Kokabiel Arc Chapter 29: Akeno Himejime: Origins
Jiro and Akeno flew threw in relative silence. They flew all the way outside of town and finally landed a few feet away from the town itself. Jiro turns to Akeno with a serious expression while Akeno smiles mischievously.
"So what did you want to talk about? Don't tell me you wanted to bring me out here to make Irina-chan jealous. Fufu Is the pretty bad boy looking for some excitement and want to start an affair with little ol' me?" Akeno teased, covering her mouth with her fingers and her left arm tucked underneath her large bust.
"This ain't the place, or time. Unless you have a death wish." Jiro said as he grabbed Akeno's head and squeezed it while lifting her up.
"KYAAAA! I WAS KIDDING! I SWEAR!" Akeno yelled as she flailed in his grip.
Jiro made a "Hmph" sound as he let go of her head as she pouted and rubbed it.
"Now as for what I wanted to talk to you about, for starters, tell me: what do you think of Raynare?" Jiro asked his expression turning slightly more serious.
Akeno stopped rubbing her head and looked at him eyes wide slightly, taken aback by his unexpected question. She looked down for a second in thought before looking back up and answering.
"Ah, Raynare. She's an interesting individual. As two different species, we initially had our differences, but overtime, we've developed a certain comradeship. I wouldn't say we're close friends, but there's a mutual understanding between us." Akeno said with her usual smile.
"I see. I guess you two would be on good terms and maybe call Raynare a friend, but… I couldn't help but notice you giving her disgusted looks and glares every now and again."
Akeno's expression becomes more serious as he address her behavior towards Raynare. She stays silent for a second contemplating her response.
"I suppose... you have a point. While Raynare and I have developed a certain level of camaraderie, there are still moments when our... past conflicts and differences resurface. The looks of disgust you've noticed are a reflection of those lingering tensions. Despite our understanding... there's still some history between us that makes it difficult to fully see her as a close friend." Akeno said, turning her head to the left slightly, her hands folded in front of her legs.
"Really? I don't think that's the case. I think I know the real reason." Jiro said with an eyebrow raised.
"The real reason? Please, enlighten me, what do you believe is the true reason behind my mixed feelings towards Raynare?" Akeno said, her eyes narrowing with slight nervousness.
"Don't tell me you forgot when we first met. You can't fool me with your façade. Tell me… deep down you hate fallen angels right?" Jiro said, shocking her.
Akeno looked at him, taken aback by his observation. She did in fact remember when when they first met and how he easily guessed that she didn't like the students unwanted attention. She takes a moment before responding.
"Well, I can't deny that my history with fallen angels has left me with a certain amount of... animosity towards them. They've caused pain and suffering to many in the past, including those close to me and even a leader class fallen angel is planning to destroy everything in a war just to satisfy his own beliefs. I suppose that underlying resentment comes to the surface when I interact with Raynare." Akeno said in a low and slightly downcast tone.
"...Yeah, I thought so... but I think I know another reason." Jiro said, making her look back up at him curiously.
"Another reason? Please, share your thoughts with me. I'm intrigued to hear what you think." Akeno said with an eyebrow raised.
"Well I'm sure you most likely know this, but I've met many high ranking individuals within the supernatural world, which includes fallen angels. Keeping that in mind, your scent reminds me of someone I met before." Jiro said, looking at her observantly.
Akeno looked back him slightly intrigued. "Oh...? My scent... reminds you of someone? Who might... that be?" Akeno said, growing slightly nervous.
Jiro stayed silent for a few seconds before asking his question. "...Answer me honestly... You're related to... someone named... Baraqiel right...?
Akeno froze
"You're related to him right? the leader class fallen angel?" Jiro asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Akeno's eyes widen in surprise, clearly taken aback by his knowledge of her lineage. Her hands clinched together tightly and she trembled slightly.
"H-how did you come to know this information? I-it's not something... I share openly." Akeno said, shakily.
"Because like I said your scent is similar to his and I've noticed you have the aura of a devil… and a fallen angel. And on top of that I've sensed that your lightning isn't just ordinary Lightning Magic, but has traces of Holy Lightning, just like Baraqiel." Jiro said, shocking her further
Akeno's expression is a mix of astonishment and confusion. She takes a moment to process everything he's revealed.
