"Now have agents and angels here?" Sona asks Genshiro with Shinra by his side. "Yeah, but they're cool. They're only after like real demons and, hey speak of the devil" Genshiro says to Motohama and Matsuda. He walks over to them hastily as his household stood behind him with Quarta and Irina. Sona and Shinra smile as they shake hands with Quarta and Irina. "Nice to meet you two"
From afar, Issei watched from the rooftop as Rias left him alone to head back to the house. "See you at home sweetie" Her words to him before she planted a kiss on his cheek and left. He looked at his friends mingling with one another under the guise of a hangout as he stood alone on the school rooftop, thinking over and over about his words to Rias. "I really asked her that, didn't I?" he thought to himself as he faintly smiled while looking up at the sky.
As Issei went over and grabbed his shoes out from the bin under his hook rack, Motohama and Matsuda were right next to him on each side with their lockers. As all three of them slam the locker doors shut and smile they laugh. All just for Akia to ruin it by intruding on a conversation the three of them were having. Issei yells, startled by Akia's sudden presence.
"Hey guys! It's good to see you two again! We should celebrate your attendance here once again and go out for some karaoke!" The three all look at each other weary of her presence. They then turn to her with fading expressions. "Sounds fun. I wouldn't mind going with you all" The three then look at each other and nod as they all came into agreement with one another without saying a single word. "Alright then. Tonight we hit downtown!"
As the day went on Issei and Asia made it back to their house to meet with Rias. "All right, does everyone have their stuff?" Rias asked as the three all grabbed their Occult research club bags. The three then walk out of their house and head up the street when suddenly Issei gets a text from a group chat.
Motohama: Hey, we were heading back down to the Financial district school system when we ran into some trouble. Issei what street are you on. Make sure you either get the girls to karaoke or off the streets and in the house.
Suddenly Issei puts his phone away and grabs the two girls as a group of kids all surround them in an instant flash. They carried various sports equipment, some modded with broken scissors and other various sharp objects on their ends. They wore dirty brown blazers and red ties with no life in their color anymore. Dusty clothes with khakis shorts, some pants, and knee high socks. A boy among the others stood out, standing at seven foot two and carried a giant polo mallet.
"Look who we have here? What academy are you three from?"
The boy asks as he slides off a car. He smashes the front windshield as he snickers, the others snicker along with him as Issei stands his ground, shielding the girls behind him as his eyes glow ferociously. "Well that was fucking quick" Issei thought.
"So it looks like you're the school that sucks at magic!" Issei barked. The tall teen scoffs at Issei as he walks over to him.
"You think it's our fault those socs that surround the four corners of our world take all the funding from us? Have you seen our town? It's a dystopian wasteland thanks to them. What else are we supposed to do?"
A boy asks as his blazer flaps from the gust of wind that blew by, like a cape.
"I don't know, maybe not jump and rob people. It's bad for local business. Try picking yourself up by the boot straps and working hard in school."
"It's hard to work hard when your district is poverty ridden and crime infested" another boy chimes in.
"Man, I don't deal with people's problems!" Issei says as he activates his gauntlet. He then looks at the leering teens as they start to get closer and closer to Rias and Asia.
"They're the result of a society that's failed them. But I can't be out here solving all the worlds problems!" Issei thought to himself as he feels his eyes glint. Rias and Asia's eyes widen as they too hear the noise, like a small gear clinking against another.
"Issei?"
Suddenly Asia saw Rias get grabbed by the gang's leader and held by the neck with his polo stick.
"Oh what's wrong?"
Two more suddenly rush Issei as Rias struggles to escape without using her magic, not wanting to create a scene that escalates to every level imaginable. "Please don't make me do this!" Rias begs as she begins to feel her blood surge with magic.
"You think we just want money? You brought some very valuable jewels here!" The gang leader yells as more school boys begin to break all the surrounding buildings. "Don't think we forgot you three the last time you stomped on our grounds!"
Issei then looks to find a third punk pickpocket him and drop his empty wallet into a puddle. "Psh, and they call us poor!" As one boy spoke, two jumped Issei and held him by the arms. Issei tries to escape the two thugs arms, but the more frustration he gets the easier his ability has on creeping up into his mind and activating.
"Now what's your name?"
The gang leader asks Rias as he gets uncomfortably close to her face. He takes a whiff of her hair which causes Issei's eyes to glow gold as he remembered Riser doing the same thing.
