"So you're, you're one of them" Yuuto said as he stared at Akeno. She hides away in shame as Rodney and the others all glare at Yuuto. "Well, it was nice meeting you all. I must get going." Azazel said, but as he's about to take flight Rias slaps Yuuto across the face. "How dare you!" she roars with authority, catching even Issei off guard. "Yuuto what's going on? You've been zoning out and putting others in danger. Your attendance in combat has been unacceptable. Now you're insulting our dear friend?! Tell us what's going on at this instant!" The others remain there in silence. "We're all concerned for you" Rias says, choking on her words. Yuuto just looks up at Akeno, heart broken rather than enraged at her. Rodney puts her clothes back on as she turns around to face everyone.
My mother and father are not both what we thought were devils. My father is a fallen angel. I was always told that because my father was a fallen angel, he was able to impregnate my mother, a demon. If the roles were reversed there could be no possibility of reproduction. But I too was lied to. My mother was a human, and for years now I haven't had contact with either of them." Akeno then stands firmly on the ground before continuing. "They knew each other during the fall and reunited after fighting during the second fall where the fallen angels and demons split. Rias, you were really young for this, but that's why your family took me in at such a young age. My mother and father were attacked by Japan's realm of gods, so I was left alone when your father picked me up. He told me what had happened later on when I was old enough to understand. I was too young to even recall why I have this black feathered wing on my own."
She then bows. "I'm sorry for lying all these years, but with the political climate there was just no way to come out with the truth properly." Yuuto just stands there for a moment, rather than bowing he turns his head to Azazel. "No, I'm sorry for looping you in with the rest." He then gives Azazel a dirty glare. He then walks away, leaving the rest upset. "Akeno, just stay here. I think you should go" Rodney says to Azazel, who nods out of respect as he takes off. "Yuuto wait!" Rias yells as Rodney runs off. "I got him!" He then catches up with Yuuto as they run down the street together. "What do you want?" Yuuto asks Rodney, who stands in Yuuto's way. "I wasn't their ally either. I ate them for food, these are my enemies as well! So you have no right to run off like this!" Rodney says. The chickens and cows I've eaten I've never hated. I've always cherished the food that nourished my body and soul. We can't relate because you are a product of hate." Rodney looks away out of sheer disappointment. "But I'm here to listen," Rodney said softly.
"We'll talk after it's all over. I don't plan on quitting life after I find myself whole again." Rodney just stared off at Yuuto as Issei ran over to join him. The rest of the house finds their knight merging with the rest of the city as he marches his way downtown, leaving Rodney and Issei behind to pick up his pieces. Yuuto looks around as he begins to blend in with the rest of the crowd. "You people left us," Yuuto thought bitterly as he glanced around, finding himself in the center of a large motropalis. "Or perhaps they're as ignorant as we were. After all, we're all mortal people." Yuuto sighs, remembering Issei's rise to fame and heroism among the group. "They don't need me anyways, to hell with everything. They all have their new hero."
Hours later Issei and Rias find themselves watching Asia take a seat on their bed. Rias sat in Issei's gaming chair as she turned to the other two. "I'm explaining this to Issei because we all need to be on the same page" Rias explains to the group. "Issei, that sword in this picture is a holy sword, a weapon of war made by the church to annihilate demons and sin." Issei looks up at Rias with fascination. "Woah, well, could they even pierce through my armor?" He asks as Rias gives him and Asia a glare. "I don't know. And I'm not willing to find out." Issei looks down at his arm. "The church was infiltrated by the mercenaries, or as I call it the Fallen Church." Rias nods. "Nothing new under the sun" they stole relics from the Catholic and Orthodox Churches around the world in order to power these weapons. They call it, "The Holy Sword Project." Asia sighs as she begins to speak up.
