Xander DxD

Summary: A prank gone horribly wrong removes Issei from the equation before he can even do anything important. How will Rias and the ORC handle Xander Harris being the Red Dragon Emperor? Harem because it's DxD.

Disclaimer: I do not own High School DxD, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Harry Potter, and Rifts

Major AU: Do not expect this story to strictly follow canon for High School DxD.

Key: "Talking" 'Thought' [Sacred Gear] (Pailamancy or Telepathy) *Technique*

White Knight or Crimson Pawn?

"You summoned a Gremory Devil?" Issei Hyoudou asked as the door opened revealed a rather attractive woman dressed in lowrise jeans, a baby t-shirt, denim jacket, and combat boots. She had lovely brown hair and smokey brown eyes as well. Already fantasies were playing in his head. "Sorry about not appearing in a circle, I am new at this."

"Awww, you're not Koneko. How am I supposed to enter the team cosplay contest as Faith and Buffy without Koneko to be Buffy?" 'Faith' whined in a voice that was far too cutesy for her current look, "I specifically booked Koneko, I know it. I even have a whole sashimi grade yellowfin as payment."

Issei was stunned for a moment as the girl whined. While he was not acquainted with all Western Television, he had seen Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The idea of women who could kick ass and still be sexy appealed to the pervert in him. He also identified a little bit with Xander Harris, the normal guy who still fought to protect the girls who could kick his ass, "Well, I could be Xander, I guess. I'm not handsome enough for Angel, not stuffy enough for Wesley, or Billy Idol enough to be Spike. For obvious reasons Robin and Gun are also out."

"Xander?" 'Faith' perked up as she scratched the underside of her chin for a moment. She then took a moment to look Issei over, "Yeah, I have a leather jacket, an eye patch and a prop axe that would make it perfect for Post-Chosen Xander. This will be even better. We'll take the grand prize for sure. Xander-kun."

"Well, if we are going in character I need some stakes, a water bottle, and some twinkies." Issei said after a moment, "But no cross, please."

"But Xander wouldn't go out without a cross," 'Faith' pouted outrageously.

"I don't feel like bursting into flames," Issei countered. He really wasn't sure what would happen if he touched a cross, but seeing as how his senses screamed at him every time he was near one, he wasn't going to take a chance, "I'm a Devil, remember?'

"Oh right, I forgot all about that," 'Faith' giggled nervously as she scratched the back of her head in embarrassment. She then motioned for Issei to enter so she could properly dress him up.

…
…

Rias Gremory was not angry, nor was she mad. She wasn't pissed or even livid. She had skipped over all of those and straight into furious. This was evident by the basketball sized orb of black and red energy in her right hand. "Do you mind telling me why you have returned my precious servant to me MISSING AN EYE?!"

Hermes, son of Zeus, might have been a Major God, but given the decline in worshippers since the heydey of the Roman Empire he just wasn't as powerful as he used to be. Sure he could survive the redhead going all out, but he'd have to spend a few weeks under the care of Apollo and his half-brother didn't always have the best bedside manner with him. Not to mention there was the not so irrational fear that Rias might sic her brother on him. Hermes was well aware he wouldn't survive that encounter.

What perpetrated this? Simple, after Hermes had set the unconscious Pawn of Rias Gremory on one of the sofas in the ORC Clubroom. Rias had moved with surprising speed to her Pawn's side and lifted away the eyepatch only to scream in shocked horror at the empty socket she saw underneath. Immediately the Gremory heiress had taken a battle stance releasing her wings and forming a ball of condensed *Power of Destruction*.

"I don't mind telling you at all. It was a simple oversight on my part. I was playing a small prank on the mortals as I am wont to do. The *Night of Masks* spells that I learned from Janus. A complex bit of magic to reshape everyone into their costumes for a few hours." Hermes raised his hands to show he wasn't armed, nor was he preparing any magical attack. Truthfully he could cast all manner of spells with just a thought or word, but he didn't let many beings know that, "In body, mind, and soul everyone is what they dressed as until the spell ends. No harm and no foul as the spell prevents any serious injury or death."

"No serious injury? My Pawn is missing his eye!" Rias' tone was cold as the arctic winds.

"Xander Harris had his eye gouged out in the final season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Your pawn's costume represents Xander a few years after that event," Hermes replied, "The spell gave him the same scars the character had, but also the same skills, knowledge, and advantages. Though the body regressed in age to sixteen rather than the twenty five the costume represented. I'm still not sure why that happened. I asked Hecate, but she just laughed."

"Well then end the spell, Hermes-dono," Rias snapped harshly. She normally would have been much more polite, but someone harming her servants was always stressful in the extreme.

