"Anything interesting?" Akeno asked, coming up behind her best friend. Rias was watching the news, looking unusually serious.
"There"s always something interesting nowadays. More and more reports of people flying and jumping between rooftops. I don"t know if they"re Devils or Angels or Fallen Angels or something completely different," Rias said.
"Hmm. "… an incident in Metropolis in which a burning building was put out before the fire department could arrive." I guess it"s not a bad thing if you think about it," Akeno mused.
"Not objectively, no. But it makes you wonder, doesn"t it? Whoever these people are are certainly braver than us, though," Rias said wistfully as the footage shifted to a grainy red and blue blur.
"I don"t know about that. We actually visit people"s homes," Akeno giggled.
"Sure. But think about how much we could do," Rias mused.
"That"s quite a non-Devilish thing to say," Akeno said in a sing-song voice.
"Speaking of visiting people"s homes, though, how"d your contract go?" Rias asked.
"The guy wanted to have s.e.x," Akeno sighed.
"Ugh. I hope you didn"t hurt him," Rias blanched.
"Just wiped his memory and scared him a little," Akeno said.
"Good. I wouldn"t object to you scaring someone like that a lot, though," Rias said with a smile.
"Next time someone requests that, I will. Might forget to wipe their memory as well," Akeno giggled.
"That"d actually be cruel. You might be a sadom.a.s.o.c.h.i.s.t, but you"re not a bully," Rias reminded her.
"Yeah, yeah. At least most people are nice about the contracts. I"m kind of surprised those kind of requests are so few between, actually," she said thoughtfully.
"Thankfully I haven"t had to do one in a while. Perks of being a King," Rias said in a faux-smug tone.
"You"ve gotten your fair share," Akeno said with a smirk.
"Comes with the territory. Not that difficult to think Devils sleep with whoever, whenever. Not surprising that a lot of people use contracts to get laid," Rias sighed.
"This coming from the girl who slept with Issei the same night she turned him into a Devil," Akeno giggled.
"He needed healing. Raynare"s attack did a lot of damage, after all. Besides, it was just in the same bed. He"s a pervert, but still mostly a gentleman about the whole thing," Rias said, giggling along.
"The most prudish pervert I"ve met. Wouldn"t have him any other way, though," Akeno said.
"Likewise. Although, I wouldn"t mind if he didn"t need to feel someone up for power," Rias sighed. "I"m sure Asia doesn"t mind, though. They"re so cute together."
"I thought you liked him?" Akeno wondered.
"I love him, but not like that. He"s sweet and kind, but… I dunno. There"s no click for me and him, you know? Not like when he"s with Asia. They"re made for each other," Rias sighed.
"I know what you"re saying. Anyway, is everyone ready? We"re heading to the mountains, right?" Akeno asked after a fit of giggles; the perverted brunette and surprisingly adventurous blonde were adorable together.
"Yup, to the ranch house. You all deserve a break, especially after everything that"s happened," Rias said kindly.
"Speaking of Issei, he"s coming up pretty well. Same with Gasper, which was surprising," Akeno noted.
"Very well, I think. I"m not sure he"s ready to take on Vali, but he"s certainly getting stronger. I"ll need to think up a new training regiment for him. It"s a bit more difficult for Gasper, though. He"s still having a hard time connecting with us," Rias said with a deep sigh.
"Maybe Issei can try looking for some of them," Akeno nodded towards the TV.
"Reports indicate that three green arrows were lodged in the abdomen, left leg, and right arm of James Holder. Mr. Holder is expected to go trial after his recovery to answer charges of knowingly installing defective smoke detectors in low-income neighborhoods, leading to multiple deaths. His arrest is being ascribed to the actions of Star City"s vigilante, known as the Green Arrow," the news reporter stated.
"What a f.u.c.king sc.u.mbag," Rias said with a slight snarl.
"Holder?" Akeno asked.
"Yup. He got what he deserved. Although… in this case, it seems like a human is doing this. I don"t think a Devil would use a bow and arrow of all things," Rias said.
"No doubt there. Can"t be cheap, though," Akeno said.
"No way. Can"t be easy, either. We still have trouble with our aim, despite our senses," Rias said.