"It's always the same outcome" he thought to himself miserably, letting memories flood him. "What do you think you're doing?! Let him go!" Rias said before she felt herself get subdued. "RIAS!" Asia screamed as the same thug who picked pocketed Issei grabbed her too. "Oh come on little mama we just wanna have fun! We'll hit the bar and treat you two right. Get you away from perverts like him! Show you what real men look like!" The leader says with an evil smile. "I got a whole school full of people who'd like to meet ya!"
"What are you people talking about?"
Issei asked before he felt himself get smacked by the pick pick pocketer.
"No one was addressing you!" the boy yelled as Issei felt blood run down his nose. His arms still hold up as the leader walks over to him while another delinquent takes his place. "I can solve people problems" Issei thought to himself.
"You heard me! Everyone knows the legend of Issei Hyoudou. The guy who can't help himself to his primal instincts. He and his little trio gang of perverts!"
"ISSEI DON'T LISTEN TO HIM! HE'S TRYING TO-"
*SMACK!*
Issei's eyes widen even more as he sees the gang leader slap Rias across the face. He feels himself lose it as he watches Rias look at the ground with a bruise on her left cheek. She looks at Issei and shakes her head, causing a spike in Issei's heart.
"It's the same damn story every time" Issei thought, looking into Rias's eyes. "She's always telling me to run away, to not fight for her. Always trying to save everyone!" Issei looks away from Rias's eyes, who beg for mercy on behalf of her attackers. Issei resists her charm as he looks away and winces, closing his eyes to the innocent virgin gaze as his all powerful heart burns for justice.
"The Warden at the jail cell, Satan right after the raid on Riser Freaking Riser himself! It's all the same, don't hurt Issei! ISSEI DON'T HURT THEM! I CAN FIX THIS!!!!" Issei yelled in his head as anger took over.
"That damn Egyptian Succubus and that creepy god! They just attacked her! How damn humiliating!"
"Enough is enough."
"ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!"
Issei then watches as the thug leader grabs Rias's chin, behind him Issei breaks free from his two captors and slams them onto the ground, stomping on their arms and fracturing them. The pick pocketer pulls out a switch blade but Issei dodges the strike and grabs the stabber's arm before punching the elbow with all his strength. The sound of the crack alerts everyone. Asia and Rias's captors all back up as the thug leader himself turns to see the monster they've made. More school students begin to reak havoc as they run around various parts of the city.
"Let them go"
Issei says as his eyes glow gold. The thug leader turns around and grabs his mallet before he swings on Issei. Issei dodges the man's swing and grabs the mallet as several others all rush at him. Issei then jumps up into the air and kicks the mallet while having both hands grab it, snapping the handle and kicking the thug leader back to the ground. He then lands on the ground as five others all punch themselves in attempting to punch Issei instead. Issei got up and found the three who held Rias and Asia by the arms and grabbed them each by the hair on their scalps.
HE'S JUST A KID! GRAB HIM!
As Issei disposes of the three by knocking them out he grabs a trash can lid and throws it like a Frisbee at another thug.
JUST TAKE HIM DOWN!
Rias and Asia watched helplessly as Issei kept dodging and breaking kids' mallets before their bones. And while Asia felt a sense of relief, Rias felt helpless, watching Issei dehumanize himself through warfare.
DAMN YOU!
The gang leader gets up from the dirty puddle he was shoved into and pulls out a knife. He watches as all his armed goons fall to Issei from various kicks and punches to their throats, ligaments, and other vital weak points.
He's just some boy, so how?
How can he fight so damn well?
The man then lunges towards Issei and throws a punch towards him out of desperation. He misses as Issei watches him fall to the ground, not even throwing another punch back.
FREEZE! EVERYONE GET ON THE GROUND!
Asia and Rias are separated from the group as police all rush over and detain each kid. Issei felt himself grabbed by Matsuda and Motohama and dragged away from the scene as the thugs are taken away by the city police force. The PSD arrives to aid Issei, Rias, and Asia as Motohama and Matsuda write a report on the incident.
THIS ISN'T FAIR!
The thug leader yelled as he was pushed into the back of a cruiser. Issei, Rias, and Asia just stare back at him in disgust.
WE HAVE NOTHING! WE WERE ALL JUST THEIR EXPERIMENT! WE WERE SUPPOSED TO GET POWERS! THEY RUINED OUR LIVES AND-
A police car door slams shut, cutting his voice out. Issei takes a moment to breath as he looks around at EMS services taking injured high school students away. "You three need to come with us now before the police get ya" Motohama whispers as he grabs Issei and drags him by the shirt. Matsuda taps on Asia and Rias, escorting them away as police secure a perimeter for a crime scene.
