After a quick recovery for Rias' Peerage, thanks in no small part to Asia, the group of teens huddled up together. Akeno and I snapped our fingers in unison, summoned our respective transportation circles, and we all teleported away. Immediately, we found ourselves in a dark, spooky forest. The sky above us was an odd mix of red and purple, and the colors were swirling around like energy waves. Huh, this technically means I'm in hell, doesn't it?
"Welcome to the Familiar's Forest!" Akeno proclaimed cheerfully. "Home to any number of magical creatures, wild animals, and even sentient peoples." She smiled at Issei, Asia, and myself. "This is the ideal location for one to find a suitable familiar. We have 12 hours to find one for all three of you." She explained.
"Ideal location?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "Is that to imply there are other places where one can find familiars?" I inquired in curiosity.
"Oh, indeed." She confirmed. "Some of the Yokai of Kyoto are willing to form the bond with the right person, there are some hidden locations on Earth where one can find various magical creatures, and you can even form the bond with a regular animal, providing them with the sentience and longevity to serve you as long as you need." She listed. "There are also several other realms with their own wildlife, as I'm sure you know." She gave me a look.
"That is true." I conceded. Hades once took me to the river of Cocytus to try and tame one of those horses. I failed miserably.
"So, where's this helper guy?" Issei asked, scratching his head.
"Familiar Master, Issei." Rias corrected him with a sigh. "He's an expert on familiars and their abilities. He'll help you make the best choice." She explained.
"As the sky is blue, that is true!" A cheerful voice caught our attention. We all followed the sound and found the owner of said voice to be… A middle-aged Ash Ketchum…
"Right, that's a thing apparently." I thought with a facepalm. A few people present found my reaction amusing.
"I am Zatouji, Familiar expert man! Want a companion for life, find one I can!" He said with a wide grin and a peace sign.
"Right, and so is that…" I let out a loud groan.
"Everything alright, Damon?" Rias asked with an amused smiled.
"The rhyming…" I bit out, shuddering. Rias and Akeno shared a quiet giggle.
"So tell me! What do you seek?" Zatouji asked as he jumped down to the ground. "A big one? A small one? One that can speak?" He asked, placing a hand on his hip. I twitched in place, holding my groans in.
"Zatouji, these are Issei and Asia, my two new servants." Rias introduced her Pawn and Bishop respectively. "This here is Damon, he is my hired bodyguard. He will be accompanying us." She went on, gesturing to me.
"A nerdy white boy, a bodacious blonde, and a random stranger from the far beyond." He inspected the three of us. "This batch is bitchin! Let's get kickin!" He said cheerfully, turning on his heel and marching on. We all followed. "We have 12 hours to find what you need! 12 hours to nip this one in the bead!"
"Doesn't it go; nip in the bud?" I asked, scratching my head.
"I'm rhyming! Not criming!"
"The fuck does that even mean?" I asked, utterly bamboozled.
"Just go with it." Rias sighed tiredly. "He did the same thing the last time we were here." She told me, making me groan again.
"This is going to be a long twelve hours…" I mumbled. "Should have commissioned the Abe family." I sighed.
"They're very picky about who they supply with beasts," Rias said with an amused smile as we walked.
"And I can be very persuasive," I responded, shoving my hands in my pockets.
After about 15 minutes of walking, we found ourselves standing before a rather broad lake, the water still as a paused tv, without a single ripple traveling through it. The light of the moon reflected off of it beautifully.
"This lake is a beauty, full of life and light. Living within are Undine and Sprites." Zatouji proclaimed as we all stared.
"Sprites?!" Issei exclaimed, a wide grin on his face.
"Yes indeed, with beautiful bodies and power! One at your side, and enemies will cower." Zatouji told him.
Right, I remember this. On one hand, fuck that shit. No way in hell am I going anywhere near that. On the other, I can already see Issei drooling and panting. Fuck, this is gonna be hilarious!
"And I can do whatever I want with my familiar, right?" He asked of his King.
"Yes…?" Rias trailed off, confused.
"Are you being dense on purpose?" I asked under my breath.
"You're one to talk." She shot back, making me look at her in confusion.
"Here we are, a Sprite on par!' Zatouji exclaimed as the water rippled. Here it comes~
As a figure emerged from the water, I had to keep my laughter in, which was becoming increasingly difficult. As the muscular monstrosity turned and showed itself in its full glory, everybody flinched.
"Aaaaaah!" Issei screamed in terror. I lost it and fell to the ground laughing.
"Hahahahahahahaha!" I started banging my fist on the ground, seeing Issei's face. "Ahahaha! You should have guessed that this guy…" I gestured to Zatouji, snickering. "Would perceive beauty in a much different way to yourself Issei." I laughed, unable to stand up. "Oh, my sides! Hahahaha!" I continued my laughing fit.
"Fuck you!" Issei screamed at me from behind a tree.
"No thanks, but I think the Sprite may be interested." I shot back through my snickering.
"Bad idea my good friend, she and another are about to fight to the end," Zatouji spoke up. We all saw that, as he had said, another Sprite, just as muscular and big as the first one, had shown up. They both looked ready for a fight. "They battle for territory, food, and whatnot. We should leave; strike while the iron is hot." Zatouji advised. As the two Sprites shot towards one another, we all decided to follow his suggestion.
"What fuck was that?" I asked as I saw something zoom right past my eyes.
"What was what?" Rias asked as we all stopped. Everyone turned their attention to me. As they did, that same thing zoomed through the air, right in front of Rias. As a result, a horizontal slash appeared on her blouse, showing off some cleavage.
"That," I answered. Everyone was now on their guard.
