Confusion.
Directionless.
Frustration.
Those three emotions mixed together within the gut of a familiar brunette boy who lay motionless on his bedroom's floor, looking rather listless as he gazed up towards the ceiling. His limbs were spread out like trying to make a snow angel during winter season… though such a positive activity that usually brought smiles onto childrens' faces was the exact OPPOSITE of what the boy was currently feeling.
Currently, his bedroom was shaped like a cube like any standard bedroom. Light green colored the walls, ceiling and floor. If one entered from the door itself, they would see that there's a set of windows hidden behind some light blue curtains, and a bed to the right side of the room. Next to that bed was a closet, while on the opposite side was a computer desk which had a black velvet chair sitting in front of if. Next to the desk was a set of drawers that housed his clothes like his socks, briefs, shirts etc, mostly casual wear was stored within that structure. The more formal things like any coats, jackets, his uniform etc were hung within his closet.
The atmosphere itself seemed genuinely peaceful and tranquil thanks to it being the late afternoon, according to the time that he'd checked on his phone a while back, which made Issei somewhat question whether it was afternoon or evening right now. Although that question soon faded back into the dark recesses within his mind, leaving him alone with this empty… void, that was the best thing he could use to describe his current state of being. Whether this was an attempt for him to cope with the torrent of comparatively loud feelings spiraling around in his gut like a chaotic maelstrom or not, Issei couldn't tell…
And that felt like the worst part about it.
Issei doesn't know why he was feeling like this. This heavily confused him because this had never happened to him before. It was like something on his mind was spiraling around his inner feelings, like something deep inside of him was trying to tell him something. For a few minutes he stayed in this position, unable to disconcert the source behind these feelings… which only made them worse and worse as the seconds ticked by.
In a move intended to try and distract himself, Issei turned his head to the side to look under his bed where behind a bunch of boxes could be seen. To an ordinary person those boxes may not have been much to look at, but to Issei they may as well have been like guardians of an ancient artefact or something.
Why was that?
Whelp, behind those bozes lay his secret stash of his porn mags and hentai manga, the source of every man's physical fantasies made manifest. Every man's fetish, their desires, their fantasies, all could be found within the world of porn and eroge, which cater to those things unlike the world and a lot of women in current society. There was practically no limit to the fetishes this world could sink into, nothing they hadn't touched or gloriously corrupted. Porn brought men together, it formed rock-solid bonds of brotherhood, it helped people through their days of working stressful underpaid jobs for the rest of their miserable lives!
…..but to his shock and horror, Issei never felt the urge to look at them. Didn't even get a boner at the thought of reading about sexy girls being touched by monsters errotically, something he'd been trying to keep a secret from the rest of his buds Matsuda and Motohama whenever they tried inviting him to their usual 'sessions'. He practically lost all interest in porn, if his buds learned of that Issei didn't want to even consider the migraines he'd get from how much they'd freak out. He hadn't ever since the aftermath of the whole…..
The whole Night Lords incident.
The worst part was whenever he tried to think about oppai, or anything pervertedreally...
"HHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
"Gah!" Issei sharply shot upwards from his laying position into a sitting one, a hand over his chest as he panted like he'd run a whole ass marathon around town. Beads of sweat formed over his forehead while his eyes shrunk to the size of dinner plates. Images of the horrific scenery he saw during that time in the Screaming Gallery appeared in his mind, destroying any semblance of horniness inside of him like thinking of pervy old grandmas did to any man's boner. Multiple people screaming….Those screams constantly echoed within his mind like some kind of banshee song trying to burst his eardrums, or an unholy song from the dead themselves.
He could never forget those screams even when they DID stop, this having happened several times now whenever he tried thinking about oppai. Even though they were purified by Asia during her ascension, the fact that so many people needlessly lost their lives thanks to those monsters remained.
Just thinking about it reduced Issei to a fit of shudders and violent trembling, like a certain supernatural monster who killed teenagers on with a hokey mask and a machete.
"Partner."
Soon Issei heard a deep and muscular voice echoing throughout his room, cutting through the screams and silencing his chaotic mind. He jumped from the surprise, looking around before noticing fthat the backs of his two hands were flashing green, indicating that it was Ddraig who called him.
"Ddraig?" He called out the red dragon emperor's name in disbelief, he hadn't heard his Sacred Gear's spirit talk all that much ever since the incident, so he'd been wondering what had been going on there. Though Issei doubted that Ddraig would tell him if he asked, even spirit beings had the right to their privacy.
"I sense some disturbance in the force, what has happened young jedi?"
"...are you quoting from star wars Ddraig?"
(CUT!)
TAKE 2!
CLICK!
"What seems to be the matter partner, you seemed quite off and jumpy for some reason."
Ddraig asked his host with some concern over his partners mentality, mostly due to how he had felt Issei jump all of a sudden upon hearing his voice, something that in the rare times he did speak to his host Issei didn't do. Not only that, but Ddraig had sensed how his host had been moody for some time.
Nevertheless, his words rendered Issei silent once again. The brunette gazed down at his lap where he placed his hands atop his thigh, hair shadowing his eyes. Like an olympic athlete escaping charges against him, Issei's surprise faded away to be replaced with his prior feelings that resurfaced with similar levels of speed. Not only that, but like an angry housewife they returned with a vengeance, arguable even more chaotic than before.
"..."
He didn't answer for sometime, due to the intense emotions he's feeling inside of him right now. Though as much as he wanted to do so out of reflex, Issei instinctively foresaw that he couldn't hide his feelings from his sacred gear. As far as he can tell, secrets were not meant to be kept hidden from those closest to you. It wasn't long until he came up with a response. "I…I keep hearing those…those screams…. Everytime I close my eyes, I can hear them. I can hear their voices..." Issei whispered under his breath, though Ddraig could hear him just fine. The brunette male lowered his head while gripping his pants.
His sacred gear's spirit said nothing, waiting for the brunette to finish since he got the impression that Issei wasn't done.
An impression which was proven true when Issei continued, his tone sinking deeper and deeper into the seas of depression. "I can't help but to think, is this what being a part of the other side of the world is like? This isn't what I thought it'd be." he said, his tone dropping in octaves till he barely spoke above a whisper. All the while, Issei raised his legs to tuck them into his chest, wrapping his arms around them as he rocked back and forth in this fetal position.