Yuuto arrives at an old church as rain starts to pour on him. Thunder strikes as Yuuto brandishes his blade. "I think we need to get Rodney and the others together again. Seeing this freaked him out." Issei takes out a picture of him and his childhood friend with a holy sword behind them. "I see, " Rias says. "We must gather at once and find him. You see, Yuuto barely survived the project." Issei wastes no time as he heads for his door. "Come on Asia! You're gonna take charge of this and help us locate our friend!" The two run off as Rias gets herself together. Rias looks out the window with worry. "Yuuto, please don't do anything stupid" she says as she watches the team form their wings.
Meanwhile, lighting strikes as two women in white robes travel towards Yuuto. He turns around to see them. "You there, who are you?" They ask as Yuuto puts his blades away. "White robes. So you must be the angels Issei would always blabber on about" Yuuto said with disgust. "I'm Yuuto, a former devil, now a rogue soul seeking revenge against the church responsible for the Holy Sword Project." He then draws his blade towards the two women. Now I'm not afraid to die at the hands of angels if it means avenging my family. Your human run institution cost the lives of many, as well as their souls. Don't you dare come to me with any nonsense that is an attempt to convict me." The two women, one with short blue hair that had purple highlights in it, and the other had orange hair with two pigtails. Both undid their robe hoodies and looked at the boy. "You wouldn't happen to know Issei, would you? I need to find him." The orange haired woman said as she held up a picture with him and herself as children. "No way," Yuuto said as the two women smiled at him.
"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!" Yuuto walks away from the church and into the two with the two angels towards a dying priest. "I CAST YOU AWAY IN CHRIST'S-" He never got to finish his sentence as the man felt a sword end his life. Yuuto stares at the man as rain drips down on his face and all over his soaking wet body. "You there," Yuuto said as he recognized the priest who just stabbed a fellow brother. "I recognize you," Yuuto said with grit. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The priest laughed as he drew his blade. His long grey hair soaked with water as he grinned.
No words were spoken as the angels prepared themselves for the duel at hand, watching the two men who bore the image of God ready to brutally maim each other. "You would have been slain by the house of Gremory, but today, I am the hand of justice!" Yuuto spoke calmly. "THEN COME AT ME BOY!" The priest yells as Yuuto charges at him. He slashes his sword, but right as Yuuto goes to block it the power of the daughters of God send the man flying into a shop, breaking the window as their eyes glow. "What the hell?!" Both Yuuto and the priest thought as they looked back at the two women.
"We must get back to your household" Irina, the orange haired one said. "Yes we need to meet the others. They are also our new allies" Quarta, the blue haired one said as she and Irina grab Yuuto. "We must not waste time on this nobody. If we are to defeat them we must wipe them out when they're in mass numbers. Now come on, I wanna see Issei again!" Irina said as they dragged Yuuto away from the area. Five mercenaries all pull up to their leader to help him up. "Are you alright?" one asks as the others draw their guns and search the area. "Yeah I am. To be continued I suppose" He says as he glares at Yuuto who's walking away.
"To be fucking continued..."
Meanwhile Akeno, Issei, Rodney, Asia, Koneko, and Rias all gathered at the clubhouse. "Nothing?" Issei asks in confusion as one by one, each member enters the room. Silence passes as Issei takes a seat in the president's chair. "I met Yuuto the same way my father met Akeno. The Gremory's just love walks in winter woods. I happened to stumble upon Yuuto after the project failed" Rias says as she leans up close to Issei, who stares into his lap as he messages his own temple.
So I took him in and saved his life. It was painful to watch. The project involves using the souls of others to fuel the swords. The only reason why it failed was divine intervention" Rias pauses for a moment. "As I carried Yuuto, I saw angels grabbing children, shooting up for the sky. Those that stayed back turned the priests into haunting pillars of salt."
Yuuto angrily stares at each pillar he stumbled upon, slashing his blade into one while the angels follow him from behind. "Why are you two still here?" he asks bitterly. He looks around at the targets, who stared back at him before feeling the pain. Their defensive screams are as silent as the trees that fell in an empty forest. "We never left you then, why do you want us to leave now?" Quarta asked. "And you're not gonna stop me?" Yuuto asks as he decapitates another statue, the head smashing into the ground as it dashes against a rock, splitting it into millions of pieces. "These people are long gone Yuuto" the angel spoke softly. "When you're done and calm, we'll find Issei." Yuuto grips onto his blade angrily.
