Hope you Enjoy

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*Beep*Beep*Beep* Eyes opened to bright painful light voices sounded there words giving him something like coherence to understand their meaning. "He killed a vampire with a cross" one voice said "A sign from God himself"

"He was lucky" a younger voice muttered "A coincidence of fate, nothing more"

"There is no such thing as coincidence" an older voice chided, a shadowy form leaned over him "Chosen or not I believe he will make a great addition to our order"

"Father" the young voice said again "The broken ribs pierced his heart and lung, he is lucky we got him here in time. This man will never regain his full function again."

The form turned to look behind him "As he is now? You are of course correct seminarian but" the form turned back to him "I think we will put him in the paladin program"

There was silence, the voice that had spoken first whispered "But Father no one has survived the procedure, no one, if the nanobots don't kill you the divine power will."

"I know" the old voice said "And yet I have a feeling about this one."

"We can only do it once more; if it fails what we require to perform it will be lost forever."

A cane tapped the floor several times "And yet if we do nothing we might as well not have it all."

"Father we could study it, learn more about it."

"We have been studying it since the conception of our order, no force science, alchemical or arcane can replicate It." the old voice said "That I have come to be sure of."

The cane tapped several more times "It will be done as I say," the cane tapped once more "Or will you two stand against me."

"No Father" the both said.

"Good"

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*Crunch*Crunch* was the sound that shocked Anderson awake, or... not quite away but into his mindscape, the scene of the shadows and the lights was frozen before his eyes, a crystallized moment of a dream. It had been a couple of weeks since he had had dreams like that, *Crunch*

He turned and almost stumbled, there sitting on a beach chair calmly chewing popcorn was a pale man, tall with long dark hair, eyes that spoke of a thousand deaths here and in the future. Red clothing accented the skin tone, the whiteness of his razor sharp teeth as they crunched down on the nonexistent popcorn.

"You know" the vampire said "I never actually knew how Anderson came to be, I knew it involved science and miracle but he would never really tell me anything about it."

"Alucard" he said

The eyes focused completely on him "Yes" the thing answered; darkness flickered far back in the things eyes an echo of some emotion the Anderson could not understand.

With a nod he turned away, he did not know why he has said that, why he has acknowledged the monster.

He began to will himself out of this place when, as if someone has placed an image over a projector the vampire was in front of him. "Where do you think you're going fragment?"

Facing the monster calmly he said "Away from this place, I do not like you."

"Good" the thing said "Because I hate you, it will make things easier between us."

"Hate?" That surprised him "We don't even know each other."

"Oh but we do" Alucard said "You walk around wearing his form, controlling his body, a small fragment give will by the word of one of God's Monsters."

"...I fail to see the point"

Laughter, dark and terrible erupted from the vampire "Then let me explain it to you"

A wave of pure killing intent crashed into him like a physical wave driving him back, the body of the monster shifting, a twisting writhing darkness that left only the head in its physical form, the living darkness swirling around it like a black hole.

"Look at you" he said with a laugh, "You have his body, you have his powers, but you are not him."

The form vanished the head appearing over his shoulder "It's enough to drive one mad"

Anderson did not move, he merely willed his mental image away from the floating head, It worked but "Not so fast little boy" The head was inches away from him "I think therefore I am, your can't get away."

No expression crossed his face, he did not allow it "You disgust me fragment, with every use of this man's powers, with every bayonet you swing, with every word you speak. Words that are spoken are not his, the body of the man not under his control. The will of a mortal subverted by the Watcher of Heaven."

The darkness pooled around his body blotting out everything but the head "You were given everything he was and you do not deserve it, I should devour you here and now so that.

The words were cut off as a hand drove through the boiling darkness; it seized the vampire by the hair and pulled it and the rest of his nebulas from away from the External Anderson.

Internal Anderson spun and threw the monster away from his other self, "I will make this very clear vampire" The former monster of God stated, gleaming light flickered the mental space as hundreds, no thousands of bayonets materialized from nothing. "You will not touch this child"

The nebulous bodies reformed into the red clothed Alucard "Child?" the vampire asked an edge of laughter in his voice "You call that mockery of yourself a child?" The red eyes glowed with alien emotion, but external Anderson thought he could make out confusion in them.

The Original Anderson snapped his fingers and a thousand blades flashed forward in a razor storm of weaponry. He glanced back at what had once been a fragment of his soul or rather their soul. "Leave I will deal with this"

And just like that, the will of Alexander Anderson shoved the other half out of their mind space.

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He did not awaken with a start of one might expect, but that was only through sheer force of will. His pounding heart reverberated in his chest with the speed and force of a jackhammer. Cold sweat had covered his bow, his chest, his whole body in a piercing cold that seemed to go right past his defenses.

Anderson blinked as he held up his right hand; it trembled uncontrollably as his rapid breathing refused to slow down. His mind was abuzz with a storm of emotions, but fear and terror, pure abject terror were at their center. Hell's below was he having a panic attack?

There was a noise that drew his attention; Koneko was still pressed up against him. Right where she has been when he fell asleep. The girl was completely out of it still, but her hands moved anyway, as if she sensed the storming tide of emotions that threatened to carry him away.

The found his bare skin, the pure warmth of them a stark contrast to the icy feeling of cold that had invaded his body. It almost felt like sparks of heat and light were passing from her hands to his chest. The warmth spread driving back the cold, forcing it from the forefront of his mind. His breaths slowed, his heart lessened its force, he felt drained but in a good way. His right hand gently cupped the back of her head moving gently through her white hair.

When his brain began to fire up the old cylinders he was at last able to throw together something resembling coherent thought. And while it was nothing genius it did sum up the situation quite nicely.

Holy fucking shit….what had that been about?

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"Anderson...Anderson….you who?"

It was only when a hand waved in front of his face that he registered someone was speaking to him. He blinked looking over at Issei "You've been painting the same spot for the past ten minutes" the boy said as politely as he could.

That statement deserves several more blinks, and a shake of the head as he realized that Issei was indeed correct. And not only was he correct, everyone else was staring at him in concern even Raynare.

Well that tracked at least, for her it was mostly self concern, if he had not been here all she would be wearing was a swimsuit that consisted of two strings and a strip of cloth that barely covered anything at all.

Akeno seemed to find that hilarious and pouted at him severely when he had tossed her some of his mom's old clothing and told her to get dressed. The queen has looked to Rias for a moment but when she said nothing on the matter the girl shrugged, after all she had the fallen all to herself in the evening hours.

"Sorry" he said and moved to the next spot.

"Are you alright man?"

He looked at the boy with a bland sort of indifference, which had no affect whatsoever on Issei's good natured concern. In fact it seemed the more he tried to force the boy to back off the more he earnest.

His shoulders slumped "It's nothing Issei, just a bad dream."

"What the hell could scare you?" the boy asked.

Anderson contained moving the brush over the new walls "Everyone has their own demons Issei" he glanced from him to Raynare "You should know that better than most."

The boy's eyes followed his and he flinched hastily turning his gaze away from the fallen "I...see" he said after a moment. "Sorry"

A twinge of guilt flashed through him "Thank you Issei, it….it means a lot to know people care."

The boy had a killer smile, he could see why the girls in his life found so much to like about him...even if he was a bit of a pervert, granted the boy was getting better about keeping it private.

"Like you are any better"

The sound of that monster's voice sent a start of energy along his body, "mmmm" the vampire groaned "Yes show me that FEAR!"

"You just turned pale" Issei said "Are you sick?"

"I don't get sick" he repaired shaking his head; he drew upon his years of practice suppressing his other self's voice. The sound of the vampire died off but it would only be a short reprieve, by now Issei's words had gotten the attention of everyone.

"Sempai?" Koneko said as she moved over to look at him, then like a projector simply switched to the next slide Alucard was standing over her. "Hey she looks pretty good" he said in a conversational manner.

He held back a strangled cry as the vampire bent over, it was only the fact that no one reacted to it and he had the word of the watcher that Alucard could not exit his mind stopped him from attacking.

"Did you know that the blood of those you love always tastes the best?"

This was an illusion one only he could see, the vampires hand slid over Koneko's head "In fact perhaps I should take a bit, what do you think little Fragment?" His face bent down fangs extended.

"I think you should stay in his mind Alucard" a still small voice said.

Time simply froze and the vampire blinked in surprise "Really? You're going to consider an Illusion worthy of intervention?"

"You should be careful when you test me"

The sound of scorn in Alucard voice could have drawn blood "And what will you do? Smite me? Judge me? Destroy me for standing within the limits you set for me?

The watcher was then standing beside him looking upon the vampire with a bland expression "No I will not." The watcher agreed "However" he touched Anderson's forehead and what followed as a flash of light and pain. But within that pain was….a thought… a spark.

He could not explain precisely how he did his next action; the closest thing he could come to was that his thoughts interrupted the thoughts of the monster. Whatever Alucard had become was based solely on thought, in a sense he was a being of pure thought now, and while he was in Anderson's brain, he could do something against him.

The image of Alucard disappeared and Anderson found himself in his mental space beside the watcher "You cheat" the boiling darkness that was Alucard snarled.

The watcher shrugged "I bend the rules as you bend mine, I would suggest you leave your actions to this space, if you do not then I will simply give him the tools to defeat you rather than have him discover them on his own.

Anderson blinked several times… Tools?

The darkness smoothed out to a sheet thick length of void "So be it" the monster said.

With that the watcher vanished leaving the two of them, the vampire's hate filled eyes glowed in the center of the darkness. Anderson took in a breath and closed his eyes. Granted such an action was objectively pointless in a pace created by his mind it still held significance.

When he opened them he was staring at the fully formed body of the monster, not the terrible twisting darkness.

The red clocked monster looked at itself "The watcher has shown you how to limit me."

Two lengths of shining silver metal guns appeared in the monster's hand "While that is annoying" the red eyes looked up at him "It however changes so very little"

The sound of gunfire echoed unnaturally loud as he avoided the shots on pure instinct, "You're too slow." The length of the gun barrel was in his face "Boom" The monster whispered as light and noise washed everything out of existence.

Back in the real word he fell back blinking as his consciousness returned to the real world; it was only the rook's ungodly strength that saved him from losing a shirt to wet paint. There was no way he could hide his heavy breathing, nor could her hand on his skin miss the extreme rapid pulse of his heart beat.

"What is wrong?" she asked

He dared not look at her golden eyes, "Nothing that can be helped at the moment."

Even though he was not looking he could feel the narrowing of her eyes, the intensity of her gaze. Rias was giving him the same look of concern "Please" he asked "Leave it be love" That last word seemed to come of on its own accord.

Anderson turned back to his work, trying to ignore the silence his words had caused. Akeno bless her sadistic heart broke the silence "Oh" she said "Ara Ara, why don't you talk to me like that Issei kun?"

The nearly instantly turned attention away from him as Asia and Rias each moved to make up the ground Akeno had just tried to gain. Koneko was flushed with pink spots on her cheeks; well at least he had done something right today.

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With everyone's help they finished the renovation of the clubhouse, at one point it had devolved into a paint fight that Rias and Akeno had used as an excuse to give Issei as show. He still did not feel comfortable seeing his best friend act that way so he did his best to ignore it.

When he arrived at Masters home in the evening she did not so much as bat an eye at the paint smeared over his body. She did however look concerned the moment she saw his eyes, he opened his mouth then closed it again, How in the hell was he supposed to explain what was going on?

