Surprise! Another update within this week!
The Governor of The Watchers of The Book of Enoch - Azazel was waiting in his office, sitting on his desk with a glass of his favourite cider swirling in his hand.
He stared at his reflection off the sparkling alcohol in deep thought.
Despite the burning sensation of alcohol in his system, it had no effect on him due to his supernatural constitution.
"To have one of my esoteric theories proven by someone else… and surpassed… it's a strange feeling."
It was a mix between a sense of pride that he was correct… and a sense of envy that it was not him that resolved it.
The door of his office was knocked, interrupting his train of thought.
"Come in." Azazel responded while putting his drink back on the table.
The door then opened, revealing Sirzechs Lucifer, as well as the Archangel Michael entering Azazel's office.
"…Well, color me surprised. I didn't think you two would actually enter my room. With each other considering our kind's tumultuous relationship." Azazel rose from his chair and offered his hand."You are the first who announced the ceasefire 2,000 years ago, Azazel. We are more than familiar with your pacifism to know better." Sirzechs smiled as he shook hands with the Scapegoat.
"I am most surprised to see you here considering what Kokabiel tried to do. I expected more… implied rage in your step; and Michael…" Azazel turned to the Right Hand of God.
"I understand. I too am aware of my negligence… and that my arrogance nearly cost us peace."
"Yes…" Azazel nodded solemnly, "But we are not here to feel sorry for ourselves, are we?"
The other two leaders nodded.
"How is Kokabiel's condition?" Michael asked, his expression the most serious Azazel had ever seen since the first war.
"He is alive, with remarkable recovery. Did you know that Kokabiel instantly regenerated despite being cut into a thousand pieces?" Azazel remarked with scientific interest. "Another interesting quirk. As for his newfound 'ascended' form… he did not devolve even in post defeat. If what I'm thinking is correct, that form is his new default, not a simple transformation."
"A fallen angel regaining his grace… Sounds like something from a fairy tale." Sirzechs remarked.
"I wish it really is like in the fairy tales. I did some tests… he is more like Father now. Like he said in the reports, he is more God than angel. God's Grace as in… literally his grace. I thought he was exaggerating because of his inflated hubris, but he wasn't. Which means…" Azazel slowly turned his eyes to Michael.
Azazel knew too well the struggles Michael had to endure as the firstborn, an angel that still could not match the one that created all of them in ability, skill, and power. He was inferior in all aspects compared to the one above all.
To learn and implement the secret method Kokabiel learned to achieve new heights…
"His revelation would equip me with the power to truly fulfill Father's role." Michael concluded.
"But that just leaves the question… where does this leave you and the Devils, Sirzechs?"
The Crimson Satan remained silent for a second before replying, "...If the 72 Pillars discovered Kokabiel and his current form, they will panic, at least the noble cast will. They will urge us to wage war on the premise of our endangerment, and the balance of power shifting towards the angels will not bode well for me politically… You two are older than I am, older than the Devils. Michael, Azazel, is there anything that can help me equalize the balance?"
Michael paused as he glanced at Azazel.
"...I was there when Lucifer first walked the Earth." Michael nodded. "However… this knowledge will not aid your dilemma. The Devils of the past… using human quotes, burned too many bridges in their lust for power and chaos."
"There is one race that can help you. But…"
"But...?" Sirzechs repeated.
"I am not sure if they are still on this Earth after what Lucifer did. And even then, they would most likely try to kill you and every Devil they see. Which means…"
A teleportation circle appeared under them. In a few seconds, they all have arrived in the prison block, in front of one particular cell.
"Let's hope that whatever Kokabiel learned isn't something we can abuse."
Kokabiel was still in his ascended form.
Cursed chains of the same caliber as authentic demon swords, black metal wrapped around Kokabiel, the ascended bound to the cross like the Jesus Christ of The Bible. Stakes of the same material were piercing his wings from every angle.
"...Brothers." Kokabiel spoke out, then his starlight eyes turned to the devil, "Sirzechs."
The chains rattled, holy white fire bursting forth as the metal turned from black to white-orange, yet they still held against his power, the cross activating just in term to suppress his attempt to free himself, albeit barely. There were not many that could seal someone of his power in the first place, other than bounding his soul into a sacred gear like God did. "Shall we discuss my terms of release before we continue?"
Azazel, Michael, and Sirzechs paused as they stared at Kokabiel.
They did not need words to know how well Kokabiel understood his position.
Then again, they also refused to back down, as they maintained their composure.
"Eh, maybe depending on what we say and don't say…" Azazel shrugged, before his laidback expression grew serious, "But you have lots of questions to answer…. Brother."
Kokabiel only scoffed with a knowing smile.
"Very well. Let us bargain."
Back in the Hyoudou Residence, the devils and the exorcists were staring at the figure in white dragon armor walking inside the house. The sheer power and pressure emanating from him was enough to keep everyone from reacting.
The White Dragon Emperor, the host of the Vanishing Dragon, the other one of the Two Heavenly Dragons which Gods and Demons feared.
"Hmph. Our first reunion in years, and you closed the door on me and said, 'oh, it's just you?' How precocious of you as always."
"Everyone, meet the Chuuni - Vali." Issei casually introduced.
In return, the White Dragon Emperor - Vali, merely snorted, "...And it appears your sense of humor hasn't changed as well."
"The pot's calling the kettle black, you know?." Issei waved before he crossed his arms, "But seriously, didn't we talk about wearing your Scale Mail in my house?"
"Isn't it important to make a grand first impression?" Vali gestured to the others.
"Not the time, man. All of us here almost kissed Death in the face." Issei's face then contorted into bemusement, "...And you're late. Uncle Genos had to save our asses in the end, so that begs the question; where the hell have you been?!"
"Iceland." Vali merely replied.
Everyone stared at Vali, Issei's mien the most dumbfounded.
"...And what the fuck were you doing all the way at Iceland?"
"Scouting the Norse Gods of Asgard. Azazel is planning to reach out to them recently."
"...Okay. Anything else other than scouting for potential people to fight?" Issei quirked a brow, before he remembered that there was someone else that he had to greet.
"...Oh, and hi, Albion." the boy greeted when he glanced at the blue jewel where the spirit of the Vanishing Dragon resided.
{Issei, Red One.}
The Vanishing Dragon replied from the glowing jewel on the chest plate of Vali's Scale Mail.
[Hello again, White One]
Issei's Boosted Gear came to his left arm as Ddraig's voice echoed from its green jewel.
{It appears your host has grown stronger, Ddraig.}
[Yes, albeit ironically enough, it's thanks to Kokabiel himself that my partner managed to get over some personal issues. Not sure if I should be elated or worried.]
Issei glanced at Vali as the Two Heavenly Dragons talked it out. Even with his friend/rival's face concealed by his armor, Issei could guess that Vali was probably grinning.
"Albion is right." Vali spoke, "I can see that your aura is now more…. Refined; makes me want to fight you."
Issei only smiled knowingly, unperturbed as Vali's battle-lust leaked off his person. However, some of the devils and the exorcists were ready to bolt out from their seats.
"Now, now…" Haruka then decided to step in. "Why don't you boys continue your talk inside? Oh, and it's good to see you again, Vali. Get out of that armor and give me a hug, will you?"
The guests seemed to have their hearts caught in their throats when they saw the woman casually approach the White Dragon Emperor without any caution whatsoever.
Vali simply stared at Haruka spreading her arms at him. In the eyes of the devils and the exorcists, the silence felt very tense for them.
Eventually, the man inside the armor seemingly changed his tone.
"...It's good to see you as well, ma'am. But unfortunately, I'm here for her." Vali politely replied before he glanced at Kuroka, who had already stood up from her seat.
"Also, I have a gift for you." Vali said as he took something from his back.
Issei stared at the round, black ball of… something. It was nothing larger than a simple dodgeball.
"...Uhhhh…"
Vali turned it around. Issei then recognized the six ruby red eyes staring at him.
Burp
Rover burped, barking a little as it wiggled in Vali's hands. It was funny to the girls as Rover looked much cuter in his current form, minus Koneko and Kuroka. Some of them smiled as they watched Rover trying to jump to Issei from Vali's hands.
"Rover!" Issei grabbed Rover and held him up high. "You're back! And… round… Why is he so round?"
Everyone stared at the round Rover. He was so round they could use him as a ball to play catch. Rover simply yipped and wiggled his stubby legs at Issei, trying to get to him.
