"Hnnng- doh!"
"You can do it, Issei-kun. I believe in you." A blonde girl smiled radiantly at Issei while he exerted himself to his utmost limit to accomplish his goal.
Unfortunately, there was some drama in the scene that was distracting Issei in his attempt to materialize [Boosted Gear] and undo the accidental gender-swap he had somehow performed on Yuuto, which had happened entirely by accident.
"Could it be that the effect is permanent…?" Rias was muttering to herself as she, as well as the rest of the Gremory Peerage were standing a cautious distance to the side, outside the mountainside-cottage and well outside Issei's reach. "Issei-kun, can you ask Ddraig-sama for help?"
"Phaah… haah… Um, I'd rather not." Issei sweatdropped while resting his hands on his knees and panting from exertion.
"Issei-kun, I think it's important that-" Rias didn't agree with Issei's excuse and crossed her arms while looking annoyed.
"Buchou! I would ask if I could but I think Ddraig would turn me into mochi if I interrupted her sulking!" Issei quickly elaborated.
"I AM NOT SULKING" A booming voice came from the red gauntlet that covered Issei's arm.
"Um." Rias sweatdropped as well and kept her eyes on the gauntlet. "Ddraig-sama…? Is- Is there something we can do-"
"ICE-CREAM. NOW, YOU CRETIN!" The red gauntlet vibrated from the sheer annoyance in Ddragi's voice.
'Is- Is this because we're attempting to turn Yuuto back into a boy instead of you?' Issei asked mentally from the sulking pile of bedsheets that had curled into a nest in the corner of Issei's mind.
A harrumph and a sniff responded, cluing Issei to the fact that he should use [Power of Imagination] to create more ice-cream in his thoughts for the sulking dragon.
'...Akeno-oneesama, thank you for your strict tutoring! I would be a goner by now without your guidance!' Issei gave mental thanks to Akeno for teaching him to use said [Power of Imagination, if only so he could channel his devil-power to create mental-ice cream for the sulking dragon emperor (empress?) inside his mind in order to avoid instant death.
It looked as if Akeno somehow heard Issei's thoughts as she was smirking at Issei's awkward fiddling-about with a worrying amount of sadism in her eyes as she came from the mountainside-cottage, carrying a tray of refreshments and snacks.
"Ara, it feels as if Issei-kun is desperate~" Akeno lifted a tray of refreshments and placed it on a table that seemingly sprang from nowhere as Rias waved her hand over the spot. "Perhaps it'd motivate him if I went and rubbed and scrubbed Yuuto-chan's back on the girl's side of the onsen, in case Issei-kun can't turn Yuuto-chan back into a 'him', hm?"
"...Yes, I suppose this would be appropriate. I should probably join as well." Rias sent a quick glance at Akeno before speaking aloud as well. "Issei-kun, Yuuto-chan, please give it one more try before you join us for snacks and then we head to onsen to refresh ourselves."
"Ghhhh!" Issei grasped at his heart with an image of Yuuto getting his back scrubbed by Akeno and Rias passing through his mind, girl or not. 'This is… This can't happen! Yuuto-kun can't- I won't let him! It should be me!'
'Oy. Boy. That is a worrying trail of thoughts there. Specifically the conclusion.' Ddraig seemed to break out of her sulking for a moment to send a worried glance at Issei from between the blankets.
"Uraaaah! Yuuto-kun! I will be turning you back into a boy now!" Issei snapped up an intimidating pose while pointing his finger at Yuuto.
"I see. Please give it your all, Issei-kun." Yuuto gave a cordial bow to Issei, causing 'her' breasts to jiggle a bit with the motion. Which coincidentally caused Issei's eyes to wander against his will!
"Uwaah, of course hentai would be motivated by something like that…" Koneko grumbled quietly while sitting down at the picnic table Rias had made.
"Hoora- [Boost]- [Boost]- [Boost]! Here I go!" Issei charged in, discarding the jiggle of Yuuto's breasts with herculean effort and focusing his rage on the fact the blonde bastard was going to join the girl's side of the bath! 'Unforgivable!'