"So, tell me what relation do you have with him." Jiro asked, with an eyebrow raised.
Akeno's hair covered her eyes as she spoke. "Very well... since you've uncovered so much already... I'll tell you the truth... Baraqiel... is my father." Akeno said in a low tone as if she was ashamed to admit it.
Jiro's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Really? Well I didn't see that coming. That explains it." Jiro said with an eyebrow raised.
"Indeed, it does. My familial connection to Baraqiel is something I've kept hidden from the others. Up until now only Rias knew, but it seems you, with your remarkable senses, have managed to uncover the truth." Akeno said, her hair still covering her eyes as her voice became uncharacteristically softer.
"So, why do you keep it a secret? Am I to assume... you're not on good terms with your father?" Jiro asked, softly, sensing her emotions slightly.
"You could... say that..." Akeno said, turning her head to the left slightly and fidgeting with her skirt as if she was afraid to tell him of her past.
Jiro noticed her hesitation and sighed. "Listen, I know this hard, but I'm asking you this because I want to understand why you're concealing your true self and true power. Your my friend after all, so naturally I want to understand you better." Jiro said, reassuringly.
Akeno looked back up at him eyes wide. She was touched by his words and felt a surge of emotions rising up. She walked up to him, grabbed onto his Jacket, and buried her face into his chest, trying to hide her vulnerable expression as she began speaking.
"My mothers name was Shuri Himejima. She was a shrine maiden under the shrine of the Himejima Clan, one of the 5 Principle Clans. one day my mother found my father Baraqiel when he was injured and on the brink of death. She nursed him back to health and soon enough they would come to fall in love and get married. However, her relationship with him didn't go well with the rest of our family, as they believed that she was brainwashed by him. To that end, our family sent well-known practitioners to kill my father and bring her back. However they were defeated by him, but some of them held a grudge against my father. Soon after I was born they decided my mother was beyond saving and therefore exiled her from the clan." Akeno said, starting off.
Jiro looked down at her as he listened intently. "So that's how it started. So what happened to your mother and what created the rift between you and your father?" Jiro asked, to which Akeno trembled as she remembered her traumatic event.
"My mother was murdered... while protecting me." Akeno said as she started to tear up while Jiro's eyes widened in shock.
"When I was 10 years old, on that fateful day... my father was away... and that night... the Himejima Clan members took advantage of this... and set out to kill me and my mother... but they only managed to murder my mother... She shielded me from our attackers... and was cut down right in front of me... All I could do was cry... while holding her hand as I waited to be killed as well... But before they could... my father arrived and killed them... However I wasn't grateful... My mother was killed because of him... Because of those monsters with black wings... I never forgave my father for what he had caused... and for not being there to protect me and my mother... After that... ran away from that house... and wondered the woods of Japan for days... I was hungry, cold, and exhausted... until Rias found me... She and her family took me in... and I was reincarnated... into a devil as Rias's queen... I chose to keep my connection to my horrible father a secret because... I wanted to abandon my fallen angel lineage... and cut all ties to my father completely... but unfortunately... only my human half was removed... and I ended up as a fallen/devil hybrid... and that couldn't be changed... But even so... I will always reject... the unholy blood and power I'm stuck with." Akeno said, finishing as she spoke between sobs.
"I see, so that's why you seem to hate fallen angels to the point where you give Raynare disgusted looks?" Jiro said, in a low tone.
Akeno lifted her head of his chest and wiped her tears while nodding. "It's because of fallen angels that my mother was killed. Even if I'm a hybrid, I refuse to call myself one of those creatures. The looks I give Raynare... they're a reflection of that hatred towards fallen angels and my father as well." Akeno said, now scowling and backing away slightly.
Jiro looked at her for a second and then turned around. "Is that so? Well then, I guess I'll have to expel you from Biblical Vanguard." Jiro said as he started walking away from her.
Akeno looked at him eyes wide, unsure if she heard him correctly. "W-what?! W-what do you mean?!" Akeno asked in disbelief.