"I didn't even see that…" Kiba murmured. A yelp escaped from Akeno, and we all turned our attention to her. Her skirt had been slashed, taking off a considerable amount of its length, which wasn't exactly abundant.
"My my, this creature certainly is naughty." She said, smiling serenely. The thing zoomed past my face, and I immediately felt the blood drip down my cheek. Narrowing my eyes, I reached out with my senses. The only thing I felt was a predatory thrill, no doubt coming from whatever is assaulting us. This time, it was directed at…
"Asia." I got the blonde girl's attention. "Do not. Move. A muscle." I told her sternly. Her eyes wide, she obeyed, not even daring to breathe. Slowly, carefully, I tiptoed towards the young Bishop. Just the mysterious assailant started to move, I reached out.
"Got it!" I proclaimed as my hands stopped right next to Asia's stomach.
"What is it?" Rias asked, walking over to me. In my hands, struggling, there was a bird. It looked almost like a magpie, like the ones found in Australia, but instead of the typical black and white coloration, it's feathers were a strange shade of yellow and orange. Almost like a dull bronze, without the metallic shine. It's beak, however, seemed to be made of actual bronze, and it was sharp. Its eyes were a deep, luminous green.
"It's a Stymphalian Bird." Zatouji and I said in unison.
"Finding one alone? Absurd!" He added on, making me roll my eyes.
"Aren't those the man-eating birds with bronze beaks from Greek Mythology?" Akeno asked, giving me a look.
"Man-eating?!" Issei stepped back, giving the bird a nervous look.
"Correct you are," I told her, looking at the bird. It was glaring at me fiercely. "Although they don't usually eat people. That's a myth." I corrected her. "Well, not entirely. They do eat the corpses of people who are already dead." I explained.
"What's one doing out here alone?" Rias frowned. "Aren't they flock birds?" She asked of the Familiar Master.
"Correct, my dear red-headed lady. Finding one alone is quite shady." Zatouji affirmed. The bird let out a loud caw, clearly not happy with his situation.
"So, do I just let it go?" I asked.
"That may be best. Else, he might call the rest." Nodding, I tossed the bird up, allowing it to fly off.
Instead, however, it turned in the air and swooped right past my head, leaving behind another scratch. These things really are like magpies, aren't they?
"Uh, guys?" Issei squeaked, pointing to the trees shakily. We followed his gaze to the branches, and sure enough, there were dozens of Stymphalian Birds, in there. They were all asleep.
"What do we do?" I asked the Familiar Master in a frantic whisper.
"If we just stay quiet and walk with no fuss, I doubt that any of them will notice us." He whispered back. Nodding, we all followed his lead, continuing along the path with silent footsteps as we can manage. However, at the worst possible time, my phone bleeped; text message alert. This caused all of the birds' eyes to shoot open.
"Fuck."
"No fuss, not even going to notice us, eh?" I asked in annoyance as we trudged along the path. Everyone present, except Zatouji, had their clothes slashed to almost nothing. Kiba and Issei had numerous holes in their shirts, their pants were shortened greatly, and their jackets didn't have sleeves anymore.
Koneko was the worst of all. The birds had been rather nasty towards her. All she had were her shoes, stockings, though they were basically fishnets now, and her panties. She covered her bare chest with what remained of her skirt. The glare on her face was similar to what Kuroka gave me in her cat form when I demanded she bathed. When she refused, I grabbed her and bathed her myself. In cat form, perverts. She was not happy with me.
Asia wasn't so bad, but her face was red as an apple as she futilely tried to cover up her exposed skin. Her blouse was mostly ok, but it had lost all of the buttons, and her skirt looked like something a hooker would wear now.
Rias looked decidedly irritated, her lacy red bra and skirt being the only things she had covering herself now. She was grateful her shoes were still wearable.
Akeno seemed to be the only one who didn't care much about what happened. Her skirt was gone, and so were her stockings and shoes. Her blouse had no buttons, and for some reason, she had opted not to wear a bra. Her legs were completely bare, her blouse had no buttons, and her choice of underwear was a really skimpy thong.
As for me? I was completely topless, my jeans looked like something a meth addict named Travis would wear, and my toes were sticking out of my boots. The worst part? Akeno was walking right in front of me, her exposed ass jiggling with every step she took. As an ass man, I couldn't help but stare.
"It's not my fault you didn't turn off your phone." Zatouji shot back at me. "The responsibility here is entirely your own." He huffed. I'd be more apologetic if he hadn't gotten away unscathed.
"Thanks a lot, Damon," Issei grumbled. Knowing him, that was probably quite sincere on his part. Sighing, I pulled out my phone, opening the text. It was from Raynare. My eyes widened when I saw the image she'd attached. It was a bathroom mirror selfie, in which she just barely covered her breasts and crotch. She had a seductive smile on her face, biting her lip softly, and she was covered in droplets of water. Her hair also clung to her body. Clearly, she'd just gotten out of the shower.
'Waiting for you to come home.' The text said. I swallowed a lump in my throat. Between what we had done on the couch a few hours ago, the sight of Akeno's nearly bare ass in front of me, and now this picture, I'm suddenly feeling quite hot and bothered.
'You're going to be the death of me.' I texted back. Rias was evidently amused at my red face and suddenly very tight pants. My phone went off again. Another picture.
'Kala says hi, by the way.' This time, the picture was of both Raynare and Kalawarner, also in the mirror, pressing their chests against one another, both naked, each with seductive grins on their faces. Apparently, they showered together. An image in my head that didn't really help my predicament.