"Iyahn!" Yuuto let a girlish shriek as Issei reached to grab her, with Issei's body wreathed by his accumulated power and rage-
Squish.
'~ehe ~ehe' Issei's mind wandered a bit as he squished Yuuto's breast, as he had 'accidentally' ended up groping 'her'-
Suddenly, it was as if he could hear them, just as he had heard the [Voices of Thighs] before-
'I have full faith in Issei-kun, I'm certain he will be able to overcome this hurdle! :)' spoke Yuuto's left breast.
'Do your best, Issei-kun! Ah- I should probably go wash up in the men's side of the baths anyway. It would be improper to join the ladie's side even with how I am now. Besides, I wouldn't mind if Issei-kun saw me naked- :I' spoke Yuuto's right breast.
'You… You two are…' Issei's eyes widened in surprise, even as the [Boosts] were expended at the same time.
'Ah! You can hear our voices now! :D' spoke Yuuto's left breast, as if it was aware of Issei's presence.
'Yay! Ah! Issei-kun is giving me a massage! It feels good! :D' spoke Yuuto's right breast, which Issei was currently groping.
And then the breasts disappeared.
Issei felt very complicated feelings as his fingers cramped against the fabric of Yuuto's shirt. 'I… I am sorry. I… You two… You had no intention of taking advantage of Rias and Akeno in the first place- It was… It was all in my head, all my fault. And now… now, because of what I did… you are… you are gone… I have… because of me, I…'
Issei fell on his knees in despair.
'Oi. Boy. Are you-' Ddraig poked her head out of the blankets and covered her head with another blanket immediately afterwards as she found out that the inside of Issei's mind-scape had become like floodplains, with water pouring down on from above. 'You just- Are you having a guilt strike because you removed breasts from that boy?! Of all possible things to have a mental breakdown over, is this really your breaking point?!'
'I killed them… They had their whole life ahead of them- I could hear their voices, and even still, I… I…' Issei was on his knees with his hands against the ground. 'How could I…'
"Ah! Issei-kun! You did it!" Yuuto's now-male voice rang in Issei's guilty mind.
"Hm? Oh, Yuuto-kun has returned to being a boy again." Rias's voice betrayed slight surprise but was otherwise neutral. "Very good, Issei-kun. Please join us for a snack and gather your strength- Issei-kun?!"
Issei flopped on the ground, feeling light-headed and faint of heart.
And with that, he passed out.
.
.
.
"...About that plan, are you really planning on using-"
"...It is a desperate plan. But unless Ddraig-sama can somehow give Issei-kun the power he needs to defeat Riser, we don't really have other solutions for the regeneration..."
"...How are you planning on using it? We're all devils so none of us can even wield it!..."
"...I…"
'...And ten days to our marriage.' The arrogant sneer of a blonde man echoed in the clubroom as he gave his ultimatum to Rias…
Issei's eyes shot open.
"Ah!" Rias jumped a bit. "You startled me, Issei-kun- How are you feeling?"
Issei glanced around… and realized that his head was on Rias's lap.
'Uooooaaaahh?! Is this- This is Rias-buchou's legendary lap pillow as a reward?! My energy has been recharged! I am at full combat power!' Issei felt his energy recharge as if he had been plugged into an outlet, which took the shape of Rias's thighs.
The soft yet simultaneously firm, warm and soothing feeling sent electric shocks through Issei's body as if he was drawing the feeling into himself, refining it into something, and then breathing out the residue.
"Ah-!" Rias twitched again. "I-Issei-kun! What- What are you doing?"
"Rias-chan?!" Akeno's voice came from nearby and Issei glanced down, and noticed that Akeno was on the other end of the sofa that Issei and Rias were occupying, and Akeno had been kneading Issei's feet on her lap while she was bent over and her huge breasts were resting on Issei's shins.
