Chapter 11: The date and the decision
A few hours after the Rating Game to decide whether or not Rias would have to marry the third son of the House of Phenex had concluded in a spectacular victory for Rias and her peerage. Rias was declared the winner after Issei defeated Riser in combat, though at the cost of using up a significant amount of power and stamina. As a result, he ended up falling unconscious before hearing Grayfia's announcement.
Issei's mind space*
Issei opened his eyes to see that he was surrounded by flames. Yet, instead of feeling bewildered or surprised by them, they were familiar. In front of him was a gigantic, red-scaled dragon with emerald green eyes.
(That was quite an impressive battle you had) Ddraig said in a voice full of pride. (By no means was that an easy task, yet you managed to defeat a spawn from the House of Phenex).
"S-So it's true then? We actually won the Rating Game?" Issei asked in a hopeful tone.
(Yes, it is. However, you used a lot of your power to ensure victory and wound up passing out). Ddraig answered. (Your memory of the event should return shortly. I only wanted to convey a warning to you).
"What kind of warning? Are we in danger again?"
(No, not yet. But it would be best if you were prepared, as the power you released might have awakened The White One. There's no telling when he will show himself; however, you must be ready for when he does).
"The White One? You mean the Vanishing Dragon," Issei stared wide-eyed at his ancestor while his heart was racing.
(Indeed. Now it's time for you to wake up. We will speak another time).
"Wait. Hold on a minute. . .!" The flames and Ddraig started to vanish.
Reality*
Immediately, Issei woke up panting and sweating in an unfamiliar hospital room; wiping the sweat from his face and calming his beating heart, he quickly looked around the lit room. It did not take him long to realize where he was. . .in the hospital wing of the Gremory estate. His memory of what happened during the end of the Rating Game started to return, and he remembered defeating Riser. Yet that wasn't the only thing that plagued his mind as he wondered what Ddraig said about the Vanishing Dragon awakening. The Vanishing Dragon, aka the White Dragon Emperor, would soon appear, and much like their previous hosts, they were fated to meet.
Issei was so deep in his thoughts he failed to hear the door opening with two smiling individuals. "Oh, good, you're up. That was an incredible match, Issei-kun." Issei pulled out of his thoughts to look at Sirzechs-sama and Grayfia-san. "How are you feeling?"
"Sirzechs-sama, Grayfia-san," he gave them both a respectful bow then answered. "All things considered, I'm all right. How are the others doing?"
"They are recuperating in the other rooms," Grayfia-san smiled at him. It was like Issei to worry about the people he cared about. "Lady Rias tried to get in here to check on you, but Sirzechs-sama and Lord Gremory denied her as it might unsettle you. Sirzechs-sama also had a few things he wished to discuss with you."
Sirzechs took the chair beside Issei and sat down. "There are no words to describe how happy I am that my Ria-tan's marriage to Riser-sama has been canceled. But I want you to know how exceedingly grateful I am."
Relief washed over Issei as he was glad to hear the engagement between Rias and that arrogant pig Riser had been called off. "So, I take it you are not mad or that I am in trouble with the other higher-ups."
"Not at all," Sirzechs smiled. "My father and Lord Phenex have found some common ground. . .and I'd like to thank you as this was a defeat Riser-sama needed to experience. Now, he will have to own up to the agreement by paying whatever compensation my mother deems necessary and issue a written apology for how he acted toward Rias and everyone in her peerage. And knowing my mother, she will be taking a lot from him. Other than that, there's a chance you won't see or hear from him for a long time."
"This is probably none of my business, but I like to ask. . . How much is Riser even worth?" Sirzechs' smile turned into a smirk, and he leaned to whisper something in Issei's ear. Issei's mouth became dry as his eyes became comically big. "Wow! That's how much he's worth?" His voice was barely audible.
"It's the truth."
"Oh, sweet maou." His mind was racing as he could barely register what he just heard. He then decided to change the topic. "What happens now?"
"Since the engagement has been called off, my Ria-tan is free to marry whoever she chooses. That was the original agreement. If she was successful in annulling her engagement, then she would be free," giving a brief description of the arrangement between the two Houses.
Raising an eyebrow, "you know, something makes me think this was one of your plans from the start." In the time he'd gotten to know him, Issei became aware of how good Sirzechs was at making plans and having a knack for surprises.
