Koneko and Yuuto find themselves walking alone in the dead of night. The moonlight illuminates the universe above them as they stride in the dark alone. "Hey, you think that we're gonna last till the end of the year?" Koneko asked Yuuto as the two walked back to their houses. "What do you mean?" Yuuto asked in return.
"Well I just think we have too much tension in the group. I don't know how we could get rid of it but if we don't we're not gonna last with all this change happening." Yuuto sighs in agreement. "Yeah well, we'll just run off and live with another household." Yuuto says to Koneko winking his right eye, earning a blush from the school mascot. "Yeah sure, I wish it was that easy," she says jokingly. Yuuto looks over at Koneko as she says that and imagines an entire timeline before his eyes. He then shakes his head briefly, snapping back into the present. "I mean it though, we'll run away together" Yuuto says bluntly, earning another blush from Koneko. "What the hell are you talking about?" she asks as she tries to hide her laugh. Yuuto places his hand on hers, grasping it gently. The two continue to walk without acknowledging the current moment. "Okay" Koneko says. "As long as the others don't know. I like to keep this to ourselves." Yuuto smiles. "Of course…" he says with glee, glancing once more at Koneko's smiling face.
"Hey, wanna tell me what that was?" Rodney asks Akeno. She turns her head expecting a stern stare from him, but instead sees a compassionate smile. "You're less grumpy now" she says as she hugs him. "Hey, seriously. I'm fine now." Rodney says as he strokes Akeno's hair a little. "Come on, you can tell me anything. I'm like your best friend aren't I?" Akeno giggles as she and Rodney start to leave Issei's house. "Yeah of course. I just, it's so weird how we're doing this. Everything happened so fast, so I need some time to open up." Akeno then pauses in the middle of the street. Rodney looks back to see Akeno just staring at him smiling, almost sinisterly if her passion wasn't also flowing around her. "What's going on?" He asks her as she starts to spread her wings. I need to tell you something, and I think it'll explain a lot about us. She stood before him with a confident stance. Rodney stares at her like a lover from another life, remembering her strong commanding figure. "This time it'll be different" Rodney thought to himself.
Issei, Asia, and Rias all watched the group leave their house from Issei's bedroom window before deciding to head off to bed themselves. "It's pretty late. I'm gonna head to bed myself." Asia said. "Good night guys!" As she walks into her room Rias falls onto the bed, dragging Issei down with her. "Hey, Issei?" she asks as she starts to drift off to sleep. "Yeah?" He asks. "Why do people ghost others?" She left Issei unable to speak. "Well…" he says after taking a couple seconds to think to himself. "I don't know to be quite honest. But you know what I do know?" He says as he looks into her eyes. "Whoever ghosted you is clearly unable to see how blessed they are to have you in their lives." He pulls the sheets over and starts to snuggle into Rias's neck. "So what I would try to do is forget about them." Rias nods as she feels herself tear up a little. "And if you wanna rant or just, talk to me. I'm still all ears. I just don't know how else to answer that question." Rias smiles as she snuggles back into Issei's neck. "There's no need to answer back. Thank you." Rias says as she looks at her phone with sadness. "Maybe this isn't something that can be solved tonight" she thought as Issei's warmth comforted her spirit.
That night Issei felt his window open as a draft woke him up. He got out of bed to see his alarm clock flashing twelve oh one in the morning. "What the?"
"Follow me, Dragon Dude."
Issei heard the voice of a spirit of some kind. Confused at it's casual nature, he climbed out the window as Rias whispered his name. He looks back, sighing to himself. "I" Issei pauses, realizing Rias is sleep taking. He then jumps down onto the street and biked around his town, following the spirit as it led him into the city.
"What, the....."
Issei couldn't find the words to describe what he was looking at. Instead his jaw just dropped as he saw billboards light up with a man flying around saving the city from the giant human centipedes that once tortured it. The words thank you Dragon Dude flashed across them as they showed a red man in an iron dragon suit flying around. People were out in the streets celebrating and just living their lives as Issei stood there to witness it, all while they had no idea who this Dragon Dude was. "It's insane," Issei says, tearing up. "We'll work on the name, but this is…" He then remembers Lord Issei, who was hell bent on ruling this world in fear, creating a harem and becoming a god. "Yet at the time it seemed like the best thing in the world," he recalled. "So this is where I'm supposed to be, huh?" Issei walked into the building with no idea what he was about to run into. He knocks on the door that the spirit led him to and stands in front of the door.