"I watched him turn them all into salt," Rias said with a shaky voice. "The men of cloth defrocked and turned into stone, their souls were gone." Issei looks up at Rias. "Why are you telling us this?" he asks. "The source of that kind of power will win us this war against the mercenaries and save Yuuto. We need to make amends with the church and the higher heavens if we're gonna defeat them." Issei sighs as he stands up and walks over towards the window. "If he hasn't destroyed them all those years ago, he's not gonna do it just because we ask nicely." Rias stands before the group as Issei turns his head. "Issei, I'm making an executive decision as the president." Issei sighs. "Go ahead" he spoke rather sarcastically. "Excuse me?!" Rias yelled. "Rias what else do you want me to say?!"
"I want you to try dammit! Try harder than just relying on yourself! If you had things your way we wouldn't be here! Hell you'd be bled out by-" Issei snaps. "Don't bring that up! Don't you go there!" Issei roars as he points his finger at Rias. His eyes quiver along with the rest of his body, his teeth grind against themselves. "Now look guys, Yuuto is on a revenge mission. Anywhere we should look first for these mercenaries?" Rias asked as the door suddenly slammed open.
"No need" A woman says as she throws Yuuto onto a soft couch. "ISSEIIIIIIIII!" The other woman yells as she rushes towards the boy and wraps her arms around him. She then hugs him tightly and lifts him up into the air before Rias shoves her. "Excuse me, what's going on?! YUUTO?!" She asks as everyone is now confused while rushing towards Yuuto;
Um okay, this is gonna sound crazy, but I'm Irina Shido, and this is my colleague Quarta Xenovia. We've been watching everything. We're the daughters of God himself and…. OH MY ISSEI IT'S BEEN SO FREAKING LONG! EEEEEEEEK!" She says as she squeezes Issei tightly, her valley girl accent penetrating everyone's ears like chalk on a whiteboard scraping in the wrong way.
"We have so much to catch up on! LOOK!" She shows him the picture of her and Issei from when they were kids. "See, we even went to church together! And now look you're a freaking prophet! I wish I could have gone to your wedding and watched you defeat that creepy fire dude but ewwwww just thinking about him makes my skin crawl!" She then leaps up to Rias and shakes her hand. "Oh and you looked lovely on your wedding day! Oh my I must say you two are perfect! I'm-"
"Yes, Irina, I'm Rias Gremory it's nice to meet you" Rias says exhausted. "Hold on, you were, her?" Yuuto and Issei both find themselves asking as they walk over to her. "Wait, we have so many questions! Let's all calm down and just catch up, please my brain hurts." Issei says. The nine all sit down together as they all talk everything out. Rias was slightly jealous of Irina as she and Issei kept catching up. Asia sat timid as she too could feel this jealousy radiating off of Rias.
"So, you two are in direct contact with the big guy?" Rodney asked as the two girls smiled. Quarta, a normally serious girl even when she's happy, smiles at the thought of her and her father being together. "I sure miss him, but his spirit is always with us and he's doing very important work." She then sits back as Irina takes her turn. "I was made from the very tailbone of our Lord. He just yanked it out and buried it in the ground. I swear it was a nutty idea but hey, I'm happy he did it" Jesus sat in the back of the room rubbing his but as tears fell from his eyes. "It's still sore on rainy days" His voice made everyone shake and jump in their seats. "DADDY!" She yelled as a teenage daughter would to her dad when they haven't seen each other for a long time. She runs up and leaps into his arms for the whole room to see.
"Hey pumpkin, so you found the address alright?" He asks in a gentle suburban dad tone. She nodded as Jesus stood in the center of the room. "So everyone now knows, these are my two special ones. They'll be helping you guys out and going to your school, so have fun and keep talking I guess." He said as everyone else didn't notice Yuuto disappearing. Jesus follows Rodney to the other room where Yuuto was heard quietly holding back tears. Rodney hands him a tissue and he wipes his eyes.
