"Now, boy… if you dare tell your devil friends who we are… you know what will happen to you, right?" Scathach asked, placing the alternate Gae Bolg close to Issei's neck, and he only nodded.
(Partner, you are the unluckiest person I've ever met.) Ddraig said with certainty, and the other two Heroic Spirits agreed.
"I hate you all," Issei grumbled.
---+++----
"So then, what did you think?" Scathach asked Morrigan as the two walked together.
"That mages are a bunch of assholes," Morrigan said with rancor in her voice. "Resurrecting the dead and deceiving them to use them… it's despicable."
"I understand that… but such a powerful object and no one ever discovered it," Scathach muttered. "Either everyone became incompetent while I was secluded, or there's something fishy going on."
"From what the boy said… the Grail has some kind of protective effect," Morrigan grumbled irritably. "Of course it works, we're talking about an artifact that can grant any wish."
"Only once," Scathach sighed and gave a crooked smile. "Even so, the mages needed seven wars to finish that ritual."
"Greed is fucked up," Morrigan replied, getting even more irritated. "And all that power ended up in the hands of a minor god, thanks to the mages' stupidity."
"Typical of humans," Scathach replied dryly.
"But you were human once," Morrigan questioned.
"Exactly," Scathach replied with a happy smile.
"And the boy?" Morrigan asked. "He doesn't seem to have told everything."
"Of course he didn't," Scathach replied as if it were obvious. "That's why we're going to stick close to him and find out."
----++++----
"President… I think I discovered something about Hyoudou-kun's Sacred Gear," Kiba arrived in the room with a hurried tone.
"Never talk about that thing again," Rias shuddered just hearing about Issei's Sacred Gear. "That thing is terrifying."
"I know, and Koneko-chan, did Issei still smell like a dragon when he summoned the spear?" Kiba asked.
"My, my, why are you so focused on this?" Akeno asked curiously.
"Because I have a suspicion," Kiba said, and Rias paid attention.
"What is your suspicion, Yuto?" Rias asked, now curious.
"First I need confirmation from Koneko-chan, so I don't say something senseless," Kiba replied with a sigh and looked at Koneko, who nodded.
"When he summoned the spear, the smell of vampires and dragon was still there, but it was overwhelmed by an oppressive smell full of killing intent that felt like the scent of burning hydrogen and helium," Koneko said with fear in her voice and curled up on the sofa as if reliving a trauma.
"I knew it," Kiba said with an irritated tone.
"My, my, what upset my precious Kouhai?" Akeno asked, and everyone paid attention.
"Crimson Moon… it's the name of a spear from a famous anime character," Kiba said with an amused smile. "Hyoudou-san was literally wearing the character's shirt under his uniform."
"My, my, hahaha, so our Kouhai didn't tell us the true name of his Sacred Gear?" Akeno asked curiously. "He doesn't seem that smart, I'm surprised."
"No… Sona trusts him more than anyone, more than she trusts me," Rias said seriously. "Sona would never trust someone who seemed so superficial and perverted, unless…"
"…he's a character," Akeno became serious, her gaze tense. "That explains why he didn't get angry at you, Rias."
"What do you mean?" Rias asked, confused.
"If Issei is a character, then let's consider that he was already a vampire before being attacked," Akeno declared with an irritated look. "He only went out with the Fallen Angel because he never saw a threat in her, nor in you manipulating him."
"Damn… that's not possible. Sona really got angry when she found out what I did, but Yuto," Rias asked in shock, "what was your theory?"
Kiba pulled a book out of thin air with magic, placed it on the table, and opened it to a specific page.
"This spear was the spear of Cu Chulainn, son of the sun god Lugh," Kiba said seriously. "In its description it says that this spear was capable of exerting bloodlust and hunger for death, and Cu Chulainn was the son of Lugh, a sun god, which explains the smell of burning hydrogen and helium."
Silence fell heavily over the student council room.
Rias placed her hands on the table, her eyes fixed on the open book as if it might jump up and bite someone.
