Chapter Forty-Three: INVITATION
June 28th, 2013
Paris, France
The setting sun shone its gilded hues across the sky, bathing the intricate stone and steel architecture in its rays. The summer air clung to everyone and everything like a muggy phantasm. Only the odd breeze rolling through the winding city streets granting sanctuary to the bustling populace, who shuffled en-mass throughout the bustling walkways.
Hundreds, likely thousands chattered in animated fashion as they all gathered at the epicenter of the area, watching as the brilliant Arc de Triomphe cut a huge swathe of shadow through the encroaching sunset.
The scent of flowers and food flitted just above the heady stink of smoke; coughing from the exhaust of countless vehicles puttering away slowly through nearly bumper-to-bumper traffic, and drifting like wayward spirits up to the sky from lit cigarettes clutched between dainty digits or smoldering in the bottom of glass ashtrays.
In the distance, a radio recounted a familiar tune.
"~La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la, la, la~"
"~La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la, la, la~"
"~La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la, la, la-la, la~"
Vin raised his own cigarette to his mouth and took deep, methodical another drag.
The tension coiled up in his frame gradually draining as he felt the warm tingle work its way through his nervous system. Closing his eyes, he tried to lose himself in the song.
"~Now that I've lost everything to you~"
"~You say you wanna start something new~"
Just below the intricate acoustic chords of Cat Stevens' guitar, Vin could hear the whispers that surrounded him, hushed though they were. Parting his lips, Vin slowly blew the smoke from his mouth; before instantly going in for another puff as he tried to drown out their fearful utterances.
"D-Do you think he's armed?"
"~And it's breaking my heart you're leavin'~"
Vin blew out another withering breath, before putting it back to his lips.
"~Baby, I'm greivin'~"
"I-I-I'm sure someone called the cops already, there's no way they haven't!"
"~But if you wanna leave, take good care~"
Another exhale. Another puff.
"~Hope you have a lot of nice things to wear~"
"With him looking like THAT? I don't think anyone here wants to risk it!"
"~But then a lot of good things turn bad out there~"
The sound of footsteps reached the table where Vin sat, the sound of someone clearing their throat drawing him from his meditative state.
Vin let out a final breath of smoke and ash before mercilessly stabbing his cigarette into his table's ashtray. Opening his eyes – once a brilliant emerald, now a murky, cloudy green – he watched as the well-groomed waiter visibly flinched and squirmed under his impassive gaze.
"A-A-Ah, my u-u-utmost apologies for disturbing you, good sir-!" The waiter stumbled over his words as heavy beads of sweat dripped across the shaky, cheerful vineere he forcibly contorted his face into. "I-I just wanted to b-b-bring you your meal!"
"... Including the wine?"
Vin's voice split from his dry, cracked lips as a hoarse, deep grumble which made the waiter practically wilt away where he stood.
"O-Of course, of course! Only our finest Italian vintage for a guest as esteemed as yourself!" The waiter set the platter of food down on the table as Vin scanned it over
As he did, the waiter's shaking fingers gently set a glass of fine red wine in front of Vin.
"N-Now, we'd normally have to ask for some I.D. for you to order this-"
Vin's gaze turned back towards him, causing the man to flinch back.
"B-B-But just this once, I suppose I could allow it!" The waiter peeled back his trembling lips into a terrible excuse for a beaming smile. "So long as you d-d-don't tell anyone, ha-ha…"
The waiter's pitiful laugh died out quickly as he all but wilted under another of Vin's heavy sighs.
"... Thank you." Vin finally spoke up, as he turned to his food.
The waiter gulped as he took a step backwards. "W-Would you like me to fetch you some towels, g-g-good sir..?"
Vin looked down at himself: his clothes were torn and scorched in numerous places, his skin sporting ugly red and purple bruises…
And the blood.
The blood that covered every inch of his frame, staining all the fabric he wore, forming dried clumps that matted his hair…
"I'd appreciate a towel." Vin admitted.
"A-And shall I call you a doctor, good sir? All expenses would be on the house, I- I assure you!"
"..." Vin's gaze went back to the distant sight of the Arc de Triomphe. "Don't bother. Most of it isn't mine anyway."
"I-I see, good sir!" The waiter forced a laugh, as if what Vin said was a humorous joke.
The waiter's eyes told a different story. Especially as he scampered off like a cornered prey animal.
Vin shook his head, and brought his attention back to his plate. With a hand covered in drying, flaking blood, he grasped his glass of wine. Raising it to his eyes, he twirled it around just a little, watching as the liquid swirled around and around.
The blood-soaked Italian leaned back in his seat, gazing up at the sunset.
"... Happy birthday, Vincenzo." He bitterly whispered to himself.
Vin brought the glass to his lips, and let the red wine begin to pour right down his throat.
"~Oh, baby, baby, it's a wild world~"
"~It's hard to get by just upon a smile~"
"~Oh, baby, baby, it's a wild world~"
"~And I'll always remember you like a child, girl~"
June 21st, 2013
Gremory Estate
NINE DAYS PRIOR
"So, do you guys usually train this early or…" Vin stifled a yawn, "Is this just a special occasion.
Vin squinted his eyes to shield them from the artificial sunlight flitted through the impossibly-high skylight that rested at the top of the Gremory Residence's training room. The chamber itself was like a facsimile of a Roman Colosseum: the aged limestone stretching up and up to incredible distances, dancing around the architecture of the room to allow for natural, open sightlines to the center of the arena from all angles.
The group slowly made their way inside, a few of them idly stretching as they walked towards the center of the pit.
"We usually try to get some training in before or after classes." Rias gave Vin a smile, "You can relax for a bit if you feel like you haven't woken up yet, though."
"No, no, I'll be fine once I finish this." Vin shook a small thermos of coffee in his hand, before taking a sip. "Ahhh~ That's the stuff~"
"Alrighty everyone, let's get ourselves started!" Rias took a step forward, twirling around to face her company. "We'll warm up with thirty laps of the arena, okay?"
Vin raised a subtle eyebrow as he took another sip of his drink. "Thirty?"
His girlfriend responded to his whisper by shooting him a sideways glance. "What about it?"
"I just distinctly recall Griselda having a more…" Vin struggled for the words. "Let's say generous offering of drills."
Xenovia gave a small playful smirk. "Well you're probably out of practice anyway. Thirty is plenty for you."
"Mhm?" Vin chuckled softly. "Then watch me, Ms. Quarta."
"Given my abilities as a Knight, I feel that you'll be the one doing the watching." Xenovia stretched her back.
"Eh, at least you'll give me a good show~" Vin shrugged his shoulders with a grin on his face.
Xenovia stared at him for a moment, as if the puzzle pieces in her head were slowly moving to create the bigger picture.
*Pomf!*
"Ah- Hey!" Vin recoiled, chuckling as he rubbed his shoulder.
"You're way too chipper for five-thirty." Xenovia huffed as she walked away. The faint dusting of pink on her cheeks left Vin smiling even as she left.