'And, I'm dead. You two killed me.' I texted before turning my phone off and pocketing it. Wait, how did the signal get from there to here? Aren't I in the Underworld currently? Eh, whatever.
As we continued on, I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my foot.
"What the fuck?!" I snapped in Koneko's direction as she glared at me. She stomped on my foot.
"You're staring at Akeno-senpai." She glared, fuming. Everybody looked at me with various expressions, Akeno's one of amusement and… Wait, is she happy about this? She's smiling brightly, not just in amusement. Dammit, Koneko! Did you have to?!
We'd been walking for several hours when we found something of mild interest again. Akeno had used her magic to summon some uniforms from the clubroom. They weren't full uniforms, so everyone was still exposed in one way or another, but it was better than before. Or worse, if you're Issei. He didn't get to ogle the girls anymore. At least I had a shirt again. I admit it was kind of disappointing when Akeno put a skirt on again. No point in denying that I have an extreme sexual attraction to this girl.
Still, she didn't stop teasing me as we went along, swaying her hips, bending over, stopping in front of me and pushing her ass into my crotch...
I think it's time I stop kidding myself. I've tried to convince myself that there's no way Akeno would be attracted to me, mainly because I wanted to avoid confusion or an awkward situation. But, there's no way she would go this far just to tease someone. She teased Issei in Canon because she knew Rias liked him and wanted to rile up her best friend, and as time went by, she grew stronger feelings for him. But with me, there's no one to rile up. Raynare and Kalawarner would encourage me. Hell, they might even try to get her themselves before I did.
The real question is, what do I feel for her? Yes I feel a sexual attraction to her, yes there is some great sexual chemistry between us, and I know she feels it too. But is there more? Can there be? To be honest, the way she shunned Barakiel is an emotional turn-off. I'm not sure if I want to-
"Eep!" I let out a high pitched squeak as I froze. I just heard something terrible. Remember when I said we found something of interest? Well, it would be more accurate to say that it found us.
"Damon?" Rias looked at me, utterly befuddled. "Did you just squeak?" She asked me.
"That was him?" Issei gasped. "I thought it was Asia." He said honestly, making the girl pout.
"He's looking a little pale." Kiba noticed, staring at me in interest.
"It's almost like he saw a ghost." Even Asia threw in a comment. Akeno was just giggling. Zatouji looked at me inquisitively.
Stiffly, I turned my head to the direction I'd just heard that horrible sound. The sound that belongs to the spawn of Satan. And yes, I see the irony of that statement. Sure enough, there, in all of it's long, slithery, scaly horror, it lay on a rock, staring at me with its evil eyes and terrifying forked tongue.
A snake, thirty centimeters in length.
"Aaaah!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, making everybody present almost jump out of their shoes. I jumped up as high as I could, and grabbed onto the closest thing I could, which happened to be a tree branch. Immediately, I wrapped both arms and my legs around it, suddenly very stiff as I did so. "Get it away!" I cried out loud, my muscles locked around the branch. Things were silent for a moment, and I think maybe everyone laughed at me for a few moments, I'm not sure. I was too frozen with terror.
"Uhm, Damon?" I heard someone call out to me. I think it was Rias. "Are you ok?" She asked.
"I'm clinging to a tree and my muscles aren't responding when I tell them to move…" I responded through gritted teeth. "I'm doing great." I snarked. She sighed and picked up the snake, tossing it away. I appreciated the gesture, but it wasn't helping with my current predicament.
"I've seen men come with abundant fear. I should have mentioned basilisks were near." Zatouji piped up.
"WHAT!?" I screamed. That did it. The shock of Zatouji's statement got my muscles to listen. I fell to the ground, but didn't stay there long. I immediately shot back. "Basilisks?!" I demanded. "As in, 'look you in the eye and kill you' basilisks?" I asked. He made to respond, but I cut him. "The same basilisks that die when they hear a rooster's call? That have venom so powerful even some Gods get nervous around them? The same basilisks that-" I stopped when I heard another hiss.
"Uh-oh…" Rias mumbled, looking at me with concerned eyes. I turned my glare towards the source of the hiss; another snake, even smaller than the last one.
"TAKE THAT YOU SLITHERY SPAWN OF SATAAAAAAN!" I howled at the top of my lungs, conjuring a ball of golden flame and hurling it at the monster. A number of acres were destroyed by the attack. I stood there, panting heavily. "I'm Ok! I'm ok." I assured everyone present, who looking at me with no small amount of concern. I took a deep calming breath, which was unfortunately interrupted by another hiss. "DIE DEVIL WORM!" I howled, spinning to face the source of the hiss, this time charging up a significantly more powerful blast of black flame. I let it rip without a second thought.
Now, I've always known that I was a fairly powerful individual. I am the Demigod son of a DEATH GOD. Someone like that is bound to be powerful. But when emotions like fear are thrown into the mix, especially the bone-chilling terror that snakes instill in me, power has a way of surprising you. Remember the episode of the DxD anime where Issei boosts twelve times and destroys a mountain? Imagine that, but multiply it by five and you have a small idea of what I am capable of. And that's with most of my power sealed away.
"Holy shit…" Issei gasped, seeing the damage I caused. Everyone was staring at me in awe. "I always knew he was strong, but…" He trailed off. I don't think he knew he was talking aloud.
"You." I pointed at the Familiar Master, who jumped as my gaze met his eyes. "In what direction is the closest area that has no snakes?" I demanded. He didn't say anything. He just pointed to the west of our current direction. "That's where I'm headed." I turned to Rias, who was still staring at me in a mix of shock… and is that understanding? "Contact me when you're done here," I told her, crouching. Before anyone could say anything else, I jumped up, using my strength and magic to propel me into a hulk-like jump in the west direction. As soon as I was far enough away that no one could see me, I let out my wings, and shot through the air a couple hundred kilometers.