She bade him to follow her and led him to her small tea table, he knelt across from Master as she busied herself making tea, he noted that she brought out several herbs he had not seen her use before. The smell it created was almost stinging in its intensity but not in an unpleasant way.

He took his cup that she poured and downed in one gulp, like most of her tea's it tasted like crap, but again like most of her tea the taste was not important, the effect she wished it to have was. Coughing he waited as a sense of calm spread over him, his muscles unknotted themselves and he felt a sort of focus come to him that was almost unnatural.

"Something has happened" Master said "What is it?"

"I...I have not been entirely truthful with you master" he hesitated but forces himself to continue "That stops now, I have a problem and I need help."

And so he told her everything, starting from the beginning not leaving anything out, not the watcher, not what he was, not the other Anderson, he told her everything but most of all he spoke of the monster living in his head. "And I don't know why? Why am I so afraid? I've never been unable to move, unable to fight back." his hand trembled "I'm shaking in fear of that thing and I don't understand why."

Master had poured herself several cups of the tea and downed them over the course of his story "Wow" she finally said. Anderson waited as she pondered her next words "Let us start with the most important thing...you are afraid of that monster Alucard you called him."

"Yes"

"Believe it or not being able to admit it out loud is large step in the right direction "You know your fear, and you have identified why you are scared of it."

He blinked "I have?"

She nodded "Do you honestly think all this fear is your doing?"

Anderson nodded.

Master shook her head "If I had to guess, you are receiving a lifetime of fear from...what did you call it? Oh yes, your other self. The entirely rational fear that any human would have we facing a creature such as him."

"But he enjoyed it"

"So, fear and joy are not so far apart as you might think. You are a piece of him?"

"His loyalty, honor, courage and love."

She waved a hand "You are half of him, but you are the half with no experience against a being such as that. You do not have an insane battle lust to draw upon, therefore all that your other half can give you is that fear. That lifetime of fear compressed into a single emotion, one tied to that monster."

Her old eyes look at him "Any normal person would have been driven insane by that much fear but you were merely paralyzed. And from what you have told me even that is wearing off."

He just looked at her "I do not have any sage advice you, merely by coming to talk to me you have gained what you needed. That fear is there and you must accept that it will take time to overcome it. But considering what the thing you call the watcher has said the creature is only as much as a threat that you make him, in my opinion.

"The witch did not just say that" Alucard said having been quite through the whole conversation.

Anderson ignored him and the sudden spike in his heart rate, whatever Master has put in his tea slowed it right back down. "Do" he started to ask but stopped.

Master made a come along gesture "Do you believe me?"

She just looked at him "It explains quite a lot about the inconsistencies in your Aura, and given that I had theorized you might have had a spirit in your head it fits. She looked up "And I know there are things out there, things beyond us, I have no reason to distrust you or this Watcher which you speak of. It is fascinating but not at all relevant to our relationship.

To his utter shock he felt himself tearing up at that statement, he rubbed at his eyes harshly "If you see this watcher again tell him I would like to meet him." she said as if she hadn't noticed his surge of emotion. "Also" she reached over the table and touched his forehead, power flowed into him "This should help" Master said with confidence. With that done they stood up and moved to the courtyard.

Under the moonlight they stood there master and disciple silent, the comfort of each other's presents an intangible but none the less real pleasure. "Open your eyes to the world around you" Master said "You should understand now."

Without pausing to think he drew the senjutsu around him to his eyes, he looked at the world around. Even just what fell within his sight had a million things going on, so much life and activity in the smallest blade of grass. He would never be able to see it all, so….he stopped trying an opened himself up to what he could see.

And just like that his eyes flashed gold and the world seemed to shift before him "Well done" Master said pride in her voice "Well done"

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The house was almost painfully silent when he got him, yet he did not get the feeling he was alone "You can come in if you want." he said into the silence. "I'm going to make some tea if you want."

Behind him the door closed even though he was not close enough to do so, the air was filled with the crisp clear smell of spring wind. It brought a smile to his face "Be welcome in my home as my guest Messenger of God"

"How do you know when I am here?" She asked standing slightly behind him "Not even my brother can know when and where I stand."

Anderson shrugged "It's nothing I can explain." he moved to the kitchen and began pulling out the things needed. "I just" he glanced back at her, heavens above she was breathtaking. "Know"

For some reason that fact that a being that was naturally her opposite, a being that no matter how friendly could still one day be her enemy….. It made her smile. "I see" she said with serene calm.

Gabriel followed him into the kitchen as he busied himself making tea "You haven't been around lately; I had thought heaven stopped watching me."

"For the most part we have" she replied "If we are passing thought and there is no danger to us we check in on you."

Alucard let out a pained sigh in his head "Really, that's the best she could do?"

With an effort of will be silenced the voice, thought the sound of it did make him rattle the kettle. The angel was silent as he finished preparing "Master's tea was amazing there their effects, his was much better tasting. In fact now that he thought about it the only time he drank tea was after having some prepared by master.

He looked over his shoulder and blinked in surprise; at some point while he had not been looking Gabriel had put on his mother apron and began creating a meal. He probably should not have been staring as long as did. She looked up with that absolute grace that marked her apart "You are hungry" she said "I thought I would be a good guest and help prepare dinner."

Her staying long enough to have a meal with him had not crossed his mind but now that she mentioned it his stomach had probably been growling for the past hour. Since he was by himself he had basically been living off of the box of food the angel had given him. It never seemed to run out at all, but the prospect of having another fresh meal by her. He almost shivered at the memory of that first time; her food was on a whole other level.

"Thank you" he said calmly barely able to keep himself from drooling at that thought of the food being made "I apologize that there aren't proper ingredients"

"Nonsense" the angel said "These" she said with a gesture at the meats, spices, and vegetables "Were bought and prepared by one how loved her family." that radiant smile that made Anderson repeat, she is beyond lust, in his head appeared. "They are just as fit for me as they would be for the table of my father."

Wow, he thought, just wow.

"You can't keep me silent for long" Alucard said interrupting his thoughts "And really little fragment beyond your lust, that is the most ridiculous thing I"

"ALUCRD!" a voice thundered as his other self did something that silenced the words coming from his mind.

He distracted himself will pouring a cup of tea for himself and his guest, as he picked them up and turned he saw that despite having been in the middle of preparations a couple of seconds ago, two bowls of soup were steaming and ready on the table, with utensils set and ready.

Gabriel had cleaned and folded the apron, placed it back where she had found it and was sitting down waiting for him. Deciding it was best not to dwell to hard on that or think about how he would have liked to watch her work. Nope he was not going to dwell on that, not at all.

The simple smell of the soup was almost enough to make one go feral, thankfully self control was one of the things he worked the hardest on.

He almost broke when Gabriel made the sign of the cross and in her own angelic tongue blessed the food. Part of him wondered if the stuff would now burn him, the other part said it would be worth it. So he managed to wait politely until she finished and then and only then did he take the first spoonful.

The moment the food touched his taste buds it was all he could do not to simply plant his face in the bowl like a dog and slurp it up. Gabriel for her part ate slowly no doubt used to her own cooking after a few millennia. She did however look quite pleased he was enjoying himself to her efforts.

"I am glad to see you are doing well" she told him as he moved to get another bowlful.

He paused "And I am glad you decided to stop by." They ate together for a time before he decided to ask "How is your brother?"

"Better" she said "After his talk with you the workings of heaven have nearly tripled in power and grace."

That made him laugh "That's faith for you"

The archangel tilted her head "You are the strangest existence I have ever come across, a servant of hell with faith in the most high. Faith that in the face of certain fact remains strong" He actually felt heat rush to his cheeks and shifted his eyes away embarrassed. "I can feel it you know" she continued "Part of the way we gain power is the faith of those who believe in our father, our powers become stronger around those with faith." Her eyes were sparkling like a star studded sky and flecks of gold were flickering in the air around her "Do you know how strong a being's faith needs to be for one to be a devil and still we can draw upon that strength?"

"No" he shook his head.

"Neither do I, that is something that perhaps only Michael knows" she paused for a moment "Michael and our Father."

Anderson could feel his other self listening, feel the satisfaction at her words that flared up within the other part of his soul. And it made sense, after all it that person's faith that created this contradiction not his fragmented being.

"Despite falling into despair your faith never wavered did it?" he thought at his other half.

"I don't know" the paladin whispered

"Well whatever the outcome of you, I, us, the faith she feels it is most assuredly yours."

For a brief moment he could see himself in front of his other self looking the taller, stronger, older man there eyes locked on each other. And for the first time outside of a dream the outer Anderson saw something in his other self. A smile, a real smile "Ours" he said "Our faith"

Anderson just stared at his other self in shock and apparently he was not the only one in shock "What are you saying Anderson" the voice of Alucard said. Out of the darkness the vampire appeared beside him, pointedly ignoring the outer Anderson. "Do not fall into this; do not play the games of the Watcher. You are the real thing, not this fragment; this thing is a fiction of yourself, three aspects thrown together by the will of one of God's monsters. The voice of the vampire was growing in volume "This mockery of you, this thing wearing your skin is no more you than I am!"

"I think" the original Anderson said as if the vampire had not spoken "I am straining to understand"

But before he could explain what the voices and images faded as he was abruptly jerked back to the real world. Gabriel the crown jewel of creation held her face inches from his own; her hand was held against his forehead like a mother checking her child for fever. "Are you alright" she was saying "Your face was pale then really red."

It was only when he exhaled and his breath touched the archangel's face that she seemed to realize how close he was. Her eyes went very wide before she gently pulled back and perhaps for the first time in his memory she looked away from him in embarrassment.

Given that it was nearly impossible for him not to notice her quickened breath and flushed face Anderson elected to ignore it for his sake as much as the Angel's.

As the women composed herself he directed his gaze from her back to the food on the table, without being told his hands went to work getting said treasure from the bowl to his mouth. After several minutes he looked up and noticed that Gabriel was looking uncomfortable. Guess it was his duty as host to change the subject "How did you find the time to come here, you must have lots of work."

Her face lit up; literally it glowed for a few moments. All traces of unease vanished and with it Anderson felt much calmer "As it is written I am a messenger, I serve Michael in his new duty as the ultimate line of communication for all sensitive things."

Anderson flinched "Gabriel-san you should not give out quite that much information especially to one like me."

She just smiled at him "I trust you" she said

Why, he wanted to scream but felt it would do no good.

"My duties also include delivering miracles, and in war acting as the trumpeter of heaven, I have also been given dominion over the winds of the earth and my holy power reflects that."

"...Wow" was all he could say.

Her eyes saddened "In these days Miracles are harder to deliver, there is no war and me and my brother archangels do our best to refrain from using our power over the elements." She turned her head and looked out the window "Without the word of our Father to guide us we cannot be too free with the power we have been given. Thus my duty is mostly to be Michael's line of communication with your kind and the others pantheons."

She must be one hell of a spy, Anderson thought. With her gift of being completely undetectable there was no way of knowing how well she could keep her brother informed of what was going on in the other factions.

"Thus there is time for me to do things like this" Gabriel said smile returning to her face "Spending time with you is quite enjoyable."

He felt...he actually did not know what he should be feeling but he sure as hell knew his heart should not have started pounding in pleasure at her statement.

"May I ask you a question?"

He blinked pushing away the surge of conflicting emotions "Of course"

"What is your role outside of battle amongst those of your peerage?"

That startled him "You have watched me so long and you do not know?"

The expression that made its way across her face was like that of and earnest child, "We think differently you and I, what I understand about your place may be incorrect by virtue of who and what I am."