Sirzechs chuckled. "I have no idea what you are talking about." Issei resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he was unconvinced but decided to remain quiet. "However, if you wanted to enter a romantic relationship with Ria-tan, I would have no objections." That made Issei blush. Would Rias like to have more than a master/servant relationship with him? More importantly, would she say yes?
He continued, "word of advice: better do it sooner than later."
Issei composed himself, "I will take your advice to heart," he made to get out of bed and was surprised to see he was wearing another one of his school's uniforms. Must have happened after the game. "If by any chance you see her, then tell her I'll be at that place. She'll know what it means."
Heading toward the nearby window, he slid it up and jumped out with his dragon wings spread out. "Of course, my friend," Sirzechs and Grayfia watched as Issei flew off into the distance. "It truly is a miracle. Not only is this generation's Red Dragon Emperor one of us, but I truly think Issei would be a good fit for her."
"I am also glad, though I am unsure how long this peace will last?" Grayfia voiced her concern. "It seems likely that an encounter with the Vanishing Dragon—the White Dragon Emperor will happen sooner or later." Sirzechs and Grayfia shared a look, then turned around just in time to see a relieved and slightly irritated Rias appear.
"All right, onii-sama. I've waited long enough. Can I see Issei now?" The bed Issei was supposed to be in was empty. "Where did he go?"
"You just missed him," Sirzechs replied, ignoring the surprised look on her face. He knew she was eager to see him and decided to be blunt with her. "He said he'll be at 'that place,' wherever that—" Rias immediately dashed out of the room before he could finish.
Sprinting through the Gremory family home, she made it outside, spread her devil wings, and took off into the air. There were several places she and Issei had visited during their youth. Still, one place in particular held a special meaning in her heart. The place where they became best friends, spent a lot of time together, and could just be themselves. As fast as she could, she flew through the starry night sky toward the nearby mountain.
Before landing, she spotted the person she was looking for.
"Issei!" Rias yelled as she saw him standing on a cliff side, looking at the night sky. When he turned, there was his familiar smile, and his left arm was still in dragon form. She immediately flew into his arms, throwing hers around his neck, where he spun her around before setting her down.
"Hello, Rias."
"Issei, you saved my life," she looked at him with her big blue-green eyes. "Thank you."
"I told you I'd be there for you."
Slowly, she removed her arms from around his neck, with one placed on the side of his face and the other caressing Boosted Gear. "You silly boy. To give up your arm just for me," narrowing her eyes in sadness for the price he paid to ensure her freedom.
"This arm you gave up for me won't turn back to normal anymore, you know? You may have broken this engagement. But a new engagement might be brought in. . ." He smiled while caressing her soft face.
Their eyes met for a moment before he replied. "Then whoever is foolish enough to try it better think again because they will need to get through me first. I will always be there to save you. . .and will always be by your side. I'm your Pawn, after all."
'No. You are more than that to me. You always were,' she mentally said, thinking back to all the time they had spent together as children and later when meeting again. 'You are my Issei.'
In a moment of clarity, she lightly blushed and stood on her toes to bring her lips to his in a soft kiss, allowing some of her feelings to flow. Her heart soared as her entire body felt warm. The heat only increased when he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. The kiss wasn't deep, but it was still sweet, and after a moment, the two separated.
"That was my first kiss. It's what girls in Japan consider precious, right?" The light blush was still on her face.
"I guess it is," he said after removing his hands from her waist. His eyes then snapped open at what she said. "Wait! That was really your first kiss?!"
Rias closed her eyes, turned around, and took a few steps away. "I really liked it." She may have been facing the other way, but her tone showed she was happy. "What about you? What did you think?"
"I liked it myself," Issei replied with a smile, albeit his conscience was uneasy about what to do next. Should he take the chance or not. Mustering his courage, "there is something I've been wanting to say to you for a while now."
"Oh? What did you—" Rias didn't get to finish when he grabbed her hand, spun her around, and kissed her on the lips. Yet, unlike the first one, this was deeper and caught her completely off guard. When their lips met again, her eyes widened briefly before closing, and she began kissing him back more aggressively. She couldn't tell if this was a dream or not. And frankly, she didn't care. The second she felt his tongue brush against her teeth, she responded by letting it inside and letting her own tongue meet his in a dance. This was better than she had ever thought.
