Chapter 2: Fitting In
After an eventful-ish day yesterday with school, the strange girl from the bridge, and my dreams, I still proceeded with the day like usual. Today is Saturday, and there is no school, so I decided that maybe it's time to make the most of it and go into town.
"All right, I'm going to head out, mom." I shouted.
"Where are you going?" My mother inquired.
"Well, I thought that it would be a great idea if I went into town and did something."
"Okay, then, make certain your phone is in your possession and refrain from doing anything foolish." She said as she grabbed her bag from the table, "I need to head back to the office, so don't stay out too late."
"All right, mom, I love you. I'll see you later." I said this as I headed out.
"I love you, too, son. Be safe." She replied back.
I should probably do a little shopping; I could really use some new clothes. I should also try to visit the mall to see what's up. Actually, a map would be really useful now. It's not like Kyoto; I mean, it's a sizable city but not as sizable as Kyoto, so getting around the city won't be a huge problem. At least the streets are not that crowded.
"All right, let's see what we get here." I looked around to see if anything caught my eye.
I actually don't know where to start. This is the first time that I have gone out since I moved here. It has never occurred to me to do so, but I absolutely will not isolate myself in the house.
"Well, look who it is." I turned around to see a very well-known acquaintance that I met at school yesterday.
"Kiba, hey, how's it going?" I greeted.
"Just doing a little shopping. What are you up to?" Kiba asked.
"Well, since there is no school, I considered going out and about, and I'm trying to figure out what I can do." I said.
"You can tag along; I'm meeting up with a friend." Care to join me?" He offered.
"Yeah, that sounds like a great idea." I said, "So, what are we going to be doing?"
"Remember how I told you that the Occult Research Club is inactive?" He reminded me.
"Yeah." I remembered.
"Well, we decided to revive it, and we thought the old building right along the western side of the school could serve as the club's new home."
"Okay, so what are you going to do with it?"
"Just the basics, like buying cleaning supplies so we can clean up the place and get ahold of some decorations for the beauty looks."
"So who is going to run the club?" I asked.
"Rias Gremory." He answered.
I began to have an image flash of the girl with the crimson hair, and once again, my heart stopped for a second. "She is leading the club?"
"Yes, along with her best friend, Akeno, who was also the other one from yesterday." He explained.
As Kiba and I were having conversations, we arrived at the mall and saw another well-known acquaintance from yesterday.
"Issei, this is..." I interrupted Kiba.
"Koneko?" It was Koneko that we were meeting up with. What are the odds of that?
"Oh, you guys have met?"
"Yeah, she helped me out on my way around to school."
"What's up, Issei? What are you doing here?" Koneko asked.
"I wanted to go out and about, and Kiba thought that it would be a good idea to tag along to help you guys out with the club." I explained.
"Well, three is always better than two. So, what are we doing first?" She asked.
"The Student Council provided us with a substantial fund to establish the club's needs, so are there any recommendations?" Kiba inquired. Kiba asked.
"Well, it can't be a research club without any books, so we can start there." I suggested.
"Very ideal, but what else?" Kiba asked for more suggestions.
"We can buy some lamps, plants, and some chandeliers to make the atmosphere a little bit settling." Koneko suggested
"We can also get it furnished with sofas and a coffee table, and since Rias will be running it, she sure could use a desk for paperwork." I made an addition to the list of suggestions.
"That is a good idea. Although it might take a while to arrange delivery, we might need to talk to someone who handles local shipping."
"Or we can find a furniture store nearby the school, so that local shipment would not be that bad or pricey." I suggest.
"It's a good idea." Koneko comments.
A couple of minutes later, we made ourselves a list of things to get for the Occult Research Club to get up and running. We walked all over the mall to get the items on our list to cross off. Some of the items took a while to find because we had been going back and forth from one place to another. Despite assisting them with their club and other matters, I found myself enjoying my time with these individuals, even though it was solely for the club. It's been awhile since I actually hung out with anyone. Like I said, I never had friends growing up. I only have that one childhood friend, but like I said before, she could be anywhere in the world.
