
"What could possibly demand all their attention?" Kiba asked aloud.
"Technically, it was only supposed to be Sona. Orders from the Satan Leviathan. The rest are… emotional support or on other errands." Akeno then informed.
"Oh." Was all that Rias could say to that. That certainly explained it. "Hm, well, are you sure they are all human?"
"..." That was odd. Koneko rarely, if ever, hesitated.
"Koneko?" Rias got out in concern.
"Two out of five are not human. The one in black smells like a nekomata." Koneko eventually answered. "And the other… is a dog."
"A nekomata walking amongst human girls?" Rias muttered with a small frown. "That is stra- wait, did you just say… dog?"
"A small corgi to be precise."
"...And you just said that they have just as strong of a presence as the girls, and is not a familiar?" Rias said.
"Yes. That is correct."
"...Okay then." Rias, the King of their group, breathed out a sigh.
In all honesty, she knew why her Rook didn't answer as soon as she could. Black cats often bring bad luck, especially when she's the most wanted woman in the Underworld.
"So, what's our move here, buchou?" Kiba asked.
"We need to ensure they're not a threat, first." Rias answered. "For all we know, they could be rogue agents of the Church who are trying to disrupt our already shaky stalemate."
"And if they're not?" Akeno questioned.
"We should watch from a safe distance unless absolutely necessary." Rias advised. "There's no telling what they're capable of or how they'll react if anyone approaches them. Koneko, where are the rest of the girls going?"
"From what I heard… I think the white one is heading for some tourist spots. The yellow one is heading for the clubs in the entertainment district. As for the red one and her dog, I think she's simply exploring."
"Hm, the nearest tourist spot to that motel is the shrine. Buchou, I will go there and observe White-san." Akeno decided with a bow.
Rias winced. "Are you sure?"
"I am." Akeno replied with her usual smile. Her King wanted to ask her to follow someone else, but there was no point in arguing.
"It's strange for someone to go to nightclubs and bars at such an early hour." Kiba remarked, narrowing his eyes. "I'll go there and see Yellow-san to ensure nothing unsavory is going on."
"And that means you'll be looking after Red-san." Akeno looked at Rias with a smile.
"I wish I could. As much as I'd like to see these girls myself, I'm afraid that I still have work to do here." Rias sighed as she shook her head. "There was a missing person's report this morning that I'd like to look into since I have a feeling it was caused by a Stray. Plus, someone has to stay here and manage requests if they pop up."
"What about your familiar?"
"She's handing out flyers and checking on Issei Hyoudou-san." Rias informed as she rubbed her forehead. And she knew everyone else's familiars were off doing their own important tasks around town.
As much as she would like to have everyone under surveillance, her current lack of manpower made that difficult. Besides, as far as she knew, they could just be tourists with no ill-intentions.
"Ara, ara~ Still interested in recruiting him?" Akeno assumed with a sly smile.
"I've been interested in him ever since we managed to determine he has a Sacred Gear. " Rias reminded her friend. "And I called dibs from Sona." She then added with a childish pout.
"Hm, I think I remember a rumor saying that he got himself a girlfriend." Akeno soon recalled. "I didn't think someone as infamous as he would end up finding love."
"Yeah…" Rias agreed with a small frown.
A girl shows up out of nowhere and asks him out on a date? That raised some alarm bells, but it wasn't that much of an uncommon occurrence on Earth, right? Love at first sight is a thing, after all. At least they had a choice in who to love…
"Well, it shouldn't be too hard to track them down. I want hourly reports. When they go back to their motel, come back here but leave your familiars behind. They might be more active after the sun goes down."
"Hai, Buchou." Her peerage responded with a nod.
"Now, off you go. Be safe out there, all of you." Rias said with a kind smile.
Akeno and Kiba nodded before heading out, while Koneko simply hung up.
Once they left, Rias stretched her limbs and leaned back on the couch, relaxing a little once she confirmed she was alone in the clubroom. Akeno had made some tea before she got the call from her Rook, so she hoped it was still warm enough she could enjoy a cup as she worked.
Hopefully, things will go smoothly today.
Weiss really hoped things would go smoothly today.
It's not that Team RWBY was cursed (she hoped), it was just that… trouble tends to run into them anywhere they go. To be fair, some times they'd walk (or run) into it themselves, but still!
They were supposed to be training to become Huntresses, slayers of Grimm, not vigilantes that would get involved with crime syndicates and terrorists. Next thing you'd know, they'd probably be forced to save Remnant from a world-ending threat!
And so, Weiss wished for this mission to go off without a hitch. Just a nice learning experience about this new world, taking some time to enjoy what it has to offer before they head back to Beacon.
That would be the ideal outcome. But it pays to be prepared.
When they left the motel, they had all taken their instrument carry bags with them, just in case they needed their weapons and ammo. Hopefully, no one would ask them for street performers while they're here.
Weiss shifted her bag a little. It was supposed to be for a keyboard, which Myrtenaster fit comfortably in, but there wasn't anything else in it. It felt strangely light since she didn't bring as many Dust vials to refill her weapon as she would have liked to, but she checked it herself and lo and behold: all her extremely expensive Dust was useless.
Well, she could deal with it. Her transcendental fencing skills and her master-crafted blade should surely suffice, and anyways combat shouldn't be necessary. And it was not like she was going to run into a King Taiju in the middle of town.
"Okay… this should be it…" Weiss whispered as she quickly checked the map on her phone. This looked like the place that was recommended online. In front of her was a red arch and some surprisingly steep steps, where one came up to about her knees.
She expected more people around, but being alone allowed her more time to study the place and she could probably do whatever she wanted without getting embarrassed or scolded.
However, she soon realized she wasn't actually by herself here, as she found a traditionally-dressed woman in white and red, sweeping just outside the entrance.
Weiss' eyes widened. She had never seen such a woman before, neither in Remnant nor Earth. She looked so… serene, simply standing there, cleaning the floor. She looked about her age and– sweet mistralian watermelons, what sort of genetic lottery gave her a figure like that!? She made Yang's proportions look plain!
"Fufufufu~ You're staring~ There's no need to be jealous, you know?"
Wait, she was? Oh yes, yes she was.
"No need to be so embarrassed. I take it as a compliment." The girl in the shrine maiden outfit giggled lightly. "I'm Akeno, pleased to meet you."
"I'm– wait, why are you speaking in‐?" Weiss sputtered out.
"You just have that look to you." Akeno answered with a cheeky smile. "Lots of foreigners come to visit these areas on their first visit to Japan, and you tend to pick up on a few things. You came here to pray for good luck?"