In the beginning, Issei had been a scared little lamb far out of his depth the brunette could admit that. Heck, the thought that he would just have been used for someone else's agenda without regard for what he had to say about it irked him till this day, just like it had back then. If it weren't for Hellsing, then Issei… he didn't want to think about what might have happened to him, given that the perpetrators called 'Devils' would have the capacity for such cruelty then what if one of their own displayed his or her own displeasure of their methods? What happens to them? That question did occasionally pop up inside his head back then, but not very often.
That probably had to do with his outlook on the supernatural world from the beginning. Back then, one could describe said outlook as a field of roses: full of opportunities, romance with hot chicks who apparently dig strength a lot from what he was told by Meredith. Even though training with that asshole Theseus had been utter hell, something he had no doubts the guy took pleasure in for some reason, life had actually not changed all that much. In fact, ever since his training under Hellsing began Issei began to notice certain differences in his daily life like him being able to run further without tiring (although not at the level of the rest of those stamina demons). He'd even been able to pay attention more in class by treating it like what he'd seen of Meredith whenever he caught her instructing Mio on magic… the image of her with a riding crop whipping him whenever he got an answer wrong had been a GOOD motivator.
All of this fed into this idea that he had in his mind, the idea that the supernatural world wasn't all that bad nor was it all that different from ordinary human life. He went to school, did things with his family, conducted his usual activities etc… he only had extra phys ed training, and ACTUALLY got to talk to a hot chick who didn't recoil at his presence nor seemed to shy away from his perverse tendencies (although Issei actually tried to repress them around Asia, not wanting to ruin her purity). These things fed him the idea that maybe he could actually make a name for himself in this world and get more chicks, becoming the king of all oppai in the world! He'd have a mansion big enough for his harem, he'd have many hot babes surrounding him 24/7, it'd be life on easy street!
Then, like a ruthless hammer strike reality broke that fragile mirror that had been Issei's hopes.
Now, all Issei felt like doing to his past self was giving him a kick to his stupid freaking balls. The Night Lords, not only did they kidnap someone close to him among countless innocent people, but they did so RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM, and he couldn't even do a thing to stop them! He'd even gotten beaten within an inch of his life for god's sake! If it werent for Meredith rescuing him at the last second, Issei felt sure that he'd have lost his life that day. If it had just been that then Issei wouldn't have had the nearl meltdown that he was currently experiencing, no it wouldn't have been that severe…
But the things that he saw during the rescuing of not only Asia but the majority of the people those… things (Issei couldn't help but not see them as human due to the atrocities they committed) had kidnapped… they said some shit. All the suffering, the torment that those poor people went through before being forced into that damn screaming gallery… their constant cries of despair and pain that sounded more like broken records than anything, hinting at their sanity having been completely SHATTERED just like his own perceptions of the world… Issei could never see the world the same way again.
Was this what people with PTSD went through back in the day? Issei remembered being taught about world war one in history class, and one of the things that he remembered most was how many of the soldiers involved got shellshocked by the constant bombardment from artillery guns. What they experienced… Issei couldn't help but draw some parallels to his own situation.
"Partner, those thoughts, what you were thinking about the tortures, the night lords and screaming gallery… I'm afraid those are just….the tip of an iceberg."
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
Issei remained silent as he processed what the red dragon just declared, about the things he's seen before were just little specs compared to the rest of the world. The brunette froze for a moment before he gathered enough courage to ask the Dragon to elaborate. "What…..what do you mean by that Ddraig?"
"...Prepare yourself partner, because after what I'm about to tell you….you will see the world in different perspective."
The red dragon took a deep breath before exhaling, he may be a many century old construct of energy but that didn't mean he couldn't feel weary.
"There are many beings in this world who love to see suffering, many viewing it as their sole source of amusement. In the old ages where magic and other beings were allowed to roam free in the world, there was no restrictions to limits. I may not dare say this in other circumstance, but back then many people who capture other humans….. They skinned them alive, burn them to crisp, prickle their finger where the human body nerves system is mostly active. Whipped to death, stoning to death, cut off their tongues, mouthes and every inch of their body."
The more Issei heard, the more dread assaulted his system. All those words coming from the red dragons mouth (wait, did he even have one?) made him start to wish he wasn't a part of the supernatural world.
"Safety is a myth, even in a city like Tokyo. One day a person may be living their normal lives with their loved ones, the next they have lost it all for one reason or another. Thinking back, one of my host's family was caught in an ancient village during Mayan times. They...raped her entire family in front of her, their ultimate fate's not being any sweeter. Her father was taken in by the women, giving him some sex drugs to keep him active until death, essentially he died by sex and no it was not pretty. Her little brother suffered the same fate too, and was given mostly to the elderly. As for her baby sister...she was slaugthered, cut to pieces as a sacrifice, an offering to quetzalcoatl. In an instant, she surrendered to a specific power that the Boosted Gear possesses and no I will not tell you about it until your ready. What I WILL say is that she pulverized the village and burned everything there was to the ground."
The brunette face was starting to become pale with dread, the male proceeding to tremble with increasing visibility. His eyes widen themself to the fullest extent.
"She was eventually stopped by two powerful Mayan Gods who came in response to their followers' prayers, but their efforts caused them to lose their lives in response…It was a fitting end, but the cost crippled my previous host. It left her a husk, a shell of her former self. She lost everything and this remained such until an english conveyor with Christoper Columbus came across her. Seeing the hollowed look on her face, he showed her mercy and ended her life. Such things are not isolated incidents Issei, they happened practically everyday and were endemic to the point of normalcy, just like the slave trade. They happened with similar levels of frequency to colonial powers deciding to invade foreign countries. Even now, in the modern times many places still have such practices with the Devils being one big example. Though there are plenty of factions who do the same thing, others even worse."
"..."
Issei had nothing to say to Ddraig who had lectured him about the literal consequences of how ruthless the people were in the supernatural. Their beastly instincts, their hidden desires all unrestrained and allowed to run wild. Even in the modern era there was a 'facade' called civility that the supernatural presented, but in the truth that was just as previously stated. In truth, beneath the facade was a cesspit of corruption, deceit and limitless suffering, headed by those of whom the law and order had no effect, nor any power to deter them. This then gave them the opportunity to freely release their true feelings, their true desires, to embrace the darkness they had inside of them. "That's…..Why did God ever create this type of world?" Issei whispered in a low tone.