"It is a hilarious story. According to Albion, and the stench of raw dragon in the room we found him… well, it seems the Fallen trapped your dog in a room full of dragon meat to keep him occupied. I do not need to explain further." Vali snorted into snickers.
Issei and Haruka only stared at Vali, before they turned to Rover, who appeared to be recovering from his meat-binge.
All this time, while they were fighting for their lives… Rover was busy enjoying himself and having the time of his life.
"...You are in so much trouble, little one." Haruka reprimanded, with Issei nodding along with an unamused expression.
The ball-dog only whined in return.
Kuroka had finally joined them, as she stood next to Vali.
"So… What's up between you two?" Issei asked, looking between the dragon and the cat.
"He's technically my boss, nya." Kuroka leaned closer and practically smothered herself against Vali's side - if he was bothered by the proximity, he did not show it.
"What? Really? You're gathering your own harem peerage?" Issei smirked.
"It's not a harem." For some reason, Vali's tone had a tad too much emphasis when he replied, "I'm forming my own team, and Kuroka is the most recent one I scouted."
"Your own team…. Wait, since when you've been forming your own team? Why was I never told about this?" Issei asked with slight confusion.
"Meant to be a surprise, which is a bit ruined now. I'll introduce you to the rest later." Vali simply replied as he turned around, followed by Kuroka. "I'll see you later, my rival."
"Heh. Alright, see you later, Chuuni." Issei waved Vali goodbye as Vali snorted.
"...Chuuni, nya?" Kuroka asked with a cheshire smile once the door closed behind them.
"Not a word, Kuroka. We'll talk later." Vali simply replied as he stepped out past the door.
Kuroka then turned to wave at the others, "See you all around!" She winked at Issei, before she turned to look at her little sister with a softened gaze.
Kuroka waved at Koneko, who simply looked away with a conflicted expression. Maintaining her soft smile, the Black Cat finally followed Vali and disappeared by the door.
Issei and Haruka waited for a few seconds, before they returned to everyone else, who were slumping on their seats in relief, staring at them.
"Ise…" Tsubasa spoke first, "What the hell was that?"
"That, Tsubasa… Is the current White Dragon Emperor." Issei simply replied.
"...And you are…. Friends with your archenemy?" Xenovia inquired, "For a second, I expected you two to act like in the legends. Where two Dragon Emperors meet in combat and… well…"
"Hey, Albion is Ddraig's rival, not mine, remember the difference. Vali is the first friend I made when I got into Grigori. He always loses to me at arm wrestle, though." Issei snickered as he returned to the couch with a round Rover.
Rover panted as Issei held him in his arms, smiling now that everyone was back.
"...First time I saw Rover this fat." Black commented as Rover wiggled. Black hopped onto the couch and poked Rover. Rover wiggled his four stubby legs. "It's kinda funny and adorable in a strange way."
"...May I hold him?" Asia asked, smiling.
"Please do, and don't feed him anything, I don't think he will starve for a long time now." Issei said while handing the ball of fur over, not before he gave one last scolding look.
Issei then addressed everyone else, "...Right, where were we?"
Sona and Rias blinked, as if they just returned to the present, "Um…. I believe we just finished questioning Kuroka." the latter replied.
"...Which leads to the next topic." Sona's tone grew solemn as she glanced at her peerage - Tsubaki and Ruruko in particular with worried eyes. "We need to resolve my Queen and Pawn's… predicament."
"Don't you people have the power to regenerate lost limbs or something?" Issei asked, quirking a brow.
"...No. Not even Phoenix Tears can return lost limbs or organs. They can reattach, but cellular regeneration is a different matter." Sona shook her head.
"Well, you're in luck then." Issei glanced at his silent cyborg uncle. "I know a guy or two that are experts in cybernetics… So, what kind of upgrades do you want with those hands and legs?"
Tsubaki was the first to reply, albeit she was a tad confused, "Are you saying… You are giving me Grigori prosthetics?"
"Yes? You don't sound hyped though…"
Usually, many people would be at the prospect.
Tsubaki and Ruruko hung their heads.
Issei did not need to be told about what he was seeing, "...Right."
Genos then spoke up, displaying a rare showcase of compassion.
"Do not doubt yourselves."
Ruruko and Tsubaki looked up at Genos.
"I am more than aware of the full weight of my mortality one too many times."
The cyborg began with a far-away look in his cybernetic eyes.
"I almost died before a certain doctor found me within the rubble. I nearly perished when I first met Ise's father. After I met him, in almost all of the battles I fought, I was near death's door…"
Memories slowly came to the surface of his mind - Carnage Kabuto, Deep Sea King, Gouketsu, Elder Centipede, Black Sperm, and many more.
"...Yet I still pressed on. It is important to be wary of your own weaknesses as well as strengths and fight with both, not suppress either. Only then will you overcome yourself and the sense of helplessness inside you. Do not give up on yourselves no matter what. Only if you lose hope will you truly fall."
Tsubaki and Ruruko stared at the apparent hero of the day; they remained silent, but the light slowly returned to their eyes.
"Just think it over. Take your time, my workshop is always open." Genos finished with a small smile on his face.
The Queen and Pawn of Sona Sitri stared at each other for a few moments, then they turned to look at their comrades in the peerage, all of them wearing encouraging smiles, even those of the Gremory.
Then, Tsubaki and Ruruko turned to Genos with more resolve in their eyes.
"We will do it, Mr. Genos."
"Please take care of us."
"...Very well." Genos nodded with the slightest of smile on his face, before he turned to address Sona and Rias, "However, I will require to repair myself first, thus there will be a few people from Grigori coming over as my assistant. Are you both alright with this arrangement?"
"I am not sure if I want to be indebted further to fallen angels, but I won't mind trusting Ise's family." Rias replied with a smile, whilst Sona nodded.
Issei then clapped his hands, "Welp, I guess the rest of the talk can continue tomorrow, since it's getting late. For now-!"
Thud
It was faint, but Issei heard that sound from upstairs - the sound of something falling to the floor.
"...Oh, shit - Irina." Issei whispered and quickly left the living room, with Asia and Haruka in tow.
When Issei entered Irina's room, he turned on the lights and saw his childhood friend - clad in a white sleeping gown, huddling away in the corner of the room, hugging herself.
"Irina?" Issei called out.
The girl winced, before she looked up to meet Issei's concerned look with a horror-stricken face marred with tears flowing from her eyes. Her chestnut hair was let down instead in her usual twin-tails, and disheveled.
"I-Ise…" Irina choked out, struggling to even speak properly. "I… I…!"
"Shh…" Without further ado, Issei approached and knelt before her. However, when he raised his hand towards her, Irina suddenly flinched and leaned back, terrified for some reason.
The two shared an awkward silence - Issei withholding his hand mid-way, while Irina herself was surprised by her own reaction. A few seconds later, she calmed down a little, nodding her head and Issei slowly pulled her into a hug.
A few seconds into the warmth of Issei's embrace, Irina's waterworks renewed, as she silently cried into Issei's chest, with the boy's hand running circles on her back.
Issei remained silent as he let her grieve. He grit his teeth over Irina's shoulder as hatred bloomed at the image of Valper racing through his mind.
He swore that if he were to end a human life, it would be his the next time they meet.
Not long after, Asia, Haruka, Xenovia and Griselda had entered the room as well, with the others standing outside the room. Issei's eyes looked to Asia and his mother; the holy maiden looked heart-broken at the sight of Irina sobbing herself.
The boy simply stared, silently conveying the message that he had things under control for the time being, and it would probably be for the best if they had some space.
However, Griselda begged to differ, as she slowly approached, not before giving Issei a nod.
"...Irina?"
The girl looked up from Issei's chest, her tear-covered eyes registering the older woman.
"S-s-sister Griselda…?"
Griselda put on a soft smile on her face, "Yes, it is I, Irina. It's alright."
"S-sister Griselda, I-I'm so, so sorry…! I'm-!"
Irina's stuttered reply was interrupted as Griselda gently pried Irina away from Issei's arms, and pulled her into her own embrace.
Irina froze as she was enveloped in a different warmth, but she did not do anything else as the older nun comforted her.
"Shh, shh…. Everything is alright, sweetheart. We are all here, we are all alive. That's all that matters now."
Irina hesitantly looked up, only for her eyes to be greeted by Griselda's sincere look. Then, from the corner of her eyes, Irina turned slightly to see Xenovia kneeling before her.
"Irina, I…" Xenovia seemed to struggle to get the words out, but she eventually met Irina's eyes with hers, "I'm sorry, Irina. I'm so sorry, I had no idea… I failed to notice everything you've gone through."