"Pray?" Weiss repeated with a raised eyebrow before looking up at the red arch. "Is that what this place is for?"
"Hm, I expected someone visiting to read about our culture before coming here." Akeno remarked before looking up the stairs. "Shrines were made as a place of worship for the many, many gods and fortunes of Japan. Many come here to pray for favors or to simply give gifts and offerings as thanks. You should really try it at least once. After all, no tour of Japan is complete without visiting a shrine."
Weiss let out a hum of understanding. "So, Earth has religions as well. It might be interesting to look into Japan's mythology. I'm not particularly religious myself, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to try." She thought.
"I guess I will." Weiss soon decided. She then stopped herself from leaving as she realized something. "Will you… show me how it works?" She asked of the attractive… priestess?
"Oh, yes. I would love to. Follow me." Akeno replied with a bow.
Weiss nodded before she followed the other girl up the steps.
The shrine was well-maintained but devoid of anyone. She thought it would be a little more… crowded, but she guessed she just came at a bad time.
"Praying is rather simple." Akeno soon began. "Just put some money into the donation box over there and bow slightly, then put your hands together, and offer up your prayers. Once you are ready to leave, bow again."
Hm, it seemed easy enough. Everyone had 20,000 yen in coins and cash, so it didn't hurt to drop some into the box. She then did what she was told to do, clapping her hands together and closing her eyes. Standing there in silence, she didn't particularly think of any deity to pray to.
So, she simply stood there, quietly allowing the world to go on without her for a few minutes. It was… honestly, sort of nice to enjoy the peace and quiet, especially with someone else with her.
Once she felt like enough time had passed, she bowed again. "Okay, I think I'm done here."
"Did you have a good time?" Akeno asked.
"It was… enlightening." Weiss answered. "Do you know any other spots I can go to?"
"How about I give you a tour instead? It would be easier to have a guide taking you around." Akeno soon offered.
"I really shouldn't. You seem busy." Weiss got out, looking rather unsure.
"Oh, I was about to end my shift here." Akeno assured. "Allow me to change into something more comfortable and I'll walk with you. I'll show you some more nice spots."
"Um, I guess I would like that."
"But first, you didn't answer my earlier question."
"Hm? Oh, I'm so sorry." The white-haired girl soon realized before holding out her hand. "I am Weiss Schnee."
"Huh, German." The supposed shrine maiden remarked as they shook hands. "That's not a common pronunciation."
"I'm not German, myself." Weiss claimed. She didn't know what German was.
"Alright. Well, stay here. I will be right back." Akeno responded before heading off, disappearing around the corner. It was barely a minute later when she came back in more casual clothing. "Okay, let's get going."
"That was… awfully fast." Weiss noted with a raised eyebrow.
"Thank you, I'm a quick changer. Now, follow me."
Weiss nodded before doing as instructed.
"Do you mind telling me why you're here?" The priestess? Clergywoman? The mysterious girl asked. "Judging by your bag, I guess you're part of a band."
"Uh, yeah. We call ourselves… RWBY." Weiss answered, wincing a little. "We're just staying here for a short while. We are traveling for inspiration."
"Hm, I guess I must listen to your music. Is it online? Do you have a CD in there?"
"Erm, we're pretty underground…" Weiss replied. "We aren't ready for that type of thing." She then added.
"Well, tell me when you are. I'll be your first listener." The other girl replied with a kind smile.
Weiss soon smiled back as she followed Akeno. Huh, that almost made her appreciate her singing. Maybe, if they ever meet again, she might let her listen to her actual music.
Maybe this mission wouldn't be so bad.
Koneko knew she should've followed someone else. Maybe the red girl or the yellow girl, but no. She had taken it upon herself to follow the one who just so happened to look way too close to a certain wanted criminal.
Maybe this was an illusion. Maybe she was overreacting. Maybe she was just scared. But she would not let her hurt anyone.
Which was why she was inside a bookstore, sitting down at a table reading the first book she could reasonably grab while watching her target collect and read books.
…You know, if Koneko was less paranoid, she would've immediately calmed down a little, since her big sister detested books with a passion. However, this was a situation where you don't give the benefit of the doubt here.
She seemed sane so far, though, but that's what everyone thought before she killed her King, so Koneko kept at a safe distance away, just close enough to rush in and stop her.
Ah, she was starting to move out of her sight. She needed to follow.
Getting up from the table, she silently walked over and checked out a few nearby books while glancing over them to the girl's basket.
Cookbooks, Japanese history, Japanese mythology, some manga from the popular section…
"Strange." Koneko whispered, narrowing her eyes a little. Kuroka wouldn't be all that interested in these subjects. Well, maybe she would read the manga but-
"Is something wrong?"
Koneko flinched as she saw the black clad girl looking over at her with narrowed eyes. She was spotted!
"You've been looking my way since I came in. Do you need something from me?" She soon asked.
The Rook… froze, for a lack of a better term. She just didn't know how to respond. Eventually, she simply grabbed another book and headed off.
"...That… was strange." Blake soon thought. "Maybe she's just scared to talk." She assumed before resuming her browsing.
Meanwhile, Koneko tried to calm her breathing as she hid around the corner. Why did she get so close? That was too dangerous! Her senpai would scold her for such a rookie mistake.
And despite all that, she still wasn't quite sure if it was her sister under an elaborate disguise. This entire thing was making a mess of her mind!
Still… she must continue her observations. She couldn't let her out of her sight for much longer. So, she poked her head out to check what the other girl was doing…
Her target was still looking around, before finally spotting something, and then she quickly checked her surroundings before sneakily heading to the…
The… adult section…?
Despite her impassive face, Koneko still blushed as she saw all the advertisements and book covers with… extraordinarily gifted women and extremely handsome men. Well, it's not like Koneko could really call the women on the covers really unusual, considering Akeno and Rias, but…
And… was she… looking like she had just entered heaven?
Koneko could only stare as she watched the girl begin to pick a few adult romance books into her basket.
"Pervert." Koneko said in an unamused manner.
She knew perversion could affect both genders (how else to explain the existence of Aika Kiryū?) but this had to be the universe playing yet another cruel joke on her. Had her insanity made her sister indulge in the more dirty forms of pleasure?
Or… was she just following around a perverted girl who just so happened to share similar features to her big sister?
Taking another sniff, she focused on the particular smells she sensed: cats, fish, death…
But… nothing of their shared blood.
