Her room was shrouded in the dark of the night with the only thing illuminating it was the glow of her computer screen. The screen loaded slowly. On her desk was a picture of a young girl and an older boy. The older boy was wearing a high school uniform while carrying her on his shoulders. It had been 10 long years since her older brother had disappeared.

"Come on, come on!" the girl said as she loaded the email. The hourglass mocked her as the letters loaded on her screen.

She had been communicating with this person for the better part of 3 years. Auriel Reid. This woman claimed to have news on her estranged older brother and her sister-in-law. But the woman spun tales that would have her put in a mental hospital. Tales of monsters and magic. However, the only reason she hadn't dismissed her claims so readily was because of one email.

You have a niece.

As the email loaded, she shook her head in an attempt to compose herself. Emails from this woman always made her anxious.

"Huh? It's… an invitation? With an attachment to plane tickets?" she tilted her head in confusion.

Miss Kamiyo,

I think it's time you meet your brother's daughter. I have arranged a flight for you to meet us in Italy. As you know, your brother was a very devout Christian even if… as you mentioned, it went against your parents' wishes. But with Lucia now being 10 years old, I think it's better for you to know her while she's still a child rather than meet her when she gets older.

We will meet you in the Vatican for the Feast of the Archangels. Please consider my request for your niece's sake.

Best Regards,

Auriel Reid

She pinched the bridge of her nose. The Feast of the Archangels. She had read up a little on it while researching her brother's supposed monster hunter lifestyle.

"It's just after finals. That woman. Just how much does she know about me to book tickets days after the semester ends?" she said. She brushed her black hair aside and opened up a new email document. Her fingers rested above her keyboard as she thought of a response.

Running away? No. She would inform her parents that it was a school sponsored trip. This Auriel woman made it look official enough.

And so, she began to type.

Dear Miss Reid,

…

School was the same as it always had been. The four had gone up 2 grades, going from 2nd graders to 4th graders in the blink of an eye. Now that she was 10 years old, Lucia found herself nearing her final years of primary school. Vali's mother had moved into one of the Institution's housing buildings and became an understudy to Father Ferdinand. Her mother even funded Eleonora's schooling after she expressed a desire to go back to school to finish her degree. Of course, she asked Vali first but all Vali wanted was to see his mother smile and so, several days a week, Eleonora would spend her time in Berlin studying while Vali stayed at home with them.

Lucia walked out of school, following behind Irina, Vali, and Asia. In the two years since starting school, Lucia was still pretty much a loner. She had very few friends outside of the three people she was behind. Even the shy Asia had more friends than she did and Vali, who she thought was a loner like her, had a surprising amount of friends.

"It's winter break!" Irina cheered as she ran ahead of them and turned around. "That means no school. No homework. It's almost Christmas! That means that we get presents!"

Vali shook his head. "Are you going to get us in trouble again by having us sneak down at midnight like last time?"

"Hey! To be fair, it was your fault we got caught!" Irina huffed.

"Hey! It was Albion and you know it!" Vali argued.

[I'd very much like it if you don't bring me into your arguments, Vali.]

Albion.

The name of the being that resided in Vali's Sacred Gear. Around a year ago, the voice had begun making its appearance known. Not even Lucia knew why he decided to talk now and not earlier. Of course, her mother had ideas but in the end, she never shared them with her.

"Well, Albion is in your Sacred Gear," Irina said.

"G-Guys, please stop fighting," Asia said as she tried to play the mediator.

"I don't think we can sneak downstairs this time," Lucia said. "Mama said we're going to Italy for Christmas."

The three turned around, staring at Lucia with wide eyes.

"I-Italy! But why!? It's so hot down there!" Irina protested.

"I've never been to Italy before. Is it really hot down there?" Vali asked.

Asia looked between Irina and Vali before turning to Lucia. "Are we going because of the Festival?"