"Thanks" Rodney sits right next to him as the others go silent. "So what's up?" He asks Yuuto. "I didn't get my revenge. Plain and simple" Yuuto said as Rodney pats his back. People begin to linger towards the room, only to be escorted back by Jesus himself. "No no, he will have his comfort later. He needs space right now."
"I just want them dead! They ruined my life Rodney! No one gets that here!"
"HEY!" Rodney yells at Yuuto. "We will get them! But right now we have fallen angels to deal with too! Now look, Akeno isn't one of them, but the others, they're the ones who caused the priests to do what they did. You'll be alright man! We got this! We'll take down everyone!"
Yuuto nods as he stands up. He glares at the angels and the Lord sitting in the next room. "Where were you?" he thought to himself as he shook. He takes a deep breath and looks back to see Rodney smiling. "Are we good?" Rodney asks. Yuuto offers his hand to Rodney. "We'll take some back, whole, for your consumption." Rodney looks at Yuuto uneasily, seeing a sinister smile crawl across Yuuto's face. "Yuuto, I'm not that man anymore." Yuuto's smile disappears as he looks up at Rodney as their hands release.
The next day
Everyone went to school, life was normal and classes went on. Issei zoned out in math class as he let his perverted mind think about Rias as a way to keep himself distracted. Class is dismissed and he arises to leave. Exiting the classroom, he sees two familiar faces. "Hey guys" He said to Matsuda and Motohama. The three all walked out as the bell rang. "Issei!" Asia yelled as she ran up to him. "Oh hey Asia, how's Irina and Quarta doing on their first day?" Issei asks as Asia sits right in front of him, leaning up against the wall. "Good, just checking in to see how you're doing with all this happening to us."
"Oh it's alright Asia. I know you're just doing what Rias told us but I'll let you know when I'm stressed. I have to talk to these two doofus's right now."
Motohama and Matsuda smile at Asia. She smiles and blushes at them back.
"Cute" The two of them think in their heads. "Oh Asia, are you talking to your new boyfriend?" Akia asks with a smug smile stretched across her face.
Akia asked as she went over to Asia. "No! We're not dating, though I wish we were" Asia whispered slowly as she whimpered to herself the second half of her sentence. "You don't have to waste your time on these weirdo's. They're too popular anyways and one's already dating."
"HEY SHUT UP!" Motohama and Matsuda said together in sync. "Yeah, pick one. Are we losers or hot shit?" Issei asks. Hey look we're just friends okay! Now shut up! Don't screw with me Akia you're just a nobody who wishes I was some creep anyways! Now screw off!" Everyone gives Akia dirty looks as they pass by her. She looks around hurt as Issei walks away with Matsuda and Motohama away. His anger seeping out of his body.
"Come on you jerks. Let's get out of here." The three then walk up the stairs and take the next set to the roof. "Hey Issei, that's your friend you told us about last night right?!" Matsuda asked, pointing to Irina and Quarta. "Oh yeah that's them." The two boys try not to stare at them, but they smile and wave to Issei as they walk over. "Hey Issei, who are these two?" Irina asks as she finds herself close to Motohama, reminding him and Matsuda of their old days in school. "Who's this cutie?" She asks Issei as she grabs onto Motohama.
"I'm uh, Motohama. But you can call me Moto cause I uh..." He breaks under the pressure as Irina blushes and smiles. Okay then well anyways we just wanted to talk to Issei. We heard you two are working with him and we would like to introduce ourselves. Issei keeps moving his finger across his throat as he glares at Motohama, who gives him a petrified look back. "Issei, you ready? I'd like to hurry this up." He winks as he hints his eyes towards the other two girls, who just stand there smiling and waving. "Yeah sure man, let's get going."
"One thing Issei! And you two should listen." Irina then leans over to the two and whispers. "You three should watch yourself around Akia." The two then smile and wave as they walk away from the three boys while they look back. The two agents walk their friend up to the roof to talk in private, as the door closes Issei sighs as his eyes glow. "Genshiro, care to join us."
