Issei and Mash stood in stunned silence for a moment as the ORC looked at them worriedly and the Servants looked serious. Finally, Issei snapped out of it and showed a serious face the others had never seen before. "Mashu, we're going back."
"Yes, Senpai," said Mash with determination.
Issei turned to Azazel. "Can you transport us home?"
"Yeah, shouldn't be a problem. Also, take this," said Azazel as he handed him a paper with a magic circle on it. "That is connected to the Gremory house. Use it to come back here once you're done."
Issei nodded and looked at Mash and Okita Alter. He turned to the others who looked like they were ready to go as well. "You all stay here and train them. I shouldn't be gone too long."
"Master, with all due respect, we should go with you," said Artoria.
"No. I need you to train the others. They're on a timeline and I have plenty of others who can help me if I need it. What happens here is more important."
"Master, you're not putting your own personal feelings in front of your job, are you?" asked Scàthach slightly accusingly.
"... I would be lying if I said that wasn't part of it, but what I said isn't wrong either. Once the Singularity is dealt with it becomes irrelevant. But here, what happens here affects the future for them. It does for us as well, since we decided to align with them. We can't just drop everything whenever a Singularity pops up anymore. This isn't the only thing that happens anymore."
"But the consequences for failure are catastrophic if you do," said Circe.
"Well, we don't know what kind of Singularity this is yet. It's the first one since we stopped Goetia, and for all we know it could be one of the minor ones that was made by accident and has a simple fix. For now, just stay put and help them."
The Servants looked dissatisfied but accepted Issei's decision. "Fine. But I expect you to report what happened to me. I plan to evaluate how you handled the mission and I will adjust your training accordingly," said Scàthach.
Issei slightly flinched at that, hoping that this mission wouldn't be a big deal. Rias was the next to speak. "Issei, are you sure you don't want us to go with you?"
"We don't even know if you guys are capable of going into Singularities yet, so we shouldn't chance it with an unknown one. Besides, in this case I share Sirzechs sentiment that he said at the young devils gathering. These situations can be deadly, even in the lax Singularities. Having all of you there, while having no idea what to do would just put your lives on the line needlessly. This may sound cold-hearted of me, but whatever happens with the Singularities only affects the other world, not this one. Meaning it doesn't really concern you, especially since you all have an important role here."
"But you're both important to us, so it does concern us," Rias argued back.
Issei couldn't help but smile at her care. "I appreciate it Rias, really, I do, but this is a case of things being simpler if you just leave it to us. You already have enough on your plate as it is." Issei nodded at Azazel to send them home, which he complied. "Don't worry. At most I should only be gone for a week or two, tops. We'll be back before your match starts; I promise." After he said that, he, along with Mash and Okita Alter, vanished.
The others were left in a state of uneasiness, but they didn't have time to dwell on it. "Alright, that's enough standing around. Let's get started," said Scàthach. The ORC looked between each other and nodded before heading off in different directions to train.
(Training Day 2: Rias)
Rias' first day of training was her familiarizing herself with her new training regime, with most of it focusing on the information she received from Azazel. Scàthach, Circe, and Zhuge Liang gave her a general rundown of what her training was going to be like, with Zhuge Liang helping her with strategies and the info she gathered, Circe with training her with magic control and new spells, and finally Scàthach with combat training. Now having her game plan, she prepared herself for the true start of her training the next day. The next morning, Rias got up early to start her magical training. "Now then, I'm sure Master has told you what he heard from my other disciple about how grueling my training can be, but I assure you that it won't be as bad as it sounds," began Circe.
"Even if it is true, I will do what is necessary to become a better master for my peerage and head of my house," said Rias with resolve.
Circe smiled. "I see. In that case, let's see what kind of magic you're capable of." With that the two's practice began, with Rias showing her control over ice, fire, electricity, and her family's personal destruction magic. She then showed she could make barriers as well as summoned her familiar. After observing her abilities Circe gave her thoughts about each. "Your world's magic is strange, but not difficult to understand. I can see the differences it has compared to magecraft. If I had to compare the two, I would say that your magic style is faster but weaker while my magecraft is slower but stronger. Of course this is just on a basic level. My magecraft can be used just as quickly as your magic since it's my area of expertise, which means that if you wish to get to my level or even close to it you have a long way to go."
Rias didn't let that deter her. "Where should we start?"
"Well, first off, I can tell that you heavily rely on your destruction magic since your other magic is noticeably weaker by comparison. Since Master told me to train you, I looked back on your fight with your former fiancé, as well as the training you did in Chaldea, and I have to say that the first thing we have to do is make you more adaptable."
Rias tilted her head in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"Your entire fighting style is too straightforward. A basic hit and run tactic that relies on you blowing up your opponent until they give up. While magic is good for that sort of thing, its true power comes from how malleable it can be, otherwise it would be no different than a sword or ax. What you need to learn, is misdirection," said Circe with a sly smile.
"I'm no stranger to deceit, mentor," said Rias unconvinced.
"I'm sure you're not, but you seem reluctant to use it in your combat style. In a way, it shows how honest and straightforward you are, which is good for your personality, but you should learn to separate that in your fighting style. Mages like us are supposed to be enigmas so that others can't counter us. Our greatest advantage is information and the less an opponent has on us the better. That means constantly coming up with new spells and ways to use our spells. We have to keep our enemies guessing." Rias began to understand her line of thinking. "With that said this means you're going to have to start to learn new spells from scratch which doesn't give us a lot of time. Also, Scàthach told me to teach you reinforcement magecraft."
"Reinforcement magecraft. Like the kind Issei uses?"
"Yes. It's a basic form of magecraft, but I've heard from others that it's commonly taught in the modern day. Something about going against the stigma of mages being useless in close quarters combat or something. I get the logic but if you want my opinion, if your spells are good enough, you won't ever need to worry about that."
"Weren't you just saying that me relying on my destruction magic was a bad idea, no matter how strong it is?" asked Rias with a wry smile.
Circe looked away embarrassed as she realized she just contradicted herself. "W-well, you know. It's different, because you're quite literally a one trick pony, while I have a myriad of spells at my disposal." Rias couldn't help but chuckle at her new mentor's excuse, but her bringing up reinforcement magic reminded her about Issei.
"Hey. How long do you think Issei and Mashu will really be gone for?" she asked with a bit of melancholy.
Circe looked at her before looking up in thought. "There's no way to know without me having the info. It could be like my situation where we were only there about a day or two, or it could be like Babylonia where he was there for months on end. That one seems less likely, otherwise it would have been a much bigger deal and we all would have been called back, regardless of what Master said. I don't think you have anything to worry about."
"Even so…" Rias looked unconvinced. She might not know what a Singularity was like, but she saw how it affected Issei. In the way he spoke, the way he moved, the way he acted, it was all from his various experiences that nearly cost him his life over and over. Whenever he looked back and talked about it with her, she could tell he was making light of it so as not to worry her. Though he was probably able to do so because it was over and in the past. Rias grimaced. "There's so much I don't understand yet. There has to be something I can do."
"If you want to do something, then the only thing you can do is get stronger and more experienced," said Circe, getting Rias' attention again. "I'm sure Master has said this in passing to you, but in terms of strength your group is stronger than him. If it wasn't for his magic tool, you called it a Sacred Gear or something, that he uses to strengthen all his abilities he wouldn't be able to hold a candle to you all in terms of power and skill. The thing that sets him apart from you all, is experience." Rias focused more intently on her mentor's words now. "Not only did he gain a lot of combat experience, essentially fighting multiple wars in the course of a year in every environment you could think of, but he gained tactical experience. He had to sit in the back for most of his time fighting those wars, leading and commanding powerful warriors to lead us to salvation. He experienced victory and loss many times as well as see horrors that would break most normal people. He's had to think on his feet when situations changed and make do with what he had available to him, even if it wasn't gonna cut it. Compared to that, you and the others, who at most had to deal with small skirmishes and had for all intents and purposes a pretty cushy life, are woefully behind him. He has developed the skills to be a leader, which is why you guys find yourselves following his lead subconsciously. As things stand, all the help you could provide right now is to be another blade to point at his enemies. Even then, he has better options. If you want to stand beside him like you wish, then you're going to have to throw out all your previous conceptions about what it means to be strong."
"Even if you say that, what should I think? I've seen you all in battle, and while I can tell you're strong the gap between you all and the enemies has been so wide that I can't even begin to imagine your true strength. Even in mock battles you all go easy on us. During the rating game against Riser, while Issei fought evenly with Riser and his peerage the rest of you either instantly took out the enemy or just kept them at bay for one of us to finish off. It's hard to comprehend, when the levels are just too wide," said Rias almost defeatedly.
"So then. That's it? You're just gonna give up?"
"What?! No, of course not!"
"Then why are you making up these excuses for why you can't do it. Master is trying to do something that most people would consider impossible, which is to be as strong as a Servant while being a Magus. He's a stubborn one, and most people would call him a fool, especially since his whole reason is basically out of a sense of gratitude for us."
"Gratitude?"
"Yes. He is thankful for everything we've done and feels like he's pushing the burden onto us, when that is our purpose in the first place. Honestly, he's too soft to be a Magus, but that's probably what made the difference in the end." Circe looked like she was fondly reminiscing about something as Rias seemed to be understanding more of Issei's and the other's situation. "He's resolved himself to fight for tomorrow, whether that's with us or on his own. What about you? What is it that you want to fight for?"
"What I… want to fight for? I want to fight for my family's honor. To prove I'm worthy of being the next head of the Gremory household."
"Ok… And that means… what exactly?"
Rias was confused why she was asking but when she went to answer she realized that she didn't really know either. She knew everything that came with being the next head. The responsibility, the title, what it all represented. But she never really thought about it beyond that. It hit her that what Circe said earlier was true. She "is" living a cushy life with a future that was more or less taken care of for her. She didn't really have to do anything for her to live an enjoyable life, but that's not what she wanted. "I… I don't know. I never really thought about it before. All my life I was told that this was my future… my fate."
