Chapter 4
The Next Day.
Issei awoke the next day to the sound of his alarm clock yelling at him, "Baka! Wake up! It's not like I care if you're late or anything, but if you're late, I'll be late, too! Baka! Wake up!"
He looked at his clock groggily, 'Ughhh…7:15 a.m. I remember how nice it was to sleep in till 10 when I wasn't actually going to school.'
[Oh, please. If it weren't for Kaguya and the others telling you to go to school, you'd have no social life. Isobu said, which made Issei mumble a bit before he immediately hit the button on his alarm to silence it.
He briefly chuckled at it and wondered just how many different girls it had to cycle through. Issei purchased this particular alarm clock at the convention the other day after being told of its twenty-four unique wake-up alarms. This first one appeared to be Tsundere, much to his amusement.
'Just like you, Kaguya.'
[I am not a Tsundere!]
Kaguya shouted with a red face, which made the others laugh at the normally calm and collected Ten-Tails, only to see her blushing like a schoolgirl when Issei teased or messed with her.
[Aw, there there Kaguya. I'm sure Issei meant it with good intent.] Chōmei said that she basically became the mediator along with Isobu to control the wild personalities of their siblings as well as Issei since the two 'sane' Tailed Beasts wanted Issei to continue still gaining an education and have a good social life.
Sure, Issei has three friends, but Great Red is a bit of a bad influence since he basically inspired the idea of Issei becoming a delinquent but not the stereotype in other anime and manga.
Daudouji and Zoe were Issei's friends, but they were acquaintances and rivals since they helped each other get stronger when they weren't at school. Zoe wanted to become a police officer and protect the streets. In contrast, Daidouji wanted to inherit the dojo from her father when he retired and passed away so she could open it up for others to train and become stronger to defend themselves against those who would do them harm and perhaps keep the streets clean of wannabe criminals.
Chōmei and Isobu weren't the only ones since Shukaku wanted Issei to have a good life outside of battles, so he was content with helping his little brother out, but due to the One-Tailed Beast's lack of social skills, his advice is a bit...bad.
Much to the amusement of Kurama, Gyuki, and Matabi, who were more of Issei's big brothers and sisters.
Issei nodded at this comment from Chomei as his mind briefly lingered on the convention from yesterday and the unexpected joyride afterward.
'I can't believe I took a magic girl on my bike like that. What a crazy twist of fate. If somebody would have told me earlier that day that I'd be hanging out with a magical girl at a convention, I'd kick their ass.'
[Damn straight.] The Battle Trio stated, which made Son Goku chuckle at the trio while Isobu and Chomei gained a tick mark on their foreheads and yelled back at them.
[You three are the reason for enabling him!] This led to the five beasts arguing. Kaguya sighed but smiled at her fellow Tailed Beasts, while Shukaku was a bit confused about why they were arguing.
[Uh, Kokuō. Why are the others arguing about Issei?]
The Five Tails sighed at her brother's lack of skill in reading the room and such before patting his back and replying.
[It's an older sibling thing. You wouldn't understand.]
[Ah. I see.] Shukaku said as he pulled out a notebook and began to write how to improve his social skills since Gaara wasn't exactly a social butterfly even after he became good.
[By the way, how's Saiken doing in Rin? I know she's basically Rin's partner now and can still come, but still.] Shukaku asked before Kokuō replied.
[Oh, she's doing well and has enjoyed looking after Rin. Do you miss all of us together?] Kokuō asked before Shukaku replied.
[Well. A little bit since we were all separated, and I thought we'd be an ultimate team together, but now Saiken wants to hang out with Rin more, which makes me wonder if the others will want to leave once we all gain a body.] Shukaku said, which made Kaguya and Kokuō hug the One-Tailed Beast before patting his head.
[We forget that you are the youngest of us all, but there's no need to worry. The ten of us will always be there for each other no matter what. Sure, we might want to do our own thing, but we're family. Well, always have each other's back.]
[Indeed. You can't get rid of us that easily.]
'They're right, you know.' Issei said as he yawned. as he got out of bed and quickly got ready for the day. He heard his phone vibrate briefly as he was getting ready and casually walked over to see what it was about.
'I'll bet it is Mom and Dad telling me they made it safely to Europe,' Issei thought to himself as he checked his phone. He was glad that his parents were on vacation for their anniversary since Issei didn't want them to get mixed with the supernatural world since he knew that the Devils, especially the redhead, wouldn't hesitate to play dirty to get him to join her peerage.
Issei made the mistake of trusting a Devil, and that would've been the last time he'd ever make that mistake.
His eyes widened shortly afterward when he saw what it was: '11 unread messages. Who the hell sent me all of these?!'
He immediately realized they were not from his parents but all from a single individual.
8:03 p.m. [Hey, Issei-chan, this is Sera-chan!]
8:10 p.m. Thanks again for spending the day with me! It was so much fun! I can't wait to see you again!]
8:12 p.m. [I'm so excited that I can't stop pacing! That ride you gave me has my heart racing still!]
8:16 p.m. [Sorry for imposing earlier, but I'm so happy you drove me home! It means a lot to me that I was the first girl you ever took on that bridge stunt you did.]
8:20 p.m. [By the way, we should really go and see the new Milky Spiral Seven movie sometime, K?!]
8:28 p.m. [What are you doing tomorrow? I'm free all day tomorrow! Also, do you go to Kuoh Academy? Your uniform looked familiar to me.]
9:01 p.m. [Issei-chan?! You there?! You must be sleeping! Goodnight, Issei-chan!]
12:07 a.m. [I can't sleep right now. You awake?]
1:14 a.m. [So, what do you think about seeing the new Milky Spiral Seven movie? I'm so anxious to hear your answer! It will be fun, I swear!]
7:06 a.m. [I'm guessing you don't check your phone much. Please reply as soon as you can! I feel like you're ignoring me.]
7:16 a.m. [If you didn't want to see the new Milky Spiral Seven movie, could we do something else? Anything you want to do, tell me, and I'll be in!]
Every single one of her messages was filled with emojis and other cutesy icons ranging from winky faces to over-dramatic smiles and frowns.
[...Okay, I know I said the girl was nice and all, but this screams major weird vibes. Maybe she's one of those Yandere girls?] Kurama pondered before Matabi nodded in agreement.
[Yeah, I mean, I know she's energetic, but eleven messages after just hanging out with her? That screams major red flags.] Matabi said, recalling dating sim games like the Harem King Master that she played when she had her temporary body back in the Dimensional Gap.
[Maybe she's very lonely and doesn't have very many friends? It wouldn't be such a bad idea since she seemed nice yesterday.] Chōmei said, thinking that there was more to the girl while Isobu supported her.
[I agree. Issei should give her a chance.]
Issei shook his head in disbelief while ignoring his partners in his head. 'What the hell have I gotten myself into? I haven't even known this chick for 24 hours, and she's already blowing my phone with messages. I should reply to her before she goes off the deep end and ends up stalking me.'
Issei texted her a message on his phone.
[Hey, Serafall, I definitely got your messages—all eleven of them. Sorry, you couldn't sleep. I know the adrenaline of riding can keep me awake sometimes, too.]
