"I"ll see you soon, then," Elros said as he kissed Sona on the cheek as they roused several hours later, both having a comfortable nap. She nodded happily, heart soaring on high as she thought about what Elros had planned for her. Suddenly, however, an important reminder struck her.
"Hey! Before you leave, can you go two doors down the hall, on your left? Tsubaki"s been wanting to talk to you," Sona said.
"Sure. Thanks for the heads up," Elros said as he jogged down the hall as per Sona"s instructions. He knocked on the door and not a moment later, Tsubaki answered - wearing just a towel.
"Elros!" she shrieked.
"Tsubaki. Sorry to disturb you at such a precarious moment," Elros said, his voice not very apologetic as he turned to spare her the indignity.
"No, no… come… in. Please," Tsubaki said, quickly throwing on a white robe as she led him inside.
"You smell nice," Elros complimented her. She blushed but smiled as she hugged him.
"Thanks. You just finished with Sona, I"m guessing?" she asked, sighing deeply as Elros returned her hug.
"Yup. She said you wanted to see me," he told her.
"Yes. I… understand that you and Sona will be going out after we get back to Earth," Tsubaki said.
"Yup. I"ve been meaning to ask you something as well, now that I think about it," Elros said.
"Oh? What?" Tsubaki asked.
"Would you like to go out with me sometime?" Elros asked with a smile. Tsubaki turned a bright red as she quickly let go of him, excruciatingly observing him, making sure he wouldn"t break out in laughter or something.
"Seriously?" she asked, voice weak.
"Very serious," Elros said.
"Yes. YES," Tsubaki said, a bit loud on the second yes.
"Wonderful. Although, I"ve got to ask… are you comfortable with this? I mean… Rias, Akeno, Sona… you," Elros said.
"I am. I…know that I"m attracted to you. I can"t say how long it"ll last, but I haven"t come across anyone other than you that I wish to explore this with. So… I want to take it as far as I can," Tsubaki said, giving him her honest answer. Elros smiled and nodded.
"That works for me," he said, swooping down and giving her a kiss on the cheek. Tsubaki smiled at the tender touch, returning the favor before Elros opened up a magic circle and left. As he did so, she let the robe fall down. She looked in the mirror, observing her beautiful body - biting her lip as she saw the goose b.u.mps on her arms as he kissed her.
-o-
The night was still young as Elros appeared in the Gremory Household. Almost immediately, he was beset upon by Rias who felt his presence. She quickly ran over and kissed him, her mother looking on with a smile on her face.
"Honey, I"m home," Elros chuckled.
"Welcome home, sweetheart," Rias giggled, giving him another kiss before interlocking her hand with his. Venelana soon joined them in the foyer; Grayfia, Sirzechs and Lord Gremory coming in as well as they felt his presence.
"Have a fun day?" Rias asked.
"Pretty good. Serafall seems as bubbly as ever and Lord and Lady Sitri are pretty nice," Elros said.
"How are you feeling, sweetheart? I"m sure you must still be sore from that match," Venelana said worriedly.
"Thank you for the concern, Mrs. Gremory - but I"m feeling pretty good. Took a few knocks, but they"ve pretty much healed," Elros said with a grin, slapping himself on the chest.
"I"m sorry to put this on you right now, Elros, but we"ve been getting interview requests all day. We were hoping you might be up to answering a few questions tomorrow. I told them I"d take your place, but they asked me to, and I quote, "give us the boy wonder!"," Sirzechs said with a sigh.
"Tomorrow?" Elros asked, looking at Rias. She sighed and held on to him, listening to his calming heartbeat with a pleasant smile.
"It"s fine. We can go out earlier and then do the interview," she sighed.
"Are you sure?" Elros asked.
"Yeah. I have a feeling we"ll have plenty of more opportunities for fun soon enough," Rias said with a smirk, eliciting a grin from Elros.
"Excellent. I"ll let them know. We should also have our own little celebration. This is quite the achievement. You"ve made more history in a month than I daresay most Devils have in their lifetime!" Lord Gremory said.
"Please, Mr. Gremory, it"s not necessary. If anything, I think I"d prefer a small and intimate get-together as opposed to a party with… so many people again," Elros said, shuddering as he thought of all the hands he had to shake. He got along with people just fine - but there was something oddly disconcerting about being the center of attention like that.
"I, on the other hand, would love a party!" came a smooth voice as the doors flew open. Elros grinned wide as he identified the voice. Luke Star walked in, martini gla.s.s in his hand, beaming as always at the group of Devils.
"Ah! Elros!" he said, his hands spread out like they were the day before.
"Lucy!" Elros said happily, embracing the man again with the same fervor he did the night before. The Gremory"s looked on at the exchange with surprise yet again - that Elros knew a Devil before them, and that he was so intimate with him.
"The Gremory"s! h.e.l.lo, h.e.l.lo, h.e.l.lo, h.e.l.lo, and h.e.l.lo!" he said, shaking all of their hand quickly before putting his arm around Elros.
"Mr. Star! What"re you doing here?" Rias asked in surprise.
"Just came to see my dear friend, young Gremory. You feeling alright after that smarting you took?" Luke asked.
"Of course," Elros said, slapping his chest again. Luke suddenly poked him in the side, making Elros cry out in pain. He chuckled as he looked at Rias, who looked at him in worry.
"That"s not fair," Elros grumbled, nursing his side.
"That"s for calling me Lucy," Luke sighed.
"It"s a pleasure to have you here, Mr. Star," Lord Gremory said, coming to his senses at last. They all looked at Luke with a reverence that they didn"t show anyone else - including Sirzechs, undoubtedly the strongest of the Gremory"s.
"Thank you, my good man. I take it you all are well?" Luke asked politely.
"Yes. Just… surprised is all. That you and Elros are so well acquainted," Sirzechs said.
"Ah yes. Elros and I have known each other for a while now, in fact," Luke said cheerfully.
"I"ve been curious about that. How… did you two meet, exactly?" Sirzechs asked.
"I was around 12. Been a Lantern for a while at that point and was hanging out with another Lantern that lived in Los Angeles - Kyle. There were some… weird rumors a.s.sociated with the piano bar that Luke owned and I thought I"d look into them. Ended up sharing drinks with him instead. My first taste of whiskey," Elros said, grimacing as he remembered.
"You gave him whiskey when he was 12?!" Rias asked angrily.
"Live free!" Luke said happily, taking a sip of martini - which just ran out.
"Ah. My good man, you wouldn"t happen to have some alcohol I might be able to tap, would you?" Luke asked.
"Certainly. This way," Lord Gremory said, leading Elros and Luke along while the rest of the Gremory"s followed, interested in their conversation.
"So you"ll be facing Yama, from what I hear. I hope you"re ready, my friend. He"s not to be trifled with," Luke said.
"I can"t confirm or deny. Has he ever challenged you?" Elros asked.
"Once," Luke said with a smile.
"Ah. Got it," Elros nodded sagely. The others looked at each other, wondering what they missed.
"Elros?" Rias asked, coming to his other side. Elros put his arm around her, kissing her atop the head as they walked.
"What"s up?" Elros asked.
"What"s… your guy"s relationship?" Rias asked uncertainly.
"Lukes like the father I wish I always had," Elros said with a smile. Rias looked surprised, looking at the man in a new light.
"Really?" she asked.
"Yup," Elros said happily.
"Elros and I are two peas in a pod when it comes to our… fathers. I hate mine as much as he hates his," Luke said cheerfully. Elros sighed; Luke was certainly far happier to talk about his distaste for his father than Elros was bringing him up at all. Lord Gremory looked worriedly at Venelana, who looked worriedly at Elros. Sirzechs and Grayfia exchanged a sorrowful glance as well; Rias had told them the basics, but she never used the word "hate".