"I don't know, partner. No one knows the answer to that question. As far as I can guess…He wasn't the only one who created Earth. Listen partner, the moment you possess a sacred gear, the boosted gear, a normal life which many people craved for will be forever closed to you. There is no right or wrong, light or darkness, only the grey in between. The light can be turned into darkness and darkness can be turned into light. Its a repeating cycle that has always been a part of this world."
"..."
"There is no peace, only…..survival of the finest."
By the end of his explanation, Ddraig's words sounded as hard as a hammer hitting a nail in the wall, the neil in question being how feeble, small and insignificant what Issei had seen was in the grand scheme of things.
As for Issei, the sacred gear host couldn't help but wonder how he wasn't getting any white hair from all the stress this revelation brought about. To be frank, he couldn't take much more of this without going on a rant about the unfairness behind it all. He needed a distraction from reality that being a part of the supernatural was not like what a childhood dream to have powers and become a hero like in the comics.
So with that thought in mind, Issei got up from the ground and faced his room's entrance. His legs were still shaking due to the fear not leaving his body, yet he nonetheless managed to stabilize himself before looking outside of his room's window, noticing it was still night time and his parents are asleep. Walking to his window and opening it, Issei then promptly jumped out and landed on the ground. He landed so by planting his legs on the earth, then rolling across it to divert the impact before standing back upright.
Any normal person probably wouldn't have got off scot free from jumping down the second floor of a house like this, but Issei wasn't no normal person anymore. That and Theseus training had paid off quite well and it proved to be efficient, let it be said that the guy may be ruthless… but he was also a very efficient teacher.
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
TOO EFFICIENT!
Later
Eventually, Issei could be seen strolling through the night city. The small city of Kuoh could be seen as a mass of neon in the night, a sign that the city's nightlife was just as booming as the daytime. Buildings were covered in brilliantly glistening lights that were currently switched on, surrounding almost everywhere. Street lights were on as well, giving further brightness to the streets of Kuoh.
PAT, PAT, PAT!
Low patting sounds came from below, their sources being the trainers adorning his feet as Issei walked around the city, gazing around with his hands inside his pockets at the structures around him, noticing people going about their business. Each of them had their heads down mostly, not wanting to attract attention to themselves which was nothing unusual for any japanese city, let alone this small place.
Though he couldn't help but see it all different compared to the past.
For as long as Issei could remember, when growing up he had always seen everything through the eyes of a normal teenager… which basically meant he'd usually paid little attention to what went on around him unless it had anything to do with porn or his beloved oppai.
But now? Now all he sees when he observe other people…
"HHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
He'd remembered the countless screams of the wrongfully damned in that chursh, echoing throughout his mind like the wails of the deceased in a haunted mansion. Briefly pausing his stride, Issei stumbled into a nearby alleyway where nobody could see him and once there he put both of his hands over his ears, trying to block out the screams ringing throughout his head.
"AAAAAAH, HELP ME! OH PLEASE GOD, HELP ME!"
"DADDY, MOMMY! IT HURTS-IT HURTS- HURTS-GRAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
"GUOOOOHHHHHHH!"
Over and over different voice kept wailing like sirens in Issei's ears, not once letting up for any kind of respite. The brunette gritted his teeth as tears started building inside his eyes despite them being tightly wound shut, the male's head hanging over so his hair shielded his face from view. Issei's throat tightened till not even a simple sound was able to escape, like a serpent had coiled around it and stripped all air from his lungs, rendering breathing exceedingly difficult. In fact, breathing was now the only thing his throat felt capable of, and even then his lungs burned desperately for air thanks to that breathing barely supplying them with what they needed.
At some point, Issei hadn't been able to keep himself upright and thus slumped against the alley's wall, sliding down it till he sat on his backside. He curled his legs close and held them against his chest, burying his head between them and pressing his knees against his ears, hoping that they'd do a better job of blocking the voices out of his head. They didn't, in fact one could say it only made the voices groan louder.
How long could he keep going on like this? When would it all end? Issei had been getting these episodes ever since the Night Lords incident, and no matter how hard he tried they just REFUSED to stop. Silence became a welcome reprieve, but every time it did it gradually lessened and lessened in terms of lasting long. At this point, Issei feared that peace would soon be a forgotten memory for him, leaving nothing but an endless slur of voices that'd drive him into insanity.
Asia… where was she? WherewasshewherewassheWherewasshewherewassheWherewasshe-
It was then he heard a familiar voice in the alleyway.
"Oi. What are you standing around, looking so pathetic right now?"
Issei eventually uncurled himself when he heard that voice, that cold, detached and somewhat aggrivating voice. However, Issei didn't care about that at the moment since it's presence somehow managed to force back the other voices, something which he would have hugged the owner for if he had descended deeper into such madness. With the goal of identigfying that owner, Issei lifted his head out of his knees and saw a pair of black pant legs standing nearby, neon light casting their owner's shadow throughout the alleyway. Slowly trailing his teary-eyed gaze upwards, Issei saw that the owner was Vali, whose features looked to have been enveloped in darkness thanks to the shadows provided by the lights. Nonetheless, Issei's eyes quickly adjusted, allowing him to see the way the silver haired males' eyes glinted in the darkness. They both had a neutral gaze, staring downwards at Issei's pathetic form.
"Vali?"
The silver hair boy held back a grimace at the tone of voice Issei used with him just now: broken, desperate, WEAK. The complete opposite of what he wanted in his rival, something which irked him down to his very core as the white dragon emperor. He could feel contempt coming from Albion as well, as well as a mocking sensation that the white dragon of supremacy must be feeling, lording this over his rival the red dragon of domination. Bastard didn't look anywhere near what his title suggested, and that was the worst part.
But even with his fury at seeing hsi rival being this pitiful and pathetic, Vali had enough common sense to at least get the full picture before completely judging someone for their failures. To that end, the male decided to hold back his emotions right now and extend a hand to him… after making enough room by putting various shopping bags within one hand. The weight imbalance was annoying, but for now, he could deal with it. "Come on. Get up, your a man. Quit being a crybaby, and man up for once."
Issei stared at Vali's hand for a while, before accepting the silver-haired boy's hand by grasping it firmly, despite the prior state he had been in. Lifting the brunette up to his feet, Vali tilted his head sideways in a gesture for them to leave the alley. "Come on, lets go."
Later
A while of silent walking later, both Issei and Vali were sitting next to each other at a random park. There wasn't that many people around it due to the populace mostly being at nighttclubs or enjoying other aspects of night life… though that suited both of them just fine for different reasons. For Issei it gave him the chance to wipe away his tears and collect himself after that latest episode he had, of which prior times he'd only managed to get through by thinking about Asia's face.
