Chapter One

Awakening

He awoke one morning as it were any other. Though today was a Saturday. The end of the week some would say. For him, however, it was another day, another opportunity to harness the power of the eternal gains.

"Sweetie, are you awake yet? Would you like your usual breakfast?" a kind voice asked through his bedroom door.

"Yeah… Yeah… If you don't mind. Thanks, Mom." He replied, his voice a solid masculine tone that weighed heavily throughout the room. His mother hummed happily as she continued down the hall and her footsteps faded down the stairs. But suddenly they came rushing back.

"Oh, and Zebulon, don't forget that you start school on Monday!" his mother called. Zebulon sighed and nodded as he pushed his blonde hair back across his head. The longest part grew from the top of his head while the rest was shaved short. His emerald green eyes bore a tired but determined stare.

"Yeah, I remember. Dammit…" Zebulon muttered. Again his mother left him to his devices and headed downstairs. Zebulon stood up and grabbed a fresh set of workout clothes from his wardrobe. Shorts, a muscle tank top, and his favorite hat. A black snapback with a golden crown on it. The hat could wait, though, as he opened the door to the hallway. Said doorway was almost too thin to fit his huge, muscly frame through. It was also almost too short for someone standing as tall as he.

Dad really did have to pick the cheapest house he could find… Zebulon tried not to dwell on the thought. For a billionaire, his father was cheap. Cheaper than anyone else could possibly be. His mother had to convince him to buy the mansion they lived in back in the U.S., but once his business took him overseas, it was downhill from there. Of course, he made exceptions for his loved ones, but anything else was as cheap as could be.

Well, he does shove most of his earnings back into his businesses. They function better under higher taxes when he and his Board aren't raking in all the profits for themselves. Zebulon thought. Despite his father's habits, it helped teach Zebulon and his siblings about saving money. Except, of course, those lessons fell on mostly deaf ears. A quadruplet of girls had almost ignored his lessons. Yes. Zebulon had four sisters.

Four.

"There he is! Zeb!"

Before he could walk the three feet down the hall to the bathroom, two of the other four doors down the hall had opened and two very similar looking girls were leaning out into the hall. Brunettes with green eyes, like his. He happened to be the only one to inherit their mother's blonde hair. Zebulon turned around in the narrow hallway, almost getting his shoulders stuck in the process.

"Yeah?" he responded tiredly. The pair walked up to him and the first one pouted. He could tell right away it was Gina.

"You're off to the gym again, aren't you?" Gina asked impatiently. Zebulon nodded but stayed silent. After a moment her sister chimed in.

"You did this back home, too! Don't you want to go out and see the city? We're in Japan!" Hayley exclaimed. She was always too bubbly for Zebulon's liking, but since she was his sister he never said anything. That and he would hate to see her upset. Any of them, really.

"Just let him go. You knew he was going to do this." Kayla sighed as she exited her room. Her hair was cut in a slight bob, making her easier to identify than Gina and Hayley, who wore their hair similarly. The fourth door opened and a very tired fourth sister exited.

"Why are you three so loud? If Zebulon was the only one talking it'd at least be soothing." Sydney said with a yawn. Her haircut was similar to Zebulon's. She approached and gently hugged Zebulon. All of them were shorter than him by an entire foot and then some. He put an arm around Sydney and sighed calmly.

"Here it comes…" Gina whispered to her other sisters. They watched giddily as Sydney looked up at Zebulon with her big eyes and pouted.

"Zeb, please come along with us today? I won't feel safe without you around." She said and tugged on his t-shirt.

Dammit… Zebulon glanced down at the bundle of clothes in his hand, then back to Sydney. He sighed and glanced at the other three.

"Alright… let me get some different clothes. I'll wait for you guys downstairs after I shower…" Zebulon caved. Sydney smiled and tightened her grip for a moment. The other three celebrated their victory silently. He gently moved away and headed back into his room before heading into the bathroom. Once inside, and after he closed the door, he groaned lightly.

"… It's always them hoping Syd manipulates me… and it works…"

Dressed and repressing the urge to change out of his jeans and camo hoodie, Zebulon patiently waited for his sisters while watching random programs on TV. Spring was just cool enough for him to wear something a bit warmer. As he stared blankly at a weird Japanese game show, his mother rounded the corner from the kitchen with a plate full of eggs and ham and a tall glass of a protein shake.

"Here you are, sweetie- Oh, I thought you were going to the gym?" His mother handed him his breakfast and he chuckled. He slid forward on the couch and put his plate on the long coffee table.

"Syd convinced me to tag along with everyone while they explored the town." Zebulon said and took a long sip of his shake. His mother leaned down and kissed the top of his head.

"Good. That makes me feel better. I'm sure Syd will be glued to your side." His mother said and turned to head back into the kitchen.

"She's been getting better. A bit less introverted now. But I'll watch." Zebulon said before she left the room. He saw her smile out of the corner of his eye and then head back into the kitchen. She muttered something about her wonderful children and started clanging around in the kitchen. Zebulon started eating and kept watching whatever wacky show was on. He didn't understand a damn thing about what was going on, but found it mildly entertaining.

"Oh, he's in the living room."

Zebulon turned his head while stuffing his face to see a freshly dressed Sydney poking her head into the living room. She smiled slightly and came around to join him on the couch. She was dressed almost exactly the same as him, aside from her pink sneakers differing from his black ones.

"I had a feeling you might wear your big camo hoodie. Now we match!" Sydney giggled as she sat down. She leaned her head on his shoulder while he continued eating. He nodded and smiled internally. She liked copying him. Sometimes he thought he was the older one. But the quadruplets were a few years older than him.

"All that matters is that you like it. They let you get ready first?" Zebulon wondered, glancing again to see their mother sneak a look at them. He gently put his arm around Sydney's shoulders and she smiled as she used his shoulder like a pillow.

"Gina said I should so I can wait with you." Sydney said tiredly. He chuckled at her response and kicked back a little after wolfing down his breakfast.

"Course she did…" Zebulon muttered and they fell silent. Together they waited for their other siblings. He knew Sydney would rather just sit here on the couch all day with him. If he could, he would probably do just that, every day after the gym. Sydney eventually pulled her phone out and started browsing the internet. Then, after becoming bored of it, decided to trace the lines in Zebulon's palm. Soon enough the rest of the sisters came downstairs in various outfits ranging from cute to plain. Zebulon stood up with Sydney still stuck to his arm.

"Ready to go? First stop is the MALL!" Gina exclaimed and whipped the front door open. Zebulon sighed with a grin and followed his sisters out the door. He waved to their mother and closed the door.

"Oh my god, this is so cute!"

Zebulon poked at a shelf full of various figurines while his sisters browsed around in the store. They had even managed to pry Sydney off of his arm. It gave him a moment of peace. But he was certainly the center of attention for the other customers. As if they had never seen a man the size of Zebulon before. A very small Japanese woman stood behind the counter he was standing next to. He glanced over to see her reaching out to poke his arm. Having been caught, the clerk pulled her hand back in a hurry. Zebulon sighed and looked out the window past the overly-busty figurines.

I guess I'll just have to put in extra work tomorrow. Dad also sent me some documents to look over. Mom won't be happy… how many times has she gone off about me finishing school before helping with the corporation? Like six? I don't get it. I get good grades. I'll get a business degree. Easy peasy. Whatever… What's taking them-?