Irina only teared up, as she let herself to bask in the warmth of Griselda's embrace.
Seeing the three women comforting one another, Issei silently stood up and gestured to everyone else to give them some space and leave the room.
oXo
One later passed.
Sona and her Peerage decided to return to their domiciled while Griseld and Xenovia stayed.
The occupants of the house were supposedly retired for the night. However, Issei could not sleep - especially after the high dose of adrenaline from the incident's climax.
Issei was sitting on the dining table, sipping his hot cup of tea. He ruminated on the fight between him and Kokabiel, and then Genos and Kokabiel.
He was lacking… but he believed he found a way forward. Right now, he could feel his Qi flowing more fluently than before.
However, there was still the matter with his finishing move. He needed to find a way to counter the absurd recoil. Maybe he should shut off his meridians after impact to transfer all the damage to his victim, though the problem was the timing…
Issei's thoughts were halted when he sensed someone coming down from upstairs, he looked up and saw Griselda entering the dining room.
"Oh, evening." Issei waved.
"I believe it is the first in the morning, Sir Issei." Griselda gently corrected.
"Issei is fine. Anyways, thanks for earlier." Issei greeted her with an easy smile.
Griselda returned his thanks with a tired smile as she took a seat across from the boy, who stood up to grab another cup for her. "Are you not supposed to rest tonight?"
"Same goes for you." Issei lightly retorted as he poured some tea into a new cup, before he brought it over to the woman, "...And I think everyone else shares my insomnia after that shitstorm."
Griselda nodded in a silent understanding, gave him a quick thanks after Issei served her the warm drink.
Issei asked as he returned to his seat, "How is Irina?"
Taking a sip from her cup, Griselda replied, "The poor girl cried herself to sleep. Xenovia is watching over her now, but I believe Irina will face a hard path of recovery."
Issei nodded, staring at his half-drank tea, "Say, how long was she working under that... pig Valper?"
"Around a year, I'm afraid." Griselda replied with a scowl on her face.
"Fuck…" Issei swore as he ran his hand over his face. "I know I said some similar things to Xenovia when we first met… but I didn't want them to be true in the worst way."
"Indeed. Our negligence… and our ignorance are to blame." Griselda replied with a dejected sigh, ignoring Issei's brief profanity.
"Well, what are you gonna do?" Issei then asked.
"For now, I am planning to return to the Vatican. I have to report everything to the higher-ups, as well as returning the holy swords. There will be much restructuring once Valper's treachery is revealed." Griselda answered - before her serious expression became somewhat troubled, "And… I also need to notify Irina's parents. They need to know what happened."
"...Right." Issei blinked and nodded. Truthfully, Issei was not looking forward to knowing how Irina's parents would react when they learned what their daughter was forced to go through.
"With that in mind, I'm afraid I have to take advantage of your hospitality once again, Mr. Issei." Griselda then met Issei's gaze with her own, "I think bringing Irina back to the Vatican might trigger… unpleasant episodes, so I'm leaving her here, with Xenovia looking after her. Can I leave them in your care for a bit longer?"
Issei replied with a smile, "You don't need to ask, sister. Irina can stay here as long as she wants until she recovers, the same goes for Xenovia."
It was also his duty to see his childhood friend's recovery. He refused to let Valper's evil ruin her like this.
"…There is also the matter of Irina's condition." Griselda mentioned. "Rias informed me of… your sacrifice."
"My…? Oh, right. That thing." Issei grimaced as he reached for his pocket. He could feel it inside… and he did not even remember placing it there as he took out the corpse hand and placed it on the table.
"I'm still trying to figure out what to do with it."
As well as the dragon egg he took.
Griselda blinked at the cursed relic, "It's… a completely different experience to see it first-hand. I've already felt unpleasant just by looking at it."
Three shriveled fingers were still intact, two broken, used up.
"Yep; and looking at how this motherfucker works, while I might have released Irina from Valper's mind control, I think it's safe to assume that whatever that gave Valper control is still inside her, only that… Well…"
Griselda did not need to hear anymore to understand.
"I have no clue how it works. I don't even know if it will work. Heck, I don't even want to try it."
He did not want Black to comment on him having a potential sex slave.
In return, Griselda only smiled, "Then, at the very least, I can rest easy knowing that Irina is in good hands."
"Assuming I survive this stupid thing." Issei muttered as he glared at the monkey's paw.
"While your case is a bit unique, I can ask my acquaintances in the Vatican to aid your case. It is the least we can do to repay you."
Issei blinked at Griselda's smiling face, before his lips broke into his own smile. "That's…. That actually helps. Thanks, sister."
"No, Mr. Issei. We are the ones who should say those words. We are in your eternal debt." Sister Griselda replied.
"...Well, I'll hold you to that."
The two sipped their tea as silence returned. He did not think that he would go to bed anytime soon.
He would need to walk around the house a little before his body could allow sleep to take hold.
oXo
After Griselda retired for the night, Issei explored the mansion again.
He nearly forgot about his faux peerage when he saw the rooms. The ones that did stay with him were in their beds, recovering from Kokabiel's Devil's Snare.
The girls that forced themselves upon him were resting, tired from their traumatic experiences, sans a few.
Tsubasa stayed with her parents this time, mostly to relieve herself from the adrenaline by returning to a homely environment.
There were two girls still up and about.
Issei did not expect to see Akeno and Koneko - who had her youkai traits revealed, sitting together on the bench at the rooftop garden when he arrived, the two engaging in conversation.
"I don't know what to think…"
Issei stopped his tracks.
"It is not easy. I'm not sure if I should visit my father, too. I'm… also scared that he might hate me for pushing him away for so long."
The boy remained there, listening and understanding the problems and issues the two girls talked about. It was only given for Akeno and Koneko to reflect on the recent events that transpired, considering their recent near-death experiences.
However, Koneko's attuned senses from her recent studies of Senjutsu detected Issei's presence, as she paused on her conversation and turned to Issei.
"Ah." Issei waved. "What's up, ladies."
"Ise."
"Ise-senpai."
Akeno and Koneko were a little startled, but relaxed as soon as they registered Issei's voice.
"Sorry, I… I didn't mean to eavesdrop." Issei gave a sheepish smile as he walked up to them. "Couldn't sleep. Adrenaline insomnia… so, what's keeping you girls up?"
"It's fine, Ise. We are just…. Reflecting on recent events." Akeno replied with her signature smile. "Would you like to join us? We can use a third opinion."
Issei blinked, glancing between Akeno and Koneko, who did not seem to object at the notion. "Well… If you don't mind." He then approached, then he took another glance at the cone wrapping Akeno's neck, "...How's your neck?"
Akeno ran her fingers on the cone, "Honestly, I believe my neck is already healed, I'm simply keeping the cone on until another check-up just to be safe than sorry."
"That's good to hear." Issei nodded before he turned to Koneko, "How about you, Koneko? Everything good?"
Koneko placed her hand on the spot where Malkuth impaled her before, "Still tender, but I'll be fine. Though I won't be able to eat much for some time."
"...Ah." Issei grimaced a little. "If I had known, I would've taken care of Malkuth sooner… Hah, that stubborn jackass."
He shouldn't have let Malkuth drink the super holy water… he shouldn't let arrogance or curiosity cloud his judgement next time.
"How are your injuries, Ise? I heard that you engaged Kokabiel again shortly after Asia healed you," Akeno asked.
"...He didn't injure me that much. Though he did throw salt at my pride. I was thrown around like a toy… then he ended it by putting a blade at my throat to make a point, right before Baraqiel came in. Did you know that he can turn into lightning? It's like one of those high-speed techniques like the flash step in anime." Issei narrated as he described Baraqiel's heroic feats against a superior villain.
"I… heard." Akeno gave a down-cast look. "Though, I didn't hear of what happened afterwards on the fallen angels' side."
"I did. Uncle Genos debriefed me earlier. I was kind of there, but their fight was way too fast to see properly." Issei replied, "Kokabiel has been put under arrest. Baraqiel is quite in bad shape, but he's been stable and expected to make a full recovery. Looking back at what Kokabiel was trying to pull…. Uncle Genos speculated two outcomes - one, the Three Factions will commence the second Great War, since Rias and Sona nearly died, not to mention Kokabiel's new form; or two, the Three Factions will bury the hatchet altogether through peace talks. Either way, the cease fire will be over. Which begs the question…" Issei stared at Akeno.