Vin kept his eyes on his girlfriend as she joined Kiba and Asia's conversation as they all stretched and prepared to start working out. Taking a sip of his coffee, Vin let all the tension spill out of himself.
This…
This was nice.
Vin felt a soft tug on the back of his t-shirt right as he went to take yet another sip of his drink.
"Vin-senpai." Koneko stared up at him with that same, unreadable gaze she always wore.
"Hey Koneko. Um… Just Vin's fine, by the way." Vin scratched at his nape awkwardly. "I mean, I'm not even enrolled at your school until the summer break is over, and…"
Koneko continued to stare, causing Vin to sweat.
"Aaaaand I'm rambling. Sorry, it's probably the coffee. Go ahead."
"..." Koneko looked down at the dirt, seemingly mulling over her words. "... Thank you."
"Hm?" Vin tilted his head. "About what?"
"For substituting for me in the Rating Game." Koneko elaborated. "Thank you."
Vin raised his eyebrows as Koneko gave him a deep bow.
"Whoa, hey, hey, it's alright, there's no need to bow or anything." Vin breathed. "Look, Koneko, I know that to you, it may have seemed like this huge favor that I did for you all; but in truth, I should probably be thanking you."
Koneko stood back up, the only shift in her expression being a slight raise of her eyebrow.
"I mean, I finally got a chance to help repay you guys after everything you did for me. You guys gave me a place to stay, treated me really well, seriously, I'm glad I was able to at least give back just a little." Vin gave a small smile. "It felt good."
"..."
"So yeah, you're welcome Koneko." Vin extended out his free hand to the Rook. "But also, thank you for giving me that chance to pay you all back a bit."
Koneko looked down at his extended hand for a moment, before finally taking it in a firm handshake with a nod.
"You're a weird one, senpai." Although Vin was sure she wasn't, Koneko's flat tone certainly didn't help that comment feel any less scathing.
"Eh, it's one of my better qualities." Vin shrugged with a small smirk, finally breaking off their handshake and moving to set down his thermos. "Now, let's knock out these warm-ups, shall we?"
Stretching out his back, Vin began limbering up his legs before taking off in a jog alongside the rest of the peerage.
"Hey Vin, can we speak for a moment?"
Vin looked up from his training dummy, quickly spotting Azazel leaned against one of the numerous sandstone pillars dotting the perimeter of the spacious Gremory Mansion Arena. Quickly, Vin ran a towel over his face, before glancing around at the others using the space to train.
A few of them practiced basic maneuvers with training dummies, a few did simple workout, and off in the far distance, Vin spotted Xenovia, Kiba and Issei coming chatting after having finished a spar.
"You can keep working out, kid." Azazel reassured. "I just wanted to pick your brain for a bit, that's all."
"Uh, sure. Ask away." Vin turned his attention back to his training dummy, quickly sinking into a stance, before a moment later.
*TH-THWACK!*
His front-facing leg shot out like the crack of a whip, one hit to what would've been the back of his opponent's leg; then instantly, Vin twisted, letting the back of his other heel slam into the side of the dummy's temple.
"Okay, first thing first: have you been in communication with the dragon in your Sacred Gear recently?"
"Bheithir?" Vin recovered before delivering a rapid-fire three-hit combo to the dummy's ribs. "No, not recently."
"I see. Any reason for that?" Azazel scratched something down into a small notebook.
"Not that I know of. But she's always like that." Vin motioned to his head vaguely. "Hell, I think the only time I really get more than three sentences out of her is when she's in my dreams."
"Your dreams?"
"Yeah, I had them nearly every night for years." Vin explained. "Of course, I didn't remember them happening when I'd wake up, or at least until I unlocked my Gear. But even then, I don't really remember too much about them, only that they do happen."
Azazel hummed in understanding.
"And when she's awake, what's she like?"
"Pretty unsociable. She really only talks to me, but like I said earlier, she's not much for conversation."
"Care to give any examples?"
Vin slammed the back of his hand into the face of the dummy, before latching that same hand onto the back of its head and drilling his knee into the door target's face.
"Let me think… Usually she'll just say stuff like 'Don't waste my time, child.' or something like that." Vin gave a poor imitation of the dragon's feminine growl. "Like I said, I don't think I really ever have a long conversation with her."
"Why are you asking any of this anyway?" Vin struck the dummy a few more times, going through a few more cycles of combat routines that'd been drilled into him over nearly a full year.
"Remember when I told you there was an incident when you were hospitalized here?" Azazel's brow furrowed. "I think that Bheithir may have seized control of your body for a moment."
Vin dropped out of his stance, and looked at the ground. "Is that so?"
"This isn't the first time this has happened, isn't it?" Azazel cautioned a guess.
"No, no it's not." Vin shook his head. "She's done it once or twice, usually to get me out of danger."
"Vin… Sacred Gears aren't supposed to do that." Azazel's gaze turned concerned. "You don't see Ddraig taking control of Issei's body at all."
"Well again, I think she's been doing it to keep me alive." Vin reassured. "I mean, if she had malicious intentions, why would she even help me at all?"
Azazel looked unconvinced, but ultimately decided not to press the topic.
"Oh, that's right, I wanted to ask you a question actually."
"Shoot, kid."
"So at the Gala a few nights ago, you remember how Xenovia went to tell you about something happening down in the garden?"
The Governor-General nodded.
"So when she was gone, there was this…" Vin gesticulated vaguely. "Like, wisps of energy? Kinda light blue, eerie looking stuff. Well, right as Xenovia left, um… Crystal Weaver began to absorb it all."
Azazel's face turned puzzled. "What?"
"Yeah, I couldn't make it stop, but it practically sucked it all right up into the Sacred Gear." Vin stared down at his hands as he clenched them open and closed.
Azazel glanced across the courtyard, where a certain Rook was going through another rep of one-handed pushups; her ears and tail on full display.
"Vin, did they tell you what happened in the gardens at the Gala?"
"No, why?" Vin looked over to his mentor.
"Well, you see how Gremory's Rook is a lot more feline than you remember?" Azazel crossed his arms. "She's a Nekomata – a type of Youkai – and she'd been hiding her form and bottling up all that Ki energy that comes with it for years to conceal it."
"Okay?" Vin looked puzzled.
"Think of it this way, that Ki energy is like slowly accumulating pressure, and her body was a chamber. Normally, that chamber would have a valve that could allow that build-up of pressure to escape harmlessly. But shut that value, and suddenly…" Azazel made a ballooning-motion.
Vin nodded, a knot beginning to tighten in his throat.
"During the Gala, she apparently couldn't keep all that build-up under control. That's why Rias and Issei were in the condition they were; when Koneko lost control, they had to physically beat that energy out of her body."
Vin's face paled. "And that energy..?"
"Likely went right into your Sacred Gear." Azazel nodded grimly. "I need to know right now, kid; have you felt anything weird or out of place with you or your Sacred Gear since?"