He cut his thoughts short as something stuck out to him beyond the shop window. A small patch of landscaping with some crummy bushes dotting it. Among the bushes, something glimmered slightly in the sunlight. Zebulon glanced back to see the girls still preoccupied by handbags.

Hmm… maybe I'm seeing shit. But I kind of want to see if there's something there. He thought. With a shrug he gave into curiosity and walked out of the store without a sound. Upon approaching the bushes, it turned out he was right. There, in a small divot in the dirt, sat an orange ball. It glimmered slightly, almost as if a campfire burned within it. Again, his curiosity got the best of him and Zebulon crouched down to pick it up. It hummed in his right hand as he ran his thumb over its smooth surface.

"Huh… is it radiating… heat? What the hell is this thing?" Zebulon mumbled as he turned it over.

"Zebulon!?"

Quickly, Zebulon looked around for the source of his sister's voice. He saw them trailing out of the store, looking around for him. Looking back at the orb, or what should have been the orb, Zebulon only found his hand. The object had vanished like it had never even existed. Only a warm sensation was left in his hand. He shrugged and stood from the bushes.

"Oh, there you are! What were you doing in there?" Hayley asked as the four approached. Zebulon dusted himself off and shrugged.

"Eh, I thought I saw something. Turns out I've just become an idiot who goes diving into bushes for no reason." Zebulon said sarcastically. His sisters giggled and Sydney took hold of his arm again.

"You would think it would be hard to lose a six foot eight dude in Japan…" Gina mumbled and shook her head.

"I know, right? Like, how did we miss him walking out the door? The frame should have bent to let him out." Hayley giggled. The girls shared her laughter and Zebulon grinned a bit at their teasing.

"Sorry, I would've said something but you all looked very interested in those… Oh hell, you all bought a handbag?" Zebulon wondered. He reached down and pulled a receipt out of Kayla's bag. She tried to snatch it out of his hand, but Zebulon simply brought it up to eye level. Where they could not reach.

"Uh oh…" Hayley muttered. Sydney kept holding onto his arm but grew shy. Zebulon stared at the obnoxiously large number for payment and did the conversion to USD in his head.

"This is for one handbag. TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS!?" Zebulon exclaimed. He gave Kayla her receipt, stepped back, and stared the four of them down.

"They were nice…" Gina mumbled. Zebulon sighed and rubbed the stress from his forehead.

"I understand you want nice things. Just be careful you aren't so superfluous with your spending habits. Dad will cut you all off if he thinks you're wasting your allowances. And don't think he doesn't share that information with me. Managing money is half the battle when it comes to starting and sustaining a business, or one's own lifestyle." Zebulon chided, pointing at each of them individually. Gina and Haley rolled their eyes while Kayla and Sydney nodded slightly.
"We get it, DAD!" Gina mocked and stuck her tongue out. Zebulon sighed as they all giggled again.

"But… sometimes, if you want quality and to ensure that everyone is equally satisfied with a transaction, you have to… pay up a bit. Which means I'll tell dad that you all bought them for their quality and that they were worth the excessive price tag." Zebulon said with a sly grin. His sisters smiled at him and started walking towards the next shop over. Zebulon started after them but soon noticed Sydney falling behind.

"Hey!"

Zebulon whirled around in an instant to see two random men flanking Sydney. She was struggling against one of them as he gripped her arm. Zebulon approached, towering over them like a skyscraper. The other girls rushed up behind him, having noticed their sister's cry.

"Excuse me, but would you mind letting her go?" Zebulon asked calmly. Sydney finally pulled away and rushed behind Zebulon as the two men were noticeably stunned by Zebulon's appearance.

"Uh… w-what's it to you? Shit! Where'd she go?" one of the men exclaimed. The other simply nodded silently. Zebulon sighed and crossed his massive arms. Each one was wider than most tree branches.

"It's rude to assault someone while they're peacefully minding their own business. Which is why I'm giving you a chance to peacefully mind your own business." Zebulon said, eyes narrowed in anger. The two nodded and quickly rushed off in another direction.

"Aw man, I thought we were gonna see them get decked…" Gina whined as Zebulon turned around to face them. He shook his head with a grin as Sydney hung onto his arm again.

"If they had given me any trouble, then I would've." Zebulon said as they began walking again.

"You should be more dominant sometimes, Zeb. Really crack some skulls!" Haley said, punching her fist into her hand. Zebulon sighed through his nose.

"Don't say that… at all. Ever."

Two Days Later…

Zebulon somewhat disliked getting up earlier than necessary. But his parents wanted him to have a proper education, and the marks students received at Kuoh were something to behold. But he went through his morning routine up until he had to get dressed. He remembered the look on the school official's face when he walked through the man's office door. The school official said they would have to request that clothes be made for him. Thus, Zebulon swore he had the largest school uniform of all the students. So, he dressed himself and headed downstairs to get breakfast.

As he turned the corner and stuffed himself through the kitchen doorway, a delightful smell entered his nostrils. To his surprise, Sydney was at the stove with their mother, happily cooking eggs and bacon.

"Oh there he is! Look how handsome he is in that uniform!" their mother said excitedly. Her brown eyes lit up seeing her son all dressed and ready to go. Zebulon sighed as he managed to not snap the chair at the kitchen table when he sat down.

"The damn shirt and jacket are still tight… I swear, they must have thought they were tailoring a uniform for a monster." Zebulon said with an annoyed grunt. His mother giggled as she set a tall glass of milk down in front of him. Sydney smiled widely as she turned around and set a plate full of delicious looking breakfast foods down in front of him. Surprised, he did not touch it at first.

"Syd, since when did you start cooking?" Zebulon wondered. He decided to dive in and was pleasantly surprised to find it was just as good as their mother's cooking.

"Well… since mom and dad said I don't have to go to college or anything… I kind of want to be a housewife. So mom decided to teach me how to cook and all the things she takes care of around the house. So I'm going to test my wifely skills on my cute little brother!" Sydney said innocently. Zebulon coughed whilst consuming some eggs and took a moment to settle himself.

Hmm… I wonder if she knows how that sounds?

"Is… that okay, Zeb?"

Zebulon looked up to see his sister's doe-eyes and sighed. She seemed adamant about whatever absurd idea she had almost literally cooked up.

"Yeah I suppose that's cool. Just don't make it weird." Zebulon said tiredly. Sydney cheered quietly and went back to the stove. It seemed she was cooking for the whole family.

"There he is! How's the fit, son?" a man's voice asked from the doorway. Zebulon sighed and rolled his shoulder to exaggerate the tightness around his shoulders.

"Still not quite loose enough, dad. I wish they'd have opened the shoulders and sleeves more. My biceps are going to split this thing open at this rate." Zebulon said. He had not quite put his uniform on 'properly' per-say. He left the shirt undone and simply wore a camo t-shirt underneath. His jacket was just barely on and was the tightest part of the whole uniform.

"Well, I think when it warms up more they'll let you take the coat off. Oh, something smells good. Helen, is Sydney over there cooking?" Zebulon's father wondered. He was a tall, well-built man in a fine, dark brown suit. While he looked stunningly like Zebulon, with similar green eyes and the same masculine jawline, it his father who bore the brown hair his sisters inherited.