The fact the sensation of the foot massage had been completely glossed over in Issei's brain spoke volumes of how much the feeling of Rias's lap pillow had affected him. But now that he was aware of it, he realized that he was being serviced by Rias and Akeno at the same time-
'Ufufu, Issei-kun~I wonder if You'd like to massage my breasts next~' Akeno's teasing voice echoed inside Issei's head as she lowered her kimono, allowing her huge yet delicate breasts to move freely-
'Issei-kun, It's fine if you want to hug and lick my thighs, you've earned as much~' Rias's warm voice echoed inside Issei's head as she pulled aside her kimono, showing the supple, perfect skin of her thighs from the opening-
Lights flickered.
And then there was only darkness.
And after a span of time that passed in a flash, there was a 'bonk' sound..
"Oww…" Issei covered his head and patted the bruise that was forming on his temple.
"Ghaa- haa- haa… w-what was…"
"Ahn~ ahaha~ that~ so good~"
Two voices entered Issei's ears, one of them slightly delirious and worried, and the other heated and lustful. As Issei's mind cleared of the sudden loss of control he realized that the voices had belonged to Rias and Akeno, with the latter sounding like she was on the verge of-
'Boy. Focus.' Ddraig's voice was concerned as the mental representation of dragon-turned-dragongirl peered over Issei's mental 'self', which was currently on its back on his mind-scape, with a sizable crater on its head, courtesy of the slightly bent baseball bat that Ddraig wielded and which was resting against her shoulder.
'W-what happened?' Issei asked Ddraig as he lifted himself both mentally and physically on his elbows and looked around from the floor where he had fallen.
Rias was holding to her head and was hunched over on the sofa, and was looking worse for wear.
Akeno was splayed over the end of the sofa and looked thoroughly spent, with her breasts lifting and lowering in tune with her tired breathing, her face flushed and eyes hazy yet glimmering with something thoroughly disturbing in them.
Issei quickly hopped on his feet and scanned the room for threats while [Boosted Gear] materialized around his arm. He instantly realized that it was dark outside and that they were still in one of the rooms of the mountainside-cottage. "Rias-buchou! What happened- Akeno-oneesama! Are you alright?"
Akeno let out a soft moan as Issei hurried to adjust Akeno's position so that she could breathe easier and would no longer be upside down over the sofa's end. However the heated moan that came from Akeno caused Issei to quickly scurry over to Rias and hold her shoulder for support instead.
Issei realized that he had felt something eerie, a sense of phobia of sorts, when he had heard Akeno moan in response to his touch, but as he wasn't sure what was happening he swiftly forgot about it.
"Haa… I-Issei-kun? Did you… Did you do something to us… just now?" Rias leaned back on the couch while rubbing her temple, looking and sounding like she had just come out of a terrible battle, albeit without visible wounds. "Akeno… is she…"
"Akeno-oneesama looks to be alright, if… um… more erotic than normal, if that's possible?" Issei offered, lamely even by his own standard, and kept trying to support Rias. "I don't think I did anything? I just felt…"
"Boy. You 'did' do something." Ddraig vocalized from the red gauntlet, causing Rias to twitch a bit and turn her eyes on the green-glowing gem of the [Boosted Gear]. "I didn't think you'd be able to progress this quickly with the powers of this Sacred Gear… No, with -my- power. You truly are something else… If only you could direct yourself to some other focus than perverted things…"
"Ddraig-sama? Could you explain?" Rias spoke hesitantly while she shuffled herself over to Akeno's side of the sofa and gently guided her so that Akeno was resting her head on Rias's thighs. It seemed that the touch helped Akeno calm down as her flushed face relaxed and her breathing became less… horny. "What happened just now?"
"In short, my wielder had run out of power earlier during his… exertion… and unlocked one of the abilities of [Boosted Gear]- [Transfer, which allows the wielder of the Gear to move the power of [Boost]'s to something other than their own power. However, as expected of this twisted wielder of mine, he somehow awakened the ability in a mutated fashion." Ddraig explained, with her exasperation clear in the dragon's girl-like voice. "I suppose that the first time the power awakened, it all came out in a sudden burst of power."