"And as such, I suppose Elros is like the son I never wanted but ended up raising anyways. Let him stay for a night, which became a week, which turned into a month, which spanned a year, which spanned several - at least when he was on Earth and not flying around hither and thither," Luke chuckled.
"You know Elros is a Green Lantern, then?" Rias confirmed.
"But of course! One of the greatest the Corps. have ever had, if what I know is to be believed," Luke said.
"So… you know that aliens exist?" Rias asked.
"Was it ever a question to begin with young lady? No one can honestly believe that we"re the only life this universe has," Luke said.
"I know… but it"s still difficult to accept," Rias said.
"I suppose it depends on how open you are to such. Elros and I are perhaps more accepting of such than most," Luke said.
"Does the thought of the Earth being attacked in the future raise any concerns with you?" Sirzechs asked. Rias and Venelana looked at him curiously, wondering why he would bring up such a topic. To their surprise, Luke laughed.
"Oh, I certainly pity them if they tried. As the young lady can attest to I"m sure, Elros is quite protective of things that he cares about. He and perhaps other Lanterns are likely more than enough to repel most threats. Certainly more well equipped than anyone in the Three Factions, I daresay. Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels, for all their strength, are limited in their view to their own survival. A Lantern cannot be as selfish - after all, they deal with life by the billions, trillions, quadrillions, and further - not by the thousands," Luke said. They all let that sink in as they looked Elros. Rias tightened her hold on him, a sad expression on her face - it was still something they hadn"t talked about. Elros kissed her atop the head again, an inkling of what she was thinking going through his head.
"But then if the population size is your problem, this man is your savior! Spread the seed, Elros! Spread the seed," Luke said with a raucous laugh, turning Rias a bright red.
"Not cool in front of my girlfriend, Lucy," Elros said. Luke suddenly stopped a shocked expression on his face.
"Girlfriend?!" he asked in surprise.
"You didn"t know?" Elros asked eyebrow raised.
"No! You"ve… defected!" Luke said, looking at Elros like he had two heads.
"Stop being so melodramatic," Elros groaned. Luke looked at Rias before looking back at Elros. Shaking his head, they put their arms around each other and continued walking.
"Girlfriend. Maze won"t like this one bit. She"s always thought you were the cutest thing," Luke sighed.
"We both know she won"t care. There"s only one guy good enough for her. However, I can only imagine how p.i.s.sed off she"ll be if you don"t tell her that you"ve seen me here," Elros chuckled.
"Ah yes. I shall get on that as soon as we"re done here, I think," Luke said.
"You don"t intend to stick around a while longer?" Sirzechs asked curiously.
"Afraid not. People to do, things to see, etc. etc.," Luke said offhandedly.
"Are you aware of the peace that the Three Factions are attempting to achieve?" Sirzechs asked.
"I am. I wish you all the luck on your endeavor. I"d say it"s long past overdue. One certainly hopes that that pesky Khaos Brigade doesn"t interfere again," Luke said.
"You know about the Khaos Brigade?" Sirzechs asked, eyes narrowing a bit.
"You"ll find that there are few things that happen that I am not aware of," Luke said.
"Perhaps you would consider joining us, then? With your backing, I think that the road to peace might be smoother. Both the Old and New Satan Factions have a great deal of respect for you, Mr. Star," Sirzechs said.
"They respect me because they fear me. But I"ve no interest in politics of any sort. No, I just wish to live my life as I see fit. I will, of course, get involved should I find that such squabbles inhibit me in any way," Luke said.
"Are you a Pure-Blooded Devil, Mr. Star?" Rias asked.
"Of sorts," Luke said with a light smile.
"And you don"t share the beliefs of other Pure-Blooded Devils? I mean… when it comes to marriage or lineage or power?" she asked.
"Certainly not. I like to see society go ahead, not begin inbreeding and dying off. I will praise the New Satan Faction on that - the system of Reincarnation has certainly been a boon to Devil numbers, although some families might not be as accepting. Isn"t that correct, Madame Gremory?" Luke asked. Although he didn"t turn to her, Venelana knew he was talking to her.
"You"re correct, Mr. Star," Venelana said.
"Although perhaps some of that still remains. After all, young Gremory, weren"t you supposed to be wedded to that buffoon of a bird?" Luke asked.
"Yes," Rias sighed.
"Yet a Reincarnated Devil stepped in in the form of young Issei. And then again, in the form my good friend Elros," Luke said, giving Elros a ruffle with his hands.
"Yup," Rias said happily.
"And if I might be so inquisitive, what are your feelings on that, Lord and Lady?" Luke asked.
"I"m exceedingly happy with the way things turned out. Elros is a fine young man that any parent would be happy to have as a son-in-law," Lord Gremory said.
"As am I. I don"t think I"ve ever seen my daughter so happy," Venelana said, smiling warmly at how Rias"s eyes twinkled as she looked at Elros. Elros turned and flashed her a goofy grin as they continued their walk towards the wine cellar.
"Well, it is good to see that some are happy to move forward. There"s only one thing that awaits the rest," Luke sighed.
"And what is that?" Venelana asked.
"Extinction," Luke said cheerfully.
"You say that as if you"re not worried about it," Sirzechs said.
"I simply can"t conjure up the resource to care, I"m afraid. Whether the Factions live or die is irrelevant. The world will spin on - which is all that matters in the end, I suppose. But in the long view, even that doesn"t matter," Luke said.
"As you all can tell, Luke"s a regular ray of sunshine," Elros said with a laugh.
"This is why I live for the day! To alcohol and beautiful women!" Luke said, trying to drink but grumbling as he remembered he didn"t have any left. Finally, they arrived at the cellar.
"Feel free to help yourself, Mr. Star," Lord Gremory said.
"I shall find some way to repay you, my good man. Elros, keep me company for a bit. We must catch up," Luke said.
"I"ll see you in a bit," Elros said as he kissed Rias. She nodded and left with the others, closing the door.
-o-
"I"m still surprised Elros knows him," Venelana said.
"As am I. Luke"s quite powerful," Sirzechs said, brow furrowed.
"How strong is he?" Rias asked her brother. Sirzechs looked at Grayfia before sighing.
"I remember that both sides were trying to recruit him during the War. He"s strong enough that after he told the Old and New Satan Factions to leave him alone, we decided to avoid his territory like the plague," Sirzechs said with a strained smile.
"He… doesn"t really seem that threatening, though. He seems a lot like Elros, actually," Rias said.
"As we"ve seen in the duels, Elros is quite a force to be reckoned with. More and more clans are showing an interest in him," Sirzechs said. Rias"s eyes narrowed at that.
"He"s mine," she growled, eliciting a smile from Venelana and Grayfia - yes, they could tell that Rias loved Elros considerably. Lord Gremory seemed pleased as well.
-o-
"A girlfriend?!" Luke asked, sitting down with a bottle of wine. He poured some for Elros who sat down across from him.
"Indeed. Uncharted territory," Elros chuckled.
"I"ll say. It"s less the girl than the label. I mean… why tie yourself down? Ah but then again - Akeno Himejima, Sona Sitri, Tsubaki Shinra, and more than a couple of others. Yes, not tying yourself down entirely I see. I expect nothing less of my protege," Luke chuckled.
"Maybe I should"ve used my training with Constantine to learn how to fool you here and there," Elros grumbled.
"Even he can"t help you there. But that is certainly an interesting Demonic Power you possess. Although it fits your character, I suppose. I look forward to seeing it in combat," Luke said.
"You know I"m going to have to challenge you, right?" Elros asked with a grin.
"Ha! I look forward to it. I haven"t taken on a challenge in a long time, but yours - that I will always accept, my friend. But first, you must get through Yama," Luke said, raising his bottle, clinking it with Elros"s gla.s.s.
"a.s.suming the rumor I hear that you"re fighting him is true, you"re in for quite a battle. There"s a reason that he"s known as the G.o.d of Death. Quite a fearsome and ferocious man," Luke said.
