A/N: Jesus I'm bad at this. So I have like a bunch of other ideas I'm working on very slowly. Plus I'm in college now, so my schedule is gonna be tight. But I'll still do my best to update any stories I work on, no matter how long it takes.
With that out the way, I'm CPUAzure. I go by Azure or Michael. Doesn't really matter to me which one you use. I took the time to rewrite a fucking author's note. Oh boy.
First, I'd like to thank Nosferatu869 for making such awesome stories, and inspiring me enough to get up of my ass and write this story I've been sitting on for a while. And also Third Fang, for indirectly making me think about how a single would react to a different upbringing.
Next up, this is kinda a pseudo crossover, but not at the same time. Like, it has SMT IV Apocalypse characters, but that plot is definitely staying in its game. I'd add it if I wanted to make this a clusterfuck, but it already kinda is. I'd also appreciate it if y'all point out any plot holes or mistakes you come across when reading.
Final thing, I just want to say that this is my second story. Once again, would really love it you guys helped out with pointing out weird stuff.
Like, really love it.
You guys tired of this author's note by now? I sure am. Here's the story then.
"This life is the greatest lie ever told and the hereafter is the greatest truth ever unknown."
- Suhaib Webb
"Would you like to hear a story?"
A figure emerges from the darkness of a room, clad in a brown cloak. Upon their face sits a porcelain mask, obscuring all but their mouth.
"It wouldn't do any harm. After all, here we have all the time in the world~" The figure spun on one foot before placing both hands on their hips. "Now then..."
"In a time not so long ago, there was a young man. He was plain, with a kind and eccentric heart. However, those around him only knew him for his odd interests and labeled him an outcast. A loner. Just as he had been as a child. So, he resigned himself to his life of mediocrity – prepared to stay by himself forever.
One day, he was approached by a beautiful woman. It was unlike anything he had experienced before. Something extraordinary; love at first sight. The young man fell for her, and would have done anything for her." The figure's disarming smile became a furious scowl.
"He died for her." Nails bit into palms, blood dripping onto the floor. "But it opened a way for him. A way into something more. The young man fought many battles and gained many allies. He achieved the dream he had chased for so long.
So why then, would tears fall from his eyes when he slept? 'Why do I feel as if it is all a lie?' he asked himself. Then he came to realize that those around him still didn't truly know him. They only knew the faces he wore to please them – the hero, the pervert, the vanguard.
None of them knew the lonely boy beneath the armor.
As time passed and the young man grew in power and stature, he drifted away from those he had come to call a family. He wandered the world, helping those in need and guiding the lost. Until he found a little girl in a forest. A young soul surviving through the mimicry of others.
He took the girl in, and raised her as his own. The man taught her all he knew. He became her father, her teacher, her brother, her world. They were happy together. Then, on that fateful day, a war began. Brother fought against brother in a desperate bid for survival. The man left, ready to fulfill his duty to his family. 'Wait for me,' he told the girl. 'I'll come back for you.'
Weeks. Months. Years passed.
The man did not return.
The girl, a defenseless child no longer, took up her mentor's blade and set out to bring him home. She desperately fought her way across the war-torn world, determined to find the man who meant everything to her. And find him she did. Or rather, what was left of him. A few locks of hair, a pool of blood, his armor, and a man holding the gem from his gauntlet.
The gauntlet her mentor protected her with. The precious weapon from his soul." The back of the figure's hand pressed against their mask, as if mimicking distress.
"They say that the girl cuts a bloody swath of destruction across the land to this day, waging a crusade of vengeance against those who killed her mentor. But of course, such things are merely a story."
The figure walked further into the light, exposing porcelain skin and small plates of armor beneath the brown cloak.
"Now then, allow me to tell you a second story. It is rather similar to the first, in its own way. Would you care to hear it as well?"
GRRRRRRRRRRRRLLLLLLL
A deep, guttural growl echoed through the room.
"Ah." The figure seemed amused. "There's no need to be so impatient. The next story is also about a kind young man. However, this one was born into a hellish future and given no name. He held nothing to call his own aside from a blade and the clothes on his back. But he was given the chance to become something more – a hero by the standards of his world – and to choose a name for himself. From that day on, he called himself Issei. It was a promise; a promise to stay true to himself and others.
So Issei and his companion set out, amassing a team of others like them to fight off the continuing threats to humanity. They helped rescue a man heralded as the savior of their land, and slew the leaders orchestrating the supernatural war within their city.