The word "festival" made the other two stop and look at Asia in curiosity. The girl, sensing their stares, blushed before looking down at the ground. She wasn't used to being the center of attention. Asia gathered her confidence before speaking. "The Feast of the Archangels is this month. I think Lady Uriel wants to take us down there."

"Yeah. Mama used to take me to Italy during this month because of that. But then everything happened and we haven't been down the festival for three years," Lucia said.

"The Feast… of the Archangels?" Vali asked.

"It's a festival honoring the Seven Archangels. Everyone will be there, even Auntie Ellie. It's the only day that Mama says she takes a break," Lucia said. "But more importantly…"

A wide smile spread across Lucia's face. "Hehehe, Selda will be there! We finally get to see her again!"

Irina, Vali, and Asia's eyes widened in surprise. It had been a while since they had last seen Griselda. She had taken on more and more jobs since Lucia turned 9 and eventually began staying at the Vatican altogether.

"Selda hasn't been home in over a year! We can surprise her when we get down there!" Lucia said.

"I can finally ask Selda to show me new sword tricks," Irina asked.

"Maybe s-she can show us more Miracles?" Asia chimed in.

"Selda said she found something cool when she was out on that mission in Ukraine! Maybe she can show it to us," Vali pondered.

All of them had their own idea of what to ask Griselda when they saw her again. Lucia, however, was more than happy to just spend time with her again. Though, she did have a few choice ideas on what to ask Griselda when she got to see her again.

"I see you kids are already planning on how to bother Griselda during our trip."

The four turned to see Uriel walking up to them. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail and she wore a red coat over herself. She smiled as she reached out and patted her daughter's head.

Lucia swatted her mother's hand away. "Mama, I'm a big girl now."

Uriel laughed before ushering the kids down to the car. "Come on now. We have to go home and prepare. We're leaving in 2 days for Italy."

"Miss Uriel," Vali said.

"Yes?"

"Can I really go? I'm a half-devil. Won't I get in trouble for going inside a Church?" he asked.

Uriel raised an eyebrow as she closed the car's passenger side door. She got in the driver's seat and sat down, contemplating his question for a few seconds. "I don't think that will be a problem. It's not like you did anything wrong. Besides, you won't be the only Devil there."

"Only… devil?" Asia asked.

"Yes. It's a very special Feast of the Archangels this year. The other members of the Factions are coming over. Just a few of them but you kids don't have to worry. This is something the adults are going to talk about," Uriel said.

"Does that mean we can't see Selda?" Irina asked.

"You will. I'll make sure Selda gets to take you four around the Vatican. I'm sure she's dying to see all of you again," she replied. "And I know she could use a break from all the work she's been doing."

Lucia leaned forward. "Mama, how long are we going to be down there?"

"Two weeks maybe. Just long enough for you to get back to school when we come home," Uriel said. "And sit back down, Luci, I'm driving."

Lucia huffed and sat back down in her seat.

"Is my mom going to be there?" Vali asked.

"Your mom is at home right now, Val. She's on her own extended break because of the festival. I managed to convince the University that she needed time off," Uriel replied as she looked in the rearview mirror.

As they neared the Institution, Uriel slowed the car down. "But there are a few rules I'll go over before we go. I'll tell all of you again when we actually go. First off, don't go outside of the Vatican. I'm fine with you four wandering around inside the city with Griselda but don't go outside. Got it? I'm talking to you especially, Luci."

Lucia jumped in her seat when she caught her mother's stern gaze. She nodded begrudgingly. "Yes, ma'am."

"Secondly, you guys aren't allowed to use magic there. There are a lot of normal people there for the Feast and to pray. I don't want you guys blowing up a church by accident," she added.

"But—"

"Irina and Vali, this rule mostly applies to you two," she said.

The two stiffened at the mention of their names.

"And lastly, Asia, I want you to keep these 3 from acting out. Especially since the children of the other leaders are going to be there. You're the most responsible for the four," Uriel said.