The two young devils continued making out for a couple minutes, though they had to separate after a lack of air. Rias was a little lightheaded and felt a little weak in her knees. "If a girl's first kiss is supposed to be considered precious, then the second should also mean something."
"With one like that, I say it does. The only question is, does the boy have something important he wants to ask her?"
"This one does," smile not wavering. It was now or never. "Bu-Rias," her eyes widened when he called her by name. "I really like you and want to ask you to be my girlfriend? That is if you'll have me as such?"
Rias stared intently into his eyes, and her smile grew. "Yes, of course!" She threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. "However, there is one thing. . ." pulling back to look at him. ". . .I want you to call me by name when we're alone."
"I can manage that. Now, I believe I owe you a date."
"Yes, you do."
Issei and Rias started planning their date this coming Saturday. Issei agreed to pick her up from her apartment at eleven a.m. When asked what he had in mind, he just said to be patient, having a couple of ideas in mind. That left her intrigued and suspicious of what he was planning.
(00)
Two days after the Rating Game against Riser, the members of the Occult Research Club celebrated their victory in the club room the next day after classes were over. Of course, Issei needed help getting his arm back to normal. Something Akeno and Asia were more than happy enough to help him with.
On Friday, after classes, Issei went to answer a summons from some of his clients and even managed to get two new ones. One was from the head chef at a high-class restaurant, and the other was from a wealthy philanthropist. After receiving the money for his services, he used a magic circle to leave the man's home office and head to the ORC. Appearing in the room, he soon saw that he was the last to arrive. ". . . Well, would you look who decided to stop by? You look like you've been busy."
"Perceptive. High marks, Kiba," Issei quipped at what his friend said. He then turned to Buchou, who sat behind her desk looking through some documents with Akeno standing beside her. "Received two new contracts. My clients paid me well."
Rias put the papers down to look at him when he pulled out the contracts and the compensations he earned today. "Nicely done, Issei. You do my House proud," she said after reviewing his new clients' reviews. She separated the rolls of money on her desk and gave him his earnings for the work he put in for the work he did in assisting his clients. When done, he sat beside Koneko-chan as she went to address the group as a whole. "I received confirmation that my onii-sama will be stopping by today. For what reason? He didn't say," rounding her table. Issei only chuckled; Sirzechs loved surprises.
"Is there any reason for his sudden appearance?" Kiba asked, closing his book.
Rias folded her arms. "He's a mystery. . .though if I had to guess, it might have something to do with the engagement between Riser and me being null and voided."
"Good guess. . ." the crest of Lucifer-sama appeared on the floor next to the door, and Sirzechs appeared with a grin. "Apologies for the unexpected visit, but there is some news I wish to deliver in person." Sirzechs' eyes went from Issei to Rias. He had seen her false neutral expression numerous times before and could tell when she was thinking hard about something for his appearance.
"Relax, this is good news," he said, putting her mind at ease. When her posture loosened up a bit, he added, "to start, I wanted to offer my congratulations on winning the Rating Game. It was a good match, and I am happy that my Ria-tan is now free."
"Onii-chan, will you please not refer to me as Ria-tan. It's embarrassing," Rias pleaded while her face went a little red.
In response, Sirzechs sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "Oh, why? I used to call you that all the time. You would even cling to my leg and insist on tagging along wherever I go."
"Onii-sama!" Rias exclaimed. Her entire face was red as a tomato.
Chuckling a bit, he resumed. "Onto business. In addition to your engagement being annulled, Riser-sama has transferred the two plots of land he should have handed over to Tannin-sama and has fallen into a slump. The shock of tasting defeat during the Rating Game and at Issei's hand has forced him into a bedridden state," Sirzechs explained. "It was a hard lesson, but one he needed to learn."
"A taste of humility and not to be so arrogant," Issei commented.
"Exactly," Sirzechs nodded. "Due to the new agreement, he had to write an apology letter and pay whatever compensation our mother demanded." He reached into his pocket, pulled out the letter's envelope, and handed it to Issei. Who later brought it to Rias. She placed it on her desk and then turned to face her brother.
"What price did mother demand of him?" Rias enquired, raising an eyebrow.
"All of the money Riser had to his name," Sirzechs snidely remarked.