"It really isn't her." Koneko whispered. Did she jump the gun? Or was she using some advanced spells, senjutsu and illusions to hide herself? Was that even possible?
Taking one more glance at the black clad woman, she spotted something odd as she saw her target reading some manga from the Yuri section.
Her bow twitched.
Koneko blinked as she looked again. No, she more definitely saw that bow move. Was she… hiding her ears under there?
Does she not know how to hide her features? That was one of the first things she learned how to do, and Black definitely seemed older than her.
It wouldn't make much logical sense to do that unless she had no idea it was possible.
"…Does she not know what she's capable of?" Koneko realized.
This girl definitely wasn't Kuroka, but… there was something else about her that struck her as odd…
On Blake's side, she had mentally calculated the price of all her newly found treasure and nodded to herself. Just under budget.
She soon paid for the books, carefully placed them in her bag (making sure to hide her fine literature purchases) before exiting the store. She did notice the small child with white hair following after her, but she paid no mind as another thing called for attention.
"(Here you go! Make sure to make a good wish!)" A girl in a very sexy bat costume let out while handing her a piece of paper.
"A flyer?" Blake got out, looking rather unamused before looking down at what she received.
It had this strange symbol she hadn't seen before. At the bottom of the flyer were some words that Blake needed to translate with her phone.
"Make your wishes come true…" Blake muttered with a raised eyebrow. "That has to be a translation issue… or a scam." She then assumed, but kept the flyer.
Still, it was something to add to her findings. Carefully folding it up, she placed it in her pocket before heading off. She was getting hungry, and she could smell the scent of fish from where she was.
However, she couldn't help but notice a happy couple passing by her, also being given a flyer before they headed into a nearby clothing store.
Huh. They looked cute together.
Kiba had found Yellow-san in the town's night-life area, and was keeping a respectable distance from his target.
He didn't often visit this part of town, having only really come to this area to deal with a Stray Devil or two, but knew his way around better than a tourist would. It wasn't a particularly big area to begin with, with only a few clubs and bars, but there were always a few unsavory alleyways that more depraved people dwelled in.
However, his target had managed not to visit any of those places so far… because she just kept getting interrupted by officers.
She looked pretty angry by this point. Now, it wasn't exactly uncommon for foreigners to be searched by police, but she looked just about ready to punch the next guy out.
Kiba decided to get a little closer.
Meanwhile, Yang grit her teeth as she stopped herself from just knocking this idiot out. He had been friendly so far, sure, but this has been the fourth time she's been stopped and searched today.
The first time, it was more like a comedy of errors as she had no idea what was even happening. If she was much calmer, she would've laughed.
But all the other times, it was more annoying than anything else. She did get some info from a friendly tourist, and apparently this was just a normal Japanese thing, and the locals had to deal with it too, since police officers tend to have relatively small sectors assigned to them, and are distrustful of new, unknown faces in their area.
She was also told to just comply and let them do it, because it was easier just to get searched than waste time being cajoled and convinced to do it. You could refuse, but that would lead into an even bigger waste of time. If all else, she might get detained.
And so, here she was, waiting as yet another police officer checked her bag without finding the several boxes of ammo she was carrying.
Because Blank Sleight thought ahead and disguised them as feminine hygiene products.
'(Who carries this amount of tampons!?)'
Yep, that's what they all say. With a blush, the officer gave back her bag and passport before (she assumed) wishing her a good day.
"Ugh, if I get stopped again, someone is getting a beating." Yang grumbled under her breath. She was beginning to think if she should just head back to the motel or wait it out until it was night, when the scene was much more lively.
"...Ah, screw it. I wanna try an Earth burger." Yang soon sighed as she began to make her way towards the nearest fast food restaurant… until she was grabbed by someone on the shoulder.
"(Hey, you look lost.)" A rather, let's just say, suspicious-looking man let out. He and two of his friends had approached the blonde, and they did not look friendly. "(You ain't from around here, right? How about we show ya around?) Uh, come with us, beh-beh~"
Yang's eyes flashed red before letting out a breath. No, she just wanted a burger. No need to attract any attention to herself. And so, she kept walking.
But it looked like these men weren't going to take that silent-but-clear 'no' for an answer.
Kiba scowled at the unsavory individuals. Human or not, he wasn't going to allow these people to just–
"(Hey, don't ya walk away from us!)" The leader of these jerks called out as he grabbed her golden locks.
WHAM!
The idiot didn't even scream, as he just… crumpled onto the ground.
"Understand that, asshole!" Yang spat out before stomping off, leaving the fool with a broken nose as his friends cowered in fear.
Yang held back a lot in that punch, but even so, she felt that idiot's skull take her fist about as well as glass would have. If she had used a little more force… well, she didn't think he'd have much of a face left.
"Ugh, seriously. Not even one cop when you need them…" Yang soon noticed before letting out another groan. Yep, she was getting a burger and forgetting all this.
Meanwhile, Kiba could only stare at the blonde in disbelief.
There were strong humans around, but that simply looked… effortless. He detected no magic or ki being used. Just… pure power, and it looked like she barely tried!
"Just what are we dealing with here…" He wondered, making sure to be at a considerable distance as he followed his target.
The leader of team RWBY let out a sigh as she sat down on a lovely little bench. She was at a park, having ended up there after wandering around town. The sun was setting, so she was going to have to get back to the motel soon.
"Arf arf!"
"I know you're still eager to go, but I have to call the others, okay? Come on, we'll take the long way back." Ruby assured, scratching Zwei's furry head between the ears as she pulled out her phone and began setting up a group video call.
After a few seconds, everyone had answered. Weiss was in a mall, Blake was at a cafe, and Yang was… eating a burger.
"How's everyone doing?" Ruby asked.
"Pretty well." Weiss answered first. "I met this really nice girl. She showed me around and gave me a ton of information to take back home."
"I bought all the books I could on a variety of topics, from history, to culture, as well as current popular media and then some food. I'll probably stay inside tomorrow to work through translating them." Blake soon informed.
"I didn't get a lot." Yang groaned. "No wonder Sleight told us to avoid the police. I got stopped so many times! I wasn't even doing anything wrong beyond looking different. Ya know!? At least the food here is pretty great though, and cheap too."
"Welcome to my world." Blake muttered with a frown. Discrimination in a world without faunus. How did that even make sense?
"Well, maybe you'll have better luck tomorrow, Yang." Ruby said. "I managed to take a lot of pictures while walking Zwei around. This place is really pretty, I wish we could stay for a bit longer."