"M-Me!?" Asia looked startled at the mention of her name. The very thought that she would have to watch her three friends was equivalent to her having three bloodthirsty sharks that smelled blood. She turned her head shakily to her friends, who were off in their own worlds. "I-I t-think Luci is more responsible…," she offered.

Uriel raised an eyebrow but brushed off Asia's attempt to shift responsibility to her daughter. "Go on, kids. I think Elen has dinner ready for all of you."

The doors of the car swung open as the kids ran out and sprinted toward the front door. Uriel got out of the car and cupped one hand around her mouth. "And don't forget to wash your hands!" she yelled as she watched them disappear inside.

Uriel sat in her office, looking over some documents when she saw a pulsating flash of light out of the corner of her eye. She sighed and waved her hand. The light grew brighter until a translucent image appeared in front of her. Uriel raised an eyebrow at the sight of the hair.

"When did you get a haircut, Elder Brother Michael?" Uriel leaned back in her chair. "Did you get your heart broken by someone or something?"

Michael blinked and ran a hand through his hair. "My hair is still fairly long, Uriel."

"It was longer. Now it's down to your mid-back," Uriel replied. "But I'm sure you called me for a completely different reason than to consult your younger sister about your hair."

Michael nodded and cleared his throat. He looked behind him and his eyes softened momentarily as he handed something to someone. Uriel raised an eyebrow when she saw the hand of a child in the image for a brief second.

"Did you… have a kid?" Uriel asked.

Michael turned his gaze back to her and smiled. "She's not mine. I found her when I was dealing with a vampire attack. Poor girl. I'll tell you all more about her later but for now…"

"Right, right. Is this about the security at the Feast?" Uriel asked.

"Yes and one other thing. Metatron's Disciple has been going around investigating the recent rumors as of late. As you know, the Sigurd Institute is where we've been producing clones of Siegfried but rumors have been cropping up about people in the Vatican disappearing. Children primarily," Michael said. "It's been pushed up to us since… some children from the Sigurd Institute have been reassigned with no definitive location."

Uriel's pen stopped in its place as her eyes widened considerably. "How long?"

"According to Metatron, he's been investigating it for a while."

"Does Elder Sister know?"

Michael closed his eyes. "Of course she does. She probably found the location already as soon as Metatron came to her with the news."

"I'll mobilize the Destroying Angels to take care of it. Camael's been itching for something to do," Uriel stretched her arms over her head.

"And another thing, Uriel. We've confirmed the list of guests from the Grigori and the Underworld. Serafall Leviathan and Sirzechs Lucifer for the Devils' side and Azazel for the Grigori's side."

"Two Satans and Azazel?" Uriel said.

"To be fair, there are seven of us that are going to be there. I'm surprised Azazel didn't bring Baraqiel or Shemhazai along," Michael said.

"That bastard probably has something up his sleeve like watching Helel or Gabriel while they bathe," Uriel sighed.

"In any case, they sent over word that they would like their security detail to be allowed into the city. Particularly, concerning Sirzechs, he asked if his whole peerage and his family's butler be allowed to enter the Vatican," Michael said.

"His… whole peerage?" Uriel repeated slowly. She rubbed her temples and glanced at the growing stack of papers on her desk. "We… can accommodate them but why is he bringing his entire peerage? Does he not trust our security?"

Michael smiled sympathetically at his younger sister. "Gabriel said he's bringing someone important with him. I assume it's his wife since she is the Queen of his Peerage."

Uriel nodded before snapping her fingers. The pen levitated in the air and began signing documents by itself as she stood up and walked over to her coffee maker. "It's going to be a busy feast this year."

"Yes, it will be. I fear that nothing will happen. We've worked too hard for this momentary peace… and now that a permanent peace is within our grasp, I'd rather not have anything get in the way of that. Perhaps, this could be the first step in getting a peace treaty signed between us. For too long, we've been divided against each other," Michael said.

Uriel sipped her coffee and leaned on the edge of her desk. "There are people who will disagree with us."