"That"s the impression I got as well. Guess you"ll see soon enough if you haven"t already," Elros said.
"And the Peace Treaty is to be signed in a few weeks, I believe. You may wish to expect something to occur. Especially with the backward minded Old Satan Faction," Luke said.
"I think Michael, Azazel, and Sirzechs are aware that they"ll have to be on their toes. If the Khaos Brigade attacked once, they"ll attack again," Elros sighed.
"Not going to ask me for help?" Luke asked with a smile.
"Nope. Might ask Yama if things get out of hand, though. Something tells me that if I proposition him correctly, he"ll be more than happy to lend a hand," Elros said, eliciting a laugh from Luke.
"Yes, I know what you"re thinking. I agree," Luke said.
"I can"t believe you didn"t tell me about this Circle of h.e.l.l all those years ago," Elros said.
"Believe me when I say that absolutely nothing of interest was going on then. Even now - with all the conspiracies and peace - it"s still so dreadfully boring. No… what you"re planning is infinitely more interesting. The end of an age is coming," Luke said, looking up.
"I know. It"s all going to change soon enough. The world"s not even close to ready. I can only do so much to keep the Earth safe… but eventually, something is going to break through or come so fast, I won"t see it coming," Elros said.
"And are you going to try to recruit me to that team?" Luke wondered.
"You already know I"m not. The people… the people are going to have to accept it. But maybe it"s something that"ll pave the way for Devils, Angels, or Fallen Angels to make themselves known eventually," Elros said.
"I wouldn"t count on that happening. They"re so dreadfully cowardly of such an event - as well they should be. After all, Earth has its own… saviors, you could say," Luke said, eliciting a chuckle from Elros.
"I"m curious about something, though," Elros said.
"Hmm?" Luke asked.
"The name. Really? I mean… come on. Please tell me that someone at least has figured it out. I mean… Luke M. Star. You might as well wear a sign around your neck," Elros said with a laugh, eliciting an equally raucous one from Luke.
"You"ll be surprised to hear that no one has brought that up over the millennia I"ve been in this Circle. Trust me when I say that no one is more surprised than I am. And don"t you dare blow it!" Luke said.
"Lips are sealed, Mr. Star," Elros said with a chuckle.
"My creativity knows no bounds, as you can easily infer. Of course, I am lacking in the nickname department," Luke groaned as he looked at Elros.
"Sorry, Lucy," Elros said, deftly catching the wine bottle Luke threw at him.
"I never should"ve introduced you to my brother," Luke sighed.
"What"s he think of all this?" Elros asked.
"Oh, he completely detests and loathes it. But it"s not as though he can do anything about it," Luke said.
"And Maze?" Elros asked.
"She misses it all, but she"ll continue to follow me. At least for a while longer," Luke said. Elros nodded as he poured himself a bit more, continuing to make light conversation with his friend.
-o-
As Luke began to leave, he felt Venelana enter the room.
"Leaving so soon, Mr. Star?" she asked.
"Afraid so, my good lady. Must return home," Luke said, straightening out his tie in a mirror.
"I hope we"ll see you again soon," Venelana said.
"I"ve little doubt about that. After all, Elros and I shall soon meet in the arena! I haven"t looked forward to being in the Underworld this much in a long while!" Luke said.
"I"ve seen how strong Elros is, but to hear my son talk about your prowess, I fear he might soon meet his match," Venelana said, eliciting a laugh from Luke.
"You underestimate Elros, good ladies, and lords," Luke said as Lord Gremory entered the foyer as well to see Luke off. Sirzechs and Grayfia soon came down as well.
"You"re saying Elros has a chance against you?" Sirzechs asked in surprised.
"Elros knows how powerful I am, and he shall plan as such. Truly, I haven"t been this excited about a fight in centuries!" Luke said giddily.
"I find that… hard to believe. Elros is exceedingly powerful - on par with some of the strongest that the Underworld has to offer. But I"ve seen your power at work, Luke," Sirzechs said.
"You think you"ve seen what Elros has to offer, but I"m afraid you really haven"t seen anything at all," Luke said.
"What do you mean?" Venelana asked.
"Mmm… Green Lanterns. They make constructs with their rings, as I"m sure you know. The strength of a construct is determined by imagination and sheer will. One such Lantern is an architect; his constructs are carefully thought and planned, with each nut and bolt in place - you"ll never find a more well-considered construct. Another Lantern is an artist; his constructs are imaginative and wild, each light stroke a work of art. Early in his Green Lantern career, Elros figured out something that many others have yet to learn. That you don"t win a war by killing the most amount of people or something as ludicrous as that," Luke said, pausing to gauge their reactions. They all just seemed curious.
"How do you win a war, then?" Sirzechs asked.
"By shattering the will and fighting spirit of your opponent. As such, his constructs are focused on just that. You haven"t seen him in large scale conflict, so I doubt you"ll see my point until then. Suffice it to say that above all, Elros"s constructs are made to put the fear of G.o.d into his opponents. And he works that wonderfully. And that is how he will likely intend to defeat me - by shattering my fighting spirit," Luke said happily, as though overjoyed by the prospect.
"The fear of G.o.d?" Sirzechs asked.
"Indeed. I remember quite clearly that Elros had a streak of missions in which he was charged with stopping incursion forces onto peaceful planets. I"m talking about planets that had almost zero resources to defend themselves with. He is the most effective Lantern they"ve had in that regard - so much so that they eventually gave him the nickname "Peacewalker"," Luke said with a laugh.
"Peacewalker?" Venelana wondered.
"Yes. Elros was able to stop several wars with minimal casualties. Wherever he walked, peace followed in his wake. Although before you get any ideas, I don"t think he"ll be able to fix the problems with the Three Factions os easily. With his missions, he has limited knowledge and works with that. This is something far closer to home, something that no doubt will require a large amount of tact if he doesn"t want it to spill over to Earth. He doesn"t have the benefit of not knowing," Luke said.
"Even above that, however, Elros has a determination and force of will that I"ve so rarely seen, I can count all the people that possess it on two hands. You all, for example, are quite powerful. I can feel it over here. However, there is a distinct difference between you and Elros. He wasn"t born with the benefits you have - not into wealth, status, power, and privilege; nor was he born with the famed magical prowess of the Gremory"s or the ill.u.s.trious Power of Destruction of the Baels. He was born a human in less than ideal odds. Yet through sheer will, he survived as such. Tell me, what do you know of his past?" Luke asked.
"Nothing, really. He… hasn"t told us much. There"s a lot of pain there," Lord Gremory said, brow furrowing as he sighed in discomfort.
"Indeed. He walked the desert for a long while, eating his kills - and that was as a human child. Then when the former Lantern died, the ring could"ve gone anywhere - except it chose the six-year-old boy in front of it. It could"ve gone to any of you - or even to me! - yet it went to him. And since then, he rose to become one of the greatest Lanterns in the current age - perhaps even one of the greatest in their long history. Whatever the odds are, Elros will undoubtedly overcome - even if such an odd is me," Luke said.
"His position - and the fruits of his labor - were all earned through blood and will, something I cannot so easily say about… well, any Devil really. As strong as you are, young lord, you still had all the advantages to propel you into such a position - and even at that, your scope is woefully limited. He had no such advantage - yet he"s changed more lives than you can count, even in all your years. There are few men and women like him," Luke said fondly.
"You"re quite praiseworthy of him," Venelana said with a smile.
"I am quite fond of him, Lady Gremory. Indeed, amongst all the Devils, he is the only one that I shall say I respect and consider a good friend," Luke said.
"The only one?" Sirzechs asked eyebrow raised.
"The absolute only one, I"m afraid. I do not care for the pretentious 72 Clans or the individual egotists that are involved with them," Luke said.