"You heard me. The main reason I decided to put the team together was not just to fight against Kokabiel, but to end prejudice and aggression between the three factions. So if you're stickin' to being an advocate for hate towards fallen angels then I'm afraid there's no place for you in the group." Jiro said, looking at her over his shoulder as he walked away.
Akeno looked at him in shock, horror, and hurt from his words. "W-WHAT?! NO PLEASE! YOU CAN'T DO THAT! WAIT, JIRO-KUN!" Akeno yelled, frantically in fear as she tried to run after him.
Jiro then suddenly appeared right in front of her and lifted her up by the throat with his right hand. "Oh yes I can. I'll have you know, I formed the team, so who gets to be in it and who leaves is my choice." Jiro said, glaring up at her as he flares his red aura while she struggles in his grip.
"p-please... don't do thi-" Before she could finish her sentence Jiro cut her off.
"In fact why don't I cut all ties you have with the group you have as a whole by ripping out that queen piece of yours, removing you from Rias's peerage, and turning you back into a fallen/human hybrid. How does that sound?" Jiro said, lifting his free left hand.
"N-no... Y-you wouldn't dare..." Akeno said as she slowed her struggling and gripped her chest with her left hand while lightning began to crackle in it, her right hand on his wrist. Akeno strangely began to feel a sense of aggression rising up within her at Jiro's threats and it was strange to her.
"Don't want me to? Then why don't ya do something about it." Jiro said as he punches Akeno in the stomach making her cough, his grip on her neck tightening.
"I'll remind you that I don't tolerate weaklings. If you don't have the strength or guts to stop me then that shows you really don't have a place in Biblical Vangaurd." Akeno's aggression and anger started to rise while she looked down at him.
"What? Not motivated enough? Then why don't I hunt down that Himejima Clan and roast 'em all alive." Jiro said, now smiling mischievously.
"What?! Care to repeat that?!" Akeno said in a low threatening tone with a shadow over her eyes.
"You heard me. I'm gonna hunt down and murder every single member of your family. And unlike your precious mother... for them... It won't be quick." Jiro said, smiling evilly.
In that moment Akeno felt all other emotions disappear in their place was nothing but rage. In one swift movement she unfurled her devil wings and kicked herself out of Jiro's grip. Upon landing a few feet away she channeled her lightning in her hand and unleashed a powerful blast of yellow lightning that enveloped Jiro. When the blast subsided Jiro brushed the dust cloud away completely unharmed. He looked at Akeno as she flared her yellow aura.
"You bastard! I don't give a damn what you do to me... but if you lay one finger on my and my mother's family... I'LL MAKE DEATH FEEL LIKE A LUXARY FOR YOOOUUU!" Akeno roared as her aura exploded from her and lightning crackled around her.
Akeno burst into the air, flew right above Jiro and unleashed a barrage of lightning bolt towards him. Jiro simply grins and defects all the lightning bolts with ease, shocking her.
"What? Is that all?" Jiro said, mockingly. He then jumped into the air towards her, charging strait through the lightning bolts, and right punched her in the face, sending crashing into the ground.
Akeno stood back up shakily while clutching her left cheek. Jiro then suddenly appeared in front of her again and tried to left punch her. Akeno reacted in time and barely dodged his punch and back away, although she still gained a small cut on her right cheek. She then flew towards him with great speed, put her hands on his chest, and let out a surge of volts into him. Jiro seemingly threw his head back and yelled out in pain, but after a moment, stopped screaming and grinned as he slowly brought his head down.
Akeno looked up at him in shock that he was completely unaffected by the shocking. Jiro lifted his right arm and back hand punched her in the face, sending her skirting across the ground several feet away. Akeno tried to stand back up as she wiped some blood from her mouth, but Jiro suddenly appeared next to her and kick her in the stomach. She almost vomited as she hovered in the air slightly from the force of his kick. Before she could make any further movements Jiro landed a devastating left hook to her face, sending her skirting across the ground again face first.
Akeno rolled onto her back and sat up slowly while glaring at Jiro. "Heh, are you done already? Is this the best, the great Priestess Of Thunder can do?" Jiro said, mockingly as he slowly walked over towards her.