"I've felt… stronger, I guess? When I first absorbed it, I felt like I was on a sugar high, but then it just felt good. Shit, you saw the Rating Game, you saw me."
"You certainly took a lot more punishment than you could before." Azazel ran a hand through his hair. "So it seems like either your Sacred Gear – or in the far more likely case, Bheithir – have shown themselves to be able to absorb stray magical energy, fascinating."
Azazel quickly scribbled something down in his notebook before snapping the covers closed with one hand.
"If that's the case," Vin swallowed a lump in his throat, "What should I do? What should we do? I mean, if things aren't natural, then-"
Azazel placed a hand on Vin's shoulder.
"Look kiddo, don't take the stuff we just talked about to mean you're going to bite it anytime soon. Like you said yourself, you haven't displayed any negative signs from absorbing any of that Ki energy – if anything, you seem even stronger for it. Sacred Gears are flexible like that, they're like clay, constantly molding to fit what the user demands of it."
Pressing his index finger against the teen's chest, Azazel stared into his eyes.
"All you need to do is keep practicing, okay? Keep working on mastering your Sacred Gear, keep trying to build a bridge with Bheithir." Azazel reiterated. "Just keep practicing control, and if you ever think something is wrong, then you just come to me."
"Ol' Azazel's here for you, okay? That goes for your Sacred Gear, and really anything else you might be having problems with."
"..."
Vin looked down to his feet, a little bewildered with himself as he felt some… thing stir under the surface, like a small ember of warmth that spread itself out from his chest all the way to the minute itch starting just behind his eyes. With a quiet sniff, Vin stomped it out, looking back up to the Governor-General with a small smile.
"Thank you, Azazel."
"Ah, think nothing of it!" The Fallen smirked, clapping Vin on the back, "Now you just get back to training while I do my rounds here."
"Right, see you later."
Azazel began to walk away, heading towards a certain Pawn at the other end of the arena, throwing a two-fingered salute over his shoulder to Vin as he left.
Four Hours Later
"Ah~ that's niiiiiiice~" Issei cooed as he slipped into the steaming hot bath.
Shortly after their training session concluded, the boys had made their way over to the Gremory Estate's bathhouse to wash away all the dust and sweat caked onto their bodies.
Looking around, Vin was obligated to agree with the Sekiryuutei. The bathhouse was massive, it could easily fit at least thirty men, and much like the rest of the illustrious Gremory family estate, it seemed that no expense was spared in the chamber's creation.
Intricate marble tiles lined the floors, heated just enough that it felt like a small massage to the Italian's bare soles as he padded across the room. Murals depicting stunningly-vista's spanned the walls, rendered in masterful-detail as if the family had brought a bonafide virtuoso to carve the artwork across the stone walls.
Running along one side of the wall were a series of twenty booths: each complete with a seat, towel rack, a gorgeous golden shelf lined with countless luxury body washes, soaps and conditioners, and independant shower controls, with removable and adjustable shower heads to boot! Each one was also separated by a tasteful, stylized pane of foggy glass, allowing for some privacy from those sitting next to you while never disturbing the overall style of the room.
The pot lights overhead cast a soft, almost ethereal glow down onto the room, a perfect level of brightness to allow for visibility, while being dim enough to create an atmosphere that – depending on the context – was equal parts zen and salacious.
Large clouds of steam wafted throughout the bathhouse from the gigantic in-laid, walk-in-bath taking up the back third of the room; where Issei and Kiba leaned back, relaxing in its rejuvenating waters.
"Are you coming in, you two?" Kiba smiled from where he sat. "The water's fantastic."
"Yeah, no kidding." Issei rubbed his shoulder while basking in utter bliss. "The baths back at home have nothing on this…"
Gasper trotted over to the tub, clutching his towel with a death-grip. He dipped his toe into the water for a moment, before flinching away. But a moment later, he sank his foot back in, then stepped into the bath proper.
"Mmmmmhhh~" Gasper let out a satisfied moan through his clenched lips.
"Dude." Issei fixed the Dhampir with a flat look, the pawn's cheeks sporting an ever-so-faint pink dusting. "I'm begging you, please don't make this awkward."
"A-Ah!" Gasper pulled back, wrapping his arms around his chest. "S-Sorry, Issei-senpai, it just felt so good-"
"That! That's what I mean!" Issei barked, rising to his feet and pointing a finger at the Bishop in an animated fashion. "ARGH! You're messing with my head over here!"
"Relax, Issei." Kiba soothed the Pawn – who sank back into the water with a little huff. "Are you almost done over there, Vin?"
"Yeah, just let me rinse off." Vin closed his eyes as he ran the shower head down his long locks, then to rinse the suds off his shoulders and arms.
With a twist, Vin shut off the shower's flow of water. Clipping the shower head back to its rightful place, the teen threw a towel around his waist and rose to his feet. As he marched towards the bath, Vin ran a hand through his matted down hair roughly, sending flicks of water all around and fluffing his bangs back to something that he could style just enough to maintain his usual appearance, a part that left one of his eyes covered and the other free.
"You're not washing your hair yet?" Kiba asked as Vin slipped into the bath, sitting next to Gasper and across from Issei and Kiba.
"Nah, I'll do that part later." Vin idly picked at the stands of what usually made up his ponytail. "A rinse is good enough for now. I'd do a full-wash, but with all this, it takes a while; and – forgive me – but I'm lazy as shit right now."
"I don't blame you. Every time I come here, I'm blown away by just how nice this bath is." Kiba chuckled, "It's also nice to finally enjoy this with some friends. Since Gasper usually preferred to stay in Kuoh, I used to be here alone. It's a nice change of pace."
"No kidding, huh?" Vin leaned back in the bath, letting the warm water wash over his shoulders as the group fell into a peaceful silence.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
Vin licked his lips, "Soooo, I've always wanted to ask, what's it like using your Sacred Gears?"
"What do you mean?" Issei chimed in.
Vin rose back up. "I mean what do you guys do to make it, y'know, go?"
"Um… I don't really think too much about that." Issei scratched his cheek. "I guess I just let Ddraig do most of that?"
"Really?" Vin raised an eyebrow.
"Well yeah, I choose when to start boosting, but then…" Issei vaguely gestured at the air. "It just kinda goes on its own until I do something with it. It's kinda like when you're biking downhill, you don't really need to pedal at all, it just moves."
"Huh." Vin nodded. "Interesting… What about you, Kiba?"
"I suppose mine is a lot more imagination-based." Kiba replied. "When I want to make a sword with Sword Birth, I can make pretty much anything. But it still has to be a good, solid, well-built blade; so when I use Sword Birth, I'm usually imagining a few of the same designs I've memorized over the years. The more details and the more fleshed-out my… let's say conception of the sword is, the better it comes out."
"Damn, wait so to make a quality sword, you've got to memorize all the details about it?" Vin's eyes went wide.