"I see. And you"re sure you won"t join us? You could be a great help," Sirzechs asked.
"Quite sure. Unless, of course, my hand is forced. In which case, I shall treat the Old and New Satan Factions, the Khaos Brigade, the Angels, and the Fallen Angels as equal adversaries," Luke said, his smile suddenly falling as he looked at them with cold eyes. Venelana, Zeo, Grayfia, and Sirzechs gulped as he did that as they felt the hair on their necks stand up - his entire demeanor had shifted completely and no longer was the beaming, kind Devil there; replacing him was a man whose power was sparking off him as though desperate to get out. Venelana saw that the mirror had developed cracks on its edge, before turning back to Luke. Without even releasing his power, he seemed to shine brighter than he had the whole time he was there.
"If that will be all, I must really get going, Gremory"s. It was a pleasure to meet you all. I shall send a gift for allowing me to tap into your wine, my good man. Ta!" Luke said as he opened the door and walked out. The collective breath they had kept was finally released as his power vacated the premises.
"Wow," Venelana said, stunned by the magical energy Luke produced.
"Indeed," Zeo agreed.
"Like I said. Luke… immensely powerful. However, he"s known to be quite honest as well. If he says that Elros has a chance of beating him, something tells me that that match might not turn out like we antic.i.p.ated," Sirzechs said, intrigued.
"That"s in the future, though. For now, Elros needs to be allowed his rest. He"s already done so much for us and for Rias," Zeo said.
"Indeed. The poor boy," Venelana sighed worriedly, remembering Luke"s comment from earlier about Elros"s hate for his father as well as his more recent one about surviving in the desert. Looking at Sirzechs, she knew that Luke was right. The entire family - her, Zeo, Sirzechs, Grayfia, Rias, and her grandson Millicas - had virtually everything handed to them on a silver platter. Elros"s case was a stark contrast. It amazed her that he was such a loving man towards her daughter.
-o-
Rias and Elros had just gotten settled after another pa.s.sionate love making session.
"f.u.c.k," Rias moaned as Elros continued to kiss her neck.
"Sounds good to me," Elros said, gearing up for another round.
"Down, boy. I want to rest before our date tomorrow," Rias said with a giggle.
"Fine," Elros said, moving up a bit, resting his hands on either side as he kissed her pa.s.sionately. Rias giggled as she trailed her hands down his front before bringing him down.
"So what did you and your mom talk about?" Elros asked as he laid on his back, Rias clamoring on top of him.
"More studies and talks about what"s going to be expected of me when I take over the role as the head of the household. She wanted to talk about our relationship at length as well," Rias sighed, as rested her chin on his chest and looked at him, gently poking his sides.
"Our relationship?" Elros asked eyebrow raised.
"Yeah. Most Pure-Blooded Families have arranged marriages like I said - Sona and I being notable exceptions. Most thought that I"d be settling down with Riser now; they never expected you to show up on the scene," Rias said with a smile.
"And what do they think of our relationship?" Elros asked.
"I think most are ambivalent but there is a vocal minority that"s against it. They… don"t think that I should be with you," Rias said uncomfortably. Elros caressed her cheek with a finger, smiling.
"And what do you think?" he asked.
"That they can all shut the f.u.c.k up. I love you," she said, moving up and kissing him.
"Do they know that you and I had s.e.x?" Elros asked.
"According to my mom, some have hinted that they think we did. They"ll probably be more p.i.s.sed off once they know for sure. Purity is extremely important in marriages," Rias sighed.
"f.u.c.king creeps," Elros said.
"I know. But… there"s something I want to talk to you about," Rias said uncomfortably.
"What"s up?" Elros asked.
"We"ve been going out for a month or so now… and we"ve made love quite a bit. I"m not pregnant or anything, but… well… I"m… not sure how to bring this up. I guess… where do you see us long term?" Rias asked.
"Together," Elros said.
"Honestly?" Rias asked, scanning his face for anything that said otherwise.
"Yeah. I"m liking this whole relationship thing," he said with a chuckle.
"I know it"s weird to bring it up, but a union is really important in our culture," Rias said.
"You mean marriage?" Elros asked.
"Mhm. My mom and dad married around this age, and although they"re not pressing it with me anymore, I know they"re thinking about where you and I are headed. I… don"t want to make you rush or anything. But… I just…," Rias said. Elros held her tighter as she struggled to find the words.
"Want to be sure that I"ll stay?" Elros asked.
"I don"t want it to put it that way. It makes it sound like you might leave," Rias said, holding him tighter.
"I can"t tell the future, but something tells me that you"re going to be a big part of it. You don"t have to worry about me leaving," Elros said calmingly.
"What if you find out that I lied to you?" Rias thought, holding him even closer as she kissed him again.
"Let"s get some rest," Rias said.
"Sounds good to me," Elros said, holding her close as they dozed off.
-o-
The following morning, Elros was pacing in the foyer as he waited on Rias to get dressed for their date. Soon, Venelana came down, a smile on her face.
"Mrs. Gr - Venelana! Good morning," Elros waved cheerfully.
"Well, I"m happy that you called me by name, dear. Preparing for your date with Rias?" Venelana asked as she greeted Elros with a hug, giggling at the goofy smile he always wore when he talked to her. He certainly knew how to charm people, she thought.
"Yes, ma"am," Elros said.
"Enjoy. Although now that I have you here, perhaps we could talk about something for a moment?" Venelana asked.
"Sure," Elros said, listening intently.
"You"ve made love with Rias, haven"t you?" Venelana asked.
"I have," Elros nodded.
"These things work differently in a Pure-Blooded family, Rias now being the exception. Usually, a union is formed - often for life, I might add - after which a man and woman make love," Venelana said.
"Are you upset that we did it so soon?" Elros asked.
"Not at all - quite the opposite, to be honest. My daughter"s happiness is paramount to me, and I"ve hardly ever seen her so happy as when she"s with you. However, a dashing and charming young man as yourself - we"ve already had many women approach us for your hand in marriage," Venelana said.
"Yeah, I got several proposals during the celebration after the duel as well," Elros chuckled.
"Indeed. I won"t lie, Elros - in Devil families, power is valued very highly. Most of the proposals you get will be because of how strong you are," Venelana said.
"I think they would be disappointed if they found out that the power likely isn"t pa.s.sed on. The ring always chooses - it"s impossible to influence its decision. So if I had a son or daughter and then I died, the ring would still only find the most suitable user," Elros said.
"Even beyond your ring, however, you have a charm and charisma that I"ve rarely ever seen. Plus, your wings - they"ve been quite a popular topic of debate amongst some families who are interested in adding you to their clans. The Phoenix"s are the only ones with wings of fire, and you"re the only one with blue wings," Venelana said.
"I"ve no interest in joining their clans. Something tells me that what they intend for me and what I intend for myself are wildly contradictory," Elros said with a strained smile.
"I believe so, although that won"t stop them," Venelana said.
"I won"t let them. I"ll protect Rias," Elros said, eliciting a smile from the matriarch of the family.
"I"m happy to hear that. My daughter is extremely happy with the relationship she shares with you. She"s always been adamant that she"ll never marry someone because of their strength or blood, but only if she loves them and they love her. I"m happy to see that she"s with a man who"s as kind as he is loving," Venelana said.
"You"re gonna make me blush, Mrs. G," Elros chuckled.
"I"m not sure if she"s told you, but you"re up for a promotion soon. It"s being debated on whether you should be allowed to jump straight to High-Cla.s.s Devil or if you should have to follow the usual progression," Venelana said.
"Indeed! Some are even saying that you should be allowed to jump to Ultimate-Cla.s.s! Good morning, Elros," Lord Gremory said as he walked in with Sirzechs and Grayfia, all smiling at their de facto son-and-brother-in-law.