Issei immediately got a text back, not even thirty seconds after sending his response to her.
[ISSEI-CHAN! YOU REPLIED!? YAY! Good Morning! So, are you busy today?! Please tell me soon! The anticipation is killing me!]
'Holy hell, this girl is over-dramatic. I've never met someone this excited to hang out with me,' Issei thought, shaking his head.
[This coming from the man who gets excited fighting Great Red, Tailed Beasts, or his rivals?] Kokuo asked, which made Issei blush a bit before he confirmed her statement, and he reluctantly texted her back.
[Well, it is Friday…I suppose I'm free this weekend. I'm not particularly interested in seeing that movie, but I guess we can hang out later.]
[Please! I really want to see that movie!] Serafall messaged back.
[Then see it without me.] He messaged back.
[It won't be as fun without you. Please, please go with me. I don't want to go by myself. My sister is being mean to me and has already refused to go.] Serafall's message came back almost instantly.
[Alright, fine. I don't know why you're so adamant about seeing it with me, though.] Issei responded.
[You're the only person I know in this town, and you'll keep me safe from all the stalkers.] Serafall shot back.
[What am I, your bodyguard?]
[Maybe…;)]
[I'll pick you up at six at your house]
[No! I'd prefer you not to come by my house. My sister goes to your school and is a control freak. She probably wouldn't like me hanging out with one of her classmates. Pick me up at the bus stop. There's a super amazing mall right next to the movie theater, too! I have already bought tickets for the movie for us. We should get there by 9! Can't wait to see you tonight!] Serafall texted back with more winky and smiley face emojis.
'She already bought the tickets before I even agreed to this? This girl's a wackjob, but at least she's a hot wackjob. Wait. She said her sister goes to Kuoh. How old is Serafall?! I should probably ask her when I see her later,' Issei thought as he put his phone away and went to school.
Meanwhile, the Tailed Beasts have their suspicions about this Serafall girl and what kind of person she is.
"Okay, now we all know that granted, Issei isn't dating either Zoe or Daidouji right now, but that doesn't mean that they're not interested in him," Kaguya said before pulling out the file they had on Serafall.
"Now, as for this Serafall girl, she's an odd one since she seems to be an excited girl who's into cosplay, loves adrenaline rushes, enjoys Issei's company, and even brings him out of his comfort zone."
"Indeed, but let's not forget that she's also a childish girl who seems to be persistent in trying to get her way and struggles with communication with others, which is probably why she doesn't have very many or no friends," Matabi said while narrowing her eyes at the picture since this girl rubbed her the wrong way for some reason.
"Plus, the girl seems to have that ridiculous perfume on her that's messing with my nose. Also, I could detect that the girl is strong, but she seems to be a strange woman who seems to be hiding something, and someone like her living in the rich part of town with a sister going to Kuoh Academy. Only two girls in that school come to mind." Kurama said, which made Shukaku nod in response.
"We're all thinking the same people."
"Sona Sitri and Rias Gremory," Chomei said before continuing. "Those two are the richest girls at the school, and if this Serafall woman is one of their sisters, then it makes sense why she's wearing that same perfume to mask her scent, but we can't prove if she's someone we can trust or not since the last time we were deceived by a Devil that we thought was friendly they stabbed Issei in the back and nearly killed him when he was just starting before meeting Zoe and Daidouji."
This made the Tailed Beasts growl since they recalled the day back when Issei was thirteen and met a Devil who they thought would've been a great friend to Issei, only for them to learn that the Devil didn't care about him and wanted to kill him and make Issei into a servant.
This made Issei learn about the Maou faction and think that all Devils are the same and that they cannot be trusted.
Kaguya gritted her teeth for being deceived that day, which is why she and the others would wait until Serafall revealed her intentions before they told Issei about Serafall and who she was.
But for now, they'd wait until it was time for now, though it was time for school.
Back at Kuoh Academy, Sona was sighing while she was looking through some papers, and Rias was sitting across, curious and concerned about her friend's predicament.
"I informed Sirzechs and the others about Issei and his friends, but they're worried that their presence here is going to be dangerous since they're unsure if they can be trusted comrades that we can try to get on our side," Sona said as she adjusted her glasses again.
Rias frowned, "You said my brother was sending someone to keep an eye on the situation here. Who did he send? Grayfia? She would definitely be able to tell us if they are trustworthy."
"Unfortunately, out of all the good options he had, Sirzechs-sama sent my sister, Serafall. She got here just yesterday. She's in the city if anything serious requires intervention, but thankfully, your brother told her to stay away from the school so that she wouldn't provoke a conflict," Sona answered.
"Leviathan-sama is here?" Rias said, surprised.
Sona nodded, "Sadly, yes. I would have preferred Beelzebub-sama to come since he's the one who actually knows more about magical powers and such out of all the Maou, from what I've heard. Grayfia-san would have been useful as well. My sister is powerful, but she lacks restraint or diplomacy skills. She probably would have destroyed this whole city if the girls or Issei looked at her like they did to us."
"If things were dire, Ajuka-sama would have come. I'm sure your sister's presence is simply a precaution. You know, Sirzechs would never allow me to be in harm's way," Rias sighed in annoyance.
"True, but still, we should watch the trio, especially Issei since his threat is more serious than the girls', and they seem to be content with coming here despite their reputations in the city. From what I can tell, Issei isn't a fan of Devils, and I'm not sure why, but if we can figure out the reason, then we can help him understand we're not an enemy. Sona stated strongly.
"I agree. I also am curious about Hyoudou-san. How powerful is he, exactly? Did he say what they wanted from him?" Rias asked.
Sona sighed, "I have no idea how powerful he is, but he says he's not afraid of being rogue. I'm assuming he's at least as strong as you and me."
"You really think he's that strong?" Rias asked, surprised.
"If he's not, then he's fearless at the very least," Sona noted since she couldn't put a finger on how powerful Issei was since she hadn't seen his magical power level, but just from that stare and wounding Saji made Sona think that he's at least High Class.
"I'm going to ask Grayfia to investigate that boy. If he is a target for the Old Satan Faction, then we must find out as soon as possible," Rias said seriously.
"Let me know if she discovers anything relevant," Sona stated before walking away with her peerage but stopped at the door. "By the way, how are you and your group doing after the Stray Devil?"
Rias stiffed a bit since she didn't exactly tell the whole truth due to her pride as a PureBlood, but she said the Stray was taken care of, so it was no problem.
"Akeno and Kiba are fine, but Koneko is still a bit winded by her injuries. She and Kaiba suffered the most, but luckily, Kiba healed faster thanks to his stubbornness." Rias said, which made Sona chuckle at the comment before leaving the Heiress alone. Rias relaxed while pondering how to approach Issei.
Later...
Issei was finally through the long and arduous school day and was somewhat looking forward to seeing Serafall, especially after Zoe and Daidouji were laughing when Issei told them about yesterday until they encouraged Issei about giving Serafall a chance since he's never gone on a date before in his life. While Issei walked down the stairs pondering about meeting Serafall, his path was blocked when a devil stepped in front of him.
Much to Issei's surprise, it was Saji. He seemed less angry and more serious as if he had something to say.