This forest is huge.
{You are so unbelievably pathetic…} Eris commented in my mind. {Throwing a fit of fear over a couple of basilisk hatchlings that didn't even have fangs yet, let alone developed their Death Gaze?} She asked.
"Well, I'm sorry for having Ophidiophobia!" I snapped as I strolled through the forest, my hands in my pockets.
{Now you just sound pretentious.} She responded dully.
"Look, I can't stand snakes, alright?" I snapped. "Chaos forbid I have to fight against your brother," I mumbled.
{Midgardsormr? Yes, that would be problematic.} She mused. {I've read your memories. Does one of his clones not appear? As well as Vritra?} She asked, sounding quite amused.
"Yes…" I bit out. She made a good point. Still, I didn't want to think about that right now. "Do you know anywhere I can find a decent familiar?" I asked of her.
{Why find one, when you can have one find you?} She queried mysteriously, making raise an eyebrow.
"Say what?" I mumbled. I heard her sigh.
{How do wolves signal their positions to other wolves?} She went with a more direct question.
"They howl," I responded.
{Exactly.}
"You want me to howl?" I was taken aback by this.
{Yes. A suitable familiar will recognize the power behind your howl. Anything not will just think a random lone wolf is calling out.} She explained.
"Doesn't that basically guarantee a wolf? Orr at least a wolf-like familiar?" I asked.
{Not necessarily, but would that be so bad?} Eris was remarkably skilled at the debate game.
"No, I suppose not." I conceded. "But, how do I howl in such a way that actually sounds like it's worth following?" I asked.
{Step one, find some higher ground, with an extensive view.} She instructed. Alrighty then…
"This should do nicely," I said as I overlooked the view from the position I'd found. I'd come across a really large hill, traversed the height with little issue, and made it to the top. The forest was truly a sight to behold. Even in the distance, I could see the damage I'd caused when I was assaulted by those hideous creatures. I never understood how someone could like snakes.
Lifeless beady eyes, the tails, long and grotesque bodies, and the fangs… No thank you.
{Now you howl.} Eris told me, snapping me from my thoughts.
"Something tells me that it's not as simple as 'uh-ooh' or any of that shit," I said bluntly.
{You are correct. A wolf's vocal cords are adapted specifically for howling and other such sounds. Yours are not.} She affirmed. {You will have to do it differently.}
"You don't saaaay!"
{Focus.} She instructed, ignoring my sarcasm. {Breath. Feel the wolf inside of you, feel it's instincts, feel it's power.} She spoke softly, serenely. With a deep breath, I closed my eyes and attempted to follow what she was instructing. {Remember how it felt when you fought the Fallen Angel Lionel. Remember the animal instinct, the ferality.} Eris went on. I frowned slightly, my eye twitching as I began to catch onto what she was saying.
I felt a tightness in my chest as I began to mentally replicate the feeling through my memories. I let out a grunt as I felt my canines grow into fangs, and my fingernails grow into claws as my breath became a little more labored and fast-paced. The warmth under my eyelids told me that my eyes were probably glowing. I felt an animalistic growl build in my throat as the tightness in my chest began to escalate.
{Very good.} Eris complimented. {Now, when you're ready, let it out.} She instructed. With that, I opened my eyes, and my lips curled into a snarl. I took a deep breath, and let the build in my chest release.
The Gremory Peerage strolled along the worn paths of the forest, the Familiar Master pointing out all of the potential candidates in the area as they went. They'd already been in the forest for several hours, and the journey was starting to wear down on them. Even after all this time, they'd yet to find a suitable Familiar for either Issei or Asia. Most of them wondered how Damon was doing on that front.
Suddenly, they all stopped as a loud, piercing, terrifying sound hit their ears. It was like the roar of a giant beast staking its claim on the land. Everyone had a different theory on what it might have been. Perhaps Tiamat, or another dragon, or some kind of land-dwelling Godzilla. One they knew for certain; that beast was huge and incredibly strong.
"Holy shit!" Issei gasped, shuddering in fear as Asia grabbed a hold of him. "I don't even wanna know what did that," he mumbled.
"Me neither." Asia whimpered, clutching the boy's arm tightly.
"It was a dog of some kind." Koneko piped in, shuddering herself.
"How would you know?" Issei asked with a raised eyebrow.
Koneko glared at him. "I know." She said sternly.
"Whatever it was, I'd rather not run into it," Rias spoke up.
"I agree, Gremory." Zatouji nodded.
"We should pick up the pace," Kiba suggested. Everybody nodded in agreement and made haste to follow the path.
"What about Damon? He's still out there." Akeno reminded everyone, her worry evident.
"He's a powerful man Akeno. I'm sure he's fine." Rias assured her Queen. Although, if she was being honest with herself, she wasn't entirely certain.
{You can stop grinning now. It wasn't that impressive.} Eris deadpanned as I sat on a rock, a wide grin on my face.
"Oh come on! It was awesome!" I defended, crossing my arms.
{I never thought you would toot your own horn.} She huffed. I could practically feel her rolling her eyes in the crevices of my mind.
"Whatever. How long do you think it'll be before something interesting comes along?" I asked. I'd been sitting on the rock for about an hour, and seen several different creatures come by. A couple of Dire Wolves who were too old to tame, a small dragon or two. A Hydra even walked by, spared me a glance, and carried on. There were these red lizards that I'm fairly certain were Salamanders, but Eris advised against since they wouldn't fit well in the human world.