"Yes dear, our little girl wants to be a housewife. She said she'd use Zebulon as a 'stand- in husband'!" Helen laughed. Zebulon hung his head and contemplated a lobotomy via stainless steel fork. Sydney giggled quietly and prepared a plate for their father. He smiled and set his business card stack down on the table and readied himself for breakfast.

"How delightful! But I don't know how good of a stand-in Zebulon is. Unless, Sydney, do you like muscular men?" Robert wondered. Their father's name was on his business card. Robert Crossworth, enterpriser, business mogul, entrepreneur. Asshole.

"Dad! No, I'm not super attracted to guys with bodies like Zebulon… Maybe more like your friend uh, what's his name? The Australian?" Sydney wondered. Zebulon sighed and finished his breakfast.

"Heathcliff? Really? He's almost as tall as me. Not to mention he's absolutely insane." Zebulon said with a chuckle. Sydney giggled.

"Oh come on, we both watched him kick three guys in the head simultaneously. So cool and free-spirited… I wonder how he's doing?" Sydney daydreamed. Zebulon stood up and grabbed his bag.

"I'm not texting him in your stead. No, you can't have his number either. I'm headed to school, thanks for breakfast, it was great." Zebulon said abruptly and started towards the door. He was waylaid by Sydney, however, whom demanded a hug before he left.

"Come here… I'm gonna miss having my little brother around every day. So I want a hug every, single, day." Sydney said with a pout. Zebulon sighed with a small smile and gently hugged her. She made a small noise of happiness and squeezed him. After they parted, Zebulon cracked open the front door with a big grin and stepped outside.

"Here I go… again… dammit."

The walk to school seemed almost short. Or maybe it was because he covered a lot of distance very easily. Either way, Zebulon had made it there in record time. Students were flooding into the gates and many of them stopped to stare as he approached. A massive, daunting, and hulking man was Zebulon. He towered over his peers like no other and outweighed four of them put together, but most of it was his densely packed muscle from years of weight training and bodybuilding. However, he simply did not need steroids at any point to achieve his size. Most of it was genetic, surprisingly enough. Both of his grandfathers had been renowned Strongmen. So it was only natural that Zebulon attempted to catch up to them.

They must think a monster is invading. Zebulon thought with a grin as he walked through the throngs of students. He made it to the main building and stopped as three young men were barring the doors he wanted to use. They were seemingly hitting on two girls that they managed to also stop from entering the building. The boys saw him approaching and slowly stopped talking. Confused, the girls turned to see what had cast a shadow over them.

"Excuse me, might I go in?" Zebulon asked politely. The three boys nodded vigorously and jumped out of his way. The two girls were about to step away when he gestured to the doors.

"Please, ladies first." He said and opened one of the doors for them. They smiled and bowed multiple times as they entered. Zebulon smiled as he ducked inside and bumped the other door with his shoulder on the way in.

"Holy crap it's Godzilla!" a voice to his right exclaimed. Zebulon turned his head to see a small man with light hair standing with two girls wearing glasses. He grinned and gently bowed his head to them.

"Morning ladies, gent, unfortunately I'm not a city-leveling monster. Just a very… very large person." Zebulon said with a chuckle. The young man settled down and wiped his brow.

"Oh man… I thought I was a goner for sure. What made you so big?" the boy wondered. Zebulon shrugged and grinned at them.

"Genetics and a lot of time in the gym. I have to harness the power of the eternal gains. Strength is all in here and here." Zebulon said and pointed to his head and heart. With that, he continued on into the school, leaving the trio a bit bamboozled. He was like a walking landmark. Everywhere he went, someone could spot him. Stealth was not a vital part of his experience.

Hnnnghh, Colonel, I'm trying to sneak around, but I'm DUMMY THICC. Fuck you, Heath… Zebulon continued up the stairs, taking up the whole width of them, and soon found his classroom. However, upon further examination, he was going to have the very difficult experience of shoving himself through such a small door.

"Ah shit… here we go again." Zebulon sighed and slid the door open. He attempted to duck inside but found himself too wide in either direction to do so. He glanced at the shabby metal that split the two sliding doors.

Whoops… Zebulon simply put his hand on the metal and bent the damn thing out of his way. It was like a cartoon character trying to open up the little hole closing in on them at the end of the show, like a Looney Toon. Once he simply, and literally, bent the world to his will, Zebulon entered the room. The entire class had watched the ordeal. Their confused and somewhat terrified stares were entertaining to him. Zebulon walked in and took an empty seat in the back, which creaked and groaned like it was going to snap at any moment. He made a mental note to ask the administration to get him one with a higher weight rating. Also to apologize for the door frame.

"If giants are real, I think he'd be one of them." A delicate voice to his right said. Zebulon chuckled and turned to see something that stunned him in turn for once. Two of the most gorgeous girls he had ever met were sitting just to his right. One with ruby red hair, the other with gorgeous, purple-hued raven colored hair. Each with sizeable assets. Zebulon blinked away his surprise and grinned.

"I may as well be. My grandfathers were quite literally two of the strongest men in the world at one point. But don't let that scare you, I'm not quite so intimidating." Zebulon stated and put forth his warmest smile. The pair glanced at each other before smiling.

"Hm, you actually seem very nice. My name is Akeno, what's yours?" Akeno wondered, bowing slightly in her chair. Zebulon smiled. He wondered if this was his chance to make a few new friends in a new place. He turned and gently extended his massive right arm for a handshake.

"I am Zebulon Crossworth, but if it's easier for you, call me Zeb. Pleasure to meet you." Zebulon said. Akeno smiled and gently took his hand. She jumped a little as he did his best to gently shake it.

"Oh, my…" Akeno mumbled. Zebulon quickly let go and hung his head a moment.

"Sorry, did I hurt you? I know I can be a little rough without trying." Zebulon said quickly and clasped his hands together. From the corner of his eye he saw Akeno shake her head.

"No, not at all. I was a little surprised with how gentle you are." Akeno commented. But before Zebulon could respond, the redhead spoke up.

"Hmm, I think I know the name Crossworth. Is your father Robert Crossworth?" She asked suddenly. Zebulon turned to regard her and grinned.

"Yes ma'am. That's him. Why, are your parents in the investment and marketing industries? International realty? Tech design and research? Construction and infrastructure?" Zebulon rattled off a few of the branches of society his father's business dabbled in. The redhead continued to nod as he listed off each one.

"Yes and yes. I'm Rias Gremory, perhaps you've heard our name before?" Rias wondered with a warm smile. Zebulon leaned back in his chair to think for a moment.

"Rias' family is involved in everything around here. Her father is even on the school board for the academy." Akeno commented. Her comment, however, struck a bell in Zebulon's mind as he remembered the school official he talked to before transferring.

"Oh, that Mr. Gremory? He thought I was going to eat him when we talked. I simply needed a uniform made for me because the triple XL size was about big enough to fit my dad, but not me. Huh, I did know the name but I did not recognize him. I met a different Gremory a few years ago on my father's business trip to France. A bit younger than your father, if I remember right." Zebulon explained with a hearty chuckle. He gently slapped his hand down on his desk, which loosened a bolt and made the whole thing collapse. He stared at it for a moment and sighed.