"I'm not having them take us in for questioning," Issei says bitterly. "And you won't have to if you do what we say. The PSD has jurisdiction over any police agency around the world. Our nations can handle all incidents it deems devil related. These kids were certainly under some kind of curse or spell. We'll erase the details of you fending them off" Matsuda explains. "We just got dropped from your school, so that case has already been covered up."
"And you would have been off the hook if you just-" Rias is suddenly cut off by Issei. "If I what?! Let them assault you and Asia! Fat chance, you need to stop telling me what to do!" Issei yells in anger. "Excuse me?!" Rias yells. "Whether you like it or not I still have more experience than you!"
"Well it's not working! This planet is only getting worse. Now we have other high schoolers trying to jump us! Who knows what kind of witchcraft those preppy assholes around them are performing. Oh wait, you're job used to be to PROMOTE THAT CRAP!" Issei yelled back, taking a deep breath as the three found themselves on the town's edge.
"All units report back to HQ! Local PD is out and active. We need streets cleared and all hands on deck in the laboratory!"
The radio chatter on Matsuda's walkie talkie continued to rattle off. "Looks like we're spell breaking" he says to Motohama before turning back to Issei. "You three get inside, the police are gonna have a heyday catching all of these delinquents."
"We'll head to the clubhouse" Issei said, looking back at Rias who pouted away from his direction and Asia who's on the verge of a breakdown.
"Alright, let us know when you get there"
As the two boys departed, a long and awkward walk began. Issei found himself with Rias who could not stop ignoring him. That was until Asia showed Issei a little more attention. The on and off cycle drove Issei mad before they finally made it to the clubhouse. As they close the front door, Issei snaps his fingers.
"I need the room cleared!" Rias looks back at him bitterly. Issei stares into her eyes as his eyebrows furrow. "Not you, you're staying!" Asia cowers away, retreating to her room as Rias walks over to Issei. She grabs him by the collar as he towered over her.
"What'll I do when you get yourself killed!" she said calmly with a firm tone. "How could that possibly-" Rias cuts Issei off. "There's a reason why I keep telling you to knock this shit off. I want you to stay on the downlow when you're not suited up. I want you to look at things more objectively and not always work to save me in the moment. There might be a time where we need to be apart."
"You can't do this to me!" Issei said angrily. "You're the one who wanted this! I finally found my place in all of this and you're now switching up the plan on me! Why?!"
"That's not what I'm saying," Rias explained. "Well then at least tell me what you're fighting for! Why are you always not acting! You allowed Riser to win when he had me laying down bruised, not even beaten!"
"Uh huh" Rias said as she crossed her arms. "NOT HELPING!" Issei roared back. "Before that there was that warden! If you wanted to save that woman why didn't you just obliterate him?!
"Because I always act in a way where everyone's interests are held favorably. Especially civillians…" Rias then leans close to Issei's face. "And especially yours. That's why Riser won, that's why I let the Warden take me captive." Issei stood there for a moment as he placed his hand on Rias's back. He pulls her in close to his chest as he glances around the room. He takes a deep breath and catches a whiff of her scene as he plants his head into hers.
"What are you fighting for?" Rias asked. "Us" Issei said without hesitation. For the betterment of mankind, yes, to kill all spiritual life yes, but primarily us. I just want to live as a normal guy."
"You don't think this is at least exciting?" Rias asked. "Maybe I would have if this was some unrealistic fairy tale. But this is real life, and whether you like it or not this isn't a Disney movie, this is a war. So no, I don't want to run around forever bashing devils and angels in the head with my metal hand. I want us to have stability by our thirties. I want our problems to be more grounded." Issei then smiles as he plays with Rias's hair. "I don't like it when I have to watch other men play with your hair."
Rias chuckles as she feels the warmth of Issei's chest seep through her body. "You've made that quite known" Rias responds. "Well it's reasonable" Issei then makes eye contact with Rias. "Your response to my hope made me chuckle. Issei says as Rias looks away, her face burning up as Issei moves her head to have her eyes gaze back into his. "Normally I'd be overthinking like hell. But I know you enough to know that when you don't respond, and your face blushes like that-
Rias interrupts Issei's words with a kiss. She places her hands around his neck, feeling one of his arms wrap around her waist as the other grabs the back of her head. The two passionately continue to kiss as they stumble their way to the couch, where Rias slams Issei into the cushions as the two continue to kiss. "Don't make me have to fight you one day my love" Rias says as she lovingly caresses Issei's face. He pulls her in for a forehead kiss. "I will win any fight I need to," Issei said, pecking her. "You and I will be fine, I will make sure of it."