I even got flirted with by a Water Nymph, who teased me a bit, since she was naked, and left with a grope of my ass. I decided that she wouldn't be a good fit, as Hades himself had advised me to stay as far away from Nymphs of any kind as possible. They were notorious for tempting Gods and Demigods, and I'm like 90% sure she knew I was one of the latter. Even if none of that mattered, Nymphs hate the human world. Not enough nature, and too much pollution. She was disappointed, but left without a fuss. Aside from a wild Hellhound that I had to chase off because it was attacking me, I didn't see many more interesting creatures.
Except for…
{How about now?} Eris asked with a smirk in her voice. Before I could ask what she meant, I heard a loud, steady beating sound. Almost like the wings of a…
"Dragon…" I whispered, seeing the massive blue beast show itself in the sky. It was rather high, but it emerged from the clouds and was looking straight at me. Its scales were a pale shade of blue, like the human world sky, and its eyes were a piercing amber, almost luminous.
{This is a pleasant surprise.} Eris said. I think she was smiling, judging by her tone of voice. The dragon let out a rumble as it slowly descended. Immediately, I readied myself for a fight. {That will not be necessary.} The Helheim Hound told me simply as the dragon landed right in front of me, flattening a few trees in the process. Though Eris says there's no need to be on guard, I can't help but feel quite nervous as this giant monster stares down at me. It's at least the size of a mansion. Maybe larger.
"I thought I recognized that howl." The voice that came from the dragon proved that it was female. "Welcome back to the land of the living Eris." She said, the lips of her snout curling up into a smirk.
{Yes, good to see you Tiamat.} Eris responded.
"It speaks," I said, surprised. "And apparently, you two know each other," I said, looking at the eye-like gems that had appeared on my hand.
{Tiamat and I have known each other since before I was stored in the Treasure.} Eris explained. I see…
"Wait, Tiamat? As in, the Dragon King Tiamat?" I asked, looking at the beast with wide eyes. "AKA, the Chaos Karma Dragon?" I gaped.
"Hm, good to get some recognition in this boring forest." The beast gave a satisfied smile. How do these creatures make their expressions look so human?! "Before anything else, allow me to change into something a little more comfortable." She said, suddenly shrinking in size. Her scales seemed to sink into her flesh, her fangs got smaller with every passing second, and sky blue hair began to grow out of her scalp. Within a few moments, a beautiful looking woman was standing before me, wearing nothing but a thing, pale blue dress that went down to her ankles, with long sleeves. It wasn't all that spectacular a dress, but she made it work.
She was what I'd call a 'mature beauty.' Not unlike Kalawarner, she had the appearance of a woman in her late 20s or early 30s. But, she was definitely quite a bit older than that. Her hair was long and wavy, the color of the sky. Her figure was a lot like Kala's as well, with broad hips, a slim waist, and a generous bust. Her lips were full and plump, and to say she had a pretty face would be an understatement. Her eyes were like two amber gems in her head, with narrow slits as pupils. Long story short, she was GORGEOUS.
"It's been some time since I've met a Godling." She commented, looking me up and down. "Clearly, you've been here for several hours." She said, amused by my current state. I suddenly felt very shy around this woman. "What brings you here?" She asked in curiosity.
"Why does anyone come to the Familiar Forest?" I asked in response. Great Damon, just great. Sarcasm towards a Dragon King that can swallow you whole.
"Why indeed." She chuckled, smirking at me. "And before you ask, no." She told me.
"I wasn't going to," I told her. "If you wanted to be a Familiar, you would have already." I guessed.
"He can think." She quipped, her hands on her hips.
{One of his more positive traits.} Eris chimed in.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, glaring at the gems on my hand. Shaking my head, I turned my attention back to the Dragon King. "May I asked what brings you here?" I asked of her.
"I felt my old friend's power and decided to come take a look." She answered simply, walking closer to me. "So which one are you? Apollo? Kojin? Maybe Amaterasu?" She narrowed her eyes, as if inspecting me. "No, you're English, so perhaps something Celtic or Welsh... Brijit maybe?" She mumbled. I wasn't sure if she was talking to me or herself at this point.
"I'm sorry, but I'm under orders not to reveal that," I told her. Well, the actual order Hades gave me was to keep it as quiet as possible. Things like this have a way of getting out, and it won't be long before the entire supernatural world knows about me. But, with groups like the Khaos Brigade forming, it's a good idea to keep it secret for as long as I can. I only told Rias and Sona because I needed them to trust me, the same with Kalawarner, who figured out what I was. I told Raynare because I believe in honest communication with a romantic partner. I know that's a little contradictory on my part, given how I hid my insecurities from her. However, hiding who you are, and hiding some bad thoughts are very different in my book.
Maybe it's time I start reading a new book…
"Can I at least know your name?" She asked. "Your true name." She clarified before I could answer.
"Altair." I introduced myself. She smiled at me.
"Interesting." She responded, crossing her arms. She looked me over again and gave a light hum. "If you want a good familiar, head north of here to the large field, around an hour's walk. It's basically a nursery for hatchlings, pups, and various other young creatures that don't stick to their parents. You should find something tamable there." She told me.
"Uh, thank you," I said, surprised. I wasn't expecting her to help.
"Your window of opportunity is closing, so I suggest you make haste. The sun will rise soon, and there are seldom any creatures that come out when it's not a full moon." She advised.
"Oh, yes, I will be going then," I said, clearing my throat. "Thank you again." I nodded at her.
"Do come by some time, I'd like to catch up with Eris at some point," Tiamat told me. I nodded again.
