Chapter 8: Trap by Demons
Issei was back to his usual self after lunch. The school day ended with the teacher dismissing the students, and he decided to chat casually with his friends for a moment. However whenever Matsuda and Motohama started bringing up their usual perverted topics, he would discreetly glance around to ensure his childhood friend wasn't within earshot. Luckily for him, she was engrossed in a conversation with her own friends. Still, his mind couldn't help but wander and his gaze momentarily drifted below Chris's neckline.
Chris Yukine-san had grown into a beautiful woman. While she might not have the allure of the Ojou-samas of Kuoh, she was undoubtedly someone any man would want to be around—and her figure certainly didn't hurt. Yet, beyond such fleeting thoughts, what truly captivated him these few times when he was with her was her smile and laugh. He remembered how he used to make her laugh when they were kids. "That laugh… I missed it. For some reason, it's even better than when Yuuma laughed. Yeah, because hers was fake. Chris's laugh is genuine."
His admiration, however, was short-lived when Motohama caught him staring.
—Oh, excellent choice, Ise. Chris Yukine. Her numbers are: bust ninety, waist fifty-seven, and hips eigh-
Before Motohama could finish reciting her measurements, Issei, red as a tomato, grabbed his cheeks with all his strength. But when he glanced back, he was met with Chris's fiery, crimson-eyed glare—a mix of fury and embarrassment in her face that promised retribution. A slap would be merciful if not a bullet in his head.
The pair agreed to wait until most of the class had cleared out before leaving together to avoid suspicion or any surprise stalking. Chris left first, and a few minutes later, Issei got up ready to leave.
—Hey, Issei, on the way home, wanna stop by the bookstore? Might find a treasure or two, —Matsuda asked.
—Sorry, I've got something to do today. Maybe next time.
—What? Don't be like that.
—Heh. Sorry, guys, but I really need to take care of something. —Without hesitation, Issei made his way to the door. But his exit was blocked by none other than the prince of Kuoh Academy, the bane of every male student's existence.
—Excuse me. Are you Hyoudou Issei-kun?
—Yeah. Oh, the beautiful prince himself. What a day to visit us peasants.
—Yes, but that's not why I'm here. —Kiba's casual response as a joke made Issei want to grind his teeth, especially now since he was in a hurry.
—I've come to find you at the request of Rias-senpai.
—Rias-senpai? Gremory-san?
With the nod of the blonde one, the name brought back memories of the first time he saw her through the window of the Occult Research Club. Her figure, her measurements (courtesy of Motohama), and that crimson hair. Just thinking of those breasts made Issei blush and was almost lost. But he quickly shoved those thoughts aside, recalling his promise and the silver haired girl waiting for him. "No, not gonna be like that with her."
Issei answered with a smug smile. —Sorry, pretty boy, but I've got somewhere to be, with someone. So, let's save this for another time. Tomorrow.
To Kiba's surprise for the negative, Issei brushed past him and continued down the hall, only to collide face-first with something soft and bouncy. The impact sent him stumbling back. When he looked up, he found himself staring at the academy's other ojou-sama, Akeno Himejima, smiling down at him with an amused expression.
—So you're Hyoudou Issei-kun.
Just when Issei thought things couldn't get more uncomfortable, Akeno slipped her arm around his, pressing it between her chest. On any other day, he would have been ecstatic, maybe even drooling at this dream come true. But his instincts screamed at him to run, though Akeno showed no signs of letting him go.
—H-Himejima-senpai. P-Please let me go, I'm in a hurry.
—My, my. Resisting even in this situation? How gentlemanly of you.
—G-Gentlemanly? But- —Issei stammered, utterly confused. Akeno leaned closer to his ear, and though he couldn't see it, a small magic circle formed against her lips.
—Don't worry. Yukine-san will be joining us shortly. In the meantime, why don't you come with me to the club?
Issei's eyes widened—not physically, but in his mind, a mind now shrouded in shadows as he struggled to process her words. "H-Himejima-senpai, you're not…" Suddenly, Raynare's image replaced Akeno's in his mind, her sinister smile echoing the way this girl was manipulating him, even though it wasn't with the same intensity.
His body betrayed him, moving without his consent. Fear gripped him as he realized he couldn't resist her control. No matter his friends' angry calls or the fact that Kuoh's prince was following behind with the same expression, one of triumph, Issei's body refused to respond.
He was nothing more than a puppet in her hands. His thoughts began to dissolve, replaced by an overwhelming darkness. As the last fragments of his consciousness faded, a single desperate plea echoed in his mind.
"Chris, help…"
Chris waited for Issei just a few blocks away from the school, where she could catch up with him while he walked home, but also far enough to avoid being seen if his friends insisted on tagging along. Watching the other students heading back to their homes, she decided to jot down the topics she needed to discuss with Issei:
First: The matter of her Symphogear.
"Although I can't tell him everything, especially that it's from another world. Just explaining how it functions should suffice for him to understand what I am. As for how I got it… I'll need to come up with some dramatic backstory, like the one we made up about Raynare. But the truth about how I really obtained it? Way too dark. So… I'll just blame Zelretch for everything. Yada yada, mage, yada yada, heroine fighting…"
"Fighting what? There are no Noises here, and unless Solomon's Staff gets discovered… I'd rather not mention something I can't explain. It's probably better for everyone if that thing doesn't exist. I've already told him I don't know much about the supernatural, so I can't use that excuse. I guess I could say I fought criminals, but it's been a while, which is why I'm out of shape… Yeah, that works."
Second: Although it's unclear, there's the matter of the flyer Issei received before his date with Yuuma.