"Well, you might have to beat me hard if you want to win" Rias says confidently. "I'll just have to get stronger then" the two smile at each other as they continue to lean forward for another kiss. They pause for a moment as their cheerful faces grow more somber.
"I don't want to fight you, you know" Issei said as the two began to rise and lean against the back of their couch. "I know, but if you want to work with me we can resolve everything. There's no need to go over the top." Issei gets up and begins to scan the room. "Speaking of that, where's Yuuto?" Issei asks, changing the topic. Rias looks around just as confused as Issei.
"Dammit, we were supposed to follow up with that. How did it come to this where I let the littlest of things distract me" Rias says to herself as she plants herself on the couch. "I can't handle this anymore. So much is going on all at once. I think I'm gonna have my head split open." Rias says as she lays down on the couch. Asia emerges out of her room with a glass of water for Rias. "Thank you Asia" she says as she takes a sip.
"Where do we even start?" Issei asks as he looks around the room. "We don't even know where all of these Mercenaries hide out. I can only assume they have underground outposts throughout the city, maybe even the countryside."
"Then we just have to look there," Rias says with a glaring face. "We keep looking and eliminate every base we find. We don't need some grand strategy. It's Yuuto we're talking about. He may be hiding from us but he isn't thinking too deeply about hiding his tracks." Rias says as she looks down at the ground in fright, but Issei slides right next to her on the couch and rests his arm around her shoulders. His other arm plays with her hair as he lays back on the neck of the couch. However, Rias rises from the couch and looks down at Issei.
"Summon your clan of households " she spoke to Issei, who grew a smile over his face. He snapped his fingers as he created portals all around the room. "I didn't even realize I could do that" Issei thought to himself as his dragon arm moved on instinct. He peeked through the portals, peering in the lives of those who he called on. The Gremory's and the Leviathan Households all gasped as Issei stood before them. "Everyone listen and listen good" Issei spoke bitterly. "I have a plan"
Hours later, the meeting is dismissed. Issei is left alone with only Irina in the room. He adjusts his tie as he puts together his school uniform. "Issei, mind if we have a talk with your parents?" She asks. "They too are members of the church. but they have no idea about the impostors among them. So we wanna get into a circle within a community and see where it goes. A little espionage will help us gather intel on the enemy." Irina asks.
"Good idea, but just be aware she'll talk a lot about us as kids if you mention who you are. It's all embarrassing stuff in those photo albums she has" Issei said that last sentence with a light hearted shrug. "We want to make sure we stay focused on the mission."
"Oh I know," Irina says playfully before walking away. As she leaves the building, Issei continues to ponder in his own mind as he looks out the window. "How did it come to this" he thought to himself as he saw all of his friends laughing and cheering outside without him. "She looked so defeated when she told me to summon the households," Issei thought to himself with a tear in his eye.
The walk home was chilly, lonely, and barren. Issei glanced around as people began to leave their homes again. He thought long and hard about all the juveniles who were arrested under the possession of their rich peers. He sighed, reflecting on his fight with Riser once more. He replays the fight in his mind hoping for an easier outcome to digest. "Despits being a man the whole time, Riser is more demon than most fallen angels and their bastard children" he thought to himself. He pulls up to his house and unlocks the door. As he enters, he hears his mother familiarizing herself with his new acquaintances from Heaven. Ignoring their laughter, he gives them a polite hello before continuing up to his room. The two girls laugh with Issei's mother, more Irina with a hardy joyful sound while Quarta chuckles from afar, matching the personalities of their fathers whenever at a dinner table. Issei closes the door to his room and sits on his bed as Asia and Rias go back and forth with each other in a confrontational tone.
"Dammit, I'm so tired of this crap. And I gotta go out for karaoke in a couple hours" Issei thought to himself as his heart continued to increase in beat. The words of Asia and Rias fighting over him drown out as his ears begin to ring. Flashes of his own body lying down bruised on the chessboard create the illusion of pain.
Issei says in an annoyed but soft tone. Issei then finds himself stumbling into his gaming chair as Asia and Rias fight, continuing to ignore them as he turns on his computer.
"Will this beef ever get resolved" he thought to himself, his heart continuing to race as his skin grows tighter and tighter. "It's not fair, it's never fair!" Asia exploded as Issei felt his hearing go out. His skin began to feel hot as he slumped over and fell out of his chair. "Nothing is fair Asia! You think it was fair what I had to go through with Riser!"