Issei crossed his arms and asked, "You need something?"
"Can I talk to you…in private?" Saji asked somewhat respectfully.
Issei raised a brow as he looked at Saji with a serious face, "You want to talk to me in private? What the hell could you possibly have to say to me?"
"Look, man…please?" Saji asked again before looking around at the curious students who wondered what Saji was talking to Issei for.
The Sage of the Six Paths sighed before nodding, "Alright, fine…lead the way."
Saji immediately led Issei outside and to a more secluded area before turning around. The Devil stared at him with strong, determined eyes.
"What do you want?" Issei asked, already annoyed.
"First off, I apologize for the other day. I get a bit fired up when it comes to the President. She's a really good person and doesn't deserve to be disrespected," Saji began before Issei crossed his arms again,
"Respect is not some inherent right you're born with. It's something that has to be earned. But regardless, I hold no ill will towards her."
"She told me she tried to recruit you into our peerage. I'm not surprised you said no, but honestly, I doubt you would have been able to join it anyway," Saji continued.
"Why is that?" Issei asked.
"Her peerage is pretty much full except for her pawns. There are eight total evil pieces for pawns in a high-class devil's peerage. I took up four of them, and considering you're way stronger than me, I thought the other four wouldn't have been enough to make you a devil," Saji explained thoroughly.
"Is there a point to this?" Issei asked as he checked the time since he liked quiet conversations that dragged out.
Saji nodded, "Yeah, there is. I heard you're strong, and I wanted to ask if you would train me."
Issei deadpanned at him before asking. "What?"
[Denied.] The Tailed Beasts said unanimously since they weren't impressed by the wannabe white knight.
"Look, man, this is shameful for me, alright? But I don't really know who else to ask. My Sacred Gear has a dragon in it, and I figured you could at least help me out a little bit, you know, seeing as how you're a strong human, too," Saji said, almost embarrassed.
Issei shrugged, "Look, even if I could help you, which I probably can't, why would I want to? What do I gain from training some devil how to use his Sacred Gear?"
Saji frowned at Issei's lack of interest, "It wouldn't be anything crazy or long-term, just like a few hours one day. I just…I really want to get stronger, but I don't know how. I figured it was a waste of time asking you, but I at least thought I'd try."
"What's your reason for getting stronger?" Issei asked. His question caused Saji to perk up anxiously.
"I want to be able to protect Kaichou and the others. I want to be more than just her devil servant one day. I want them all to see me as someone worthy of the Sitri name," Saji replied with a noble tone, but Issei and the Tailed Beasts weren't impressed, which made Issei roll his eyes at the answer,
"Why would I train you so that you can be a more useful slave to them? Maybe if you had some real ambition, I'd consider it. Granted, your lack of ambition is also why you're weak right now…" Issei said, which made Saji grind his teeth at Issei's brutal response,
"I was ambitious enough to ask a jerk like you, wasn't I?"
"You're missing the point, dude. I'm not going to train you if you're going to keep being a simp for them. If you had a real goal, I'd reconsider," Issei explained, which made Son Goku nod with his student.
"What did you just call me? A simp?" Saji said angrily.
Issei sighed before nodding. "Yeah, I mean, your only goal right now seems to be getting stronger so you can impress some devil princess and a bunch of other girls. That kind of attitude will never make you truly powerful. That'll make you a useful tool. You should only bother getting stronger for your reason."
"My reason? I…I guess I don't have one," Saji said as he drifted off in thought.
"Most people don't, which is why they end up as servants," Issei replied.
"What's your reason then? To be stronger, I mean?" Saji asked curiously.
Issei just chuckled for a moment, "I have many reasons but being the master of my destiny is the biggest. After all, you'd be surprised by what a soul can accomplish when it takes charge of its fate."
Saji stared at him for a moment, confused, "What do you mean?"
"I mean, I'm strong, so I don't have to be anyone's servant, and it's also why I enjoy smiling. It's a valuable tool to ensure that no matter what, you are the one in full control." Issei answered.
"I guess that explains the delinquent thing," Saji looked down for a moment, "I just don't know if I could have that same goal, especially now that I'm already a devil."
"You don't have to take it as far as me, but at the very least, you should want something more for yourself. Get stronger for yourself, not for them. In doing so, you'll probably end up impressing them more than you ever would as a selfless white knight. Also, if you want the President to like you, then stop sucking up to her like all the other servants. She'll never respect you otherwise." Issei said calmly.
"I never really thought of it that way…" Saji said distantly as if he was absorbing Issei's words.
"When you find your reason, let me know, and maybe I'll consider training you. You could ask Daidouji or Zoe. They'd probably be able to help you better than me," Issei said casually as he turned to leave.
"Hey, Hyoudou-san, are we at least cool then?" Saji asked.
"Yeah, we're fine. Just don't piss me off, and we'll stay that way," Issei replied before walking off and headed for his motorcycle.
"Well then. Time to get ready for my date with a magical girl." Issei said as he put his helmet on and headed out.
The Bus Stop near 3rd Street
As Issei rode his motorcycle up to the place where Serafall told him to meet her, Issei was shocked to see she was already there.
'I wonder how long she's been here? She must have known when school ended for Kuoh Academy students,' Issei noted as he pulled up.
Serafall was wearing a magical girl cosplay again, much to Issei's dismay. He almost facepalmed when she stood up and ran towards him.
[Seriously?! She's going on a date, and she's wearing that ridiculous get-up again? If you're going to go on a date, then dress to impress, not dress like you have no better clothes.] Chōmei said since she was annoyed by the girl's lack of fashion sense.
"Issei-chan! You're here!" She said super excitedly as if she were a child.
Issei looked at her outfit and sighed, "You're wearing that get-up again? We're not going to a convention, you know."
"Yeah, but it's a Milky Spiral Seven movie!" Serafall announced.
"And why does that mean you have to dress up?" he asked.
Serafall gave him a guilty smile as she looked down and replied. "Well, it is the opening day for the movie..."
[Unless it gives you a special perk for cosplay, then count me out. You wouldn't catch me dead in something like that.] Matabi said, which made Kaguya, Saiken, who was excited about this, and Kokuo look at the cat in amusement before putting the idea of the fire cat in magical girl cosplay, which made Issei and the guys put their tongues much to the cat's embarrassment.
"So what time was it again? 9?" Issei asked.
"Yep! We have some time before it starts, so let's go to the mall and go shopping!" Serafall cheered.
A moment later, Serafall immediately got on the back of his motorcycle and wrapped her arms around his waist, "We can get dinner before the movie too! I'll let you pick the place!"
"Okay, and how long is this movie anyway?" Issei asked curiously.
"It's almost three hours long! Two hours and 45 minutes, to be exact! Though we have to stay for the end credits special scene!" she said cheerily.
'Are you serious?! I can't sit through three hours of magical girls,' Issei thought, horrified, 'And since when did anime movies get that long? Aren't they supposed to be like an hour and a half?!'
[It depends on the one you are going to see, and I remember you going to see that one anime movie with those pirates that lasted for two hours?] Kurama said, which made Issei recall his movie night before choosing not to reply to Kurama due to Serafall shouting.