Akeno fully stood back up shakily ready to keep going. "I suggest you try a little hard. Otherwise you'll have to kiss the great Himejima Clan goodbye, leaving only 4 Principle Clans." Jiro said with an almost amused smile.
Upon hearing his threat and taunt Akeno's scowl hardened and her vain looked as though they were going to burst any second. Akeno clinched and flared her aura again. However this time her yellow aura had traces of light blue mixed in with the yellow. Akeno's left devil wing began to twitch as both yellow and blue lightning crackled in her hands. Akeno then yelled out as bolts of yellow and blue light shot down onto her and her aura burst upwards, the force of which made the yellow ribbon in her hair come undone and her hair to come loose. Her left wing twitched and trembled, then suddenly jolted and morphed into that of a fallen angels wing as loose feathers flew from it.
Jiro looked on in awe at her transformation and change in aura, now a perfect mix of both devil and fallen angel power. He then wide eyed grinned as he said "Amazing. Now that's what I like to see".
Meanwhile
The rest of the group back on the Kuoh Academy Track Field were training and practicing the abilities Jiro instructed them to learn. Irina, Xenovia, and Kiba were practicing Requip Magic by trying to focus the Ethernanos in their hands, visualize, and summon their practice daggers into their hands, which proved difficult as they only summoned the daggers for a few seconds. Rias, Raynare, and Ravel were practicing Ether Zone by trying to summon their respective magics in mid-air a few feet away from them, only managed to generate small sparks. Koneko was trying to learn the Gravity Ether Gear ability by channeling certain amounts of Ethernanos in her arms and legs, but was channeling either too much or to little, leading to her either uncontrollably launching herself through the air slightly, or crushing the ground beneath her without meaning too. Asia was attempting to learn Enchantment Magic by transferring her Ethernanos into a rock through her hands, but only managed a miniscule amount, before straining her hands.
"Damn, how the hell does Jiro do these things so easily." Raynare said, in annoyance at how much she was struggling and seeing how everyone else was struggling.
"I know right, he makes makes it look like it's child's play." Rias said, feeling just as annoyed as Raynare.
"Well, I suppose he did mention he had been honing his skills for 10 years." Xenovia said, rubbing her soar hands as Kiba said "That's true".
"I wish the lizard wrote a manual or something." Koneko said, after having fallen on her back for what felt like the tenth time.
"I hope we can learn these spells in time and meet Jiro-san's expectations." Asia said, worriedly while healing her soar hands to which Ravel said, "I hope so as well".
Irina, noticing her friends' growing frustration and worry, speaks up. "Hey now, everyone, it's only the second day of training. There's no way we'd be able to master these things right away, hard work takes time and effort. We have 3 weeks until Kokabiel attack so we have plenty of time." Irina said, to which they all said "Yeah, you're right" in unison.
"I know I am. As Jiro-kun would say: in these 3 weeks we have to surpass our limits. Right here. Right now." Irina said, cheerfully.
They all smile and nod at her encouragement. "Looks like Jiro's influence is rubbing off on you. You must be so jealous that he's all alone with another women." Raynare said, teasingly, making Irina blush furiously.
"What?! Why would I be. There's no way Jiro-kun would try anything... scandalous with Akeno." Irina said turning away at the end, although she secretly was kind of jealous.
They all chuckle at Irina's cute expression. Xenovia then speaks up with a realization.
"Speaking of which, they've been away for quite some time now. I wonder what they're talking about." Xenovia said, looking in the direction they left in.
"Yes, you're right. I hope they're okay." Asia said, slight worry in her timid voice.
"I'm sure they're fine, after all Lord Jiro is with her." Ravel said, smiling reassuringly at Asia.
"Yeah, but maybe he's giving her some special lessons. Guess we know who his favorite in the group is." Raynare said, teasingly while glancing at Irina who glared at her.
A second later as if on que they all sense a tremendous power coming from outside town. Their heads all snap towards the direction it was coming from.
"Wait, do you all feel that?!" Ravel and Asia asked in unison.
"Yeah, but why does it feel so... familiar?" Irina and Xenovia asked also in unison.
The student council members however recognize it all to well as it comes from one of their own. "Wait, is that... Akeno-senpai...?" Koneko asked as she stands up in shock.