"Sheesh, so we're doing this again?" He knocks on it as a strange man with black and orange hair opens it. "Woah, what the?" Issei asks as he sees the man standing right in front of him. "So, you're the man the spirit led here" he says as he sees Issei just staring at him. "What, cat got your tongue or something?"
Azazel answered "Are we supposed to uh, talk about something?" Issei asked as the man just stood there. He then steps away from the doorway. "I'm Azazel. Former fallen angel ruler, would you like a drink?" Azazel's blunt words catch Issei off guard. He holds out a tray, showing off his finest spirits. "Hey so uh, what's the deal then? Why were you just staring at me?" Issei jumps to Azazel's question, realizing he never answered him. "That hair, it feels familiar" Issei spoke softly. "I'd like a drink but I'm a minor." Azazel shrugs as he pours a glass of water. "Tap water fine then?" Issei nods as he takes a seat on the man's couch. "Cheers mate!" The two clash their glasses and drink as the night moves.
"So let me get this straight? You were just told I'd show up? And you're the "former" leader of the Fallen Angels?" Azazel nods his head as he takes a sip from his drink. "You're quite a strange man you know. So much power and you decided to stay here?" Azazel laughs as Issei gives him a strange smirk. "Why look where you are, you've separated your flesh and banished it to hell. All because it wanted what you assume I'd want." Issei jumps. "How do you know about that?" Issei says, nearly spilling his water. A moment of silence flows as Issei glances around. "Oh Issei, I'm caught up. I'm tired of this life and decided to switch things up a little. But you see I'm not some saved second generation like you guys are." He then chuckles as he leans back on his couch. "You really think that was some holy spirit leading you?" Issei finds his heart full of fear, but his mind full of courage. "No Issei. Ever since Lord Issei took quite a few of our numbers, I've been watching you. Waiting for you. You see I need your help, and I know you have no reason to help us."
Issei gets up and looks at Azazel, but with no violent intent. "I know one day we'll be fighting, but for now I need you as an ally, to fight against a greater evil, to fight against your flesh!" Issei chuckles as he sits back down and drinks. "And why? Because you offered me some booze?" He asks. "Because you're a hero, and I wanted you to see that. You're a better person than any of us. Even as a sinner you've brought so much hope to people's lives, even at your lowest of low you dedicated your heart to the ones you cared about, and put them over yourself… Dragon Dude." Issei felt his heart skip a beat as a smile grew on his face. "We're gonna work on the name," Issei says, irritated.
"I know we've screwed you over and you have no reason to help me or our fallen kind. But as a king of an entire race I need your help. You may think Hell is the only place crumbling right now, but Purgatory has always been like this. And with a power vacuum in the Kingdom of Shide and absence of the Ancient One's wisdom, our own majority kingdom here has been in a civil war. Factions are trying to fight off their great king Kokabiel. That's why they're fleeing to Earth here. That's why the supernatural barrier has been breaking, it's why you're here in the first place." Issei immediately imagined Raynare standing there in her skimpy leather boots and lingerie, haunting him, toying with him. He just stares at the man as he feels his heart start to calm down. "So all of this, Kokabiel's fault?!" Issei asks with rage lingering. "Kokabiel, and that damn Shide monster who provoked him. You can also mix in Satan and his minions into the mix. The Fallen angel himself has been cooking up a monster even worse than him, and it's causing the spiritual world to come to a close."
A moment of silence lingers.
"Issei, you have more than me at this point in life. I guess it's a lot for me to ask you to do all these things when we barely know each other. Sit down, have a drink. We may be enemies for the sins that I've committed, but that doesn't mean we can't be friends for a little while." Issei smiles as he raises his glass. "Alright then, to a truce" Issei says as the two clink their glasses. "When I've crushed my enemies among your faction, we can discuss the possibilities of a renewed contract" Issei says with a devilish grin. "And here I thought you were the killers of demons?" Azazel said jokingly. Issei sighs as he raises his glass. "One must adopt if they are to know their enemy." A warm cozy fire lit the atmosphere, allowing the two to chatter for hours about various topics. "So, you uh, you're fine with being this "enemy" of mine?" Azazel laughs as he sits back and leans against the couch. "I suppose. Mostly because I can't change anything about it. You seem casual about the whole matter, and I'm not really afraid of you." Issei just stares at the confused man. "Well, you try saying sorry? I mean I'm sure you'd be forgiven?" Azazel laughs at Issei. "Oh Issei, there's so much for you to learn." Azazel's face grows serious. "You seriously have no idea what we've done."