"GO, GO, GO!" Serafall cheered, which caused Issei to take off on his bike.
After a quick and wild ride through town, they ended up reaching the mall. Issei caught more than a few stares from the large crowds of people as he rode up and parked his motorcycle.
After they got off, Serafall eagerly snaked an arm around one of his as she practically dragged him into the mall. To say that people were staring was an understatement. People's eyes were glued to the odd pair as they walked inside past the various crowds of mall goers.
Issei felt almost embarrassed to be seen hanging out with a magical girl cosplayer in public like this, but considering how beautiful Serafall was; nobody could really blame him.
Several girls gasped as they pointed at the duo,
"Ahhh! Look at how adorable she is! W-what is she doing with a scary guy like that?"
"Are they a couple?!" Another girl gasped excitedly as if she was watching celebrities walk by.
"What's that sexy guy doing dating some Otaku weirdo?" Another girl said in confusion.
Issei immediately realized something at that very moment: every person watching them thought Serafall was his girlfriend.
"She's so cute! I want to take a picture with her!" One guy said to his friends.
"Not a chance, dude. That guy she's with looks mean as fuck," One of his buddies replied.
"Yeah, right, I'll show that asshole what's up," The overly ambitious guy announced to his friends before walking in front of Issei and Serafall.
"Hey babe, you're looking fine in that outfit! Mind if I take a picture?" He asked loudly while Serafall smiled as she held up a peace sign,
"Sure, go ahead and take one of us!"
"Nah, honey, I just want a picture of you and me, if you know what I mean," The guy said as he tried to push Issei away.
[Issei. Normally, I don't condone violence, but in this case, I'll make an exception.] Chōmei said, and Issei mentally nodded in agreement with her, so Issei immediately pushed the guy back.
He ended up using way more strength than he meant to, which caused the guy to fly through the glass display of a local store.
"Holy shit?! Did you see what that asshole just did? Get him!" One of the guy's buddies shouted as he charged Issei.
The delinquent dragon effortlessly dodged the guy's swing and tripped him. A moment later, Issei stomped on the downed man's leg, causing him to cry out in agony.
The surrounding crowd looked horrified by the display of violence. The first guy came back from his trip into the glass display and pointed at Issei, yelling loudly, "That punk just assaulted me! Someone call the cops!"
"Yo man, I think he's with the Yakuza; see that jacket?!" Another friend pointed at Issei seriously.
The first guy immediately backed down, scared, "I don't want any trouble, bro. I'm sorry!"
Issei sighed heavily before simply walking past the crowd of onlookers and two injured men.
"Don't piss me off or think my girlfriend is for sale. Mess with me again, and you won't like it when I'm angry." Issei said with his eyes flashing, which scared the two men before they ran out of the mall.
"You going to regret picking a fight with us! Team Dragon Buster is out!"
"That's the most obnoxious gang name I've ever heard in my life," Issei said before looking at Serafall, who was surprisingly quiet during the whole excursion.
'Oh shit. She's probably regretting this get-together already since stuff like this always happens whenever I go anywhere with a girl,' Issei thought to himself.
"You really are my bodyguard, aren't you?" Serafall giggled at Issei as they walked further away.
After everyone recovered from the initial shock of the situation, the crowd started moving along again. Nobody dared to try and apprehend Issei as they all assumed he was some bigshot gangster now.
Many surrounding women were now eyeing him up with approving, lustful eyes as if the sight of his defending Serafall made him more desirable.
Issei wasn't really paying attention to the strange reactions of the public. He was more concerned about what Serafall was thinking at that moment. Issei looked down at Serafall, surprised that she wasn't upset or bothered by what had just happened. Much to his confusion, she seemed to enjoy it.
"I'm surprised you're not upset about this," Issei said honestly.
Serafall looked at him with wide eyes and smiled, "Why would I be? You threw some jerk through a glass display. That was awesome!"
"Uhhh…yeah, sure," Issei replied somewhat surprised.
'A magical girl cosplayer that likes reckless motorcycle rides and condones violence? She keeps getting weirder. Man, I hope these people don't think I was trying to be chivalrous,' Issei thought to himself as several women gave him dreamy looks.
[Nah. She probably used to be a delinquent too before she became an otaku, which might explain some things given her family life.] Shukaku said, seeing behind that fake smile and the genuine one that Serafall has around Issei.
It was the same one Gaara had when he was treated as a weapon before turning over a new leaf after the failed invasion.
"Oh my god, did you just see what he did to those jerks? They were all trying to mess with his girl, and he just threw that one through the glass!" A loud gossiping girl said to her friend.
"I wish he was my boyfriend. That girl is lucky to have a man that'll stand up for her," another woman said. Issei could hear all of them thanks to his enhanced senses and was extremely thankful that Serafall couldn't.
'Damn it. So much for that. Man, this got so awkward all of a sudden. At least Serafall can't hear all of them talking. If she could hear all the crazy shit these people are saying about us, things would be really weird,' Issei thought as he looked down at Serafall again.
Serafall looked like she was getting embarrassed for some reason, which was obvious due to her cheeks being red, much to Issei's surprise.
Despite not knowing her for very long, Issei knew that Serafall wasn't much of a shy person. Although, considering the crazy amount of attention they were getting, he figured even she had her limit.
"Hey, Issei, let's go in there," Serafall pointed to a nearby store.
Much to his horror, it was a woman's clothing store. He was very reluctant to go inside but was grateful for any excuse to ditch the crowd of staring people.
[Well, out of the frying pan and into the fire, huh boys?] Kurama asked the other guys to salute Issei and wished him luck while the girls were curious about what Serafall would choose to wear.
As they walked inside, the employees greeted them warmly. Issei was thankful that they were professional enough not to say anything about his jacket and her magical girl costume. Serafall anxiously pranced around the store as she found a bunch of different outfits. Once she had a few, she went to the changing room in the back.
Issei awkwardly stood there, not really sure what to do or where to go. He felt extremely uncomfortable being in a woman's clothing store and tried to avoid the weird looks several women would give him as he waited for Serafall to change.
One even had the initiative to walk up to him, "Are you waiting on your girlfriend?"
"Yeah," Issei said without thinking.
[Ohohoho! It's official, boys! He likes her!] The Eight-Tails cheered along with the other boys while Kaguya pouted at this while. Kokuo felt a bit jealous that she wanted to be in Serafall's place. Chōmei and Matabi still had their concerns with the girl since something seemed off about her ever since Issei met her. As for Raiken, the slug-tailed beast was writing with an excited look on her face due to her love of writing romance novels.
Who would've thought that a Tailed Beast would get into romance?
The woman seemed disappointed at the news as she nodded and walked past since she had a thing for his look. She could tell that he may look like a delinquent but is a really good person.
She thought she wouldn't be able to see him again until she caught a glance at his school ID.
'Kuoh Academy? But that's where I'm transferring to next semester!' The woman said with a smile on her face as she headed back to her workstation, hoping to run into the boy that caught her attention since the Agares woman could tell the boy was special, and even if he didn't wish to join her peerage, she could at the very least date him.
But first, information is important when approaching him.
The woman pulled out a phone and tapped the first number in her favorites before hearing it ring until the other end was picked up.