We spent nearly five hours at the mall, frequently deviating from our original plan due to the abundance of stores offering window-shopping opportunities. After spending most of our time window shopping, I finally found some casual clothes. Koneko was looking at a bunch of sweets and some cat-related items. She must have a cat at home that she loves.
"What's your cat's name?" I asked.
"What?" Koneko looks at me with confusion.
"You've been buying some cat things, so I would have assumed that you have a cat, right?" I assumed.
"Oh, yes, her name is Shiro." Koneko answered.
"I love cats, and it would be nice to have a furry companion, so that the house wouldn't feel too lonely while my mother is working late."
"Have you ever tried getting one?" She suggested.
"I haven't gone around with the idea because I don't know my mom's input on having a little feline running around the house." I explained.
"Well, they are mostly quieter than their canine counterparts." Koneko said.
"Well, hey, don't get me wrong, dogs are really nice to have around." I commented.
"I'm mostly a cat person." She stated.
"Well, that was a lot to do." Kiba commented after the day we spent going around the mall to get the things that we needed.
"We kept on getting sidetracked, man." I elbowed his arm a little.
"What can you say? This mall is filled with the buyer's temptation." Kiba stated.
"Ain't that the truth?" I agreed.
"Are you guys hungry? The mall is about to close, and there is a cafe place that is a couple of clicks from here." Koneko suggested.
"I could really go for a bite." I agreed.
"Yeah, I could eat as well." Kiba also agrees.
We exited the mall and began to walk to the cafe that Koneko suggested. The sun was setting, but it's still not that late, which means that I still have a decent amount of time before I head home. Actually, I hope the day goes slowly. I'm having so much fun with Kiba and Koneko today. I spent the afternoon and early evening shopping at the mall, often becoming distracted by my new friends. I was really having a lot of fun. And now we are going out to eat, which is fine because it would save me from doing more dishes, and I don't have to cook.
After a few hours, we finished our dinner, and Koneko consumed a substantial amount of food. She ordered three appetizers, along with her main meal and a couple of little cakes. Her metabolism is truly astounding, as she was devouring a bag of chips as soon as we left the cafe.
"Well, I better get going, guys." I said.
"All right, thanks for helping us out today and spending time with us." Kiba thanked.
"Yeah, we had a lot of fun. We should do this again sometimes." Koneko suggested.
"I'll take you up on that offer." I said this as I waved good-bye to my departing friends.
I begin to walk back home, and all I can think about is how this whole day went. I really had a lot of fun today, and I can't stop thinking about it.
"I had fun today, dad." I said as I was looking up at the stars in the night sky, "I wish that you were still here so I can tell you all about it."
"When you meet him, you can tell him." A very familiar voice was right in front of me.
"What the hell?" I looked to see that the voice came from nowhere other than "Yuuma?"
"So, you decided to hang out with those new friends of yours rather than accept my offer on the bridge." She taunts as she suddenly floats in the air and begins to change her appearance to some kind of weird black, BDSM-themed attire with black wings coming out of her back. "How so heart-crushing."
"What the fuck?" I cursed as fear started to grow in me.
"I guess I procrastinated long enough." She said this as she spawned a light-yellow, glowing spear rod from her right hand. "TIME TO DIE!"
"RUN, ISSEI!" I heard a very familiar, deep voice boom in my mind.
"Huh? Mgelika?" I made a guess at the time of this critical moment.
"DAMMIT, I SAID MOVE YOUR ASS!" He commanded.
Without hesitation, I started to dash as if tomorrow wasn't going to exist. I'm not sure where I am, but I know that returning home is not an option. This insane, black-winged girl pursued me while her rods besieged me, and I managed to avoid each one.
"What the fuck is going on?!" I thought, "I literally have no idea what to do."
It's not everyday that some winged maniac wants to chase you all over the block to kill you.