Michael nodded. "There will always be people that will disagree, however, we cannot stop because some people do not share the same view as we do. I want a future where our children don't have to grow up the way we did… In war."

Uriel smiled at her brother's words as she thought about her daughter. Lucia was growing up fast. The sole fact that Uriel was able to preserve her innocence for the most part was an achievement for her. As someone who grew up in war, Uriel wanted to give Lucia everything she ever had when she was a child. And soon, Lucia would find her own way in the world, whether it was with her or without her. Uriel felt a small pang of loneliness well up inside her.

"I invited Lucia's aunt to the Festival," Uriel said.

"You did? You realized it's about time she knows," Michael said.

Uriel nodded. "I want her to meet her real family."

"Real family? Uriel, you are her real family," he replied.

Uriel said nothing as she stared into her cup of coffee. "Am I…? I'm just the woman who found her in that destroyed town. If I got there in time, if I had arrived just a few minutes earlier, Lucia would still have her parents. Laylah and her husband would still be alive and Lucia would be safe somewhere else, away from all of this."

"Uriel…," Michael said.

Uriel looked up at her brother with a watery smile on her face. "It's part of the reason I invited Togame over to Italy. If… Lucia meets her blood-related family and chooses to go with them. In the end, I'll support her decision."

"And if she chooses not to?"

Uriel paused for a few moments before looking up at Michael. "Then, she chooses me. I'd be happy… I don't want to lose her, Elder Brother but if going with Togame means she's safe, then I'll be behind her choice no matter what."

"..." Michael remained silent as he listened to his younger sister hide her doubts and insecurities behind words of well-wishes and support for her daughter. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "For the General of the Heavenly Host, it's surprising that you can't understand your daughter's feelings on this matter. Does Lucia even know?"

Uriel shook her head. Tears welled up at the edge of her blue-green eyes. "I was going to tell her at the Vatican during the Feast."

"That she's adopted?"

"No, I think she's always known even though I never said anything. I think… that's why she works so hard to keep up with everyone else. To be stronger than everyone else. Because she knows…"

"Uriel…"

"I know, I know, it's just a speculation. But still, I can't help but think she might feel inadequate in comparison," she muttered.

"Uriel, this isn't a battle. You need to tell her directly," Michael said.

"And you're a better expert on parenting than I am… how exactly?" Uriel asked with a slightly indignant tone.

"I'm saying this as an outside perspective. Don't assume you know how Lucia will choose," he said. "And be more confident in yourself. Lucia is growing up to be a wonderful girl. Blood or not, you are her mother."

Uriel bit her bottom lip as she let her older brother's words sink in. However, it did very little to stifle the growing seed of doubt and insecurity growing in her heart. "Thanks, Brother…"

Michael frowned at her still downtrodden expression and sighed. "Trust me, Uri. Everything will work out in the end."

Uriel nodded in an uncharacteristically meek manner.

Michael let out yet another sigh. For all her bluster at being an impregnable Archangel who bowed to no one except God, her daughter had her wrapped tightly around her finger. He ended the call, his translucent spiritual form vanishing from Uriel's office and leaving her alone with her doubts and insecurities.

Lucia gripped her plushie tightly as she tossed and turned in her bed. Above her and next to her, Irina and Asia snored softly, blissfully unaware of the storm brewing inside her mind. Her eyebrows furrowed as her dreams flashed chaotically across her mind like a film reel that was out of control.

Lucia let out a breath as she found herself standing in the middle of a snow-laden forest. Her breath instantly turned to mist and the only light she had was the silver light of the Moon above. The night always comforted her. Its wings wrapped around her like a mother's embrace or… perhaps…

She shook her head as she looked around. Her eyes widened as she happened upon the sight of a bloodied blonde-haired young boy. The boy seemed to be a year younger than she was. His eyelids were heavy as he fought off the sweet embrace of oblivion.