"Is it something like Issei-kun's ability to turn boys into girls?" Rias asked slightly warily, causing Issei to scratch the back of his neck awkwardly with his free hand.
"..." The green gem was quiet for a while and Issei detected clear signs of an incoming sulking session. However before Ddraig could withdraw back into her pillow fort she got herself under control. "Something like that. Normally [Transfer] is used to move power from [Boosted Gear] to someone or something else, but it looks like this wielder somehow managed to partially reverse it- In other words, he unconsciously activated the power to draw power from others and at the same time, also transfer it. I believe that he called it… ugh…"
"The [Power of Thighs and Boobs]..." Issei filled quietly as Ddraig seemed to suffer a mental breakdown. "The duality of reality, the fierce power and the gentle healing…"
"Power of thighs and boobs… Hm…" Rias mumbled to herself while she was recovering at a good pace. "Issei-kun, you've grown in power quickly. Very quickly. Good job. I assume that you activated that power unconsciously after being so spent from turning Yuuto back into a boy, and drew power from myself and Akeno?"
"I… guess so, yeah. I didn't plan on it, it just happened! I swear!" Issei pleaded.
"I'm not mad, just… amazed, really." Rias gave Issei a strange look. It was something akin to desperation and hope, which made Issei determined to grow even stronger. "Can you use that power to draw from our enemies as well?"
"I'm… not sure. I guess?" Issei hesitated to answer as in truth he didn't know. "I just felt re-energized after being really tired and… um…"
"Come here." Rias patted the spot on the sofa next to her while Akeno lifted herself off Rias's lap and leaned back on the sofa. "I want you to try to do it again. Train it. Just… Be more gentle this time, please?"
"Um… Yes! Rias-buchou!" Issei quickly sat down. "I'll be in your care, Rias-buchou!"
"Haha, or rather, I'll be in yours. Again, please be gentle, Issei-kun, that 'drain' earlier hurt quite a bit." Rias rubbed her thigh a bit while she looked slightly apprehensive but she still had the slightly desperate look in her eyes.
"Ah… Before that… Is everything alright, Rias-buchou?" Issei asked as he felt like something was going on 'behind the scenes', so to speak. "I heard something about 'desperate plan' and such when I was just waking up?"
"It's… I'll…" Rias clamped down and finally coughed to her hand while looking very guilty for some reason. "I'll…"
"Rias-chan will explain tomorrow, alright?" Akeno came to Rias's rescue while she had a definite look of 'or else, Issei-kun~' in her body language, even if her face was still quite flushed.
"Y-Yes! Akeno-oneesama! I won't pry! Even if it's about Rias-buchou's menstrual cycle or something!" Issei stood up ramrod straight and struck a salute out of terror.
"H-how did- no, that's not it at all!" Rias stomped her feet as the earlier apprehension was replaced by awkwardness and frustration of other kinds. "Ugh, Akeno-chan, don't bully Issei-kun! And Issei-kun, I have no idea how you knew about that but stop knowing about that! Sheesh! And just get on with the training! Try to drain energy from me, gently! That is an order, Issei-kun!"
"Yes! Rias-buchou! Here I go!" Issei took the lifeline that Rias offered and promptly forgot about Rias's menstrual cycle and also the odd desperation and hope that she had in her gaze. The former thought caused Ddraig to go ahead and proceed to slam her face repeatedly against the ground of Issei's mental scape in order to try to endure the mental torture by means of self-inflicted brain damage.