"Good morning Mr. Gremory, Sirzechs, Grayfia!" Elros said happily.
"Good morning," Sirzechs said as Grayfia bowed to him.
"High-Cla.s.s Devil is when someone can start a peerage, right?" Elros inquired.
"Indeed. And Ultimate-Cla.s.s Devils are allowed to take some territory," Lord Gremory explained.
"Do you have any interest in starting a peerage?" Sirzechs asked.
"Hmm… I haven"t given it much thought, to be honest. But I don"t think so. If I get called away during a Game on a mission or something, I"d have to leave pretty much immediately," Elros said seriously.
"Do you have any plans on simply settling down?" Sirzechs wondered.
"Not at all. Being a Green Lantern is one of the best things I can think of," Elros said with a grin.
"I see. I would advise you to consider the benefits that moving up in Cla.s.s would bring you, however. I"ve found it quite rewarding when I started my peerage; the same with Rias. And even with a peerage, the members will still have their own lives - and will always be those that you trust. I"m sure they would happily accommodate your responsibilities. Plus, you have quite the lifespan now as a Devil - you might find it fun to work your way to being a top Rating Game contender, as you"ve done being a Duelist," Sirzechs said with a warm smile.
"I only did that because Rias needed it, though. Except for Yama and Luke, I don"t think I would"ve otherwise," Elros said.
"Speaking of Yama, Elros… Lillian spoke to me about him. You can"t confirm or deny - that I understand - but the prevailing rumor is that you will be facing him after the conference ends," Venelana said, worry creeping into her voice.
"I"ll be able to confirm or deny in a few weeks, but… he"s certainly an interesting character," Elros said, his voice suddenly getting serious.
"Interesting how?" Lord Gremory asked.
"He"s not like Riser or those guys from the duel or Elizaveta. He"s confident, but not prideful or egotistical. Plus, he has a… aura, you could say, about him. The guy exudes power and fear," Elros said.
"He… exudes fear?" Venelana asked.
"Yes. I"m not sure what he was like in the past, but probably not someone easily crossed. Nor someone you would want to, I think," Elros said thoughtfully, his mind going to their negotiation.
"Do you know anything about him, son?" Zeo asked Sirzechs.
"I know that he"s an Ultimate-Cla.s.s Devil that never started a peerage. As with Luke, both the Old and New Factions tried to recruit him to their side. Instead of just saying no, though, he started killing anyone that approached him. Eventually, both sides decided to avoid his territory like the plague. I tried to approach him once with Serafall, but he came after us. Elros"s comments on his aura are correct - he"s a force of nature more than he is a Devil," Sirzechs said with a sigh as he looked at Elros. He would have to wait until the match to confirm, but there was something about it that made him uneasy.
"Speaking of Luke, we spoke with him about you a bit before he left yesterday. I hope you don"t mind our prying," Venelana said, her tone a bit apologetic.
"Not at all, Mrs. Gremory. I understand," Elros said.
"Elros… he told us that you walked the desert for a while after your father… left," she continued.
"That"s right. I stayed at home for a while after he left but eventually ran out of food and water. It was the worst time to have that happen; the sandstorms had just begun. I was delirious when I left, which is probably the worst thing to do in the situation. I wound up going the exact wrong way and deeper into the desert. Spent a long time just walking around. I couldn"t navigate for my life, so I had no way to make it back. If the GL that pa.s.sed the ring to me didn"t land when he did, I"m not sure I would"ve survived much longer. Wildest stroke of luck I could"ve imagined," Elros said with a strained smile.
"WHAT"RE YOU GUYS DOING?!" Rias suddenly yelled as she rushed down the stairs and towards Elros. He smiled as he saw how radiant she looked in the red sundress that she wore, the hem skirting around her thighs. She held on to him while glaring at her parents and brother, all of whom chuckled at her reaction.
"Stop interrogating him!" she said.
"Relax, Rias. We were just talking," Elros chuckled as he kissed her atop her head.
"You sure?" she asked, caressing his cheek.
"Positive. You look stunning, by the way," Elros said, smiling as he took her hand and kissed it. The Gremory"s exchanged a smile as they saw the tender scene unfold. Rias smiled and hugged him tighter, listening to his heartbeat.
"Thanks. You ready?" she asked.
"Born ready. Shall we?" Elros said as she interlocked her arm with his.
"Let"s," Rias said, opening the door and leading him out. Venelana sighed happily as watched them go, Sirzechs, Grayfia, and Zeoticus smiling as well.
"I think that when they come back during summer, Rias and Elros should go through the Ruins of Connection. I"d say now if he didn"t have a date with Akeno, Sona, and Tsubaki over the next several days. A busy man," Venelana giggled.
"Agreed," Zeo said.
"Likewise," Sirzechs added.
"I agree as well," Grayfia nodded.
-o-
"This place is beautiful," Elros said as he looked around at the charming towns and cities in the Gremory Territory. There was a distinctly European feel to the place, he thought. As they walked down a street, he noted that more often than not, the people were smiling at him and quite pleasant as opposed to the reactions he got when meeting other Devils.
"I really love it here. And the people are quite nice. It"s not like what we see at the Rating Games and Duels. Just as much as it is on Earth, most just want to go on with their day and are great to be around," Rias said, waving here and there. Even here, however, it wasn"t long until several people surrounded Elros, eagerly asking for autographs and pictures. He grinned as he acquiesced to all but the raciest of desires, particularly a few men and women that wanted to experiment. They soon backed off as Rias glared at them. She found the children most adorable. Most barely came up to his waist, yet they kept hugging him and had the happiest expressions when he picked them up for a picture or signed something for them.
"You"re so strong!" one said happily.
"Thanks, kid. You want to Duel or do Rating Games when you grow up?" Elros asked as he squatted down, talking to them.
"I do! But… I"m a Lowborn so…," the child said, looking down. Elros tilted her chin up to look at him and she looked on in wonder at his radiant smile.
"Don"t ever let something as small as that stop you. I"m a Low-Cla.s.s Devil as well and you see how I take care of business?" he asked. The child nodded vigorously.
"Be brave and bold. That"s the best advice I can offer. Train and work hard. That"s the second best advice. And kick a.s.s when it comes down to it. That"s third," Elros said with a grin. The child smiled and hugged Elros before running off, her spirits soaring high as she thought on his advice.
"So cute," Rias cooed as they continued their walk, heading to a cafe.
"Ah! Lady Gremory and Mr. Eärendil! It"s a pleasure to have you here!" the man behind the counter greeted them jovially.
"Hi. You wouldn"t happen to have a private table, would you?" Rias asked.
"But of course! Right this way," the man said as he led them up the stairs and towards a balcony on the other side of the building. Several tables and chairs were set up, but none were occupied. Rias and Elros took a seat on the one nearest the edge.
"Hot chocolate, please," Elros said with a grin, not taking a look at the menu. Rias smiled and took the same.
"Really? Hot chocolate?" she asked.
"What did you expect?" Elros asked.
"I dunno. Something harder, I guess. Irish coffee, maybe," Rias said.
"You make it sound like I have a drinking problem," Elros groaned.
"Whiskey at 12? I certainly would," Rias said.
"Blame Lucy, not me," Elros chuckled.
"I thought he doesn"t like that nickname?" Rias said.
"He doesn"t. Which is why it must stay! If you like your nickname, there"s no point in it! That"s why Michael is Mikey and Azazel is Zaz. Still can"t think of one for your brother, though," Elros said, eliciting a giggle from her.
"And what about me?" Rias asked.
"Hmm… Ri-a.s.s?" Elros suggested.
"Absolutely not!" she said.
"Sweetheart?" Elros asked with a smile.
"Much better," Rias said, taking his hand in hers and bringing it to her face. She saw Elros look at her with a piercing eye, something that still made her blush.
"What is it?" she asked softly.