"Rias! Akeno! You guys ready?!" Issei asked excitedly as he entered the room.
"Yes, Issei. Is everyone else?" Rias asked.
"They"re coming. Oh, I heard about this story!" Issei said excitedly as he sat down in front of the TV, watching with wide eyes.
"Every guy must be dreaming of being like the Green Arrow," Akeno said.
"You"ve no idea. Even Kiba"s impressed. Wish we had someone like that in j.a.pan!" Issei said.
"We"re Devils and we"re in j.a.pan," Rias reminded him.
"Yeah, but this is mysterious! It"s way more f.u.c.king exciting! This guy is shooting people with f.u.c.king arrows, Rias! You know bada.s.s that is?! I mean holy f.u.c.king b.a.l.l.s!" Issei exclaimed.
"Boys will be boys," Akeno sighed while Rias giggled.
"We don"t know he"s a guy. Could be a girl," Rias said.
"Maybe. Oh man, I wonder what she"s wearing. Probably something that lets her move easily. Which means less clothing. Which means… which means… skin," Issei said, his drool seeping into the carpet.
"The perv is at it again," Koneko grumbled as she entered, although she was just as interested in the story.
"Try not to drool so much," Kiba sighed, coming in alongside Asia. Nonetheless, he looked at his friend with a fond smile; this was part of what made Issei, Issei.
"I wonder how many more of them there are?" Asia asked. The news program changed once again.
"The vigilante known as the Batman was sighted again in Gotham, although reports might be misleading. There have been several sightings of the vigilante at the same time in different places, leading authorities to believe that there are, in fact, multiple Batmen," the reported said.
"Couldn"t you find out who these people are, Lady Rias?" Xenovia wondered as she stood beside Asia.
"From what my parents mentioned, a lot of Devils have tried. But in this case, it appears to be a case of they don"t want to be found, so they won"t be. They cover their tracks well, and any leads usually end up hitting a wall. I"ve heard rumors of a Devil"s presence in Gotham as well, but no one"s been able to trace it. Since it"s supposedly not a stray, they"re even more cautious. There are some Devil"s that live on Earth full-time, never going back to the Underworld. We try to be cautious of them," Rias said.
"Why?" Issei wondered.
"The Underworld"s population is a lot small, so everyone knows everyone else to some degree. It"s not the same as it is here on Earth. You can easily lose trails here; it"s why Stray Devils are sometimes so hard to find. Usually, a Devil comes up here for a long time if they don"t want to be found. Most don"t have territories up here," she said.
"Do you want someone like the vigilante"s in the peerage? You"ve still got a p.a.w.n piece left," Issei wondered.
"I"m not sure they"d want to join. They all seem to prefer doing their own thing. That said, I wouldn"t say no. It"d depend on who it was, I guess," Rias said.
"I wonder if they know each other?" Kiba asked.
"It"s possible, but I"m doubtful," Akeno mused as the news report changed once again.
"The College of Cardinals is expected to go into session again later today to elect the newest Pope. Pope Benedict XVI retired under less than auspicious circ.u.mstances. The Roman Catholic Church is still divided, with new reports showing that the role of faith is declining in the United States. Child abuse scandals continue too…," the reported continued going while Issei scoffed.
"They should just call it what it is. Child ****," Issei said. Few things angered him, but reports such as these angered most everyone.
"No kidding. I hope the next Pope does something about it," Rias sighed angrily. She looked over to Koneko and Asia, two of the youngest members of her peerage alongside Gasper. Had anybody tried to do such a thing to the, her anger would level everything in the vicinity.
"That almost sounds like faith," Akeno teased.
"Hardly. Those kids deserve better, though. They don"t deserve that," Rias said seriously. The others nodded in agreement.
"What do you think, Xenovia, Asia?" Akeno asked.
"I am in agreement with Lady Rias. It hurts to know that the last Pope brushed those cases aside and housed the Priests responsible for the sins. I certainly hope the next Pope won"t be afraid to be a bit harsher. Unfortunately, it"s as much politics as it is faith," Xenovia said.
"I agree!" Asia squeaked.
"Can"t the Angels do something about it?" Issei asked, frowning.
"They are as sworn to noninterference as much as possible, much like Devil"s," Xenovia said.