"Oh yes, down to the precise measurements of its construction. I can't have the weight distribution be wrong either." Kiba nodded. "It was a real struggle early on, I could hardly make a kitchen knife, let alone a good sword. A big part of my training was pouring over sword schematics for days on end until I could recite every detail without faltering."
"So wait, your training was just studying?" Issei sweatdropped.
"In the beginning, yes." Kiba looked up at the ceiling wistfully, "I also worked as a blacksmith for a while as practice. It gave me an even better sense of how a sword was built. I really should do that again, sometime…"
"It feels good to just make something tangible, doesn't it?" Vin smiled. "I know that feeling all too well!"
"Really?"
"Oh yeah, dude. Believe it or not, I had actual hobbies before all of…" Vin gestured to his surroundings, "This happened. I was planning on going to college for the trades after I wrapped up high school."
"What were you going to do specifically?"
"It was a toss-up between either mechanical-engineering and electrician; leaning a lot more towards mechanical-engineering though. I've always loved just building shit, y'know? Taking things apart, splicing them together and making something totally new. It gets all the brain juices flowing."
"Right, right, I can understand that." Kiba nodded.
"What were you guys planning on doing after high school anyway?" Vin asked.
"In truth, I've been with Buchou for so long that the plan's always been to remain her Knight." Kiba smiled. "That might sound bad following your plans, but it's something that I'm truly emotionally-invested in. Plus, it's not like that role doesn't allow me to pursue any hobbies or interests I have."
"Huh, never thought of it like that." Vin hummed before directing his attention to the other two boys in the tub. "What about you two?"
"I, um… I'm in the same boat as Kiba." Gasper mumbled bashfully.
"Hey, there's no shame in that." Vin reassured the Bishop. "Hell, all-expenses covered, a large bathhouse like this, freedom to pursue your interests, Kiba might be convincing me at this rate! Seems like one hell of a gig!"
"What about you Issei?"
"What do you think?" Issei puffed his chest out with pride. "I'm going to be the Harem King!"
"Pfft!"
"Really, man?" Issei's shoulders sank.
"No, no, sorry, I'm being a dick." Vin apologized with a smile. "But actually I wanted to ask you more about that whole Harem King thing."
"Shoot."
"So like, what's the whole goal there?"
"I want to have a harem of beautiful girls with big oppai." Issei stated, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Uh-huh, and so what's that entail? Do you try to get with girls who only have a rack over a certain size?"
"Oppai are wonderful no matter what, I just prefer large ones." Issei answered with a shrug. "I'm a breast guy, what can I say? Everyone has a preference."
"Fair enough." Vin conceded.
"Actually, that brings me to something I've wanted to know…" Issei's eyes glinted with mischievousness. "You're with Xenovia, right?"
"Like dating? Yes."
"So what about her, hm?" Issei folded his arms together. "Like sure, she's got an amazing pair of oppai, but that's not the full story."
"Issei admitting there's more to a girl than breasts? I never thought I'd see the day." Kiba smirked.
"Oi, what's that supposed to mean, you damn Bishonen!" Issei shot back at Kiba. "If that were all that mattered, then I'd be shooting my shot with that first stray devil we fought!"
"Hm? Which one was that?" Kiba furrowed his brow.
"The um… big snake lady… had the giant knockers that shot lasers, remember?"
The Knight's eyes lit up. "Ah, yes I can vaguely recall the one."
Vin looked between the two with a befuddled expression. "The fuck kind of Strays were you two fighting?"
"Uh… Normal ones, I think?" Issei tilted his head, "Why?"
"Trust me, nothing about what you said was normal." Vin ruefully smiled. "From where I'm sitting, it sounds like you guys fought the runaways from Candyland rather than the Underworld."
"I feel like there's a story there."
"Oh, a hundred-percent." Vin smiled ruefully. "But I don't wanna drag the mood down right now, so I'll hold off on it. But the gist of it is; I did not have a great time with my first encounter with a Stray Devil. Almost got mauled to death by it alone in the freezer aisle of an old supermarket."
"That was, until Xenovia saved my life." The Fallen-Angel looked up at the steam rising up to the ceiling with a wistful expression.
"I was pinned down by this Cronenberg-looking monstrosity, pretty much about to bite it at any second, and then I saw Xenovia run in and…" Vin made a slashing motion with his hand. "She cut the thing in half right in front of me. Then she ran right over to me and literally ripped the jaws of the monster out of my arm. It was probably the most metal thing I've seen."
"So, she saved your life and that's why-"
"Ah-ah-ah! I'm getting there, Issei." Vin cut off. "You have to understand, when I first met Xenovia, she was like a wall; not one emotion, nothing. So when I saw her at that moment, covered in Stray Devil blood, sweat, huffing and puffing with this frantic, so relieved look on her face – for me of all people…"
"It… um… it really left an impression." Vin sank a little into the bath, as if he was melting on the spot. "That was the point where I really started to realize all her smaller qualities as well. She's a little socially-awkward at times, sometimes a bit oblivious, which is super cute. Plus, she has this little pensive face she makes sometimes which is the most adorable thing ever, and-"
"Okay, okay, I get it!" Issei chuckled and threw his arms up.
Kiba smiled. "You certainly have some reverence for her."
"I think Issei-Senpai wanted to hear about her body." Gaspar chimed in.
"Oi, don't say that now!" Issei slumped over a little. "That sounds so much worse after all that."
"S-Sorry."
Issei waved at the Dhampir as if to indicate that it wasn't too big of a deal.
"Oh physically, huh?" Vin put a hand to his chin. "Well, she's gorgeous. So it's kinda hard, but if I had to put my finger on it…"
Vin's brain conjured up images of Xenovia in various states, bringing a small blush to his cheeks as he realized what his body had really started to zero-in on.
"P-Probably her stomach." Vin admitted as he looked down at the water. "The abs kind of really do it for me."
"Hmmm, I see, I see…" Issei stroked his chin while nodding, as if at that moment he was not a teenage pervert, but a respected philosopher. "What an intriguing response."
"I mean, it's a toss-up." Vin admitted. "I'm a teenage guy, I like women. Just so happens that's what catches my eye the most with her."
"But that's enough about me, what about you, Kiba?" Vin directed his attention to the Knight. "I'm tired of being the only one psychoanalyzed over here."
"That's hard to say." Kiba hummed. "Probably the lips."
"That so? Care to elaborate, Prince Charming?" Issei teased.
Kiba snorted. "Please don't call me that. I get enough of that at the Academy for one lifetime."
"What's all that about?" Vin raised an eyebrow.
"The girls back at school can't get enough of pretty boy over here." Issei slung an arm around Kiba's shoulders with a smirk. "They call him shit like 'the Kuoh Prince' all the time. Dude's got his own damn fan club!"
"Not of my own volition, I assure you." Kiba smiled as he gently shoved Issei away: who let go of his brother-in-arms with a laugh. "It's something that people started one day, and they've yet to stop."
"Ah, some real 'trouble in paradise' type stuff." Vin commented, before he turned to his right. "So what's your thing, Gasper? Anything about a girl that gets you going?"