"...I wonder what you'll look like when you… well… ascend. You weren't there, but, not gonna lie, Kokabiel's new form is dope. It's pretty obvious Azazel will try to implement this into the Fallen Angels, assuming it is a simple trick…"
Akeno stared at Issei, blinking at his question. However, soon, the Queen descended into giggles. Issei and Koneko simply watched as Akeno took a few deep breaths to calm herself down.
"Sorry, sorry…" Akeno replied with an amused smile on her face, "If you're anyone else, I think I would've been offended." She then took one more breath to compose herself, "Still, to think of a lowly half-breed like me, ascending into some kind of angel…"
When Akeno's smile became self-depreciating, Issei reached out to lightly flick on her forehead.
"Ow…" Akeno whined, nursing her throbbing forehead; despite the enhanced durability that came with her Queen piece, Issei's finger-flick actually hurts. "Ise! Aren't gentlemen supposed to be gentle on injured, delicate maidens?"
"Akeno-senpai is far from 'delicate'." Koneko quipped.
"What she said," Issei nodded at Koneko. "And I'm not that kind of gentleman."
Akeno blinked at Issei's wry smile
"Oh, posh, you. You should be encouraging the girls with you or something instead of teasing them. They might fall for you all over again." Akeno replied with a pout.
"Well, we're technically not out of the gutter just yet. I'm still cursed, uncle has to prepare the cyber limbs for the other two… And there's still Irina."
Akeno and Koneko flinched a little at the mention.
"There's also one more thing I have to address, but not right now. Anyways… what now? You girls want to stargaze until we drop?" Issei asked.
"Perhaps we can do that." Akeno's smile returned, "...Maybe, the stars can somehow give us answers on what we should do in future."
"Yeah, maybe." Issei retorted with an amused snort, "Though… it's kinda ironic since we dealt with a literal Star of God now that I think about it. Maybe the stars will be lenient on us in the future if we pray to them."
The girls giggled as Issei sat down next to them.
Koneko shifted towards Issei with an adorable blush as she made herself comfortable on his lap. Issei did not mind as he rubbed her cat ears as he looked up.
Then a comet streaked across the sky.
Issei would make a wish… but he felt that the monkey's paw would snap at the chance to doom him.
So he made a silent one.
He wished for…
His musing was suddenly interrupted when he heard someone entering the garden from behind him.
Issei, Akeno and Koneko turned to see Xenovia standing by the entrance.
"Oh, there you are. I've been looking for you." Xenovia sighed.
"Xenovia? What's up?" Issei asked while tilting his head.
Xenovia's face then turned uncomfortable - worried, even. "It's… Irina. I think she needs you."
"How many times does this make?" Issei asked as he walked down the hallway with Xenovia keeping up next to him.
After sharing goodnights with Akeno and Koneko, Issei and Xenovia made their way towards Irina's room with the blunette explaining what happened. Turned out her partner was still suffering from nightmares.
"Within this hour? The third, I think." Xenovia replied.
"Dammit…" Issei cursed.
"She's… starting to remember more." Xenovia grimaced, as she clutched her arm. "Is Irina… Is she going to be okay?" Her tone was filled with guilt.
Issei glanced at Xenovia, as they both were standing in front of the bedroom door. "She's going to, we'll make sure of that." He ensured as he placed his hand on her shoulder. "I'll take over for tonight. Rest up."
Xenovia stared at Issei for a second before she nodded, "...Good luck."
Issei nodded, not bothering to look if Xenovia remained there or not, as he knocked on the door. "Irina? Are you there? It's me, Ise." He then waited for a few seconds, "...I'm coming in, okay?"
Issei then walked inside the dimly lit room. There - on the bed, was a bundle of blankets where Irina had wrapped herself in. She was sitting, hugging her knees.
"Iri?" Issei called.
He slowly approached her.
Most of her face and her head were covered by the blanket, but the subtle bodily wince told him she was still sobbing, quietly to herself.
He climbed onto the bed and sat beside her. He remained silent as he gently pulled her into his arms, embracing her as he rocked back and forth to comfort her.
Sometimes it was better to let silence speak in these moments, sometimes it was better to convey intentions without words.
The two childhood friends remained in that position for a good few minutes, as Irina gradually stopped sobbing.
"...I trusted him, you know."
Irina then began to whisper. "Every weekend, I always attend a sermon where he would lead the mass and recite prayers… Every day, he would oversee my training with Xenovia, Sister Griselda, and the others… even gave us words of encouragement and advice on using the holy swords…"
Irina then clutched tightly on Issei's chest.
"But he… But he…! How could he…? W-why is this happening to me? What did I do wrong?!"
Issei inhaled. As much as he wanted to forgive the Church… he could not forgive them for overlooking Valper like this. Not after the bastard inflicted this much harm to his long-time friend.
"I-I'm scared, Ise….." Irina sobbed, her other hand settled on her stomach, "W-what if-!?"
"Shh." Issei hushed before Irina could have said anything more. "...Don't think about it. Don't even think anything about it. Just rest up. Whatever comes next, we will deal with them one step at a time, together." Issei finished, looking Irina straight in the eye.
"I…" Irina's voice broke apart for a moment before she wrapped her arms around Issei.
"I-I… I can't… I don't know if I can stay… I can't… God is dead and I… what should I do…" The girl spoke as she began to hyperventilate.
"Shh… Shh…. Don't worry about them." Issei interrupted her again. "I know how hard it is to let go. I've been there, Iri."
"But… how do you do it…?" Irina sniffed as she hugged him tighter.
"I have a family that will support me no matter what. That same family will help you through this. You just… need to let yourself hope again."
Irina simply whined as she buried her face into Issei's chest again.
Issei sighed; as time went by, with Irina showing no sign of falling asleep soon, the boy tried to come up with something that could distract her from bad thoughts.
"...Say, Irina. Remember when we're five - our first fight with other kids in the neighborhood?"
Irina did not answer, but Issei knew enough that she was listening.
"...If we can even call that a fight in the first place." Issei snorted at the memory. "I was there, at the park by myself, being harassed by a group of kids who acted like they owned the place."
Issei's smile widened slightly when he felt Irina relaxed more, shifting her body to make herself more comfortable in Issei's arms.
"I still remember what you pulled when you came to my rescue." Issei then continued, "I can never forget the sight of you jumping in between me and those kids, and starting to sing 'Shout to The Lord' on top of your lungs."
Issei glanced at Irina - she was still burying her face into his chest, but his eyes caught her reddening ears.
"...And the best part? Your tone-deaf singing actually freaked those bullies out to run away." Issei's voice began to break into laughter as he retold his and Irina's childhood. "That day, I learned that Irina Shidou is an amazing person. That moment, I knew Irina Shidou and Issei Hyoudou were going to be best friends."
Issei checked on Irina again - this time, while she was not looking back at him, his eyes caught a glimpse of the small smile on Irina's tear-stricken face.
"...I want to keep making great memories with Irina Shidou like good ol' days." Issei finished as he gently pressed his lips on top of Irina's head.
Then, Issei hummed the song 'Shout to The Lord' that five year-old Irina sang, slowly, as best as he could remember. A few minutes later, Issei gave one last check on Irina, gently removing the blanket and the chestnut locks off her face.
Her face was a mess from crying, but at least, she was sleeping with a more peaceful expression.
"Sleep tight, Iri." Issei whispered before he shut his eyes, all while keeping Irina in his arms.
The next morning, the occupants of Hyoudou Residence were more refreshed.
Tsubasa dropped by the time Haruka started serving the girls and Issei breakfast - she looked refreshed after spending quality time with her parents, her health returning to normal.
Akeno still had her neck cone. She had scheduled a meeting with Genos, the latter charged with scanning her neck bone later.
Rias had less patches on her face, her skin recovering, signifying mass improvement amongst the girls after Kokabiel's arrest.
Meanwhile, Issei and Irina arrived at the breakfast table last - the latter's hair was still down to her back, with the girl entering with Issei hand-in-hand.
Her complexion was better compared to last night, though they could tell through her mien, that her road to recovery was still long.
"Morning." Issei smiled at everyone.
"Good morning, sweetie. Breakfast is ready." Haruka smiled as Rover, still in ball form, barked in Asia's hands.
"...Wow, he didn't shrink at all." Issei wasn't sure whether to be worried or laughing as he brought Irina with him to sit next to Asia .
"Awww, Rover looks so cute." Irina smiled - her cheerful demeanor had yet to return completely, but it was still there. "...How'd he end up like this?" Irina asked with a curious smile.
"He had the time of his life binging on meat." Issei gave his buddy a wry smile.
"...May I hold him?" Irina asked.