{Hello?}
"Alivian. I need some information on a possible recruit."
{Ah, is this perhaps a boy who caught your interest?}
"Al..."
{Of course, Lady Agares. I'd be happy to assist however I can. I haven't seen you this excited for some time, so I'm happy to help you find out more about this man. Do you have his name?}
"I'll send you a picture," Agares said as she tapped on an image and sent it to him before Alivian nodded on his end.
{I'll look into this.}
"Thank you Alivian. Really."
{I know your majesty. Now get back to work, for it's rude if you are not doing your job.}
Agares blushed as she nodded. "Okay. Sorry. By Alivian." She said before hanging up and getting back to work.
Meanwhile, Issei didn't care enough to figure out why she even bothered to ask him, that is, until a moment later, the curtain opened up, and Serafall walked out. She appeared a bit flustered again as she looked at Issei.
"What?" Issei asked as he tried to read her expression.
Serafall immediately looked down, "Nothing. So how does it look on me?"
The girl picked out a sexy, punk-looking outfit that almost matched him. It consisted of a cute sleeveless black top with a black and red frilly skirt and fishnet stockings. She also had some black boots and armlets on as well.
[Not bad. And here I thought she had no style or taste.] Chomei said before Issei commented on Serafall's attire.
"You look awesome. Next time we go stunt riding, you should definitely wear that," Issei remarked with approval.
Serafall continued trying on multiple different outfits for the next hour. For some reason, Issei felt more comfortable with being in the store now and was surprisingly not hating this shopping experience.
When the two finally left the store, Serafall was back in her magical girl cosplay and had at least five bags of new clothes with her.
[Ugh! I prefer she at least wear some of the pink clothes since it would ward off the creeps who want to take a picture with her. Chōmei said, annoyed by the girl's costume, but she could tell that Serafall seemed to be in a really good mood, much to Issei's relief.
They continued their shopping for several more hours and ended up buying the Milky Spiral Seven Video Game and some random other games. After they were finally done with shopping, the two ended up at this random restaurant in the mall that Issei chose.
Upon sitting down, they were surprised to see a lot of couples in the restaurant. Issei felt awkward again when he wondered what Serafall probably thought about them eating there.
'This day has been…almost like an actual date. Now we're in this couple's diner? Jeez…I hope she doesn't take this the wrong way. I had no idea this was a couple's diner,' Issei thought as he maintained his calm outer stoicism.
[Is that such a bad thing if this was a date? Why not go for an actual relationship?] Isobu asked, which surprised Issei while Serafall looked around at several of the couples in the room and immediately looked down, embarrassed,
"This place looks nice."
"Hopefully, since I've never been here before," Issei replied as he stole a few glances at nearby couples.
'But you do know that with my reputation and power, it is dangerous to drag people into it. Zoe and Daidouji were exceptions since they found out, and when I offered to wipe their memory, they denied it.'
[I understand, but you seem to really like this girl despite her quirks. Why not actually take this chance to not be a student by day and a fighter by night? Think about it: Ever since you met Kaguya, you've trained and trained, and you've never once actually tried to live as a human. It wouldn't be so bad if you took off the tough mask and let someone who can make you happy and enjoy your school life.]
'B-But what if...what if it's like last time and I almost lose the ones I love like back...back then?' Issei asked as he clenched his fist outside but placed his hands on his arms since Issei was strong. Still, he's always been afraid of dragging innocents into his battles with the supernatural world. Ever since the incident with the Devils, he's been afraid of having Zoe and Daidouji part of his gang since he didn't want them to fall to death and leave their families behind.
"Hey, Issei, thanks for going with me today. It means a lot to have someone to go to these things with," Serafall said somewhat nervously, breaking Issei out of his conversation with Isobu.
"Yeah, no problem, Serafall," Issei replied since he wasn't sure what to follow up with and looked away a moment later.
"When I was texting you last night and you didn't reply, I thought maybe you didn't like me or anything. A lot of people think I'm weird," Serafall said honestly.
"Well, there's no denying that you're a bit odd, but that's what makes you interesting. It's boring to be like everyone else, anyway," Issei replied, which made Serafall blush at his comment as she looked up at him,
"You're a really nice person, Issei. And I was wondering if-!"
"Hello, are you two ready to order?" A waitress interrupted Serafall, causing her to give up on whatever she was going to say immediately.
The two ordered their food, and once the waitress was gone, they lost all momentum from the previous conversation.
Issei was trying to think of anything he could say to keep things from getting awkward again until something he had on his mind about her appearance helped him speak up, "So, I was wondering what's with the whole magical girl thing? I've been curious why you like it so much."
"O-oh, that? Well, it's a long story, really. You sure you want to hear it?" Serafall asked.
"Of course, since I thought it didn't seem like something an older girl wouldn't really be into. No offense."
Serafall frowned but smiled back. "None was taken, and I guess it's because I never really had much of a childhood, to be honest."
"Really? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Issei said before Serafall shook her head to stop him and continued.
"Well, my family is pretty wealthy, and they're a bit elitist, if you know what I mean. When I was a girl, I didn't have much of a childhood as I was the eldest and the heir. My parents groomed me and trained me so much in my youth that I ended up resenting it as I grew older. One day, I came across magical girls, and it changed my life. I felt a real connection with it as if it were a missing piece of me. I know that sounds stupid, but that's why I like it," Serafall explained with shy honesty, which made Shukaku support this girl even more since she really did remind him of Gaara and his loneliness, as did Kurama when he saw Naruto's life.
Issei nodded his head at her with eyes of sympathy, "That explains a lot. There's Nothing wrong with feeling that way. To me, it's freedom. You can't always live your life by someone else's rules. You have to make your own if you want to enjoy it."
"Yeah, and my parents are a bit ashamed of it, but my sister is their heir now, so I guess what I choose to do isn't really important anymore," Serafall sighed with a look of sadness on her face that made some of the other Tailed Beasts feel sorry for the girl since her relationship with her folks is similar to some of their former hosts lives back in their world.
"Hey, if you need someone to talk to, then I'm your guy," Issei said, taking hold of her left hand, which made Serafall express tears of joy before wiping them with a napkin until Issei offered her a tissue, which she accepted and then blew her nose before tossing it away.
The waitress from earlier smiled at this before listening in on their conversation as they continued chatting.
"You said your sister goes to my school, so how old are you, if you don't mind my asking?" Issei said as cautiously as possible, which was a wise move since Serafall seemed a bit alarmed by his question as she looked down for a moment,
"Oh! I did say that, didn't I?"
Issei shrugged, "It's cool you don't have to tell me. I guess that was kind of rude to ask."
[Damn straight.] The female Tailed Beasts said before Serafall giggled and replied.
"It's okay,"
"Don't take it the wrong way. I wouldn't care if you were older. I was just curious, is all," Issei tried to diffuse the tension again.
"I suppose you could say I'm old enough to get married," Serafall finally answered, which made Issei look at her while cocking his head in confusion,
"It's a wonder you aren't already since you seem like an amazing girl anyone would want to date."
"That's what my parents keep saying, but I don't want to marry anyone unless I love them. I guess my childish selfishness is just another reason for them to think less of me," Serafall shrugged.