The Dhampir fidgeted and floundered for a bit. "W-well, um…"
"You don't have to answer if you don't want to, it's all good." Vin reassured.
"Speaking of which, we should probably get heading out by now." Kiba rose from the bath. "They're going to start lunch in about forty minutes."
"Thank goodness for that, I'm starving." Issei followed Kiba out of the bath, before quickly turning to the remaining two. "You guys coming?"
"Yeah, wait up Issei-senpai!" Gasper clambered out of the bath.
"You three go on ahead. I'll catch up once I'm done washing all this." Vin gestured to his damp hair.
"Sounds like a plan." Kiba agreed, leading the group of Devils as they made their way towards the entrance to the changing rooms.
Before they all left, Issei spun around on his heels to face the bath. "Just don't wait too long, or else we might eat it all."
Vin's reply was simply to raise his hand out of the water and flip the Pawn off, causing the Devil to bark out a laugh before heading out of the bathhouse.
Now stewing in both silence and the warmth of the bath, Vin let all the excess tension out of his shoulders with a deep sigh. All of the chaos and conflict that had practically defined his life over what was nearly the past year now seemed all-so far away. As if the bath itself was a solitary refuge from the horrors of the world he now found himself in.
Closing his eyes, he could almost pretend that it was all just a dream; that in reality, he was still back with his family in Rome, that he was still just the same secluded teenage boy he'd always been.
Vin's hand rose out of the water and came to punch his brow. He wasn't about to indulge some diluted little fantasy scenario. Plus, he didn't want to discount all of the good that emerged alongside the trials and tribulations he'd weathered. New friends, new family, new loved ones even. His new life forced him out of his shell, it forced him to connect.
He may have still been Vincenzo Corsetti, but in plenty of ways, he was not the same man he once was.
Vin cast a look over his shoulder as he heard the soft clap of footfalls on the wet tile floor.
Case in point.
"Xenovia?" Vin addressed the blue-haired woman as she stepped close to the bath. "I thought you and the other girls already had your bath."
"We did." She nodded. "But then I saw the other guys come out of the bathhouse without you and…"
"You desired to behold me in such a state of undress?" Vin grinned. "And here I thought Issei was the pervert amongst us! How shameless of you, Ms. Quarta~."
Xenovia snorted in amusement. "Don't pretend you're not enjoying the view as well."
Vin's eyes roamed up and down his girlfriend. His girlfriend who – aside from the tower she wrapped around her midsection to cover her torso and pelvic region – stood before him in the nude.
He raised a brow, "Touche."
"Do you have room for one more?" Xenovia asked.
"It's a free country." He remarked, before narrowing his eyes. "Actually, wait… I don't know if it is around here. So, I think it is?"
The Knight let out a small giggle. "You're a dork."
Vin's breath caught in his throat as Xenovia's fingers came to the top of her towel, and with one swift tug, tore the garment from her body. The cloth falling to the ground in an ungraceful heap, Xenovia stepped into the bath, finding a seat right next to her partner.
Xenovia laid her head against Vin's shoulder. "That's better."
He was inclined to agree.
Under the water's surface, his hand found her's, causing the Knight to look up at him.
"What is it?"
Vin hummed. "I don't know… I guess I was just thinking of how much has changed recently."
Xenovia made a noise of agreement. "It's been almost a year now, huh?"
"Yeah, it has." Vin shook his head. "Hell, my birthday's coming up soon."
"Really?" Xenovia blinked. "When?"
"June 28th: I'll be seventeen." Vin smiled. "It's gonna be a weird one, considering it'll be the first one I have without Lisa or my folks…"
"But you do have us." Xenovia squeezed his hand. "I think we'll be back in Kuoh by then; so we'll make something special out of it. It's the least I could do, considering what you did for me…"
"Thanks." Vin turned and planted a small kiss on the top of Xenovia's forehead.
Xenovia shifted, swinging her leg over so that she could straddle Vin's lap while facing him; hands coming to rest on his shoulders.
She smiled as the two got lost in each other's eyes for a moment.
Then, her lips quickly found his own.
Moaning into their kiss, Vin's hands snaked up her thighs. Giving a risky little squeeze as they passed up her bottom, Vin savored the small, breathy hitch in her throat. Just as quick as he teased her, he slid his hands further up, out of the water to come to a rest on her hips.
"W-Where's this coming from?" Vin finally asked as they broke for air. "The Xenovia I know usually wouldn't be this daring?~"
Xenovia tossed her hair with her hand. "Guess you've all had a bit more of an effect on me than you thought~"
The husky growl to her voice sent a delicious shiver down his spine, all the way to… Well, let's just say the hot water wasn't doing anything to stop him.
"I could say the same." Vin stared into those golden-amber eyes. "You know I used to be a total recluse before all this, right?"
"And I used to be an emotionless wall," Xenovia countered, "You ought to give yourself more credit."
"Aren't we two peas in a pod, then?~" Vin grinned. "Though I think some credit should be given to Irina, she was working to corrupt the 'holy warrior' long before I was."
Xenovia shifted forward, planting her bare breasts up against Vin's pecs as she slipped her tongue into his mouth.
"Don't talk about her right now." Xenovia moaned. "You'll ruin the moment~"
Vin moaned back in response, pulling her hips even closer to him as one of his hands came up to support her back. The two grinding against one another as they fought for dominance in the battle of their tongues.
Using his height, Vin leaned forward: allowing himself to kiss her even deeper. His other hand leaving her hips, Vin slid it out of the water and up her torso, eventually cupping the bottom of her breast in his palm, forcing a deep mewl from her.
Shortly after, the need for air broke them apart once more; a line of saliva dangling between the two as they both huffed and puffed; equally flushed expressions on their faces.
"You cheated…" Xenovia wiped the spit from her chin with her wrist.
"I'm just using what I have to my advantage~"
Xenovia raised an eyebrow, before her eyes glinted with mischief. She rolled her hips against Vin's lap.
"Hggghhh~" Vin bit the bottom of his lip as a wave of ecstasy surged up his body.
"Just using what I have to my advantage~" Xenovia taunted back.
"Ha-ha, very funny…" Vin pecked her on the cheek.
Xenovia continued to smirk, as she grinded her hips against his again.
"O-Oi-! Quit it!" Vin shot through gritted teeth.
"Oh yeah, and what are you going to do about it, big guy?"
"..."
Vin didn't reply, but the sheer look of underlying want and need in his eyes told Xenovia everything she needed to know.
Who said she couldn't be perceptive?~
"Do you want me to take care of this for you?" Xenovia rolled her hips again.
Vin's eyes went half-lidded, his breaths more frantic.
"I-I-I still need to go wash my hair…" He practically growled, fighting for reason through his own libido-induced haze. "... Lunch is starting soon."
"And you're going to go to lunch with this monster raring to go?~" Xenovia bit her lip as she circled her index finger over it.
Vin was practically drooling, "... Xenovia, we don't have any protec-!"