For Vali, it gave him the opportunity he needed to get to the bottom of why his rival was sucking so hard. Before long, Vali was the first to speak instead of going for the silent route. "So, what has been bothering you Hyoudou?"
Not particularly being a fan of the blunt tone Vali used, Issei aimed a dead eyed stare at him in response. "Do you really need to ask when you already know whats happening?" he retorted, trying abd failing to mask his brisking. Though the fact that he just recovered from an episode didn't help.
"I do but I-no, me and the rest of the Hellsing would want to hear peoples' opinions on their own instead of just assuming we know the answer." Vali replied casually with a just as casual wave, as if he were talking about the weather. He then turned his head after planting the same arm he'd waved with onto his knee, facing Issei with a hard gaze. "We're not like those people who have the ability to look through other people's emotions, most of us are not that empathetic. I won't repeat myself Hyoudou. What's the problem that is causing you to make yourself a scared little kitty afraid of the dark?"
Issei lowered his head down and interlocked his fingers. Looking down at the ground for a while with a weary expression. "I…..How can you stand this?" Issei asked Vali with fear, still not facing him either out of shame or pride, neither of them would be able to tell if someone asked them. "Everytime I try to close my eyes or look at other people….I can hear them. I can hear their screams. I tried to get rid of them, ignore them, block them out, but its not working. I keep hearing their voices, asshole…" Issei explained, though he soon trailed off at the end as he gazed at his hands, remembering the moment they turned into the gauntlets that came with his Sacred Gear. "I keep hearing their screams…"
Vali sat there, remaining quiet while looking at his rival with neutral expression.
Issei still continued his speech, head hanging as he shifted his hands so that they rested atop his lap. "But then Ddraig told me what those assholes done….are just but a scratch aross the top of the harsh reality….of being a part of the supernatural. Is that so? If true, then how do you get used to it? Seeing death everywhere as a part of your life? People being killed or tortured? And constantly make sure you don't anger a literal god who can wipe out humanity with a flick of a finger?" Issei lifted his head and shift his gaze to the sky. "How are you not insane…..from all this?"
"Pft, sanity is for the weak." Vali snorted, rolling his eyes at the mere notion of sanity. Heck, he knew for a fact that the majority of Hellsing took shits on the notion every day of their lives, they WERE a bunch of monsters after all… and not just because they had differen species under the same banner either. "Issei, I'll level with you, we are all fucked up in some way, and the one method of coping we had was embracing the 'monsters' inside of us and let them remake us into something completely separate from our weak ass former selves. Me, Theseus, Meredith, even the girls, we are ALL embracing our inner beasts all the damn time, and 'beasts' have no qualms with killing. Heck, I bet you that shark asshole has no qualms with causing mass genocide on a daily basis. Killing in our line of work is as natural as breathing, Issei, and it makes us as feared as Hellsing is on the international stage."
"How is that fine while committing a mass genocide with no remorse?! Killing innocents caught in the crossfire is fine to you? How can you sleep so easily while many people die because of it?!"
"We don't." Vali replied, silencing the fuming red dragon. "In the supernatural, no one is innocent. People die everyday because its part of life, whenever you make the hardest decision you have to make, you can't let your emotions get in the way. Sacrifices are made to happen, some for a reason while others don't."
"What makes you think you can play god? Who are you to decide on who gets to live or not? Do you have no sense of any rationality you have the deaths of many people who dies at your hands?!"
At this, Vali sharpened his eyes at Issei's naivety while crossing his arms under his chest. "Naive, Issei. Think, you've seen how people respond to atrocities that are committed on a daily basis right? When something happens the reaction is usuall 'oh, really? Sheesh, that sucks… anyways' before they continue with their day. As a general consensus, people tend not to give a crap about much unless it impacts their or their loved ones' lives, and why is that? Because people generally can't show much compassion, TRUE compassion, to more than a select few individuals. Obviously there are exceptions to this, but they're a like finding a needle in a haystack. Tell me, when you listen to the news do you remember the names and faces of those who were said to have been killed?"
Not having expected Vali to ask him something like that out of the blue, Issei rummaged his brain for an answer to that question. At first, he thought that answer would come quickly, but to his surprise it didn't, all he got was a blank. Then to his horror, that blank void in his mind was actually the answer that he'd been seeking, and his paling face reflected this statement. "N-No…" he tried to say without stammering, only to fail miserably.
The way Vali's eyes lit up at the answer seemed pretty much like a victory for the hybrid there. "Exactly. Your shock and outrage towards atrocities happening elsewhere on the planet are merely reactionary, albeit if you saw them yourself like in this case the impression will last a little longer, but even then it'll fade. If they personally happened to you or someone you were close to only THEN would you be more likely to never forget it, and you would want to settle the score. That's human nature right there. Hypocritical, I know, and another example of double standards like the whole 'men can't hit women' bullshit."
Briefly, Vali's eyes flashed with disgust at the notion, which made crawls move up Issei's spine from how terrifying the hybrid had looked.
Soon that look vanished, though, and Vali returned his gaze towards his historic rival. "Remember, this shit is only the icing on the cake regarding horrors in the supernatural world, red dragon, there's all sorts of twisted corners that would make you want to PUKE at their repulsiveness, and in those corners naivety will without question cost you your life. Don't lose yourself in uncaringness, but don't let it go unpunished either. Keep a cool head, and let your anger boil inside of you, only when at the opportune moment do you release it onto those that deserve it." he explained in a somewhat scholarly tone, which sort of fit the occasion since Vali had just turned this conversation into a lecture about morality and the fine line that there was between monsters like him and people like Issei.
At this point the brunette could only slump his shoulders and look tired from the revelations dropped onto his shoulders. He felt more weary now than he had ever felt from multiple all-nighters with his bros, and really one couldn't fault him for it. From what Vali told him he didn't really have much of an option in the matter, It was basically kill or be killed when it came down to the core essentials in the supernatural world.
He could even see what the dude was trying to tell him, too, that he needed to keep a level head when dealing with things that could be consituted as war crimes in human laws, because not only was it the way this side of the world had operated for thousands of years likely, but also because this world WASN'T bound by human law, although some parts emulated it.