Lucia tentatively reached her hand out but gasped when another hand passed through her. She stepped to the side and her eyes widened. Flickers of static began to fill her vision as she beheld the person before her.

It was her.

The crimson-haired girl.

The girl looked down at the boy and smiled with a sadness that someone would not expect on a girl as old as Lucia.

"Help… save them…," the boy whispered.

The red-haired girl's eyes sparkled with something Lucia couldn't identify as she produced a red chess piece from her sleeve. Her eyes grew wide and a sharp pain shot through her head. "W-What the…?"

"PLEASE SAVE MY FRIENDS!"

The vision changed as she soon found the boy grabbing at her skirt.

"W-Wha…?" Lucia took a step back before bumping into something. Her surroundings had changed. Before her, a white haired girl dressed in a tattered lab gown sat curled up in the middle of several children. The children were all in varying degrees of decline, some being emaciated and starved while others were bruised. The putrid smell of necrotic flesh and gangrene filled her nostrils and made her want to vomit.

The girl who prayed at bruising along her arm and chest, along with various cuts and small scars on her legs. Her eyes were the most haunting part. Lucia felt a chill creep into her soul as she stared into the girl's empty, glassy pale blue eyes. "Please… I don't… want to die…"

Lucia backpedaled until her back hit a wall. And then she noticed where they were for the first time. They were in a sterile white chamber with a single mirror siting hauntingly on the wall by a thick metal door.

"Please… God… anyone. Save us….," the girl prayed in earnest.

Lucia took a step away from the girl before tripping and finding herself back in the woods once more. She looked up and saw a gloved hand before her. The crimson-haired girl stared at her with determined and desperate eyes. Eyes that were desperate to live. She opened her mouth as she called to her.

"... GET UP!" she called.

And just as Lucia reached out to grab her hand, a flash of light illuminated the night sky. It shined brighter than the sun. Rays of light raced across the starry sky, as if they were stars falling from Heaven. Each one carried the oblivion of an entire civilization within its light.

And as the light descended upon them, Lucia knew one thing before the light consumed her and the girl. A single phrase let her lips as the light struck the Earth and tore it asunder.

"Paradise Lost…"

Lucia shot up with a gasp, panting and clutching at her chest. Her eyes focused and unfocused as she struggled to regain control of her senses. Her ears rang and blood trickled down her nose from the sheer amount of psychological stress she had just experienced.

"Lucia, are you okay?"

She almost jumped at the sound of the voice. Lucia turned her head to see Asia looking at her with worry in her eyes. Lucia took a deep breath as she tried to calm her racing heart. The sound of it pounding inside her chest echoed in her ears. "I'm okay. I had a bad dream."

"Do you want me to hug you?" Asia asked.

Lucia remained silent.

"Rin always hugs me whenever I have bad dreams," Asia said as she reached over and pulled Lucia into a hug.

Lucia's eyes widened as Asia's arms wrapped around her. Asia's scent enveloped her like a blanket and she shook slightly. "It was… a really scary dream, Asia."

Asia nodded as she sat there holding Lucia in her arms. After a few minutes, she pulled away from the older girl and sat there next to her quietly. "Are you still scared?"

Lucia stiffened at the question. Her dreams had been sporadic as of late. Sometimes she had the dream of that desert town and the Shadow while other times, she dreamed of the crimson-haired girl. However, this was the first time she had a dream that vivid in a long while. Gathering her confidence, Lucia shook her head. "No, I'm not scared anymore. I'm a big girl now so bad dreams aren't as scary anymore. Thanks, Asia!"

She smiled and ruffled Asia's hair.

Asia puffed her cheeks and pulled away from Lucia's hand. "Let's go. Miss Uriel said it's time for breakfast and then we're leaving for the Vatican after everyone gets ready."

Lucia nodded and followed her out of the room, attempting to push the deep-seated feeling of foreboding and fear that was left over from her nightmare.