"That's definitely Akeno. I know that aura anywhere. But there's something different about it." Kiba said, just as shocked as Koneko.
"What?! That's Akeno?! But why the hell am I sensing the power of a devil and a fallen angel at the same time?!" Raynare asked in disbelief.
"No way... Akeno... Don't tell me you..." Rias said in shock and realization.
"What's wrong Rias? Do you know what's going on with Akeno?" Irina asked, noticing Rias's expression.
"I might... but there's only one way to find out." Rias said as she unfurled her devil wings and took off in the direction they sensed Akeno's power.
The other unfurled their angel and devil wings respectively, Raynare carrying Asia in her arms, and took off after Rias.
Jiro looked at Akeno in awe. He then smirked and said "Amazing. Now that's what I like to see."
Akeno scowled at Jiro. "MARK MY WORDS: IF YOU GO ANYWHERE NEAR MY FAMILY, I'LL MAKE YOU PAAAAAY!" She yelled as her aura flared larger and her hair flew upwards.
Akeno rasied her arm as yellow lightning formed in her right hand and blue lightning formed in her left hand. She thrusts her arms forward and unleashed a larged blast of combined yellow and blue lightning towards Jiro. Jiro smirks again and lifts his left arm, stopping the blast in it's track. The blast struggled against his stance for a second until Jiro pushed his arm upwards and pushed the blast into the sky.
Akeno then flew into the air and launched twisting streams of yellow and blue lightning bolts at Jiro from her fingers. Jiro zipped around the field, dodging all the lightning bolts easily as the bolts tore up the ground around them. After a few seconds of dodging one lightning bolt struck the ground in front of Jiro, kicking up a cloud of dust. Seeing a potential opening, Akeno stops her lightning bolts and flies down, tearing through the dust cloud, and catching Jiro off guard.
Akeno flies up and put her left hand on his stomach and unleashes a powerful blast of blue lightning into him that sends him flying back a few feet. She then flies back up and raises her hands in the air. She gathers lightning in her hands as yellow and blue lightning bolts shoot down onto her hands from the clouds above and began forming a large ball of yellow and blue light that grew larger by the second with yellow and blue lightning bolt crackling around it.
"HEAVENS DARK JUDGMENT... BALL LIGHTNING!"
Akeno roared as she throught the ball of light down at Jiro. Jiro looked on in awe and then grin as he stood there unmoving. The ball of light enveloped him and exploded as a beam of yellow and blue light shot into the sky while yellow and blue lightning blots shot out from the beam and tore up the ground surrounding it. When the blast subsides and the dust settles it reveals Jiro standing there completely unharmed.
Akeno scowls as she sees him standing there. She flies back down towards him, yellow lightning crackling in her right hand, aiming to blast him in the face, and ready to continue fighting. Once she was in range Jiro grabs her wrist, stopping her in her tracks.
"Alright, that's enough. This training session is over." Jiro said, confusing her.
"W-what?! What do you mean training session?!" Akeno asked, pulling her arm back and stepping away.
"I wanted to see your true strength and see what you are truly capable of and that was the main point of this. So you really are a hybrid gotta say even I've never seen a devil wing and fallen angel wing on one person." Jiro looking at her wings.
Akeno's gaze shot towards her left wing to see a fallen angel wing. "So, you're saying that you said all those awful things... about expelling me from the team... removing me from Rias's peerage... and killing my clan... you said them just make me angry, lash out, and use my fallen angel abilities...? You didn't really mean any of it." Akeno asked, surprised and hopeful.
"Precisely" Jiro said with a sly smile and crossing his arms.
"But, why? When I said that I despise this side of myself. It caused me so much pain... caused others so much pain... and is the reason my mother is gone. All because of my father." Akeno said, looking down with a downcast expression.
"Maybe so, but your not Baraqiel are you? You are Akeno Himejima, the queen of Rias Gremory and a member of Biblical Vanguard." Jiro said, sternly, making her look back up at him.
Akeno looked at him, caught off guard at his description of her. "I know what I am, but that doesn't change a thing. Because of this side of me my mother was killed in cold blood while I could only watch." Akeno said, turning her head away in shame, regret, and a hint of conflict.