As much as he wanted to lash out more towards Vali for his cold, yet somehow disturbingly accurate summarization of human compassion, Issei just didn't have the thoughts nor the intelligence to do so. He felt like he would just get outplayed by him at every turn like some noob at a debate with a professional… so basically like any political activist against an enlightened thinker. Or someone with just basic common sense.
Man, he wished things had been turned back to the days when things were simple, when all he had to think about was getting a girlfriend or being a pervert. "I just don't know what to do, did I even made the right choice of becoming a part of the moonlit world, or was it my biggest regret? Should I even know if it is even possible for me to escape from it?" Issei couldn't help but wonder, raising his head so he could gaze up at the night sky above, his eyes reflecting the lights from the glistening stars.
To his side, Vali lowered his head towards the ground which stood as a sharp contrast to not only their outlooks on that question, but also their respective philosophies as well. Optimism vs pessimism/realism. "There's been very few who could ever walk away from the supernatural but thats only rare occasions." Vali responded, furrowing his brow. "Though for you, its impossible."
Blinking owlishly at this, Issei took a moment to try and process what Vali had just said. While there were those who had managed to escape (though the tone Vali had used put that up for debate that he didn't want to have right now), he was saying that it was impossible for him to be one of those people. Why? That was what he wanted to know. "Huh?" But when he tried asking him, only that incoherent mumble left his lips.
Fortunately, his gaze carried his intent clearly enough for the blue-eyed male to notice via a quick glance into his own golden ones. "Your situation, Issei, makes it impossible for you to ever leave. Even if we were to erase your memories and send you to a another location, various supernatural factions will eventually take notice of you since your Sacred Gear's pretty OP. Factions that will have ZERO qualms with ignoring your opinions about the matter as well as will have the capacity to drag even innocents into the crossfire. Remember Asia's story? I bet you there were a lot more forces at play that even she knew of, we just don't know yet, but the point with her is that she was just a pawn for all her life, and when she decided to do something out of her own dedication to the role they cast her out like a broken toy."
Oh yeah, Issei remembered alright. He remembered wanting to give those church goers a piece of his mind… as well as his fist, when he had heard how Asia had been cast from the church. Someone like her deserved to be a damn seraph with how pure she was, Issei believed.
Ignoring the thoughts clearly written over the brunette's face, Vali slightly raised his head as he put the back of his hands atop his knees, allowing him to gaze down at his palms. "Hellsing can't guarantee of total protection, especially with how little manpower we have. London may be a safer option on paper, but that place is full of vampires that like to cause chaos wherever they go, and more than likely people from all sorts of backgrounds in politics almost would get you involved with their shit. Additionally, the royal family and other politicians would want to use your sacred gear for their personal use, and they can be just as cold as any supernatural faction."
"What am I supposed to do when there's literal beings in the world, even Gods, breathing down on my neck? Is my only option to get stronger? To become… a monster?"
Vali nodded without hesitation. "Yes. Unless you want people walking all over you like Germany did to Belgium in the world wars, ruining everything you have without your consent and potentially harming your lived ones, that is." he stated dryly, like he'd said something almost completely obvious. "You are under Hellsing's custody for now, our intentions being merely to prepare you for what will await you. Whatever you want to do is your choice from now on."
Issei hung his head down towards the ground for a moment, contemplating his decision going forward. He was in a stalemate, a little conflict on his mind. He wasn't prepared, ready or born in this world. He was just but a common japanese boy who lived a regular life, a normal family and no connections to the otherside of the world. Hell he never knew it even existed, only through stories and mythology. Just all historians and culture legend they only have studied.
Now he'd been trapped smack in the middle of it, worse he didn't have any options since he possessed the boosted gear, a sacred gear that host the red dragon emperor himself. The only option, the ONLY thing he can do if he wants his family to be safe as well. He just has one last question.
"Will my family get involved or know this?"
Immediately, Vali shook his head. "No." he replied, answering his rival's question. "Its too dangerous or too risky for them to know because if they do, they'll be worried constantly and I don't mean this in the hard way but they'll get in your way, especially in the morals department. Your mother and father will become paranoid something would happen in one week, day, minute or second. You'll be constantly on the move but like I said before. You cannot escape the world that easy because no matter how much you try, you'll never run away from it."
After another moment of pondering during which silence had reigned supreme between them, Issei took a breath and exhale. He then, to Vali's slight surprise, smacked both of his cheeks at the same time as if trying to psyche himself up for something. "Then I guess I have to train harder then. If I wanna make sure my parents are safe and Asia doesn't die again…. Then I have to ask Theseus if he could help me grow stronger." Issei proclaimed, a slight grin on his lips.
Now that he had this chat with Vali, he honestly felt a lot better about things. He may be a bit traumatized by the whole screaming gallery incident, but that wouldn't stop him from doing what he needed to do so he could gain the strength he needed. Issei REFUSED to let any horrors from this world ruin the normal lives his parents enjoyed, and more than that he didn't want Asia to worry about him. He'd never have to force her to go through such traiumatic experiences ever again, but there was a long way to go for him if he wanted to do that.
Though despite watching his rival regain his prior drive, a derisive snort left the silver haired males' lips. "Hah!" Vali laughed at his rival, his fanged smile extend from his face. "You wouldn't last a bit from Theseus training."
Issei again widened his eyes in shock but also in fear. His body was shaking like it was in winter season, he was unconsciously holding his body. "W-w-w-w-wwhat do yo-yo-yo-yo mea?" against his better judegment he decides to ask Vali.
"Hehehehe…" The hybrid snickered darkly, 'trying' to conceal it behind a closed fist as memories that may as well be like porn to him with how much pleasure they provided, flowed through his mind. "You really wanna know? Well, think about everything you've gone through with that guy, me and everyone in Hellsing." He began, his shoulders shaking from his battle to keep his amusement trapped inside.
Issei did NOT like that look, yet in spite of himself he indeed followed Vali's advice. Memories of his past training under Hellsing came back to him, of all the torture that Theseus pushed him through and rughly punished him if he was caught thinking about anything perverted in his presence… which had happened more times than Issei had strands of hair, to be honest. Maybe that was why he'd been regulating less and less time to porn recently, a whole NEW kind of trauma had been placed on him…
He wouldn't be surprised if that was the case.
"You got the images?" Vali asked after a moment of silence, to which he got a sharp nod in return. Then the half Devil looked away from him to hide the downright shark-like grin which fit more on Theseus' face than anything else. "Now imagine that was HEAVEN."