"Mmm!" Asia smiled as she handed the ball Rover to her, the round dog still wiggling her stubby legs at Irina.
Xenovia and Griselda smiled as they rose from their seats and started bringing plates to Irina - rice, sweet and sour chicken, everything they could with the space available.
At the moment, Irina would require all support she could get from everyone around her.
"Awww, you're so fluffy!" Irina giggled as she held Rover like a teddy bear.
Honestly, seeing Rover helping her like this made Issei rethink on punishing him, even though he did leave them for the sake of meat.
Thinking about it, Issei scrunched his face a little…
'Why dragon meat? Ddraig, what happens if one eats a lot of dragon meat?'
[Dragon meat is indeed a delicacy, but currently considered taboo by law due to their endangered predicament. Consumption of Dragon meat… would provide many benefits. Especially permanent augmentations to one's physical abilities and power.]
'Ohhhhh.'
Basically, Kokabiel was arming Rover with a probably childish desire to see the dog rain nuclear fireballs at the angels and Devils. Issei could relate to that… which begs the question, how strong is Rover now once he finished digesting… he was not sure how much Kokabiel fed him. He probably needs to ask Azazel later.
"So, what are your plans for today?" Haruka asked as she finally joined the breakfast herself.
"In short summary, a mountain of paperwork… for damage control, basically." Rias gave a wistful sigh, "The damage that Kokabiel caused was… not as bad as we feared, but the civilians still have witnessed his excessive display when Issei fought Kokabiel yesterday. It will not be easy altering their memories and manipulating the media… and then there's the case with his battle against Genos. We expect to see visitors from the Shinto deities soon."
"For me, I have to prepare for my return to the Vatican immediately. I have reserved a flight to Europe by the afternoon." Griselda replied, before she turned to bow at Haruka, "Thank you for your hospitality, madam."
Haruka simply smiled pleasantly at the sister.
"Can't you just teleport there with magic like they can?" Issei asked, pointing at Rias.
"No, I'm afraid the Vatican has even stricter protocols regarding the use of instant teleportation spells." Griselda replied with a wry smile.
"...Still think teleportation beats travel costs." Issei muttered.
"As for you two." Griselda addressed her two proteges, "Irina, Xenovia, please take care of yourselves, and each other while I'm gone."
The two girls nodded at their teachers - Xenovia then threw an encouraging smile at Irina, who returned the gesture, albeit there was a hint of bitterness in her own smile.
"I'm gonna check in with uncle Genos. Armaros and Sahariel will come here later to fix his frames up, and I might be able to help out. I also have to help with Tsubaki and Ruruko's rehabilitation." Issei replied; on that note, Genos could not join for breakfast, as he had to stay in a specialized pod within his private workshop…
"Speaking of which… he has a workshop?" Tsubasa asked. "Where does he have it? In the basement? Because I'm sure Rias probably got rid of that when she threw your house a dose of Mario's mushrooms."
"Hah!" Black laughed from the table, reminding everyone that he was here and stuffing his face silly.
"Basically, Genos could summon the tools and equipment to his location anywhere via Grigorian magic. He is in a special pod to check on his software and hardware." Issei pointed out.
"Anyways. Asia, Catherine, Amanda and Zama, would you girls help Xenovia and Irina while I'm away?"
"Yes, I will do my best!" Asia replied with a resolute tone.
"Yes, sir. By your will." the other three replied respectfully.
Issei then bent down slightly to address the ball of fur in Irina's arms, "It's up to you to keep her safe. Can you do that, bud?"
Rover replied with a single bark, before he snuggled closer against Irina's bosom.
Eventually, the morning rituals came to an end and everyone was ready to get out for the day.
"Oh, Asia. I almost forgot."
Asia was about to follow the rest of the church girls, when Issei suddenly called out to her.
"I got something I need to take care of… well, I'm not sure if she can help, but I think you're the best one for this job."
Asia tilted her head as something appeared in Issei's arms… it looked like a very big egg, the shell a colorful blue.
"This… is a dragon's egg." Issei said. "I need someone to take care of it… and I think you're the best girl for the job."
"M-me?!" Asia pointed at herself with a stupefied look on her face, "B-b-but I've never looked after something like a dragon's egg before! A-are you sure I am fit for the task?"
"You got Rover to like you on the first day. That is a miracle, you know?" Issei replied with a confident smile, "Besides… This is Ddraig's opinion, and it's just his hunch speaking - you have…. Something, something that makes Ddraig really like you. Something about affinity, compatibility; but anyway, can I ask your help for this?"
Asia looked between Issei and the egg in his hands. Slowly, she reached out and took the egg into her arms.
"I… I don't know if I will do a good job, but I will try." Asia replied with every courage she could muster.
"Thanks, Asia. I really appreciate this." Issei smiled as he caressed Asia's head, much to her delight, "But don't be afraid to ask for help if you run into trouble, okay?"
Asia nodded happily, staring at the object that would be put under her care for an unforeseeable future.
oXo
"Do we have a deal, or do I have to bring Excalibur Ruler to force you to comply?" Azazel asked Kokabiel who was still strung up to the large cross.
"Hahahaha…" Kokabiel shook his head for a moment. "Well… it seems that I have no choice… but allow me to warn you."
Kokabiel's star-eyes turned to Michael.
"...Are you sure you want to know?"
Michael's gaze did not falter in the slightest.
"What did you pay for this power, Kokabiel?" Michael asked.
"...Father made all of us." Kokabiel started narrating as he closed his eyes.
"We were born as adults. He equipped us with the necessary knowledge and grace to serve His will… yet we have served under Him, idolized Him, despised Him… placed Him so high on the pedestal that we forgot how to change perspective when it comes to Him." Kokabiel continued.
Azazel quirked a brow, but kept quiet.
"...How do you think Father keeps us all in check?" Kokabiel asks.
"Simple." Azazel answered. "He made all of us. He wrote everything down to the genetic code-"
"Wrong." Kokabiel denied. "The chains are not in our blood… but our light." Kokabiel opened his eyes, staring into Azazel's gaze.
"The secret of my ascension… There are two different kinds of Grace. The angelic grace Father gifted us… and our own personal Grace. We are His children - His creations modeled after His vision of perfection. So why is it that we, despite being His kin, cannot reach His level?"
"...So what did you do? Fuse those graces together? Steal a portion of Father's corpse before we got rid of it?" Azazel remarked cynically.
"The grace of an angel also counts as the total sum of our being other than mere genetics. Its light is everything just as the blood and flesh that makes up our forms. However… after some small talk with Saitama, his words gave me an idea. Is the power that flows through us ours… or someone else's? I went on a journey to experiment on myself in ways one would consider pure madness, explored every continent and culture in this world until I found my answer… which I did."
"...What did you do to yourself?" Michael asked, his serene expression sharpening into a serious glare.
Kokabiel smiled at Michael. "There is no secret ritual, arcane medicine, or some artifact that can grant me godlike power. I committed a heresy no Fallen angel dared since creation - I removed the grace The God granted us all since birth. It is the Grace of The God granted that is our strength, and our chain. Blood could only go so far. After all, it is ingenious, no? Binding us with the light we wield to slay our enemies? A true oxymoron."
Michael's blood ran cold when his mind began to connect the dots, "Kokabiel…. Did you…. Remove your wings?"
Kokabiel's smile widened, his perfect white teeth flashing.
"Is there no better way to symbolize my abandonment? These wings… are my own creation. Something I earned through hardship you can not fathom, the torment I went through, the fear and dread that comes with walking the unknown alone with no one to turn to… and the exhilaration of the triumph that followed."
"...And how long since you…. Discovered this?" Azazel asked with a serious tone, "Because I'm pretty sure, before things went south, your wings were still black."
"Four years. Oh, and those black wings you saw before? A simple disguise, a temporary form if you will, to reserve my energy for the climax. I kept severed wings around just to hide my true power. They are functionally useless, however. I can no longer return to my previous fallen form since I have burned them away."
"Then how did Issei best you before you ascended? Did you play him just to toy with his self-esteem?" Azazel quirked a brow.
"Oh, no, my loss was genuine. Now that the boy has liberated himself like I did, he surpassed my expectations. Right now, he should be able to match even the likes of you, Baraqiel, and maybe even the Five Great Dragon Kings. He will surpass them with enough guidance." Kokabiel chuckled.
"Alright… so, what are the steps you took after you tore out your wings?" Azazel glanced at Michael. Michael was no longer the stoic angel he knew. The panic, the shock, the emotions were twisting his face in ways that Azazel never thought he could make, especially since the price was the wings God granted them, which was extremely important in angel society.