"Well, it's not like it doesn't mean anything. Titles hold merit too. Even I take pride in my title as the Queen of Witches. But you lack purpose, a calling all your own that you can direct your growth to. You started with being the family head, then you moved to supporting Master, but these are both simple desires. Feelings born in the heat of the moment. What you need is a guiding purpose, something that you wish to attain with your own two hands. Is there anything like that for you?" Rias just looked down, not sure how to answer. "Well, you don't have to come up with an answer right now. You have plenty of time to think about it. For now, we should focus on getting you ready for your match."
Rias nodded and focused on her magecraft lessons, but what Circe said stuck with her. They spent most of their time learning reinforcement magecraft so that she could use it for her next lesson. As Rias learned the ins and outs of it, she realized how much concentration was required to maintain it, not just the magical power. It also showed itself as red glowing lines on her body, similar to how teal glowing lines appear on Issei when he does it, but unlike with Issei where the lines are straight, Rias' lines were curvier and flowing. It amazed her that Issei basically switched it on and off without much issue whenever a fight broke out. Once she got the hang of maintaining it she tried moving around with it. "It's amazing how much of a difference this makes in terms of mobility. Although it drains my magic a bit, the physical exertion is almost nonexistent." Rias tried jumping and she found herself five times higher than she would have normally. "I didn't even try to jump this high! Hmm… Maybe I can break things like Koneko can?" Rias found a nearby tree and walked up to it. She initially was going to punch it, but her better judgment told her to try and grab it first before she tried punching anything. She grabbed the trunk with one hand and increased her grip, crushing a part of the tree. She looked at her hand, opening it and seeing all the bits of tree there, and she didn't even have a mark on her hand from the wood. "With this kind of power I'm basically the rook too," she said with a smile. It soon turned melancholy as she thought about said rook. "I hope Koneko is doing ok. If she knew I could do this she would probably feel more worthless. But if she learns this magic, she could be even more durable than she already is. Honestly, everyone should learn this."
"You shouldn't be spacing out like that. We have more work to do before you go see your next teacher," said Circe. Rias nodded her head, and the pair went back to magic training.
Later Rias went to an open area away from her home to meet with Scàthach for her physical training. As she made her way there, she saw Scàthach standing there patiently. As she approached, Scàthach looked her up and down. "Do you plan to train in that outfit?" she asked, seemingly unimpressed with Rias' tracksuit.
"Y-yes? Is there a problem?"
"It's not a big issue, but your clothes are too baggy. It makes it easy to grab you from almost anywhere. I should ask the inventor about getting you a skin-tight suit like mine or Master's Mystic Code one."
"You mean like the ones we used for training before?"
"Yes, you'll want to have every advantage possible on the battlefield, and that includes the combat gear you wear going into battle. Even Master wears his Mystic Codes under his normal clothing."
"Do you think I could get a Mystic Code as well?"
"I'm the wrong person to ask about that. If you want that, talk to Da Vinci about it. Anyways, enough about that. Have you learned Reinforcement Magecraft?"
"Yes. I can maintain it, though it's a bit draining. I was surprised how much stronger I became by using it though."
"Yes well, strength doesn't mean anything if not used properly. Tell me, have you ever used a weapon before?"
"No, not really. I've dabbled with swords in the past but that was more because I thought it looked neat rather than a desire to actually use it."
"Well then, consider this your first lesson in both hand-to-hand as well as weapon combat. I'll be sure to put you through the same training as Master when he asked for it," said Scàthach with a somewhat villainous smile. "I'll say this while I'm at it. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't train someone unless I thought they had talent or potential. Master was an exception, because when he initially asked me, I could tell he had next to no potential. I only gave in due to the circumstances and his earnestness. Even my idiot student Cú vouched for him, so it made it hard for even me to say no. In exchange, I put him through hell to make sure he got exactly what he wanted. Looking at you, I can tell you have more potential than him, but even so I would normally not consider training you either. Since I accepted Master's request, you better make sure his kindness doesn't go to waste."
Rias felt nervous about what she was about to go through but understood that she was being given a rare opportunity by Issei and Scàthach. So, she planned to endure whatever would be thrown at her. The rest of the day was spent with Rias getting tossed around and beaten to a pulp by Scàthach. Even with the Reinforcement Magic, she endured pain that wanted to make her cough up blood. She was never a hand-to-hand fighter to begin with, so all her attempts to attack were countered and dodged by Scàthach. It essentially amounted to flailing on her part, which clearly displeased Scàthach. After several hours of being tossed around, Rias was laying on the ground, bruised and beaten. She was breathing heavily as her exhausted body couldn't even budge. This is what Issei had to do to get as strong as he is? I wonder if he's really human. Rias thought to herself.
Scàthach was observing Rias, clearly pleased with herself. "Seems we have a long way to go. Even if you're compensating for your lack of athleticism with magic, your movements are amateur at best. I should talk to the Casters about moving the schedule around. It makes sense for you to have your tactics lessons in the morning while having me and the witch switch days for training you. That way you won't have to think about all your training at once and it gives me more time to train you the proper way," said Scàthach with a devilish smile. Rias had a foreboding feeling at those words, as her hellish training camp began.
(Training Day 3: Akeno)
Akeno had spent her training days heavily focusing on her magic prowess. Ashtart and Skadi had been opposites in terms of methods to use magic. While Skadi was a more support-based Mage, Ashtart was the more offensively focused one. The two taught Akeno various ways to use her spells and since she specialized in lightning magic is where Raikou stepped in to help. As the two were training Raikou noticed Akeno wasn't focusing as they sparred. She used her distraction to get in close and completely knock over Akeno. Akeno, who didn't expect the sudden move, was completely stunned and soon found Raikou's blade at her neck. "You won't get any better if you're distracted, dear," said Raikou, looking at Akeno seriously. Akeno looked away with a distant look and Raikou changed her expression to her usual motherly one. "Why don't we take a break?" she suggested. After a moment to collect themselves, the pair found themselves near the Gremory garden again. Raikou decided to ask the looming question. "So, what's the matter dear?"
Akeno looked away, clearly not wanting to talk about it. "It doesn't concern you."
"Now now, there's no need to be defensive. I only wish to help. After all, I feel a certain kinship with you," said Raikou calmly.
"In what way could we be similar?" asked Akeno unconvinced.
"Well, based on what was said the first day, I can assume that you loathe your blood similar to how I once did."
Her words caught Akeno's attention. "You, loathed your blood?"
"At one point, yes. My job is to hunt down and destroy Oni, and Oni blood flows through my veins. I hate them so much, but they are inseparably a part of me. The look in your eyes reminds me of how I once felt when I was young."
"How did you deal with it?"
"Simple. I had a duty to fulfill. As I said before, I had a mission to accomplish and didn't have the luxury of turning away from any power that could help me finish it. Personally, I saw it as dramatic irony. The power the Oni used to terrorize humans was now being used to slay them instead," she said with a smile full of mirth.
Akeno felt a shiver and for a moment wondered if that's how Issei and the others saw her when she got really into it. "I see. I understand what you're getting at, but it's not that simple for me," she said. Raikou had sat down on a bench and gestured for Akeno to sit down next to her, which she did.
Unexpectedly, Raikou pulled Akeno in and had her lie down on her lap as she comfortingly rubbed her head. "Why don't you tell me about it? I promise I'll keep it between us. Not even Master will know."
"Not even Issei-kun…"
"Not unless you want him to." Akeno felt a comfort that she hadn't felt in a long time and eventually relented, telling Raikou all about what happened to her and why she came to despise her Fallen blood. After listening to her story Raikou nodded her head in understanding. "I see. So, what do you intend to do from here?" Akeno looked at Raikou from her spot on her lap, (as well as she could since she could barely see her face behind her large boobs that almost put hers to shame). "While I have much I want to say about your situation, I feel it's not my place to cast judgment about what happened. I would recommend you speak to Master when your heart is ready. But what cannot wait is what you intend to do moving forward. I agree with the others that letting your trauma hold you back will only lead to more trauma moving forward. If you continue to weaken yourself like this, you could find yourself alone all over again, unable to do anything because you're too weak." A tinge of fear made its way across Akeno's face when Raikou said that. "We can help you get stronger, but in the end, you have to get out of your own way."
Akeno looked uncertain. "I, I'm not sure I can do that…" she said on the verge of tears.
"Of course you can, but there's nothing saying you have to do it alone. Master has already told you he would stay by you, hasn't he? And I would be more than happy to be your mother as well."
Raikou's statement caught Akeno by surprise. "M-my mother?!"
"Ufufu, that's right. I already have Master call me Mama Raikou, and he isn't the first child I've taken in. Honestly, I see a lot of me in you, and after hearing your story, I don't think I can leave you alone. For someone to lose their mother so young is a tragedy. So, I will give you the motherly love you lost all those years ago," said Raikou with determination.
"O-Ok," said Akeno nervously. Raikou's intensity made it harder to say anything back and she wasn't entirely sure about having a new mother-figure all of a sudden.
"There's no reason to be nervous, dear. I'll take good care of you like I do all my children. I'll make sure to spoil you too," said Raikou with a caring smile.
Raikou spent the rest of the day comforting/spoiling Akeno. This might take some getting used to, thought Akeno, now understanding why Issei always seemed a bit nervous whenever he was near Raikou.
(Training Day 5: Kiba)
Kiba had been making great strides in his training once things got going. Taking Azazel's advice, he practiced maintaining his Balance Breaker for at least a day for the first few days which helped him adjust to its power. During this time, he spent it training with Emiya in coming up with new ideas for weapons to make and use. Knowing that Emiya was the one who trained Issei in projection magecraft and its uses made Kiba even more curious about what he could learn from him. "I would just like to thank you again for your help, Emiya-sensei. I've never met someone who had an ability similar to mine before. Having someone else's perspective is really helpful," said Kiba.
"Don't worry about it. Honestly, meeting someone who had a similar ability that I didn't train or was another version of me is rare for me too. In my opinion, our abilities complement each other, since your ability makes swords and mine copies them," said Emiya.