"Oh, that must have been my brother. Don't worry about the desk, I'm sure father will be happy to get you something sturdier. That chair also looks extremely stressed." Rias commented. Just as soon as she was done speaking, the thin, hollow metal legs of Zebulon's chair snapped under his weight and he hit the floor with a loud thud.

"Oh my, Zebulon, not to be rude, but how much do you weigh?" Akeno asked, getting up and offering him a hand. Zebulon started laughing heartily as he accepted her hand and stood up.

"Around four hundred and thirty three pounds, or just around I think one hundred and ninety six kilograms? Somewhere in there, I believe. I haven't checked in a while. For some reason I'm the same size as most strongmen tend to be by the time they're twenty-five." Zebulon said as he crouched down and began picking up the pieces of his desk and chair. He piled them together and sighed as their teacher finally walked in. The man looked at the class and grinned lazily, waving at them.

"Yo, kiddos… I'm here to… yo, big guy, you okay back there?" the overtly chill teacher wondered, seeing the remains of Zebulon's seat. Zebulon shook his head and slowly made his way to the front of the class. He towered over the teacher and smiled at him.

"Not exactly, sir. It seems my chair could not withstand my weight. Might I go talk with the administration to request a sturdier one? I understand it's my first day but, I should have expected this." Zebulon said quietly. The teacher nodded and gave him a thumb-up.

"Yeah, sure man. You got it." The teacher said and gestured to the door. Zebulon nodded and bowed slightly as he walked off to the doorway he had already bent open to accommodate his size.

"Be right back."

That man reeked of weed… Zebulon thought, waving his hand in front of his nose as he walked. The hall was just wide enough for him to walk through normally without blocking off the whole thing. He reached the meeting room he had been invited to previously and knocked on the door. It gently opened to reveal one Mr. Gremory, alone in the space. The man grinned upon being greeted by Zebulon's hulking chest in the doorway.

"Oh, hello Crossworth. What can I do for you?" Mr. Gremory asked. Zebulon leaned down and grinned a bit sheepishly.

"Sorry to bother, but I came to ask you if it would be possible to acquire for me a sturdier desk and chair? They um… broke. Oh, and I may have… uh, had to bend the doorframe to get into the classroom." Zebulon said quietly. A guilty grin plastered his face. Mr. Gremory kept smiling as he digested the news.

"You… bent the door frame? Crossworth, those are made of high-grade steel to withstand the architecture of the building. Yet… you bent it?" Mr. Gremory wondered. Zebulon nodded shamefully and sighed.

"Yes, I understand sir, and I'm very sorry. I honestly did not expect the doorways to be so small. I should have asked about the desk and chair before, as well. That is something I should have expected." Zebulon said, bowing his head. Mr. Gremory was silent for a moment before he burst out laughing.

"Ah, I'm sorry. That's just hilarious. Come on then, let's get you a new desk and chair." Mr. Gremory said after his laughter died down. He patted Zebulon on the arm as he slipped past and started walking down the hall. Zebulon turned and followed him, surprised by the man's uncaring disposition. He was not at all upset with Zebulon, which confused him.

"I'm sorry, but you're not upset?" Zebulon wondered. Mr. Gremory shrugged and casually stuck his hands in his pockets as he walked.

"What's there to be upset about? It's not your fault that you don't fit. Frankly, I find it hilarious, no offense. It's not like you're rampaging around the school," Mr. Gremory said. They approached a doorway and he flung it open to reveal a stash of bigger, sturdier, and well-designed desks and chairs.

"Here you are. These were shipped here on mistake when the school shifted from girls-only to co-ed. Many of the ladies running the show here were scared that behemoths like you were going to come and smash things to bits. Little did we know that their fears would not go unrequited." Mr. Gremory chuckled. Zebulon stepped in and picked up a set for himself.

"Well, I best be getting back to class then. But, uh, what of the doorway?" Zebulon wondered. Mr. Gremory waved an uncaring hand at him.

"Bah, who cares? Leave it. Break the door off if you have to. I'll have it resized at some point…" Mr. Gremory said as they left the room. He closed the door with a bang and, to his surprise, that one fell off its mounting. They shared a look before chuckling and continuing back down the hall.

"Alrighty then, many thanks and do take care." Zebulon said as he left Mr. Gremory at his office. The man waved a bit and called out to him.

"Sure thing, and tell my little Rias I said hi!"

Zebulon grinned and nodded to him. He enjoyed the heartfelt, sweetening of the man's tone when talking about his daughter. He returned to his classroom in time to see the first official class starting. But he accidentally interrupted it as he set his new desk down through the door, followed by the chair. He squeezed through the bent frame again and gently moved his desk and chair back over to his spot. He cleared away the debris of his previous chair, bless its soul, and set the new one in its place.

"There we are. Now then… what class is this?" Zebulon wondered, pulling his bag up off the floor and hanging it on his new desk. The new stuff was quite a bit sturdier than the last set. His bag, however, was still comically small in comparison to him.

"Um, English, actually. I don't think you'll have a hard time with this." Akeno whispered as she leaned over. Zebulon smiled and took a moment to admire her. He remembered how she was a bit taller and bigger than most of the girls. It was something he liked.

Most girls are way too small compared to me. I keep thinking I'm going to crush them. She looks a bit sturdier, despite how gentle she appears to be. Zebulon thought, mostly innocently. He kept those thoughts to the back of his mind as he gently pulled his English book out and flipped it open. He grabbed a pencil as well and gently held it between two fingers. He heard what sounded like someone spitting out their drink and turned to see Akeno and Rias holding in their laughter.

Oh dear… Zebulon sighed quietly. The pencil was also comically small in his hand, despite the fact that he bought large ones on purpose. He shook his head and decided it was time to up the ante. He pulled out a foot-long pencil that was around two inches in diameter and replaced his other pencil with it. The girls were now dying of silent laughter in their seats.

"This is going to be a long day…"

Later…

Gym class came along and Zebulon patiently waited for everyone else to exit the room before bringing up the rear. He jammed himself through the bent doorway and followed everyone down to the locker rooms. But there was an issue. As a male and female gym teacher approached, they noticed Zebulon standing outside the boys' locker room.

"Uh, sorry, but I don't think I'll fit in this door. Is there a larger one?" Zebulon asked, pointing to the small door. He heard laughter as the door to the girls' locker room closed off to the right. The male gym teacher, Mr. Yamato, sighed and nodded glumly.

"Yeah, come on, ya' King Kong…"

Zebulon chuckled as he followed the man out a pair of double doors into the gymnasium where a large opening in the wall led to the locker room. Zebulon gave him a thumb-up and walked in to find a locker. He re-dressed himself in the gym uniform, though his shirt was far too tight compared to his shorts. It showed off his slightly round gut.

"Damn. Shirt's too small…" Zebulon mumbled as he turned around. He noticed something odd, though. Two boys were huddled near the far side of the room with their faces firmly planted against the wall. They were whispering things to one another.

"Move over, I can't see!"

"Screw you, man, I found this peep-hole."

"Oh, so that's what's occupying you two?"

The boys froze in fear as they turned to see Zebulon towering over them. He was not happy. He leaned down and glared at them in turn.

"Oh, hey new guy… wanna… wanna see some glorious hotties in their skimpy underwear?" one boy asked, a terrified but lewd grin plastered on his face. Zebulon shook his head and grabbed both of them by the back of the collars. They pleaded for their lives as he dragged them out of the locker room and approached Mr. Yamato with them, just in time for the girls to finish up and exit their room into the gym as well.