"That flashy girl seems very suspicious to me. Unless it's pure coincidence, her sudden appearance and disappearance, coupled with the mention of a supernatural world, is highly suspect. Only Issei can confirm whether she has any connection or not."
Third and most important: Raynare.
"Issei may not want to talk about her, but we need to understand why she and her allies wanted to kill him. She mentioned someone named Azazel, addressing him as -sama, implying he's her leader or superior. Is he behind all of this? She also referred to my Symphogear as something else—a Sacred Gear—and noted how I hid it. That suggests she thinks she knows what my Gear is but couldn't detect it. This means she's familiar with these things and can usually sense them. The way she talked about ripping it out of me implies she doesn't know how to disarm a Symphogear—or maybe that's how Sacred Gears are removed."
Those were the topics she planned to discuss in detail. But as she glanced at her watch and then down the street, she didn't see anyone nearby. She was standing in plain view.
"Where did you go, Issei…" she thought, frustrated. If his friends had forced him to stay, there wasn't much she could do—she didn't have his number. That thought reminded her of a fourth point: throwing a shoe at her perverted friend for spying on her, as Motohama had claimed. Though the guy with glasses would face her wrath someday, the worst part was that Issei might've listened to him.
Suddenly, a gust of wind rushed past her. Thankfully, it didn't lift her skirt, but a feeling of unease began to creep in. The world around her grew eerily silent—no voices, no sounds of animals. It was unnerving. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed shadows forming at the edges of the street. They were closing in.
—Yukine-san.
The voice came from the first figure to reveal itself—President Souna. Her cold, calculating gaze met Chris's, as if she were returning the piercing look Chris had given her the first time they met.
—Oh. Souna-kaichou. Good afternoon.
—Good afternoon to you as well, Yukine-san. May I ask why you're still lingering near the academy at this hour?
—Oh, ah… I was waiting for a friend. We'd planned to go out together, so I decided to wait here. But it seems she hasn't shown up yet. I'm sorry if this seems suspicious—I must look quite out of place.
Her response was met with a smile from Souna before the girl returned to her usual serious expression.
—I see. I don't find any issue with that. In fact, in that case, wouldn't you be too busy to help us with a club activity today? One of my members, who happens to be free, could wait here for your 'friend' and let them know you're at the academy. "Though, that may not be necessary."
—Right now? Shouldn't the school be closing? —Chris asked, using her doubt as an excuse.
—Yes, but the student council has special permissions for situations like these, and certain clubs operate at night. Wouldn't you mind helping us?
Chris didn't know how to respond. She needed a more efficient excuse, especially since she was beginning to feel a growing pressure.
—It's not that I'm ungrateful for the permission, Kaichou, but I wouldn't want to take away extra hands that could help better. I'm not entirely in a state to put in much effort, so I think I'll just wait here.
—I suppose that's fair, but what I want isn't physical effort, Yukine-san, —Souna replied, her tone sharpening. —Rather, I want to meet the person who nearly revealed a supernatural being to the world without taking the necessary precautions to keep humans uninvolved.
—Wha—?! —Chris froze in shock at the revelation. The shadows around them shifted forward, and three other women stepped out to join Souna. All of them were students. The vice president held a naginata, while another with gray hair and one with brown hair blocked the other exit.
—Yukine-san, your strategy to restrict the movements of the fallen angel who had her sights set on Hyoudou-san, as well as her attempts to regroup stealthily, was well thought out, Souna explained coldly. —But what you failed to account for was where you actually were and that your opponents might not be entirely human.
—S-Souna-Kaichou, I… —Chris tried to reply, but then the realization struck her like a bolt of lightning. "Where you were...!" The realization sank in. That's why Issei hadn't shown up. —Issei!
She reached into her bag and pulled out her Gear, which began to glow. The group of women immediately went on guard. As intimidating as it seemed—thanks to the destructive potential Chris had already demonstrated—she was painfully aware of her own limitations. She hadn't told Issei the truth. After the previous battle, her body wasn't in any condition to sing again. Activating her Gear would only worsen her condition.
—Kaichou, stand back.
Souna remained watchful but didn't appear pleased by the development.
If something happened to Issei, Chris would never forgive herself. Blood dripped from her lips, drawing Souna's attention.
"Killter Ichaival—"
But before she could finish the chant, pain erupted throughout her body. She clutched her mouth, but it was futile. She collapsed to her knees, vomiting blood. The wounds from her initial use of Ichaival had reopened, worsening her condition. Souna and the others stared in shock before rushing to her aid.
—Yukine-san! Yukine-san!
One of the girls inspected Chris closely before her expression turned grim. —Kaichou, her body... Internal bleeding. She's in terrible shape.
—Tsubaki, to the infirmary, —Souna ordered. Then, turning to the others: —One of you, call Himejima-san, right now.
—Should we take that from her? —one asked.
—Tsk... Urgh... —Chris clung tightly to her Gear. She wouldn't let them take it. The crystal glowed brighter, its radiance just a fake warning. Souna, however, gently placed a hand over hers—not to seize the Gear, but to calm her.
—Yukine-san, tell me. Does this thing keep hurting you?
Chris didn't know if she could trust Souna, but if she intended to harm her, she would have done so already. With the pain nearly overwhelming her, Chris managed to shake her head.
—Then you can keep it. If you don't trust us, you'll feel safer with it in your possession. Still, I didn't expect your condition to be this bad. You shouldn't have pushed yourself. Hyoudou-san is fine. Let's go.
Souna and Tsubaki helped Chris to her feet. The other girls gathered her belongings, and together, they returned to the academy. Chris was just as trapped as Issei. Neither of them was strong enough to resist.