Azazel turns his head to Issei. We knew, me, Lucifer, the one we call Satan, and all one third of the angels who joined us. What we were doing when we left Heaven. We said screw God despite all the cool shit he's given us. All the cool powers, peace and abilities beyond our strength, his son at the time was a collection of floating words that regenerated life into our souls, pumping love into our veins like heroin. It was a high greater than flesh could ever imagine. A never ending dopamine hit. His form was always complete, but he was waiting for the inevitable before entering into it." Issei looks around for a moment, feeling relief settle into his chest, unable to find sinister clues that would scream danger to him.
"Wait, that whole living word crap my parents keep saying isn't just some weird saying?!" Azazel laughs some more before his eyes grow angry and his eyes turn red. "Issei, your parents along with the rest of the human race don't know shit." Issei takes slight offense to that. "That's why we hate them." Issei's heart sinks into his chest as his eyes grow bloodshot with anger.
"I mean, they're constantly forgiven because they're toddlers in the spiritual realm. They always will be, as long as they repent. We're full grown ass men and women who said screw you, and that hurt God way more than any mistake you people could make. You're given constant second chances and it makes our kind loathe you." Issei leans back into the couch. "The feeling is mutual, you piece of shit" Issei uttered. Issei glares back at Azazel. "Let's be honest you guys barely scare us from afar, but up close...." Azazel pauses before continuing.
"You guys can really be the worst sometimes. Scary doesn't even breach words I'm trying to find." Issei folds his legs, resting one foot onto his knee as he leans back into the couch. "All those religions you've made, every cult, every idol, every last myth and legend, they've all become a master race that dominated the spiritual realm for Satan, allowing for some of his men and some of mine to fill in the roles as gods. We have a pseudo truce when it comes to humans." Issei finds himself leaning closer to Azazel, intrigued by what he has to say. However, Azazel leans away and sits back onto the couch as he takes a sip of his drink.
"Hey Issei, you have good fortune when it comes to women, you know that?" Issei chuckles as he takes his last sip of water. "Yeah, I suppose." Azazel then takes some money and hands it to Issei. "Oh, what's this?" Issei asks. "It's for you man. Go get yourself a burger or something. Or take that lovely wife of yours on a nice date. After all the hell Lord Issei's been putting you through I'm sure you could use one. You're not a Lord like he is so you're missing out on a lot more than he or I am." Issei chuckles as he declines the money. "Thanks, but this is too low for me. Perhaps one day we'll both find a slice of happiness in someone else and toast together. Everything works out well in the end." Azazel laughs Issei off. "Oh how naive. I envy you. You've been through a lot, but it's nothing you've seen yet." Azazel takes another sip. "Go back to bed kid, I've kept you up long enough." Issei takes a look at Azazel as he begins to walk over towards the door. "Nothing you say?" Issei asks as he turns around and glares at Azazel. "You wouldn't happen to know any details of what you're speaking of?" Issei asks with green glowing eyes. "It's not a prophecy kid, it's just experience." Issei begins to turn around, snickering as he opens the door and looks back at Azazel.
"Don't mistake my optimism for naivety. You won't like the other outcome."
Issei felt his legs almost giving up as he rode back into the city to see the crowds cheering his name. "DRAGON DUDE! DRAGON DUDE" the crowd kept cheering all night, unaware of his presence. "Psh, could have come up with a better name." He says to himself as he feels a smile stretch over his face. He then keeps riding back to his house when he hears his phone ringing.
"Oh, it's Rias!" He says as he takes it out. "Hey cutie," he says. "We need you dragon dude, suit up we got a rogue devil at the abandoned warehouse." Issei smiles even brighter, cringing at the nickname. "So you heard?" He asks. "I've seen it. Everything. You're a legend now, so start acting like it!" She hangs up the phone smiling, Issei arrives slamming onto the ground like Iron Man, however he only keeps his gauntlet out as he looks around to see the others all waiting outside a warehouse.
"So this is it?" He asks, approaching the rest of the team. "We can smell it inside" Akeno says. Everyone powers up, including Asia as Issei stands with Rias leading the team. "Issei," Rodney says. "You smell like Azazel? Care to explain?" Issei looks over and smiles. "After this I have a story to share" Issei says with glaring green eyes. Rodney smiles as he creates several armored centipede legs. "We'll gladly hear it later" Rias says as she begins to power up with black and red aura all around her. Yuuto feels himself zoning out as Rias makes a battle plan.