"There is no time to explain; just keep running, you fool." Mgelika ordered.
I don't know where to go. It is imperative that I escape this psycho, but there is nowhere to hide or flee to. I will be running around for some time, but I will eventually become exhausted, at which point she will catch up to me. I'm so fucked.
"No where to hide, boy!" The winged 'Yuuma' taunted.
"Fuck off!" I cursed.
"Now, that's not how to treat a lady." She jokes.
In hopes of losing her, I went down to a large, connected slum-like alley and began to turn around every corner. As I was turning right and left in a randomly selected, fast-paced pattern, I stumbled upon a small, old, abandoned complex and jumped inside through an opened window.
"Fuck... Fuck... Fuck." As I was catching my breath, I whispered.
"Come out wherever you are." She taunts with a tone of bloodlust: "I can smell the blood flow from underneath your human skin."
I kept silent by putting my hands on my mouth to prevent any sounds, as I was still struggling to catch my breath.
"If you come out, then I'll let you pick your death with three options of my choosing." She laughs with such evilness. Her voice sounds a little faded, which means that there is a decent amount of distance between me and her.
"What is she?" I asked myself.
"She is what you call a fallen angel." Mgelika answered out of the blue.
"Wait, Mgelika, is that you?" A lot of questions run through my head.
"Nice to see you, too, Guru's son." Mgelika greeted.
"I thought that you were only in my dreams. Is this real?" I silently freaked out.
"Easy, son. Just breathe." He tries to comfort me.
"It's easy for you to say." I argued.
"Like I said, I thought Juzo or Guru would have explained this to you." He countered.
"Explained what?! Are you going to tell me that monsters exist as well?!" I freaked.
"I told you that I would get the chance to explain to you."
"Yeah, right, like when I'm dead? In case you forgot, we are being hunted by a fallen angel."
"That's also the confusing part."
"No shit! All of this is confusing as fuck."
"No, I mean, what is a fallen angel doing here in this territory while attacking during the temporary ceasefire armistice?"
"What are you talking about? What do you mean by territory? And what ceasefire armistice?"
"There is a lot of explaining to do, my boy."
All of this was giving me a headache. A voice in my head, a fallen angel hunting me down like some kind of big game hunt, territories, and ceasefire armistice. This was too much for the human brain.
"Oh, I'm so grounded when I get home." I commented
"Is that really what you are worrying about right now as a fallen angel is out there playing cat-and-mouse?" Mgelika argues.
"I apologize for ignoring this pressing issue for a moment. Oh, my mom is going to kill me."
"Then let me put you out of your misery." Yuuma appeared and cornered me, leaving me nowhere to run.
"Shit." I cursed.
"I had fun playing this game, but just like any other game, it will always end." Yuuma produces a spear. "I'm sorry, but the fact is, you are far too great a risk for us, and I will have no choice but to dispose of you, so if you're looking for someone to blame, why not blame him, since he gave you the sacred gear?"
Realizing that there was no way out of this, I closed my eyes and started to slowly accept my fate. She has wings and will eventually catch up to me, but after all the running, I am exhausted, cornered, and without a way out. This is it, and it looks like I'll be seeing my father real soon.
"Leave him alone, Raynare!" I opened my eyes to see Kiba and Koneko right in front of me in a fighting stance.
"Kiba, Koneko? What are you doing here? She's fucking unhinged!" I declared.
"My, my, look what the cat brought in?" Yuuma, or now 'Raynare' commented.
"I'm sorry, but you're not welcome here, so please pack up and leave." Kiba demanded.
"This doesn't concern you, 'Devils,' so I suggest you stay out of my way." Raynare threatened.
"Unfortunately, you are on our territory and have to abide by the rules of the armistice." Koneko stated
"So, like I said, you must leave!" Kiba ordered.
"Screw the armistice and that mindless Azazel for agreeing to such disgrace!" Raynare yells as she pulls out a spear.