"The first step - I went to China." Kokabiel explained. "I tested every meditation and cultivation technique I could find from their monasteries and libraries. Through them, I discovered my inner light and nurtured it. The next step was finding a way to utilize it, weaponizing it. The third… The best metaphor is 'discover my true self.' It is not easy as it sounds as I have to go search within my very soul and find myself in a way that… no angel ever tried. Because of that… I empathize with the humans. Much more than I thought I did after I fell… the struggle, the striving to find a purpose… it is enigmatic, yet refreshing, enlightening when I emerge with new wings - just like a caterpillar evolving into a butterfly. After that, I traveled the rest of the world to cultivate and experiment my powers, learning techniques and magical skills, adding to my knowledge all that I can while gathering allies. It was there I found Malkuth when he was sent to investigate my activities in secret. Imagine my fortune when I discovered that he was contemplating a rebellion."
"This trip to China you described to us…. Sounds like you are learning some form of Senjutsu." Azazel deduced.
"Correct. The world is a large place… So why not go out and explore it? Another one of Saitama's quotes, I admit it has more meaning that the man gives credit. I cannot use Ki… well, anything other than the light element of Ki until after my ascension. The definition of madness is the repetition of action in expectations of a different result, mainly the arcane method."
Kokabiel looked at Michael with a taunting smile.
"So… tell me, Michael. What price are you willing to pay to stand in our Father's realm? No, the better question is… Can you pay when it's due?"
"...Now hold your breath. The pain will be there but brief. Are you ready?"
Within Genos' workshop, Ruruko was sitting on a bed with a metallic limb being pressed against the stump that was once her leg.
What surprised her was that it looked completely identical, symmetrical compared to her other leg.
Standing next to her was a fallen angel with a roguish look thanks to the wild beard adorning his face; a muscular build, and for some reason, was clad in a set of armor, cape, and even an eye-patch covering one of his eyes - making him look like a villain from children TV show.
Ruruko took a deep breath and nodded.
Armaros, one of Grigori's main researchers, nodded back at Ruruko's resolve and began to tinker on the metal leg pressed against the stump. He placed a lever on the joint connection.
"Connecting the artificial nervous system in 3, 2, 1….!" Armaros then pushed the prosthetic deeper into the stump as he twisted the lever.
"Ow!"
Ruruko cried out at the pain shot through her leg, as Armaros began to tighten the screws and connections between Ruruko's organic and inorganic limbs. The pain was only brief, but Armaros did not mention that it hurts like a bitch.
Seeing the girl was still hurting, Armaros took a small paper cup filled with something and offered it to her, "Here, drink this. This should help with the pain."
Ruruko eyed the cup for a second before she grabbed it and took a sip. However she coughed out the content of the cup because it tasted burned.
"Is… Did you just give me alcohol?!" Ruruko asked between coughs.
"It is the only anesthetic I have." Armaros shrugged.
"No, it's not."
They turned to see Genos and Sahariel - Armaros' colleague, who were attending to Tsubaki. The Sitri Queen were lightly glared at Armaros, while the former two were tinkering on the prosthetic hands attached to her wrists.
"Armaros, please refrain from giving alcohol to minors. Didn't I tell you to bring actual anesthetics before we headed out?" Sahariel chided without looking at his colleague - his eyes were more focused on the wires and circuits on Tsubaki's prosthetics.
Meanwhile, Genos - who was examining the tablets which displayed the readings on Tsubaki's conditions, addressed his charge.
"And… I am finished. Tsubaki Shinra, try to clench and unclench your hands." Genos said.
Tsubaki did as she was told, and she could not help but feel marvelled at her new hands. "This feels…. Strange. I can feel their movements, yet at the same time, these are not my hands."
"It is to sense any abnormalities in your limbs. You will adjust with time. This is pretty much what I went through when I first received my current body." Genos explained while maintaining his ever-serious expression, "Now, hold this and try to give it a squeeze."
Genos gave Tsubaki a black rubber ball. The Queen complied and squeezed with her right hand first.
"Don't put your strength all at once. Start easy, and slowly squeeze harder." Genos instructed, the tablet in his hand displaying numbers and charts that were connected wirelessly to the rubber ball Tsubaki was squeezing.
Tsubaki obliged and slowly applied gradual pressure in her grip.
"Now. Clench."
The ball popped before she could apply half her full strength. Tsubaki blinked, lightly startled at her new display of strength.
Genos, on the other hand, was unperturbed as he simply tapped a few keywords on his tablet, "Connections and synchronizations are optimal, but it appears a few more adjustments are necessary. I have received the records of your past physical tests. Do you have any preferences on how much pressure you would like to apply?"
Tsubaki stared at her new prosthetic hands before replying, "I don't mind some enhancements, but I'd like to have my grip strength to be the same as my original hands, if it's possible."
Genos nodded, "Understood. Let us restart our session. We will work on it."
Meanwhile, at the other corner, Issei just finished unwrapping Akeno's neck cone.
"Right, try to move your neck around. No sudden motions." Issei instructed.
Akeno then proceeded to turn left and right, up and down, and spin around, before she smiled at Issei, "...It feels as if my neck has never been broken in the first place."
Issei nodded as he gave the note on his clipboard another read, "That's good to hear. Let's see… If you have no more problems, you should be free to go now. Just make sure to get yourself a nice pillow whenever you get to bed."
"A nice pillow, hm?" Akeno's smile gained a tinge of mischief as she leaned her face closer towards Issei, "I've been wondering how it feels to fall asleep on top of a gentleman. Would you like to help me to… test something out?" She asked while running her finger across Issei's biceps and chest.
Keeping his cool to prevent his face from blushing, Issei smiled good-naturedly while he gently pushed Akeno away, "Heh, you definitely sound healthy. But first, I gotta check on Ruruko."
Akeno pouted, but did not do or say anything else as Issei stood up and walked towards the bed where Ruruko was sitting.
"Okay, so how are we doing?" Issei asked while rubbing his palms in anticipation.
"She should be good to walk around, lad." Armaros replied.
Ruruko, on the other hand, was marvelled at the sight of her human-like cyber leg moving back and forth as her thoughts commanded. She glanced at Issei when she recalled that he was addressing her.
"Uh, Ise-senpai… This is… This is pretty cool…. Freaky, but cool." Ruruko replied before she returned to admire her new leg.
Issei gave a knowing smile, "...Want to give it a spin?"
oXo
Issei and Ruruko were standing across from each other on the arena in the training room, with Genos, Armaros, Sahariel, Tsubaki and Akeno sitting on the sidelines.
The Pawn of Sona Sitri shifted her new leg against the ground, trying to get the proper feeling of standing and putting on a stance with the said new leg.
"If you want, I can show you some kick moves." Issei offered.
"Oh, yeah, you took karate and stuff before as a part time thing, right?" Ruruko asked as she flicked her cyber leg in the air.
"You talked with Tsubasa?" Issei asked.
"More like… intruded." Ruruko giggles. "...And thanks. Maybe after I manage to 'kick' your ass."
"Ohhh. Not bad, not bad. Come at me if you think you can." Issei dared as he stood still. His stance was passive, hands on the side with a straight posture, but for some reason, Ruruko found him somewhat… unapproachable.
Like he was an iron wall standing in her way.
Breathing in a couple more breaths to ready herself, Ruruko stomped with her metal leg and charged.
"WHOA!"
Though she might have 'overstepped' her estimation, as in flying past Issei overhead in her leap. She felt light, too light, like she had devil wings without them out as she soared.
Issei stifled a snicker when Ruruko failed her rough landing and tumbled to the floor.
"Holy shit…" Ruruko breathed out as she pushed herself up, stumbling a little.
"I kinda forgot to ask but… is this the kind of leg that needs replacing often as I get stronger or…"
"Nope. It's made with a bit of Sacred Gear tech. It's the kind of thing that grows stronger with the person."
She flexed her new leg with amazement before she called out to Issei, "Um, one more time, please!?"
Smiling, Issei somatically gestured to her to take her time.
Ruruko then took another breath, hopping on her toes a little to have a better grasp on her newfound leg-strength.
She slowly lowered her mechanical leg and dashed. She slid across half the distance between her and Issei, slowing down to a gradual halt, and circled across Issei again, taking a deep breath.
She flexed her metal leg again before she kicked off the ground, sliding across half distance again. And then again, and again until she was two steps away from Issei, who was watching her estimate her leg strength.