"We can, as long as we request it. But I'd rather get this over with so we can head back and prepare." Weiss admitted. Just because, at worst, only a few hours would pass on Remnant while they stayed on Earth for an extra couple of weeks, that didn't mean they should get too comfy here and fall out of practice. Besides, even if time was a near-infinite resource, money wasn't. Necessities, food and a roof were a very limited resource.
"Right." Ruby sighed. Of course, she had to remind herself, this wasn't a vacation but a research expedition. "Tomorrow, let's wander around together."
"Sounds good." Blake agreed. "Can I suggest we explore the city? I read that Tokyo is much more interesting and that we can get there in an hour."
"Wait, are we sure we can leave Kuoh Town?" Weiss soon questioned.
"Hey, as long as we write what we discover down and not get into a fight, we can do whatever we want." Blake soon reminded.
"Yeah. From what I heard, there's only three places this town is known for: the shrine, their park, and their school." Yang then said.
"Their school?" Ruby repeated.
"Uh… I wrote it down here. Ah, Kuoh Academy. It's like… a high school and university. Says only those with great potential attend the place. Used to be all girls but turned co-ed just two years ago. It's really prestigious, sort of like Beacon."
"Should we check that place out too?"
"No, it seems too risky." Blake however got out. They would probably be kicked out. "I think we should focus on Tokyo tomorrow."
"Okay, we'll be exploring the city bright and early then." Ruby decided. "Now, onto our next agenda, what do we want for dinner tonight?"
The conversation went on for a few more minutes before eventually everyone said their goodbyes and hung up. Letting out a breath, she quickly checked the time. It was getting pretty close to night. "I guess I'll head back now…"
"Woof woof!" Suddenly, Zwei began to bark as he dutifully pointed in a direction.
"Hm? Is something wrong, Zwei?" Ruby said, looking confused before following her dog's gaze.
Huh, from where she was, she could see a boy and a girl sitting close to each other. A boyfriend and girlfriend? They seemed to be a happy couple, why would Zwei–
And then the girl unfurled her wings, changed into some interesting wear in a single moment, and the spear came out.
"Will you die for me?"
That was what Issei heard.
But… that wasn't right, not at all. That's not something you'd ask of someone on the first date. That felt more like a marriage question more than anything else. It was probably that she meant to ask, "Would you do anything for me?" or something along those lines.
Yeah, that must be it. She must have misspoken, caught up in the whirlwind of emotions that often accompany new connections.
Issei reassured himself, convincing his racing thoughts that her intentions had been lost in some sort of weird mashing of words that came with being scared, a simple slip of the tongue.
"Ehehehe… could you repeat that? Because that sounds like you're gonna… kill…" Issei nervously chuckled out, which soon began to die like his chances of living as Yuuma-chan's cute eyes grew colder and colder. "...Me."
"Will you die for me, Isse-kun?" Yuuma-chan clearly repeated, in a mocking tone this time, as she summoned a spear made of light in her hand.
Huh.
She didn't misspeak.
…It took a good second for his fight or flight instincts to actually kick in, which was two seconds too late as Yuuma-chan thrust her spear towards him and–
WHAM!
–got drop-kicked on the face by some random girl with a red cloak…
SPLASH!
…Who, along with his date, then crashed into the fountain, splashing everything around them.
"O-Ow…" Ruby coughed as she shook her head, spitting out some water that had entered her mouth as she stood up, completely drenched from tip to toes.
"Ugh! What the–!" The would-be murderer groaned before looking up at whoever interrupted her. "You…" She then growled through gritted teeth.
"Uh, me?" Ruby responded with a nervous smile.
"Didn't you see we were in the middle of something?" The would-be murderer growled as she slammed her fist into the water.
"Oh, so you speak my language." Ruby realized as the ravenette stood up as well. "Then that means you can understand this: Leave him alone!"
"Do you even know who that idiot is? What he possesses?" The other girl growled.
"No!" Ruby answered almost instantly as she took her bag off her shoulders. "I saw that spear thing, you were going to hurtl him! I don't know what your problem is, but that's not happening on my watch!"
"Hmph. I guess now I have to take care of you now, since you've decided to play hero." The would-be murderer decided as she summoned another weapon into her hands. "Please make this easy for yourself, lay down, AND DIE!" She then roared as she shot forth, just as the red-cloaked girl opened her guitar case.
CLASH!
Ruby grunted, feeling her Aura shudder as she blocked the other girl's light spear. "Ugh, you sound like a worse Torchwick." She grumbled.
"A scythe?" The ravenette got out with widened eyes.
"Her name is Crescent Rose." Ruby informed. "You better treat her with respect!" She then yelled as she pushed Yuuma away and swung at her with the scythe, slicing through the fountain but not her target. Honestly, it was a bit of a jaw-dropped as the fountain slid down like in a samurai movie or anime.
"(What the hell!?)" Issei exclaimed as he tumbled back.
"You may wanna get back, guy! GO!" Ruby suggested.
"No! I'm not letting him get away!" His ex-girlfriend(?) growled before dashing towards her victim, only for the red-cloaked girl to appear in front of her in a flurry of rose petals. "What!?"
"You're going have to be faster than that!" Ruby called out before swinging her scythe.
The would-be murderer rolled her eyes before leaping backwards, giving Ruby a good look at her clothes, which very much looked like whatever a sexy villainess would wear in stories she probably shouldn't have been reading in the first place.
"...Is that outfit from one of Blake's books!?" Ruby couldn't help but think with an incredulous look on her face.
"(Boobs!)" Issei squeaked.
The red cloaked girl blinked. "Huh? O… Oppai?" Ruby repeated with a raised eyebrow. What sort of exclamation is– "Get down!" She yelped, pushing the boy down as several spears were sent their way, embedding themselves into the concrete where they used to stand.
"Stay still!" The psycho growled as she charged towards the scythe-wielder again.
"Sorry!" Ruby preemptively apologized before kicking the boy away. She then leapt out of the way while pulling her phone out of her pocket, and holding down the call button, trying to activate the emergency call function to contact her team.
SMASH!
Ruby screamed as her device was taken out of her hand, skewered by yet another spear thrown at her. "My phone!" she cried out. She didn't know if she had managed to hold the button down for long enough…
"Did I do that~?" The girl with black wings sang in a taunting manner. "Sorry, but I prefer a more intimate match. No need to bring others here to spoil our fun."
Ruby bit the inside of her cheek. Great, no backup was coming unless her teammates decided to wander over to the park, and what were the chances of that? She could still do this without them, but she'd had at least bought enough time for the guy to get out of here while she dealt with…this… threat.