"All. . .? Rias's mouth went dry. Her eyes widened. Her mom knew how to strike at a person's weakest spot. Her mom was the absolute best in terms of cunning and shrewdness regarding money and businesses. It wasn't that the House of Gremory was poor or lacked any monetary value. Quite the opposite because in the Devil community, they were one of the wealthiest families around. Being notorious for their skills in business ventures, etc. But hearing what her mom did made the crimson-haired girl pause.
"Indeed," Sirzechs confirmed. "321,057,000 million dollars." Every one of the Gremorys went silent at what they had just heard. Riser had that much money to his name. Sirzechs turned his head, "furthermore, she also wished to bestow you with a gift, Issei."
"A gift? Why?"
"She was rather impressed with how you came to my office, stood up to Lord Phenex, called Riser out on his failures to adhere to the Devil's laws, called Father out on his mistakes and failures to thoroughly check Riser-sama's past relationships, and see if he had violated any of the laws, and how you defended Ria-tan overall. Henceforth, she feels like you've earned a reward," explaining his mother's reason to a surprised Issei. "You have but to name it."
"Ara, Ara. Would you look at that, Issei-kun. Lady Gremory is granting you permission to choose any gift you desire," Akeno smiled. Issei turned to her with a surprised expression, then at Rias, who looked like she was in deep thought.
"Go for it, Issei," Rias said, giving him her permission.
"Lord and Lady Gremory are in an agreement with this?" He asked, looking back at Sirzechs.
"They are."
"To ask for anything?"
"Yes.
Thinking to himself for a few minutes. There were many things he wanted. Being part Devil meant that he had desires and ambitions. Like every other Devil in the world, they had an overwhelming urge to desire things that captured their interest. Since he was given the green light, he could request anything. One thing in particular popped into his mind. . .
"Very well. While I could ask for anything, there is something I have had my eye on lately." He pulled out his phone and pulled up a photo of the thing he wished to possess. A CROCUS Yacht. "I can pay the fees to keep it there."
"Are you sure this is what you want?" Sirzechs' even voice betrayed the smile on his face.
"I am," the brunette replied. "I have more than enough money to keep it at the docks. I only need to get a license."
His smile was now on full blast. "You will have it by tomorrow," the Maou turned to leave but paused. "Oh, there's one more thing. Tannin-sama wanted me to convey a message to you."
"What a message from Tannin-sama?"
"He said: I am extremely grateful to Issei for his assistance in acquiring new areas so more Dragon Apples can be created, and production of artificial Dragon Apples is going smoothly. You have done the highest honor for your fellow Dragons." Opening up a dimension space, he pulled out three crates, "these are for you."
Issei's eyes widened when Sirzechs removed the lid of one of the crates, revealing it to be full of Dragon Apples. "I am honored by this, and please send Uncle Tannin my thanks," giving a respectful bow.
"Will do, my friend. I will take my leave now," using a magic circle to leave the teens.
Walking toward the crate of apples, Issei put the lid back on one of them and then put the others in a dimensional space for himself. All the while not paying attention to the stunned expressions of the others. He could feel waves of happiness rolling off of Ddraig, knowing his ancestor was ecstatic about the Dragon Apples.
"So, Issei-kun, what did you ask of Sirzechs-sama?" Kiba wondered what his friend's request was.
"Yeah, come on, tell us," Rias implored.
Deciding to be a tease, he chose to wave off their probing. "Sorry, guys. You will have to wait until later. The only thing I will say is that it will leave you all at a loss of words."
"Well, now I'm even more curious," Rias replied. She couldn't tell what was on his mind but assumed that whatever he asked for must be the real deal. Plus, what was that about a license and paying what fees? "It's not fun to tease, you know."
"No need to worry. You can find out tomorrow," he casually said.
That got Rias's interest piqued. "You never did say where we were going tomorrow. Can I at least get a hint? One hint?" Trying to get him over a small pout, which Issei found cute.
As much as he wanted to deny it, he found her expression to be too cute and ultimately gave in. "Fine. You get one hint. I hope you like dancing."
"I do," quirking an eyebrow, thinking about what he had in mind. ". . .Though, I would like some more information. I guess that will suffice for now."
Akeno decided to have a little fun when Issei sat back down next to Koneko-chan. "Ufufu, Issei-kun, have her back at midnight, and please try not to have too much fun with her. We don't want her to get pregnant any time soon, do we?"
"Akeno!"
"Akeno-san."