"Hiyah!"
With one step in with her normal leg, she flicked her metal leg with a front towards Issei's chin.
However, Issei stepped back as she did, receiving only the knockback of air as Ruruko narrowed her eyes.
Roundhouse kick.
Reverse roundhouse kick.
Crescent downward kick.
Rapid thrust kicks.
She tried every way to kick to hit Issei but the Red Dragon Emperor casually dodged by either tilting his head or stepping back.
"Fuuuuu!" With a deep breath, raised her leg high and dropped an axe kick.
Issei sidestepped as her metal leg chopped the earth below.
Sona and Rias entered the room just in time to see Ruruko split the earth with a mighty blow, or at least some of it as a long fissure widened in front of the Pawn.
Issei whistled at the impressive leg strength.
"Damn. Makes me want to ask if you want to replace the other leg." Issei commented on the damage.
"I…" Ruruko actually considered the idea as her eyes looked around in contemplation. "Can I get some time to think about it?"
"Wait, what?" Issei looked at the petite devil girl. "...You're actually thinking about it?"
Ruruko flashed an impish smile containing… giddy excitement.
"...I do need a proper center of balance." She mentioned.
"Oh… uh…" not that Issei could really stop her. "Okay. Well, go to Uncle Genos if you want to talk about it. Oh, and if you want upgrades… just ask."
"There are upgrades?!" Ruruko asked with starry eyes.
"Mmhm." Issei nodded, "Still, do give this idea some more thought. This kind of gig is a one-way road, kind of like devil reincarnation."
"Yes, I will!"
Despite her answer, Issei had a feeling that Ruruko would not do what he said as she ran out of the training area with dust in her trail.
So much for wise advice, Issei rolled his eyes.
Seeing that the sparring match had ended, Sona and Rias finally made themselves known.
"Good work for today, Ise." Rias greeted.
Issei turned to the two Devil heiresses.
"'Here to pick everyone up?" Issei returned the greeting.
"Yes, I'm here for Akeno." Rias nodded as her Queen joined her side.
"As I'm here to check on Tsubaki and Ruruko's progress." Sona replied while fixing her glasses, "Though I see that they are having no problems."
Sona then addressed her Queen, who had joined her with Genos, Armaros and Sahariel following behind, "How is your prosthetic?"
"They work like a charm, President. At least for the time being." Tsubaki replied while showing her new hands.
Sona nodded and addressed the cyborg. "Mr. Genos, on behalf of the Sitri clan - thank you very much." She said while bowing.
"Your words are appreciated. If she needs anything else, she is more than welcome to come to my workshop."
"You have our gratitude as well, Lord Armaros, Lord Sahariel." Sona turned to the fallen angels.
"The pleasure's mine, Lady Sitri." Sahariel politely replied.
"I'm just glad that my work can be useful to someone other than this one human. It gets boring working on the same person over and over again for years, you know?" Armaros replied with a more laid back tone.
A few exchanges of pleasantries later, Sona then turned to Issei.
"Ise. I wish to discuss something… private."
The boy blinked at the unexpected invitation, but he nodded as they both moved away from others for more privacy. It was rare for her to request something personal.
"What's up?" He hoped it was not anything serious.
Sona replied, "I have been… contemplating on learning lessons in close-quarters combat. After some thought, I believe you are the best person I can turn to at the moment."
"...Not that I mind, but why now?" Issei pictured her as the mage-type that would rather blast her enemies with spells more than anything else.
"In my… escapade with Rias fleeing from our pursuers, we have encountered… invasive situations where our powers were for naught in the face of human ingenuity and violence. I was held at gunpoint Issei… they were going to turn me into something much worse than death could ever grant."
Issei remained silent.
"Because of this, I realize I can no longer afford to be arrogant as I am now. I wish to learn other ways to defend myself if possible, as late as my introduction in this world is."
"Huh… well…" Issei pursed his lips. "Gotta say, I haven't heard a request like this even back in training camp. Alright, I can spare some time. Rias? What about you?"
"I've already been training with you, haven't I? I see no reason to stop now. In fact, I can be Sona's sparring partner." Rias said with a confident smile.
Looking between the two high-class devils, Issei eventually conceded to their whims, "Okay, I guess that settles it. Come to my house whenever you are ready, Sona. We'll work on your progress from there."
"Of course. I will be in your care, Issei, Rias." Sona bowed in gratitude.
Before the talk could have gone further, Issei's phone suddenly rang.
"Excuse me, ladies." Issei said as he checked on the caller - it was Asia, "Hello, Asia-"
[I-Ise! Please come quick, it- it's Ms. Irina…!]
Upon hearing Asia's frantic voice, Issei's expression turned pensive as he caught on. "Okay, I'm on my way. Just hang in tight there, okay?"
He closed the phone and turned to Sona and Rias. "Sorry, I gotta go."
"Something the matter?" Rias asked with a concerned look.
"Irina's probably having another episode." Issei briefly explained before he turned to Genos, "Uncle, I gotta leave. Can I leave things here to you?"
The cyborg simply nodded, and Issei quickly bolted out of the training room.
When Issei arrived on the ground floor, he heard the commotion coming from the kitchen area.
There, he found the three girls of his peerage were cleaning up the mess - a shattered large plate with red sauce and dishes marred across the floor. Even Rover somehow stood on his stubby legs and helped by eating the mess off the floor.
Irina was kneeling, her expression was the mixture of panic and catatonic, with Haruka, Asia, and Xenovia tending to her.
"What's going on?" Issei asked as he approached Irina.
Irina looked startled at first, but she calmed down slightly, albeit her expression was still terrified.
"I-I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…" Hugging herself, Irina repeated the apology almost like a mantra.
"Shh, shh…. Just breath, Irina. Breath." Issei knelt beside his childhood friend and ran circles on her back.
When Issei glanced at his mother, the woman explained with a small scowl, "We're just preparing lunch, and… looks like whatever Irina saw earlier…. Triggered some bad memories."
Issei nodded with a small exhale - looking at Irina's state, 'bad' sounded like an understatement.
"...Iri." He then addressed the girl, "Let's just get you up and cleaned, okay? Just take it easy."
"I'm… I'm sorry..." Irina choked as tears began to flow, "I didn't mean to…!"
"I know, I know. We all know. You did nothing wrong." Issei gently soothed her.
Irina was then escorted back to her room along with Xenovia, Asia and Issei. Once she was settled on her bed, Asia quickly put her hands on Irina's chest and forehead and activated her Twilight Healing.
While her Sacred Gear was meant to heal physical injuries, the energy emitted from Twilight Healing apparently had a calming effect, albeit minor. Issei believed Asia's personality played a role there.
Soon - Issei, Xenovia and Asia got out of Irina's room.
"She has calmed down and fallen asleep… But I don't know if Ms. Irina is going to be alright." Asia reported with a worried tone.
"There has to be something we can do." Xenovia said with a hint of frustration in her voice. "Issei, can your uncle, or anyone from Grigori heal traumas, or any sort of mental ailment?"
"...I will see if I can arrange something." Issei replied with a sigh, "But with things still in the middle of cooling down thanks to Kokabiel's stunt, booking a therapist might take some time."
"...What about the Monkey's Paw?" Xenovia suggested.
Issei closed his eyes and munched on his lower lips before replying, "I'd rather not. It did not completely grant my wish when I tried to free Irina… there's no telling what it might do if we word the next wish wrong. For now, I want to take the 'hard' way first."
Xenovia could not object to that statement.
Then, Sona and Rias entered the kitchen.
"We heard of what happened. How is she?" Rias asked with concern.
"She's resting… For now." Issei replied with a frown. "Anything else you need, though?"
Sona and Rias exchanged quick glances before the former replied, "...We received news that Valper Galilei has been found."
Issei and Xenovia perked up at the name.
"What? Where is he?! I'm going to give him the beating of his life-"
"He's dead."
Issei stopped as his anger was staunched. He stared at them for a moment, blinking several times.
"...Come again?" Issei asked.
"His… body was found by a random civilian in an alleyway. It was in the newspaper. Our people are looking into it right now." Sona replied.
The news of the corrupt Archbishop's death should have alleviated some worries; however, that just left the question of who did him in? The number of possible answers brought another concern entirely.
"...Anyway, at least we don't need to worry about him anymore." Issei commented. "Now, we need to figure something out about Irina."
The group fell into silence for a few seconds until Rias spoke up. "...You know, we can try to erase her memories."