Xenovia's lips cut him off.
"Don't worry, I'm not talking about that." Xenovia reassured as she broke off their kiss. "Sit up on the edge of the tub: I'm going to show you just what Asia and I have been learning about~"
Swallowing the lump that formed in his throat, Vin complied with his girlfriend's orders…
Suffice to say, Vincenzo Corsetti did not manage to wash his hair that day.
Gremory Estate – Lounge
"Kiba, I understand why you like their lips now…"
"Hm? Did you say something, Vin?" The blonde Knight looked over at the Fallen Angel, who shook himself out of the daze he'd been in since Lunch.
"Oh, no, no, nothing!" Vin flailed his arms, "Was just… daydreaming, that's all!"
"Right, of course." Kiba smiled back, before sipping away at his glass of water.
Once the group had finished lunch, they all found themselves congregating in the Gremory Estate's lounge as per Rias' request; strewn across the huge semi-circle sectional-couch that circled a large glass coffee table.
"So Buchou, why are we all here, anyway?" Issei spoke up. Flanked on either side by Asia and Koneko – of all people.
"Well Issei, you remember how the Rating Game we participated in was an exhibition match for the Young Devil's Rating Game tournament?"
"Um, yeah, I do, but what does that have to do with this?
"Well the Rating Game was broadcast all over the Underworld! And with all those viewers, cooooooooommmmeeeesss…"
As if she were a radio announcer, Rias continued to hold the word as she ran over to the far side of the lounge room, grabbing hold of a steel cart piled with at least five cardboard boxes fit to burst, which she wheeled over to the foot of the coffee table.
"Fan mail!" She finally concluded as she returned.
"Whoa! No way!" Issei gawked. "All of those are-"
"Yep, full of fan mail that people all over the Underworld sent in to the Gremory Estate's P.O. box!" Rias puffed out her chest with pride. "I figured that – with this many admirers – we could have some fun going through all of these! They should all be addressed on the outside with one of our names, so all grab some boxes and start going through!"
"Sounds like fun!" Asia clapped her hands together.
"Getting recognition like this is certainly new territory." Xenovia nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, no kidding." Vin plopped down in his seat next to Xenovia with a box in his lap. "Should be a step up from just getting scathing critique from Griselda after a mission, that's for damn sure."
"What are you waiting for, man?" Issei rubbed his hands together. "Get the box open and let's get sorting already! Akeno and the others over there are already going through theirs!"
"Another bouquet of flowers!?" Issei cried in dismay as Akeno set what must have been the twentieth set of intricate bundled plants on the mountain forming atop the coffee table.
"Ara ara, is that jealousy I hear, Issei?" Akeno put a hand to her cheek. "How adorable~"
"Don't worry, Issei! I'm sure one of these will have a bouquet for you!" Asia hugged his arm.
"Um… Right, thanks Asia…" Without the heart to tell the blonde otherwise, Issei simply patted the top of her head.
"Another love letter?" Vin raised an eyebrow as he looked over Xenovia's shoulder. "Guy or a girl this time?"
"You could at least pretend to be jealous or protective." Xenovia pouted, setting the card on the table with the others she opened.
"After earlier today?" Vin scoffed, "I'm not exactly worried about it, Xenovia."
His hand gave hers a little squeeze. Causing her to look up with a smile. He gave her a peck on the lips, causing her to bat him away with a breathless giggle.
"Ugh… Get a room, you two." Issei stared at them blankly.
"That's rich coming from you, oh great Harem King." Vin sassed back with a grin.
Reaching over to the pile of his unopened letters, Vin picked a new one off the top; holding it up to the group.
"Okay, place your bets guys; another traditionalist Devil telling me to get the hell out of their Rating Games, or a straight up death threat?"
"That's a little pessimistic of you." Asia frowned.
"Asia, you're the best of us, but c'mon." Vin gestured to the pile of his open letters. "Practically every single one of these have been hate mail. I think I got like, ten total so far that were nice? Most from residents of the Grigori."
Tearing at the top of the envelope, Vin dramatically cleared his throat and opened the card.
"Dear Fallen Angel…" He began in his best staunch, uptight tone. "How dare you taint our historic Rating Games with your diseased, feathered presence? If I had my way, I'd have you… Yeah, I'm stopping there."
Vin slid the card back into the opened envelope before dumping it ungracefully in a pile with the other negative fan letters.
Xenovia wrinkled her nose. "Who sent that one? I want to send them a reply."
"Ah relax, they're entitled to their opinions." Vin placed a hand on her shoulder. "Trust me, you'll only make yourself feel like shit if you indulge them. Just take them at face value and then move on."
"..."
"Plus, look on the bright-side! No one's sent a pipe bomb or something yet." Vin joked. "So Devil hate mail's already got a better track record than the human's!"
"If you say so…" Xenovia crossed her arms and fell back into her seat.
"How about I read you one of yours?" Vin plucked a letter out of her pile. "Let's see here…"
"Dear Ms. Quarta… Oh, already getting fancy~ Ever since I glimpsed your majesty on my television screen, I knew that my heart would only be capable of loving you! Your eyes are like manifestations of the living sunset, your hair as calming and majestic as the ocean blue…"
Vin looked up with a furrowed brow "Okay, seriously, did Zeke write this shit?"
"Pfft!" Xenovia sputtered, before breaking into a small fit of giggles.
"It does sound like him…" Xenovia chucked.
"There you go, feeling a little better?"
"Yeah…" Xenovia's face melted into a soft, easy smile. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Vin winked, "Now, let's see what I have in store?"
He grabbed another letter off the top of his pile, leaning back as he opened up the letter and pulled out a standard party card; colored bright oranges and yellows, emblazoned with the large white text 'YOU'RE INVITED!' on the front. With one hand, he popped open the card.
"..."
Xenovia looked at her boyfriend's face. She could've been mistaken, but for a moment it seemed like a myriad of expressions flashed across his eyes as she quickly scanned the card, each more perturbed than the last. But as quickly as it appeared, it was gone.
"What's it say?" Xenovia asked, leaning over.
"Oh, it's nothing! Just some freak wanting to invite me to their wedding, ha ha…" Before she could get a glimpse, Vin closed the card and shoved it back in the envelope. But instead of putting it with the other pieces of hate mail, he folded it over once and tucked it into the front pocket of his jeans. "Who knows, maybe I'll go? I've got nothing better to do!"
"Anyway," Vin paused to take a sip of water. "Ah, excuse me, Rias?"
"Yes?" The heiress looked up from her spot across the couch.
"I just needed to quickly use the washroom, is there one around here?"
"Ah, of course!" Rias smiled. "Just head out the door and take a left, there are two ones marked about three doors down."
"Thank you so much." Vin gave her a smile and nod as he rose to his feet.
"What's the matter?" Xenovia softly asked.
"Ah, just my lunch not quite agreeing with me. Probably ate too fast." Vin patted his stomach. "I'll be right back, okay?"