{Brief as it was, it was nice seeing you.} Eris told her old friend.
"And to you as well," Tiamat responded, looking at me again. "We'll meet again young Hero. Count on that." She said mysteriously, a large set of draconic wings emerging from her back. With a single flap of the appendages, she took off into the air, at a greater speed than I could manage at this point. I'm impressed.
You have got to be kidding me…
Instead of wasting an hour walking to the field Tiamat had directed me to, I opted to fly instead, covering the distance in a matter of minutes. I'd found it easily enough, and landed at the very edge. The field was nothing but a massive area of grass. Tall grass. It went all the way up to my waist. Even at the very edge of the field, I could see a number of areas shaking and moving, clearly having small critters or something walking around in them.
"First it's Zatouji, and now this?" I asked the air. "How many more Pokemon rip-offs are there in this world?" I rolled my eyes.
{The answer to that may surprise you.} Eris responded dully, making me sigh.
"Let's get this over with." I sighed. Just as I was about to enter the field, something caught my eye. Huddled against a tree at the edge of a field, there was a tiny little ball of white fluff. No way in hell was it not a living creature, so I decided to investigate. Carefully, I took silent steps towards the little white fuzzball. I guess I wasn't as silent as I thought, because after a few seconds, the creature lifted its head to look at me. I nearly swooned.
"That has to be the cutest little thing I've ever seen…" I thought to myself with wide eyes.
{Don't let the Black Cat hear you say that.} Eris quipped in my head. I ignored her in favor of what I definitely knew I wanted as my familiar, if only because of its cuteness.
There, laying on the ground before me, was tiny, silver, baby fox. It looked up at me with luminous, beautiful, silver-blue eyes. That was it. I was under this creature's spell. I was in love. I wanted it. This is my familiar, whatever it is.
{I could tell you, but I won't.} Eris seemed to think something was funny, but I didn't listen. I was too enchanted by the adorable little thing in front of me. Kneeling down to make myself smaller, I smiled at the little thing.
"Hey there…" I whispered, slowly reaching out. The fox cub flinched and started backing away, clearly frightened by my approach. "No no! It's ok!" I said as I stopped, stepping back. The baby fox stopped backing up, giving me a weary look. "I just want to be friends," I said as I sat down on the ground. Since most animals think more about food than anything else, I snapped my fingers, summoning a minute steak from a convenience store not far from my house. I'm sure they won't miss one tiny steak the size of my palm. The baby fox immediately perked up at the sight and scent of the meat. "You a hungry fox?" I asked a giddy grin. "Here, nosh on this," I said, tossing the steak. Immediately, the baby fox pounced and caught the steak. Nice reflexes.
I almost cooed out loud as I watched the little cub devour the meat. Something about animals eating is just so cute, especially the babies. My mother used to have a Yorkshire Terrier that would devour her food whenever she was fed, and I would coo over her. Now, this little fox is doing the same thing. Wait, I wonder-
{It's female.} Eris answered for me before I could ask.
"Thanks," I responded as they fox polished off the last of the steak.
As the little dear finished eating, it licked its lips and sat in front of me, staring at me, not a single trace of fear or uncertainty in its eyes anymore. It was staring at me with an almost expectant gaze.
"I… I'm going to pat you now, OK?" I asked, slowly reaching out. The cub… nodded...? as I slowly reached closer to it. When my hand was in reach, it nudged closer to it, as if impatient. As I slowly started petting her between her ears, she purred happily, wagging her tail. Right, foxes are canines, and they're one of the few creatures other than cats that can purr when they're happy. "Aw, you're so cute!" I cooed happily. I don't think she noticed though; she was too engrossed in the petting.
{Your affection for animals is touching, but we do have a time limit on our hands.} Eris reminded me. Right.
"So, little one, what say you?" I asked as I stood up. The little fox huffed irritably as I stopped the petting. "You wanna come with me?" I asked. "There will be plenty of food, a warm place to sleep, and lots of cuddles." I offered. The tiny fox let out a yip and actually climbed up my body to rest on my shoulder. She was round about the size of a baby Yorkshire Terrier. Probably isn't much older either. "You are just too cuuuute!" I cooed again, nuzzling her with my cheek. She responded in kind, purring contently.
{This is going to be a regular thing, isn't it?} Eris asked with a sigh.
"Who has the cuteses? You do! Yes, you do!"
Now all I have to do is find the others.
"Iyaaaa!"
There they are.
I calmly and casually walked through the forest towards the location where the sounds were coming from, my new little foxy companion comfortable on my shoulder. Truth be told, I half expected her to see something shiny and then just run off, but that didn't happen. I was delighted. I really wanted this little fox to stay with me.
After about 20 minutes of walking and navigating, I found the Gremory Peerage. They were exactly as I expected them to be. The girls were covered in slime and had only their underwear left, Kiba had that same slime over his eyes and was trying to slash at it, failing miserably, Zatouji just stood there with his arms crossed and slime over his own eyes, and Issei was ogling the girls with a perverted expression and drool dripping out the corner of his mouth. With a sigh, I threw a coin-sized orb of crimson flame at his head, sending him backward into the ground.
"Foxy, use Ice Beam!" I cried out dramatically, pointing at the slime.
{Seriosuly?!}
"Do not take this away from me!" I mentally snapped. "If the universe is going to throw all those Pokemon references at me, I'm going to throw one back!"
I didn't actually expect the baby fox on my shoulder to use a Pokemon move. Even less did I expect her to suddenly leap from my shoulder, onto my wrist, take a deep breath, and let out a torrent of icy blue lightning from her mouth. What the fuck!?