"That"s bulls.h.i.t," Issei deadpanned. Xenovia shot him a look but sighed heavily instead of responding.
"Anyways, enough about that. We have our own problems to worry about. Let"s head out guys. We"ve got a long walk. Come on, Gasper!" Rias said. The tiny vampire came stumbling out, a fearful expression etched into his face like usual.
"WALK!? WE"RE WALKING!? WHY CAN"T WE JUST TELEPORT?!" Issei asked, horrified.
"Because it"s much more fun," Rias said with a sweet smile. Issei grumbled as he headed out, Asia at his side. With one more look at the TV, Rias sighed and followed.
-o-
Nestled in the hills of Kuoh Town was a small ranch that was owned, much like the rest of the town, by the Gremory Family - a renowned and respected family of devils. Rias Gremory, the youngest member of the family, was next in line to lead the house. She decided to take the servants of her peerage out to the ranch for a nice, well-earned getaway. Recent events - the battle with the Fallen Angel Kokabiel, revelations about the precarious religious and political standings between the three factions, adding several new powerful members one right after the other - left many of them winded and wanting a break. After all, even devils needed to relax once in a while.
The young group of Devils were in the process of snaking their way up a golden-yellow dirt road towards the house which was situated amongst a beautiful lush green ranch, topping a small hill. As pleasant and quaint as Kuoh Town was, it was always nice to get away from it all - the lights, the people, the overzealous commercialism - and escape to a much more peaceful, slightly more primal place and connect with the nature around them. Out in the hills, one could breathe comfortably and easily, taking in sights around them with a smile. Everyone scanned their surroundings, trying to digest it all - the golden dirt road, shimmering in the aura of the sun, brightly lighting the many minerals embedded in it; the sun, which sat high atop its perch, casting its warm light over the countryside below. As much as devils didn"t like the light, Rias couldn"t help but pause and let it cast a gentle warmth over her. The wind whistled quietly around them as it gently rustled the leaves and branches on the many trees that filled the area - a veritable forest. If one listened quietly and intently, they could hear all the sounds of nature around them - bees buzzing softly here and there; birds chirping their beautiful song and taking flight; sometimes, even a soft cry from an animal in the woods. Rias soon caught the waft of the fresh pine trees. The smell was reinvigorating, giving the group an extra pep in their step.
"It"s so beautiful out here," Asia said in a chipper tone as her head turned here and there.
"Extremely beautiful. I didn"t know there was such a nice place to retreat to in this town," Xenovia said.
"I haven"t been out here for a long time. My family owns a ranch in the hills. It doesn"t get much use, but it"s pretty nice to get away from it all. You all deserve it," Rias said.
"So long as there"s internet, we"ll be fine," Issei said.
"Internet?" Rias asked.
"Of course! I… uhh… have school work to do!" he said.
"Sorry, Issei, but there"s no internet. No cable, as well - so you can"t watch TV. Didn"t you bring a book or something?" Rias asked.
"HOLD ON JUST A MINUTE! DID YOU SAY THERE"S NO INTERNET?!" Issei roared in horror.
"I did," Rias said calmly.
"HOW DO YOU NOT HAVE INTERNET THERE?! WHAT KIND OF h.e.l.l ARE WE GOING TO?!" Issei demanded.
"It"s to relax. If you"re on Reddit or YouTube the whole time, I"m not sure you"ll get a lot of relaxing in," Rias said.
"Besides, Issei, we don"t have any homework, remember?" Asia interjected.
"He"s upset because he can"t watch p.o.r.n now," Koneko said, pointing out the obvious.
"THAT"S NOT TRUE!" Issei exclaimed, turning red.
"Perv," she sighed, eliciting a whine from him.
"c.r.a.p… gotta fill the spank bank somehow," Issei muttered to himself as Asia patted him comfortingly.
"See? Adorable," Rias giggled.
"Yeah, yeah. I don"t mind, though. It"ll be nice just to rest. No internet, no TV, no distractions. Just a comfy bed and beautiful sights," Akeno sighed.
"No kidding. It"s been a rough few weeks," Rias said.