"So you're saying…" she spoke slowly, "…that what Issei carries isn't just a Sacred Gear with a strange name."
Koneko swallowed hard.
"That thing… didn't react like normal Sacred Gears. They have will, yes, but they still obey rules. That thing seemed to ignore rules."
Akeno's smile vanished. When that happened, someone always regretted it later.
"A weapon linked to a sun god that exudes killing intent."
She crossed her arms.
"What a delicious irony. The sun, which gives life, carrying a hunger for death."
"But I thought Gae Bolg wasn't a Sacred Gear," Rias asked, confused, since Cu Chulainn disappeared after God created the Sacred Gears.
"Exactly. My theory is that that isn't a Sacred Gear, but the Gae Bolg itself that Issei somehow managed to get his hands on," Kiba replied with a sigh, and silence prevailed.
---+++---
At that exact moment, Issei was sitting in his room, looking at his own hand as if it had done something offensive without permission.
"Okay, let's review."
He counted on his fingers.
"Ancient red dragon, two quarrelsome Heroic Spirits, a spear everyone seems afraid of… and now the constant feeling that I'm being analyzed like a rare insect."
(Partner,) Ddraig spoke with an unusual weight in his voice,
(you really have a talent for collecting trouble.)
"I'd rather collect cards or miniatures."
Issei flopped onto the bed.
"It would be cheaper."
---+++---
Issei complained while walking through a park when he bumped into something.
"Ow, ow."
He looked ahead and saw a beautiful blonde nun sitting on the ground, rubbing her head.
"Sorry, did you get hurt?"
Issei blinked twice.
His brain took a second to catch up with his eyes.
Nun.
Blonde.
Very beautiful.
Sitting on the ground.
Dressed like a nun.
His spirit left his body for half a second and came running back.
(Partner…) Ddraig sighed.
(take it easy.)
Issei quickly extended his hand, but stopped midway, as if he had received a delayed shock of common sense.
"S-sure! I mean—sorry! It wasn't on purpose!"
He scratched the back of his neck, averting his gaze by reflex… which lasted exactly three tenths of a second before he looked again.
Okay, Issei, focus. Don't stare. Don't stare.
He stared.
The nun lifted her blue eyes, a little watery, and smiled softly while accepting his help to stand up.
"Don't worry."
She spoke in a voice too gentle to exist peacefully.
"I was distracted."
Issei swallowed hard.
Distracted? With what? Praying? Thinking about God? Being absurdly beautiful in a public park?
"Yeah… it happens."
He laughed nervously.
"I was distracted too. Like… a lot."
(Setanta)
—Boy, control yourself.
(Vlad)
—Or at least pretend to have dignity.
Issei solemnly ignored them.
"Did you get hurt?"
He asked, leaning forward a little without realizing it.
"I just hit my head."
She touched the spot, making an involuntary pout.
Issei felt something dangerous stir inside him.
No. Not today. I already have too many problems.
"I-I mean, that's bad! Very bad! Heads are important!"
He spoke too fast.
"Do you want… ice? A hospital? An exorcist—I mean, a doctor! A normal doctor!"
The nun laughed softly.
"You're funny."
She adjusted her veil.
"My name is Asia Argento. And yours?"
Issei's heart raced.
"I-I'm Issei. Hyoudou Issei."
He pointed at himself.
"Student. Normal human. Totally not suspicious."
Asia laughed, and the two started talking.
That was when a child got hurt, and Asia went to help the child and suddenly healed them.
(Twilight Healing,) Ddraig said in an amused tone.
(you never meet anyone normal, do you, partner?)
"Damn it, it's not my fault," Issei growled.
After that, Asia returned and they continued talking until Asia told him how she ended up in Japan and was transferred to the city's church.
Issei volunteered to take her there, and they discovered that the church was in serious need of repairs.
That was when a priest appeared and took Asia inside. She said goodbye, but Issei was left with a bad feeling.
(Partner, with your luck… this story will come back. Don't worry.)