"But you can make blades, can't you? You have those black and white swords you often use."
"Kanshou and Bakuya. They are my only original creations, but my ability is more about "creating as many counterfeits as possible" rather than creating new blades."
"Why is that? Wouldn't having a powerful blade or something unique be more beneficial in the long run?"
"If I were to focus on mastering a single weapon, then maybe that would be true, but there is something I think most people don't understand." Kiba inclined his head in interest to what his mentor was saying. "Just because something is fake doesn't mean it can't surpass the original. It's the same with you, isn't it?" Kiba was confused about what he was referring to. "While I don't wanna open any old wounds, your past in the Holy Sword Project essentially makes you a counterfeit holy swordsman." Kiba had a somewhat dark look on his face. Although he resolved his past with the project it still wasn't a fond memory for him. "When you awakened your Balance Breaker, you surpassed what was originally intended for you. You became a fake that surpassed the original."
"A fake… that surpassed the original." Kiba didn't understand why, but that description felt right to him. He was a failure in the Holy Sword Project along with his comrades, but managed to do the impossible and defeat what was a supposed success that was Freed and his holy sword.
"And there's still more waiting for you. Your power can grow, not just in the variety of weapons you can use, like me, but in the techniques you will learn from the others. It is the same path that Master decided to take."
"I was actually curious about that. What did Issei-kun ask you to get you to train him?"
"It wasn't anything grand. He simply asked me to train him in projection in hopes that he would never be without a weapon. Of course, back then he was much weaker than he is now so even when he started getting the hang of projection he couldn't use it in a real fight because his opposition was just too strong. The best he could do at the time was create something in an emergency situation to defend himself until one of us could help him," said Emiya with a look of nostalgia.
"I see. Issei-kun seems so capable now that it's hard to imagine him needing help."
"Well, that's a matter of perspective. I know it's been said to death at this point for all of you but the enemies we fought in the past would wipe the floor with most of the enemies we fought since arriving here. If Master were to fight in one of the Singularities as he is now, he would probably be able to handle the fodder enemies, maybe a bicorn or something of similar strength if he planned around it, but he would definitely struggle against a Shadow Servant."
"What's a Shadow Servant?"
"Basically, it's a Servant that for one reason or another wasn't able to properly manifest. They tend to be mindless warriors that are weaker than the Servant they're based on, of course that's not an absolute."
"So, they're basically mindless drones."
"Correct. But we're getting sidetracked. To your original question, Master came to me as well as many other Servants to try and pick up various techniques. He has been learning to make shadow clones from Fuma, and you already know he's been training with Scàthach and Georgios. He wanted to do more but we stopped him from going to see any more Servants because we didn't want him to overwhelm himself. At this rate he just wants to keep us around to spend time with him rather than to fight enemies."
Kiba showed a sad smile. He felt like he understood Issei's desire and felt like he was doing it to them as well. "Issei-kun is a very protective person, but it feels like he feels he has to do things himself sometimes."
"... It definitely has gotten worse since the Temple of Time. Not that I blame him after what happened to Mash," said Emiya. Kiba nodded having heard about it from Rias. "Well hopefully his current mission will help ground him a bit. He's been doing pretty good with everything happening here, and while I don't wish harm on my Master, he could do with a bit of a wakeup call."
"Well let's just hope Issei-kun makes it back in one piece," said Kiba.
"Right, I guess that's enough distractions for now. Let's get back to training. Why don't we start with seeing how many swords you can manifest at once," said Emiya. Kiba nodded and the two continued with their training.
(Training Day 7: Issei)
It was before lunchtime, and everyone was making their way back from their individual training regimes. Most of them were exhausted from their mentors' training and were looking forward to their meal. As they reached the front of the Gremory household a magic circle appeared in front of them, surprising them. As they stared at the magic circle a group of people appeared from it. Standing there was Issei, Mash, and someone they didn't recognize in a suit. Upon seeing their friends, the ORC rushed over to them. "Issei! Mashu!" said Rias, relieved.
Issei, Mash, and the mystery person turned to see the group with the mystery person immediately standing between them, seeming to want to protect Issei. "Stand down," said Issei, causing the person to loosen up and move out of the way. Issei tried to seem less stressed than he was and showed a kind smile. "It's good to see everyone doing well. Has the training been going well?"
The others noticed that Issei seemed to be in a dower mood despite his attempt to hide it. "Training has been going fine. What about you? What's wrong?"
Issei made a difficult face at the question, making the group worried. Mash grabbed his sleeve and got his attention. "You should tell them," she said sadly.
Issei sighed as he turned to the others. "Let's talk about it at lunch."
"We're heading to lunch now," said Akeno, getting a surprised look from Issei followed by a look of resignation.
"You're being targeted by the Demon Gods!?" shouted Rias. The group was eating in the dining hall accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Gremory and after eating some of their meals, Issei finally talked about his recent mission. He revealed that it was a trap intended to kill him by a surviving Demon God Pillar. Demon God Bael had also mentioned other surviving Pillars that were acting independently.
"Demon God Bael was targeting me. Holmes was the one who suggested that the other surviving ones would probably be after me as well. Either that or they may be trying to finish what Goetia started. Either way, it has become a huge problem," said Issei a bit exasperated.
"Bael…" Rias mimicked. She knew that the Demon Gods of the other world weren't the same as the Devils here but hearing Sairaorg's counterpart basically plan an assassination of Issei filled her with a sense of dread.
Venelana seemed to know what her daughter was thinking as she spoke to her. "Rias, Sairaorg isn't like that. You know that," she said in a comforting tone.
"I know, but it's still hard to hear," said Rias.
"Do you know how many of these Pillars survived?" asked Zeoticus.
"From what Holmes told me he confirmed at least four Demon God Pillars survived, but there is a possibility that more did. For now, we're just focusing on the remaining three that we're certain are still out there," said Issei seriously.
"You've been saying Holmes for a while. Are you talking about Sherlock Holmes?" asked Akeno.
Issei smiled pleasantly for the first time since he got back. "Yes, the very same. He's currently in Chaldea, helping to try and solve the mystery of these remaining Demon God Pillars."
The others who knew about Sherlock Holmes seemed to have sparkles in their eyes. Even Zeoticus and Venelana seemed interested. "You always keep interesting company with you Issei," said Venelana.
"Well, maybe if the opportunity arises, I'll invite him here to chat with you. That is if he would be interested in that. He's a very eccentric person," said Issei while shaking his head. Mash gave a small chuckle next to him.
"So, Issei-san will be going out again?" asked Asia, a little worried.
"Yeah. When they find another Singularity, I'll have to go out and deal with it."
"Then maybe we should go with you next time," said Rias.
"Rias, we don't even know if you can Rayshift yet. You guys can't just go into a Singularity. Besides, it's not just about fighting enemies, it's about survival as well. You'll be in an unknown territory for an unspecified amount of time. There are plenty of times when we had to camp out in the wilderness when we had no place to stay, not to mention having to maintain supplies. There is a lot more to this than just going and dealing with the problem," said Issei in an unintentionally irritated tone.
"S-sorry Issei," said Rias, being slightly cowed by Issei's tone.
Issei realized that he let his annoyance out on Rias by accident. "No Rias, I'm sorry. I'm not mad at you; I'm just stressed right now." Issei got up from the table. "I need some time to myself. I'll excuse myself," said Issei with a polite bow and he left.
The others watched him leave with concern and the mood seemed to drop at the table. Venelana saw that Mash seemed to know what was going on and broached the topic. "Mash-san. Something else happened besides the mission, didn't it?"
Mash looked surprised that she figured it out. "Yes. Senpai had a meeting with the higher-ups of the Mages Association after the mission was done. It took a few days before we were able to return here."
"Wait, Issei would have been back sooner if it weren't for the higher-ups?" asked Rias, surprised.
"Yes, Senpai went missing after we saved humanity, meaning he wasn't debriefed when the rest of us were after everything was done. Not only that we had to report that he went missing after it all happened so Senpai reappearing would naturally bring up questions about where he's been and why he's suddenly shown up now."
"I see… That does make sense," said Rias. "I guess from Issei's mood things didn't go so well?"
Mash gave an unsure shrug. "Senpai didn't tell me what was talked about but considering the current situation they're not in a position to take any drastic action against Senpai right now."
"But now the clock is ticking on his plan," said Kiba.
"Right, we need to properly establish a base for Chaldea here in the Underworld so that they have a place to go before the Mages Association shuts them down," said Rias.
"Didn't we already build them one in Kuoh?" asked Zeoticus.
"We did, but having an established backing with us will help solidify their activities. Since they can't act freely in the human world, having a base where they can, will be more beneficial for them, and in turn us," explained Rias.
"True. Once you two get married he will have his own territory in our domain to use as he sees fit. Having his organization tied directly with our family would be an incredible boost to our family's status and reputation in the Underworld," said Venelana.
"While I agree with you mother that's not the reason we're doing this," said Rias with a small glare at her mother. "Make sure you don't talk like that around Issei, especially right now."
"Of course, dear."
"In any case, we should let Issei have his space for now. We can talk to him later when he's more relaxed," suggested Rias. The others nodded as well in agreement.
It was near the end of the day when the group had finished their training for the day. None of them had seen Issei since lunch and while they agreed to give him some space, they were obviously still worried about him. The group were walking down the hall when they ran into Venelana who seemed to be staring at something. "Is something wrong mother?" asked Rias.
Venelana turned to her daughter and gestured to her and the group to come closer. "Do you know who that is?" she asked, pointing at someone walking down the hall.
The group looked down the hall and saw someone familiar walking down it. "Ah, that's Jealter-san," said Asia.
"She's another of Issei's Servants," said Akeno.
"I see. I didn't see her when you all arrived here but when I saw her, she wasn't doing anything particularly suspicious," said Venelana.