"Ought to take your own advice to relax," Akeno said
-o-
"Are we almost there yet?" Issei whined as he began to get sluggish in his walking, despite barely carrying more than a couple of days worth of clothes. For all his willpower and strength, he was surprisingly unfit, as noted by his labored breathing as they ascended the lush hill. Even the beauty of the nature around him couldn"t get him out of his funk; unless they were in peril, Issei would be sloth-like in his movement.
"Look ahead, perv," Koneko replied in her usual deadpan manner as she pointed forward. Issei did so and broke into a huge grin as he saw the house in the far distance; he began to thank G.o.d - causing him a huge headache, as it did for all Devils who did so.
"This is going to be home for the next couple of days. I am so proud of how well you guys have been doing and how wonderful you"ve been coming along. While we will be doing some training, use this time to relax and take a load off. You deserve it," Rias said, smiling at her friends. Each and every one of them had worked hard and trained hard for whatever she had thrown at them - they deserved this reprieve more than most. Everyone returned her smile and began to walk a bit faster so they could be at ease quicker.
The house was situated on several acres of land that were expressly owned by the Gremory Family. A large Italian farmhouse, the yellowish exterior gave off a warm glow that welcomed all into its waiting arms. There were enough rooms that everyone had their own, as well as enough to accommodate any visitors that might be coming. A bit off to the side were old oak trees that offered a wonderful shade during the day. They stood strong, their roots going far underground - to the point where even a Devil as strong as Koneko would have to labor significantly to uproot it. As most of the group went inside, Akeno joined Rias who was leaning against one of the trees, her expression suddenly sullen.
"Do you feel it as well?" Akeno asked with a despondent sigh.
"Yeah. I just hope that whatever or whoever it is wouldn"t be so stupid that they"d try to disturb us here. I really don"t want any disturbances for a few days. Even Devils need some rest," Rias sighed.
"Maybe fighting them would liven up the mood a bit. Never know, it could be one of those vigilantes," Akeno said, sucking on a finger and moaning in pleasure. Rias smirked at her friend"s gesture before shaking her head.
"As much as I wish it were, I don"t want to deal with them either. They all seem to be in and around America, so I don"t think we have to worry about them here. Doubt they can fly or anything," she said with a slight scoff.
"Where"s your sense of adventure?" Akeno asked.
"I left it at the clubhouse so I can relax," Rias quipped.
"Have you had any word on Raynare?" Akeno asked in a whisper.
"Not yet, no. I can"t believe she got away from us, though," Rias said, rubbing her temples.
"We"ll get her soon. After what she did to Issei, she deserves it," Akeno said in a scathing tone.
"Is it my fault?" Rias suddenly asked.
"What do you mean?" Akeno asked.
"What happened to Issei. I knew she was a Fallen Angel. I could"ve done something for him beforehand," she said with a deep sigh.
"If you"re at fault, so am I. So is Koneko. We all knew, remember? It"s not as simple as you"re making it out to be, though," Akeno said.
"Isn"t it, though?" Rias inquired.
"No, it isn"t," Akeno said, her voice firm. "We didn"t know she would move on him that quickly. Not to mention there was no other way to protect him - you know that. The only reason he didn"t get so many Fallen Angels going after him is because you gave him your protection."
"I know," Rias sighed. "Still, it makes me uneasy."
"I guess that means you"re more human than you might like to admit," Akeno joked.
"Maybe. Devils aren"t without compa.s.sion, but… mmm. I think I"ll need to talk to him about it some day, though," she said.
"He might not be as forgiving," Akeno said.
"I know. But he deserves to know, at least. It"s like how it was with you or Gasper or Koneko," Rias said. Akeno pulled Rias in for a hug which she happily returned; it was nice to have her Queen to lean on in times like these.
"If you do decide to tell him, you should at least wait until we settle things with Raynare and her friends. He should know that they"re gone first," Akeno said.
"Mmm. Yeah. I guess," Rias said before they walked in as well.
-o-
In the cold dark of s.p.a.ce, a bright green and yellow speck of light was hurtling towards the Earth at a breakneck speed.