The time came for them to be recognized as heroes of humanity. At least, until everything went wrong. Issei and his companions were forced to watch as Issei's best friend – his first companion and friend – was devoured alive. Still they pressed on, seeking justice for the atrocities committed against humanity. But Issei was changed. He put on a mask for the others, hiding the doubt he felt. Was this path truly worth the death of his first and closest friend?
Was it worth the pain it would cause them all?
So he was told to decide; his bonds, or the power to keep this apocalypse from ever occurring again." The figure stopped speaking for a moment, gauging their audience's reaction. "...His choice matters not to the story. The young man called Issei was selfish, clinging desperately to what he could call his own. Even when it was long gone..."
"...Have you heard the explanation they give for sacred gears? God's gift to humanity – a way to defend themselves from the supernatural. Ahahaha…" The figure laughed, almost knowingly. "The truth is, they were made by a grieving child calling upon the power of creation. It was never a gift. It was a cry for vengeance. But you would know, wouldn't you..."
The figure's 'audience' stepped forward, illuminating brown hair and glowing green eyes.
"Hyōdō Issei."
The face of the [Sekiryuutei],while still young, betrayed the maturity gained from years of travel and discipline. His body on the other hand…
"I don't have time for your damn games Utsuro. What the hell did you call me here for?" The two bladed red wings sprouting from his back twitched. A red dragon's tail impatiently flicked back and forth.
The newly named Utsuro sent him (what they hoped was) a disarming smile. "Now, now Issei. There really is no need for–"
PRESSURE
"Don't fuck with me, you freak of nature."
Utsuro flinched at the sheer anger coating his words. "I-Issei, I just wanted to–"
"Wanted to what? Waste my time? So what if this place is special. The moment I leave, nothing will be different. Our world will still be dying, life will still be struggling to exist, and my godsdammned daughter will still be out there tearing what's left to–"
"I JUST WANTED TO HELP YOU!"
Issei froze, staring at Utsuro. He had never known them to do anything other than play the jester.
He had never seen tears fall from behind that mask.
"Utsuro, I...I'm sorry. I'm just...stressed. Too much has been happening. Everything's just been going so fast and–"
"….let me tell you one more story Ise-kun."
Issei was beginning to notice a theme in their discussion. One that was thrown completely out the window with Utsuro's change in demeanor.
"I can't promise you that you'll like it," The mask was removed. Issei stifled a gasp. "It's a story just like ours," An almost insane smile split Utsuro's face as glowing green stared into a teary, star-filled cosmos.
"Except to you, it might seem like a rude awakening."
Lucidity – Lucidity I
[Lucidity–noun: 1. clarity of expression; intelligibility. 2. the ability to think clearly, especially in intervals between periods of confusion or insanity.]
"WAKE UP! WAKE UP! IF YOU DON'T WAKE UP I'M GOING TO K-KISS YOU…..."
As odd as it sounded, Issei loved his alarm clock. Sure it could be annoying on certain days, but who wouldn't want to wake up to a cute girl calling your name?Or, at least as close to one as you could get.
Stumbling out of the bed and over to his bathroom, Issei was greeted with a relatively plain face.
His face, that is. Plain or not, he jokingly shot himself finger guns in the mirror, grabbing his toothbrush and some toothpaste.
Washing up taken care of, he slid over to his computer, glancing at his clock again.
6 o'clock AM. Peachy.
While becoming a NEET had become slowly appealing over the years, he also idly considered his parents reactions to such a path. His dad would be amused, and his mom…
Issei shuddered. There were two ways that could go, and he wasn't so sure if he was fine with either one. He already caused them enough trouble as it was. He never was the most socially adept, so the moment he decided to tell others about his er, interests, his social life had ended.
He went from the 'weird but kind of cute loner kid' to the 'shameless scum of the earth'.
In all honesty, he should have expected it considering the country's view on censorship, but it still hurt all the same. Hell, it was amazing to him that his parents still showed him the support they did.
Especially because he wasn't even their son. He figured most others would have dumped someone as plain and worthless as him off somewhere a long–
"Iseeee-kuuuuuun…."
FEAR
"Oh Kami." Issei felt a cold sweat run down the back of his neck. How the hell does she even–
"Were you thinking bad things agaaaiin~?"
"A-ah, I..." For the love of all that is holy, how does this even happen?
"You weren't doubting the love I have for you….were you~?"
"N-no Kaa-san..." The oppressive atmosphere persisted for a moment, before dissipating.