"About that," Hermes let out a nervous laugh as he scratched the back of his neck, "The spell ended an hour ago. I had to render Xander unconscious when he saw the Buffyverse booth," Bending backwards he let the ball of energy fly harmlessly past him and impact with the warded walls of the Clubroom. Standing back up he sighed heavily, "Can we please not kill the messenger? It's bad form."

"You're telling me that you have essentially maimed my Pawn and you expect me not to retaliate?" Rias was already forming another attack as she spoke.

"It was an accident. I didn't know there would be any high level Sacred Gears among the participants in the Cosplay contest," Hermes zipped around the Clubroom placing himself so that Rias could not easily attack him without risking destroying the precious tomes in her personal library, "Rin Takigawa had registered that she would be attending as Faith and the adorable Koneko Toujou would be Buffy. The last minute change where Issei Hyoudou would be Xander Harris came after I had already set the spell in motion."

"A Twice Critical is not a powerful Sacred Gear," Rias countered.

"Please, you don't think I know that he is the Pawn of Eight?" Hermes was mildly offended she would try to play dumb, "It would take a Longinus class Sacred Gear to require that many Pawns, especially given your level of power." Hermes rolled his eyes as he saw Rias look to her Pawn's sleeping form with astonishment, "Never mind that. What I have to tell you is important. *The Night of Masks* responds very badly to such powerful Sacred Gears and vice versa. Effectively the Sacred Gear treats the transformation as the death of the host. Since the Evil Pieces were repressed during that time, Xander was human and thus he became the new host rather than waiting for a compatible newborn. Once the spell expired the Evil Pieces reasserted themselves making Xander here your Pawn."

Rias dissipated the *Power of Destruction* as she sank down to her knees. She has never had to deal with the death of anyone close to her before. Issei was her newest servant and she had been spoiling him a little. While he was an unrepentant pervert, he had potential. Now that potential was gone. He was gone and that hurt. Now there was some stranger there in his place. She didn't even choose him and yet she was saddled with him as a pawn.

"Perhaps I can just reshape his mind to be like Issei's," Rias wondered aloud, "I can alter memories so his parents and friends think he always looked this way."

"I wouldn't try that, Gremory-dono," Hermes warned carefully, "The spell copied absolutely everything about Alexander Lavelle Harris. Given the wards that were placed on his mind in his reality, I doubt even Mentis could rewrite even the tiniest of details. Not to mention a mind weaker than his own might be overtaken by the Primal or the Soldier."

"Primal? Soldier?" Rias was pulled from her musing, "What in Maou's name are you blathering about?"

"You'll have to watch the shows to understand," Hermes said as he reached behind his back and produced a package, "A collector's edition Blu-Ray of the complete Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. Just a small token of the amends I will be making to you and Xander."

"A God making amends for what he claims was a harmless prank?" the corners of Rias' lips curled up in the hint of a smile, "Oh, I see, you don't want me to sic onii-sama on you."

"Exactly, I've already contacted Mentis and she has rewritten the Hyoudou's minds to believe that Xander here is their child. And I have reimbursed them for his tuition at Kouh and provided a generous college fund." Hermes scratched the back of his neck, "I've altered all of Issei's records to reflect the change and I even tracked down one of his early childhood friends so Mentis can modify her memory."

"Please tell me you will make the two perverts believe they are just a Duo," Rias voiced her hope. She didn't mind Issei's perversion all that much, but Matsuda and Motohama creeped her out. She didn't want either of them tainting her new pawn.

"It would be for the best. Xander would likely murder Matsuda after one of his proclamations of being a lolicon," Hermes nodded, "I will pass your wishes on to Mentis."

"Good," Rias considered her options for a moment, "I want a Hephaestus forged weapon and armor for each member of my peerage as repayment for the damage done to my Pawn."

"And I want Ares to stop picking on me," Hermes responded.

Rias understood that to be the equivalent of 'I can't arrange it, pick something more reasonable.' She really hadn't been expecting him to agree, but there was little harm in trying. "A weapon or armor each and Hephaestus has free reign to forge what he wishes for each member. However I demand both weapon and armor for both myself and my Pawn."

Hermes stroked his chin for a moment in thought, "One item for each member of your peerage, his choice. Xander will receive two items."

"Greater Items or better, I will not accept less," Rias responded after a moment's consideration, crossing her arms under her ample bust, "And I expect some method of returning full sight to my Pawn."

"You drive a hard bargain, Gremory-Dono," Hermes nodded after a moment and extended his hand to seal the pact. "I so swear to make amends by the terms we have agreed on."

"I so swear that you are forgiven for your transgressions against me by the terms we agreed on," Rias smirked as she sealed the deal with a flare of magic.

"Oh very clever, I am still indebted to Xander-san," Hermes chuckled as he realized the trap he had run into while not thinking clearly, "Well, I guess that is what I get for dealing with a Devil… oh, Issei managed to successfully complete his pact. The Sashimi grade Yellowfin is currently in your refrigerator. Enjoy."