-o-
Rias and Akeno, while the last to enter, were the first to exit - prudent and punctual as always. As Akeno got a fire roaring, Rias turned to look up at the sky and breathed a deep sigh of relaxation. She couldn"t remember the last time that she had simply taken a moment to look up at the night sky, its vast beauty out of reach even for the strongest Devil.
"Stargazing? So unlike you, Rias," Akeno noted.
"Really? You know I love to look up when I get a chance. Can"t help but wonder what"s up there," Rias said as she smiled at the sky.
"It really is beautiful out here. And up there," Akeno said with a sigh as she joined Rias and looked straight up. Constellations painted the black night in a shimmering glisten - larger than life figures casting their proverbial shadow over the world; even then, they were tiny compared to the universe at large.
"There"s Scorpius," Rias said as gently laid down on the gra.s.s, tracing a finger through the stars and outlining the constellation of The Scorpion. It lay between Libra, the scales; and Sagittarius, the centaur - and contained one of the brightest stars in the sky, Antares.
"And there"s Hercules, the hottie," Akeno giggled as she followed Rias to the ground and traced out the heroic figure from Greek mythology. One of the largest constellations, it was admittedly difficult to see sometimes, having no significant stars in its form. However, once it was visible, it would not easily be forgotten - the myth and the legend had persevered for millennia and undoubtedly would for much longer than the lifespan of any Devil.
"Yeah, I"m pretty sure he"s not called the hottie, but sure," Rias said, laughing along. As she continued to look up, she thought she saw a faint green light off in the distance, but it was gone half a moment later. She put it out of her mind and began enjoying the stars again; tonight wasn"t the night to worry about anything.
"What if some of those vigilantes are aliens?" Akeno mused.
"Ha. Yeah, right. Why would they come to Earth of all places?" Rias laughed.
"You never know. Earth is pretty nice," Akeno said.
"I won"t deny that, but it"s also a bit out of place. I"m sure they"d head towards the galactic center, if anywhere," Rias said.
"I"m impressed that you were able to say that like you knew what you were talking about," Akeno deadpanned.
"I do know what I"m talking about," Rias said with a giggle.
"Uh-huh. Barely," Akeno laughed.
The rest of the peerage finally came out, dressed in their pajamas. They gathered around the fire, letting it warm them to their core. Small embers drifted up and were wafted along gently by the smoke and light wind. The reflection of the flame flickered in their eyes as everyone took a moment to enjoy being there, surrounded by the elements.
"SMORES!" Issei shouted in excitement as he grabbed some graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate bars, licking his lips in antic.i.p.ation. No excursion into a remote mountain range was complete without smores, as Issei and everyone d.a.m.n well knew; to consider otherwise would be blasphemy. The others smiled, in agreement with his excitement and took some ingredients for themselves as well.
"So Lady Rias, what"s next when we get back?" Xenovia asked as she bit down hungrily on her treat, whimpering slightly in pain as the hot marshmallow burned her mouth. The newest devil to join Rias"s peerage, she was curious how things were done as a Devil, and was looking forward to what lay ahead of her. Still, she did have some habits that she needed to break before she got settled in completely with her new role; chief amongst them was her constant praying, which led to severe headaches. She shared this with Asia, yet both of them could not turn their back on their prayers; no, they would endure no matter the pain it brought for it was something core to them.
"It"ll be a busy time for us, Xenovia. To begin with, we still have plenty of training to do. You, Issei, and Asia are our newest members and you"ve all been doing well so far. That said, there"s still room for improvement. You guys will be coming with me to the Underworld as well for your Spring Break. We"ll have some Rating Games ahead of us, so I want to make sure that we"re ready for them. A lot of Devils will be watching your growth. As important as these are for Kings with their own peerages, they"re just as important for members of the peerages. If you do well, you"ll be considered for future promotions to Mid-, High-, and Ultimate-Cla.s.s Devils.
"Woah, woah, woah! Back up for a moment! Did you say we"re going to the Underworld with you for Spring Break? You mean h.e.l.l?!" Issei asked excitedly. This would be his first excursion there; and despite some lingering apprehension, he was looking forward to it.
"Yes. Don"t worry, though - it"s nothing like the stories. It"s quite luxurious, actually," Rias said with a gentle smile, a.s.suaging any fears they might have.