"Yeah, Issei's Servants have a tendency to just appear out of nowhere. To be fair, Issei told me they can go into a spirit form that makes them virtually undetectable, meaning they can follow him anywhere without being spotted," explained Rias.
"I see. That sounds both useful and concerning at the same time," said Venelana.
"Just another reason not to upset Issei," warned Rias. Venelana started to get a better picture of why her daughter was constantly warning her about her business-like behavior around Issei. "That being said however, I am curious as to where she's going. Let's follow her."
The others looked between each other unsure, but agreed and followed Jealter. As they followed her, they were eventually led to one of the sitting rooms where she entered with an annoyed look. The others along with Venelana who tagged along because she thought this was interesting waited near the door, trying to listen in on what was going on. Eventually they heard Jealter talk. "What's with that look Master? Your face is more annoying than it usually is."
The others realized that Issei was in the room with her and were now focusing carefully on the conversation. "I'm just exhausted, Jealter. It's been a long week, especially since I had to deal with another version of you during the last mission," said Issei snarkily.
"Well, it's not like it's any of my business."
"It's totally your business," said Issei playfully.
Jealter leveled a look at him. "Don't tell me you're still bothered by those Mage Official punks."
Jealter hit the nail on the head as Issei became quiet again. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke. "You know, I don't know what I was expecting when they interrogated me. I knew how selfish and underhanded they were going to be, but sitting in that room with them was something else completely." The others outside were listening intently, wanting to know what happened. "I've been through so much during our travels, you'd think I'd be used to people directing malicious intent towards me, but this was different. Unlike the other times when others saw me as an enemy or a target, their looks were something completely different. It was clear they didn't completely buy the cover story they were told, and they looked at me like a dangerous being that needed to be disposed of. Of course they can't now, with the new emergency going on, but it's clear that they intend to do something down the line." Issei sighed as his gaze went to the ceiling. "I'd rather prefer they simply wanted to think of me as an enemy, because even if it's for their own selfish reasons, they see me as a threat to the world that can't be left unchecked. A threat to others and their very lives. I didn't really know what it was that I was feeling until I unintentionally got upset with Rias earlier and saw her expression. That's when I understood what it was that made me uncomfortable. It was being feared."
The words he spoke were heavy as the others began to understand Issei's concern. It seemed more weighed on his mind than the opinions of his superiors. Rias also felt bad for making Issei feel like he was feared by her. Jealter kept a stoic face as she moved closer to Issei. "Master… The only ones left in Chaldea are the Servants that have taken a shine to you. If our world, or this one were to reject you, then we would burn these worlds, and offer them up to you. We would follow you, even to the depths of hell."
The words she spoke demonstrated to the listeners not just her own loyalty, but the loyalty of all the Servants towards Issei. They felt both respect for their loyalty and fear for what would happen if someone were to cross Issei. They had no doubt that they could follow through with her claim. Issei who had something of a surprised look on his face from Jealter's words, quickly had it changed to a smile. "Even to the depths of hell, huh. Well, we're already there," said Issei with a chuckle. "Jealter, are you one of those Servants that have taken a shine to me?" asked Issei playfully.
"N-no, that's-" she stammered out but was interrupted by Issei.
"Thank you, Jealter. I'm glad you feel that way, but it would never come to that." Issei showed a sad smile as he thought about the Doctor. "You see, that world is the world that he saved. No matter what happens, I will protect it. It's the same with this world. Not just because it's my home, but because what he said about life is also true here. So, I will protect the lives of this world too."
I see… This is, a curse, thought Jealter. "That is the world that he saved", that's why you'll do everything to protect it, huh… Jealter stood in front of Issei who was confused as to why she suddenly got so close, and a moment later Jealter used both hands to slap Issei's cheeks.
"Oww! What was that for?!" asked Issei, surprised while rubbing his face.
"You're an idiot, you know that?"
"Yeah, I know. What's your point?"
"Do you think that man would want you to sacrifice your own happiness for the sake of the world? It wasn't just the world he saved, he saved you. Don't you think he would want you to be happy as well? How do you think he would feel if the world that he saved, denied you your happiness?" scolded Jealter.
"I am enjoying my life," said Issei, although his voice didn't sound as confident as it usually did.
"Are you? You've been walking like you've had a weight on you for a while now and recent events have only made it worse. You shouldn't be like this. You should be happy in the world that we, you, and that man saved. You should smile and laugh like you always have, and live your life to the fullest. Isn't that why you've been chasing your ridiculous dream these past months?" Issei was silent as he watched Jealter preach. "What I'm ultimately saying is, we're all willing to do anything for your sake, so don't feel like you have to do it all on your own. Lean on us so that you can have time for yourself as well."
Issei quietly stared at Jealter and eventually a wry smile made it to his face. "You're right. I'm sorry. I have been trying to shoulder everything myself because I was in a rush to stand beside you, but in reality, you all already were beside me. I'll try to rely on you all more often, but as I am now, I also can't stop moving forward on my own."
"That's fine. We're more than capable of keeping up with a boneheaded Master like you," said Jealter with a confident look.
"Heh. I'll be counting on it." With that Issei's mood seemed to be lifted. The others were relieved that Issei seemed to be better, but the weight of the conversation was now on their minds. Even Venelana felt moved by the conversation and, as was the theme as of late, got a greater understanding of Issei's personality and struggles. The group soon left, not wanting to disturb the two but their talk gave them all much to consider.
(Training Day 11: Xenovia and Asia)
It was the afternoon and Issei decided to take a walk and see how everyone was faring in their training. Ever since he came back, he had been trying to sort out his emotions after his meeting and had been thinking about what comes next with the Demon God Pillars. Ultimately, he knew he wasn't gonna come up with any answers and decided to leave the thinking to Holmes and Da Vinci. So, to clear his head he wanted to know how everyone had been doing and his first stop was to see Asia. As he made his way to where her training was supposed to take place, he heard a loud crashing noise as well as a large cloud of smoke coming from the direction he was heading. "Asia?!" shouted Issei concerned, and he rushed to her direction. When he finally made it, he was about to call out to Asia again but soon saw the reason for the loud noise. In front of him Xenovia was training with Artoria and Seigfried, while being coached by both Jeanne and Martha. Meanwhile Asia was standing on the side with Medea Lily and Irisveil, watching the battle. Issei walked to the observing group and got their attention. "Hey guys. How's the training going?"
"Issei-san, I'm making progress but…" Asia said while looking a bit down.
"Her healing has improved exponentially," said Medea Lily. "But as far as her focusing on targets, she's still having some issues with it."
"We've been training alongside Xenovia and the others, since it would be easier to heal with an actual target, but she's been having trouble focusing on just healing her allies. Whenever she heals Xenovia and Artoria or Seigfried are nearby they end up getting healed too. Honestly this is the only real issue she's been having. Other than that, she has managed to expand the range of her healing as well as her area of effect," said Irisveil.
"I see. What about Martha? She seems to be more into training Xenovia than Asia," asked Issei.
"She has been doing both, but Martha's methods are a bit too forceful, for someone like Asia. She has honestly been more helpful with Xenovia than Asia," said Medea Lily. "The same could be said of Jeanne. She's been trying to keep Xenovia in check like you asked but her methods are more effective when she helps Asia-chan."
Issei went into contemplation from this. "I see… Maybe I was being too hasty in trying to have everyone cover for their weaknesses. Not everyone can be a jack-of-all-trades. Asia's not a fighter and I shouldn't have hoped that some of Martha would rub off on her." Issei looked at Jeanne who had a strained smile on her face while watching Xenovia. An idea came to Issei. "But maybe she could be a better guardian instead." Issei decided to get everyone's attention. "Time out everyone!" he shouted, causing those sparring to stop and everyone to look at him.
"Is something wrong Issei?" asked Xenovia.
"No, not at all. I was just checking in to see how you're doing, and after talking with Medea Lily I think some changes need to be made. Specifically, I want Jeanne and Martha to change spots."
"So, you want me to train Xenovia Master?" asked Martha, who didn't look bothered by the decision.
"Yeah, I think my decision for you and Jeanne was a bit premature. I shouldn't have tried to make them all try to do too many different things at once. I think it's best to focus on what they're best at. In Xenovia's case it's her overwhelming strength with Durandal combined with her speed as a knight. For Asia it's her healing ability and her desire to help others. In this case I want you, Martha to help Xenovia refine her strength, while Jeanne will help Asia in learning more protective abilities." Asia was surprised by this as Issei smiled at her. "Since you're not a fighter but you want to help, I think this is a good compromise. Jeanne has the ability to protect her comrades through her faith, so I figure that would be a perfect way for you to help as well beyond just healing everyone.
Asia was happy with this idea and nodded strongly. "Thank you, Issei-san! I think this would be a good way for me to do more for Rias-buchou and everyone."
"I would be glad to show you how you can put your faith to use like I do," said Jeanne happily.
Issei nodded pleased that this seemed to be the right choice. He then turned to Xenovia. "How has training been going for you?"
"I have felt my skills sharpening thanks to King Artoria and Seigfried. Lady Martha's coaching has been helpful as well, no offense Lady Jeanne," said Xenovia.
"None taken. Like Master said, we weren't a good match for training," said Jeanne.
Xenovia nodded then turned back to Issei. "I've felt my power increase, and my skills sharpen with this training, and thanks to Asia and the others being able to heal me I've been able to keep going longer than usual."
"That's all well and good, but don't overdo it. You don't want to run yourself ragged," said Issei.
"You shouldn't be the one saying that," said everyone there except Xenovia and Asia, causing Issei to flinch slightly.
"Er, right. I guess that is the pot calling the kettle black. Just be careful is my point," said Issei trying to deflect the situation. Xenovia nodded with a smile. "Is there anything anyone needs before I go?"
"No, I believe we're all set, Master," said Martha.
"Alright, then I'll leave you all to it," said Issei with a smile as he left.