"You"re so beautiful. I could look at you for days on end and not get tired," Elros said with a sheepish grin. Rias smiled and leaned over to kiss him.
"Thanks," she whispered, smiling at the man who brought them their drinks. Closing the balcony door, he gave them the privacy they wanted.
"So your family owns all of this?" Elros asked, looking over at the bustling street.
"Yup. My grandfather was the progenitor of the Gremory Household, which he pa.s.sed on to my father. My brother was going to inherit it, but he became a Satan - which means that he"s ruled out from inheriting the Household. So it pa.s.ses on to me. The same with Sona, actually - after Lady Serafall became a Great Satan, Sona began to be prepared to inherit it," Rias said.
"You two really have a lot on your plates. It can"t be easy knowing you"re going to be responsible for so much," Elros said, caressing her hand gently.
"You get used to it. I"ve known it since I was a child, and my parents have been preparing me for it since then. Plus, I still have a while to go before my father retires and pa.s.ses it to me," Rias said.
"Is that why the marriage between you and Riser was such a big deal? So you"ll have someone to inherit it after you want to pa.s.s it on?" Elros asked.
"Yeah. His older brother, Ruval, is the heir to his family. But my father his theirs wanted to make a deal as well, which is another part of the reason. It all worked out best how it did, though - with me getting to choose and our parents striking their deal," Rias said.
"For guys that are already fairly wealthy, he and those two those other two seem… almost freakishly obsessed," Elros said, taking a sip of the third greatest drink in the universe.
"I know. It"s really creepy, especially when you have to deal with constantly. Plus all the guys that just randomly propose to me, thinking I"m going to say yes - as if I need what they offer. Which is why you"re such a breath of fresh air. You don"t care about any of that stuff. I never thought I"d find someone like that," Rias said, blushing a bit as she gently caressed his hand with her thumb.
"I can"t comment on whether you"d find someone else like that, but I"m certainly happy that you found me. Or rather, I found you. Or rather, you guys didn"t shoot me out of the sky. Thanks for that by the way," Elros said with a chuckle.
"As am I. I should"ve known you were trouble from the start, though. Almost immediately, you started hitting on Akeno and me," Rias sighed.
"Can you blame me? I wake up with my head in Akeno"s lap and both of you are just stroking my hair. What else was I supposed to do?" Elros asked.
"Don"t you think you should"ve learned about us before flirting?" Rias asked.
"I"ve worked it out in worse situations, believe me. Be calm and flirty in a situation like that. 60% of the time it works every time - even on some aliens," Elros said.
"Calm? Says the guy who had stars in his eyes when he found out that Gasper was a time stopping Devil-Vampire," Rias said with a smirk.
"Come on! Even I have a limit and that was it. So f.u.c.king awesome," Elros said excitedly.
"It was surprising to see Gasper actually talk to you. But I guess you two are just kids at heart. Shouldn"t be THAT surprising," Rias said.
"We happily accept your snide remark," Elros said.
"Don"t be so dramatic," Rias sighed. Elros chuckled and moved his chair next to her, putting an arm around her and holding her close.
"Mmm. My favorite position," Rias said as she rested her head on him and smiled in delight.
"One of mine as well. Of course, there"s the one where I"m on my back. And the one where you"re on your back. And of course when I"ve got you against the wall. That might be my very favorite. I"ll have to test each hundreds of thousands of times before I can give you a definite answer, though. Hope you don"t mind," Elros said, nibbling her ear.
"Have some self-restraint," Rias said, giggling as she leaned in a bit.
"Sorry. I shall endeavor to my best while we"re in public. Probably," Elros said, going back to his drink.
"Speaking of public - you still have that interview later today," Rias said.
"I know. Any idea what they"re gonna ask?" Elros asked, sighing deeply.
"Probably your plans for the future, questions about you and I, your relationship with Luke, your performance in the fights, stuff like that," Rias said.
"How detailed should I be when they ask about us? Because if you want, I can recite absolutely everything in excruciating detail," Elros said with a grin.
"DON"T YOU DARE!" Rias said dangerously, turning red.
"Relax. That"s for us to know and others to never find out," Elros chuckled.
"Good. Because if they do…," Rias said dangerously, a hand flying to his crotch, her energy cascading.
"Ah. Point taken. I shall keep my mouth shut. Mostly," Elros said. Rias sighed; that was the best she could hope for.
"So you"re spending tomorrow with Akeno… then you"re going out with Sona and then with Tsubaki," Rias said, walking her fingers on his thigh.
"Yeah. Are you ok with that?" Elros asked comfortingly.
"Yes… I think so. It"s easier to deal with it knowing how much time you spend with me. I"m not as jealous as I thought I would be initially," Rias said. Elros lifted her head to look at him, a piercing look in his eyes. He leaned forward and kissed her pa.s.sionately, bringing her onto his lap his he continued. As they separated, Rias rested her head against his, biting her lip at the sensation.
"Like I said, I could never forget about you. You"re… important to me. Very important," Elros said. Rias nodded and hugged him tightly, smiling delightfully as she played with his hair.
"Likewise. I love you," she said, kissing his neck. Elros smiled and did the same for her before leaning back a bit, running his fingers up and down her back.
"Shall we continue on?" he asked.
"Let"s," Rias said, hopping off and taking his hand in hers, leading him around.
-o-
"I think this is the only thing I don"t like about the Underworld," Elros sighed as he and Rias laid down on a gra.s.sy knoll. She rested her head on his chest, both staring upwards at the sky.
"What?" Rias asked.
"No stars. For a long time, they were the only entertainment I had. Tracing constellations, trying to identify UFOs, stuff like that," Elros said.
"I think artificial stars would be too much for my brother or the other Satans to pull off. That"s a completely different beast. Plus the real thing is so much nicer. When you took me to the moon… I don"t think I"ve ever seen something as beautiful as the Earth or the stars from that vantage point," Rias said, smiling wide as she thought about the wonderful date Elros had planned for them.
"You want to go back to the moon soon?" Elros asked.
"Can we?" Rias asked excitedly.
"If that is your wish," Elros said, caressing her cheek.
"You"re sweet. Yes. Yes, I"d love to. Just you and I and n.o.body else around," Rias said.
"Sounds good to me. I need to take Koneko and Gasper around the Earth sometimes as well. I think they"d both love it. In fact, why don"t I take all of you guys?" Elros said.
"Really?" Rias asked.
"Yeah. It"s amazing to see. Could invite your parents as well," Elros said.
"Yes!" Rias said excitedly.
"Perfect. I"ll plan it out," Elros chuckled, holding her tighter as a gust of wind came through. Rias smiled at the touch and snuggled as close as she could to him.
"So Sirzechs thinks that you should start a peerage," Rias said.
"Yeah, he brought that up earlier today," Elros nodded.
"What do you think?" Rias asked.
"I dunno, to be honest. I"m not against it, but I think it might be too much for me to juggle. The duels, plus Rating Games, plus being a Green Lantern, plus whatever else might come my way," Elros sighed.
"I hope you don"t think that being part of my peerage is a burden," Rias said uncomfortably.
"Na. It"s been light in terms of missions. These are some of the best times I"ve had in a while, I think. Besides, the positives far outweigh the negatives," Elros said as he ran a hand down her bank, giving her a hard spank.
"So frisky," Rias sighed.
"I know. Does it bother you?" Elros asked.
"Nope. Feel"s good, actually," she said, giving him a quick peck.
"But I think you might want to consider it, to be honest. It"s one of the benefits of being a High-or-Ultimate-Cla.s.s Devil. Plus, you don"t have to partic.i.p.ate in Rating Games if you don"t want to. But it"s nice to have people that you can rely on, that"ll be there for you when you need them. Plus, you can devote as much or as little time to managing it as you want. My brother has a really strong peerage, but they mostly do their own thing," Rias said.