Wintertime in Rome was far warmer than winter in the Alps. Though it was still cool, it was nothing compared to the heavy snow that they would receive from year to year. And though, it rarely snowed in the ancient heart of the Roman Empire, this year, there was enough snow to cover the streets in a light sheet of white.

Within its bounds, the seat of the Catholic Church loomed ahead of them. Its usual reverent atmosphere had changed and was replaced with the electric charge of the festivities of the feast. Through the gates, people roamed about, marveling, and different street foods and mingling with each other. A mix of Christmas songs and Church Hymns played from speakers in the background.

"Woah, I've never been to Rome before," Vali said as he looked up and marveled at the ancient architecture. His yellow eyes gazed ahead as he stepped toward the gates of Vatican City. He reached forward and felt the unmistakable sting of Holy Energy against his skin.

"Is Vali going to be okay inside?" Eleonora asked.

Uriel rubbed her chin thoughtfully before gazing at Vali. "He should be fine. [Divine Dividing] and his half-human heritage should mitigate a lot of the weaknesses a pure-blooded Devil has."

Vali stepped forward, closer to the gate and the sting became nothing more than a tingle. As he was about to step forward, the girls ran past him and grabbed his arms. Lucia smiled as she tightened her grip on his hand. "Come on! Let's go! There are a lot of people I want you to meet! Oh, did you know Auntie Ellie looks like you? And then there's Uncle Camael and my cousins and…"

Uriel smiled as she watched Lucia and the children run past the guards. She glanced at Touji, Rikka, and Eleonora before nodding her head and following after them.

A flash of red light illuminated the halls of the streets of Rome. A young girl ran forward, marveling at the ancient architecture. The cold crisp air nipped at her skin and a cool breeze ruffled the tails of her white and purple coat. Her crimson-red hair fluttered in the breeze as she looked on with childlike amazement.

"Nii-tama! Look! We're finally here!" the girl said excitedly as she pointed at all the ancient buildings.

An older man, dressed in a black coat with a light brown turtleneck sweater and black pants, stepped out of the red light, followed by a woman dressed in a black coat with silver hair, and several other people. The woman's eyes narrowed as she watched the girl dart from spot to spot.

"Young Miss, please don't run off," the woman sighed.

"Let her be, dear. She's been cooped up all month in the manor," the man chided playfully. He ran a hand through his crimson hair.

"Sirzechs, don't be complacent. We're in Heaven's territory," the woman said.

Sirzechs nodded. "I know but she should be a child. I worry that she's growing up too fast sometimes, Grayfia. Ever since she got her Queen and that cat, she's been shouldering everything herself."

Grayfia's red eyes followed her husband's gaze as she watched the girl smile like a child for what seemed to be the first time in a long time. She pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a tired sigh. "Alright…"

"And loosen up, Dear. We're not in the Underworld. You don't need to maintain appearances up here," Sirzechs said as he wrapped an arm around his wife's waist.

Grayfia's cheeks turned red at the sudden contact. "We're in public… idiot. But…" she linked her arm around his and smiled. "I guess we can relax for a while. Rias! Let's go!" Grayfia called out.

At the sound of her name, Rias turned her head. "Coming!" she called out. Rias took one last look at the fountain before running after her older brother and his wife as they made their way toward the Holy City.

Housekeeping:

RoyalRain20xx: Man, this sure brought a whole range of emotions for me, not only the nice, calming scenes of children being children (AKA little gremlins trying to play puppy dog eyes with adults) but with DV being such an uncomfortable, yet rage inducing topic that I didn't know what to think given their situation. But before that, I'm getting more and more curious about that dream Lucia's been getting, sure she can see the future, that's all but set in stone, but the meaning behind it just leaves me thinking exactly what grand purpose is waiting for our little miracle child. But also, speaking of children, its nice getting to see just how incredibly dense Lucia is, I mean come on, how can she not tell "Val" was really a boy the whole time? Aside from… obvious ways of finding out, having the youngest (Asia) tell you you're dumb for not figuring out something so simple is kind of a kick in the teeth XD. Honestly, just seeing these innocent moments happen really makes me wonder if they'll keep that innocence even after they all grow older over time, because let's be honest here, the supernatural world is a world of gray and "iffy" morals, and given how they might have to close their hearts to "normal" friends they might make or "do what needs to be done" I just can't help but think how this all might culminate as time goes on for them.