"Right, see you soon." Xenovia nodded as Vin walked away.
As soon as he stepped out into the hallway, Vin broke into a sweat. He could feel his head swirling, his vision becoming more and more hazy as he nearly stumbled his way into one of the bathrooms.
Practically throwing the door shut and making sure to click the lock, Vin raced to the toilet and threw the seat up.
"HHHLLLUUUUUUUUKKKK!"
Vin pulled back, face covered in sweat as looked down at the contents of his stomach floating in the toilet bowl. Heaving breaths, he ripped a fistful of toilet paper off the roll, dabbing the remnants of vomit off his chin. Throwing it into the toilet and letting it flush, Vin slowly rose to unsteady feet, forcing his trembling hands to turn on the faucet.
[Steady yourself child, you're hyperventilating. Focus on my voice.]
Vin rubbed his palms together under the faucet as he let Bheithir's voice act like an anchor for his crumbling psyche.
[Breath in: one, two, three.]
[Hold it: one, two.]
[Now release: one, two, three.]
After a few repetitions, Vin's body slowly began to settle. Finally, breathing came back to him with some level of normality.
"B-Bheithir…" Vin gathered some water in his palms before running it over his face. "W-What's going on?"
[...]
With shaking hands, Vin pulled the invitation card out of his pocket, and unfolded it. Sucking in a breath, he opened it.
What greeted him still rendered his blood as cold as ice.
You're invited to the Annual Corsetti Family Reunion!
June 23rd / 11:00 am
Gare de Denfert-Rochereau
Paris, France
Lying just below that was a polaroid picture taped into the card which brought the Fallen Angel nothing but pure, unadulterated dread. The photograph depicted three figures within what appeared to be a steel cage of some sort. The lighting in the photograph was subpar, but he could easily make out one face pressed up against the bars, their expression contorted in utter horror and fear as they reached an arm out of their prison.
Lisa.
Vin leaned his back against the sink's countertop, gazing at the photo, as if trying to even rationalize how this could even be real… A part of his brain couldn't believe it was real; they were all memory-wiped, living as ordinary civilians in Rome…
The other part of his brain grill noted how he could identify the exact wrist watch his father always wore in the photograph.
He felt like he was going to puke again.
A single message was scrawled along the other side of the card in blood-red ink:
TELL NO ONE AND COME ALONE.
I'VE BEEN WAITING TO SEE YOU, MOTHER DEAREST!
Vin's eyes widened as his brain turned itself into circles. W-What did any of this even mean? What was going on? Was this the Khaos Brigade? How did they know about his family? Who was Mother Deares-?
[... They're referring to me.]
Bheithir's voice sent a fresh wave of goosebumps down Vin's body.
[But… How? No, that's…]
"Wh-What do you mean?" Vin racked his brain, before something clicked in his head. "... Y-You and Ddraig… You have history together."
[My children are DEAD, human. I advise you to watch your tongue.]
"D-Do you have any other explanation!?" Vin shouted.
[...]
"Fuck…" Vin brought his hand to his face; teeth clenched. "FUCK!"
Vin remained there in silence for a moment, his mind trying to piece together some plan of action.
"This is a trap."
[Without a doubt.]
"They have my family, Bheithir." Vin growled.
Vin stared down at the polaroid in his hands, his grip on it tightening enough that the plastic material began to crumple and warp.
"They'll fucking pay for this…" Vin stuffed the card back into his pocket, before turning to the door.
Hand falling to the handle, Vin took a few deep breaths to compose himself. Sparing a quick glance at the mirror, Vin plastered his best attempt of a smile on his face, before finally stepping out of the bathroom to rejoin his friends.
The Grigori Pass sitting in his wallet throughout the rest of the day had never felt heavier.
{This is the last call for the Gate E, 1:20 am flight bound for Singapore. All passengers due for the Gate E, 1:20 am flight bound for Singapore, please make your way to Gate E immediately for boarding. Thank you.}
A countless, unending swathe of people filled the Tokyo International Airport. Even at such late hours of the day, the place was practically buzzing with streams of people from all walks of life, heading every which way. Suitcases rolling and bouncing along tile floors, the straps of bags crumpling suit blazers and ties under their weight.
All the while, the air was live with the squawking of digital sign boards, the incessant chatter of all manner of businessmen on their cell phones. The cries of families welcoming back old faces, the snores of the few preparing for their red-eye flights out of the country, and the authoritarian cries of staff barking orders at swarms of lead-footed passengers.
One particularly ramshackle individual stalked out of the stream of foot traffic, their head covered by a dark brown hood which connected to a dusty brown leather jacket marked up from years of use. All they had to their name were the clothes on their back, and the worn canvas duffle bag slung across their back.
The squeaking of their old sneakers completely drowned by the cacophony of the airport, the figure made their way to a nearby vending machine. Stuffing one hand into their pants pocket with a growl, they fished out a fistful of yen and stuffed them into the machine's slot before punching the buttons D-2 hard enough that the plastic buttons beneath their index finger creaked uncomfortably.
*Cl-Clink!*
A black can embossed with the text BOSS BLACK clattered to the bottom of the vending machine and was consequently ripped from its receiving shute. Taking step with the rest of the crowd, the individual roughly popped the beverage tab open, before throwing their head back so quickly it tossed down their hood, they started downing the lukewarm canned coffee in quickly, greedy gulps.
A few moments of chugging down the liquid like a man-possessed, they lifted the can from their lips, bringing their head back up letting their brown messy, greasy brown locks spill out, strands of messily-parted hair covering their eyes, which sported heavy, ghastly dark bags.
Vincenzo Corsetti shouldn't have been here. He really shouldn't have.
He should've been back in bed. Back in the Underworld. Back with…
His thoughts went to the others as he glanced up at the digital signboard. It was already past 1:00 AM in Japan. He wasn't sure exactly how time passed down in the underworld, but surely they'd noticed his disappearance by now.
Oh well, it was better this way. If he'd been caught when trying to escape, there would've been far too many questions and then…
He stuffed that sinking pit of anxiety down with another gulp of disgusting, bitter coffee. That was just a what-if, that wasn't reality.
Not that reality was much better at this rate…
Eyes roving down the flight-logs, Vin's eyes locked onto a particular section of the table.
[GATE F – (AIR FRANCE) Bound to Charles de Gaulle – Boarding: 1:50 am]
Vin's eyes narrowed as his scowl turned even heavier. But without a second thought, he began to march towards Gate F.
[Child…] The sounds of his partner sounded out in his head. [If it is my child who-]
"Let's get one thing clear, Bheithir: I'm not doing this for you." Vin grumbled under his breath as he marched. "I don't give a fuck who may behind this, but they'll die for it. My family is still alive, I intend to keep it that way. Any problems with that?"
[...]
"Hmph, that's what I thought." Vin sneered as he took another swig of his drink.