Wait…
WHY IS HE STILL HERE!?
"I told you to run!" Ruby called out in annoyance.
"(I… I want to… but my legs won't move…!") Issei stammered out.
"You want to fight too!? It's too dangerous!" Ruby guessed the boy's response. She then turned her attention to her opponent. "What are you doing here, why are you trying to kill this guy!?" She soon demanded, obviously assuming the black wings meant her opponent was a faunus, and the light spears were her semblance. She didn't know how to feel about the wardrobe change, though.
"Well if you must know, human," The murderous ravenette spat out, as if the mere word 'human' left a bad taste in her mouth."I am a Fallen Angel, a superior being sent to do God's dirty work." Raynare half-lied. "And let me tell you, I understand. I wouldn't want to touch that boy with a 50 ft pole if I had the choice, either."
"(Eh!?)" Issei squeaked, feeling his heart get stabbed by her words.
"I don't care!" Ruby however called out. "I don't know what exactly a Fallen Angel is, but I'm not letting you hurt anyone!"
"Hmph, I was hoping for something exciting to happen today!" The Fallen Angel breathed out with a smirk. "This loser here was nice for a human, but I was itching for some prey with bite."
"At least tell me your name." Ruby got out as she narrowed her eyes.
"Why would I give my name to a dead girl?" The black-winged girl countered.
"O-Oh! Name, um, Yuuma-chan!" Issei suddenly called out.
"Yuuma-chan? Wait, you understand me too!?" Ruby exclaimed. She only thought they only spoke Japanese here!
Issei decided not to mention he learned more from western porn than his English classes. Although, he couldn't exactly speak it all that well…
"No, it's not, idiot." Their enemy scoffed. "My name is Raynare, remember it when you burn in hell!"
Ruby chose not to try and understand what this hell place was and just focused on fighting the Fallen Angel, especially when she flew directly at her.
Issei could barely track the girls with his eyes because of the speeds they were going at. It was like watching two blurs crash into each other again and again.
"(Holy crap, is this what anime fights look like in real life?)" Issei wondered out loud.
SLASH!
"AAHH!" Suddenly, he heard his savior exclaim as Raynare managed to get through her defenses, managing to slash at her chest and send her flying towards him!
CRASH!
"Mmoohh…" Ruby groaned, tiny Nevermores and skimpily-dressed villainesses swirling above her head before shaking it off. "A-Ah, what the… My Aura should've taken more of that…"
"Uurgh…"
"Huh?"
"(Who hit me…)" The pervert mumbled before realizing the situation he was in.
Ruby had managed to land on top of him, and in his futile attempt to stop her body from breaking his ribs, his hands were grasped onto her chest.
"...(Boobs.)"
Ruby suddenly realized she had learned the meaning of a new Japanese word.
"AH!" Ruby screamed as she used Petal Burst to get off him as fast as possible, making sure to grab her scythe. No, she couldn't get distracted here!
"(Ow… are you okay?)" The boy muttered as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"What's your name?" The huntress-in-training soon asked as she kept an eye on her enemy.
"(Eh? Oh, my name is…) Issei." The pervert answered.
"I-Issei?" Ruby got out, slowly speaking it to get the pronunciation right. "Is that right?"
The boy nodded. Okay, his name was Issei.
"Okay, Issei. I'm Ruby, and you need to run and call for help." The huntress instructed in a serious manner. "It should be over by the time you're back."
"(I… I can't leave you alone here!)" Issei however shouted.
This was either coming from his utter hate of seeing girls in trouble or sheer stupidity, but he knew in his heart that running away wasn't an option for him.
"I know. I'll lead her away so you can get away." Ruby responded. "Trust me." She smiled.
"(No, wait, you're not understanding–)" Issei tried to explain. Why was she assuming what he was saying!?
"Now!" Ruby shouted out, although it was on her call as Raynare re-engaged her in battle.
Raynare and Ruby traded more slashes and blows, their weapons clashing with resounding clangs that echoed around the park, never quite getting the upper hand on one another. Neither felt they were equally matched with each other, but they certainly weren't getting anywhere just by fighting like this. Raynare's spears kept shattering on contact, but she just kept making more, and though Ruby realized she was slightly faster and definitively better trained and more skillful than the weird Faunus (and weren't Faunus not meant to exist on Earth?), it seemed as if her enemy's Aura was much stronger than hers, because no matter how many times she slashed at her, there wasn't a visible drop in Raynare's toughness or speed.
"GAH!" They both soon cried out as they stumbled back, having hit each other in their last clash.
"Why won't you die!?" Raynare growled.
"I…I don't know how to respond to that." Ruby admitted as she gripped her scythe. "Just stop!"
"Little Red Riding Hood, you should know something about me." Raynare claimed as she settled into a battle stance again. "I always get what I–"
"RRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"
"Wha– AH!" The Fallen Angel yelped in confusion before someone managed to grab her from behind.
"(I got her!)" Issei called out as Raynare stumbled around, trying to get the idiot off her back.
"What are you doing!?" Ruby exclaimed in shock and horror.
It took a few seconds, but his face began to mirror his savior's. "(I got her.)" The boy said in a less triumphant manner.
To be honest, he hadn't thought this through, his impulsive actions driven solely by a surge of adrenaline. The realization of how much of an idiot he was hit him like a ton of bricks - he had no plan beyond this point, only the determination to protect his personal cute-goth guardian angel.
And it was just about that moment, when he realized what he did, that the Fallen Angel also realized what he did.
"Are you done?" Raynare deadpanned.
"(...Uh, yes.)" Issei sheepishly responded.
SLAM!
"GAH!" The pervert cried out as he was easily grabbed and thrown into the ground. Yep, he was going to feel that in the morning… and the day after that.
"Issei!" Ruby cried out in worry. She knew Earthborn humans were fragile, but that looked extra painful as he actually bounced off the concrete.
"Stay down. I'll take care of you later." Raynare scoffed before focusing her attention on the scythe-wielding girl, her gaze burning with a mix of arrogance and disdain. "Alright, no more–"
CHOMP!
…Interruptions.
"Ah!" Raynare yelped as some creature bit into her sensitive wings, causing her to flail around as she tried to get the thing off.
Ruby gasped with a smile. "Zwei!"
"Grrrr…!" Zwei snarled while chewing on the Fallen Angel's wing, before she managed to rip him off and slam him on the ground.
"Filthy mutt!" Raynare growled before she kicked Zwei away.