"Your parents sound like some uptight rich people I know," Issei remarked as he knew of most devils in general thanks to Great Red.
Little did he know the irony behind his inner musings.
"Hey, Issei, are you religious at all, by chance?" Serafall asked curiously, which made Issei look at her with confusion and shrug,
"Not really. An old childhood friend of mine was Christian. I'm too busy with my own life to get all involved in the prayer and worship stuff. Why do you ask?"
"I was just wondering if you believed in the supernatural," Serafall said with a curious face.
Issei looked at her uncertainly but replied, "You mean like actual magic and ghosts and demons? All that stuff?"
Serafall nodded, "Yeah. What would you think if that stuff was real?"
Issei shook his head, "I wouldn't care. Even if it was real, I doubt I'd ever get involved with any of it."
"If it was, would you ever want to experience something special like that? Like learning magic or something?" Serafall asked curiously, which made Issei think for a moment until he replied.
"Well, I always thought it'd be cool to wake up one day with superpowers, but I'm sure it's got a downside to it as well. That kind of power always attracts enemies."
"You don't seem to have a problem dealing with those," Serafall said with a smile.
'This girl. Could she possibly be!' Issei said in his mind before his nose picked up a peculiar scent.
One that was very familiar with him since it was the same scent as the person he killed back when he was thirteen.
Serafall didn't notice his shock as she looked away for a moment before making eye contact again, with a calm Issei this time. "What if I told you I was an actual magical girl?"
"I'd probably believe you. You've convinced me to hang out with you. If that's not magic, I don't know what is."
She blushed at his statement and didn't say anything in response.
The moment those words left his lips, Issei thought about them more carefully,
'Wait…what the hell did I just say to her?! Plus this scent s-she's-!'
[Issei!] Kaguya shouted as she then wrapped her arms around Issei and calmed him down. [I understand your concern, but the others and I think this girl holds no ill intentions. Think about it: why else would she want to hang out with you after just one meeting? We've been listening and watching what she's saying, and so far, she's been Nothing but truthful and afraid. Afraid you'll see her as a monster if you knew who she really was.]
Issei was shocked by this before Serafall continued with a real smile on her face.
"I'm just glad I met you since nobody I know really treats me like an actual girl except for you. My family and even most of my friends see me as some rich, irresponsible woman who should take everything more seriously. It's nice having someone who doesn't judge me for being the way I am."
[See? You can hear it, can't you? The honesty and love she has for you in her words. Give her a chance, and who knows, she might make you really happy like you make her.] Kaguya said, which made Issei smile at the idea of actually having a girlfriend before entering the conversation.
"Oh, I still judge you," Issei laughed.
Serafall's face immediately reddened as she looked at him embarrassed, "Y-you do?!"
"I see you as a fun girl and a good person. A bit weird and probably a bit crazy, but hey, that's what makes people special," Issei noted, which made Serafall smile before asking him.
"Hey, Issei. Can I ask you something?" Serafall spoke slowly.
"Go ahead," he nodded.
"Earlier, when we were shopping, someone said-" Serafall tried to speak but was interrupted again when the server showed up with their food.
"Here's your meals! They're hot, so be careful," the waitress announced as she placed the food in front of them.
"Oh sweet," Issei said as he immediately dug into his meal. Serafall lost her momentum again and decided to give up on the topic as she ate her meal as well.
The two ate in silence for about a minute until Issei looked back at her, "What were you trying to tell me?"
"I...I was wondering if you really see me as a girlfriend. When you said it back at the shop." Serafall said with a smile before going back to her food, which made Issei freeze a bit as the memory was in his mind before looking back at Serafall, who seemed to enjoy her meal until Issei replied to her.
"I've never had an actual girlfriend before, so I don't know how to be a good boyfriend," Issei said before Serafall placed her burger down, wiped her hands, and brought Issei's left hand to her lips, which made Issei blush even more when she kissed it with a sincere smile.
"We can take it one day at a time. I hope you're okay with my personality." Serafall said, a bit embarrassed, before Issei walked to her and kissed her lips, which made the onlookers gush at this while. Serafall blushed at this kiss as well until Issei separated from her and replied.
"I'd love to go out with you again," Issei said, which made Serafsll turn red like an apple before going back to her food. Issei ignored his 'brothers,' who were cheering for him. Kaguya and Kokuo smiled at this and didn't seem fazed since both of them had their first kiss before the magic girl, but they supported her.
The duo ate the rest of their meal in relative silence, minus a few comments here and there about the taste of the food. After they finished eating, both were alarmed when the waitress brought over a single large milkshake with two straws.
Both Issei and Serafall looked at it uncertainly as the waitress happily placed it between them.
"I don't think we ordered a milkshake," Issei said immediately.
The waitress smiled at them and shook her head, "No, but this one is on the house for that amazing Milky Spiral Seven cosplay."
"Thank you," Serafall said with a warm smile.
"You're so adorable! It's cute seeing Mil-tan with a delinquent tough guy," The waitress giggled as she looked between Issei and Serafall. "Plus, that kiss and confession really made the boss's day."
"We're going to see the new Milky Spiral Seven movie tonight!" Serafall announced proudly.
The waitress looked at them surprised and glanced over at Issei, "I guess looks are deceiving because your boyfriend is a sweetheart for taking you to see it! I'm so jealous! Can I please take a picture with you two?"
Issei and Serafall nodded as the waitress joyously looked at them, "Thanks a lot! You guys have fun now! Enjoy the rest of your date! You treat her nice now, boyfriend-kun."
Issei and Serafall both made eye contact after the girl was gone and stared at each other uncertainly until Serafall broke the silence.
"How's that milkshake taste? Can I have some, too?"
"Go ahead, there's two straws," Issei replied, immediately going back to drinking it.
The two quietly slurped out of the large milkshake with their faces not far apart. Issei had no idea what was going through Serafall's mind right now, but she didn't have anything to say about the boyfriend's comment.
At first, Issei wasn't sure if dating seemed like a good idea since he wasn't opposed to the idea of dating her, but he wasn't honestly sure if it was a good idea.
Issei barely knew her, and a girl like her was too sweet and innocent to get involved with him since all the trouble he seemed to be attracting lately. Issei would end up ruining her life if the devils or angels went after her in an attempt to provoke him.
Not only that, but Issei did not expect Serafall to like him as much as she did. He couldn't quite explain it, but something in his instincts said that this girl could be trusted. However, his fears were what made him worried about dragging her into his life.
"This is so good! Save me some too, Issei!" Serafall said cheerily before returning to the milkshake. Her attitude appeared to be back to normal.
Issei smiled at this before he checked the time and saw that it was 8:30 before looking up, "We need to get going if we want to catch the movie."
"Oh, the movie starts soon! Come on, Issei, let's hurry!" Serafall said urgently as she slapped down a ton of money on the table and dragged him out of the restaurant.
Issei didn't have time to see how much it was, but it was clearly way more than the cost of their meals. After leaving, they quickly made their way to the movie theater and, after some brief waiting, finally made it to their seats.
"I can't wait for this movie!" Serafall announced as she and Issei sat down in a middle row.