…
…

"Oh great, another weird dream," Xander Harris muttered as he looked around to all too familiar Sunnydale Library. Behind the counter, Giles and Jenny were sorting books as always. Buffy and Faith were sparring in the open area. Kendra was sitting on the table enjoying an ice cream cone as Jesse flirted outrageously with her. Willow, Tara, and Kennedy were huddled together whispering back and forth then smiling at him. Joyce and Dawn were arranging some snacks and coffee on the main table. Riley, Angel, and Spike were watching the sparring slayers and comparing notes. Drusilla was off in a corner just humming to herself. Cordelia and Anya were discussing something he couldn't quite hear. The Baby Slayers were all practicing their Katas. Hyena Xander was locked in the book cage while Private Harris stood guard. Perched atop the tallest of bookshelves was the First Slayer watching over everything. "Looks like everyone who is important is here."

"Wow you have a crowded mind, Xander-san."

[He certainly does. And it doesn't dwell on breasts all the time. This is a marked improvement over you, Issei.]

"Oh, why do you have to bust my balls like that, Ddraig."

Xander spun around in place, his favorite hatchet appearing in hand as he did so. He was quite astonished to see a seven foot tall suit of crimson and gold armor that was reminiscent of a humanoid dragon. "What the hell?"

"Funny you should mention hell," Issei chuckled, "My name is Issei Hyoudou, I was the young man whose body you took over."

"Took over?" Xander repeated, "I didn't take over anything. I don't do things like that."

"No, you didn't intend to do it," Issei replied, "Someone very powerful cast the same spell that gave you Private Harris over there." Issei started to explain, "I just happened to be dressed up as you. Before you ask, in my world you are a character in a very popular TV Show. One of my favorite characters to be honest. I just wish you had gotten to play with more oppai. I rooted for you to be a Harem King,"

"You did?" Xander couldn't help but wonder about Issei. He looked a little young so he probably hadn't learned to fear women yet, "Well, this isn't a big deal. The spell will end and you'll get your body back."

[I am afraid my presence made that impossible, Alexander.] Ddraig's voice boomed out from the gem on Issei's left arm. [I am Ddraig the Red Dragon Emperor imprisoned in the Longinus class Sacred Gear the Boosted Gear.]

"And why would your presence cause a problem, Ddraig?" Xander knew there was a time and place to be serious and this was one of those times.

[A Sacred Gear as powerful as I am reacts very badly to the *Night of Masks*,] Ddraig started his explanation and continued through for several minutes on the intricacies of how he was bound to the human soul of his host. Most of it went in one of Xander's ears and out the other, [...in short the spell forced Issei to be reincarnated as you and you now possess the Boosted Gear and are my partner.]

"And I am here to give you some of my recent memories to make Buchou's life a little easier. Unfortunately they'll be buried in your subconscious. They might need to be jogged before you can use them," Issei explained as he retracted the helmet so Xander could see his face. "And am I asking you to look after Buchou, Akeno-senpai, and Koneko-chan as if they were your girls. And please help Kiba-san too. I won't be able to do it anymore."

Xander wanted to punch the kid for giving up, but he restrained it. Xander had seen people realize they were in a no-win situation. Moreover he knew if he was faced with certain annihilation and he could ask one favor of anyone, it would be the same one Issei was asking. He'd just want someone to watch over his girls and help his friends as much as he had.

"Sure thing, kid," Xander replied, "I promise to be their White Knight."

Issei chuckled, "No, Xander-senpai, you are their Crimson Pawn."

…
…

"The pervert is dead?" Koneko's voice held a little bit of quaver as she asked that. Rias had explained what had happened and she couldn't help but blame herself. She had chosen which booking she would go to and thus Issei had gone to the one that erased his very existence in many ways.

"Well, there might be a small part of him left in Xander-san," Rias sighed heavily as she fought to maintain her composure. She was failing as some tears streamed down her cheeks. Now that she was with her peerage she could let herself grieve a little, "But I don't blame you at all and I don't want you to either, Koneko-chan."

"This is just a bad accident, Koneko-chan," Akeno placed a cookie in the Rook's hand to replace the one she dropped when hearing the news, "It could just have easily been Kiba-kun who was rewritten, but you had no way of knowing."

"Are we going to punish the Magician who did this?" Kiba's normally happy demeanor darkened a little. Issei was a pervert but he grew on people fast. Kiba considered him a comrade in arms despite the fact they hadn't really fought together yet, "While it might not have been intentional…"

"Hermes-dono has already apologized and will be making amends," Rias cut Kiba off before he could continue. "And I don't want any of you blaming Xander-san or treating him like a replacement. This was not his fault in the slightest. He is the one who has been wronged the most grievously."

"Of course, Buchou." All three of them spoke in unison.