"(Shit!)" Issei swore in shock at the literal kick-the-puppy moment that had just happened before his eyes. That looked like it–
"Arf arf!" The little doggy barked, no worse for wear after having turned mid-air and landed on his feet rather easily.
"(The dog's fine!?)" Issei exclaimed as he watched him dash over to his owner.
"Thanks, Zwei." Ruby got out as she quickly petted his head.
The Fallen Angel's jaw dropped before she slapped at her forehead. "Ugh, your dog is just as ridiculous as you!" Raynare grumbled before throwing up her hands. "Ugh, you're too much trouble. I'll be back with friends in a moment." She called out, and began to fly off, grimacing at how slow she was going. "Just you wait, I'll get you my pretty, and your little dog too!"
That stupid dog, it actually managed to hurt her precious wing, and the stupid brat actually left her sore all over. She was a delicate maiden, and she'd have bruises for days!
"No, you're not getting away that easy!" Ruby called out with a glare. Last time the bad guy got away, it ended up with Vale being swarmed with Grimm.
That was not happening again!
"I need to get her down, but I can't use any bullets here..." Ruby thought. It was at that moment she looked down at her pet, who was very eager to help her in this fight.
And Yang said this would never come up…
"Zwei! Play ball!" Ruby commanded as she pulled her scythe back like a golf club.
"Arf arf!" Her pet dutifully responded as he curled up into a perfect sphere.
However, although she was quite far already, Raynare heard that something was going on. "Huh, what was–" Raynare began as she turned around…
"FETCH!"
WHACK!
"Eh? Did she just–" Was all Raynare managed to get out before she was brained by a flying dog.
Seeing her opportunity, Ruby then roared as she used her Semblance to quickly run up and leap towards the falling angel, spinning herself like a buzzsaw along the way.
Raynare managed to recover just in time to block the attack, her spears shattering but still managing to stop the scythe's momentum as she glared at the nuisance with hateful eyes, but Ruby wasn't done yet. Using Raynare's body as a platform, the little reaper leapt off her before beginning to slash and slice at the Fallen Angel while they plummeted to the ground. Raynare was still defending herself, however, using two more spears to scratch and stab the other girl, but nothing seemed to be getting through!
WHAM!
Soon, their fall came to an end by landing roughly on the ground. Disengaging from each other and rolling onto their backs, both of them laid on the ground in pain.
It took a few seconds, but they both managed to sit up… but only Ruby managed to follow that by getting back on her own two feet.
"Seriously, who are you!?" Raynare demanded with a scowl.
"I am Ruby Rose… and I am a Huntress." The leader responded as she twirled her scythe around before pulling it back for the final blow. "And that means I hunt monsters like you!"
SLASH!
And with that, Raynare was punted away by the tip of Ruby's scythe, sending her flying several feet to the side before she landed roughly on the concrete.
Once Ruby was sure Raynare was staying down, she reverted her scythe into its inactive state and allowed herself to wipe the sweat off her brow, just as Zwei padded over to her and sat down.
"Arf arf!"
"Good boy!" Ruby giggled before looking down at the defeated girl.
She had to admit, that was too close for comfort, but she managed to edge out the win. Her Aura was most likely deep in the red, and even then she swore she felt those spears burn her skin. Still, her enemy was unconscious (and how is she this tough without Aura to protect her?), the boy was alive, and she hadn't fired a single round.
Of course, now she'd need to explain to the poor guy not to tell anyone about her… everything…
Looking over at the stunned Issei, who was still on the ground, she walked over to him and offered her hand. After blinking for a few seconds, he grabbed it and was pulled to his feet.
"Okay, you don't look too hurt." Ruby muttered as she quickly checked for any injuries. "Now, how do I say…?"
Issei shook his head, finally managing to rediscover his voice. "(Y-You saved me…)"
"Uh… I'm assuming that's a thank you." Ruby awkwardly chuckled. "But about earlier, you really should've left this to me. I'm the one with the weapon here."
"Um, no help. Cute. Uh… help?" Issei responded in English before wincing. Even he could tell how much that sucked.
"Erm, I don't understand what you mean, but it doesn't matter right now. I'll take care of things here, you just go and–"
"BARK!"
CLANG! STAB! SPLASH!
It all happened in a moment. Ruby reached behind herself and began to spin while unfurling her scythe, there was a metallic sound, and a splash of blood hit Issei's face.
Ruby's body flew back and bounced against his, knocking Issei onto his ass before falling forth with a sickening wet tearing sound, and Issei scrambled to sit up, confused about what exactly had happened, when he saw it.
Ruby was flat on her face, a hand still gripping her now unfurled scythe while her body twitched, pinned like a butterfly on the ground. Another of those damn lightspears sticking up from the middle of her back.
And Yuuma-chan… no, Raynare. She was back on her feet, looking tired but gleeful, a full-on manic grin plastered on her face as she walked towards him.
Issei thought her tits looked rather nice, and immediately hated himself for it.
To be fair, he was in shock, and his mind had simply defaulted to what it knew best, purposefully failing to understand the scene before him. Yet despite his own best efforts, Issei wasn't actually dumb, and quickly understood what happened.
Raynare got up and, taking advantage that Ruby's back was turned towards her, hurled two more of those damn spears at him. Ruby's dog barked a warning, and the girl used her unfurling scythe to block one, but unable to stop the other, she…
She could've dodged it! She could've tackled him down! She…
She could've let him die… but… she used herself as a shield for his sake.
"Don't bother." Raynare said, casually catching the dog mid-jump and tossing him away like trash. "If you only died like I told you to, she would still be alive. Hmph, maybe you should blame God for putting you in this situation in the first place." Raynare hummed as she walked past the prone body of Ruby Rose and towards the now retreating Issei.
"G-Get back!" Issei pleaded as he crawled away. What the hell was she talking about!?
"For what it's worth, I am sorry, but I cannot allow you to become a threat to us. That Sacred Gear inside you is nothing but a nuisance to our plans." Raynare admitted. However, any honesty in her voice was betrayed by the sadistic glee on her face. "No hard feelings."
Issei tried to say something, anything, just for a chance to stop his imminent demise… but he couldn't. There was nothing coming up! All he could do was stare directly into her eyes and hope that she went for his head.
Hell, maybe he could guilt her into not killing more people.
"Ruby-san… I'm sorry your sacrifice was wasted." He thought, resisting the urge to close his eyes.
BANG BANG BANG!