"I"m kind of surprised you guys haven"t tried to correct the stories," Issei said.
"What do you mean?" Akeno wondered.
"I mean… look, I haven"t been a Devil for long. But it"s nothing like I would"ve thought it would be like. You guys are pretty cool. I thought you would"ve been more… uhh…," he said, wracking his brains for the words.
"Devilish?" Rias asked.
"I guess that"s the word, huh? Devilish. You know, f.u.c.king killing stuff or smiting or whatever," Issei said.
"The Church got to humanity before us, I guess," Rias shrugged.
"Haven"t you thought how it"d be different, though? If you guys had more of a presence or something?" Issei asked.
"Not really. While the Three Factions have some control on Earth, none want to try and control humanity. First of all, there"s just too many humans. Second, the Church depends on prayer while Devils depend on contracts. It"s better for us to keep it secret and keep humans working with us. If that stopped, they would lose their prayers and no human would want to work with us. No, the status quo is the only way for now," Rias sighed.
"If you say so. h.e.l.l, you know more about this than I. I just wanna get my own peerage started. Mmm…," Issei said, blushing giddily as his mind drifted. Rias and Akeno giggled as Asia gave him a tight pinch to bring him back to reality.
-o-
A few more hours pa.s.sed without any interruption before Akeno finally turned to Rias with a knowing smile. Rias gave her a grim expression and nodded, getting up with a despondent sigh. The others followed suit - they sensed it as well. Eyes narrowed as everyone shifted ever so slightly - blink and you would"ve missed it - into a battle stance, hoping against hope that it wouldn"t come to that. Were a few days to much to ask for?
"What is it?" Gasper asked, nervous as he started to look around. The most fretful of the bunch, he preferred to avoid combat, regardless of necessity. He stood next to Issei for support, knowing that he would protect him.
"Nothing to worry about, Gaspie," Koneko a.s.sured him. Gasper nodded but inched a bit closer to Issei. Koneko and Issei sandwiched the vampire between them, determined to protect him.
"It doesn"t feel like a Stray to me," Kiba noted to Rias, who nodded in agreement. Kiba had a sword out, held comfortably in his hands for whatever might come. While usually facing combat with a smile, the last few weeks had him on edge.
"I agree, Kiba. No, I"m afraid I know what it is now," Rias said with a heavy sigh. A few days was all she asked for, and apparently, not even that wish could be granted anytime soon. She simply hoped it could be resolved through diplomacy. Devolving into a fight was the absolute last thing anyone wanted while vacationing.
"Fallen Angels. Ugh," Akeno said, shifting into her battle form, along with Issei and Xenovia.
Akeno was as beautiful in her battle form as she was otherwise. She wore a miko outfit that seemed to flower and whip around her, although lacking the presence of a wind significant enough to make it do so. She wore a kimono that had a white top, with the sleeves cut along the top of the shoulder and embroidered with a red ribbon that was interlaced through. Just below the b.r.e.a.s.t.s, the kimono was blood red and went down her frame, cutting just above the ground so it wouldn"t get needlessly dirty. Where the white and red meshed, she also wore a red ribbon, tied neatly into a bow just below her left breast.
Xenovia wore a skin tight, short sleeved, black unitard that hugged and accentuated her curves. She had matching skin-tight sleeves that began a few inches separated from the rest of the unitard. They stretched to her hands, ending in fingerless gloves. She wore a pair of thigh-high boots that ended in two black straps at the top of her thighs. In her hands was the mighty sword, Durandal - the sword once wielded by famed knight Roland, given to him by Emperor was a uniquely shaped broadsword, with a striking blue blade and a golden edge that went around it. As it approached the hilt, it had a large protrusion to the side, giving it a menacing look. The hilt itself was a beautiful gold with a semicircular guard on the side of the grip that ended just above the pommel.
Issei"s left arm transformed to adorn his Sacred Gear, Boosted Gear. A red gauntlet appeared, stretching from his elbow all the way to the edge of his fingertips. The weapon was menacing to look at; with platelets resting atop each other every few inches and spikes protruding from the sides; it ended in the paw of a dragon, with sharp talons replacing his fingers and a glowing, green orb set in on the exterior of his hand.