Kiba then spawns a sword out of nowhere, and Koneko puts on some fighting gloves.
"What the fuck?" I was so confused and shocked to see what was going on.
Then a fight between them begins. Raynare was throwing spears at Kiba and Koneko, who dodged and deflected. Kiba was swinging and slashing at the incoming spears with his sword as they broke into particles. Koneko was swishing and dodging them with such incredible reflexes.
"I will demonstrate to everyone what occurs when fools attempt to obstruct my path!" Raynare shouts as she continues to throw spears.
"Issei, get away from here now!" Kiba ordered.
When I turned to look back at Kiba, a spear struck him in the shoulder, causing him to drop his sword.
"Kiba!" Koneko ran to the wounded Kiba's aid; she put pressure on his wound, and Raynare was standing in front of them with another spear in her hand.
"You should have stayed out of my way, Devils!" Raynare warned.
As I was watching this scenario go down, it started to remind me of a certain moment in my life. I caught a glimpse of that day when I witnessed my father's death in front of me at the hands of an unknown assailant, and I stood there in shock as his helpless body slowly died away. Now, I'm watching the same thing happen all over again in a different scenario.
I find myself clenching my left fist, and suddenly, the fear of death fades away, and anger fills that spot.
With unwavering determination, I start sprinting towards Raynare, oblivious to the potential consequences. Suddenly, a tingling sensation pricks my left fist, revealing a mysterious black-and-purple device. I wasn't going to think about it because, with such force, my left fist with the unknown device on it collided with Raynare's left cheek, causing her to fly back and hit a brick wall.
I looked back at Kiba and Koneko, who were as shocked as I was, and then at Raynare, who was getting up after my attack.
"I don't know what is going on, but you leave my fucking friends alone, you crazy bitch!" While holding my newly acquired weapon in my left hand, I issued this warning.
"You will pay for this! This isn't over!" Raynare exclaimed as she flew away.
As I watched Raynare fly away, I turned back to check on the status of my friends, who were now looking at me with their weapons ready.
"Who are you?!" Kiba pointed his sword at me and demanded to know who I was.
"Whoa, Kiba, it's me, Issei!" I said it with my hands up.
"I find that hard to believe." He counters.
"What are you? A stray?" Koneko asked.
"I don't know what you are talking about, seriously." I answered.
"What's that on your fist?" Kiba made another demand.
"I don't know! Seriously, I don't know what is going on here! I don't understand how I came into this situation or why they are pursuing me! I am so confused." I freaked out again.
"You seriously have no idea?" Kiba puts away his sword.
"No, I don't know what this is all about or how I am involved." I explained.
Before looking at me, Kiba and Koneko looked at each other.
"I don't sense anything about him." Koneko spoke to Kiba.
"He possesses a sacred tool on his left hand." Kiba said.
"He's not a devil, nor is he a stray." Koneko added.
"A human is in possession of sacred gear, but no one has noticed this."
"Well, he did say that he just got here about a week ago."
"But we would have sensed something."
"We all hung out all day today, and we didn't sense anything from him."
"Maybe he's a different case."
"We'll have to be cautious." Koneko said, and Kiba nodded.
"Um, excuse me, so what's going on?" I asked.
"Issei, why don't you come by the Occult Research Club tomorrow so that we can get this figured out?" Koneko suggested.
"I, um, look, I don't know what is going on, but I've been having a very eventful day, but I just want to let you guys know that I don't mean any harm, and I'll come by tomorrow in peace if you agree that no harm will come to me." I said.
"We will uphold our end. Just come by in the afternoon so that we will all be present." Kiba said.
"We'll let everyone know."
I am uncertain about the meaning of "everyone." Raynare called them devils, and Raynare is a fallen angel. I have no idea what I've gotten myself into, but this includes whatever the hell I'm holding in my left hand. It went from being a peaceful day of hanging out with friends to being a game of cat-and-mouse to being a full-on fight. Yeah, this is too much for the human brain.