Of course, this last moment of bravery was somewhat ruined by him nearly pissing his pants
"WHAT THE SHIT!?" Issei shouted out as the Fallen Angel was shot three times in the chest, causing her to fall to her knees before him. "Huh?" He then got out with widened eyes as he looked back.
It was the girl in the red cloak, still pinned on the spot with the spear in her chest, but she had managed to curl around her and was clutching hard onto her… sniper rifle!?
"That's also a gun!?" The pervert exclaimed in shock. However, just as she smiled, she collapsed and fell back, having exerted the last of her strength.
"HEY!" Issei cried out as he scrambled over to the dying girl, putting her head on his lap as she coughed up blood.
"(I-Issei? Are you… okay…?)"
It took Issei a second to translate her words before his eyes widened. She had a freaking spear coming out her back and she was worrying about him!? "S-Stop talking. I-I'll get you an ambulance!" He soon got out, instinctively holding onto the spear as he reached into his pocket for his phone.
"(A-Ah!)" Ruby yelped.
"Oh crap!" Issei flinched. Shit, that stupid spear was making things so awkward. If only he could…
"(D-Don't… take it out…!") Ruby wheezed as she clutched tightly onto the spear to keep it in place. The pain… it was oddly numb. It was probably her aura was overworking itself but it was clear she needed a doctor or else...
"Arooo…" Her dog sadly came up to her as he licked her face. As much as she wanted to giggle, laughter was making her lungs deflate faster.
"Huh? Oh, r-right, you're not supposed to do that." Issei muttered, keeping his hands away from the spear.
It was at that moment that the spear began to fade into motes of light.
"No no no!" Issei tried to stop the spear from disappearing, but it was a lesson in futility. Now the girl's wound bled freely with barely anything to stop it.
Looking back, he was about to check on his psycho ex only to freeze.
Yuuma-chan was gone. The only evidence she was even there were the small pools of blood on the ground.
Issei… had no idea how to react.
This had to be a nightmare.
"D-Dammit, I can't do anything…!" Issei thought as he saw the mysterious girl's skin pale more and more. "I can't get her to the hospital in time! Even if I move her, she'll just bleed out more! I-I don't know what to do…"
Was this how today was going to end?
His psycho ex-girlfriend(?) out there, free to murder someone else while he stayed behind and cradled some dying girl's head as she dies because of him!?
This wasn't supposed to happen…
This wasn't… something he ever wanted to see…!
This was his fault! No one should die because of him!
Issei Hyoudou. The pervert, the lecher, the idiot, the loser!
This wasn't how anyone's story was going to end!
"AAAAAHHHH! I DON'T WANNA LET THIS CUTE GIRL DIEEEEEEE!" Issei cried to the heavens.
However, even if his plea wasn't answered by God… the flyer that he had stuffed in his back pocket, did.
SHINE!
Flinching, he thought Yuuma had come back for another shot at him, but he was sorely mistaken as he looked at the source of the flash of light.
Crimson hair.
Beautiful crimson hair.
The color much purer than the blood on his hands and clothes.
A color that matched the highlights in the dying girl's clothes.
He knew this particular color like the back of his hand, as there was only one person in the entire town with such a gorgeous shade of red.
"S-S-S-S-Senpai!?" Issei squeaked in surprise.
"Issei Hyoudou-san! I have come to grant your… wish…?" Rias began to dramatically declare, only to notice how bloody the boy was and the dying girl in his arms. "O-Oh… W-Who is this?"
"I…I don't know…" Issei admitted. All he knew was her name. "She… She saved me from my date!"
Rias' eyes widened a little. "Excuse me?"
"Y-Yeah, she was all 'Would you die for me?' She went full-on yandere, and summoned spears, but then this foreign chick right here just came out of nowhere and dropkicked her and then she got pissed and ripped her clothes off to show us her BDSM gear crap and she had black wings and–"
"E-Enough." Rias kindly interrupted. However, she did manage to get what he was saying.
A Fallen Angel? This deep in Devil territory? How did someone like that manage to infiltrate the town without her knowing? Sure, she was busy today but her familiar should've warned her! Oh Hell, she must've forgotten something! Stupid, stupid, stupid–
No, no. She can't be berating herself right now. Doing that was wasting precious seconds. She'll be better off investigating this incident thoroughly afterwards than beating herself up for it now.
She put on a brave face. She couldn't show weakness to anyone right now. Her pride and name would never allow it.
"Give me some space." Rias ordered in an authoritative manner.
"But–"
"She'll be fine after I'm done. I promise." Rias quickly gave him a sweet smile that seemed to alleviate his worries, if only a little.
"Aroooo…" She suddenly heard a sad howl, making her look down.
Rias blinked at the puppy as he tried to lick his owner clean. "...Both of you." She added.
Issei hesitated before reluctantly and carefully letting Ruby's head off his lap and onto the ground. "...Come on, little guy. Let senpai work here." He soon got out. The pet seemed smart enough to understand, as he whimpered and walked back a little before dutifully sitting down.
"How long has she been like this?" Rias soon asked as she checked Ruby's pulse. It was faint, irregular, but still there.
"Uh, it just… happened, like, two minutes ago?" Issei guessed. He wasn't exactly keeping track of time here.
Rias nodded, looking grimly at the red cloaked girl. She probably only had three minutes or less until she bled to death. And judging by the placement of the wound, her lung and heart were severely damaged, so there was even less time.
But that was more than enough time for her to work. As long as her soul was still anchored to her body, she could save her. However, there was no time to ask for permission. She was pretty sure this girl couldn't even hear her right now, much less consent in her current state.
She'll have to deal with the consequences later. She'll be fulfilling Issei's wish now.
"I have no choice." She whispered as she summoned a Pawn piece. Even with a strong presence, she was still human as far as she could tell. Maybe one would be enough to reincarnate her and give her that second chance.
She would not let destiny steal such a young and promising life.
Plus, in the cold, calculating part of her mind, a warrior like her (probably an exorcist, if she had taken on a Fallen Angel) would make an excellent part of her peerage along with Issei. She just needed a boost to her potential.
"My, my. You've met an interesting fate." The crimson haired girl spoke. "If you are dying, allow me to pick it up. Your life, that is. From now on, you'll live for me."
And so, Rias kneeled down and began to place the Pawn on the soon-to-be corpse… just as a blood red glyph appeared in the palm of Ruby's hand.
BOOM!
Rias yelped as her Pawn piece was flung out her hands. "What!? I didn't even…" She thought before eyes widened as a reincarnation circle appeared on the ground around her.
"She is not yours to rule over."
"Huh?"