Thinking about it like that made perfect sense "I am a wall, a servant, a contractor, a handyman and a brother." He felt a calm settled over him, a flash of memory came over him, the sound of someone asking his other self what he was to the children at the orphanage. The answer that his other self had given felt correct and right "I am what they need me to be." His voice sounded odd when he spoke, for that moment it was deeper, richer and stronger. For that moment it was not his voice but the voice of his other half. Gabriel noticed the shift but made no comment on it.

"And what are they to you?" she asked.

"People I would give my life for, they are my family, I don't need them to be anything else."

The Archangel looked upon him, the expression on her face made him want to kneel before her in reverence. "You selflessness" she said "I find it beautiful" she held that expression for several moments "But I offer you this advice, you might not need those you love to be anything for you, however they might need you to need them as something else."

That logic cycle made his head spin trying to unwind what this Angel was saying to him, "What do you" he began to say when the doorbell rang. "Hold that thought" he asked as he stood up and went to the door.

"My parents aren't supposed to be back for a few more days" he muttered "And who could it be this late at night."

He opened the door to find a sweaty and heavy breathing Raynare standing at his doorstep. She was wearing a schoolgirl uniform about two sizes to small and sweat had plastered it to her body, in her hands was a small dry erase board written on it was "Hide Me" under that was "My Ass can't take anymore"

One the edge of his sense now that he decided to use them was a familiar aura "Fuck" he hissed. He really wanted to simply close the door but even as he entertained that lovely thought he was reaching out grabbing the fallen and yanking her inside. As much as he disliked this women, being Akeno's pet did not looked like a fun position.

In the same motion that pulled her in and closed the door he swept a long coat off of a hook and placed it over her indecently exposed body but not before he caught a glimpse of a cherry red and cane striped bottom.

Even though he could guess the answer he still felt compelled to ask "What the hell is going on"

Raynare stumbled passed him clutching the coat around her body like a suit of armor and given how thing go she of course when right into the kitchen. She was probably looking for a nice dark pantry to hide in but… even though he could not see very far into the kitchen from his current position he could see that Raynare had froze in place.

Feeling a headache coming on as he stifled a groan, what had he not remembered his first guest? With a sigh he moved back to the scene of the mess that would not doubt ruin his evening.

Fallen and Angel stared upon one another, Raynare's surprise gave way to stark terror, the kind that stops the heart and freezes the mind. Gabriel lovely eyes gazed the fallen and Raynare could only make guttural sounds that might have been screams of terror if she had been able to speak.

The Archangel stood in one fluid motion crossing the distance between her and the fallen so quickly that it might as well have been teleportation. Her hands reached up to cup Raynare's cheeks and from the looks the fallen was giving her it was clear the girl expected to be killed right then and there and with a simple the motion the Messenger of God could have done it.

If he had felt for even a moment that Gabriel meant to bring harm upon he fallen he would have thrown himself in between them for no other reason then what Azazel would do to them if he simply let Raynare die.

But he did not feel that, not any danger, not anger, the Crown Jewel of Creation smiled, there was sadness there a deep wound laid bare for all to see...but there was joy as well. "It is good to see you again little one." The emotion the Archangel was feeling was so strong that it was an effort to differentiate hers from his own. "It has been a long time"

The fallen stared up at her the fear replaced by confusion and then the confusion was followed by...tears? Was she crying?

Raynare turned her head to the side, not trying to escape the grasp of the Messenger but trying to hide her face from both of them, the aura of sorrow around Gabriel became all the more intense. One of her hands traced the livid scar across her neck, the touch was feather light but Raynare shivered all the same. "I know the circumstances of her current place" Gabriel said "But the details are very much limited." She looked at him "What caused this?"

He turned around to face the darkened interior of the house "In my rage at seeing what she had done to Asia, I…" He did not want to tell this being what he did; he did not want to look at him like she might a monster. "I did my best to kill her; I severed her arms and cut her throat only the intervention of Azazel stopped me from ending her.

Gabriel's voice only became sadder "Oh Children" she whispered, Anderson glanced behind him, and Gabriel was looking at him and...And the way she did it had not changed in the slightest.

She noted his gaze and met it those eyes seeming to pierce his very soul, passing through his will and seeing to the heart of the matter. He did not want to think on why but this Angel's opinion of him mattered, and it mattered very much.

She released Raynare's face and the fallen flinched back as if burned, but the Angel did not notice instead she held his gaze. She did not say a word, she did not have to, her opinion of him whatever it was had not changed. Despite what she knew the angel was not judging him.

"Thank you" he said breaking the gaze.

She simply nodded and it was enough, her eyes slid back from him to Raynare "How do you know her?" he asked.

"She...she was a student first, then an apprentice but that was a long time ago."

He turned looked at the fallen stunned, this creature had once been… he could not fathom it he could not see anything in the fallen that would connect her to Gabriel.

Raynare for her part tried to face the angel to put all the pride and arrogance in her features, a look that she had worn with ease when they had faced each other in combat. To desperately show her assuredly and pride at the choices she had made, that paths she had walked. But before the messenger of God, the Crown Jewel of Creation she could not do it.

Only tears fell from those eyes and she turned away once again, it was an expression he had not seen from the fallen in all the time he had known her. For all the ridiculous and humiliating clothing Akeno had made her wear, even before the fact that she was essentially Asia's slave. He had never seen shame, doubt or regret cross that woman's features. For a being as old as her...those emotions must be agonizing.

The doorbell rang again interrupting this growing scene before him, he could easily sense who was at the door. Glancing at Gabriel he made a spiral motion with his finger, the Archangel nodded and with the barest whisper of power the angel, the fallen, and even the evidence he had been eating with a second person all vanished as if they had never been here.

He nodded at Gabriel's position and turned to go answer the door, he opened it and was not surprised to find Akeno standing before him. She looked almost normal or as normal a girl of her looks and figure could look. Currently she wore her shrine maiden outfit and held her body in a regal manner befitting the Queen of Rias. Well there was one feature that was not quite in show with the rest of her, there was a fey hungry look in her eyes. It was not quite as strong of the gazes she looked upon Issei with but it was still unsettling in its own way.

"My Queen" he said with a slight bow and a quick glance at his phone "Do you need something from me?"

Her eyes closed mouth tilting up in that terrifying smile, crackle's thunder and blue lighting danced in her dark hair. "Ara Ara Anderson-kun call me that one more time and I will take you home with me and give you a reason why you should call me Queen."

His impassive face hid the start of surprise that ran through him; well someone was worked up he thought. His mouth moved without checking in with his brain, a first for him "What would Issei say if he saw that?"

Akeno stiffened as if stung, holy crap note to self work on your control, it is slipping. "May I help you Akeno-san"

The use of her name seemed to placate her and the dangerous expressions and power faded, "That's better" she said with a nod "My playmate has run away and I was wondering if you had seen her."

Poker face don't fail me now, he half prayed "Playmate?" he asked "Oh you mean the fallen."

"Indeed" she said easily peeking around him as if Raynare would be dumb enough to walk out in front of her.

He gestured for her to come inside which she did, "Of all the places she could run to why the hell would she come here?"

The queen glanced around no doubt sending her magical sense out as well, "Asia would be the best choice, but unfortunately for her that girl lives with both Rias who she must avoid and Issei who she wants to avoid." The queen's eyes returned to him as her senses picked up nothing "Koneko and Kiba would not care and turn her away"

"You however, you fed her, clothed her, protected her, you treat her with nearly the same kindness at Asia. Is there any reason she should not think you would hide her?"

He nodded in acquiescence "True "he waved his hand around a gesture that encompassed the house "As you can clearly see" he let the last part speak for itself after all he was being careful not to lie to her.

Akeno nodded "I can clearly see" she shrugged "I guess she wants to avoid you to."

He neither confirmed nor denied that statement "May I ask why you did not order her not to run? Asia told Raynare to listen to you."

"Ara Ara Anderson-kun what fun in life is there without a little chase every now and then?"

He thought about that statement, "You left a loophole that you pretend you did not notice... you wanted her to give you a reason to chase."

Her eyes sparkled "I don't know what you are talking about; I'm just a pair of breasts and a sadistic streak."

"Third best grade's in our school, current queen of devil nobility and a master of magic...sure let's go with that" He said with a laugh.

She bowed slightly "As you say" the queen turned "Now I have a playmate to hunt down."

He followed to open the door for her, as she walked past she paused "Anderson why do you treat a creature like her the way you do?"

He was quiet for a long few moments "I like….." he shook his head "I'd like to think that similar Asia I treat her the way I do for no other reason than that I think it is the right thing to do." Akeno was quite standing in his doorway listening intently. "But I am not like her, there are so few in this world as good as her. Part of me is doing it for the sake of being what I think is the right thing but… I am treating her the way I do because it is the worst thing I can think of to do to her."

At that statement there seemed to be a wave of silence, even the wind around house seemed to still, Akeno looked at him a question clear in her demeanor. "I don't think you ever saw her like I did, so full of pride, so assured that what she was doing was correct. She looked upon herself as a being above others, above humans, above devils, above angels." he smiled it was a grim expression "Now she has to look at herself, a slave to someone she thought of as a lesser being. Not just a lesser being but a girl that had once been under her complete control. And it was only because of that girl, a girl she was willing to kill to gain power that she still breaths." He looked at Akeno "Can you imagine that, you who think of yourself as the master of your own destiny suddenly under the control of those you once controlled. In our place she would wreak upon us any horrible punishment her mind could create." His grim smile became wider "But instead the worst that happens to her is she has to be your pet and even then you can't go too far and she knows it."

He closed his eyes "She was once a full Angel which means that whatever she becomes she still remembers the morals that she once lived her life by. And she has to watch as beings who are her enemy treat her with simple human decency for no other reason than it is the right thing. Surely you have noticed, the looks she gives me and Asia, that women is more afraid of us than she is of you." With a laugh he continued "Don't take this the wrong way but she understands you, she might not like it but she gets it. To people like me and mostly Asia she has to look upon us and see a simple truth." He opened his eyes to look up at the star studded sky "I am better than her, she can't think of herself as a higher being anymore, not in the face of me and certainly not in the face of Asia. If I decided to wreak some "he held up his fingers in air quotes "Justice on her, hell if all of us decided to do so, she could take solace in the fact that we are simply what she expected. She could keep her pride."

He let out a breath "I am not as kind as to leave her with that, if there is anything she does not deserve in her position. Raynare is a murderous, power hungry bitch who was willing to destroy faith hope and lives for her desire." A bubbling harsh laugh spilled out from him "Just like a devil that the bibles describe."

Akeno looked upon him as if it was the first time she had seen him in her life "My my Anderson-kun" she whispered "And I thought I was a vindictive person." Her eyes flickered over him and it felt something like heat passing over his body. "You have a lot in common with Issei"

He gave her a wounded look to which she laughed "There's more to both of you than seems so at first." She said with a laugh.

He rubbed his forehead "Never compare me to him again"

"Ara ara it is quite a compliment to be compared to a boy willing to face down powers far beyond him for the sake of those he loves."

"It's almost like I do that already" he said with a suffering sigh.

"Fu fu that's true" Akeno said over giggles "Perhaps it would be more apt to compare him to you."

"Get out" Anderson said with a groan his hand massaging his forehead "Just go"

Akeno walked away into the night her laughter echoing long after she vanished from sight. Anderson closed the door a little harder than was necessary muttering silent cures at being compared to that pervert.