(Training Day 13: Mash)
Mash was walking the halls of the Gremory home wandering aimlessly to clear her mind. Since coming back from Chaldea after Shinjuku she had been distracting herself from thinking about current events in her life. In the past few days, she's been back she had been giving Issei some space because he seemed like he needed it. For one reason or another, Lady Gremory had been calling for her to chat. It seemed like she was trying to get to know her, but at some points she was asking very pointed questions about her relationship with Issei. One conversation got a little too personal and ended up making her uncomfortable but thankfully Rias had come back from training and happened to overhear the conversation. She immediately intervened and ended the conversation, letting Mash escape from Venelana's questioning. With time to herself her mind always wandered back to her situation. She had been so used to helping Issei in previous Singularities as well as here in his home world, but now she couldn't do anything except be a navigator and to check on Issei's vitals when he went on missions. She kept thinking that there had to be something she could do to compensate for her weakened state after coming back from the Temple of Time. As she was walking past one of the sitting rooms, she saw Azazel relaxing while reading something. Upon seeing him an idea came to Mash's head and she walked up to him. "Excuse me, Azazel-sensei."
Azazel looked up; a bit surprised Mash was talking to him. "Hello Mash-san. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"You don't have to be so formal with me Sensei. I was wondering if you could help me with something?"
Azazel cocked an eyebrow in interest. "If it's within my area of expertise."
"I was wondering if it would be possible for someone from a different world to have a Sacred Gear."
Azazel showed a playful smile since this was his hobby that was brought up. "Well, it would be unlikely or more accurately impossible for someone from another world to have a Sacred Gear naturally." At this statement Mash seemed a bit downcast, but Azazel wasn't done. "But if it were to be done artificially, then it might be a different story."
Some hope came back into Mash's eyes. "You mean like what you did at the meeting against that Devil woman?"
"That's right. That was still a prototype, but proof that I'm close to creating my own Sacred Gears," said Azazel a bit smugly.
"So, would it be possible for me to use an Artificial Sacred Gear?"
"Theoretically it shouldn't be a problem, but I think you're asking for more than a simple weapon. What is it that you really want?" asked Azazel, closely observing Mash.
Mash realized that she let herself get too carried away and looked away slightly ashamed. "I… I'm currently having issues with my abilities," she admitted, causing Azazel to raise an eyebrow again. "Ever since we finished our mission in our world before Senpai came back here, I haven't been at full power, and it has been getting more difficult to maintain as the days go by."
"I'm sorry, but all this time you haven't been at full power?" Azazel asked, clearly surprised by this information. He had seen Mash handle the magicians and demonic beasts at the Factions Meeting and she didn't look like she had struggled at all.
"Yes?" said Mash, not sure what was confusing about what she said.
Azazel put a hand on his head as if to fight a headache but couldn't help but chuckle to himself. "You Servants shouldn't be underestimated," he said to himself. "So back to the topic, you want a Sacred Gear to help compensate for your lack of power," he clarified, trying not to sound sarcastic when he mentioned the lack of power.
"Right. I figured having a power that didn't rely on my abilities as a Servant on top of my Servant powers would make me more useful."
Azazel hummed to himself as he stroked his beard in thought. "Well, we don't know how a Sacred Gear would react to your Servant abilities. I've been talking to Da Vinci-chan in my free time and have learned a bit about Servants, but I would have to learn a bit more about them before I can be sure." Azazel thought for a bit before an idea came to him. "Let me just check something. Is it true that Servants have a connection with their Masters?"
"Yes, a Servant is connected to their Master through their Command Seals. They are spells of absolute authority for a Master to use on a Servant and can be used to do a variety of things depending on what the Master desires. Senpai usually uses them to empower us or heal us in an emergency, and thanks to Da Vinci he can transfer power from his Sacred Gear to us through them."
Azazel nodded his head in understanding. "I see. Then in that case what I have in mind might work."
"What "did" you have in mind?" asked Mash both hesitantly and expectantly.
"Since you have a connection with Issei and have already come into contact with his power then the best Artificial Gear to make would be one based on his own, wouldn't you agree?" he suggested with a smile.
"I see. I do agree, but…" Azazel tilted his head wondering what the issue was. "I don't want to worry Senpai. If he knew about this, he would worry about me and try to keep me from getting involved too much. He already knows I'm having issues, but if he learns it's getting worse, he would try to keep me out of battle all together," said Mash.
"Heh, that brat is too overprotective. Well, I guess he has to be with how many women he has to look after. Well don't worry about that Mash. I'll get what I need from him without him knowing you're involved. I'll talk with Da Vinci-chan to get the relevant information I need, but I have a good feeling that I'll both make what you want and get closer to completing my project," said Azazel with a wicked smile. Mash had a nervous smile from Azazel's expression but trusted that he would come through.
(Training Day 15: Koneko)
Koneko had been working tirelessly since the first day of training started. Berserker of El Dorado and Tamamo Cat have been sparring with her relentlessly, while Atalanta had been switching between her berserker and archer forms to train Koneko in fighting both close range and long-range fighters. Tamamo-no-Mae, who was only there to keep her other self in check, had been observing Koneko carefully for the past two weeks. She noticed her power within her and figured that it would reveal itself through training since it seemed like she didn't know how to use it. But at this point she realized that Koneko wasn't unable to use the power, she was purposely avoiding using it. She then vaguely remembered someone saying something at the beginning about her accepting herself, but she wasn't interested then so she wasn't paying attention. But now it seemed like it was getting in the way of Koneko's progress, and her husband (Issei) wanted her to become better. Currently, Koneko was lying on the ground, breathing heavily from the training and looking like she was going to pass out. Atalanta walked up to the small girl, her caring nature for children kicking in. "Perhaps we should stop for today?" she suggested.
"N-no… I can keep going," Koneko managed to say. She pushed herself to get up but as soon as she got to her feet her exhaustion got the better of her and she passed out.
Tamamo-no-Mae saw it coming and was already there to catch her. As she held the unconscious girl something appeared on Koneko that slightly surprised her, but she suspected. "I see. What a troublesome child," she said.
The group had brought her back to the manor where she could recover. The Servants had managed to find Rias on the way back and she in turn contacted Akeno and Asia to go help Koneko. After being healed and resting Koneko eventually awoke. She looked around the room trying to figure out what happened. "Where am I?"
"You're back in the manor," said a voice to the side of her.
Koneko looked over and saw Tamamo relaxing comfortably on a couch in the room. "Tamamo-san?" said Koneko.
"You overworked yourself and passed out from exhaustion. We found Rias as we were bringing you back and she called for Akeno and Asia to take care of you," explained Tamamo. Koneko understood and looked a bit ashamed. "So…" started Tamamo, getting Koneko's attention again. "How long were you going to hide it?" she asked while pointing at Koneko's head, or rather what was on top of it.
Koneko was confused for a moment before realizing that her cat ears were showing. Once she realized that she noticed her tail was out too, though it couldn't be seen under the blanket. Koneko felt a great sense of shame wash over her and turned away. "Why does it matter?" she managed to get out.
"Clearly, it matters a lot, since it seems to be holding you back from making any meaningful progress in your training." Tamamo's words cut deep into Koneko as she shuddered. "Surely you can tell me what's wrong. After all, we are the same, you and I," she said, referring to the fact that they were both Yokai.
Koneko stared at Tamamo. It was true that she never bothered hiding her fox ears and tail, but Issei's Servants have many strange appearances, so it didn't really click with her that some of them were Yokai like her. "I… I'm afraid," Koneko said, barely above a whisper.
"Afraid?"
"I have an older sister. Currently, she is a wanted criminal for killing her master. It happened because my sister let her power go out of control and she killed her master as a result of it." Tamamo's eyes narrowed slightly at that info. "After killing her master, she escaped leaving me behind. The Devils that were cleaning up the mess thought I was a danger, since I was her sister, and wanted to get rid of me, but Lord Sirzechs intervened and saved me, giving me to Rias so that I would be taken care of." Koneko held her shoulders, as if trying to keep something from coming out of her. "I don't want to use that power, that is the same as my sisters. I don't want to lose control and hurt everybody. But as things are now, I am the weakest. I'm the rook and I'm the weakest of the group besides Asia, who doesn't fight. Even Gya-kun is working hard to get stronger and overcome his own weakness. I don't want to be useless. I don't want to be a burden."
Tamamo looked at the young girl on the verge of tears. She understood what it was like to be ridiculed and shunned by others. She also saw a similar desire in Koneko that her husband had during the Grand Order. But there was something she had to correct the young girl on. "I think you're mistaken about something, Koneko." Koneko turned to her with a look of bewilderment. "Losing control of your senjutsu powers doesn't cause you to go berserk. Senjutsu is one of the more calming forms of power and even if it's misused the result would be a blowback to the user, not a berserker rage like what happened to your sister. This means that either there was something else involved that made her go nuts, or…"
"She didn't go berserk at all," finished Koneko, not sure what this all meant.
"Right. Now, I'm not here to make a judgment about what happened, since I don't know the details, but what I can tell you as someone who uses senjutsu myself is that it's not a power to be feared. Like all forms of power, it's about how someone utilizes it. I can't help you solve your feelings about your sister. That would be better left for Master to handle. But what I can do is help you learn this power and how to use it. If you are afraid of losing control, then I will help you control it. After all, there's no way an inexperienced cat is any match for me," she said, slightly provoking her.
Koneko twitched slightly annoyed, but she was still coming to terms with the new revelation she just found out. She seemed to calm down a bit as she spoke to Tamamo. "I'm sorry. Could you give me some time to think?"
Tamamo could see she had a lot to process and nodded to her request. She soon left the room and Koneko was alone with her thoughts. She had spent so long believing that her sister had simply betrayed her, but she trusted Tamamo's intuition as someone more skilled than her. So now she was trying to figure out what the true story was but had nothing to go off of. Did she abandon her? Did her master do something to her to cause her to go berserk? Was she forced to turn on her master? So many questions and no answers to help her. These thoughts circled her head for some time before she was brought out of them by a knock on the door. It eventually opened to reveal Issei peeking in. "Sorry to disturb you Koneko-chan. Tamamo said that you had woken up and that I should check on you." Issei walked to the side of her bed while pulling up a chair. He looked at her cat ears and gave her a kind smile. "Those ears look good on you."