"Yuuto? Yuuto?! KIBA?!" He looks up and scans everyone as Issei walks over in anticipation for the battle. "Were you listening? We're not fighting it inside, it's too dangerous. Rodney and Issei will if they have to but they're luring it out while we give support. You can either join them or us!" Yuuto nods as he creates a sword. "I'll see what works best in the moment." Koneko tears down the warehouse walls while Rodney walks inside first. Yuuto waits outside while Issei and Koneko join Rodney. The three all walk around the dark warehouse as a woman with whitish blond hair looks from a corner.
"It's here" Koneko says as Issei struggles to see inside. Rodney finds himself putting on his mask. "Come on James" Rodney said to himself. His mask shows off the sinister teeth of a homosapien, red gums surrounded by black leather, and a zipper splitting the teeth. "Woah, uh hello?" Issei asks as his brown eyes make contact with the woman's enchanting purple hazel mixed eyes. But suddenly she grows a giant horn in the center of her forehead and roars as she turns into a spider. "THEY'RE HERE!!!!!!" The woman leaps towards Issei and lunges her horn at him. Rodney moves Issei and strikes his sharp tentacles at it, but misses. Her eye color glows into one of Rodney's eyes, the one that remained more human. His other red and black one stares aggressively at the fallen angel as his hair turns fully white.
"DAMMIT!" He roars as Koneko gets hit by the giant skeleton like spider's acid. It burns some of her clothing off as it irritates her arm. She falls to the ground in slight pain as Issei starts to fly at it. "HEY PRINCESS! WHY YOU ZONING OUT?! GET YOUR ASS IN HERE!" Issei yells at Yuuto while watching Rodney bind up the creature as he keeps beating it. The giant spider takes his punches as it roars at him while Rodney struggles to hold its bony body in place. "YUUTO DAMMIT HURRY UP!" Yuuto rushes at it with blades flying all around him as he charges at the giant monster and slashes at it. Rodney then throws the bleeding creature around the warehouse as the other three watch it spray its green blood all over the place. "Down you go beast." Koneko says as she watches Rodney throw it out the glass roof. Rias looks up as she conjures her magic. "Alright Akeno!" Akeno conjures her magic and slams lightning down on top of the beast, frying it to a crisp when suddenly she's slammed out of the sky by Lord Issei's gauntlet.
"ISSEI?!" Rias yells when suddenly everyone else, including Issei, feels the wrath of light spears. Issei and Rodney, unlike the rest of the team, pull their spears out of their bodies and face the threat at hand as the rest of their friends feel the crippling effect of the light. "You asshole…" Issei says to Lord Issei who is standing with six more fallen angels. "Well well Issei" Lord Issei says "I'm here with my little harem no thanks to you. It seems yours attacked one of my princesses."
Meet the ladies. He puts his arm around the light skinned one who wore a skimpy outfit that was maroon. She had brown hair the same color as her skin, and appeared more human compared to the rest of the crew. "This is Malaria," Lord Issei said, pointing to the one only wearing a purple robe. She's our bishop, a healer and a good warrior with magic!" He then whistles to call over an almost naked woman, who wore nothing but a cloak to cover her whole back. "This is Ventress, you can spot her by her green hair, and you know Raynare, Milliet, Karlawaner, and Reinar, the one you just fried." Reinar heals and puts on a jacket over her bare body just like Ventress. "Oh and her, well you don't need to know her name for now, but you'll know her soon enough!" He laughs as Akeno and Rias look at Raynare, Milliet, and Karlawaner bitterly.
"Where's the creepy old dude?" Rias asked. "Yeah, the one who tried to kill me that second time?" Issei added. "Wait, these guys attacked you?" Rodney asked Issei, Akeno, and Rias, causing the others except for Ventress and Reiner to shake in fear. "Now, ladies, he's no threat with me around. He's only second to Issei and I'm Issei's better side!" Lord Issei then flashes his gauntlet as he snickers. It glowed gold as he charged its powers up. "She's no rogue devil. We've been establishing a base here but since you found it I guess we'll have to locate outside the city. It was nice seeing you again, old friend. Looks like you're enjoying the ball and chain life now!" Issei felt wrath flow through him, but Rias and Rodney stopped him from attacking. "It's not worth it," Rodney said, before taking a step towards Lord Issei. "Leave us alone, ALL of us." As Rodney glares, Lord Issei's smile only grows. "So you've figured it out" he says excitedly, looking at Akeno. "Clever dog" he says as he walks back towards his harem, who coddles him as they begin to levitate.