He walked back to the kitchen just as his two other guests popped back into sight, Raynare was curled up in a corner her face buried in her knees. Gabriel looked over him her gaze inscrutable, he looked away from her. He had meant for both of them to hear his words for them to see him as he really was.

He stiffened as a feather hand touched his chin tilting up his face forcing his eyes back to the Archangels. "You are a good person" she said "Of that I am sure." She glanced over Raynare "Your judgment was harsh and there was truth in it." She turned back "But everyone can change Alexander Anderson, and I am glad that she is being given a second chance to learn."

If Raynare could have gotten any smaller she would have, anyone could have seen the shame, anger and humiliation pouring off her. Almost in time with Gabriel's words the sense of shame only seemed to grow.

Gabriel suddenly turned her head look up and to the west "Ah" she said "It seems I must go now."

She turned back "I thank you for both your hospitality and your mercy in your treatment and protection of my former apprentice." She turned back to the fallen "I am glad that I could see you again Raynare and" she gave the girl a true smile "I forgave you long ago"

Raynare's head snapped up confusion and shock shown equally on her face, her mouth was open, eyes flooding with more tears. But of course no sound made its way from her lips, no sound could, but of course no sound was needed.

Gabriel walked over to the girl, wiped the tears from her eyes and kissed her on the forehead "I still and always will love you child."

With that she turned and Anderson moved with her to the door, both stepped out into the quiet night "What happened between you two" Anderson asked.

That sad smile made its way back across her face "When she fell I attempted to sway her back to the proper path. I still do not know the cause of her fall but my words fell on deaf ears, I turned by back on her and she attempted to strike me down."

Anderson came to a full stop mouth open, Gabriel took two steps ahead of him and stopped, the back of her shirt split revealing the loveliest back he had ever seen. But there was a scar that marred it; the scar was the length of a spear head and a fraction of an inch away from her heart.

With the same ease at which the shirt parted it reformed "Michael saved my life that day, his protection blesses all those who are close to him. His aegis deflected the blow aimed at my heart and he appeared in time to defect the second strike."

"How did Raynare survive?"

Then he thought about that question "Oh asked him to spare her"

"Yes" she said "I don't and most likely can't have children of my own and in many ways I considered her my daughter in every way but blood." Her hand moved over her heart "I think that is why her betrayal hurt so badly." There was a long sigh "It was many years before I forgave her for that, and" her head bowed "Every death and crime she has committed against humanity and your kind can be squarely laid on my actions so long ago."

She vanished from his sight but his hand shot out and grasped her invisible shoulder "Do not think for a second that I blame you for what happened. Even if Asia knew this she would not either, you could not bear to see your child die. There are people of every race, Angel's, human's, demons who would have made the same choice."

"Some would argue that my duty to this world and the souls we guard would require me to make the hard choices."

Anderson shook his head "I would say this to you, did your father ever express disapproval of your actions?" He did not see it but he knew she shook her head "Did he demote you or punish you in any way?" Again her invisible head shook "Then like everyone else in the world he gave you a choice and if you chose to love then no one can ask anything more from you." He tightened the pressure of his hand on her shoulder for a second before letting go "Not even yourself"

"Thank you Anderson, I can see why my brother felt better after his conservation with you."

"Your welcome"

Phantom lips pressed against his cheek the effect like a jolt of electricity through him and then she was gone, truly gone his sense of her presence vanished. His hand came up and touched his cheek "Holy Crap" he said aloud.

Holy crap indeed.

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He closed the door for hopefully the last time tonight and moved back to the kitchen, Raynare was where he last saw her curled up in a corner tears leaking from her dark eyes.

"You really did not deserve a person like her in your life" he told her quietly "She does not understand why you did what you did but I think I do."

The fallen's pained face turned towards him "You did not fall because of lust or desire; you did not fall lose your grace to the manipulations of others. It was for the same reason you tired to take Asia's power for yourself. The same reason you killed Issei when you had had your fun," he put all the scorn in his voice he could muster "You were envious." He looked upon her and felt tired "Envy was the sin that made you fall, envy of the sacred gear that those you consider lower beings had been given objects of power and you had not. Envy at the power and grace of Gabriel that you could not equal"

From the look on her face he knew he had been correct, her reason for all her actions it was so...so utterly human.

He shook his head "Well this evening had been quite enlightening" he walked out of the room to grab some things and came back, Raynare had not moved "There is soup on the table eat your fill." he ordered and placed some clothing and a towel on the table. "When you are finished, go use the shower upstairs and you can stay in my room for the night, I will be on the couch if you need me."

He then turned his back on her and began busying himself to get ready for bed; he used his parents shower as to avoid any possibility of an incident. Nevertheless he finished quickly before dressing and walking back out to the kitchen. The rest of the soup was gone and there was the sound of running water upstairs.

He went to work cleaning and washing the dishes, wiping off the tables, and generally making the place look nice. Normally he would have done this before he took a shower but given the ego destroying events of this evening he felt is best to give the fallen some time alone with herself.

Finishing those duties he went over to the couch determined to get some sleep, he noticed as he walked that the shower upstairs had stopped, as he looked the door opened and Raynare walked out of the bathroom. She was wearing some of his mom's old clothing; they fit her well enough, certainly better than that fetish uniform. It was a little tight in the chest area but while that might have attracted Issei's attention it did nothing to him.

She glanced at him for a moment eyes red, it was only for a moment however as she glided silently across the hall and entered his room disappearing within. He shrugged and let out a yawn, he glanced down at his legs currently hanging over the armrest of the couch his feet actually touching the ground.

"I am too damn tall" he muttered before closing his eyes and drifting off.

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He blinked once and opened his eyes "Father he is coming too" a woman's voice said.

There were some cries of jubilation in the room as one person explained "It's a miracle"

"God is good" an older voice said "At long last he had given us a paladin."

He tried to sit up or even to focus his eyes to let him see more than shapes and blurs, his body responded. He could feel straps on his arms, his legs, across his chest holding him still on the bed he was lying on. "Hold Father" the old voice said an edge of command in his voice. "You have just gone through quite an ordeal and must rest while you recover."

His voice came out in a rasp "Ch-ild-ren"

A hand touched his shoulder "They are alive and in our keeping, rest assured they are being taken care of both physically and mentally." A feeling of relief washed through him at those words "Not one of your charges died they are all alive."

The tension and will to move, to act faded from his body and he relaxed "It is a rare thing you have done Father Anderson, few have faced creatures such as that and lived and fewer have managed to kill it." He lost focus and the words faded into the background "You are meant for great things Father, great things indeed."

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The dream fractured as Anderson dove to the side, a blur of red and darkness went over him, fear clawed its way up from the pit of his belly. It clawed at his heart and sent ice down his limbs; with a snarl he bit his own lip focusing it on the spasm of agony to push the fear aside. He looked up in time to see his body get riddled with bullets, so many bullets that it lifted him up off the ground. By the times the guns stopped he was a bloody gore fountain, his body had just begun to heal when a foot was shoved into his chest with enough force to shatter his spine. He was launched back like a missile, thankfully there was nothing to hit so he ended up in a roll just as his spine snapped back into place.

It was instinct that told him more bullets were headed his way, anger flared through him helping combat the fear and he looked up as his eyes turned gold. And suddenly he could see, the rain of phantom bullets looking as if they were flying though invisible gelatin.

His body snapped into motion moving the right spots as he began to move forward, bullets still hit him but his leaps and dodges put him in the spot where he would be hit the least. And then he was next to the vampire, twin dark steel bayonets flashing up. The solid guns blocked the blows and turned inward to point as his head.

Aura flared around him his Tokai armor springing to life, forming the blood red replica of his other self's cassock robes. He had never noticed it before but here in his mind he set the rules, and here there was not price to using Senjutsu.

His body blurred as he dodged the bullets in mid flight, spinning like a whirling dervish raining strikes on the vampire. Of course he managed to block every single one with almost contemptuous ease. That was until he willed chains forged for his will to rise from the darkness and entrap the vampire. It was only for a second, limited or not this creature was still far beyond him but that was not the point.

In that second he buried two bayonets into the thing's chest and set them off without even letting go, the explosion hurled them away from each other. Almost in unison the wounds the explosion had inflicted on them healed with breathtaking speed.

Taking in slow breaths Anderson summoned two more blades thought about it and shook his head. He let go of the weapons and summoned two million blades after all it was his mind not the real world.

Alucard gave him a look of hate "Do you think to intimidate me little fragment" he waved his hand and the blades abruptly lessoned to about one hundred. "I may be limited but I am so much more than you. You may set the rules and even bend them but this fight between us is limited to what one can do in the real world."

The gruesome toothy smile appeared "After all it's only fair."

The lack of motion made the terror in his chest flare out in sporadic bursts, but he held it caged in the mantle of his will even if only just. "Come Tool of the Watcher" there was a swirl of darkness under him and freaking zombies began to rise out of it. "Let me savage you and bath in your screams."

There was a thunderclap and his other self appeared before him "That's enough for today Alucard."

"I think not my nemesis, not until I break this misguided attachment you have to this thing. Not until I have you all to myself."

"That's not creepy" Outer Anderson muttered.

"Don't make it weird" Alucard said "This has nothing to do with you anyway."

"On that we agree monster" Inner Anderson answered "On that we agree"

Pages of a book swirled around the Outer Anderson "I do my best to keep him tame but I need breathers like this to catch my breath so to speak" The original said calmly "When you have to fight him see what you can learn."

The spikes of pain and fear in his gut told him otherwise but Anderson ignored them as he nodded to his other self. "Your looking at fear the wrong way, ask the one with glasses for help on that"

Anderson blinked; did his inner psycho monster hunter just tell him to seek advice from a demon?

The pages covered his gaze and he woke up on the couch just before the sun began to rise "Guess that was a yes."

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The two figures walked towards Kuoh Academy, both wore school uniforms both moved with purpose. One was a girl beyond lovely the other a man beyond tall and yet anyone who looked at them could sense the tension between them. An aura of oppressive silence seemed to permeate that air around them; anyone looking would never mistake them for a couple.

Raynare moved with some trouble due to Akeno's attentions from the day before but unlike with Koneko he felt no need to carry the girl. She had at least gotten some sleep from the night before but it was clear the events were upon her mind, as they should be.

It had been a very productive evening, now that he understood her better and could see what motivated her. Perhaps even if it was only a miniscule chance she might be able to change, if only because of people like Asia and Gabriel not because of people like him.

Akeno was waiting against the school gates leaning like a hunting cat; she blinked as they approached her. She blinked several times in rapid secession "Ara Ara Anderson Kun did she arrive after I did?"

He shrugged but at the sudden fire of anger in her eyes looked at the Fallen; on her dry erase board was written "No he just hid me from you."

A sigh escaped him "I'm not even going to feign surprise at this." He said aloud "I will see you in class." With that he lengthened his strides quickly leaving the two behind him.

"Did you expect Gratitude?" his inner self asked.

"Not in the slightest" he answered back aloud.

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"Anderson-san" a familiar voice said.

He glanced up from where he had been eating, the small box that the Archangel had given him had still not emptied and he was taking full advantage of it.

Sona gave him a pleasant smile, "May I join you?"

"Of course" he answered "You don't need to ask."

She did, surveying the room full of hungry students "Even if it is only for a few days it is good to have a sense of normalcy for a time."

He raised his eyebrow "Do you know something I don't"

"Hmm… it is not really my place to say" she began but shrugged. Around them a minor sound barrier fell into place muffling the room around them "Given all the uproar lately it has been decided by the leaders of the three factions that it is time to meet."