Koneko realized she never put away her ears and tried to hide them. "Pervert," she muttered.
Issei just gave a small chuckle without denying her words. "They told me you overworked yourself. I know you want to be stronger, but if you work yourself to exhaustion then it becomes detrimental instead of helpful, though I probably shouldn't be the one saying that."
Koneko looked away from Issei even though his words did comfort her a little. She thought for a bit about what Tamamo mentioned earlier about Issei being better at helping her with figuring out what to do about her sister but didn't just want to bring it up out of nowhere. "Issei-senpai, can I ask you something?"
Issei showed a surprised face. "Of course, anything you want."
"What do you do when something you believed in turned out to be wrong?"
Issei was again surprised by the serious question. He sat in thought for a bit, but the question was too vague for him. "Well, that depends. Do you mean wrong as in it was the wrong thing to do, or wrong as in you were misinformed about something?"
"The second one."
"Well, if you were misinformed then the first thing to do would be to find out the truth, wouldn't it?" Issei saw that Koneko's expression darkened a bit at his answer. "What's going on Koneko-chan? I want to help but I can only do so much without all the information," he said in a caring tone.
Koneko looked down and told Issei what he had told Tamamo earlier, and what Tamamo said about what happened was not the full story. "If what Tamamo-sensei said is true, then my sister, who I blamed for many terrible things in my life could be innocent, or…"
"Or she could be worse if she chose to do all that instead of just going berserk," said Issei finishing her thought. She nodded hesitantly, hoping deep down that it wasn't the case. Issei sat in quiet contemplation for a minute before addressing Koneko again. "Ultimately, we won't know the truth until we find her and hear it from her own mouth. Of course, at the end of the day, what you wish to believe all comes down to you. Do you believe your sister is capable of something like that?"
Koneko thought back to the days before her sister left. How she had always taken care of her and protected her. How she felt lost when she left without her. How empty she felt for so long until Rias and the others helped her trust again. "I don't know. I've spent so long hating her for what she did that I don't know what to feel anymore."
Issei understood Koneko's dilemma. It was hard to just change someone's preconceived notions, even if they're presented with evidence against it. He had dealt with many Servants who hated each other for one reason or another, and while he hadn't completely mended things between them, he at least helped bring them to a mutual understanding so that they could work together. "I can understand your dilemma somewhat. During my time fighting in the Singularities, I had encountered many people and Servants who seemed like friends but turned out to be enemies. But I also met just as many enemies who turned into good friends as well. The world is a complicated place. Sometimes the answers aren't so black and white. Your sister could have done what she did for good reasons but maybe her execution wasn't the best." Koneko slightly flinched at Issei's words, and he realized what he said. "Sorry, I could have phrased that better. My point is you don't have to completely forgive your sister if she turns out to be innocent, but you don't have to hate her even if she does turn out to be a criminal. What happens between you two comes down to what you two want. You should take some time to really think about what it is that you want. Not just for the two of you, but for Rias, Kiba, Akeno, Asia, Xenovia, and Gasper too."
Koneko's expression returned to her usual stoic one as she thought on Issei's words. What I want. What I want. What I want hasn't changed. I want to help everyone. I want to be strong enough to help everyone, Koneko thought to herself then turned to Issei with a small fire in her eyes. "I want to live happily with everyone. I want to eat and play and spend time with everyone. I want to fight and protect Rias-buchou, Akeno-senpai, Kiba-senpai, Asia, Xenovia-senpai, Gya-kun, Mash-senpai, and Issei-senpai."
Issei couldn't help the smile that made his way to his face. He reached out and patted Koneko's head, making sure to avoid irritating her cat ears. "I'm sure you will. No, I promise you will. Me and my Servants will make sure of that. We will keep getting stronger together to protect the people we care about. Know that you can always rely on me if you're ever in trouble, and I hope I can count on you as well." Koneko nodded her head strongly in affirmation. "Alright, get some rest. The sooner you recover the sooner you can get back to training." Issei got up and headed for the door. Before he left, he turned to look at Koneko one last time. "If you ever need to talk, I'll always listen," he said with a smile then left.
As Koneko stared at the door Issei left from, she couldn't help the small blush on her face. "Senpai is unfair," she muttered.
(Training Day 16: Gasper)
Gasper was busy running around trying to avoid being hit by attacks that were thrown at him by Vlad. Vlad wasn't doing anything particularly strenuous for the young Dhampir, he was just training the young boy's stamina and reflexes since it was clear that the boy wasn't really active. Erice was glaring at Vlad for this training regimen at first but understood that he was doing what he thought was best. Considering Gasper's shy nature, a lot of his training was more him getting used to the group Issei had summoned for him. Thankfully Gasper was used to everyone already from their time spent in the clubroom. Despite the group mostly playing, since they were mostly children they did help in training as well. They helped him practice with his Sacred Gear in terms of both its accuracy and potency. Jack would run around at high speed to help Gasper to practice catching moving targets with it. Nursery Rhyme helped Gasper practice the potency of his Gear. Kijyo Koyo, Voyager, and Erice were there to comfort Gasper whenever he tried to run away, which happened often because he would fear being scolded when he messed up. Gasper, who had just finished his cardio exercise, was currently trying to get comfort from Kijyo, treating his training like he was fighting for his life. They were going to move on to the next part of the training, but Vlad wanted to address something. "Gasper."
"Y-yes?!" squeaked Gasper
"While you have been making progress in many aspects these past few weeks, it's still too slow for what you aim to achieve." Gasper visibly wilted at Vlad's comment. Vlad sighed as he reached for something he was given by his Master. "There is a way to speed up your process. Master and I discussed this months ago when he tested it on us. This method should work for you too, though I'm not a fan of it," said Vlad as he held out a vial of red liquid.
Gasper's eyes widened. "I-is that-"
"It is. It's a vial of Master's blood," he said, surprising even the other Servants. "It was given to me by him to use in case of an emergency, but his original purpose was to test it on us to see if it would be useful for you."
"Useful, for me?"
"Master wants to help you grow, even at cost to himself. Obviously, his life isn't in danger right now, but I've seen him go to meet the medical Servants of Chaldea a few times to make these vials. His intention is clear, to help us Servants and you gain power when we all need it. He gave one to all the vampire Servants and I'm sure he keeps a vial in his supply bag just in case. I believe it's time to get in touch with your vampiric powers, not to mention while the boost will be temporary, your rate of growth will increase."
"B-but, I'm afraid of drinking other people's blood! What will happen if my power goes out of control?!" panicked Gasper.
"There's no need to worry. If in the worst-case scenario we were to die, we would just go back to the Throne of Heros and wait to be summoned again by Master," said Nursery Rhyme cheerfully.
"That's not helping Nursery Rhyme," said Erice, moving to comfort the trembling Gasper. "Gasper, do you remember what Master said about being a man?"
"That I have to get stronger to protect the others, a-and to control my powers."
"That's right. Sometimes that means taking risks you wouldn't normally take. Master is weaker than most of your group, but he puts in the effort to protect everyone he cares about and then some. H isn't asking you to do that. He's not telling you you have to protect the others, but would you be fine with them getting hurt because you didn't do anything?" asked Erice in as caring a tone as she could.
"N-no! I don't want the others to get hurt. I-I wanna be a man like Issei-senpai!" said Gasper with a mix of determination and uncertainty.
The others smiled at his answer. "Well then, it's time to take the next step then, and train your vampiric powers," said Vlad while holding the vial to Gasper.
Gasper hesitantly took it and after a moment drank it in one swig. A moment later his eyes began to glow and in a flash, he was gone from everyone's sight. Everyone looked around a bit frantically for him. "Where did he go? asked Voyager.
"I'm here," came Gasper's voice from above.
Everyone looked up and saw a swarm of bats flying above them. Vlad let a wry smirk appear on his face. "Seems the only thing missing to access your vampiric powers was a catalyst. How do you feel?" asked Vlad.
"I feel, floaty," said Gasper, unable to really describe his feeling.
The others chuckled at the childish description. "Well, now it's time to train your vampiric powers properly," stated Vlad. Something resembling a nod came from the swarm of bats and their training began in earnest again.
(Training Day 17: Issei)
Issei was standing with his familiar Roman in the forest away from everyone else so he wouldn't get in the way of their training. He had been getting antsy just sitting around and watching the others, so he decided to train himself as well. But where to begin. He could do his usual training, but he felt like he needed more than that. As he was thinking about what to do, someone interrupted his thoughts. "Master, what seems to be the problem?" asked Salter.
"Oh, hey Salter. I was just trying to figure out what to do for training. After my fight with Vali, and later on in the Singularity where I was kidnapped by the enemy Servants, I knew I needed to change something about myself. I need more strength, but I also need more technique. No, I need more than that still," Issei said, rambling on.
Salter watched her Master as he was talking himself in circles. She knew if she didn't stop him, he would work himself to death. "Master, I have a suggestion," she said, getting his attention. "Why don't you upgrade from reinforcement on your body? Since you hold the power of a dragon the same as me, it should be possible for you to learn Mana Burst."
"Mana Burst? Would I really be able to learn it?"
"There should be no problems. From what I can tell, there are some similarities between it and you boosting your power with your Boosted Gear. This would simply come from you instead of it."
"So, I can have my own version of boost on top of Ddraig's power." Issei thought of the possibilities of stacking more power on top of an even better reinforced body.
"Do keep in mind that there are many versions of Mana Burst, so it might not be exactly the same as mine, but it should generally give you an increase in strength, defense, and endurance, although it may decrease your speed."
"I see…. Then maybe a combination of Mana Burst and reinforcement will solve the problem?"
"You should just focus on learning Mana Burst first before you start experimenting, Master," scolded Salter.
"Y-yes, you're right. Sorry, I guess I'm just anxious to get results."