Before Rias could even process it, the dying red-cloaked girl spoke, and she was flung back outside of the circle by an invisible force.
"Senpai!" Issei exclaimed in worry as he and Zwei ran over and helped her to her feet. It was right then they saw that the girl's body began to float off the ground by an inch. "What the…"
Meanwhile, Ruby could see something as the edge of her vision. Something… white… something… familiar?
Straining her eyes, she saw someone in a white cloak walk around her body. "So it has come to this…"
"Huh?" Ruby managed to wheeze out. Was she… dreaming?
"You have been met with a most unfortunate fate. Your body is giving in, but your soul still yearns for more." This… ghost or whatever spoke. "I have a solution, but it will cost you greatly. Do you wish for a peaceful death, or a life full of strife and sorrow?"
"I…" Ruby tried to open her mouth but… she just felt too weak. She was fading fast.
"Please make a decision…as your time grows short…"
"What's happening!?" Issei yelled as he held onto Zwei as securely as he could.
"I don't know! Stand back!" Rias called out. All she could see was the girl's floating body, but there was something inside the girl that exuded so much power that it began to tear through her clothes. Did she have a Sacred Gear, and it triggered in her dying moments!?
Who was this girl!?
While Rias, Issei, and Zwei tried to keep themselves from being blown away, Ruby was… reminiscing.
From learning to fight from Uncle Qrow, spending time with dad, having fun with all her friends…
All these precious memories coming back to her… being threatened to fade away into nothingness.
There was only one answer for her.
"...No…" Ruby whispered. "I'm…I'm not ready to die… There's still so much I want to do. So many people… who need me… I… I didn't come this far to die now!"
Underneath her hood, the mysterious woman smiled sadly. "...Very well. Shall we begin?"
Ruby's heart stopped beating.
"...Yes."
SHATTER!
With that, the glyph in her hand shattered as something appeared in its place. Without hesitation, Ruby clutched onto the item and placed both her hands on her chest.
Rias' eyes widened as she realized what the girl was holding onto for dear life: A Kingpiece.
Oh no.
"From the bottom of my heart, I wish I was truly here for you…" The white cloaked woman said, regret in her voice as she lowered her hood.
"Mom…" Ruby weakly mumbled as her thoughts began to fade, just as this ghostly image stood over her with her arms outstretched.
"I, Summer Rose, ask you! Return to this soil and take these pieces I left behind, so you shall use them for greatness on a journey not yet written! Ruby Rose… embrace your reincarnation as a Devil, assume your new title as King, and lead a new life with hope in your heart!"
Ruby's eyes snapped open… and began to glow silver.
FLASH!
Issei, Zwei, and Rias were blinded by the light coming out the girl's eyes, forcing them to shield themselves. All the while, the red-cloaked girl let out a roar as power beyond power filled her body.
And then, just as abruptly as it started, it stopped.
The girl's body dropped unceremoniously onto the ground, kicking up a small cloud of dust.
She didn't look any different but Rias could feel everything about her had changed.
She was a Devil now. But… what else was she?
"...Did you do that?" Issei had to ask as Zwei tilted his head at the crimson haired girl's direction.
"No. I didn't." Rias admitted with widened eyes. She had never seen anything like this before.
To her understanding, the girl just… reincarnated herself, and that shouldn't be possible! Most of what she had just witnessed was impossible, even from the perspective of a Devil.
Still, it was… successful. Her wounds were beginning to visibly heal and she was breathing normally now, but it would take a week for her to fully recover unassisted by her estimate.
Fortunately, she knew how to speed it up. She needed a lot of questions answered as soon as possible.
With no other choice, Rias picked up the unconscious girl and her strange weapon. "Issei-san, when you are ready for an explanation on what happened here, come to my clubroom."
"I… yes, Gremory-senpai. I… I definitely want to, I need to know what… what happened here."
"In that case, I'll send someone to come get you." She instructed before yelping a little as the corgi hopped on top of her head. It seemed he wanted to join his owner on the trip back.
"W-What!?" Issei exclaimed. "S-Senpai, how can I–"
"I'm sorry, but I can't explain right now. She still needs help." Rias responded as she shook her head. "I promise to explain everything that happened here, okay?"
"B-But the gunshots likely attracted the police, right." Issei says while looking down at all the blood on his clothes. "I-I don't wanna–"
"You'll be fine. Just go home and get those clothes washed." Rias insisted, giving him a very serious yet cute look.
Unfortunately, she had nothing she could do about cleaning or disguising it, but thankfully the Fallen had enough sense to erect a dimensional barrier, so nobody heard the gunshots or witnessed the fight.
Thankfully, because memory wipes are a pain to deal with.
"S-Sure." Issei dumbly responded with a nod.
"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow." And with that, she teleported away.
"...What the hell just happened!?" Issei muttered as he watched his senpai disappeared before his very eyes.
Maybe Rias was right and it would be best if he just went home, crawled into bed, and just… watched his favorite hentai to cope with today.
From the wise words of some internet show he used to watch: When in doubt, rub one out.
Meanwhile, hidden in the trees, Raven facepalmed as she watched the idiot with the Boosted Gear hurry out of the scene.
She had made it through the Fallen Angel's barrier just in time to see something really dumb happen.
"Summer, you stupid bitch…" She groaned while shaking her head. "You actually went through with it. And you told me you wouldn't! If you weren't gone, I would be choking you right now!"
But alas, there was no one there to direct her rage at so all she could do was choke the air in front of her.
"Ugh, this is gonna get worse before it gets better, isn't it?" Raven then sighed before looking up towards the setting sun.
It seemed to signal the end of all normalcy for Summer's daughter and her team. And now she had a whole host of new problems she had to deal with.
"Fucking Ozma… Running the orphanage was easier than this…" She continued to grumble before transforming into her bird form and flying off to go get something to eat before she dealt with this mess.
This was all supposed to be a simple mission…
Hey, UknownHero here. And welcome a new beta: Maglad. Say hi!
Eldritch Sound composed of the cries of a thousand haters: "Hi!"
Anyways, Ruby has become a Devil, without a Deus Ex Machina! I hoped this time around everything was done better. One of my biggest regrets with Rebirth was how crap RWBY died, but here I think I made it more… justified.
I kind of skimped on Yang's part of the day, I had no idea what to do with her until someone sent a PM about how much Japanese police don't like foreigners. I didn't want an all-out brawl to happen just yet.
The whole thing Koneko was from some people from both FF and Ao3 bringing it up in the past two chapters.
Remember, PM me questions, but reviews are always a motivator.