"..."

"Indeed" she said taking his stunned silence as an answer "What's more they plan to meet here to discuss their differences."

"So that's why she was here" he said aloud.

Sona narrowed her eyes "What?"

He blinked realizing what he had just said "Sorry nothing important" He rubbed his forehead "So they just hope to get together, have a nice talk and settle their differences?"

The girl was still giving him the glasses glare after his little slip "Yes that is the plan; this school has been given status as neutral territory."

"Some of the most powerful beings in this world all under one roof" He could feel a headache coming on "Who is coming?"

"That is...classified" she said "I'm sure you can easily guess most of the players but I am not allowed to say anymore about that."

"Wonderful"

"There are high hopes for this meeting; no leader of the three factions wants a war."

"No main leader" he corrected gently.

She shivered but only for a moment "This will work, it has to."

He hoped so too, after all he had memories of war even if they were not his own and it looked horrifying. Sona glanced down at the box he had pulled out a sandwich from, she looked hungry and he grinned at her. Pulling out yet another sandwich he handed it to her.

She gave him a grateful look and bit into it, she blinked once and in between that moment and the next the entire thing was gone. She sort of looked at her hands staring in shock, a piece of bread crumbs fell off her mouth. She caught it idly and flicked it into her mouth, "Did you make that?"

He shook his head "No a friend did."

"A friend made you lunch?" she asked

"Yes"

"Who do you that is such an artist with food? I don't think I have ever tasted anything better in my life."

That made him smile "I'll be sure to tell her."

She locked on to that statement "Her?"

He flinched ever so slightly; right making lunch for someone in Japan could be interpreted in many different ways. "Was it Koneko?"

"No because I would call her my girlfriend."

"Raynare?"

"Why the hell would she make me lunch?"

"Do I know her?"

"Most likely not"

Sona gave him an exasperated look "I don't want to seem jealous but….who gave you this?"

Before he had to answer someone walked through the sound barrier "President" A woman's voice spoke out. "Oh" Tsubaki said hand over her mouth "Did I interrupt something?"

Sona massaged her temples "What is it?"

"We just received a message from your sister, she wants to talk with and if you don't show if in the next few minutes I'm worried she come here in person. Something about making it so cold time freezes."

"Nee-san" she said leaning forward the word almost a moan of annoyance.

Anderson stood up "I need to go anyway, Rias said you gave our club something to do this afternoon."

She gave him a light glare "We are not done"

"I understand"

She glared even harder "I mean it"

"I believe you"

There was a grinding of teeth "You and the Occult Club are to clean the pool today."

He froze "Oh crap"

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It did not take long for Issei to open his big mouth especially after Rias said "After we get it cleaned we get a dip before anyone else."

The boy had frozen for a second his mouth open in perverted ecstasy; after that second passed he screamed out "Bring it on dirty pool!"

Koneko gave him a glare "Your expression is dirty, Issei-senpai"

He visibly wilted at that cutting remark; Anderson was already gathering the pool chemicals, with how green that pool looked they might need all the chlorine they had. Raynare followed him in her usual silence, moving stiffly hiding grimaces of pain with every step.

Right, he stopped and held up a hand, Issei had moved over to speak with Rias his face close to hers, Asia looked like she wanted to jump in between them but he needed her help. "Asia" he called out waving her over.

The girl furrowed her brow in confusion and walked to him, he smile reappeared as she said "Yes?"

"Raynare here has some bruises and other small injuries; could you take her into the locker room and heal them?"

Her face turned fraught with concern "Lady Raynare why did you tell me" she grabbed the hand of the thing that had tried to kill her only a short time ago "Show me where it hurts, I'll make it all better."

The locker room door closed and Anderson shook his head, Asia was good people.

He went to the storage shed and pulled out the chemicals; he had helped them clean it before several times and knew what to do. He glanced up at the sky, none of them had Sona's power with water but "Akeno would you hit the pool with lighting?" he asked.

The girl made a huffing sound and turned away, guess she was mad "Rias would you tell Akeno to hit the pool with lighting?"

The redhead looked up "What?"

"Desalination it's kind of complicated but this water is so green that I think I will help this go faster."

"Ah" she said "Akeno dear"

The queen gave him a dangerous smile and raised her hand, he took off his shirt and flung it to the side as a lighting crashed onto the water and in the flash of light a second bolt that no one saw smashed into him.

The blessing of Michael nullified the force of the blow leaving only the heat to give him third degree burns. However after his little adventure in atmospheric reentry the pain was a little lack luster.

The light faded and he nodded at the pool whose algae with either gone or floating in pieces. He gave Akeno a thumbs up ignoring the fact that his hair was on fire and a piece of his shoulder had been burnt to the bone.

Rias gave her queen a utterly shocked and horrified gasp, Akeno for her credit looked quite shocked to at the damage she had caused and Xenovia looked slightly pale "Your aim's a little off" he said amiably dusting his hand over his hair to put out the fire.

That was when Koneko eyes full of rage punched the queen through the fence and off the building. "Koneko" he said with disapproval.

The girl's eyes turned back to him already healed from that attack "She's your superior; you're not supposed to do that."

"And my Queen is not supposed to dry roast my friend with lighting" Rias said with a half growl. "She does not miss."

"To be fair I did kind of deserve it for manipulating her"

"No" Rias said her voice utterly dangerous "I know what you did and while I can understand anger I will not abide harm that on any other person would be deadly. Your power does not make it right for others damage you as they would our enemy.

Issei gave an uncomfortable cough looking for something else, anything else to defuse this situation "Hey" he asked "Where's Asia?"

"She went into the locker room with Raynare" Kiba said seeming to want the same thing as Issei at this moment.

"WHAT!" the boy yelled seeming to forget about everything else "You left her alone with that girl"

He dashed over to the locker room door "Wait" Anderson called out but it was too late, Issei flung the door open "Asia are you" he trailed off as he saw the scene before him.

Raynare was sitting up on one of the benches, her shirt had been taken off and Asia's hands were currently resting on her bosoms. He had not known she had been wiped there but it made sense. From the look of things she was almost done being treated as evidenced by the fact that she was sitting down with any degree of comfort.

Issei stammered at the scene his eyes got very wide and a hint of drool trickled out of his mouth, Raynare glanced at him eyebrow raised which caught Asia's attention the girl glanced behind her to see her crush who was currently enraptured by another woman's private parts.

Asia moved her one of her hands screaming "Issei no" and hurled the first thing she grabbed at him. A flung shoe smashed into his face driving him back, his hand let go of the door and it swung closed as he stumbled back and fell into the slightly electrified water.

Rias and Xenovia pulled him out within a second but his eyes and mind were clearly elsewhere going over just what he had seen. His mouth was locked in that expression that made girls every grab their skirts in terror.

Rias glared up at the closed door muttering several vicious insults, that involved the words slut and bitch, Xenovia nodded tightly at her words as she tried to get the boy's attention.(Huh he thought when had that happened?) It seemed Rias had completely forgotten the incident with him and that was fine. Akeno floated back up looking a little pale, her hands were clutching her stomach rather tightly.

Koneko ignored the scene and walked over to him "Are you alright" she asked worry clear in her voice.

He laughed and put back on his shirt and grabbed the chlorine and a net "I survived being liquefied by sheer force, a lightning bolt is not even a love tap."

She grabbed his arm "That doesn't make it right."

He waved a hand "Perhaps not but it really does not matter." he handed her a net "Lets get this cleaned up before we get in trouble with Sona. The girl gave him a suffering look but did as he asked, though she gave the cold shoulder to Akeno for the rest of the day.

The queen recovered from her surprise attack as high class demon do and went over to help with Issei who was still in his Oppai haze.

Shaking his head he got to work, even if it was depressingly normal for him to do most of the work he did not mind all that much. Let them have their fun, let them play while they could people even devils were bound to grow up way too fast. Besides he had help this time and lovely help at that Together they started draining the pool.

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Once everything got settled back to normal or at least as normal as they could be, they got the pool cleaned. He noted that Rias had told Akeno to meet her alone after school, so he guessed she had not forgotten completely what she did to him. But Issei had a way of becoming the center of attention that Anderson could only marvel at. Despite what he said about growing up, if the boy ever managed to do it he was going to be quite the leader. Possibly up there with Rias and Sona….well after a lot, lot, lot, of growing up but still it was there.

"Swimsuits, swimsuits" Issei hummed to himself as he changed.

Anderson went about dressing in his own swimming gear, unlike the two other boys; he slipped on an old shirt over his chest and back. Neither Issei nor Kiba had mentioned anything but the skin that was normally hidden under his school uniform was nearly snow white. It as a new change in his healing factor, perhaps the price of being more efficient, pigment no longer seemed much of a concern. It came back eventually and the skin on him that had been under the sun was the right color but most of him which was covered was mostly white.

He even felt slightly uncomfortable looking down at his legs, like his chest they were off the same parlor, all in all he looked kind of freaky. And he would admit it to himself he was kind of self conscious about it.

"Issei-kun I promise that if someone comes after you that I would do all in my power to defend you." Kiba said interrupting the silence.

Anderson had the distinct feeling he missed something, Issei seemed to read a little too far into it and flinched back "Why are you telling me this now?"

"It's hard to talk about this when there are others around" the knight said seriously

"A Ok thanks" Issei said clearly uncomfortable

"I mean it; I am indebted to you for saving me, one who does not return such a favor would not be fit to be a Gremory Knight."

Issei gulped slightly "I-I'll see you outside" he yelled and practically fled out the door.

Kiba blinked in confusion "Did I do something wrong?" he asked the pawn.

Anderson was howling with laughter on the inside, however on his calm outer exterior he nodded "It was touching well done."

Kiba seemed to miss the implication and gave a slow nod "I see"

There was a wave of sensation that passed over his sense, reacting like had been trained Anderson closed his eyes and reached for the Senjutsu around him. He could feel Issei at once, his power was different from normal, and something akin to shimmering heat was radiating from his left arm. The look of the energy was like that of a dragon which pretty much told him what it was; on the edge of his range he felt something else as well. It was only for a moment before the force vanished but he knew who that at been, Azazel Leader of the fallen.

He moved out to see Issei clutching his arm and grimacing in pain, "Kiba" he said as he led the boy back in the locker room and sat him down. He had heard about this from Rias though he had never seen in, the boy's arm looked deformed like that of the dragon kin. That would be the arm the boy had given away to the dragon, a move he had done to save him. He glanced away a tight smile appearing, like Kiba he owed this boy a lot too.

Akeno and Rias arrived seconds after Kiba had told them his king showed her concern easily thought Akeno looked….somewhat anticipatory. She continued to ignore him though focusing the whole of her attention on Issei. Given what he had heard about how she...relieved him of the excess power an act apparently one she could do. He could understand her train of thought pretty well; it was possibly the only time Rias could not interfere with her queens attempts to start a quote on quote "Affair"

Rias sighed "We will have Akeno suck the dragon's power out."

Issei made a sound somewhere between a pleasant noise and a shocked cry "Here? Now?" he squeaked, he gave Rias a semi guilty look before asking Akeno "You're ok with that?"

"Ara Ara, of course anything for my precious junior"

Anderson showed himself out of that room, he just did not feel safe there.

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Once the pool was drained they got to work with, the long handled brushes and scrubs, and Akeno's lighting had done a lot of the hard work with the algae sticking to the sides of the wall so things went rather quickly.