Issei clapped his hands together and closed his eyes, and channeled the feeling he had felt earlier, of losing focus of his 'body' and instead 'leading' into the future of what-could-be…
'Oho? Issei-kun, bold~' Rias froze for a bit from Issei's touch, but soon relaxed into it. The gentle, soothing feeling of Rias's breasts filled Issei's hands and his mind, enveloping him in gentle warmness and soothing-
"Ara, it looks like Rias-chan is about to lose it~" Akeno's voice snapped Issei out of his stupor. "It looks like Ise-kun is being gentle~ Good, or I would have stopped him otherwise~"
"Ahn~" Rias was biting her finger while she was splayed on the sofa, though she was supported from behind by Akeno so that she wasn't entirely on her back but just leaning backwards. Rias's kimono was open and her breasts were free of their clothy confines, and-
Squish
Squish
…Both of Rias's bare breasts were being gently groped and massaged by Issei's hands.
"Eh?" Issei looked down at his hands.
Squish.
"I-Issei-kun, I think that's… ahh~ E-enough~ I'm… I'm about to…" Rias sounded like she was not at all in pain anymore! If anything, she looked and sounded extremely erotic!
'At least you're not getting consciousness-threatening nosebleeds anymore from seeing bare flesh. It looks like the physical conditioning paid off. Sheesh, what sort of pervert are you supposed to be if seeing that much crippled you- actually, never mind. Don't encourage, don't encourage, he'll just get worse…' Ddraig commented something in the background before her speech devolved into angry murmurs, all the while the dragon-girl was applying bandages to her bruised forehead.
Issei froze up completely, though not before giving Rias's breasts one last gentle squeeze.
"Ahn! Mhn… I… can't… it's… hn…!" Rias squirmed slowly under the touch with both of her eyes closed and face flushed red, and one of her hands seemed to almost instinctively slide inside her kimono and towards-
"Ara, I think that's enough, Ise-kun~" Akeno reached around Rias to push Issei off the redhead, and used her other hand to pinch Rias's cheek to bring her back to reality.
"Owie! Akeno! Mean! I was just about to- um." Rias seemed to snap into reality and blushed as red as her hair as she realized what was happening and what she was about to do.
"Erm- Thank you for the experience, Rias-buchou! I'll be sure to put it to good use!" Issei babbled while his mind was recovering from the realization that he had managed to somehow grope and fondle Rias.
"Ufufu, it looks like Ise-kun has certainly learned some 'experience'~" Akeno teased while Rias collected herself both physically and mentally. "It looks like Ise-kun 'trained' all sorts of things just now, though perhaps he trained something not power-related~?"
"No, I think…" Rias looked at her hands and made a small ball of black energy between her palms, before allowing it to dissipate. "Hm… Issei-kun, I think you actually transferred some power to me just now. I felt quite drained earlier, but now I feel as if my power has restabilized again."
"Ara? Was Issei-kun's magical breast massage actually working?" Akeno looked as surprised as Issei was.
"It seems so. However, Ddraig-sama mentioned that Issei-kun's [Transfer] had mutated to 'drain' instead of 'moving'- could it be that it stabilized somehow?" Rias turned her eyes on Issei.
"Um… Or, it may be because of…" Issei's mind wandered a bit and he returned to the feeling of Rias's thighs against his cheek, yet at how Rias had been hurt when he had 'drawn' from them. "U-um! I think I know what happened!"
'Haa, here we go again.' Ddraig put her fingers into her ears in Issei's mind and squatted down in her corner of the mind. 'If I can't hear it, maybe I won't lose more of my sanity…'
"I believe that the [Power of Boobs and Thighs] has to do with it- As I channel the gentle nurturing of breasts, I transfer power to others, and when I draw from the fierce strength of thighs, I instead drain from them!" Issei explained. Somehow he felt extremely embarrassed over the whole explanation as Rias was nodding along while she had a serious look on her face, if flushed, and Akeno was visibly holding back giggles.
"Ara, would that mean you could draw power from me if you touched my thighs?" Akeno moved a bit to the side and patted a spot next to her on the sofa.
"It's worth trying, if you can." Rias agreed. "Just… Be careful, alright Issei? I won't forgive you if you hurt Akeno."
"Ara~ What if I don't mind if it hurts~?"