"Was it not you who said to the young girl that she shouldn't overwork herself?" asked Salter in a slightly accusing tone.
"Y-yes, I did," said Issei, now being cowed by her.
"Why don't you take your own advice and calmly take your time to learn?"
"Yes, I will. Please teach me how to use Mana Burst," said Issei, now a bit calmer.
Salter nodded her head and began teaching Issei the basics of Mana Burst. Like she said earlier, it wasn't all that different from boosting his own power the usual way, so he picked up on the method quickly. He simply had to work on making it more efficient. "I'm impressed Master. You've already figured out how to use it, but your output is too low right now for it to be useful."
"Yeah. I think it would be about rank D- in terms of power right now. I at least want to raise it to rank B."
"Well, the best way to do that is to train it in actual combat," said Salter, readying herself to spar.
Issei also dropped into a combat stance with Roman moving away to avoid being in the middle of what was about to happen. But before either of them could start they were interrupted. "Issei-sama, Lord Zeoticus wishes to see you," said a butler that appeared nearby.
Salter seemed to click her tongue in annoyance as Issei internally agreed with her. "Alright, I'll be right there." The butler bowed and left. Issei turned to Salter with an apologetic look. "Reschedule?" he asked slightly playfully.
"Of course, Master. This takes priority," she said, returning to her stoic demeanor. Issei nodded and left for the manor.
Issei made his way to the front of the manor where Zeoticus was waiting for him followed by Roman. Once he saw him Zeoticus greeted him with a smile. "Sorry to interrupt your training Issei-kun. There was something that I thought you would be interested in, so I called you here," explained Zeoticus.
Issei raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "And what would that be?"
"He should be here soon," said Zeoticus, causing Issei to wonder who he was talking about. After a bit of time the wind suddenly started to pick up causing Issei to wonder what was going on. "Ahh, he's here," said Zeoticus.
Issei's confusion grew until a giant shadow covered them, causing him to look up at the source. His eyes widened as he saw a giant dragon approaching them. "What the hell?!" Issei shouted as his instincts made him go into a combat stance. Roman wasn't far behind, growling while readying for battle.
Zeoticus seemed amused by the reaction and put a hand on Issei's shoulder. "There's no need to worry Issei-kun. He's a friend of the family."
Issei looked at Zeoticus for a moment before taking a breath and relaxing. The dragon landed and was staring at Issei curiously. "So, this is the current Red Dragon Emperor that you wanted me to meet," said the large dragon.
"Yes, this is Hyoudou Issei," introduced Zeoticus. He then turned to Issei. "Issei, this is Tannin, a dragon king and a former servant of Mephisto Pheles."
"To think even dragons could be reincarnated into devils," said Issei, getting a better grasp of what the devils could really do. He turned to Zeoticus. "Why did you set this up?"
"I figured that you could benefit from interacting with Tannin. He is more knowledgeable about dragons, being a former dragon king and all. It's also good for you to have connections with influential Devils in the Underworld. Tannin has risen to be a member of the Ultimate-Class Devils in the Underworld, in which there are only a handful.," explained Zeoticus.
This surprised Issei, learning that a dragon reincarnated into a devil made it so far in devil society. Issei turned back to Tannin who had been quietly observing him. Once he had Issei's attention again, he spoke. "May I speak to Ddraig?" asked Tannin, catching Issei off guard.
Issei complied, raising his arm and summoning the Boosted Gear. Once it appeared the gem began to glow. [It's been some time Tannin,] said Ddraig.
"Yes it has. I believe the last time we met, your bearer was a rather obnoxious man who thought he was unstoppable," said Tannin who chuckled at the old memory.
[I apologize for that time. Even if I appreciated his enthusiasm, that guy was too much of an idiot,] said Ddraig who seemed like he was also chuckling at a good memory.
"So, are you satisfied with your current wielder?" asked Tannin, which caused Issei to unconsciously stand up straighter.
[I am. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he is one of the most entertaining partners I've ever had, even if he isn't the strongest.]
"Well, I'm glad I'm putting on a good show for you," said Issei sarcastically, but not unhappy with his partner's answer.
Tannin looked at their interaction with an amused look. "I see. If that's the case, then I have nothing to say about it. Hyoudou Issei," Tannin addressed Issei.
"Just Issei is fine. I don't really do the formal thing unless it's necessary," said Issei.
"Issei, what is it you wish to achieve with that power?"
"Heh, seems like everyone is always asking me those kinds of questions. Personally, I just want to enjoy a peaceful life with my harem, spending my days enjoying life with the women I love. But I also have a job. I've been charged with the protection of humanity, which means I have to be strong to protect everyone."
"Charged with the protection of humanity? Ah, that's right. You're part of that organization that the higher-ups have been talking about. Chaldea, was it?"
"That's right. We are an organization of Mages whose job it is to make sure humanity avoids extinction. There are a variety of ways to do this, but my job is rather, special."
"In what way?" asked Tannin while tilting his head.
"I can't get into specifics for those outside my personal circle, but what I can tell you is that it usually involves fighting people who try to throw the world's balance out of whack. While that sounds simple enough, this job is anything but simple," he said with a tired laugh.
"I see. It seems like you have your own struggles as well. Although you seem to be doing well, despite how little you've accessed your draconic abilities."
"I haven't had time to really train it, and anyone I know with draconic powers tend to have, difficult, personalities which make training difficult."
"Then how about I train you?" offered Tannin.
"W-would you really? Not that I'm complaining, but why?" asked Issei, bewildered.
"It bothers me to see a fellow dragon flounder their potential. I became a Devil for the sake of our kind, and I hold great pride in our race. Not only that, but Ddraig is a dragon whom I respect, so it's only right that the wielder should be a being worthy of that," said Tannin with a small hint of authority.
Issei felt a bit of shame when Tannin said he was floundering, but he had felt the same for a while. This felt like the push he needed to take things up to the next level. "I would appreciate being trained by you, King Tannin, but at the moment I'm in the middle of training a new skill to upgrade one of my old skills. If I were to train with you, I want it to be at a time where I'll have as little chance for interruption or distraction as possible," said Issei with a determined look.
Tannin gave a wolfish smile. "Heh. That's a good look you have hatchling. You'll definitely become something fierce once you learn how to harness your power. I look forward to putting you through hell," said Tannin menacingly.
"Jokes on you. I've been there both metaphorically and physically," said Issei seriously, but there was a hint of pained exhaustion in his voice. The pair laughed as they chatted for a while longer. When Tannin was about to leave, he promised to meet again at the party later that month.
As Issei made his way back to his training spot with Roman, he ended up running into Scàthach who seemed to be waiting for him. "Master," she called to him.
"Is something wrong?" asked Issei curiously.
"It's not that. I wanted you to help me with something." Issei raised an eyebrow and motioned for her to continue. "I want you to spar with Rias tomorrow."
This completely surprised him. He gave her an uncomfortable look. "I'm not sure how I feel about trading punches with my girlfriend," said Issei in a hesitant tone.
Scàthach huffed in annoyance. "Come now, don't you want her to get stronger? Don't tell me you want to go easy on her because she's your woman," Scàthach complained.
"Of course I want her to get stronger. It's just, it feels wrong to fight Rias like that. If it were Koneko or Xenovia, then maybe I could do it. I guess it's just because she's not normally a physical fighter that I'm hesitant to do it, even if the point is to make her a physical fighter," said Issei.
Scàthach sighed at her Master's reluctance. She mulled over how to convince him to do it when an amusing idea came to her head. "Alright how about this Master. If you do this for her, then I will help you with a "special" type of training," she said a bit mischievously.
"What kind of training?" asked Issei, a bit concerned for his safety. Scàthach walked up to him and whispered her idea into his ear. His expression changed from confused, to shocked, to slightly embarrassed, then finally to reluctant acceptance. "Fine, I'll do it. But you can't tell anyone that I'm doing that training. It will cause more problems that I don't wanna deal with."
"Don't worry Master. I won't tell a soul," Scàthach said with a smug smile. Issei felt like this wasn't going to end well.
(Training Day 18: Issei and Rias)
Rias was making her way to Scàthach's training area, trying to anticipate what hell her new teacher thought up to train her this time. She began to understand why Issei was always so uptight around her, as Scàthach's training was brutal to say the least. As she reached the spot she was surprised when she found not only her teacher there, but Issei and Salter as well. The group noticed her approach and Issei smiled at her. "Shishou, what are Issei and Salter-san doing here?"
"I've asked Master to help with your training moving forward, and Salter is here to help Master train as well," explained Scàthach.
Rias was happy to have Issei's help, but if she learned anything from her new mentor is that nothing is that simple. "What will he be helping me with?"
"You two will be sparring," Scàthach said matter-of-factly.
Rias' eyes went wide in surprise and Issei showed a strained expression as well. "You want us to spar?!" asked Rias, surprised.
"Naturally. It's obvious that I should have a senior student help their junior. I did the same with Cu when I was training Master."
"And you agreed to this Issei?"
"It's hard to say no to Shishou. When she gets an idea in her head it's usually best to just go along with it," said Issei defeatedly.
Rias showed a look of understanding as she walked up to Issei. "Please take care of me," she said with a smile, trying to ease his worries.
"Yeah, same with me," said Issei, returning the smile.
"Alright, enough flirting. Get into your positions," ordered Scàthach. Issei and Rias take opposite positions some distance away from each other, dropping into combat stances. Issei noticed that Rias was imitating his stance, which he couldn't help but find adorable. "Ready? Fight!"
Rias began channeling the magic through her body and the red lines of reinforcement appeared on her body. Issei thought it looked beautiful and very on brand for her. Rias charged at him immediately expecting Issei to do the same but was confused when he stood his ground and didn't seem to be reinforcing himself. Rias threw a punch and Issei stopped it in his hand, with the force of the attack creating a small shockwave. She was surprised, wondering how Issei did it without reinforcement, but she soon noticed that there was a magical aura surrounding Issei. It wafted off him like steam and gave him an almost menacing presence. "What is this, Issei?" asked Rias.