Or at least they would have if Rias did not keep stopping to look over at the locker room, every minute or so she would stop working and stare at the place Issei was being...treated

Anderson walked over to her "Look it's not helping if you stop every sixty seconds."

She blinked at his forwardness then glanced away in embarrassment "I have done this before so how about you go in there and we will take care of out here."

Rias practically jumped at that offer but hesitated giving them a slightly shamed look. Kiba smiled "It's all right"

Asia and Xenovia did not say anything, it was quite clear they wanted to go as well, but he had not grown up with them so tough luck. Raynare did not say anything steadily working in her area, Rias nodded in thanks and practically ran to the locker room door.

They continued to work at a steady pace but about sixty seconds later Rias came storming out of the locker room eyes glowing in anger. Anderson did not say anything but Asia asked "Is Issei alright?"

"I don't care" she snarled taking back her brush and shoving it against the pools surface with more force than necessary. Anderson again was laughing on the inside but outwardly showed nothing, Raynare caught his eye and gave him a look, one that said she was doing the same thing.

He started to get a little worried when her hair began to glow with the power of destruction and began to rise up. "Rias" he said gently.

The girl gave a surprised start as if she had not realized the power she had released and the glow faded "Sorry" she said.

"Akeno being a bit forceful for your liking" he said quietly.

She gritted her teeth "Issei's eyes wander too easily"

A snort escaped him before he could stop it, and she sent a half hearted glare at him "You do remember that his stated goal is to get a peerage of beautiful women to be his harem right." Anderson glanced around "And he seems to be well on his way whether he knows it or not."

Rias smacked his shoulder lightly "Don't you think I know that."

She shook her head a little the anger slipping off her face, she let out a sigh "Why can't I stay mad at him."

"You're smitten" he said bluntly "And our culture is much more if not accepting at least open than human society."

"A Gremory is never smitten" she said sternly belying the smile on her face "They merely decide who they want."

"As you say my King" he said with a mocking bow.

Rias gave a genuine laugh and as Issei and Akeno came out to help they got into gear cleaning the pool. Anderson held back more of his humor as he noted Issei's bright red cheek, the boy did his best to focus only on his work. It was not as successful as Issei tried to make it seem, the girls were all wearing bloomers that he felt were very much too small for decency. He did not really blame the boy for being distracted he himself was very much tempted and he had a lifetime of practice in self control.

And he would not lie even to himself, his own gaze strayed a few times but Kiba was doing no better so he did not feel as bad. Eventually he and Kiba began working with their backs to the rest of the girls and solved that problem.

At last they were done and the empty pool looked sparkling clean, the girls filed out to get changed into their swimsuits. Raynare tried to hide behind a chair but Akeno dragged her along with the rest a smile on her face.

"Oh dear" he muttered almost praying that Akeno did not do something stupid like giving her band aids to wear as a swimsuits through he would not put it past her.

When they came out he let out a sigh of relief, even as Kiba snorted in laughter, Raynare was the first out and dressed in swimwear straight out of the 1920's it was striped in black and white like old prison uniforms. Its measurements were done in such a way that her entire figure was blunted, the curves of her body hidden by the bulky measurements.

Akeno was out next and the suit she was wearing followed the less is more schools of thought; the fabric was the swaths of blue and red, a strap that covered the center of her breasts while leaving the top and bottom of them exposed. A bottom of simpler coloring covered between her legs thought it looked slightly tight for a figure like hers. It was eye catching and a figure like hers made it a killer statement of her beauty and raw appeal.

Rias was next, her swimwear was white in color, it was the more traditional modern style with the straps around the neck, and on any human girl the cloth covering the breasts would have been quite sufficient. On Rias it quite to small which was probably the point as Issei's eyes got wider and wider. The covering between her legs was held together on the sides of her thighs by lengths of what he was sure were pure gold. It accented her body just as well as Akeno's did and the way she walked was definitely all for Issei.

Asia walked out next wearing a basic school swimsuit, one that was again like the others to small true modesty. Her chest while not insanely large like her two seniors was more than enough to catch any eye. The fabric was strained in such a way that he had to wonder who in the hell picked it out for her, the girl never would have done it herself...at least he hoped not.

Koneko was also wearing a school swimsuit but hers was thankfully made to fit, that did not detract from her loveliness in any way. In fact it made it so he could look upon her and not feel bad about the action. The girl noted his look and a smiled her face almost glowing at his approving look and moved over to him "Sempai" she said.

"You look good"

"Thank you" she said shyly.

Akeno walked up to the pool and raised her hand, red light gathered above the pool forming the magic circle that preceded real magic. In terms of water magic Sona was without a doubt the best, but in terms of raw force few in this generation could match Akeno. A torrent of pure water fell from the center of the circle filling the pool within seconds.

"Damn" Issei said watching the water rise, it was kind of funny in a why, Issei was only a few weeks old in this world and yet he had more skill with magic than he himself did. Somehow his inner self was still blocking his ability to take contracts and use magic.

A bitter smile twisted to his face for the briefest moment but was gone the next "As our power was held by my despair, so too is this strength" His internal self said "Should you conquer our fear then more of your power will be realized."

Fear that was right, he had been told to ask Sona about that.

"Now let's swim to our heart's content." Rias said interrupting his train of thought. She turned to Issei with a smile "Issei" she said "What do you think of my swimsuit?"

"It's the best" he said with great force his eyes drinking in his king with great and lustful intensity.

Akeno stepped up to the two of them "My My, Rias your stepping up your game."

She moved up closer to Rias "You must have been dyeing to let Issei see you in that."

Issei's wandering eye moved from the two as they started arguing, he seemed not to realize in the slightest they were arguing about him.

Koneko moved beside him, her lithe body a stark contrast to his motley mix of natural tanned and ghost white skin. Her fingers traced his mismatched skin "So there are consequences to your protection of us."

She pulled gently down on him and he did not resist as she sat him down in the shade, she sat on his lap leaning against him, "Don't want to swim?" he asked

"I like this better" she said quietly.

"They might need you to need to need them" Gabriel had said.

"I like this too" he said to her. "Thank you"

She made a pleased sound and moved to make herself more comfortable.

Anderson watched as his peerage members began to make use of the pool and have fun. He smiled at the sight. Yes this was a good day."

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At some point Koneko had dozed off, he had put her on a towel beside Asia, and the former nun had played herself out. Akeno had taught her how to swim today and she took to it like a fish to water.

Raynare was still around but in the coroner as far away from them as she could manage and doing her best to stay quiet and unseen.

He himself hovered in and out of something near sleep but not quite, however it was not meant to be. There was an explosion of force and one of the concrete diving stands exploded into powder.

He was up in an Instant, they were not under attack anyone could see that. Rias and Akeno were standing and facing each other. Rias looked utterly furious a scene that would have been scary...if she had not been completely topless and clearly aroused. "Akeno don't you think you are getting too full of yourself" she whispered in menace. The power of destruction in her hand burned like a savage flame, while he was looking at it, the entire wrist and hand shifted taking on the coloration of the power of destruction.

For her part Akeno did not seem to be worried in the slightest "My my, if that's the way you want to settle this then I won't hold back. Thunder gathered to her hand writhing like a living thing, Anderson was already moving as tensions boil over. Issei for once doing something smart scrambled away from the two of them before he was caught in the crossfire. What was less smart is that he did not seem to realize what they were fighting over, anyone with half a brain cell could reason it out.

Out of the corner of his eye he caught Raynare gathering her power to defend herself, unless of course one did not want to reason it out.

He barely reached them in time grabbing their arms and yanking them up sending the ruinous power bolting skyward before they destroyed more of the pool. Given relative differences in height it put both the girl's on their tip toes.

His hands suffered immensely, the only that held Rias began to sizzle like a bacon on a skillet, the hand holding Akeno was being fired by the pent up electricity. "Given the current circumstances this is not the place for a fight like this."

"Both Girls struggled against his grip and his strength was only sufficient to hold them for several seconds "Listen to me" he half snarled "There are people here who are nowhere near as tough as me what happens if you hit them?"

That got their attention; both Asia and Koneko were watching what was happening in shock, "Now will you please stop melting my hands?"

Rias gave a started yelp as she finally noted what her power was doing to him; her face went from white to green as she realized that the sizzling sounds were. Akeno did not look like she cared very much but her power faded in time with her King's.

"Second" he continued "This place is not our property; I am probably going to be spending the next several days either fixing or replacing the diving stand that was destroyed." Rias flinched at that "And last but not least have either of you noticed that Issei is not here anymore?"

Both girls looked to the spot where they had last seen him, if this had been an anime there would have been arrows pointing to the outline of where he no longer was. He let go of both their arms as both had the decency to look ashamed.

"Now can I let both of you go, I really have no problem with you two working out issues as long as it in a place with no destructible objects or at least a place you own." They were both avoiding his gaze "Is that acceptable?"

"Yes" Rias said

Akeno nodded in acceptance, he let them go and the girls shifted from ashamed to confused "Where did Issei go?" Rias asked.

Anderson closed his eyes and reached out with his sense "He's in the storage closet...with Xenovia?"

He was knocked over as both girls and Asia dashed towards where he said Issei was, he lay on his back and sighed. Koneko was over him in an instant gripping his arm and hoisting him up bodily. "That was so rude" she said with a hint of viciousness.

He shook his head "They are just both following their desires, I have no issue with that" he looked at the palms and fingers of his hands, both were sheet white now, the new skin free of pigment. He shook his head; well at least he knew Koneko and Sona were not staying with him for just his looks.

In the distance he heard Issei cry out in pain but he could not find it in his heart to care at the moment.

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After the incident with the pool they all made their way back to the school, Anderson peeled off from the group "I'll be back in a few minutes" he assured them.

"You're going to see her" Koneko said

"Yes"

She glanced at Issei currently being dragged by the ear by three different women in the direction of the old school house. "Don't do anything….really ecchi" she said.

That made him pause and frown "Barring the fact that you know me better than that, do you really think Sona would do such a thing...here of all places?"

She just gave him a cryptic look and walked along after the rest of the group; he just shook his head and dashed off towards the student council room. Sona was the only one in the room when he entered and she seemed to be on the last paper. She did not look up when he entered the room "Is it finished?"

Crap she was mad "Mostly" he said with a sigh "Rias and Akeno got into fight over Issei and destroyed one of the concrete diving stands, I already made some calls it will be fixed by tomorrow."

"Good" she said stiffly "You can go now."

He could not leave like that "The women who gave me the gift was Gabriel" he said.

The pencil broke "What?" she snapped finally looking at him "She gave it to me before I left the heavens after the Kokabiel incident. It never seems to empty and given just how mind numbingly good the food is I keep it around."

Her mouth opened and closed several times "WHAT!"

He waited unsure of what to say, Sona took in a slow breath "May I see it please?"

Anderson placed it on the table, she took several minutes looking over it arcane "It's connected to something" she said at last "Like the painting Azazel gave to Issei, this is not a limitless supply of food, and she is merely keeping it stocked." She paused for a moment "Every Single Day"

He shrugged "That makes sense."

Sona looked at him before letting out a long suffering sigh "You don't get it do you?"

"Get what?"

"Uhhh" she moaned "Never mind." She shook her head "Sorry for snapping at you."

"No no I deserved it, I was hiding things from you."

"We all hide things Anderson-kun everyone."

"Ain't that the truth?"

"Ain't is not a word" she corrected him.

The both shared a low laugh, Sona stood up "I guess you got to see Koneko in her swimsuit?"