The lightning hit the slime on all the girls, and it froze stiff, shattering into pieces.
"Slimy, no!" Issei cried out in horror. "What is wrong with you!?" he screamed at me in outrage, tears flowing from his eyes. "I was going to use his titty exposing powers to experience paradise!" He raged. It was comical, really, but I kept a straight face.
"Just because you can't get laid, doesn't mean you get to take away a girl's right to choose whether or not you see her naked, Issei," I said coldly. He flinched at my tone.
"Thank you, Damon," Rias said with a sigh, covering up her chest.
"My oh my, you are a lucky guy!" Zatouji exclaimed as he saw what was on my hand. The little fox crawled back to shoulder, wary of the strangers.
"What?" I asked of him.
"You really don't know? That's a baby Kumiho!" he exclaimed. Kumiho?
"Isn't that the Korean version of a Kitsune?" I asked, scratching my head for a second. I'm all but an expert on Greek Mythology, but Asian? I know some, but not a lot, admittedly.
"A very good find Damon." Akeno smiled at me. Don't look at her rack, don't look at her rack!
Whoa, Deja Vu.
"Thanks."
"Uhm, Buchou-san?" Asia piped up. Hers were the clothes that survived the most. Also, she had a small blue Dragon resting on her shoulder.
"Well." Rias clapped her hands together, uncaring of the fact that her chest was now on full display. "Two familiars out of three is not a bad outcome." She decided. "What's say we transport back home?" She suggested to everyone.
"I have never been so happy to listen to someone else's idea before." I sighed out loud, petting the baby fox on my shoulder. "Any advice for taking care of this little girl?" I asked of the Familiar Master.
"Meat and plants are their diet, little more. You can have her sleep in a tree, or…" He paused, making sure everyone saw the rhyme. For serious? "Let her sleep next to your head, and ensure the meat they eat is red." He told me. "They don't mind a bath, a comb, or a shot. A way outside for their business is something you MUST got." He said with a shudder. Now he's just scraping the bottom of the barrel for rhymes... "They're clever to know, not to go under a roof. They like cold water, and when they're hungry, they're not aloof. Three meals a day, no salt or spice, and you'll find the experience to be quite nice. Raw meat only, or a soft juicy orange. You could probably…" he stopped, a look of horror on his face as he realized what he just said. "Nothing rhymes with orange!" He gripped his hair tightly.
"OK, I'm done!" I shouted, snapping my fingers. My magic circle immediately transported me back to the ORC room.
"Thank you for letting me use your shower, Rias," I said with a sigh as I dried off my hair. I was now wearing a fresh pair of jeans, boots, and a fresh shirt. And it was early morning too, signifying just how long we were in that forest. Kiba and Koneko had already gone home, meanwhile, Asia was cooing over her new pet dragon whilst Issei sobbed on the couch. Akeno had taken my place in the shower, with an apparently obligatory comment on my body meant to tease me. I was too tired to respond. Though I admit, the scent of female arousal on her did make me lose focus for a moment. Stupid slime...
"It's no worry, Damon, I'll probably be spending about six hours in the tub later." Rias groaned from her chair.
"I'm just glad that's over," I said, falling into the couch. My tiny fox Familiar hopped from the floor to my lap, looking up at me. "Oh right. Still need to do this." I recalled, cupping the fox's head with my hands. "Στο όνομα του Altair Thanatos, σας παραγγείλω να αποδεχθείτε αυτό το σύμφωνο και να δεσμεύσετε τον εαυτό μου για όλη την αιωνιότητα." I chanted under my breath, so one could hear. I know they'd understand me with their Language ability, I made sure to keep it quiet.
A black magic circle appeared on the little critter's tiny head before disappearing. Her face crinkled as if she felt something unpleasant, but she soldiered through, and it disappeared just as soon as it came. She was now bound to me forever.
"I don't know how many more times I can handle hearing that man and his rhyming." Rias groaned, sinking into her chair.
"I am never going there again," I responded, shuddering.
"I actually like the rhyming," Asia said cheerfully, cuddling her Sprite Dragon, whom she'd apparently named Seida. The fuck?
"You liked the rhyming, Asia, you liked the rhyming?" I asked incredulously.
"Yes…" She trailed, suddenly self-conscious.
"And what if the rhyming were never to stop? On, on, and on, until your head doth popped?" I asked, my eye twitching, my heart rate increasing, and my palms sweating. I think I'm having an anxiety attack… I cut the girl off as she was about to respond. "Oh look! A book! A book on schnook! What kind of crook took my shnook nook book!?" Everyone looked at me with wide eyes, including the no longer grief-stricken Issei, and the towel-clad Akeno who had just left the bathroom. "Perchance, methinks, thee, hither, yon, thou... I think I'm going to have a fucking cow!" I cried, gripping my hair.
"You really seem to hate it, Damon, it sounds really tough," Akeno said in amusement.
"Hate's a strong word Akeno, but not strong enough!" I snapped in her direction, much to her amusement. "I spoke English better than my own teacher back in London when I was in High School… He punished me by making me present page long rhymes to the class every week for the whole year…" I whined, the trauma hitting me like a brick.
"There there…" The teen whispered soothingly, placing her hands on my shoulder as she stood behind me. "Those days are over… No need to let it bother you anymore." She said, her voice soft, and sensual as she gently massaged my shoulder. And dear God did it feel good… Wait…
"Whoa!" I leaped off of the couch, my Familiar yelp as she was sent flying to the other couch. "Big Trouble, you keep those hands where I can see them," I said, pointing right at the teen seductress.