Both teens' faces were the same shade of color as Rias's hair. Akeno only laughed at their discomfort. A few minutes later, Rias composed herself long enough to get the ball rolling for their daily meeting. There were times when she would pass annoyed glances at Akeno and curious mixed with thoughtful ones at Issei.
(00)
The next day, Issei did his morning routine before grabbing a shower and putting on some street clothes instead of his Kuoh uniform. He then had breakfast with Asia and checked his phone to see that he received an email from Sirzechs-sama. The item he wanted was now under his ownership. He was even sent pictures. The fee for the first month has already been paid, and his test to obtain his license will be tomorrow at three o'clock. After breakfast, he left his house, hopped on his motorcycle, and set off toward Rias and Akeno-san's apartment.
He made a quick stop at the flower shop to pick up some flowers before arriving at one of the few upscale apartment buildings in Kuoh town. If honest, he felt a little self-conscious of the area he was in, yet pushed it to the back of his mind. Sucking in a sharp breath, he preserved walked inside and made his way to the elevator with the flowers in his hand. When it opened, he pressed the floor number and rode the elevator to the second floor. Arriving at the floor, he stepped off the elevator and walked down the hall to the apartment door. Then, without a moment of hesitation, he rang the doorbell.
A half second later, the door opened to reveal a smiling Rias wearing an off-the-shoulder black shirt, a pair of blue jeans, and some low pumps. A typical outfit for a woman her age. Even so, she looked more beautiful in casual clothes than her school uniform. Issei could hardly tear his eyes away from her.
That adorableness had commanded his attention fully, and eventually, Rias spoke. W-What is it? Your embarrassing me with the way you're looking at me like that. . . Is there something about the outfit I chose? I don't get to go out that much, so my selection of what is currently in is lacking."
"No, not at all!" Issei immediately said after composing himself. "You look amazing. I got these for you," handing her the flowers." His opinion and gesture made Rias fluster with joy. She accepted his words and the flowers.
"Thank you, Issei. I'll be right back after putting these in a vase," leaving for a minute, then returning. "Shall we."
"Of course."
"Don't knock her up, Issei-kun!" Akeno's voice was heard.
"Behave yourself, Akeno," a red-faced Rias returned, closing the door while her best friend giggled. The two young Devils made it to the elevator and later went to the parking lot, where they mounted Issei's bike.
Their first stop was the movies, where they saw The Equalizer. Then they decided to go to the mall, where they visited several clothing stores, where Rias would try on different outfits and asking questions like: "Does this look good on me?" and "What about this one?". She looked good in all the clothes she tried on; some even highlighted her curves well. All traces of her persona as the current heiress to the House of Gremory and leader of the Occult Research Club were replaced by that of a regular Japanese girl on a date with her boyfriend. The two then decided to have lunch at a nearby cafe, where they shared a few conversations about their hopes for the future.
". . . aside from maintaining my position as the heiress to the House of Gremory, I hope to become number 1 Devil in the Rating Game." Rias told him about her dream.
"Give it time, and that dream will come true one day. Hopefully, by then, things will have changed for the better," Issei returned with a smile.
"There's always a chance," drinking some of her tea. "What about yourself? Are there any future goals you would like to see come true?"
He tilted his head a little. "I am still thinking about some goals. However, I would like to own some companies in the future," he said thoughtfully. Car companies would be a start. (Audi, Toyota, Porsche, and Lamborghini). "Given time, I might achieve those goals."
The two laughed. They were really enjoying themselves.
When lunch was over, they went to see all the sea creatures at the aquarium. They were peaceful and calming at the same time. Issei's favorites were the manatees and penguins. Rias found the otters, manta rays, and dolphins to be the most enjoyable. After spending a couple hours at the aquarium, they left with their arms linked together. The two decided to go to a park, where they sat on one of the park benches, discussing what would be next.
"They got a teen dance club nearby. What say we grab some dinner before heading there? After that, we can go see the item I requested from Sirzechs-sama," he inquired, knowing that it had been something she'd been thinking about.
"Sounds good," her eyes lit up.
As the sun began to set, they hopped on his motorcycle, and Issei drove them to a restaurant where they discussed some of their other future plans and how to improve their current abilities. At the end of dinner, Issei paid the bill, and the two went to the club.
After buying the tickets and showing them to the guard, they were allowed inside, where a room full of people were dancing to electropop music. "This is great! You coming?" Rias led him to the dance floor, where the two started dancing.