'This is going to be a long three hours…' Issei thought as the trailers started to play, but not until Serafall leaned on his shoulder, which made Issei instinctively wrap his right arm around her, which made Serafall blush but smile at this while Issei was wondering what the hell he was doing before feeling a kiss on his cheek from Serafall.
Which made Issei glad the room was dark due to the massive blush on his cheeks.
Three and a half hours later.
Issei felt relief, finally walking outside again. He cracked his head and back while internally cringing a bit along with the other guys and some of the girls,
'I'm never going to watch another magical girl movie for as long as I live. Why the hell did I go out with her? I could have been flying around with Red right about now. Speaking of which, the big guy is probably wondering where I've been all week.'
[I agree. Since that was so annoyingly and stupidly cliche, I was able to figure out how it ended before the second hour.] Kurama groaned. At the same time, Matabi gagged at the idea of being in that ridiculous costume.
[How do little kids like this? It's so stupid. What about the mini skirt? I mean, do they just love to flash their underwear to anyone, and the villain was so boring I wanted to kill myself.]
[Not to mention, the fights were just as dumb as the names of their attacks.] Gyubi said whileShukaku and Isobu were silent due to them falling asleep along with Chōmei until Kaguya voiced her own comments.
[Huh. Now I know how stupid the people of our world are for shouting their attacks like in the anime and manga Issei reads since the enemy was able to either counter or dodge them.] Kaguya said until Serafall cheered happily.
"That was amazing! Can you believe how that final battle went? I want to learn how to do that sparkling twilight attack!"
"Well, at least you liked it…" Issei said, still recovering from the mind-numbing movie since he almost fell asleep a few times during the 'battles,' which seemed dull in his opinion.
"This has been such an amazing day! I'm so glad you came with me," Serafall said happily before Issei checked the time.
"Well, it's pretty late. I should drop you off at home.
"Already?" Serafall gasped, somewhat disappointed.
"Yeah, it's late, and I don't know what else you expect to do tonight," Issei replied while thinking of his next move.
'I mean, I can think of a few things, but getting her involved with me seems like a bad idea, so I'm better off avoiding that route…' Issei thought to himself, which made Serafall look away nervously for a moment,
"Yeah, sorry. I don't know what I was thinking."
"Let's get going," Issei replied before the conversation could go somewhere he didn't want. He immediately went to his motorcycle with Serafall behind him.
Unfortunately, it was as if the universe was delaying him due to a couple of delinquents from earlier with the idiot Issei threw through a wall that appeared around them.
"Tch. So the coward went to his buddies to hang up on two people on a date? How rude." Issei said with Serafall being surprised until the leader approached him and asked.
"Why don't you let us take that girl off your hands, and we'll call it even, huh?" The leader said while gazing at her chest before Issei's left fist met his face and sent him flying past his motorcycle and crashing into a light pole.
"Anyone else? Or is he the only one with a brain cell?" Issei asked before the gang of fifty people charged at them, which made Issei sigh in annoyance before he grabbed Serafall's wand, much to her surprise, and used it as a club, much to the guy's shock, until Issei held up the wand's and poured some Yin chakra into it.
[You are really going to do it?] Kaguya asked before Issei replied.
'Yes, since it'll not kill them and end this quickly.' Issei said before aiming at them.
"Now cleanse the darkness of this world! Purging Light!" Issei shouted as the guys were blasted by the light and collapsed on the sidewalk, much to Serafall's surprise, before Issei handed the wand back to her.
"Sorry, it seemed like the best way to knock them out with a stun grenade and a Taser." Issei said while holding up the two items, which hid the fact that the 'spell' was a blinding light that allowed Issei to move quickly and knock out the group.
Serafall was blushing as he spoke to her before hugging Issei and smiling at his shocked expression.
"You really are a wonderful guy."
A couple of minutes later.
Issei came to a stop in front of her house, which Serafall thanked him for as she got off and looked at him with a wide smile.
"Thanks for driving quietly through the neighborhood, at least," Serafall said with a laugh.
"It wasn't a problem. I'll see you around, I guess," Issei said before Serafall grabbed his sleeve and asked with a shy expression.
"Promise me we'll hang out again sometime soon, okay?" Serafall asked hopefully before Issei smiled and nodded since he decided to stop being afraid and take a risk with the magical girl that made the past two days surprising for him.
"Of course, Serafall. I look forward to dating you again." Issei said until Serafall thanked him again with a kiss on the lips, shocking Issei as Serafall also tongued him a bit which made Issei reciprocate the kiss as he hugged Serafall close to his body which made Serafall moan in pleasure and loved this feeling until Issei grabbed her ass and squeezed it a bit, making Serafall moan some more until the two despated due to a lack of air much to the Tailed Beasts shock until they cheered for him again.
Issei and Serafall didn't say anything else as the two said one last goodbye before he drove down the Street. He shook his head to clear it, but the kiss was powerful and really messed with his thinking.
'I think I'll introduce her to Rin next time I go visit her at the hospital.' Issei said before tasting her lipstick on his lips and groaned as he felt his heartbeat, which made the guys cheer for Issei while Kaguya and Kokuo felt jealous of the girl but also chuckled since Rin would not let Issei live it down when she learned of Issei's girlfriend.
Saturday Morning, Issei's House
Issei awoke the next day to the sound of loud knocking on his front door. He shook his head, annoyed, "Who the hell is knocking on my door this early in the morning?"
He didn't bother putting a shirt on as he made his way to the front door in his boxers. Without any hesitation, he opened it and looked outside.
To his surprise, he saw two girls standing outside his door. Both were wearing white robes with what appeared to be black tights underneath. One had medium-length blue hair with golden brown colored eyes, and the other had honey chestnut colored hair tied into long twin-tails and violet-colored eyes. Issei immediately noticed the crosses around their necks as well as a tied-up object of some kind on the blue-haired girl's back.
They both looked alarmed by his half-naked appearance and immediately tried not to stare at him.
Issei looked at them, confused, "Can I help you?"
"Hello, is this the Hyoudou Residence?" The twin-tailed girl asked shyly.
"Yes, and who are you?" Issei asked immediately, annoyed that his Saturday had been interrupted.
"A-are you Issei Hyoudou?!" The twin-tailed girl practically gasped before Issei slowly nodded in response.
"Yeah. What the hell is this about? Are you two nuns or something?"
"Issei, it's me. Don't you recognize me at all?" The twin-tailed girl asked.
The delinquent gave her a brief stare before speaking bluntly. "No."
"Issei, I'm so hurt that you'd forget me!" The twin-tail girl said dramatically until Issei started to close the door, which shocked the girl, who struggled to hold the door open.
"W-Wait! Wait a minute! It's me, Irina! Irina Shidou! We were childhood friends, remember? You called me Rin after your sister?" Irina said strongly, which made Issei stop. He thought for a moment until Irina pulled out a picture of her and Issei as children.
Only then did he finally remember who this girl was.
Issei looked at her confused and replied, "Shidou-kun? I thought you were a boy since you basically wore boy clothes and went to the men's restroom back then."
"Y-you…what?" Irina gawked at him in disbelief until Issei continued.