"Mr. Yamato," Zebulon said sternly, attracting the man's attention. He held up the two boys who were now crying for mercy.

"These two had apparently either found, or created a small hole in the wall between the locker rooms. I'm sure you can glean some details of what that implies for yourself." Zebulon said, dropping them on their butts. The boys bowed to Mr. Yamato who sighed and shook his head at them. Gasps and murmurs filled with disgust and anger came from the girls behind him.

"Yep, these two are known for that. I'll have it plugged up before class is over. Thanks, Crossworth." Mr. Yamato said. Zebulon shrugged, having expected something a bit more severe to punish them. But when he looked down at the despair in their eyes, he knew that covering the hole was punishment enough for them. Zebulon chuckled and walked away. However, he was waylaid by both Rias and Akeno who each grabbed one of his arms. Some of the other girls approached as well and smiled up at him. Zebulon blushed and grinned nervously.

"Ah, hehe… um… what's uh, what's up? I know I grabbed those two idiots but this seems a little unnecessary." Zebulon said as he was swarmed by the girls.

"Oh my god, what's your name? You're so much cooler than I thought."

"He's such a gentleman. He put those creeps in their place."

"A bit handsome too, isn't he?"

"He's so tall…"

"Uh… um…" Zebulon was a bit befuddled. Several of the girls were simultaneously complimenting him or trying to ask him questions. Luckily Rias and Akeno quickly pulled him away from the congregation, much to the rest of the girls' displeasure. The group groaned as he was dragged off.

"You look a bit overwhelmed. I bet you didn't expect that reaction." Rias said with a giggle as she let him go and they sat on a bench. Zebulon nodded and leaned on his knee as he rubbed his head.

"A lot of the guys around here aren't that brave or forthcoming. I guess that makes you stand out, a gentle giant if you will…" Akeno giggled, patting his back. Zebulon shook off his confusion and shock. He grinned and turned to her.

"I remember you saying how surprised you were, shaking my hand. I have four older sisters, so I kind of had to learn how to be gentle with them, being as strong as I am. Not that they're weak, but that I didn't want to hurt them. So it's kind of in my nature to be like this. They always kept girls away from me, so I kept the idiotic boys away from them." Zebulon said and relaxed a bit. He felt Akeno move her hand to his wrist and squeeze it. She leaned in close and poked his reddened cheek.

"Aw, how sweet. You're just a big giant teddy bear…" Akeno giggled and continued to prod at him a bit. Zebulon gently pushed her hand away and smiled. He was a bit embarrassed but at least they were not being mean.

"I agree. You look very huggable as well. I'm a bit jealous of those sisters of yours." Rias said with a laugh. Akeno giggled again and even Zebulon chuckled.

"Good luck getting past them. If they even saw Akeno right now they might throw her off." Zebulon said and rubbed his face. He continued to catch glances from several of the girls and lots of the guys as they started stretching. He sighed and stood up, popping a few vertebrae in his back as he did so.

"I guess we ought to join them. Zebulon, how do you feel about helping us stretch?" Rias asked with a grin. Zebulon innocently smiled, not recognizing the hidden intention behind her smile. He nodded and rolled some stress out of his neck.

"Sure thing! Who's first?" Zebulon asked as they rejoined the rest of the class. Akeno bounced as her hand shot up first. He chuckled and turned to regard her.

"Me, me!" Akeno exclaimed, sticking her tongue out at the disappointed Rias. Zebulon simply grinned and crouched down behind her as she sat down to do a stretch. He gently pushed on her back to help her stretch and she groaned as he did so.

"You okay? I'm not pushing too hard?"

"No… but I don't think anyone else could stretch me out like that except you…" Akeno said suggestively as he released her. Zebulon's face contorted in confusion and slightly embarrassment as he tried to ignore how she sounded. He helped her stand up and she winced, rubbing her back.

"Ow, ugh, my lower-back always hurts…" Akeno whined. Zebulon panicked for a moment and helped hold her up straight.

"Hold on, let me see if I can help…" Zebulon said and gently pushed his knuckles into the muscles of her back. He put a tentative hand on her stomach and began massaging the stress out of her. Akeno almost moaned as he did so and he had the decency to blush.

"Uhhhhhhh…. That's amazing… You're so strong. Please do my shoulders!" Akeno exclaimed, her eyes rolling back as relaxation hit her. Zebulon smiled innocently again and nodded. At this point, several people were watching him and he was starting to get a little uneasy about it.

This must seem weird but… she's so tense in her back and shoulders. I wonder how much she works out? She doesn't seem super muscular but I can definitely feel how strong she is. AHH, NO, BAD THOUGHTS! Zebulon cooled his jets as he gently massaged the stress out of Akeno's shoulders. She groaned as he pressed around her neck and felt some of the tension leave her body. After a moment he found a very impatient Rias to his right who moved her hair out from behind her back.

"Akeno, stop hogging him. My boobs make my back and shoulders sore, too." Rias stated bluntly. Zebulon cleared his throat to stop himself from either cracking up or dying of embarrassment. Akeno giggled as he released her and sighed in relief.

"Oh I couldn't help myself… his big hands are so strong, they just lifted all that stress off of me…" Akeno sighed happily. Zebulon blushed a bit and soon realized he had done that automatically. His eyes widened as he started to panic.

"O-Oh shit… I'm sorry, I should have asked first… I just started doing that without thinking!" Zebulon exclaimed, bowing his head to Akeno. She giggled and patted his shoulder.

"It's fine! You didn't hear me complaining, did you?" Akeno responded. Zebulon breathed a sigh of relief as he turned to Rias.

"Ah… okay, but I'll be sure to ask next time. My sisters always said I should ask to touch a girl before doing so… I mean, there is a grey area there but still… Anyway, Rias, is it okay if I touch you?" Zebulon asked, red-faced and embarrassed beyond belief. Rias giggled and turned her back to him. He admired her for a moment before snapping out of it.

"Yes, please. If you can make Akeno that relaxed I'd like to be as well…" Rias said with a smile. Zebulon nodded and crouched down, since Rias was much smaller than him.

"Okay, here I go. Let me know if anything hurts." Zebulon said. Rias nodded as he went to work again. But after a few seconds she almost melted in his hands. Rias shuddered as tension was released from her back and shoulders as he moved up. But once his thumbs pressed on her neck, Rias moaned a bit and then squeaked in embarrassment. Zebulon quickly removed his hands.

"Sorry, did I hit a sensitive spot?"

"You sure did… her neck is one of her sweet spots." Akeno whispered next to him. Zebulon looked down at her in confusion for a moment before the realization hit him. Rias glared at Akeno through her blush.

"Ah… I um… we should catch up with the others…" Zebulon muttered, flustered, as he up and walked off towards the rest of the class. Rias walked up to Akeno and bonked her on the head.

"Ow!"

"Dammit! Can't you keep your mouth shut!? Now he's embarrassed!"

"Sorry… but he's just too cute not to tease…"

Even Later…

Zebulon managed to make it through the rest of the day without breaking anything else in the building, much to his surprise. His comically large pencil had held out through the day and he gently placed it back in his bag. He did everything with the thought of accidentally breaking it in mind. With a satisfied sigh, he picked up his bag and got ready to leave as the bell rang. But as he waited for everyone to leave, as he normally did, he noticed two people did not go ahead of him. He turned around to see Rias and Akeno flanking him.