"You think you're terrifying because you ate Fallen ones? Yes you're right I suppose. But it won't matter. I've come for what I'm owed, which is her in my body count!" Rodney finds himself laughing as he takes off his mask. "For someone who says I'm not scary you sure are creating some distance!" Rodney then cracks his knuckle to the point of breaking his finger. "Well then come and get her" he says as he recreates his tentacles using his ability, loosening his tie in the process. Blood flies out as they begin to harden into flexible appendages.
The other fallen angels cower in fear as Rodney walks over to Lord Issei with Issei, Rias, Asia, and Koneko all behind him. Lord Issei felt rage as his eyes gleamed gold.
"DAMMIT JOKER! YOU SAID I'D HAVE INFINITE POWER!" He roars as he charges straight for Akeno. Rodney leaps into the air and blocks his attack as Issei slams his fist into Lord Issei's gut. "SCREW YOU TO HELL!" Rodney says as he slams Lord Issei back into the ground. The Harem King looked up to see that this fight was not his once an eight winged fallen angel arrived. "What's the meaning of this?" Azazel asked as he landed among his allies and associates. "You!" Reinar said as she and Ventress stood with Lord Issei. "You won't take our friends away!"
They challenged Azazel's authority as a fallen angel king.
"You seven are all out numbered and ranked, give up now. Return back home. I am not like our father who's locked us out for good. We're all damned together. Let's reason now!" But none of the fallen ones come closer to him.
"Come on guys, this man is with the devil and his new puppet Joker. You don't deal with demons now do you?" Azazel asks as the house of Gremory stood on standby with their abilities active. "He's no puppet!" Raynare shouts. "Me and my lover will be at his side when we rule the universe once more! We'll snatch it right from God and rule it as the new unholy trinity. NO! WE ARE THE HOLY TRINITY!"
Azazel just laughs at them as Lord Issei's harem all squabble over Lord Issei himself, roaring at their enemies, acting as a laughing stock to Rias and her household as they witness their enemy's house divided among themselves. "Issei, you're dead when I next see you. You understand?!" Lord Issei yells. "AND YOU!" Raynare yells to Azazel. "We're not going back to that nightmare! I'd rather be in HELL than in Purgatory! YOU HEAR ME?!"
"Issei!" Lord Issei yells. "Nice for our households to meet. Until we next see each other." He flies off, leaving a rivalry left behind. "Yeah, until next time." Issei said as he senses the presence of two more allies who have yet to arrive. Issei looks at Azazel shortly after to see the giant fallen angel standing among the group.
"Lord Azazel of Purgatory!" Rodney says as he looks at the man with a fierce glare. "I'm Rodney, son of Jason Drake of the Shide tribe" Rodney says as he approaches the fallen overlord. "Ahhhh yes" Azazel says as he walks over with his hand extended. Rodney nods his head as he takes Azazel's hand and shakes it. "And I'm Rias Gremory. Heir to the Gremory Household." She shakes Azazel's hand as well. "Ah yes, I've heard all about you. You're the famous princess of the most powerful clan in Hell, and you're husband here, I've heard even more about him." Rias looks over to Issei as he scans Azazel carefully. "Issei, how do you two know each other?" Rias asks Issei. "He's here to help us with my twin problem" Azazel chuckles. "I sure am, it looks like the kingdom I've built isn't lasting any longer." Azazel sits down on the ground in pain as Rias and the others all comfort him. "Issei, Lord Issei is Satan's right hand man, and his left hand goes by the name of Joker." A bolt of lightning strikes the sky, followed by thunder. "Wait a second" Rias says to Azazel. "So you knew about this, all of this?" She asked. Azazel nods to her question before feeling her heart break. "Then why? Why didn't anyone tell us we were slaves?" Rias's eyes begin to tear up as Azazel looks down at her with a blank face. Issei walks up to her and hugs her, looking up at Azazel who yawns a little. "Are you kidding me Rias? Do you think that the humans who played devil had any allies?" Rias's eyes widen as she looks over at Azazel.
"We were never your friend, we're beings with shitty character. Most won't admit it, but I'll be the first." Azazel then lights up a cigarette. "Look, it's not that important right now. Why is Lord Issei after Akeno?" Issei asks. Akeno looks at everyone as she lands on the ground and looks down at the ground in shame. Rodney walks over to her, knowing her secret and looks at the others as he hugs her, covering her chest as he lowers her robes, exposing her back. Not before he checks with her. She nods at him, giving him the okay as he goes through with it.
"Guys, Akeno"
"Only one of her wings are bare bone devil wings, the other is covered in….
feathers."
Akeno stood with one devil wing extended out. The other wing grafted with flesh and feathers.
To be Continued....