Rias pauses as she turns around and looks at Issei. Asia backs away afraid as Issei began to crawl into a corner. "Issei? Issei?!" Rias asked as Issei continued to ignore everything around him. The ringing grew louder as Issei began to bury his head in between his legs.
"Shit!" Rias yelled as she knelt next to Issei. "Issei can you hear me?" Asia asked as she went close to him sheepishly. Her eyes began to water as Issei continued to clench his entire body. "Get him away from me!" Issei yelled as Asia began to activate her healing ability. "Asia! I'll hold him! Shut the door I don't want the rest of the family to panic or see him like this!" Asia nods and does as she's told while Rias begins to whisper into Issei's ear.
"I think you triggered some kind of reaction!" Asia yelled. "Shut up Asia you're not helping!" Rias yelled back. "Well I'm just pointing it out! Stop being so mean to me Rias!" Rias pauses as Asia begins to use her magic on Issei. Despite her green aura seeping through his body, Issei still sat there panicking, breathing in short rhythms. "It's not working!" Asia cried out as she too began to panic. She bursts into tears as Issei rises from the floor. He walks over to the window as Rias wraps her arms around Asia, who looks up at her in confusion as she notices her eyes begining to water. The two then look at Issei as sparks begin to linger around his body. They don't catch on anything, rather they just float around him as he stares out the window. His arm flares up, the skin turning into a wrinkled scar ridden limb. Flames erupt around his body as he stood there as still as a statue. A silhouette of a man flying out of Issei's house could only be seen by him. A dark haunting figure flew above the skyline, staring right into Issei's soul. He said nothing as he stood there, staring it down endlessly.
The car rolled up to the karaoke place. Several more park behind it as all of Sona's and Rias's households get out. Issei's friends were the last to pull up. Everyone crams into the VIP booth that Asia reserved. She watched as Akia struggled to pick out the song, drinks came and went as Motohama, Matsuda, and Issei watched the girls sing their hearts out. Their party of three was narrowed to two as Asia kept pulling Matsuda out of the crowd to sing with. Issei notices this and looks at them confused. A smile stretches across his face as he looks at Motohama.
"When will it be my turn?" he asks bitterly. "I'm happy for her" he says. "What did you cast a love spell on her or something? I might be misreading this" Motohama said. "You might be Moto" Issei said, referring to Motohama by his nickname. "I did cast a spell, but not of love, but of rejection." Motohama turns to Issei in shock. "I can't have her living her whole life being attached to me. Not after knowing what I have to do.
Motohama looks at Issei with wild eyes. Issei dosn't look at him back. He instead sheds a tear as he sees the entire extended friend group all singing and goofing with each other in their various little side conversations. Issei sheds a tear as he smiles. His eyes speaking in a silent language of despair as Rias turns her head to him. Her loving smile crushes him as he stands up. "What the hell is he on about?" Motohama thought to himself as he saw Issei wrapping his arms around Rias.
"Three scotches! Make mine on the rocks" Matsuda says as he shows his PSD ID. He is served drinks, which amazes Issei. "But how?" he asks. "PSD agents no matter the age are allowed unlimited alcohol, especially minors, since they're on the front lines of one of the most dangerous areas of the military. The one condition is that we have to pass our monthly physical exams. Failing can mean paying off your whole bill at the end of the year and getting kicked out."
"I should join," Issei says as he sips his drink. "No need if pleasure is all you seek. You get the best of both worlds with us" Matsuda comments. Issei chuckles. "Yes sir, life sure is getting better for us" he says hesitantly. His smile fades as he glances over to Akia. The three boys continue to drink as they look down with shame. "Something is wrong here. Akia never liked us, and now she's inviting herself over like she's some old friend. What's going on?" Matsuda comments. "We're just paranoid" Motohama says as he is poured another shot as Matsuda rises from the bar. "We'll keep our eyes out, you two just relax for the night" Issei says as he swivels his seat. He glances over, seeing that Matsuda is having fun with the other two girls, all while Motohama picks up a conversation with a random woman sitting right next to him. He snickers as he too gets up.
"What the hell am I worried about? Akia's fine. And Matsuda is making Asia happy, vise versa. Motoman, well he's doing just fine." Issei says to himself as he watches all his friends blend in the karaoke bar. "Everything will be fine"
What the hell could possibly go wrong?
To be Continued.....