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
When Vali looked at his side and notice that a spot was empty. He looked ahead and saw Issei runing away while screaming.
"I DON'T WANNA DIE! I WANA LIVE! NO MORE OF THAT HELL! I CAN'T TAKE ANYMORE OF HIS TRAINING! AAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Vali watched as Issei fled from the area, normally he would've pursued him and keep him under watch by Meredith orders but as far as he can say, he's a big boy and so was Issei. He did't need to constantly keep an eye on his rival.
"Was that wise. partner?"
Vali's silence got disrupted by a familiar ancient-sounding, draconic voice that resonated throughout the area. Following this, his sacred gear then projected itself into existence atop his back, furled inwards like a bird's when not in use.
Before long, the blue mechanic feathers flashed as constantly as police sirens when active, coinciding with Albion's voice leaving it.
"Despite him being your sworn nemesis, was it a good idea to keep him motivated? Telling him the danger and safety of being in the supernatural?"
Vali leaned back as he put his arms out behind him, stretching them before responding. "Let me tell you something Albion, as far as I'm concerned if Hyouduo does depart this world then that means the boosted gear will be sent to another person and that will take years, which I don't want to wait for in that scenario. There's rarely anyone who could possess a sacred gear and the guts needed to navigat this world anymore, considering how stagnant and weak they've became since the age of the supernatural world ended all those centuries ago. So, I need him to become strong, strong enough that he could prove his title as red dragon emperor so that others will leave him the hell alone. Then when that time comes….we'll finally have our fated battle."
"And if one of you comes out to the top, who will be the victor: you, or that boy? Remember, only one can ever come out alive."
"..."
Vali was silent, he didn't respond to Albion due to already knowing the outcome of the red and white dragon emperor's battle. It was fated to happen one day, one could say that it was inevitable. The white dragon emperor and red dragon emperor must fight each other when the time came and only one would emerge the victor.
Deciding to put those thoughts aside for now, Vali raised his head and stared into the distance stoically. He remained silent for a few moments before uttering the following statement. "You can come out now. I know your there…Kuroh."
SHING!
The sound of blade cutting through matter spread across the park, Vali could see it out the corner of his left eye but was not fazed by it. The trees behind the silver haired boy were cut in half horizontally. The source had done a decent job of it too, showing a great level of mastery over the blade arts… not like he'd admit it to the one responsible though.
From the direction ahead of him, stood Kuroh who had his blade out, though he didn't sheathe it even after that attack as he slowly stepped out into the open. The man clearly looked like he was not pleased with the silver haired boy. Not one bit. His new sword Aurum constantly radiated blue energy as if responding to its wielders emotions. "What were you thinking Vali?" He questioned slowly, having hardened his eyes dangerously.
In return, Vali returned the look with his prior stoicism. "What are you so angry about? I just told him the tru-"
"HE WASN'T READY!" Losing his nerve, Kuroh exploded into a mad shout while pointing his blade at Vali's nose bridge. The tip was about inches away from his face, the owner's furious gaze directly looking down on the white dragon emperor. "You of all people should know better than this."
Unaffected by Kuroh's words, Vali stood up after grasping the sword's tip (ignoring the energy singing his hand) and stepping forwards, pushing the blade away from him. His hand lightly steamed with smoke from this, but again Vali ignored it in favor of levelling his gaze with that of Kuroh's. "Better than this? Kuroh, I'm never better, I know you were listening as well. We're all fucked up in some way, and besides he's bound to know the reality of it."
These words, although true, were not enough to dissuade the Samurai butler from his path of anger towards him though. Instead Kuroh stepped forwards himself so that they were within an arm's length of one another."That doesn't mean you just have to straight up tell him." Kuroh countered back at Vali. "He may not be a part of Hellsing, but do not forget that if by breaking his mind and soul, your breaking Asia as well." he sneered, once more raising his new sword towards Vali as it violently crackled with blue energy.
A sneer then plastered itself onto Vali's face, some of his own anger bubbling onto the surface. "Using the girl as leverage, are we? Might I remind you that no matter what happens..." He grasp the blade between, making his hand bleed. "We will have our fated battle, there's no ifs or buts about it." Soon blood slid down his hand, down the blade, towards the hilt even as most of it got charred into smoke and dispersed by the energy. Despite this and the pain registered by his nerve system, Vali ignore it by outright glaring back at his comrade, his Sacred Gear fluttering behind him. "I want him to become strong, strong enough to match me in combat and when that happens, I will finally experience a battle between heavenly dragons."
They both had a stare off between, one who was holding the magnificent sword with his aura surrounding him and the other with diving dividing glowing, ready to be active and used in combat.
Then after a few minutes Kuroh pulled his blade back, sheathing it into the sheathe at his left hip. As much as he wanted to deny it, the man knew very well how he couldn't even HOPE to break the fated battle between the red dragon and white dragon. Not only was it something that had repeated itself over thousands of years (practically throughout human history) but one of them didn't want it to end either. That one loved to fight just like any dragon would, despite not being one himself, even going as far as to subtly manipulate his rival into making him want to pursue the same path for his own survival… made all the worse by the fact that it really WAS his only way to survive.
In an even darker sense, this path was the only one optional to the red dragon emperor because it was expected of him, and not adhering to that expectation may make him look weak in the supernatural community. Pacifism wasn't a thing in this world for a reason, and the only thing explaining why war wasn't occurring between all the factions was the same that could be said why nukes weren't to be used in the cold war between the US and Russia: MOD, mutually assured destruction. As much as the factions hated one another, none of them wanted to destroy not only themselves but the entire world in such a war.
Even with these depressing thoughts, Kuroh managed to retain his stoic expression while stepping back "It doesn't have to be this way Vali. Only one would come out alive, sure, and because of that you don't need to waste your life all because of a dragon's rivalry." Although aware of how futile it was, he nonetheless tried to reason with his fellow comrade. As much as he disliked the annoying bastard, Kuroh refused to desire the male's death.
Theseus wasn't the only one who considered the three of them to be homies for life.
Said silver haired homie merely (and expectedly, to Kuroh's dismay) shook his head and turned to look sideways. "It is not that simple Kuroh." He said softly, surprisingly so which caught the samurai's attention. Vali then looked back to him, his gaze now hard and his voice steel cold like it had been before. "You can't break off dragons rivalry that has been going on for a millennium. Its just like how the older someone is the more set in their ways they become, just look at the older generations in Russia who lived under the soviet union. History always repeats itself, and I intend to become the strongest white dragon emperor in the world, this is just my starting point."