Soon enough, the numerous benches set up around Gate F came into view, and Vin wasted no time barging his way through the crowds and throwing himself into a seat in a huff. The vague, murderous aura surrounding him like a miasma ensured not one individual dared to approach him until the announcement for boarding began.
Slowly rising to his feet, Vin blended into the crowd as he shuffled his way aboard, securing a seat all the way near the back of the cabin.
The rest of that night felt like a blur: he couldn't remember what the flight attendant's had said, he barely recalled the way his gut lurched as the aircraft finally began to take off. The only thing he could truly remember was the small glimpse he caught of Tokyo International Airport shrinking away in the distance.
Pulling his hood over his eyes, Vin crossed his arms and tried to secure whatever pitiful amount of sleep he could.
He tried his best not to think too hard about the invitation in his pocket.
Or the volcanic rage boiling just under his surface.
Whew, this chapter was a super fun one to write. It was written over the course of about two-or-three days; pretty much an hour after I finished my very last essay for my summer university courses, I began work on this.
Now, this chapter went through a LOT of revision. It started out as the second epilogue chapter for the previous Underworld Arc, but it quickly took on a life of its own as the very first chapter of this brand-new arc! I think I rewrote parts of this chapter about four separate times, and each and every scene that I wrote then deleted was put off to the side, to the point where I was actually able to incorporate them into the final version of the chapter for different scenes throughout!
The finalized version of the opening scene is something I'm IN LOVE with right now! Using a musical motif was super fun, and was chosen to reflect the arc's themes, and the prose I used was – in my opinion – wonderful.
I also got to write some really steamy stuff with Vin and Xenovia! It's not quite smut (because that's not allowed on FFN and my stuff's rated Teen) so it more embraces the implication of sex that a lot of Young Adult stuff does. And yes, that scene actually has thematic relevance to this story arc, believe it or not…
I hope that you're all as excited for this story arc as I am! This one's going to be a real doozy of a storyline, and I hope y'all are ready for that. This shit's going to get DARK.
Now, without further ado, let's hop into the…
REVIEW ROUNDUP!
Antex-The Legendary Zoroark says:
Well now! What a chapter. Gotta say that this was…chaotic! I think that sums up things VERY well don't you? Lol. But seriously, this WAS insane. I was wondering what this Bounty Hunter (Purge eh?) was after, and to see him practically annihilating and neutralizing the Forneus Peerage like almost nothing? That just screams: "Don't f*** with me!" Heck, this job of his seemed so difficult/deadly that I couldn't help but recall some similar crazy heists made by some Bounty Hunters in Star Wars lore. They being Cad Bane, Jango Fett, and Boba Fett. Man! And then when I saw him steal a freaking Sacred Gear, I was all like, "Oh man! Author is right that this next arc is gonna be a doozy!" Time to move onto the more exciting stuff since we've gotten past most of the training eh? Finally, as soon as Purge teleported to his client, once the picture frames were shown, I knew his client was HIM. You're just pumping up all the creative and dramatic things eh? I'm already drooling!
So! Overall this chapter was most excellent and I could barely get enough as I read through it all. Keep it up!
P.S. Also, is it my imagination or did Purge make a brief appearance back when Akeno and Vin were attacked while training…? I could be mistaken though.
Hey Antex, great to hear from you again! Thanks for always leaving me some nice, long reviews, it means the world!
Starting with the very end of your review: yes! Purge is the very same character that attacked Vin and Akeno during the training camp! He's also made little appearances in both the Holy Sword arc and the Peace Summit arc! Go back and take a read, he's actually been in the shadows for a long, long time in this story!
Purge is a joy to write, having him be this enigmatic rogue character is an archetype I always like trying my hand at. Speaking of Star Wars, Purge's whole design – the mask, being just covered in belts and weapons – is all supposed to give him this both grounded but distinctly inhuman sort of vibe; so a very similar type of inhuman mindset that went into the design of someone like Darth Vader, who at times just seems so much more imposing than a simple man with a sword.
In terms of other kinds of influences, I like to conceptualize that fight scene as basically a John Wick fight with people who have super-powers. It was a lot of fun to write, and I'm glad that it came off as chaotic as I wanted it to be!
This next arc is going to be super exciting! I think with the context of Purge and Rizevim's exchanges from Chapter 42 and the context I've provided here during Chapter 43, you might be piecing together what the broad inciting incident of this arc might be; but let me tell you, it's going to be complete and utter MADNESS.
Thanks for writing in again, Antex! I hope to hear from you soon!
Royalrain20xx says:
Well, if ever you wanted to find a moment in the story where the previous adversaries are being completely dogged on by someone 'new' and powerful, then this is the chapter for you. Man, Purge sure showed no mercy on Percival and his peerage, it felt like he had a counter for everything they threw at him, even as he had his back against the wall from Oliver. And yet, despite seemingly not wanting any part of Rizevim's plans, seeing the brutality of each kill kind of makes me wonder if he's just cursed to cause pain to anyone, regardless of his intentions to protect others. Regardless, that moment of chaos sure will cause a massive stir in the underworld-hell, maybe the wider supernatural world as a whole. Overall, great part one of the epilogue, can't wait to see the aftermath.
Great to see you again as well, Royalrain! You and Antex are the GOATS of reviews, let me tell you! We need more people like you two out there, you guys are the best for writer's like us!
Purge is a complex character. Like you said, he's obviously not jumping for joy at working with Rizevim, but he also is utterly brutal when he fights. Without spoiling things, let's just say that Purge is a tragic character; he's someone who's hurting on the inside a lot, and that does translate to how he mercilessly inflicts pain onto others. It'll be a lot more clear going forward, but his character is defined a lot by what grief does to a person.
In terms of the impact this holds on the underworld? Oh yeah, this is going to be an incident! This upcoming arc – being mostly focused on Vin's solo adventure in Paris – obviously won't reflect that, but there are going to be some seismic shifts in the dynamic of the underworld as a consequence of all this. Plus, don't forget that Purge managed to give Rizevim one of the Sephiroth Graal, so THAT'S a big thing that's going to be important soon enough, especially with just how much Rizevim uses that thing for in canon DxD…
I'm glad you enjoyed the epilogue so much, Royalrain! Thanks once again for always leaving nice, detailed reviews, it's such a joy getting to read someone's detailed thoughts on a chapter and not just 'good work, keep it up' or 'can't wait for next upload'! Have a great day!
Well that about does it for the Review Roundup! Thanks again Royalrain and Antex, you two are the ones holding up this part of these chapters like Atlas holding up the heavens!
I'm going to start working more on this arc soon, especially since I have about two free weeks before my fourth year of uni starts in full. I'm hoping to at least get one more chapter out before that point; but we'll see!
Thanks again for everyone reading and enjoying my stuff! If you want to show your support, feel free to drop a follow and favorite; and please, if you want to share your theories, impressions, or thoughts, don't hesitate to leave reviews! I always read all of them, and honestly, I reply to them in these chapters WAY more consistently than things like PM's.
Anyhow, until next time my friends…
ROCK ON!