"I did"

"What did you think?"

Truth is the best option he chanted in his head "She was cute"

Sona seemed to be searching for something in his voice and posture 'Did anything happen?"

"Oddly enough Koneko warned me not to do anything ecchi you but that's it, Issei pretty much had the romantic drama quite covered."

Sona snorted "However after seeing Rias and Akeno in those revealing numbers" his eyes flicked up and down hers and heat touched her fact "I made me wonder what you would look like in one of them."

Her breathing sped up and she looked away embarrassed "Perhaps one day I will show you."

He grinned "That is a day worth waiting for."

"S-stop teasing me" she ordered.

"As you command" he answered with a bow "Though I did come up here to ask you a question."

"What question?"

"What is fear?"

Her head tilted at that "Fear is wisdom in the face of danger."

He froze at that statement "Really is that the answer?" He was asking himself that but Sona did not seem to catch it."

"It is one my sister told me and I think it is quite wise."

"No doubt" he muttered. Shaking his head her walked over to her hand gave her a peck on the lips "Thank you Sona" and then he turned walking away before she could remember she had told him not to do that on school grounds.

When he opened the door to the Occult club house he was just in time to see a teleportation circle appear. Issei looked like he was getting a talking to by Rias for his alleged actions and Sirzechs Lucifer of the four current Maou gave everyone a smile "Is something special going on here?"

Rias stood up in shock "Onii-sama?"

Issei was the first one to remember to bow and Anderson followed suit, only Rias, Asia and Xenovia not move. The Maou's eyes flickered to them "Are you Asia Argento?"

"Yes" she said in a small voice.

"Thank you for helping my sister, I did not have time to thank you the last time we saw each other, speaking of which where is your other pawn?"

"Behind you Nii-san" Rias said.

The Maou and his wife both turned at the same time "Wow you are quite for one your size?"

"I thank you for the compliment" he answered head bowed.

He could feel his other self's resentment at his actions that he was bowing to a devil but that would most likely always be the case. They were the same and they were different after all he once bowed his head to a greater power.

Grayfia smiled at him and gestured for him to move around to the front so they could see everyone, he did so.

Sirzechs looked at all of them "No need to be so tense, I'm here on personal business"

Rias blinked in confusion, Anderson was not surprised after all there were those talks being planned...unless Rias did not know about them yet.

"Are you a Maou?" Xenovia asked stepping forward eyes fearless.

"Yes" he said looking her up "It is a pleasure, when I heard the wielder of Durandal had joined my sister's family I could scarcely believe my ears."

"I still believe that I was quite bold to choose to become a devil, sometimes I still regret." She glanced down "Why did I become a devil."

That was an answer Anderson knew all too well, it the same emotion that has caused him to end up here, his soul split, in a world where everything was just a little bit more human.

Sirzechs laughed "My Sister's family always makes me smile" he fixed a gentle look on the girl "Xenovia I hope that you do your best to support the Gremory's as one of my sisters kin."

"I will not betray the trust put in me" she said coming out of her reverie "I will do the best I can."

The Maou smiled "Thank you."

"That Aside Onii-sama why have you come?" Rias asked

"Don't you know? Parent's day is coming up." Andersen blinked "He had forgotten about that, not that it mattered too much, his parents were going to be gone a few day's still.

Rias paled slightly "You can't mean"

"I would love to see my sister busy in her studies."

"Grayfia told you didn't she?"

"Don't worry; father will be coming with me"

Rias looked exasperated "You're a Maou; you shouldn't be leaving your work for such a thing."

From what Sona had told him that never worked with her sister so he did not see any reason why it should work on Rias's brother.

"I'm not" he answered back "I'm visiting for work too; I would like to host the conference for the three factions here in this academy.

Everyone except Anderson looked shocked, they all noticed that to and looked at him "You didn't know?" he offered.

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Well after another round of explaining and Issei surprisingly offering to let the Maou stay with his family. Everyone was ordered to go home and get some rest, Anderson found himself alone on the way back, splitting off from the main group.

As he neared his home he began to note something odd, his neighborhood was always quiet when it was late but...it was never this quiet. In fact just like when he had come home to find Freed attacking his mother, there were no animals making neither sounds nor cars going about nothing.

He stopped in his tracks beginning to reach out with his senjutsu sense when footsteps sounded out. A figure walked towards him out of the darkness, the light of the streetlamps showed him when he passed under them. He wore a dark green shirt with a high collared black leather jacket, red jeans worn under black leather chaps covered his lower body and black shoes topped of the picture. As he got closer his dark silver hair glinted in the light and ice blue eyes locked on him, the boy was tallish perhaps a hint taller than Issei was. But what was most noticeable was the excited movements and the barely concealed energy.

He had seen this boy before even if it had been only in the split second he had passed him as the Leviathans strike had sent him into low orbit. "May I help you" he asked

"You are Alexander Anderson?" the boy asked.

"I am"

"Good I had to make sure" the boy went utterly still "Azazel had a lot to say about you I wonder if it's true."

Before he could so much as think a bayonet into existence, the boy blurred forward his speed faster than that of a knight, faster than a bullet. In the space of a heartbeat he was next to him, his palm over Anderson's face. In the next heartbeat they were in the air and the town was a blur of grey below. On the third heartbeat Anderson managed to call up a bayonet point up and thrust, the boy made a jerking motion and then Anderson slammed into the ground like a missile. The moment before he hit he called up his Tokai Armament, that and the blessing of Michael blunted most of the force and he rolled back getting to his feet.

The boy landed on the ground with such grace that the grass hardly stirred; there was a small ever so light dot on his chest where the point of Anderson's bayonet had touched him. The boy moved his hand and touched that bit of blood smiling "I've been board for a while, Kokabiel was supposed to be my prey." A smile touched the boy's face "Something to alleviate my boredom, but your actions prevented that." The boy tensed "My name is Vali Lucifer and I want to see if you are worth the words Azazel says about you.

This time when the boy moved like a lightning bolt Anderson was ready, his eyes turned gold as opened himself to the senjutsu of the world. Abruptly Vali's body came back into sight, with the sight of the Blossom eye he could see.

He jerked his body to one side swinging the bayonet into the path of the boy, with little effort Vali leapt at a diagonal just out of reach of the blade. Then his path curved as he moved to strike at the back, Anderson pretend not to be able to keep up only to drop low at the last moment as a blow went over him, then he surged up slicing but only caught a bit of the leather jacket.

Vali stopped about ten feet away "Well" he said with a smile looking down at the small slice "I was worried when I moved you here so easily." He cracked his neck "Perhaps you can be slightly entertaining"

A wave of demonic power smashed into him, the trees around him moaned and swayed dust flared up. This power….it was on a whole other level.

The ground buckled and cracked as Vali sprang into motion, while he could see his speed he could not hope to keep up with the boy on reflexes alone. He took a risk and let the attack find its home, Vali's fist smashed against his chest. There was a shockwave of force that blasted back to his attacker.

Michael's blessing was an amazing piece of work, it was focused on blocking kinetic energy to the exclusion of all else. So a punch was robbed of most if not all its real power, the boy did not seem to know what to make of it.

With a scything slash Anderson brought both blades down on the boy attempting a literal disarm attack; the strike only hit empty air. The absolute speed at which Vali moved at was insane, and his reflexes seemed to match.

Even if he could see the boy his attacks were far too slow now that Vali had taken the measure of his movements. Without his eyes he would only be seeing streaks of light and after images, a leg connected with his head but the force was blunted and dispersed.

He leapt to the side as the boy dashed through the space where he had been, in the heartbeat both of his feet left the ground, the boy reversed course and strike at his back, this time the blow was backed by a considerable amount of demonic power, this blow did do damage, sending them thirty feet and through several trees. There was, he just managed to get to his feet when another hammer blow stuck his chest and knocked him flying again, then Vali was above him punching him down into the earth hard enough to dive him six feet into the solid earth. He followed up the move striking his chest again, and even with the blessing of Michael and the Tokai Armor his ribcage caved in.

The boy slowed for a moment to survey his damage and that was his first mistake of this fight, for in that moment he himself was in the air and with no wings to help him maneuver. He thrust up with force that belied his injured state. There was a flash of blood and the boy was no longer above him.

There was a crackling as his chest popped out like a balloon, bones nerves and flesh reforming. He got to his feet; Vali was a short distance away looking at his hand, have of the bayonets length was through it. The attack had been aimed for the heart but with ruthless efficiency the boy had intercepted the strike with his own hand.

"I underestimated" he started to say and then the bayonet blew up.

With his eyes he could see what had happened, the moment before it had erupted Vali had pulled it out of his hand and been in the process of moving back. As such he only received a few marks across his face and arm. The boy had been so fast there was not even blood on him save where the hole in his hands was.

"I apologize" he said simply "I have not been treating you with the respect you deserve" The boy looked...happy at saying that "You are dangerous" Light gathered to his back, it formed into a white metal like substance sprouting out of his back. Blue light formed into the shape of wings that spread out like those of a regal dragon. "Let's see if we can have fun now, I wonder if my power will work on your healing?"

So this boy was a sacred gear user, well he had his own gear not that he knew how to use it very well. "Ready to try it" he asked out loud...

The Noble gear answered "Of course I was only waiting for you."

"Who are you talking to?" Vali asked "Do you have a gear too?"

Blood red aura seeped out of his body through the Tokai Armor "Blood, Aura, Mind" the Nobel Gear said "These are the powers we have." she paused for a moment "Not that we can use most of the yet."

His heart began to beat faster, the blood in his body began to circulate the oxygen with ruthless efficiency, his blood pressure skyrocketed, and inside his body red aura encircled every vein in his body keeping him forming erupting in a most gory fashion.

One his outside the blood aura fused with the senjutsu he had gathered for his Tokai the two fused like rebar and concrete the sum of the two making a greater whole red orbs of light gathered two his arms encircling them in thorned vines of crimson red. They looked like they bit into his skin but he did not feel them. "This is what I look like" the Noble gear said "I who have taken in the false miracle and made it my own."

Anderson opened his eyes "Sound, touch, taste, smell, none of them would help him here so he discarded them, it was a mental skill rather than a physical one, even normal humans could learn it if they had the motivation. All the information power of his brain was transferred to his sight and the power of the Senjutsu eyes amplified them to greater heights.

The boy's mouth was moving but Anderson brain was no longer processing sound, the boy exploded into movement. Faster than before, faster than reason itself but he was not the only one who got a power up.

To any looking they would have seen a boy swinging around twin bayonets as such speed they looked like a dozen rather than the two he held. They would have also heard crashes of impact as some the blades closed against some invisible force.

Vali popped back into sight, there was a grin on his face he said something, his sacred gear glowed and Anderson braced himself. The glow faded and the grin vanished from the boy's face, replaced by confusion. His eyes moved from Anderson to his wings his mind clearly somewhere else.

It would have been the ideal time to attack but the problem was he was sure he would not be able to hit the boy even with all the way's he had boosted himself. The man's speed was unreal and ungodly, the boy's eyes flickered back to him, his body moving at the same instant blue light coated his arms as Anderson's bayonet's bouncing off like they were real armor. But even if it was only just barely Vali was not able to land a strike.

That was until he tried to do that thing again, his sacred gear shown he spoke a word….and once again nothing happened. The boy narrowed his eyes and then simply became a blur of light; it danced around him raining strikes that he could not defend against. Every blow like knocked him off of his feet, each strike with the force to change his direction. He ordered his mind to abandon color and the world faded to black and white.