Jiro looked her, his expression softening with empathy. He know how it feels to have people he cared about taken from him while he could do nothing about it, especially his parents.
"That maybe the case, but I'll have you know we all have a choice, including your mother... and you." Jiro said, making her look back at him again.
"What do you mean?" Akeno said in confusion.
"Don't you see your mother made the choice to sacrifice herself to protect you from her own clans members. Why? Because, being your mother, she loved you dearly. And now you made a similar choice." Jiro said, matter-of-factly.
"What? How have I made a similar choice?" Akeno asked, uncertain.
"Because I threatened your family you used your full power and fallen angel side and attacked someone who you once considered a friend and is clearly more powerful than you, simply because you wanted to protect those you care about, namely the Himejima Clan." Jiro said, now sporting a smile.
Akeno looked at him eyes wide in contemplation realizing he was right. She looked down at her hands and then glanced at her devil wing and then to her fallen angel wing with a conflicted expression.
"You think of your fallen side as a curse right?" Jiro asked in a low tone, to which Akeno looked back at him and nodded.
"Well I beg to differ. How can you call your own power a curse when you used it correctly?" Jiro said making her eyes widen in confusion.
"You used your true power because you wanted to protect your clan. You may have gotten it from your estranged father, but it doesn't matter where you got it from or who gave it to you, your power is not a curse, it's a gift. A gift you embrace and use to protect those you care about. By hiding it away and concealing your true self it would be a complete waste of your potential and all the good you could do with it. No one has the right to say you're are bound to the sins of your father, not even your family. It's your decision live your life and use your power all you want. After all isn't that why your mother gave her life, so you can live on to the fullest." Jiro said, while poking her forehead.
Akeno listened intently. She could see the wisdom in his words and it resonated with her. "D-do you really think I could use my fallen angel side to do good? Despite what it's caused in my past?" Akeno asked, still slightly conflicted.
"Of course you can. Your are a member of Biblical Vanguard after all." Jiro said, now smiling.
Akeno glanced at her fallen angel wing again. "...But I'm not very experienced using my fallen side. The last attack I threw at you, I did almost unconsciously. And you said... you don't tolerate weaklings. Can I really be of much use to you and the others?" Akeno asked, uncertain and slightly fearful.
"Did you forget that I said I'm training you all personally? And I said we just finished an extra training session a minute ago. Trust me you'll gain experience soon enough. And besides, do you really think I'm the type to abandon one of my friends because they're not useful to me." Jiro said, smiling reassuringly.
Akeno felt touched by his words. She then suddenly ran up and wrapped her arms around his torso, pulling him into a tight hug while burying her face into his chest. Jiro looked down at her eyes wide, slightly surprised by her gesture.
"Jiro-kun... Thank you." Akeno said, now sporting a smile against his chest.
"Heh, don't mention it." Jiro said as he patted the back of her head.
"Oh and sorry about things I said earlier and beating you senseless. Maybe I went a little too far." Jiro said, feeling a slight pang of guilt.
Akeno looks up at him. "There's no need to feel bad, I know you only did and said those thing to help me, in fact I'm grateful for it. Having someone who understands, listens, and helps means a lot to me. It's refreshing to have the weight of my past lifted, even just a little." Akeno said, relaxing into the hug and smiling appreciatively.
Jiro smiles and then they both jolt as they sense the other members of the group approaching. Akeno backs away from Jiro and they turn to the direction they're coming from.
"AKENO, JIRO!" Rias yelled as the others fly up.
Jiro gulps hoping Irina didn't see Akeno hugging him. They all land in front of them and look around noticing the destroyed area.
"Jiro, what happened here-" Before Rias could finish the others interrupted her.
"AKENO?!" They all yelled in unison as they lay eyes on Akeno and see her mismatched devil and fallen angel wings.
Kiba: "Akeno?! What happened to you?!"
Koneko and Ravel in unison: "Akeno-senpai...?"
Irina and Xenovia in unison: "What... happened to your wings?"
Asia: "Akeno-san..."
Raynare didn't say anything and simply stared at Akeno, eyes wide in shock and disbelief at what she was seeing.