Their movements complimented each other surprisingly well. Rias couldn't believe it as it had been a long time since she had so much fun. Sure, because of her status, she had to attend balls and functions where she would have to dance with her father, onii-sama, and the other heirs of the Devil Houses. But they all paled in comparison to the dances she was sharing with Issei. She had never known Issei was such a good dancer. Rias then remembered what he said about the contracts he had with the other families—some of the jobs he would undertake—and that his mom was a mid-ranking Devil who would get invited to parties hosted by the higher-ups. Best guess is that he must have attended balls in the past and had to dance with different heiresses and human girls. She wondered if he knew any other dancing styles?
Her thoughts were quickly answered when the DJ started playing some salsa music. The way he twirled and spun her around was amazing. He made her feel alive. A few songs later, the two were oblivious to some people watching them. Just as the song ended, Issei dipped Rias, and the two were smiling, though completely breathless. Some of the people not dancing clapped for them as Issei brought Rias back up.
"You want to take a break?" Issei asked.
"Please. . .if I don't get something to drink, I think I'll die," Rias laughed and pushed some strands of her crimson hair away from her face.
They went to the bar where they sat, waiting for one of the bartenders to notice them. "I never knew you were such a skilled dancer. Just how many do you know?"
"A few: Freestyle, Salsa, Tango, Ballroom, and Waltz," adding a smirk at the look of surprise on her face. "What can I say? I'm a man of different talents."
"You certainly are," she agreed. When the bartender asked what they wanted, Rias requested a cherry Hi-C. Issei went for a lemon-lime Powerade. "This is honestly the best date ever."
"Oh, you have experience in the realm of dating. I never knew?" He joked. In response, she playfully smacked his arm.
"Idiot. This is my first date ever," she gave him a mocking glare.
The man brought over their drinks as Issei placed a hand on her hand. "Well, this date is not over yet," he said, kissing her head. "I have one last surprise tonight," taking a quick look at his phone to check the time. It read 10:20.
"Would you like to dance to another song or see the surprise?" Giving her a grin.
"I don't think another dance could hurt." They drank some of their beverages before returning to the dance floor.
Sharing one last dance together, the two decided to leave an impression. And an impression they left. Several of the people were in awe of their dancing skills. A handful of the boys were openly staring at Rias as she was flexible, while the same could be said for the girls who were actively staring at Issei. Some were undressing him with their eyes.
"Shall we, milady?" Issei offered his arm to her.
"We shall, kind sir," she said, hooking her arm around his and letting him lead her outside. "It's a nice night," raising her head at the dark sky.
"Hey, baby. Why don't you come to hang out with us? We'll show you a good time." Some arrogant man with a few of his snickering friends approached Rias when she and Issei arrived at the parking lot next to his bike. His breath reeked of alcohol.
"I'm not interested. Besides, I already have a boyfriend," Rias said to the person who was obviously the group leader.
"You mean this loser?" The person on the leader's right pointed at Issei. "You'd rather hang with this loser than us?!"
"He is more of a man than all of you put together," Rias turned around and would have hopped on the bike, but the leader gripped her shoulder.
"We didn't say you could leave," an evil glint appeared in his eyes as he looked at her assets. "I bet I can show you what a real man can do."
Issei had heard enough and grabbed the man's hand in a vice-grip, removing it from Rias's shoulder. "This beautiful woman is with me, and I suggest you and your friends leave while you still can," were his final words before pushing the man back. Only to be caught by his gang.
Positively angry, the man pulled out a knife. He tried to stab Issei in the chest, but the brunette countered by grabbing and twisting his wrist, punching the fool in his face, and then kicking him twice in the stomach.
"Get him!" One of the people to the left said.
The four tried to attack Issei together, but little did they know that Issei was that he was a highly skilled combatant. Their street fighting skills against Issei's martial arts didn't even make it a challenge, as they were all rolling on the ground in pain. The leader got back up to his feet and tried attacking Issei again. However, Issei easily countered him by doing a double-spinning kick that knocked the knife out of his hand and sent him back. He wasn't done, though, as he broke the leader's left arm when he tried to strike him in the face, then delivered a strong enough kick to break the fool's right leg before knocking him out with a spinning back heel kick to the face that broke his nose, and some teeth.
"Seriously, guys? This is the best you could do?" He shakes his head while looking at the wannabe street gangsters on the floor. "Disappointing," walking toward a smiling Rias. "Sorry about that. Some people just cannot take a hint."