"Regardless, what do you want from me now? I haven't spoken to you since we were kids, and we dropped out of touch," Issei said seriously before Irina poked her pointer fingers together and explained her reason.
"Umm, about that. My friend and I were wondering if we could talk to your parents," Irina said embarrassed.
"My parents? They're both on vacation right now for their anniversary. What business do you have with them?" Issei asked suspiciously as he sniffed the air curiously for a moment to see if they were anything unusual. To his surprise, they were both humans.
"Well, is it okay if we stay with you for a few days?" Irina finally worked up the courage to ask.
Issei looked at her bewildered, "Why? What made me your first choice? Don't you have a family around here?"
"My family moved away, remember? Otherwise, you'd still be friends with me. Xenovia and I are kind of, well broke," Irina admitted shamefully.
"What are you even doing here in Kuoh Town then? You two look like you're a part of the church. Can't you stay with them?" Issei asked before the blue-haired girl finally spoke up.
"Forgive us for imposing on you, Issei Hyoudou. This is not something I'm proud of. We are here in this city on a mission from the church. We were given provisions, but Irina ended up losing most of our money."
"Hey, I didn't lose it. Things just…happened," Irina said with a sigh.
'Another blue-haired girl just showing up out of the blue. I swear I should start counting them,' Issei thought to himself as he examined the girl.
"Please, Issei! We're desperate right now. You wouldn't turn away two holy women of the church, would you? That would just be evil," Irina said pleadingly as she clasped her hands before Issei sighed in agreement.
"Alright, fine," Issei said as he let them come inside the house.
Xenovia and Irina's gazes lingered on him as he sat down on his couch and looked at them. He jerked his head, motioning for them to sit down, much to their interest.
"Thanks, Issei. I promise you we won't be a burden. And would you mind putting some clothes on?" Irina asked with a flustered face.
"Why?" Issei countered.
"I can't look at you like that. It's…distracting," Irina stated before Issei looked at her with an annoyed expression before he snapped his fingers. Their clothes vanished, leaving them in their underwear, much to their surprise.
"Alright, now we're going over some ground rules, Issei replied while Irina blushed while hiding herself while the blue-haired one didn't seem fazed and sat on the blanket on said couch.
"P-Please return our clothes! And put some on, too!" Irina said while hiding her face before Issei replied.
"Uh, you do know you are in my home, and I'm only in my house. I'm wearing just my boxers. If anything, you are the ones being rude."
"T-Then just put on some pants! Please!" Irina shouted as she was tempted to look between her fingers but stopped herself until Issei sighed as he snapped his fingers and returned their clothes before Issei went and got changed into his workout pants since he was too tired to put up with this nonsense.
Upon returning, Irina's eyes widened with horror, "I-Issei, what are you wearing?!"
"Workout pants," Issei replied as he plopped down on the couch again.
"You're a lot different than I remembered," Irina said with a blush as she looked him up and down for a moment.
"The same could be said for you. I still can't believe you're a girl," Issei replied.
"Thank you for letting us stay here, Issei Hyoudou. Your generosity is a blessing to us," Xenovia said politely.
"About that, I'll let you stay for a few days, but I want some answers. What is this mission the church sent you on?" Issei asked curiously.
"We can't tell you that…it's confidential," Xenovia replied immediately.
"Wait. Let me guess, does it involve all the Fallen Angels and devils in this town?" Issei said while Irina frowned at him,
"Are you making fun of us? I know you're not much of a believer, Issei, but we're seriously here for something important, and we can't tell you what it is."
"I wasn't making fun of you since there's a lot of devils in this town, so it would only make sense for the church to want to investigate it. Besides, that thing on her back looks like a sword. What the hell would you be doing here with one of those?" Issei questioned as he looked over at Xenovia.
They both seemed caught off guard by Issei's intuition. The two traded glances with one another before Irina spoke up again, "How much do you know about the supernatural happenings around Kuoh, Issei?"
"I know my high school is full of devils. I know the church in this town is a fallen angel base, and I know you two aren't simple nuns or whatever," the dragon answered.
Xenovia's eyes widened, "Have you had any supernatural encounters?"
"Unfortunately, I have,"
"We can't let you get involved with things then. It's too dangerous for a normal person," Xenovia said stoically.
"And you two aren't normal people?" Issei asked skeptically before Xenovia shook her head,
"No, we're exorcists."
"Like the movie? You banish demons and shit?" Issei asked, almost amused.
"More or less like that. We're here to retrieve some holy artifacts," Xenovia explained.
"Xenovia! You can't tell him that!" Irina protested.
The blue-haired girl shook her head. "It's enough to satisfy his curiosity and retain our confidentiality. I see no issue with it. Besides, your friend is already aware of the dangers in this city."
"Speaking of which, how exactly do you know about the angels and devils, Issei?" Irina asked anxiously.
"I'll tell you that when you tell me what you're after."
"Touché, Issei," Irina replied with a chuckle.
"Alright, well, you two are probably hungry. Help yourselves to whatever you want. I'm going to go make myself some breakfast," Issei said casually as he walked over to his kitchen.
A moment later, another loud knocking came from the front door. Issei looked at it, annoyed, "Tell me you two don't have more friends coming?"
"No, it's just the two of us…" Xenovia said suspiciously as she eyed the door.
"Wait, Issei, it might not be safe for you to," Irina tried to voice her concern, but Issei ignored her as he opened the door again.
Outside, he saw two familiar faces, Raynare and Kalawarner. Raynare was wearing a black skirt and a lavender top. She appeared to be wearing casual attire, much to Issei's confusion. Kalawarner was wearing the same revealing outfit as the last time he saw her.
For some reason, Raynare was also holding a large tray of some kind.
"What are you two doing here?" Issei said, confused.
"Kalawarner and I were sent to talk to you again, but I figured we'd bring you breakfast at least," Raynare explained.
"Oh well, that's thoughtful of you. Come on in." Issei said, but the moment the two fallen angels walked inside, they came face to face with the two exorcists. All four women stared at each other for a long moment in silence.
"I-Issei, get away from them! They're fallen angels!" Irina said urgently.
"I should be saying the same about you, exorcists!" Raynare shouted, which made Issei groan with a migraine coming on.
"What the fuck has my life become now?"
Scene!
For those wondering, yes, Seekvira Agares is joining the school since I thought she and Serafall would be good partners for Issei to not only help him open up to Devils, or at least trust them a little, and build a relationship with him that'll help Issei trust the Maou just a little when the chaos begins.
Raynare will be more of a liaison at the school when the Holy Sword Arc ends to better the Grigori's relationship with Issei since she has a crush on him.
Zoe and Daidouji aren't dating Issei, and they aren't opposed to the idea of him dating since Zoe has a crush on another man at their school, but that'll be shown later. Daidouji, on the other hand, likes the two and has a bit of a crush on Issei and Zoe but knows that their relationship is platonic, so she struggles with her feelings.
Kaguya and the other Tailed Beasts will begin to appear more in the story since some will want to work with some of the girls to get to know them and protect Issei.
Like how Rin and Saiken work together to get their big brother a girlfriend.
I hope you enjoyed it and see you all soon. Ta-Ta!~