"Good! Now hurry down here Issei, I made a nice breakfast for your first day back!" The voice of his mother chirped happily before he heard her walking away from his door. The sound of her steps faded. Then, and only then, did he let out a sigh of relief. He had no clue why or even how his adoptive mother was able to tell when he was critical of himself, but he did know one thing.
She hated it. With a burning, almost unreasonable passion.
Who was he kidding? It was unreasonable as hell! Why would that even mean that much anyways? It was creepy, no matter how he looked at it. In fact, it was almost unnatural. Unfortunately, it wasn't that alone that made his interactions with his mother awkward.
"Yo, Issei." The aforementioned boy felt his eye twitch.
Issei's adoptive father wasn't a strict man. In fact, he was the exact opposite. Basara Hyōdō was a very laid-back man (as evidenced by his feet propped up on the kitchen table alongside the mug of something that definitely wasn't just coffee in his hands), often coming across to others as Issei's older brother or cousin. It didn't help that he would never try to correct them either.
That definitely didn't help at all.
"Basara-baka~ What have I told you about putting your feet on the table, hmmmm?"
And here comes the scary-ass aura again.
"Uh...not to do it?" The sweat on his face was visible, and yet the poor man does nothing.
"Then why exactly...are you still doing it?" Dear Kami, save this man from himself.
For his credit, Basara still had the gall to bring the coffee-spiked alcohol (Issei would guess somewhere around 80 percent alcohol and 20 percent coffee, judging from his mother's reaction) to his lips and take a long, loud sip before responding. "Because it's comfortable."
Issei palmed his face. Basara took another sip. A pan flew out the kitchen. Wait, what?
GONG
"FUCK!" The chair was now empty. It's occupant?
Issei looked down.
Writhing on the floor, drink still safe from harm. How the hell does he do it?
"My...drink...must…enjoy..."
Another pan flew out the kitchen. Issei took this as his cue to leave the room.
.
.
.
Now then, the other thing that made his interactions with his mother awkward.
"Here you are~ I made your favorite today, Issei to celebrate your first day back!" Issei's mother set a plate of fried omelet in front of him, before placing the rest of the plates.
Issei was aware that he was known to be a pervert. He had read all manner of doujins (within reason), watched videos, etcetera. He'd seen the kind of stuff men his age dream about. Unfortunately, said men would have no clue how to react to it if it ever happened.
Men such as himself.
Issei's mom, Tsuki Hyōdō, was hot. Very hot. Unnaturally hot. She made whatever she wore look good, including the apron and t-shirt she was currently wearing. Her proportions were balanced, her brown hair fell in a cascade of caramel, her soft blue eyes shone with emotion, she was sweet, and was generally good at whatever she did as well.
Unfortunately, she was also very affectionate and downright creepy as hell at times. And could be very, very violent at times.
Issei glanced at his father figure. A swollen green eye and a broken nose glanced back.
...violent indeed.
But the point was Issei was a healthy, hotblooded sixteen-year-old with a hot as fuck mom, and a dad that had no clue how to dad, and instead became an older brother.
Neither of them understood how it worked either. It was all he had known anyways.
"Basara, are you perhaps drinking during breakfast again?"
"...No?" He never learns, does he? "Wait, wait, wait!"
SLLLUUUUURRRRP
"Ah...that's better. Alright, continue."
Just another morning in the Hyōdō household.
CRASH
...Just another morning.
_{lucidity}_
{lnɔıpıʇʎ}
Kuoh Academy. A previously all-girls school, it had recently become co-ed. Recently, as in, Issei's freshman year.
A year during which he had established himself as a menace to women everywhere. Admittedly showing rampant perversion wasn't the best approach to getting a harem, but he had a problem with being blunt. Issei knew what he was doing wasn't okay, but he had his reasons. Such as a crush. HE had a big one on Katase Yumi during his first year. Or, you know, spite.
Getting beat with wooden weapons until you were bloody wasn't necessarily ethical, and while he could have been tried for sexual deviancy himself, there was the matter that he could've charged for assault in return.
The Student Council knew this. The Kendo Club on the other hand, did not. So he sat there peeking because it was the only way he could ever see his crush during his freshman year. It was a habit he had broken though. Real girls kind of sucked. Especially when they continued to beat him just for being in the relative vicinity.
If that crap happened one more fucking time…
If he was being honest, Issei would say that Kuoh Academy was full of hypocrites. After all, he personally knew that there were many girls perving on some of the males at the school.
Kiryuu Aika, if he remembered correctly, had some sort of odd fixation with him specifically. It was something he had only found out after realizing she was somehow always within the same area as him. Always.After a little asking around, Issei had found out he had some odd attention. Naturally, he had been a little excited. A girl was showing interest in him!