"This is my training. It's called Mana Burst, and it's something that increases my abilities unlike reinforcement. It's my next step from reinforcement."
"Next step?" mimicked Rias confused. She didn't have time to ponder as Issei grabbed her arm with his free hand and swung her around and threw her into the air. Rias was caught off guard but quickly recomposed herself, remembering that she was in the middle of training. She reoriented herself and landed gracefully, channeling her reinforcement into her legs to buffer the impact. She barely had a moment to ready herself as Issei came in with a flying kick. Rias' instincts told her it was better to dodge so she jumped out of the way, using her wings to help propel herself. Issei landed where Rias was standing and ended up creating a large crater there. Rias was shocked by the power Issei was using against her and was a little worried. She readied herself for another attack but when she saw Issei she saw that he wasn't looking at her but was still looking at where he landed with an "Oh shit!" expression.
I put too much power into that. If I had hit Rias, even with reinforcement, she would have been seriously hurt, Issei thought as he was freaking out over what he almost did. He looked over to Rias finally and saw that she was ready to fight still, although her expression was noticeably nervous of him. He frowned internally. He got that feeling again of Rias being afraid of him again. He had noticed that she hadn't called him Ise in a while, and it felt like the distance between them had widened since they came here. It could be because she's trying to be proper around her family, but it still bothered him. He also wanted to make up for yelling at her before.
Rias was waiting for what Issei would do next, but he wasn't budging. She wasn't sure what to do when a voice called out to her. "What are you waiting for?! Take the initiative!" yelled Scàthach.
Rias flinched for a moment and her shishou's yell snapped Issei out of it as well. Issei took a defensive stance as he readied for Rias. Rias charged forward putting power into her legs to launch at Issei. She then reinforced her arms as she tried to deliver a devastating punch again. Issei's aura flared up around him as he braced himself to take the impact. Issei blocked her punch with his arm this time but unlike last time the attack pushed him back some distance. Issei also felt his arm sting from the impact. Rias decided not to let up and let loose a flurry of punches and kicks. Issei deflected what attacks he could and blocked the ones he couldn't. While he could tell she was training seriously with Scàthach her attacks were a bit sloppy. He did notice that she was doing what he did when he was training on his own when he came back from Chaldea. She would do jab attacks in a similar style to a spear thrust and arm sweeping motions like a sword swing. A nostalgic smile appeared on his face as he decided now was his turn to go on the offensive. Rias went for another jab, but Issei ducked underneath it and delivered a punch to her gut. He held back more this time, still trying to feel out his new power but it was still clearly effective seeing Rias' face contort in pain. She was pushed back from the punch, and she immediately took a knee and held her stomach. That punch nearly knocked the wind out of me. If it wasn't for the fact that I'm reinforcing my body, that attack would have probably knocked me out cold, maybe even damaged my insides. I never expected Issei to put this much effort into training me. I can't let his faith and effort go to waste, Rias thought as she pushed herself to stand up.
Issei was staring at Rias with a worried expression. He saw that she was struggling to stand up and thought that maybe he still was putting too much strength into his attacks. "Rias are you ok?" he asked concerned.
"I-I'm fine. Don't worry, I can keep going," she said with a determined look. Issei saw this but decided to stop using Mana Burst for this. His aura disappeared, causing Rias to look at him in confusion. "Is something wrong Issei?"
"Sorry. I'm not going to use Mana Burst for this match. I still can't control it properly and have clearly been using too much power on you, even when I try to hold back."
"Y-you were holding back?" Rias asked, a mix of surprise and annoyance.
"I did after the first attack. I realized that thanks to my unique way of using Mana Burst I can output more power than others could. Thanks to the Boosted Gear I don't have to worry about running out of magic unless I'm pushed to the limit, and unlike with reinforcement which just makes us sturdier, Mana Burst increases my strength and defense, meaning that I can indefinitely keep myself powered up. Although the downside of this is that the technique slows me down, but that can be worked around. Anyways, my point is that I shouldn't be using this on you while I don't have a full grasp of it and while you are still learning how to master reinforcement. So from this point on-" Issei took a more offensive stance as the familiar glowing lines appeared on his body. "We'll do this on equal footing."
Rias took in the information and agreed with Issei's reasoning, although it would be a lie if she didn't feel like her pride had been hurt by Issei holding back after she thought he was taking this seriously. Although that feeling went away when Issei's familiar magic presence returned as he started using reinforcement and he took a more aggressive stance. For some reason, this version of Issei intimidated her more than the previously oppressive force he was emanating earlier. It was a similar feeling to when she sparred with Scàthach, the feeling of fighting spirit. Rias took her stance showing she was ready to fight again, and Issei charged in at her. Since he stopped using Mana Burst, Issei's speed increased making it hard for Rias to react to his attacks. He showered her with a flurry of blows that Rias had a hard time defending against. Although she was able to withstand the attacks this time since they were weaker compared to before. Rias swiped at Issei trying to create some space, but instead Issei also swiped at Rias, causing them to lock arms with both of them pushing for dominance. Issei and Rias locked eyes as they struggled to overpower each other. Issei could see the determination in Rias' eyes as she pushed herself, while Rias could see Issei's completely focused expression unlike earlier where his expression showed worry and uncertainty. The two continued to push with the ground beneath them beginning to crack. Then something unexpected happened. The unstable ground caused Rias to lose her balance and fall back, with Issei following her since he was pushing his attack. Rias ended up falling on her ass with Issei falling on top of her, headfirst into her breasts. Issei falling on top of her caused her to lie flat on the ground and it took a few moments for the pair to recollect themselves. Once the two realized what happened they couldn't hide their amusement. "Pfft! Hahahaha!" the pair laughed. It was something they both needed. It was like all their stress from the past few weeks had left them.
Once they stopped laughing, Issei wanted to confirm something. "Hey, Rias?"
"Yes Issei?"
"Why haven't you been calling me Ise like before?"
"Have I not? I'm sorry I didn't notice," she said a bit flushed.
"I was just worried that maybe I was pushing you away. Ever since we came down here you've felt a bit distant, and it didn't exactly help that I blew up on you when I came back from my mission. I know you were just worried about me, and I'm sorry," he said with regret in his voice.
Rias' eyes became moist as she brought Issei into a hug, burying his head in her breasts again. "You haven't been pushing me away. It's my fault. I've been stressed due to everything that's been going on since coming back home. Between the match, my mother, and this training, I've been under a lot of pressure. All you've done is help me, help us, and all we did was burden you. I know you're looking out for us, but we want to look out for you too," said Rias sadly.
Issei felt guilt build in him. He promised not to keep secrets but was still hiding Merlin's premonition. He wanted to do whatever he could to prepare for whatever was to come and to protect everyone. Though Issei started to see that even though they didn't know he was hiding it they must have felt something was wrong, causing them to try and help him all the time. It was ironic really. Issei wanted to help everyone and in turn they all wanted to help him, and this caused everyone to spiral into a cycle of indebtment. Issei smirked at how ridiculous this situation became when he thought about it. It's funny how this is only a problem that people with good hearts have, he thought mockingly to himself. "You're not wrong to feel that way Rias. I have been trying to do everything myself and have been shutting you guys down whenever you tried to help me. I'm so used to my Servants, who despite the fact that I don't want to sacrifice them with reckless abandon can in most cases come back if the worst were to happen. But it's not the same with you guys, and it makes me nervous. I already felt what it was like to lose someone twice, and I didn't want to risk it again. But you are your own people, and you have the right to choose what you do, so all I'll ask is that you please carefully consider your actions before you do anything."
Rias nodded in understanding, knowing full well what Issei was referring to. She brought his face close to hers and the two exchanged a passionate kiss. It had been some time since they had had any time to themselves. And it seemed they were gonna have to wait longer. "Alright you two, that's enough. We let you talk since it seemed like it was something important that needed to be talked out, but I'm not gonna let you forget why you're here," said Scàthach in an amused tone.
The pair looked to the side and suddenly remembered that Scàthach and Salter were still here, and the pair immediately got up and straightened themselves out. "S-sorry Shishou!" the pair said in unison.
"It's fine. Now get back to your positions. Oh, and Master. I would try to save your stamina for your "other" training too," said Scàthach teasingly.
"Other training?" asked Rias.
"It's nothing, Rias. Or rather, if it works out, I want it to be a surprise for you and the other girls," said Issei in a hurry. Rias gave Issei a suspicious look but decided to drop it. With that their pair continued their training for the day.
I know, I know, I'm late. There has been a lot going on between personal matter, procrastination, and being sick and unable to write. But there have also been some developments too that I want to bring up to you all. First off I've finally set up a pay-tree-on (this website doesn't let me type the actual name) under the same name as my profile here (Myth0s216). I set it up so that I have another source of income and hopefully if it's profitable enough I can work less hours and focus more on writing these stories. Speaking of that, since I come up with so many ideas and don't have enough time to work on all of them I plan on having people who donate vote in polls what stories I work on each month starting next month. My main focus will always be Fate of the Red Dragon so the poll will be for the secondary story I work on that month. My plan is to do at least two stories a month and the polls won't repeat whichever stories win for the next two months so that every story has a chance to be worked on. Also I plan on doing my updates for what's happening to my writing there from now on too, instead of putting them into my authors note like I've been doing. So now I can use these for what there really meant for, which is talking about the story. Speaking of which, working on this chapter turned into more of a pain than I thought it would. There were plenty of parts in the story that I had to rewrite because it didn't work well with other parts, not to mention I completely forgot about Tannin until I was nearly done. I actually wanted this to be longer, but when I got to certain characters I realized that I didn't have much to do with them because their arcs are later in the story. So I had to improvise some of the interactions because I didn't want to completely ignore them. I also ended up putting in Issei a lot more than I expected in this chapter when it wasn't really supposed to be focused on him. But I did do what I intended in setting up some future stuff for later plot points. I wonder if any of you will figure out what my plan is for these guys. Anyways, I've rambled long enough, I look forward to the comments as always. : )