"Oh hey, what's up? You two can go ahead, it's going to take me a sec to get through the doorway." Zebulon said with a goofy grin. The girls giggled and stepped past him and over to the door.

"Okay, but we wanted to thank you for earlier. So, would you mind coming along with us?" Rias asked with a sultry grin. Again, Zebulon failed to recognize whatever nefarious intentions were hidden in their smiles and nodded.

"Sure, but you don't have to do anything for me. I like helping people out." Zebulon said, jamming himself through the doorway. Akeno giggled at him and half-heartedly tugged on his arm to help him through. He chuckled and stepped out into the hallway.

"Oh, but we wanted to. Come on, it'll be fun!" Akeno said, her wicked grin giving Zebulon a jolt in his head. He decided to think for once.

Huh… I wonder what they're planning… I really don't want anything. I just like helping… However, it does help that they're attractive. I wonder what drew them to me? Zebulon wondered as he followed the pair. Akeno continued to hold his arm as they walked. He did not mind. It reminded him of his sisters hanging onto him all the time. But yet, Akeno was not one of his sisters, and Zebulon was still a guy.

"Um, I've got a question," Zebulon said as they walked. The girls shared a glance before waiting for him to speak.

"What uh, what made you guys wanna hang out with me?"

"Hmm? Oh that's easy. I could tell the moment you started talking that you were the biggest sweetheart in the room. I couldn't help but want to tease you a little." Akeno said with a slightly evil grin. Zebulon laughed a bit, albeit nervously.

"I sensed it, too. Watching you drag those two boys off and then helping us without a second thought made me recognize how genuine you were. I guess you could say we gravitate towards people like you." Rias explained with a smile. Zebulon grinned. He felt a little happier hearing what they had to say.

How nice of them… I hope we can continue being friends. Aside from Heath, not too many people have been around long… friends came and went. Hopefully I'll be here a while. I'd hate to up and leave them. Zebulon thought fondly. His warm smile was still on his face as he was led into an old building with stunning hardwood floors. He nodded in appreciation at the older architecture.

"How rustic. Sydney would love this. She adores watching the old houses on TV getting renovated." Zebulon said, running a hand down the wall. Rias and Akeno shared a curious look. He sighed and realized his mistake.

"Oh, whoops. Sydney is my sister. She's very homey and quiet. Loves plants and decorating. But she's not as girly as the other three, so she tends to hang around me a bit more than usual. She works out a lot and cuts her hair short like mine."

"You really do care about your sisters, huh?" Rias wondered. Zebulon grinned and nodded. He meandered back over to the pair.

"I don't have any brothers so, yeah. Believe me… I know one too many ways to braid and tie long hair. I've also been dragged along on their shopping trips too many times to count… And sent off to the pharmacy to get… things… once a month." Zebulon though it best to stop talking as Rias and Akeno began giggling.

"I'm glad we dragged you off. You'd still be doing favors for those girls if we'd have left you there." Rias commented with a smile. Zebulon sighed and rubbed his neck.

"Probably… Whenever my sisters want me to go out shopping or travelling around with them, they let Sydney go and convince me. I can't say no to her…" Zebulon sighed, hanging his head in shame. For someone the size of a small celestial body, he was all fluff, no steel. At least most of the time. Akeno smiled and walked up to him. He looked down into her eyes as she put her hand on his arm.

"Let me guess, she just walks up and gives you a look… like so?" Akeno wondered, mimicking the doe-eyed, pleading look that Sydney always used on him. Zebulon's eyes widened as he stepped away and rubbed the anxiety from his face.

"Yes, exactly like that! How the hell...?" Zebulon wondered. He shook his head to alleviate the shock as Akeno giggled madly. Rias smiled and continued on. Akeno turned to follow and Zebulon reluctantly kept up with them. Whatever they had planned, he hoped it was not weird. Akeno now had the secret to breaking his willpower with a single glance.

Dammit… It must have been obvious by the look on my face anyway. Oh well… I'm having fun… It seems like they kinda like me. Despite how Akeno teases me, they're both really nice. Zebulon thought as he was led upstairs and into a large room. Two couches were placed across from each other with a small table in the middle. A large desk was at the back of the room and another two rooms were off to the right through two doorways. Zebulon glanced at the one corner of the room and could have sworn there was a shower tucked in there somewhere. But his attention was diverted as Akeno tugged on his arm.

"Come on, this way…" Akeno said suggestively. Her seductive grin made him nervous. Zebulon noticed Rias taking off her cape and waist-vest-thing he did not have a name for.

"I'm going to shower first, Akeno. Please don't sexually assault him while I'm in there." Rias said, undoing the buttons on her shirt. She was still in Zebulon's line of sight, but he did not know whether to be scared of Akeno or concerned about Rias stripping.

"Wha-h-huh em, um, duh… wha- what the- what!? Wait, wait, wait… uh, Rias, I'm still standing here! Also, what do you mean by that!? Should I be scared of Akeno?" Zebulon wondered, completely flustered and in a panic. The girls stopped for a moment and began giggling at him. Rias left most of her clothes on as she approached and patted him on the arm.

"You're silly. No, I think Akeno will behave herself. We haven't known you that long anyway. I also don't really mind if you see me naked. You're not a huge jerk." Rias said with a grin. She giggled as he blushed again and went back to taking off her shirt. Zebulon looked away just before she pulled it off and saw Akeno smiling at him.

"Come on, I promise you'll be safe. I don't need your sisters hunting me down and beating me up." Akeno said with a laugh. Zebulon steadied himself a bit and chose to believe them. He breathed out heavily and nodded. She led him along to one of the doors on the far side of the room. Behind it was a bedroom for some reason. Zebulon managed to duck in under the doorway and scratched his head.

"A bedroom? First a shower, now this? What are we doing h-uh… uh…" Zebulon cut off as a thought broke into his mind. Left behind some broken glass. He blushed and crossed his arms, unable to look at Akeno as she rounded the bed and took off her cape and her waist vest as well. Akeno noticed him and started laughing.

"You're so silly! No, we're not having sex! Come sit down and let me explain!" Akeno laughed, patting the bed. Zebulon released a breath he was holding. He felt a bit relived as he gently sat down on the bed. It creaked and groaned under his weight.

"Okay… okay… so, um, this is the most mind-numbingly awkward situation I've ever been in. So, what is it you wanted to do? I said I don't need anything as thanks. Being your friend and seeing you happy is enough for me." Zebulon said as Akeno sat down next to him. She smiled and tried her best to hug him.

"Aw, how sweet! But Rias and I felt bad about making you massage us in front of everyone. Must have been a little embarrassing for you, hmm?" Akeno wondered, still hugging him. Zebulon enjoyed her embrace and shrugged a bit.

"It didn't really bother me that much. But everyone was staring… I kinda just started doing it without thinking since you seemed to be in pain. You asked me for help, so I guess I figured I could ease your pain. My sisters sometimes complain about the same thing. They buy premium bras to lessen the tension in their shoulders and always ask me to do the same thing I did to you." Zebulon explained a bit absentmindedly. He looked down to see a warm, genuine smile on Akeno's face.