And ever so slightly the body of Vali came back into his vision; he focused his aura imaging the feel of his wings. Wings that he apparently not longer hand in the normal sense, ever so slightly he moved down, the boy's body flashed over him like a blur, he had lost his blades at some point during the pinball beating and even thinking one up would be too slow.

As his mind was tracking thought that line of thought his fist flashed up and hit something soft and squishy, the blurring speed flattered slowing immensely, he thought he saw the boy flipping through the air his hands over his crotch. However with not pinball strikes to knock him back into the sky he slammed into the earth like a come. All his protections united were enough so that it did not have the same force or impact as one of that guy's blows.

He got to his feet, the power of his healing repairing the damage as it always did, he could not feel it working of course but the fact that he could stand meant his crushed leg had to be at least in some good shape.

There were several seconds of respite as Vali worked in ingoing the pain coursing through his junk. He was not really angry at his opponent both knew the placement of the hit had been pure luck. At the speed Vali had been moving there was no room for aimed strikes or cleaner attacks.

He spoke again but Anderson did not hear anything he simply waited holding his body to react, the boy shook his head the smile returning. Now that he could not see color only the vague outline of power around Vali's arms told Anderson that things were getting started again. He was somewhat surprised when his opponent did not vanish into light like he had a short time ago, rather he used to speed he had shown at the beginning of the fight.

In Anderson's current state is was something he could fight, though he did not know how long he was going to be able to keep up his buffs. As before he used his attacks defensively only striking just enough to keep the boy from going all out. The difference in power was simply too great he could only pray for mistakes that he not only could see but capitalize on.

It was a very tall order and one which he probably would not get, unless the boy grabbed him again, well grabbed him and slammed him into the ground again he had a plan for that if it happened.

The speed picked up as the boy gained momentum, it seems that he needed a bit of time to build up to that insane light like speed. It was quite frustrating that he could do nothing, whenever he overextended a hammer blow would send shivers of agony through him his mind not able to filter it all out.

Faster and faster the movements became until once again he could just barely see them, his head back, chest, they all felt like a massive bruise. Then the speed reached its peak and the pinball attacks started again. He was flying one direction when a blow would send him spinning in another, up, down, around in a spiral. Higher, always higher, than a hand grasped his throat with crushing force and they began to speed down.

That was the moment he had been waiting for, with all the effort he could muster his hands blurred into motion, hand locked on the boy's wrist holding his throat. The other copied the boy's attack and grabbed onto his throat. Now he did not have the strength to crush Vali's neck anymore than this boy could kill him by breaking his neck….which he had done twice on this short trip down.

When they hit the earth he unleashed his entire aura, all the power his Noble gear had given him everything he had. A circle of what had to be red formed the diameter at least one hundred feet, a sheet of red rising from the earth bending to his will forming a dome above them. The boy didn't seem to notice as he pummeled him again and again as Anderson held on for dear life. Then his wings glowed and Vali froze, it was the same expression Issei used when his Sacred Gear was talking to him.

But it was too late even if only by a heartbeat, with and effort of will and a strange tugging sensation from his heart. The field he created collapsed inward the tides of blood surging like the breaking sea. Then there was white as a tremendous detention wiped everything from sight, when it cleared he had to blink his eyes several times to get a clear vision. First off all Vali was still on top of him and second he was in armor, armor very similar to Issei there were minor differences of course but the effect was the same. A balance breaker…He did not hear himself say it but the words "Oh fuck" came out of his mouth.

Under the more he got the feeling the boy was smiling very wide, and his fist raised again, that was when a ball of dark power smashed into his chest. And suddenly the boy was no longer on top of him or anywhere near him. Gently as if lowered a stage prop a well dressed man descended in front of him. Even if he could not see color he could tell it was his king's brother, he realized the hold on his senses, the tokai armor, the blood aura, every way he had been buffing himself.

It was only then that he felt a sickly weakness course through him, it was rising like a tide slow and steady. But he could still move "And just what do you think you are doing?" Sirzechs was saying. The tone was calm rational and perhaps friendly sounding; it was something about his manner that told you he was mad.

Vali had been blown quite far away a smoking hole had been burned through his armor, the power of destruction flared around the Maou the very sky darkening with the intensity of it. Vali laughed his voice sounding like it was coming through a filter, he pushed himself up "Because I desired it"

There was no warning whatsoever, one moment Sirzechs was smiling with his dark aura flaring around him, the next little dark spheres formed and lashed out burning their way through the armor and Vali screamed in pain.

Then Sirzechs held up his hand "My sisters kin are my kin" the darkness deepened "And you should not have touched them Vanishing Dragon." There was a blast of dark energy, a beam of destruction in its purest form. Vali only just managed to dodge it but then those dark orbs crashed down on him with ruthless precision burning into his legs and arms. The Four orbs moved to strike again when they were intercepted by four daftly thrown shafts of light. "Hold, hold" a familiar voice said the twelve dark angelic wings flared out giving away who it was even if his voice had not already done so. Azazel lord of the fallen stood in between Vali and Sirzechs.

The dark aura vanished from the Maou's body, "Is this one yours Azazel?"

The Fallen did not relax his stance as the Maou did, "Will you please explain why one of you men attacked my sister's kin? In the middle of our truce." The question was asked with an air of feigned innocence but the iron behind it was terrifying.

Azazel...blinked, he looked back to Vali "I see" he said a hint of a growl in his voice.

Vali sighed seemingly unconcerned by his inability to move "Given our current state I am well within my rights to kill him where he stands" Sirzechs said with utter calm "But given how you would not stand for that what should we do?"

"Weregild" Azazel said instantly a relieved expression appearing on his face.

Weregild, blood money, a price paid to repay a debt normally taken in blood. The Fallen turned his gaze upon him "As the damaged party do you accept?"

He nodded not trusting himself to speak.

"Good, I will have the payment given to you by the summit."

"And it will be to my satisfaction" Sirzechs amended "A repayment equal to that of the vanishing dragon."

Azazel made a noise in this throat that sounded like something between a scream and a death knell. But he recomposed himself rather quickly "That will be somewhat difficult, one does not just have a Longinus just lying around."

"I am sure you will think of something" the Maou said encouragingly "And might I suggest you rein your people in, its only good form."

"Rest assured he will be...severely disciplined for his actions."

Vali again did not seem to care in the slightest; he did not even look at the two his gaze was all on him. "You are indeed a worthy opponent; your current power should not have been able to force me so far. And yet your resistance to my divine dividing is intriguing."

Azazel blinked and his calculating eyes shifted to Anderson, it was not good as he was currently only barely standing up and was truly hoping they would leave so he could fall over. "What do you mean?"

"Ahem" The Maou said "I suggest you leave, my sister is almost here and if she sees her servant like this well she might just attack you." He shrugged "And then I would have to attack you so go NOW"

Azazel nodded his composure regained "That is quite a good Idea, have a good day Maou Sirzechs." he touched Vali and they were going flash of magic.

"Thank God" Anderson gasped ignoring the start of pain going through his head; it was miniscule to the agony that had built up in him. He fell to the ground and proceeded to vomit blood his entire body seizing up like one giant Charlie horse.

Sirzechs was at his side in a moment, he was saying something but Anderson was in no position to care. Another burst of vomit and blood splashed onto the Maou's more expensive than a house suit. To the man's credit he did not seem to care in the slightest, another echo of agony had him curled up in a ball.

It felt like half his life had just been torn from him, and then the pain lessened, like a trickle of water his healing poured into the missing portion of his life-force. Bolstering what was there and every so slowly refilling what had been lost.

His breathing became steadier, and he could vaguely sense several more presences above him, then hands that glowed with green light touched him. The power of Twilight Healing fused with the power of his healing factor and the trickle turned into a flood. His body bucked eliciting a yelp from the poor girl, his breathing steadied.

He began to make sense of the voices around him, he noted his head was currently in Rias's lap, "Who did this?" she snarled at her brother "Tell me now!" her entire head took on the appearance of the power of destruction and her brother's mouth dropped open.

With a moan of effort he reached up and flicked her forehead ignoring the sizzle of his finger tip, the dangerous power dispersed in an instant. "Anderson" she let out a breath of relief.

She pulled him up slightly her arms around his shoulders and chest, she held him like that and he was perfectly content to remain there. His strength was returning but he just felt really tired "What happened?" Rias asked.

He let out a breath "I have no idea"

The effort of speaking was enough to galvanize his will, he slowly moved off of his friends lap rolling over onto his chest. Then with a little effort he pushed himself up, Rias moved to his side and hosted him up bodily. "Thank you"

His legs trembled for a moment but with Rias under his arm it was not a problem to deal with "Who did this to you?"

"His name was Vali Lucifer or so his said."

Rias looked at her brother who was still staring at her "Rias" he said in shock "That power"

"That not important right now"

Sirzechs held up his hand "I'll explain it to you later."

"Grayfia" he said

The strongest queen appeared at his side "Please take this boy to his home." he pursed his lips "And stay the night, just in case."

"As you wish."

"I don't think that's appropriate" Anderson started to say but was cut off by her glare.

Rias shook her head "He can stay with us tonight."

"Um Buchou there are kind of a lot of people at my house right now." Issei said in a sheepish fashion.

"Then do you mind if I spend the night at his home Onii-sama."

"Before I saw your power of destruction no I would not have, but now we have to talk." His voice was firm in a way that brooked no dissent "Grayfia will take care of him of that I have complete confidence."

"Its fine" Anderson said "I'm better now." He stood up straight "I've been hit by far worse."

Rias did not look happy, not in the slightest "Aren't your parents out of town?" The Maou asked.

He nodded "Would you mind if I and my wife stayed there, we are only staying the night at his young man's home."

"It would be my honor" he answered.

That seemed to calm Rias down immensely, "I might spend the night too" she said.

Issei did his best not to look down at that statement and Anderson rolled his eyes, she was feeling protective. He should know that once she felt he was safe the girl would not stay away from him for long. Not with Asia in the house anyway, but then again Issei should have known both girls were crazy about him. The boy had issues, but then again didn't they all.

"How far am I away from town?" he asked "I kind of was busy when Vali dragged me here.

Rias rolled her eyes "We are teleporting"

"Right, always forget about that."

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Alucard sighed as the fight ended; watching the fragment being beaten had been cathartic. Still it had not been one sided enough for his tastes, and that blood field thing worried him though he could not tell why.

He was getting the feeling he was not being very much of an inconvenience to the Watcher's plans, if anything he was starting to get the suspension that he was being used.

Used to help this boy grow, the thought of it rankled him and he let out a grim smile. Let the watcher play his games, he had plans of his own. If the boy thought he could stop him then he was quite wrong he had his own games to play.

Do not be so sure Monster" A voice said.

Alucard flinched but otherwise did not react.

"Are you listening to my thoughts Watcher?"

"Oh child I do not need to."

A spark of annoyance went through him "Hey Watcher why did God allow what happened to me?" Even Alucard was surprised by the cutting viciousness in his voice.

"...Humans are allowed to chose, they may choose good, or they may choose evil. This universe is different in that no being is bound they all have free will. Just as you made the choice to become what you are those who abused you chose to do so."

"And God did not feel like intervening"

"As you are now Alucard would you respect him if he did, would you want a world of puppets pulled at the strings of one master?"

Alucard did not answer "And who is to say that there was no intervention, do you remember how you escaped?"

"Go away Watcher you have said nothing I have not heard before."

There was no answer and darkness gathered around the former Vampire.

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Have a Good day