"Akenoooooo…" Rias huffed at Akeno, who in turn giggled to her kimono's sleeve.
"Um…" Issei felt awkward as he sat between Rias and Akeno, and then slowly lowered his head down until he was resting his head against Akeno's thighs. "H-here I go then! Hnnn…"
"...Ngh! Ah- Ahn~" Akeno twitched and let all sort of sounds as Issei focused on the feeling of thighs, drawing from them as if he was a sponge and the thighs dripping with power-
"Enough, Issei-kun!" Rias pulled Issei up. "Akeno! Are you alright?! Talk to me!"
"Ara~ it looks like~ I underestimated Ise-kun~" Akeno's voice was… strange.
"Issei-kun, look away!" Rias turned Issei's head around and hugged his head against her chest, obscuring his vision. "Akeno! Get a hold of yourself!"
"Just~ a little bit more~" Akeno's words were incredibly erotic and came in short, breathy gasps. "Ise-kun… You won't leave a girl hanging, would you~? Just a bit more…"
A soft weight settled on Issei as Akeno climbed up to a sitting position and then hugged herself against Issei's back. A hand snuck around Issei's waist and came to rest against his chest, snuck inside his shirt, with fingers spread as if to say 'mine'.
Somehow, even though Issei thought such physical contact would be incredibly arousing and erotic… but instead, he was scared.
A flash of black feathers passed through Issei's thoughts, and a warm smile, which suddenly turned crooked and wicked. A hand on his chest instead became a spear of light piercing it-
"Won't you show this old Akeno-oneechan good time~ Ise-kun~?" Akeno's heated breath tingled Issei's ear… And then she bit his ear, leaving teeth-marks on it, all the while her wide-fingered hold on Issei's chest became curled so that her nails scratched the skin of Issei's chest.
And Issei could do nothing but whimper against Rias's chest, feeling terror grip his heart-
"Akeno! No! Stay!" Rias produced a spray can from somewhere and squirted water on Akeno's face point-blank, all the while hugging Issei's face against her breasts with the other hand. "Down, girl! S -mode off!"
"Blurph! Bleh! Neeeh- Rias-chan! What are you doing!" Akeno protested while shaking her head, causing droplets of water to fall down her face after getting her face sprayed.
"Issei-kun?" Rias looked down. "Issei. Look at me."
"Ah, um, Rias-buchou, t-thank you for the service…" Issei felt like he should thank Rias for squishing his face against her breasts, but somehow lacked the usual enthusiasm for it. Instead he felt cold and shaky.
"Issei-kun…" Rias's expression was soft. "Talk to me. Tell me what's wrong."
"It's… I'm not sure…" Issei spoke honestly. "I… I'm just tired, yeah. That's it, it must be…"
"Hm…" Rias had a strange expression on her face. It was a mixture of concern and some sort of fond look that Issei couldn't decipher. "Issei-kun. Come. Let's take a bath together and then go to sleep."
"...hm." Issei felt like he should be overly excited over the prospect but somehow he lacked the energy to do so, and could only nod halfheartedly in response.
The odd, cold feeling of dread had passed and had left him exhausted, as if all his survival instincts had flared and receded at once, leaving only tiredness in their wake.
Rias's look of concern deepened in response to Issei's lackluster response to her invitation.
"Rias-chan? Should I-" Akeno sounded strange as she spoke. "Ahem… Issei-kun, I'm sorry, I overstepped-"
"It's fine, Akeno-chan. It's late and we're all tired. Let's just clean ourselves and sleep until tomorrow. We still have two days until the Game." Rias spoke softly, causing Issei's eyelids to droop. "Issei-kun? Issei? Hey, don't…"
However, Issei couldn't help himself but to fall asleep in Rias's arms, feeling cold and spent.
He swiftly drifted into a nightmare that was plagued by black feathers and blood.
.
.
.
The next day was spent in slumber and recovery.
And the day after that, the Rating Game between Phenix and Gremory began.