"Yes Sir." She said coyly, making me swallow a lump in my throat. Oh God, her hair is down, it's clinging to her arms, and there are numerous droplets all over her body. One wrong move and that towel will fall. I'm gonna need a looooot of alone time with Raynare when I get home…
"Changing the subject…" I said, clearing my throat. I ignored Akeno's evil smirk, Rias's amused one, Asia's red face, and Issei's scathing glare. "I have some news that I thought you all should know," I announced.
"You're getting chemical castration pills so you can't please a woman ever again?" Issei asked, glaring.
"You're reconsidering joining my Peerage?" Rias guessed, only half-serious.
"You and Sinora Raynare are getting married?" Asia went along with the apparent theme.
"You have room in your heart for a side piece?" Akeno teased. I gave them all a bland look.
"I will tear out your eyes." I pointed to Rias. "I will make you swallow your own dick." I pointed at Issei. "I will not touch that with a ten-foot pole." I pointed at Akeno. "And I will…" I stopped as I pointed at Asia, who was looking at me innocently. "I will cut an inch off of your hair." That's the best I can do. Despite the… 'underwhelmingness' shall we say, of the threat, she still looked horrified. Because it's her hair? Or because it's a prank that shouldn't be pulled? I have no idea.
"Better find an eleven-foot pole then…" Akeno mumbled under her breath, but she knew I could hear her. I gave her a 'really' stare, and she just responded with a bright smile. I sighed and decided to just drop it.
"As of Monday morning, I will be working here at Kuoh as the Second and Third Year Mathematics teacher," I told them. Their reactions were… mixed. Issei was upset with having to put up with me stealing all the girls, Asia was delighted at the thought of learning under me, Akeno muttered the word 'Sensei' under her breath with a naughty grin, and Rias was just plain surprised.
"When did this happen?" The Gremory Heiress asked curiously.
"The day after the fight with Lionel, when you told me Sona needed to speak with me, it was because she'd informed your father of the incompetence of the old teacher, and of my Master's Degree," I explained. "It was all downhill from there." I shrugged.
"Well, I look forward to learning from you," Rias said sincerely.
"As do I." Akeno gave me a look that I just didn't want to think about. Or… maybe I did? Teacher-student play sounds nice…
Without another word, I snapped my fingers, right as my Familiar hopped into my arms.
Huzzah, the familiar forest is finally done. I admit, I was really struggling to choose what kind of Familiar I should give to Damon. I didn't want to go with the Dire Wolves like last time. I considered a Wolf Yokai, but decided against. There are several other things I considered, like a Dark Phoenix, an Amarok, a Thunderbird, a Dragon, Tiamat herself, even Bova Tannin. Ultimately, I went with a tiny white Fox from Korean Mythology called a Kumiho.
I'm really proud of the humor I put in this chapter. Ace Ventura is one of my favorite comedy characters of all time. I admit, my feelings for snakes are identical to Ace's feelings for bats. Those Demonic Worms are terrifying and hideous. One of the biggest downsides to living in Australia is the prospect of finding a snake in your backyard.
On the upside, for those of you who haven't read my RWBY fic, I finally got a job! Just a casual retail position, but it's something!
I wanted to do the rhyming Zatouji because I thought having my OC get annoyed by it would be funny, but I didn't want to go with the rhymes from the anime dub. I didn't like them all that much, admittedly. So, I went with this.
Someone asked me to do a list of Damon's powers every now and again, and I figured it wouldn't be a bad idea, so here it is.
Damon's Powers:
Hellfyre - The flames that surround the six rivers of Hades.
-The Crimson Flame of the River Lethe - Very little heat, but a lot of impact.
-The Golden Flame of the River Acheron - Hotter than a Dragon's or Pheonix's flame.
-The Emerald Flame of the River Styx - Incredibly poisonous to whatever it touches.
-The Azure Flame of the River Cocytus - Colder than other ice in existence, and freezes whatever it touches. The ice is nigh-indestructible.
-The Silver Flame of the River Oceanus - A Holy flame that rivals Uriel's.
-The Black Flame of the River Phlegethon - Devours whatever it touches, not unlike the Bael Clan's Power of Destruction.
Necromancy - Control over Death and the dead.
-Can raise undead soldiers.
-Can speak to dead spirits.
-Can control people's souls.
-Can banish people to Tartaros.
-Can bind souls to objects and bodies.
-Can sense death near him.
-Etc.
Regeneration - Damon can heal from any wound that is inflicted on him. He can survive being impaled through the heart, being almost cleaved in half, and stabbed multiple times. Any limbs that are lost in battle will regrow in a blaze of black flames, visually similar to the Phenex Clan's Regeneration, but fundamentally different. He still feels all the pain of the injury.
Temperature control - Damon can control the temperature of the matter around him, be it gas, liquid, or solid. He can increase or decrease the temperature.
Illusions - Damon can make people see things that aren't there.
Senses - Damon's senses are tuned to rival that of a Senjutsu Master. He can feel the auras of any supernatural creature around him if he concentrates hard enough. Doing so causes a faint purple aura to encase his body. He can also passively detect movement around him if the target is close enough.
Fire Immunity - Due to his close affinity with the element, Damon is immune to all but a few flames.
Magic - Damon has a massive pool of Divine Power that he can call upon to use Magic, or to fuel his other abilities. His Divine Power works on the same principle as a Devil's Demonic Power. He can mold it and command it the way a Devil does, and craft his own spells with his own willpower and desire.
And, done.
I may have left one or two out, I'm not sure. If anyone recalls an ability that I didn't put in, please tell me.
Also, I think this is the longest chapter I've ever written. Over 9000 words!
C'ya next time!