"Oh my… that's so sweet! AUUUUH, you're so cute!" Akeno gushed and reached up to pinch his cheeks. Zebulon felt like dying a bit from his embarrassment and gently pushed Akeno's hand away.

"Stop… I'm not that cute. Thanks, though… you and Rias have been really nice to me. A lot of people think I'm mean just because of how I look and tend to avoid me. So I'd be happy to keep helping you guys out… like I said, I like being your friend." Zebulon said and he smiled warmly. Akeno's smile could not get any broader as she slipped under his arm and hugged him. Zebulon was a bit surprised by how close she got but gently held her.

"Of course! Rias, did you hear that!? Zebulon wants to be our friend!" Akeno exclaimed as Rias walked into the room. She only had a towel on and Zebulon quickly slammed his eyes shut and blushed. Rias giggled.

"I see that. Zebulon, you don't have to shut your eyes. I don't mind." Rias reiterated. Zebulon shook his head.

"I know what I just said… but it's still weird! I don't need to see you half-naked… or even completely naked! I'm still a guy you know!" Zebulon exclaimed, still gluing his eyes shut. Rias sighed and left the room. She returned a moment later.

"There, I put something on. Stop being dramatic." Rias said sarcastically. Zebulon opened his eyes to see her half-heartedly dressed in her uniform. He sighed in relief and fell back onto the bed.

"Please don't do that. I'll die of like a heart attack or something. I prefer to keep my mind free of the image of my friends naked." Zebulon said quietly. He then grunted as Akeno hopped on top of him and straddled his waist. He instinctively put his hands on her waist and held her away from his belt slightly. Akeno quirked an eyebrow and poked his stomach.

"Huh..." Akeno mumbled. Zebulon blushed a bit as Rias walked over.

"What? Does he have something weird there?"

"No… he's just… big?"

"Okay, stop poking me… I have a bit of a gut on me, okay? A lot of power lifters and strongmen have it! It's perfectly normal!" Zebulon said in a huff. He gently sat up and moved Akeno off of him. He undid his shirt to reveal the tight undershirt he wore underneath.

"I'm surprised you didn't notice it in gym class…" He mumbled and put his shirt back on. But both Akeno and Rias' hand on his wrist stopped him for a moment.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm sorry I pointed it out. I didn't expect that with how much muscle you have, that's all. You're still cute." Akeno said quietly and stood up in front of him. Rias came around her and rubbed his head.

"You could probably break someone in half with one arm. I wouldn't worry about that if I were you." Rias said reassuringly. Zebulon sighed and closed his eyes. He did feel a little less self-conscious about it. It was something that people poked fun at before. But his calm, diplomatic, and friendly disposition did little to help.

I never really did stand up for myself. But after seeing all those strongmen in action, I kinda felt better about it. I'm happy I met these two…

"Thanks. I still feel weird about it, sometimes. But I mean, have you seen some of the Strongmen before? They have it, too. I know I should be confident about it, since that's the case, but it still bothers me sometimes." Zebulon stated, still holding his shirt closed. Rias and Akeno shared a smile.

"Aw, it'll be okay. But… I didn't get to tell you why we brought you out here." Akeno said with a mischievous smile. Zebulon looked between them with a confused stare.

"We were going to… return the favor. You gave us a massage, so I hoped you would be okay if we gave you one in return." Rias said, her cheeks a little red. Zebulon blushed a bit and shook his head.

"I said you don't have to do anything for me. Honest!" Zebulon said, smiling at them. He was happy, ecstatic even, that they wanted to help him in return. He would have been lying if he said he did not need his muscles rubbed down, but he would feel bad making them do it. Rias groaned a bit and Akeno leaned over in his face. Zebulon kept smiling until she gave him the look.

Ah shit…

"Zebulon… come on, please? It'll feel good, promise!" Akeno said pleadingly. She blinked her big, beautiful lavender eyes at him and Zebulon immediately felt himself cave in. He sighed and hung his head.

"Okay, fine. If it'll make you feel better…" Zebulon gave in. Rias and Akeno giggled as they celebrated and climbed onto the bed. Zebulon suddenly found himself flanked by them as they tugged on his jacket.

"Great! Take your shirt and jacket off!" Rias exclaimed, pulling his jacket off his shoulders. Zebulon sighed and complied. He shrugged off his jacket and stood up to finish taking off his shirt. He shrugged it off, leaving him in his tank top, and felt eyes on his back. He turned a bit. While he may have had a bit of a beer gut on him, Zebulon was otherwise absolutely jacked. His biceps looked like they had biceps. His forearms were lined by his veins and his shoulders were enormous. His chest looked like he could bench a bus and his back was rippled with powerful muscles. Akeno blushed a bit, as did Rias as he caught them staring.

"Oh… my… word… Zebulon, you are certainly… strong looking." Akeno said. He grew a bit weary as it looked as though she was about to start drooling. Rias shook her head and smacked Akeno out of her trance.

"OW!"

"Zebulon, would you mind laying down? You're a little tall for us to reach up there."

"Oh, right…" He sat back down on the bed and slowly laid down on his stomach. His heartrate picked up as he felt Akeno climb over him and their hands slid up his back. He shivered a bit since their hands were a bit cold. Soon enough the pair began trying to emulate what he had done for them earlier in the day. Zebulon sighed and relaxed a bit.

Well… this is… odd. I hope they don't keep me too much longer… I don't want to make mom and Syd worry about me. Uh… actually, how the FUCK am I going to explain this? Kayla, Gina, and Hayley might freak out… maybe… probably… no, they will definitely freak the hell out. Wait, how did this even happen? I guess I just went with the flow like I normally do…

"Ugh…" Zebulon was pretty worn out from travelling and settling into Kuoh. The girls were doing pretty well and he was feeling much more relaxed. He zoned out a bit. He was not sure how much more time passed until Akeno leaned down and blew in his ear. Zebulon jumped in place and turned to stare at her in surprise.

"Hey, there you are. How do you feel?" Akeno asked, letting him up. Zebulon slowly sat up and rolled his shoulders. Everything was just right. He rolled his neck and felt the looseness that was now present. He groaned as he got up and was able to bend down slightly without any tightness in his lower back.

"Much better, actually. Thank you… you guys didn't have to do that… But it did help." Zebulon said, putting his shirt and jacket back on. The girls stood up and walked over to him as he finished. They reached up and Zebulon sighed as he was coerced into picking each of them up in his arms and letting them hug him.

"I'm glad."

"As am I." Akeno and Rias said in tandem. Zebulon grinned as he gently set them down and grabbed his bag.

"Good, that makes me happy. But, I should get going now, I don't want anyone back home worrying about me. Can we hangout again tomorrow?" Zebulon asked. They shared a look for a moment and sighed.

"Maybe, if we have time. I'm actually the president of a club that gathers in this building. Since Akeno is my vice-president, we don't usually have much time to ourselves." Rias explained solemnly. Zebulon's smile never faded, however.

"That's okay. Don't let me stop you. Maybe I'll join your club if I can." Zebulon said, ever the jovial one. Rias smiled and procured a piece of paper from her pocket.

"Then you ought to take this! It's one of our fliers. Keep it handy." Rias said with a wink. Zebulon kept grinning and put it in his pocket.

"Sure thing! Alright, see you two tomorrow!" Zebulon exclaimed and happily trotted out of their clubroom. He ducked through the doorways and out into the hall.