"Still seems like too much responsibility. I understand why you guys have peerages - to bolster your numbers further. Maybe it"s because I"m such a new Devil, but I dunno if I share those particular concerns. I"ve seen so many species driven to extinction that it just seems by the by now," Elros sighed, piercing the sky above with his gaze.
"It must be hard. I"m sorry that I haven"t given you an outlet to talk about it," Rias said, looking up at him.
"Hmm? What do you mean?" Elros asked quizzically. Rias sat up, an uneasy expression on her face.
"Well… when I was with Carol Ferris, she mentioned something about the psychological impact of being a Lantern. Especially for you because you were so young when you joined. You"ve been so caught up in dealing with my problems that we haven"t really had any time to talk about yours. I… want you to know that you can tell me anything. That I"m here for you just as much as you"re here for me," Rias said, looking at him. Elros smiled as he gazed at her perfect features. He leaned forward and kissed her, gently taking her to the ground again before he lifted up, continuing to admire her.
"Thank you for saying that. But really, you do-," Elros began before Rias cut him off.
"Don"t say that! I do have to worry about you. I love you, Elros. You need someone to worry about you," Rias said, holding his face in her hands. Elros paused before nodding. Rias brought his head down, touching it to hers as she let out a breath.
"I"m worried about you," she said.
"About what?" Elros asked.
"You"ve been through a lot. And… I know you seem fine. But… there has to be something. Going through what you did with your dad… and then having so much responsibility from such a young age. No one walks away from that kind of stuff without some pain. I… understand that you don"t want to share it right away. That"s fine. But… when you feel like you need to talk about something, or just to let it go - please let me know, ok? I won"t pressure you. But I want you to know that whenever you need me, I"m going to be right here for you," Rias said, inducing considerable pa.s.sion into her voice as she said it. Elros looked at her, piercing her gaze with his, making sure that she wasn"t just leading him on. Finally, he nodded.
"Thank you, Rias. I… will do my best to be a bit more… umm… forthcoming, I suppose. I"m not really used to talking about it with anyone," Elros said, visibly uncomfortable - something Rias hadn"t seen before.
"I understand. We"ll take it as fast or as slow as you want," Rias told him, smiling as she hugged him tight - happy that he at least agreed to be more open with her. Even now, she didn"t know as much about him as the others, Rias thought. Oddly for her, however, she didn"t seem afraid.
"I"m wondering - do you think it was such a good idea to start dating a guy you know so little about?" Elros asked with a chuckle. Rias looked at him defiantly.
"Yes. I know you"re sweet and gentle and loving and caring. That"s what I want most. The way you interact with Gasper and Koneko… how you talk to and touch me… I know all the important things from that," Rias said, kissing him. As they separated, Elros nodded and smiled, bringing them back up.
"Let"s get to the interview. Then we can have some more fun tonight," Rias said, opening a magic circle for them.
-o-
"Oh, f.u.c.k this. As John would say, f.u.c.k this up the f.u.c.king a.r.s.e," Elros said, looking at the sea of reporters waiting for him.
"This is what you get, Mr. Five," Rias sighed, greeting her parents and brother as they came to watch.
"I blame you for this," Elros groaned to her.
"I"ll consider this payback for all those times you teased me," Rias said with a wink.
"Ready, Elros?" Mr. Gremory asked.
"Most certainly not, Mr. Gremory! I thought this was going to be a few people at most! But… there"s… so many! I thought Devils had a population problem?! How are there so many reporters?!" Elros grumbled, eliciting chuckles from the Gremory"s.
"Comes with the fame and notoriety, I"m afraid," Zeo said.
"You"ll do fine, dear," Venelana said, giving him a hug.
"Is it too late to start blaspheming until I pa.s.s out?" Elros asked Rias.
"Way too late. Don"t worry. I"m sure it"ll be over quickly," Rias said.
"When you put it like that… it actually does very little to a.s.suage me," Elros said as he took a deep breath before walking out, smiling and waving at the flashing cameras. They shouted his name, hoping to get the first question. Elros quickly took the podium and began to talk.
-o-
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming to this interview. Now, one at a time, please. I"m still feeling a bit sore from the match, so please go easy on me," Elros said to sporadic chuckles. He selected his first interviewer.
"Mr. Eärendil-," the man began before Elros cut him off.
"Just one thing if I may - please, call me Elros," he said.
"Elros, then… Can you confirm once more your relationship with Rias Gremory?" the man asked.
"Happily in love," Elros responded with a grin. From their position, the Gremory"s smiled wide - although none wider than Rias herself.
"Is she here with you?" the man asked.
"Oh, you bet she is! Come on out sweetheart!" Elros said, looking at the curtains with a devious grin.
-o-
"Ugh! I should"ve expected he"d bring me out! a.s.shole," Rias grumbled.
"Go on, sweetheart," Venelana said. With a sigh, Rias nodded and smiled as she stepped out, waving at the reporters before stood at his side. Elros turned to her and kissed her pa.s.sionately for everyone to see, much to their and Rias"s delight. As they separated, Rias giggled before hugging him close.
"I"m soooooo gonna hurt you tonight," she whispered in his ear.
"Like I said, happily in love," Elros reiterated before Rias waved once more and took her leave, turning red as she stepped behind the curtain.
"Adorable," Venelana cooed.
-o-
"Mr. Eärendil - you are acquainted with Luke Star, are you not?" another asked.
"I am. I consider Luke - or as I implore all of you to call him henceforth, Lucy - a good friend," Elros said with a raucous laugh that the reporters joined in on.
"And how did you meet him?" the man continued.
"Walked into his bar and he gave me a drink as I was a pre-teen. Dalmore 64 Trinitas. Pretty sure I cried," Elros said to laughs all around.
"He is widely considered to be the most powerful Devil in the Underworld, even for an Ultimate Cla.s.s Devil. As it stands, the only one that comes close in raw strength - yet still very far - is Yama, ranked number two - and Yama is already considered to be far and above Rating Game Champions such as Diehauser Belial, Roygun Belphegor, and Bedeze Abaddon - or the strongest that even the Bael Clan has to offer. Do you know why Mr. Star hasn"t made a power play in all his time?" the man asked.
"Lucy enjoys living life on his own terms, so I can"t even begin to comment on why he hasn"t made a scramble for power. He probably doesn"t see the benefit to it, if I was pressed to answer," Elros said.
"Some witnesses say you know Yama as well. Can you talk about your relationship with him?" the man asked.
"I only met Yama at the Celebration after my victory. I don"t know anything beyond his name, unfortunately," Elros said.
"You"re aware of his moniker - the G.o.d of Death?" a reporter asked.
"I am. He"s certainly an imposing figure," Elros said.
"While you can"t confirm or deny a match with him, what do you think about the opportunity of fighting such a Devil?" the reporter continued.
"It"s not often that I like to fight for the sake of fighting. The previous duels I partic.i.p.ated in, I did so for Rias. But, as I said, Yama is an imposing figure - and certainly an interesting character. Were such an event to happen, I think it would be interesting," Elros said.
"Just interesting?" the reporter asked.
"Just interesting," Elros reiterated.
"And do you plan on challenging Luke Star?" the same reporter asked.
"I do indeed, although when I cannot say. Watch out, Lucy," Elros said, grinning at the cameras.
"Rumors indicate that you might be promoted directly to a High-Cla.s.s Devil - with some even vouching for a promotion to Ultimate-Cla.s.s. What do you think of these rumors?" a reporter inquired.
"I can"t really say much about them. It"s only been a short while that I became a Devil, so I suppose I should be flattered that I"m considered for such - but I"m more or less ambivalent to it. I suppose I"ll take it as it comes towards me. I"ll have to look at the positives and negatives of doing so," Elros said.
"And do you intend to start a peerage should you be promoted?" the reporter asked.