"I'm sorry for keeping this a secret from all of you, but... this is the real me." Akeno said, turning away with a small blush on her face
"Yup, your eyes are not deceiving you, Akeno is a devil/fallen angel hybrid." Jiro said, gesturing towards Akeno.
"Akeno, I thought you said you would never show that wing again? Are you sure this is alright?" Rias asked approaching Akeno, slightly concerned.
Akeno gulped as she addresses her king and best friend. "Y-yes, I'm sure. Jiro-kun taught me to embrace what I am and the power I've been given through our... sparing match, so I think this would be a... somewhat good start." Akeno said in a low tone.
At the mention of a 'sparing match' Rias notices the bruises, cuts, dirt all over her, her clothes slightly torn, and her hair unusually down. She grew slightly concerned and was about to question Jiro when the others stepped forward.
"Akeno, is that true? You're a hybrid of both a devil and a fallen angel?" Irina asked, still in surprise.
Akeno fidgeted slightly as she nodded. "Y-yes I am. I'm sorry, this mismatched plumage must look hideous doesn't it?" Akeno asked, turning away in slight shame. She was mentally ready to be mocked and looked at disgustedly by the others.
"What do you mean? I think your wings look really cool." Irina said, cheerfully, making Akeno look back at her eyes wide.
Xenovia: "Incredible… to possess the traits of both factions. This is truly remarkable. Your dual heritage is astonishing."
Kiba: "Akeno, I had no idea. To think you carry the heritage of two powerful beings within you."
Ravel: "That's quite amazing, Akeno. The merging of two contrasting lineages makes you uniquely extraordinary!"
Asia: "A devil and a fallen angel… such a mix! I'm thrilled for you, Akeno."
Koneko: "Akeno-senpai, your power and potential must be immense! But what does it mean exactly to be a devil/fallen angel hybrid?"
Raynare: "A…Akeno is a devil/fallen hybrid? That's something even I've never seen. I can't believe it… and all this time, she kept it hidden!"
Everyone present is still processing the revelation. They all surround her and express their amazement and admiration for Akeno's hybrid nature.
Akeno was genuinely shocked at their amazement. "Huh, you all don't find it strange... or revolting?" Akeno asked looking around in surprise.
Irina steps forward with a reassuring smile. "C'mon, you know I'm a hybrid too. There would be no room for me discriminate. Not that I would anyway." Irina said, flapping her angel wings.
Asia then steps up next to Irina. "I'm thrilled for you, Akeno. Your hybrid nature is rare and special. How do you feel now that it's out in the open?" Asia said with her usual child-like smile as she starts healing Akeno, noticing her wounds.
Akeno's fellow devils and council members Kiba, Koneko, and Ravel walk up and put there hands on her shoulders.
"I feel… liberated, and embraced. Being able to show my true self to all of you has been a weight off my shoulders. I appreciate your acceptance and support."
"Akeno, my dear, you're truly remarkable. Your heritage makes you even more special than you already are. We're all here for you. Embrace your true self with pride." Raynare said with an approving nod.
"Raynare... your words mean a lot to me. To have your acceptance and support is truly heartwarming. I'm grateful to have friends like you all." Akeno said smiling warmly, feeling emotional from the overwhelming support of her teammates.
Jiro and Rias look on with proud smiles. "I'm glad this turned out alright. I was so worried." Rias said, sighing in relief slightly.
"Hmph, you can say that again. Can't wait to see what she becomes with her full power in the future." Jiro said, also sighing slightly.
They all unfurl their respective wings and begin flying back to town. They all stare and fawn over Akeno's wings. Akeno and Raynare then lock eyes and Akeno gains a solemn expression.
"Raynare... I believe I should apologize. I might of come of as cold, distant... and a little hostile towards you initially just because you are a fallen angel. So I'm sorry for my behavior." Akeno said in a low tone.
Raynare looked at Akeno in surprise at her sudden apology, but smiled. "Don't worry about, girl. I'm sure you had your personal reasons for thinking that way. Besides I don't think I even noticed it, so there's no need to feel bad. Why don't we try to be real friends from here on, sister." Raynare said, smiling reassuringly.
Akeno smiled back in response and relief. "Yeah, I'd like that." Akeno said, nodding.
To be continued