But enough of that, the nitty-gritty of Vali's family is such a sad thing to know about-given that Eleonora was basically a one night stand and Vali's birth might be considered "accidental" you can't help but feel sad about both mother and son just wanting that sense of normalcy. And yeah Raezavan was a big ol' POS but the way Griselda just ended him by essentially drowning/crushing him with "God water" was just brutal man. But hey, at least Vali awakened part of his Longinus, even though it means that the church will have to take extra precautions surrounding his nature. And good on Uriel for having mercy on Eleonora and Vali, they deserve at least some semblance of happiness. Overall, this was a deep and thrilling chapter, and with the reveal of the Church of Finality, who knows what'll happen next-either way, can't wait to find out more!

Hey man, thanks for the review once again! That DV scene brought out a lot of feelings in me that I can't describe on the internet or I'll end up on the No Fly List for the FBI. But it's the beginning of moments like these that make me think whether or not I just like making my characters suffer. But you'll see what I mean in a couple of chapters. I'm just going to say it's going to be incredibly life-altering to the point where you wonder why I didn't just end it right there. Well, the canon characters aren't mine but you get what I mean. Also, this dense thing is going to keep going as she gets older. I'm just going to say that you should feel really bad for Vali later on.

Speaking of Divine Dividing, someone will have to train Vali to use it at some point. But for now, he just has Albion to rely on. Though, he might have a bit of trouble considering that he is a half-devil that's related to LUCIFER.

NexusPrime42: With you mentioning that Lucia's group will be replacing the Vali team and with Irina, Asia, and now Vali in the team now all we need is Kiba (assuming if you have plans for him or keep him as canon) and Xenovia (unless she'll switch over to the gremory peerage just like in canon)

Hmm, Kiba is going to be funny for reasons you'll see in a chapter or three. The way he ends up where he is is actually going to be really funny. And speaking of Xenovia, I've decided for the most part that I'll have her maintain her canon role. She and Irina don't share that close of a bond in this timeline since they'll never become partners. Sad, I know. The only thing I really have to do is reassign the rest of the Vali Team to other roles in the story since Vali won't have them obviously.

Uday Sra: Awesome

Thanks, man! Hope you keep reading.

Hahah! This what...? Mini-arc #3 of the First Arc. I've realized that this entire first portion of the story can be boiled down to mini-arcs in how Lucia gets the members of her group. Anyway, onto some points here.

Togame and Uriel: Yes, Uriel is going to tell Lucia she's adopted in this mini-arc. It's an issue that's been coming for a while and now that Lucia's aunt has been formally invited, well, we'll see what kind of emotional turmoil it's going to stir in a 10-year-old girl. No, there is nothing special about Togame at all. The Kamiyo Family has nothing going on for them. No special attribute. No special heritage. They're just regular humans from Japan. But on Uriel's side, as you can all see, there are moments—especially when Lucia is in danger is when she feels like an inadequate parent. So her fears and insecurities really do stem from a real place.

Rias Gremory: YES! FINALLY! After dreaming of this girl for the past few chapters, we finally have her appear! Woo! Just so you all know, this is going to be the FIRST STORY where I have Rias as the deuteragonist. I know. Groundbreaking achievement. In my other two fics, Rias is just a supporting side character but here, she's actually super duper important!

Anyway, two notes. Those were the most important ones I found worth talking about regarding this chapter. Also, keep the fact that Michael has an adopted child now in your heads. It'll be important in a little bit. Anyway, that's it for me. See ya!