The wait for their enemies to appear didn"t take long, for as soon as the shift happened a voice rang out from the trees.
"Ah. Forgive me. I wasn"t aware that we were intruding upon a troupe of Devils," the icy voice said.
Through a thicket of trees, two figures emerged. One was a man with shoulder length white hair, icy blue eyes, and a thin smile. He wore a black top hat with a yellow embroidering, along with a long black overcoat over a b.u.t.toned up white dress shirt, black slacks, and black shoes. On his back, he carried a large and menacing crossbow, its handle easily visible as it protruded far above his shoulder. His cold gaze pa.s.sed over each of the Devils a.s.sembled, although it did nothing to effect them - they were doubtful that they would start anything here.
"We mean you no harm," his partner said in a sweet tone. She was a beautiful woman with blonde hair that went wildly down to her waist, complimented kindly by her tight red dress and black high heels. Her hazel eyes could be seen through her clear circular gla.s.ses as she observed the Devils with a keen interest. Although she carried no visible weapon, there was no doubt that she was still extremely capable - in fact, no one from either faction was someone to take lightly. She rested her gaze upon Issei, bemused by the fact that he was drooling while undressing her with his eyes.
"Issei - now is not the time," Rias scolded, bringing Issei back to reality. She sighed at his perverted att.i.tude, which often reared its head at the most inopportune of moments.
"Sorry," Issei said sheepishly as the woman giggled, obviously not expecting to deal with a lecher.
"Your ignorance can be forgiven, I suppose. Why are you here?" Rias asked with her arms crossed over her chest, giving her full attention to the intruders. Her eyes flitted between the two, looking for any hint of combativeness.
"Ah, we were just enjoying the sights when we sensed your presence. We thought it belonged to some our comrades, which is why we approached. We didn"t wish to impose too much on the ill.u.s.trious Crimson Ruin Princess. Your reputation precedes you, my lady," the man aid with a low and mocking bow.
"That is quite understandable. Leave now and never return and you may be forgiven. As I"m sure you may have heard, we"ve had trouble with Fallen Angels recently," Rias told them.
"Oh, of course. The fiasco with Kokabiel and… what was her name again? Raynare?" he asked with a sneer, looking at Issei. He chuckled as the brunette began to sweat a bit, the femme fatale flashing through his mind.
"You know where she is?" Issei asked with gritted teeth.
"I"m afraid not, good dragon. Somewhere in the wind, perhaps? Or on the search for someone who can match her," the man said.
"You will address me, not my servants," Rias ordered him.
"I guess the rumors are true; she is a b.i.t.c.h. No sense of decorum at all," the woman told her friend.
"I"m afraid you"re quite right. But we ought not to insult our gracious hosts, my dear. After all, we wouldn"t want to be on her bad side," he said.
"Hmph. As you say," she shrugged.
"Leave now. That"s my final warning," Rias said.
"If-," the man began before he suddenly stopped.
The Fallen Angels lips parted in sheer terror as his eyes widened. The icy stare turned to one of a man looking into the abyss as his eyes turned to the sky. Surprised by his change in demeanor, his partner followed his gaze - and her composure broke just as easily. Rias and Akeno looked at each other before they chanced a look as well. They soon had their answer.
What had begun as a stark dark night, punctured only by stars soon became something else entirely. Not a single star was visible in their light of sight or periphery. The piercing pins of white against the black canvas were overwhelmed by a striking and eerie green light that had encompa.s.sed the sky. Descending towards them was something otherworldly.
"Is… is that an aurora? That"s impossible," Akeno said, pale white as the focal point of the light continued to burn a bright green. The hues shifted ever so slightly as they reached further and further apart, but the middle of it all was green-bordering-white.
"It"s not an aurora. There"s no chance in h.e.l.l we"d get one here. My goodness," Rias replied, her voice just above a whisper. As she spoke, the light continued to burn an everlasting green and showed no signs of stopping. Her eyes narrowed as though she had seen something. Her lips parted slightly as there was no doubt in her mind - there was a solid object in the center of it all.
"There"s something in the center of the light!" Xenovia suddenly cried out.