"Wait, Zebulon!"

He stopped and whirled around on a dime as Akeno caught up to him. His smile faltered and he grew a bit concerned about the serious look on her face.

"Hey, what's up? Is there something wrong?" Zebulon wondered. Akeno walked up and put her hand on his abs. He instinctively wanted to pull away but she put her head on his chest.

"I just… I wanted you to know… that you're perfect the way you are. Not enough people hear that, you know?" Akeno said quietly. Zebulon blinked in surprise before smiling. He put a hand on her shoulder and leaned down to gently hug her.

"Thanks. I appreciate that. Same goes for you." Zebulon responded. He was surprised, however, when Akeno reached up and grabbed his face. Not wanting to hurt her, Zebulon allowed her to pull his head down to her level where she promptly planted a kiss on his cheek. He blushed madly and slowly pulled away as she released him.

"Hehe, you're just too cute. See you later, Zeb." Akeno said sweetly and turned to head back in. Zebulon stood, dumbfounded for several seconds. After those seconds passed, Zebulon began breathing again and calmed down. He held his face for a moment before hurrying on his way. Once outside, he felt safe to think again.

That was… intense… oh no… I think I like her… Zebulon remembered staring into Akeno's eyes and feeling his heart skip a beat. There were too many factors involved in the events which transpired today, so he held off on making any calls or passing any judgement. His first day at Kuoh was one of the most eventful days of his life, aside from a few others. Zebulon continued on home, still holding his face. His right hand felt a bit hot but he ignored it.

I should just be getting home…

Zebulon quietly entered his home and turned the corner to find Sydney and his mother cooking at the stove. Sydney noticed his arrival and rushed up to him to give him a hug. Zebulon smiled as she did so and held her for a moment.

"There he is! Oh, Zebulon, dear, didn't school end a while ago?" Helen wondered as he set his bag down and Sydney released him. Zebulon nodded.

"Oh, did you meet some new friends?" Sydney wondered. He wondered if they could tell he was about to bullshit them.

"Yeah, I did, actually. We hung out for a bit after school, nothing major." Zebulon said nonchalantly. His mother and sister smiled.

"That's great sweetie." Helen said and patted him on the shoulder. She winked at him and walked back over to the stove.

…oh no…

"Hmm…"

Zebulon looked down to see Sydney staring intently at his face. She tried reaching up to touch him but he leaned away. She grunted in anger and gently pulled on his arm.

"Zeb, what's that on your face?" Sydney asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Zebulon glanced around for a second, searching for an answer. He actually did not know if there was something on his face. But he had an inkling of what could be there.

"I uh… I don't know. I don't think there's anything on my face," Zebulon said. He grabbed his bag and undid the buttons on his shirt.

"I'm gonna go change." Zebulon stepped into the light of the kitchen in time for his other three sisters to descent the stairs and see him. They cheered upon seeing him but Sydney rushed over and pointed at his right cheek.

"Guys! Look at Zeb's face! Is that what I think it is!?" Sydney wondered, staring him down again. Zebulon grew nervous as he was surrounded. He felt Kayla grab his jacket and she sniffed it.

"Ahem, do any of us wear lavender perfume?" Kayla wondered, glancing around him. Zebulon felt like a criminal in an interrogation room. The girls all collectively shook their heads.

DAMN THEM AND THEIR INTUITION!

"I didn't think so. Zeb, why do you smell like a girl's perfume?" Kayla wondered. He refused to answer.

"Oh, I see it now…Is that lip gloss on your cheek!?" Gina exclaimed. Zebulon again refused to answer.

"Oh, wait a second, Kayla, there's another perfume here. None of us wear this one, either! Zeb, you smell like TWO different women!" Hayley accused, jabbing him in the arm with her finger. Zebulon began to sweat.

"Zeb, sweetie, you'd best tell them." Helen's voice came from the kitchen. His sisters glared at him all in turn as he met their eyes. He sighed and dropped his bag.

"Okay… okay… my new friends… are two girls in my class. But they're not after me, I swear!" Zebulon exclaimed, dropping to his knees pleadingly. Gina stepped forward and examined his face. She ran her thumb over the mark on his cheek and examined the substance.

"Hmm, this is a nice lip gloss. Probably matches up with a girl with dark hair and pale skin by the look of it." Gina said, examining the gloss. Zebulon was mildly scared of his sisters for a number of reasons. Their incredible deductions skills being one of those reasons. He bowed his head as he awaited their verdict. Robert came home to the scene before him and gently shuffled over into the kitchen.

"Darling… did some girls go after Zebulon?" Robert whispered to his wife. Helen nodded and shushed him.

"It appears so… let the girls do their work."

"These perfumes aren't low-grade, either. Top shelf stuff. Is one of them a rich girl? Probably a redhead based on this other scent. The lavender… I bet it's the girl with the lip gloss that she stuck on our little brother's face." Hayley deduced, tapping her foot. Kayla leaned over and grabbed his arm. She sniffed his arm, chest, and shoulder before releasing him.

"It get stronger on his chest. Did you hug them?" Kayla asked, a dangerous gleam in her eye. Zebulon sighed.

"I did… they were really nice to me." Zebulon said quietly. He then stood up and grabbed his bag again. His sisters calmed down and gathered their thoughts. Sydney huffed and made her way back into the kitchen. Robert fled the scene before she hit him with a spoon or something. The other three went and sat down around the table. Robert appeared behind his son and they shared a glance. Slowly they made their way upstairs.

"Holy hell, Zeb, what did you do?" Robert asked, breathing a sigh of relief at the top of the steps.

"I don't know. I'm gonna go change and wash my face… and put on my cologne." Zebulon responded and scampered off into his room. A discussion ensued downstairs. Zebulon sighed as he closed his door and slid down, sitting against it.

Ah fuck me… I knew they'd freak out like that. 'No one gets our brother without our approval!' Hey, you guys didn't see me cross-examining every dude you went out with! Jesus Christ…

Zebulon would once again have to brave the storm to eat his dinner before bed. So he set to work cleaning himself up, only to find the dining room empty by the time he came down. His father sat alone at the table, eating his steak. He ushered Zebulon over and they sat together. A large portion was left out for him.

"They set off to the basement to deliberate. You mother went as a mediator… a very biased one." Robert joked, finishing a beer. Zebulon sighed heavily as he dug into his food. It was good as always.

"I didn't exactly plan on making friends with them… they actually went out of their way to talk to me. They're really nice…" Zebulon said quietly. His father eyed him for a moment.

"I believe you, son… And I'll pray for you tomorrow at work." Robert said, patting Zebulon on the shoulder as he stood up. The man was in for another long day and set off to bed early.

"Hey, dad…"

"Yeah, son?"

Zebulon turned to face him with a grin on his face.

"They… might have a challenge with these two."

Oh shit, whaddup, it's ya boi Wolfgang back at it again. I realized Zebulon's story was utter garbage so I wrote this up to replace it. Hopefully you enjoy it as a decent rewrite and accept that I'm making this change. The Ultimate Dragon story will eventually be taken down and this will be in its place. My apologies to everyone who somehow enjoyed that dumpster fire I created so long ago. But I give my thanks to those of you who continue to enjoy my work, regardless.

Remember to breathe, everyone. See you next time.