Everyone eyed Rias for a second before Issei shook his head, "...It sounds nice, throwing the bad stuff into the trash. But I don't trust something that easy, especially after what we've been through. It won't help her in the long run… and it takes Iri's chance to make an important choice." he then gave a small bitter smile, "We all have to face something like this one day. And she's had enough of someone messing with her head already."
Rias regarded Issei for a few seconds before sighing, "...Fair enough."
"But… what do you plan to do with her, then?" Sona pushed her glasses up.
"I'm going to England." Issei made up his mind.
"...What?"
The girls were caught off guard.
"If I am going to help her, I'm going to start with getting rid of the mind control. Whatever Valper did, it involved the Church. I'm going to get some answers with some help."
"Why not ask Azazel?"
"I did." Issei turned to Rias. "...He doesn't really dabble in… delicate, taboo subjects of this nature. It's not something that he or his kind even needs. So those hiding in the light should know."
"In that case, then I'll come with you." Xenovia volunteered, "I have been to England a few times before. I can be your guide."
"I-I will come as well!" Asia followed with determination.
Issei smiled at the girls, "Thanks, you two. For now, let's have lunch, shall we? We can't work with an empty stomach…. Also, remind me to save some portions for Irina too."
The night finally fell once again over the Hyoudou Residence.
Half of the damage was under maintenance, reconstruction was taking effect, and the injured recovered significantly.
...With one exception of a certain exorcist who was once under mind-control. Issei went inside Irina's room to check on her, to see the girl had covered her entire body with blankets again.
However, her face was visible and she was looking much calmer than she was in the afternoon.
"...Hi." Irina greeted her old friend with a small smile.
"Hi, yourself." Issei returned the greeting and he spotted a tray of half-eaten dinner at the corner. "...Well, at least you won't spend the whole night on an empty stomach."
"...Sorry." Irina looked down, her smile became dim.
"Don't be." Issei replied as he put the tray outside. He then climbed up to the bed, settling himself so he and Irina were sitting back-to-back. "...How are you feeling?"
"Not great." Irina replied with a subdued tone. "They…. Keep coming. Things that have been done to me, things that I've done… The crimes I've committed."
Issei scowled, "Irina, that was not-"
"It was still my hands that did it." Irina replied with an edge in her voice. "It was even my fault to begin with; when I blindly put my trust in Valper Galilei, that's when everything began."
Issei clenched his fist, his eyes darting left and right.
"Look, I know what I've said to Xenovia when we met, but turning to nihilism is not the answer. Trusting no one is even worse than blindly trusting everyone."
"...Maybe." Irina snorted, "Still, that won't change the fact - the atrocities I've committed, they are not going away. I'm… I'm just a filthy criminal now."
Issei sighed, looking up to the ceiling, "...But you - Irina Shidou, are still my friend."
He felt Irina froze for a brief moment against his back, then he continued.
"Maybe you are right - no matter what we say, what's done is done, there's no changing the past. But…. what we decide for the future is what matters now, right?"
"The future, huh…?" Irina's lips stretched into a bitter smile, "That's right… The future."
The two fell into silence for a few moments until Irina spoke up.
"I think we should stop seeing each other."
Issei blinked and turned his head to stare at Irina's back. "...Come again?"
"I'm… going back to England, talking to my parents, apologizing to them." Irina began, "Then, I'll retire from being an exorcist; taking a pilgrimage, going somewhere… I don't know, maybe there will be a monastery or an orphanage that will accept an ugly sinner like me."
Issei grit his teeth as he turned to fully face Irina and held her shoulders, causing the blanket to fall off and reveal her whole face.
"Don't you dare call yourself a sinner!" Issei spoke as firmly as he could, making sure that their eyes met. "I know you suffered! I can understand that! I really do! But I won't let you give up on yourself like that! Don't you dare try to cut your life short, and spit on our efforts, just so you can run away! We're not giving up on you! So don't do it to yourself!"
Irina began to choke, as the waterworks began anew. "But I…. But I…!"
"Ubububup!" Issei silenced her off by pressing his finger against her lips. "None of that shit. I'm not letting you keep pitying yourself. Remember my story the other night? Irina Shidou is a kick-ass girl who has fought off monsters… And I'm intending to keep it that way."
Irina could not say anything, as her teary eyes gazed at Issei's sincere, resolute eyes. Eventually, she managed to find the strength to speak.
"Do you…" Irina choked, but she pressed on. "Do you think… It's okay for me- for me to live? E-even if, even if the Lord…!"
"...God is not here for you to pray to anymore, but it is up to us to forgive ourselves. Irina, you don't need someone else to tell you to forgive yourself. Though, everyone, including myself, have forgiven you a while ago." Issei placed a hand on Irina's shoulder and poked her heart. "But you just need to find the courage to do it for yourself. It is harder… but it will be worth it in the end."
Irina then leaned forward, pressing her forehead against Issei's chest. "...Can I trust you with this? That… That I can still… I can still be myself?"
Issei smiled softly as he placed a hand on Irina's head, gently rubbing her crown. "You can. You will always be that… My 'tomboyish friend who turned out to be a pretty girl'... Man, that sounds lame and weird."
This time, a loud snort came from Irina as her body shook containing her laughter.
"Honestly, Ise. You just had to ruin your own cool moment." Irina finally said, then she looked up to meet his eyes once again. "Still… You won't back down on your word, right?"
Issei nodded, "I won't. You can trust me, Irina. Just I always trust you."
Irina finally smiled, this time with happy tears, as she leaned forward and pressed her forehead against Issei's own. The boy simply closed his eyes, indulging himself and Irina in the small moment.
"Can I…. ask you one more thing?" Irina whispered.
"...Anything." Issei simply replied without opening his eyes.
However, Issei's ears then registered the sound of clothes rustling. When he opened his eyes, he was greeted by the sight of Irina having undone her gown - the clothes had fallen to the bed, revealing her body - from her chest to waist, bare to him.
He was stunned, completely and utterly. Tsubasa was one thing… but to see his childhood friend in her birthday suit, especially her now, had him rattled.
"...Those words that you said, can you prove it to me?" Irina said with a pleading look.
"Irina, I…" Issei was confused, hesitant as he answered.
Seeing Issei's hesitant reply made Irina feel doubt herself as well, "Do you… find me repulsive, after all?"
"No!" Issei grabbed her shoulders again, much to Irina's surprise. He then sighed, pressing his forehead against Irina while looking into her eyes, "You are nowhere near repulsive, Irina. You are beautiful, and I won't ever let anyone else call you otherwise."
The sincerity and resolve that have returned to Issei's eyes caused Irina to relax, as she smiled, "...Thank you, Ise."
"No problem." Issei smiled as well, allowing their noses to touch.
They spent almost a minute in that position, as Irina stared into Issei's eyes again, silently conveying her previous request. Issei did not look away, but his mind began to contemplate the best course of action.
However - the sight of her bare body, the scent of her body, and her breath against his face, caused Issei not being able to move away, as Irina mustered her courage to close the distance between their lips.
When their lips eventually met - it began with a chaste contact at first, before they separated to regard each other's expression. Then, it was Issei who initiated the next kiss and he found himself deepening the connection between their mouths, bringing up his left hand to caress Irina's head in the process.
As the kiss slowly intensified, Irina's arms also raised up - starting on Issei's chest, until they slowly wrapped themselves around his back and neck. She felt Issei's tongue brushed up against her lips, which she granted access as she gradually used her tongue in return as well.
Issei's right hand slowly grabbed a hold on Irina's hips, eliciting a brief gasp from her. In return, Irina added more fervor into her kiss as she pushed herself forward.
They finally went past the point of no return as Issei pressed his body against Irina's own, causing her to let out a soft moan. Her hands that wrapped around him then trailed down towards the hem of his pants. As her hands worked to pull his pants down, Issei then took his shirt off before he gently pushed her down until her back hit the soft mattress.
That night, the two childhood friends became one.
Meanwhile, Xenovia stood in front of Genos, inside the latter's workshop, with determination burning in her eyes.
Sitting in a chair before a long table, Genos was tinkering with another leg, one that looked identical to Ruruko's. The skin was open, revealing a complicated set of circuits and components her eyes could not completely absorb.
"What is it that you require of me, Xenovia Quarta?" the cyborg asked.
With a deep breath, Xenovia answered, "I want… to become stronger like you. Please turn me into a cyborg."
BAM! Thoughts on this one, folks? Now we are beginning to look at some more original concepts and ideas.
Considering what Issei planned for Irina, expect some original arcs in near future.
Per usual, the next chapter is available on you-know-where site. ;)
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