"What in G.o.ds name is this?!" the woman shrieked at her partner, soon covering her eyes. The bright light lit up the mountain and hills as though it were daytime. The aura grew more and more spectral as it got closer. Around Kuoh, countless heads were turned up at the eerie sight, frightening to all that were witnessing it. All seemed small in its face, and all were captivated.
"Run. Run now!" the male Fallen Angel finally yelled as he turned tail with his partner and began to run away. This was far above their pay grade.
"Rias? What do we do?" Akeno asked with a shudder. Her every instinct told her that running away was the best option, but something kept her feet to the ground. It was as though someone had tied invisible weights around them all; they were still as statues as their heads were turned up and fixated on the still descending object. If they didn"t know any better, they would have sworn that the world shifted into slow motion, drawing out the descent.
"I don"t know, Akeno. It appears to be a meteor or something. If that"s the case, we"ll be fine. But… I"ve never heard of a meteorological phenomenon like this," Rias said, her lips parting a bit more. They all stood still for a while longer until finally, they could tell it would only be a little while until it crashed. They covered their eyes against the light, but oddly enough it didn"t appear to affect them negatively.
"The light… it doesn"t hurt," Akeno said as she slowly put her arm down, looking at her hands.
"That"s impossible. We"re supposed to be weak against it, no?" Xenovia said as she uncovered her eyes as well. She couldn"t deny that the light, however haunting, was still beautiful in its own way; and it kept them captivated. It was well that the Fallen Angels ran off in fear, otherwise, they would"ve been sitting ducks.
"IT"S GOING OT HIT THE HOUSE!" Issei suddenly yelled, tracing its trajectory. He aimed his Boosted Gear at it, ready to blow it to kingdom come. Asia quickly stopped him, however.
"Wait, Issei! We don"t know what it is! I don"t think we should attack it just yet!" she said worriedly, before looking to Rias and Akeno for their orders. With a glance at each other, the two nodded.
"Asia is right. Everyone, get back!" Rias ordered them. She and Akeno put up a barrier to shield them from the blast that was nigh. She steeled her resolve, determined to find out what was happening. Although none would voice it, all felt a rush of excitement.
"Yo Ddraig - thoughts?" Issei asked his partner.
"None from me, I"m afraid. I"ve not seen or heard of anything like this. I don"t sense an Angelic, Devilish, G.o.dlike, or Draconic power from it, however. Nor does it appear to be a Sacred Gear or Longinus. Whatever it is is alien to me. Stay weary, Issei. It might not be friendly. I am ready in case the situation deteriorates," Ddraig said.
"Got it. Keep your senses peeled, though," Issei said.
Finally, the objects struck the house with a deafening boom. The house had no chance; it shattered on impact, sending wood, concrete, bricks, and their personal items to h.e.l.l. There was virtually no trace of anything that might have resembled living quarters. Some debris was crushed to meal, while other pieces simply burned away into nothing. The barrier that Rias and Akeno erected saved the troupe from any damage, although everyone still covered themselves on reflex.
Minutes pa.s.sed and the dust began to settle at last. Everyone slowly opened their eyes and looked at the point of impact. The chilling green aura was still burning, although it was more muted than when it was in the sky. As they squinted, looking for what caused the commotion, Rias gasped in surprise.
"Rias? What"s wrong?" Akeno asked.
"I might be seeing things, but I think that"s a person!" Rias exclaimed as she pointed at the center of the impact. The others looked intensely at where Rias was pointing. The light began to fade away, soon evaporating completely and slowly, they all had the same reaction as they saw something stir within. Their shock grew even further when slowly but surely, they saw something begin to emerge, getting on what looked like two feet before it stumbled forward.
-o-
Through the settled dust and debris, a man came through. He tried to get his bearings after the crash. Squinting, he saw several figures in front of him and walked towards them, hoping they were kindred. He got halfway there - beyond the threshold of where the entrance should"ve been. Quickly, however, he fell to his knees - whether because he was hurt or tired - and paused. Uncaring about his pride, he continued toward them on all fours. Turning his head up, he finally made out two figures. They were two of the most beautiful women he could"ve imagined - one with long, flowing dark hair and violet eyes; and one with wild, crimson hair and blue-green eyes. The two looked at him with shock and worry. Finally, however, he collapsed.