Genshiro appears from the corner he's been hiding behind. "Issei, your intuition is something else." Genshiro says as he walks over to Issei. "What's going on in your household? How are people taking the apocalypse?"
"The unveiling is turning everyone to shit. The way any apocalypse would screw us up." Motohama and Matsuda both look at each other confused.
"Look man, I know my girlfriend really wants me to say that she's fine. Hell she looks like she's fine for now, I'm sure Rias is the same way. They're affected the most. Except Sona didn't get a nice wedding afterwards. They may appear fine but I'm at my wits end on managing the girls. I'm just one guy." Genshiro then looks at Motohama and Matsuda. "Also I owe you two a huge apology for talking shit to Issei about you guys. You really cleaned yourselves up. I acted like the scavenger devil I am." The two however give Genshiro a weird look, intimidating him as they just stand there looking menacingly.
"Sorry, I just felt guilty. We owe the PSD a lot for covering the centipede incident. Everyone really did pitch in to save the city, and possibly the world. It's about time mankind armed themselves up against the fallen angels and their devil slave race."
"Hey man don't forget they whooped our asses on a global scale. We just did what we could" Matsuda said as he held up his cross. "If it weren't for this dude we'd be dead."
"Oh can it with that crap. Human ingenuity will carry us" Motohama says. "Save that crap for Sunday mass." As the two bicker Genshiro turns to Issei. "So humans still question God's existence?" Issei nods, which catches the two off guard.
"Wait, you KNOW HIM?!" Motohama asks. Matsuda yells. "Enough of that, we're not discussing God right now. So what's the deal with the schools? How we doing this?" Issei asks. "Well Mercenaries have been seen more active in the area. We can't let any kids get hurt by them, it's criminal, but if they're up to sorcery then we as the PSD need to dispatch the magic by any means necessary. We want you to walk with Rias and Asia tomorrow, give me and Motohama an excuse to interfere tomorrow alright? We don't want these kids to blow up an entire district of the city."
Issei nods. "Genshiro, we want you to join us and finish this. You'll be our support, alright?" Genshiro nods while smiling. "Alright and anything else to report in school Issei?" Issei looks around the roof as he sighs and leans on the chain linked fence. "Any chance you guys know a way into the outer gates of Hell? There's someone I wanna check on."
Matsuda and Motohama look at each other. "No, why do you ask?" Issei then wipes his face as he turns around to face the two. "There's someone I need to finish off. Riser Phenex. I wasn't satisfied with my last beat down. The truth is he's still alive." Issei then looks up at the three of them and feels his eyes dry up, yet he cries on the inside. "I want him, no, I need him dead." Issei looks around the corner to see the slightest strand of bright red hair flickering in the wind. With her was Irina and Quarta. Issei's words bring Rias to tears. Scared that Issei is letting his love for her drive himself insane, but as she tries to break through the door Quarta and Irina stop her and cover her mouth. "Shush, this was your idea! We need to be up to date, he'll never tell you everything as it unfolds Rias! It's as we suspect, his fear is clouding his judgment." Irina whispered as Rias shook in Quarta's arms.
"Sorry Issei, can't help you there. We did move some kids to other classes as requested. No one who has the slightest shot with her is in a class with her that you're not in" Motohama said. "Sheesh, Issei isn't this kind of possessive?" Genshiro asks. "She's worse. If I told you what she did before we met, you'd allow me to be cautious. Last thing I need my mind pondering is a rival suiter" Issei says. "Well then I'm done here. I'll let you know what else I find as it happens."
Genshiro jumps off the roof in secret using his bronze dragon suit. As he jumps down to the grass hill and does a tuck and roll before saluting the three and walking off, meeting Sona just in the nick of time. Issei and the other two goobers watch as the two walk the school grounds together.
"Issei, what's with all this behavior? Hell you're wearing that stupid tie uniform." Issei sighs. "I'm locked in, that's all I know" Issei says as he looks around the rooftop. "Hey, Irina and Quarta, what do you two think about them?"