In response, Kuroh tried to not show as much of his emotions that arose from such a declaration while looking to the side. However, try as he might a small hint of sadness escaped onto his face. "If that's what you want….(SIGH), then I won't stop you anymore." In the end, Kuroh did not try to persuade Vali because a fight between the red dragon and white dragon had been installed into his mentality at this point. Considering that Albion had been with him since he was a kid, perhaps it had reached the point of no return long ago. At this point nobody could ever get rid of it, not even Theseus or Alucard. It was bound to happen and nothing can stop it, therefore all he could do was support him form the sidelines.
Now that his companion had been rendered silent in a sort of victory, Vali didn't say anything for a moment before sharpening his eyes. "Now, the die has been cast. The song of battle has been sung and it is now calling Hyoudou to war. Surrounded on all sides by for corruption, sloth and debauchery, the ultimate choice is now presented before him. Issei… how will you respond? I wonder. I have my doubts about your wimpy ass with no direction but towards baser instincts, someone hardly fit to the legacy inherited from birth. Nevertheless, men don't make monsters, monsters make the men. Hard times create strong people, and vice versa. Will you get up after this fall and become a winner… or will you continuously lay pathetically on the hard unforgiving earth as a loser?"
1 day Later
Meredith was sitting behind her desk at her office, crossing her legs while holding a cigar holder as it emits smoke while stoically looking at the brunette red dragon emperor standing in front of her. "Are you sure about this Hyoudou?" She asked the boy, her eyes narrowed like a stern professor lecturing an unruly student. The thing she had heard him state all of a sudden had initially thrown her for a loop, but not only her but also the various Hellsing members surrounding the office's walls, bordering at the various corners. These members consisted of Theseus, Vali, Kuroh and Arthur.
While doing his best to not look as nervous as he felt, Issei stood tall with a matching look of seriousness on him. The brunette firmly nodded his head at the statement she made, reiterating what he had asked that had thrown her off in the beginning. "I'm sure Meredith, this is my final decision I made. Thought long and hard on it last night, and in the morning. I want to….join Hellsing permanently." he declared.
Hearing it for the second time wasn't as shocking as the first, but it did compound the fact that he was not joking into everyones' minds. "Is there a specific reason why I should let you simply join our organization, Hyoudou?" She questioned, leaning forward while taking a huff of her cigar before puffing out smoke. "I'm not convinced to just simply recruit you in an instant. I want to know the truth and I don't want any lies. Speak your words carefully." she stated coldly, her gaze bearing down on him like a hawk focusing on it's prey.
Issei held up his hand and summoned his Sacred gear in a blinding flash. Following this, his four gauntlets (the hand and feet ones) combined with the wings and Tail just appeared on their respective places. Even as she saw them for the upteenth time, it still surprised her inside that the boy had somehow mutated his Sacred Gear into forming all the essential parts needed for combat like some sort of subspecies Sacred Gear. It honestly looked quite interesting, more so than Vali's though she refrained from mentioning that last bit, lest she insult his pride. A dragon scorned did not bode well for anyone, countless stories taught that lesson.
Unaware of her thoughts, Issei looked into her eyes without any trace of doubt within his own, before he opened his mouth once again. "This set of sacred gears I have since birth. I honestly never knew that there were other beings in the world, hiding from plain view. Even the devils as well. This sacred gear…..I doubt it would be enough for me to survive a chance against them. I want to be strong." Lifting his head, had a strong determined on his face. "Strong enough so the supernatural would think twice before messing with me, that I promise."
Meredith stayed quiet for a while, processing the information and declaration that Hyoudou made. She wasn't shocked but can tell there was no lies on his words or any deception in his tone. One of the perks of her training under Sir Integra.
Off to the side, she discreetly noted Vali nodding to himself with a look of satisfaction, making her believe that he had something to do with this development. Judging from the looks on Kuroh and Theseus' faces, she bet they knew this as well.
Returning her gaze to face off against Issei's, she spoke her sentence while leaning forward and putting her hands together which proved slightly more difficult thanks to her holding a cigar in one of them. "I will be frank with you. What you are asking is something far worse than death, the Hellsing organization in public specializes in trading and stock hold operations in London… but that's far from the truth. We are hunters of the supernatural beings, those who dare to attempt to mess with the crown and those who they preside over. We protect the citizens that are under our jurisdiction, no matter the price we have to pay. Wherever we go, blood is always spilled and trails of body are left behind hence why we are known as the bloodiest faction in the world. Every living creature, even the Gods fear us for that reason. But!"
Meredith sharply stopped her sentence before her face darkened and her eyes began to glint.
Issei didn't know why, but at that moment he felt a cold chill of dread run down his spine at the sudden change, one which plummeted the entire atmosphere throughout the office. None of the Hellsing members looked affected by it, making Issei feel like he were a sheep in the midst of a wolf den. What's more, was calling this chill 'cold' felt like an understatement, he couldn't help but compare it to that of the arctic. He'd once been there with his father on a fishing trip, one meant to try and cool Issei off from his usual horniness.
"There is another reason why the meaning of our reputation is this way. You know, don't you? Isn't that right….Ddraig?" She called out the red dragons name.
"… I do."
The red dragon answered Meredith in response, already knowing WHO she's talking about but he dares not say it's name... For he had already experienced encountering the referred monster.
Meredith then promptly withdrew her dark look and leaned back at her chair. "Is there any objections or any seconds thoughts in your mind Issei?" She said his first name.
"….."
Issei did not spoke for a few seconds, debating on his options of joining the most ruthless factions in the world. Some of the worst luck he'd ever had admittingly, but on the other hand he had already made his decision and refused to back down from it. This decision held just as much importance to him as his love of all things oppai, so if he backtracked on it not only would he be insulting his own pride but also his most beloved thing about a babe's body which he could NOT allow.
Aslso this was his way of coping with his own uselessness during the Night Lords incident, of how he had failed to not only save Asia from that fate that befell her but also the countless people whom had been turned into that abominable screaming gallery. He may not have had a hand in it, and like Vali said he may forget about it in time, but Issei currently still felt ashamed that he hadn't noticed anything sooner. If it had been HIS family members who'd been a part of it… Issei didn't want to think about what would happen or his response to it.