"If you asked me yesterday, I probably would"ve said no. But Rias and her brother brought up some valid points to doing as such, so I think for now my answer is maybe. I still have to give it a considerable amount of thought before reaching a conclusion, however. I expect once I do, you all will probably find out in short order," Elros said.
"Some think that your relationship with Lady Rias is abhorrent. Do you have anything to say to those people?" a reporter asked.
"It"s really f.u.c.king creepy to pay so much attention to another person"s relationship. I advise them to get lives of their own. Or girlfriends. Or boyfriends. Or a puppy," Elros said dully, eliciting a few laughs from those a.s.sembled.
"They say that the bloodlines of Devils should remain pure," the reporter pressed.
"Then they"re heading towards extinction. You adapt or die. There"s no other way to put it. It appears that the New Satan Faction did exactly that; the remaining holdouts ought to as well, lest they go the way of the mammoth," Elros said.
"And why do you think Lady Rias is so attracted to you?" the man asked. Elros flashed a charming smile at the woman that was seated next to him who blushed at being recognized.
"What do you see in me?" he asked her. All cameras turned to her as she stood up.
"Well, you"re handsome… extremely powerful, it seems… but above that, you"re sincere when you say that the only reason you took those duels on is because she needed you. So… all of that, I suppose," the woman said before taking her seat.
"There you go," Elros said with a grin, eliciting a few more laughs. "And forgive me for singling you out, miss. Please, ask your question if you have one," Elros said kindly.
"There is a considerable amount of outcry regarding your wins. Many believe that you cheated - that there"s no possible way a lowborn could defeat so many High-Cla.s.s Devils in such a fashion. Do you have anything to say to your decriers?" the woman asked.
"I"m not sure how to prove it - I abided by the rules that were set and played within them. I"m afraid that simply being born into your position isn"t enough. It"s strikingly obvious that out of the four High-Cla.s.s Devils that I faced, only Elizaveta had devoted any time to perfecting her art; the others seemed to rely on their base powers and nothing else. That"s just not enough - if you"re not willing to train and further yourself, you might as well not make the challenge in the first place," Elros said.
"If they challenge you again, would you accept?" she continued.
"I"m not sure. I"ll have to wait for one of them to do so," Elros answered.
"Another topic of popularity has been your refusal to bet Lady Rias from here on out unless it"s a Death Match. Do you think this is fair to other Devils?" another man asked.
"Of course. Why should she have to go through that every time? These challengers don"t seem to understand that Rias is a person, not a trophy or something to be won. If they want her so bad, at this point they ought to be willing to prove how devoted they would be to her," Elros said.
"And are you not afraid of losing such a match?" the man asked.
"Very afraid. I don"t want to die," Elros said with a smile. He saw the reporters furiously copying down his answer as their eyes were glued on him.
"Then why to make the bet?" the man asked after a long pause, trying to understand Elros"s train of thought.
"A person should be prepared to die for someone or something - whether that be a friend, a cause, or someone they love," Elros said.
-o-
Behind the curtain, Rias felt her mouth was about to split with how wide she was smiling. She blushed deeply as Elros said that, expressing with the right words how much he loved her.
"I"ve said it many times and I"ll say it again, sweetheart - you definitely made the right choice," Venelana said happily. To hear that someone loved her daughter so much that they"d be willing to die for her was stunning. She doubted that any other Devil would make the sacrifice for something so selfless. It strengthened her resolve to have Elros become part of their family.
"He always knows what to say," Rias said giddily. She wasn"t one to need protection - she was intelligent and powerful, two qualities that made a dangerous person when mixed. However, knowing someone like Elros was looking out for her - and for Akeno, Gasper, Koneko, and the others - put her mind at considerable ease.
Sirzechs, Zeo, and Grayfia smiled as well - all happy to hear what Elros thought of Rias and how consistent he was.
-o-
"A lighter question - what"s your favorite color?" a man in the back asked.
"Green," Elros said.
"Favorite… song?" he continued.
"Sympathy for the Devil by The Rolling Stones, of course," Elros said with a laugh.
"Ice cream?" he asked.
"Mint chocolate chip," Elros answered.
"When"s your birthday?" he asked.
"It was the day of the duel," Elros said.
-o-
Rias was surprised to learn that. She looked at her father who had pulled Elros"s birth certificate and saw that he had turned chalk white. Venelana, Grayfia, and Sirzechs also seemed surprised to learn that.
"He never brought it up!" Rias said, horrified.
"Zeo?" Venelana asked, her voice laced with danger because of the fact that her husband had forgotten such an important date.
"I… had forgotten," Zeo said, rubbing his temples and scolding himself. He had only glanced at the birth certificate a few times and didn"t commit Elros"s birthday to memory.
"HOW THE h.e.l.l COULD YOU FORGET SUCH AN IMPORTANT DATE?!" Rias seethed angrily at her father. Her Power of Destruction began to cascade, barely kept in check so the reporters wouldn"t feel it.
"I…," Zeo trailed off.
"I NOTHING! We… he… on his birthday!?" Rias asked, quickly peeking through the curtains and looking at Elros, who fielded the reporters questions about fighting on his birthday. She turned back to her father - her anger unrelenting.
"Why didn"t he say anything?" Sirzechs asked, frowning. They could"ve celebrated it in a wonderful fashion, he thought - it could"ve even helped push the fight back. But Elros was completely mum on it.
"I"m not sure," Grayfia said, also a bit uneasy. Birthdays were celebrated with pomp and fanfare, especially amongst Pure-Blooded Families. While Elros wasn"t one, he would"ve likely gotten an even more eventful celebration for the significant wins he pulled off.
"Zeo," Venelana said icily.
"Dear?" Zeo asked, afraid to look at her.
"You"re going to apologize to Elros as soon as he"s back. Profusely," she said, eyes narrowed.
"Yes," Zeo said, gulping.
-o-
"Your birthday was on the day of the duel? Truly?" the man asked.
"It was," Elros said.
"You didn"t wish to celebrate in a much more… relaxed manner?" he asked.
"Far more important things to do, I"m afraid," Elros said.
"I see. Well… your favorite book?" the man continued, shrugging.
"Meditations by Marcus Aurelius," Elros answered.
"More of a serious question, if I might: there are considerable thoughts on a peace between the Three Factions. Where do you stand on such a matter?" another reporter asked.
"Far be it for me to comment on the current political temperature of the Underworld, but from what I"ve seen I think it"s necessary. Each side is dwindling in numbers. Protracted war will just lead to each side dying out quicker. I support it," Elros said.
Elros continued to answer other questions for hours on end before time was called and everyone started filing out. Giving a sigh of relief, he went backstage. As soon as he got past the curtain, he found Rias holding on to him tightly.
"Hey. How"d I do?" he asked, but his smile fell as he saw that there were tears in her eyes.
"What is it?" he asked seriously.
"Why didn"t you tell me your birthday was the day before yesterday?!" she asked.
"Ah. Sorry. Honestly, it just slipped my mind. I"ve never celebrated my birthday before so it"s not really that big of a deal," Elros said.
"You"ve never celebrated it before?" Rias asked.
"Elros… please, forgive me. It completely slipped my mind as well. You shouldn"t have been made to fight on such an important day," Zeo said seriously.
"Please, Mr. Gremory, don"t worry about it! Really, it"s not a big deal," Elros said placatingly.
"Of course, it"s a big deal! We should"ve celebrated it! We should"ve had a party or something!" Rias cried out.
"Not really my thing, Rias. Besides, I got to spend some time later that night with you. I can"t think of a better way to spend my birthday," Elros said with a smile as he kissed her on the cheek. Rias felt a new rush of tears come through as she hugged him tightly, the sincerity in his voice evident.
"Let"s go home," Sirzechs said. He opened a magic circle and they all left through it, the Gremory"s laden with extreme guilt.