"I'm not complaining," she put her helmet on and got behind him. "You were pretty impressive. I doubt they'd try again."
He backed the motorcycle up and drove it to the main street from the parking lot. From there, he drove them both to Tokyo Bay. Thanks to the maintenance he did on his motorcycle, the time it would take to get there was cut in half.
Arriving at the harbor, Issei parked his bike and told Rias to wait outside while he went to get what he needed from the shop. There, he asked the man at the register for the key and location of his boat. After a few minutes of filling out the paperwork and making sure everything was in order, Issei was given the keys to his yacht and the location of it. Returning outside, he took a blindfold from his pocket, "here, put this on. What I have to show will leave you at a loss for words."
"Alright," she tied the blindfold over her eyes, completely blocking her vision of the outside. Issei then took her hand when she was done and took her to the area they needed to go to, all the while grinning with anticipation.
All the lights were on, so navigating the harbor was not difficult. Issei could hardly wait to see his new boat in person. Then, making a final turn, a smile appeared on his face when he spotted his yacht. It was exactly like the pictures Sirzechs-sama sent him. The lights on and by the ship were so seeing the name he chose for it was visible. Pulling Rias forward till they arrived at the gangway connecting the ship to the harbor.
"Ok, you can remove the blindfold now," he helped remove the blindfold, and instantly her eyes went wide with amazement. "Surprise! This is the item I requested from Lady Gremory."
"Oh. . . My. . . Maou," her voice barely audible as she looked at the beautiful yacht. She looked at the front of the yacht to see he had chosen a name for it. The Red Dragon. "This is amazing!"
"Just wait until you see the inside," they walked hand in hand up the gangway till they were on the yacht's deck. He gave her a tour of the yacht's interior, and she had to admit that he had good taste. Thanks to a few modifications from Sirzechs, the ship was bigger than usual, had more rooms (furnished), and could travel at greater speed than advertised. "So, what do you think?" He asked as they returned to the main living room.
"So this is what you requested. I have to say you have really great taste," Rias said in a tone of amazement. She watched him move behind a table and pull out two glasses and a bottle of sparkling cider. Pour some into each glass, then return.
"Have I met your expectations tonight?" He handed her a glass.
"Yes, and. . .even managed to exceed some of them."
"Then cheers to a nice date," he said with a lopsided grin. The two toasted and drank from their glasses.
Rias stole a glance at the clock to see that it was a quarter after midnight. "We're quite rebellious. Out past curfew," she said, meeting his grin with hers.
He caught what she meant after glancing at the clock but shrugged it off. "I'm pretty sure Akeno-san will not mind. It's not like she can ground us or anything."
Rias laughed. "You are bad. Keeping a young, beautiful woman out past her curfew. What could you be planning, I wonder?" Her sultry smile overtook the questioning look she was giving him.
Issei chuckled, putting his glass on the table. "I have a few ideas," stepping toward her, "though we can entertain ourselves for a while longer."
"Yes, I think we could," she put her own glass down and then wrapped her arms around his neck as he leaned down to capture her lips in a soft, sweet kiss. All concept of what time it was evaporated as the kiss between the two deepened, with their lips moving in sync and tongues battling for dominance.
After several minutes of intense making out, they finally pulled away when their lungs were burning for air. Sitting on the couch, Issei wrapped an arm around Rias's shoulder as she laid her head against his chest. "Issei confession time. . ." she started to say, still smiling and her eyes closed. "I have decided to live at your place."
"What?" He looked down to see her big blue-green orbs shining.
"After all, a Master must strengthen their bond with their servants. And I would like to be closer to my lover. That's not a problem, is it?"
In response, Issei leaned down to give her a quick kiss on the lips. "No, not at all."
Rias continued smiling, returning her lips to his, this time in a deeper kiss. It had been a long time since she had been so happy.
A/N: Well, Season One is finally done. Issei and Rias are now finally a couple. After tallying the votes on Pa tre on for how much money Venelana should take from Riser, should he lose. It has been decided that she would take all of it. Riser was a High-ranking nobleman from a very wealthy family. Part of that money was used to buy Issei's yacht.
If you want to get an idea of what the thing looks like, look up: CROCUS Yacht from Fraser Yachts.
Next Chapter: Incoming trouble