With one question in mind brought about by those thoughts, he lifted his head and directly faced Meredith. "I have one question…will my parents be safe? I don't want them be involved with the dark side of the world, I won't forgive myself if anything happens to them." he questioned softly, and in response the auburn haired woman's eyes somewhat softened as well… temporarily. They soon hardened again as she gave a firm nod.
"Your parents will be safe. They will be under Hellsings protection. No one will ever dare harm them as long as we are around. You can be assured that Hellsing never break a promise." Meredith answered him, providing a moment of relief for the brunette when he heard the firm steely conviction in her tone
Well at least his parents are going to be safe under Hellsings protection. That's one less thing to worry about. Part of him also felt relieved in that they wouldn't be sent far from him either, like to somewhere remote or something. As much as he felt that would put them out of harm's way he didn't want them to be out of his life forever either. He'd grow stronger to keep them safe, that would be his motivation, his means of spurring himself forward when things inevitably got tough.
Shaking his head and returned his determination look on his face, Issei once more announced his declaration. "Then I made up my mind. I want to join the Hellsing organization."
Meredith stared at Isse for sometime, contemplating the consequences that this would provide her in the future of which there were many and there were some much graver than others. 'The Shintos will not take kindly to the fact that we have recruited another sacred gear, let alone the red dragon emperor. The presence of both heavenly dragons in their home territory will likely irritate the Shinto Trinity, especially the militaristic ones like Susanoo…' she mentally bemoaned to herself. 'But…' despite the worries blossoming in her chest, the woman let out a small smirk of excitement, one which confused the boy in front of her but she didn't notice that, too preoccupied by her thoughts. Either that or she ignored it. 'In the end this'll make the Hellsing faction more powerful…that is.' She turns her attention to the stoic Vali. She notice his hand was gripping in anticipation and she knew the reason why. 'When Issei is strong enough to match Vali, the two heavenly dragons will battle…..I hope you'll get what you want Vali because if this is what you desire….then all I can do is pray that God is merciful enough to make you the victor.'
It was decided, then. As Meredith stood up and reached out with her right hand, Issei firmly shook it to cement himself as a Hellsing member, a rookie as it were. There would be no going back after this, both of them knew that fact and it impacted them for differing reasons too. The impact for Meredith came in the form of political relations, but she could handle that herself. After all, Susanoo did make the implication that the Shinto's believed Issei had already joined their ranks in their meeting so all she was doing was just making it official. As for Issei, now that he had embarked on this path whether or not it would leave him a shell of his former self would remain to be seen.
Each of the observing agents had their own reactions to the news as well.
For his credit, Kuroh firmly held back his tongue from engaging with the conversation after pulling his eyes away from Vali. The samurai butler honestly had expected much worse for the poor kid after the admonishing that Vali had given him, although he'd later gotten the full story out of the white dragon this morning. Though despite that he had still not changed his thoughts about the whole situation and lamented internally that yet another pure-hearted soul had decided to soil themselves with the supernatural world's corruption, horror and traumatic nature. He could only find solace in that at least Issei's reasons were much more humble and honorable than the majority of theirs. 'Hopefully that stays for a while…'
Inside his head, Vali couldn't help but give off an almost sadistic level of glee at this development as he watched Issei disperse his Sacred Gear parts. 'He should give them a name, just 'boosted gear' doesn't properly provide enough explanation for the phenomenon that he's gone through…' one part of him suggested however Vali ignore it. He didn't care about whatever Issei did with his SG's name, merely that he hadn't betrayed Vali's expectations by wussing out like a little bitch. There will no doubt be times when Issei might regret this decision, but at least now he and Theseus could beat that regret out of him with legitimacy at this point. Pervy bastard was now stuck under their claws, and Vali intended on capitalizing on that with abandon.
Off to the side, Arthur hummed in silent approval of the boy's resolve, his own knightly chivalry approving of his actions. As someone who wished to protect his little sister figure, of whom had been guaranteed safety as a price to pay for him joining the Hellsing ranks, he could sympathesize with Issei's motivations. To protect one's own flock, to put one's life on the line the way he did, the code of chivalry demanded that he respect it… and respect it Arthur would. He looked forward to seeing what would become of the boy in the near future, witnessing it for himself.
Theseus however…
CLAMP!
"Whuh?"
In an instant, the said Shark King appeared behind the brunette with a hand firmly grasping Issei's left shoulder. His bangs shadowed his eyes as a stark darkness covered his face leaving only an ominous presence about him, one which Issei shuddered at the sight of. "You…"
"...Yeah?" Issei lamely tried to say in a manner that did NOT constitute as a squeak of fright… which failed pretty badly since the way Theseus looked right now scared him ironically more than the Night Lords.
The fact that was possible also scared the life outta him.
Said male merely ignored him, and glanced towards the door. He then proceeded to start dragging the brunette towards it, much to Issei's shock as he struggled to escape. Fear flooded his chest at the thought that the blonde male was gonna inflict some sort of hellish experience on him. In a sense, he wasn't all that wrong…
"And what do you think your doing, Theseus?" Fortunately his hope for salvation came in the form of Meredith demanding to know of his intentions with her arms crossed beneath her bosom. The way she tapped her heel-clad foot on the floor further pronounced her dissatisfaction with his conduct.
Instead of answering her, Theseus looked towards her with a blank gaze. One that spoke just as many volumes as words. "Code black: fashion edition." he stated simply like that would solve everything.
"?!"
Something which had an adverse affect on the boys in the room. In an instant Vali and Kuroh appeared on opposite sides of the red dragon emperor, clasping certain parts of his body. Each of them had similar expressions to Theseus too. "Huh?"
"What the shark lover is saying…"
"Is that we need to edhgify this plain ass tramp."
Kuroh provided the start to this statement with a cold, almost robotic tone whilst Vali ended it with a similar one, each of the three males looking down at the helpless-looking Issei who whimpered under them, feeling an immense wave of pressure slam onto his shoulders alongside the worry in his gut about what these three would do to him. "...Meep." he weakly whimpered, looking towards Meredith with a gaze that practically screamed 'HELP ME!' to her.
A gaze… which went unanswered as Meredith's eyes lit in understanding. She immediatelyimmediately lost her aggravated posture and turned away, making the 'shoo' gesture with her left hand. "Ah, then do what you will."
"No, no, NOOOOOOOOOO!"
With his final hope for salvation doused, Issei wailed all the way to the door which Theseus kicked open. He then pulled the kicking and screaming brunette out with Vali and Kuroh following suit, closing the door behind them.