"Why?" Motohama asks.
"Yeah, what are you getting at?" Matsuda asks.
"They're new to the group, but they'll be helping out with my operations, so be nice" Issei says sternly. "Do me one more favor, keep an eye on Akia for me."
"Why?" Motohama asks.
"Because I asked" Issei spoke back, heading to the rooftop exit. As he slams the door shut he proceeds to walk down the stairs. "I wonder what Rias packed for lunch today. I'm gonna have to be pretty convincing that I forgot my lunch today"
After some time has passed, lunch hour dawns upon Issei.
"Want some?" Rias asks. Issei checks to see he's forgotten his lunch. "Shit, I did forget" he said as he found Rias stuffing a meatball in his mouth. "Issei, just listen, I'm concerned for you. I think you're trying to do too much."
"Rias, I'm not doing this right now." Issei says back bitterly. "Yes, you are. You are everything to me Issei! I don't care if I have to argue with you for the rest of your life I will not let stress rot you away!"
He nods as the two have a moment of silence to themselves. A gust of wind blows by and gives the two a moment to take in the moment. The present stood still as Rias was reminded of a grim future with Riser.
"If I don't suffer, you will" Issei said back calmly. To those words, Rias felt herself weeping as Issei pulled her in for a hug. For the first time in a very long time, Rias Gremory, despite living a life of despair and devil worshiping, felt blessed. Her lips were caressed by Issei's fingers as he felt her heartbeat. "I can take it" Issei said calmly as he pulled her close. "With you by my side, I can do anything I want. Nothing can stop me." The two could hear each others breathing as the sun beat down on them. Issei whispered the first of many I love you's as the two skipped class for the rest of the day. Hands warming each other as they skipped down the hallway. The sky was growing dark as they made their way to the rooftop.
"Issei, what if I'm not here for the whole ride? What will you do without me?" Issei looks into Rias's eyes with despair. She looks back into his with a soft gaze as she was held by Issei. He stood over her, his new taller figure catching her by surprise as the boy she used to crush on was now a man she nested in.
"I'm not entertaining this. You want to spoil an evening, spoil someone else's." Issei then pulls Rias in as he gently kisses her on the lips. She places her hand on his face as her second arm wraps around his chest. "Don't keep chasing Riser my love" Rias spoke softly into Issei's ear. "I won't make you watch, but he's been numbered" Issei spoke back. "No Issei, I love you. I want you safe in my arms." Rias began to weep. "Rias, you're not my eyes in the sky anymore. I'm taking charge now. Things have changed, the years have grown, I have grown" Issei explained. "I know my love, but I-" Issei cuts Rias off as the two sit up against the wall of the roof where the fence stood. Issei caresses Rias's face as he leans close to her.
"If he gets too strong and takes you, I will not honor a single pact or covenant made that isn't us. I hate them all. I hate their clan, their culture, their entire existence. They tried to rob us once. I won't…." Issei's voice begins to shake and quiver as he wipes a tear from his eye.
"Rias?" Issei asks as he pulls away from her. "When this is all over. When we get to live as people with lives and dreams. What do you want to do?" Rias takes a moment to pause as the wind gently blows through their hair. "Well, I'd like to find a place to live. I'd then like to settle down with you and see where our friends live. We can hang out on days we don't work and….." Rias pauses. "I want to own a small business. Perhaps a jewelry store, or sow dresses. I want to help women with their day to day lives. I want to work my own hours and be part of a community."
Issei pauses as he looks off towards the sun as it begins to dip behind the horizon. He then turns his head to Rias and smiles as he moves the hair out of her face. "I'd like to work as a politician. No more violence. I want to lay down my weapon and pick up a pen, write up social reform to help out society. I'd want to work and make enough for us to not have to work 9-5's." Issei then looks at Rias and smiles. "I'd want to start a family with you."
Rias gasps as she finds her eyes watering. She pulls Issei closer as she finds herself trembling.
"What do you say Rias? When this is all over, can we start a family?"
To be Continued.....