And then her interest moved on to some random other first year. One who then tried his luck, and was promptly humiliated in front of the class.
Issei then decided that he had better things to get excited about.
But that was then, and this was now! He was a second year at the prestigious Kuoh Academy, and was ready to make a new-and-improved mark on his classmates. Of course, once the girls stopped giving him dirty looks.
And not the good kind either.
The brunette idly looked around at the other students walking into the school, mentally noting anyone interesting.
People watching was much better than peeping after all.
Unfortunately, he didn't see many people that would count as 'interesting' in his book. But at the same time…was that a girl wearing half of the male uniform,...or an effeminate dude wearing part of the female uniform?
.
.
.
DING DONG, DING DONG...DING DONG DING DONG…
Issei found himself wondering just who came up with that specific bell noise. It was almost iconic with how much it was used in anime.
But then again, most tropes are based somewhat in reality.
He found himself idly chuckling to himself. Comparing anime to reality? Oh man. If that were the case, he'd probably end up as some uninteresting side character or something. Aside from his, er, interests, he was probably one of the most average people you'd ever meet.
His grades were good, but not too good, his looks were average, his height was average, his family–
...was definitely not average. But hell, even his tastes were relatively average!
He liked tits and ass, dammit! Why was that such a problem? Every man his age was the same!
...well, unless they batted for the other team. BUT NONE OF THAT MATTERED. Issei was an avid admirer of the female form, and while he reigned in his outbursts in the last year, some people still looked at him like he was a step away from committing sexual assault! How the absolute FUCK was he supposed to get a harem now?! These stupid double standards at this Kami-forsaken fucking schoo–
Why did it feel like he was being watched…? Issei glanced up from his lunch, mentally filing away his rant/monologue for a later date. Brown eyes idly scanned their surroundings before looking up and locking with blue-green orbs. Their owner gave the smallest smile, before turning and throwing crimson tresses over her shoulder. Meanwhile, Issei watched in disbelief as Rias-goddamn-Gremory herself closed the window, seemingly content with her observations. He stared for a few more moments before returning back to his meal.
Unfortunately, it seems others noticed the short interaction if the sudden spike of killing intent was anything to go by.
'...I'm too young for this shit...'
.
.
.
DING DONG, DING DONG...DING DONG DING DONG…
Issei wasn't so sure if it was a good thing he was ready as hell to leave an area mainly populated by hot girls. But then he remembered just what kind of place Kuoh Academy was, and promptly left.
Who the hell designed those female uniforms anyways? Even the old managreed that it made them look like jailbait. And he normally gave zero fucks about anything on the daily basis.
It had gotten them into almost as much trouble as Issei's own perversion, and that was saying something. But that wasn't necessarily his business anyways. Or maybe it was, considering his dad's attitude had almost caused them both great bodily harm. On multiple occasions.
Hey, at least it had taught him things. Like that it was slightly weird for some random girl he'd never seen before to ask him out on a date.
...wait a second.
"Hyōdō-kun! I love you! Please go out with me?"
…
…
[Illegible mental noises]
We're sorry, has stopped working. Would you like to wait, or close the program?
[Wait]
"A-ah. S-sure…?" Smooth, Issei. Smooth.
"Great! I'll see you then Ise-kun!"
And so Issei got a date for Sunday evening.
_{lucidity}_
{lnɔıpıʇʎ}
Issei was a happy man. Why wouldn't he be?
Sure, his family was weird beyond his reasoning and he was ostracized by his peers but he had a date with a hot chick on Sunday! A hot chick he doesn't know and has never seen before!
...Kami, that sounded sad and lonely. In a perfect world, he would have asked out Katase during freshman year, and not have made an ass of himself. But no~, he just had to lose his shit when he sees any attractive female.
But then again, last year seemed...off to him. Something was wrong with Kuoh Academy, and something inside him was screaming to try and find out what it was. That something was suddenly and abruptly silenced and isolated within his first two days.
It wasn't natural. Issei had always been a horny teen – at least since puberty hit him fucking hard – but something in those halls was driving his hormones wild. Almost as wild as his idle curiosity at the moment. The brunette glanced at his PC.
A couple hours on Google couldn't hurt, right?
'Myths of Japan'
'Urban Legends of Kuoh'
.
.
.
"…...I WILL KILL YOU IF YOU DON'T WAKE UP….YOU WILL BE CUT INTO PIECES IF YOU DON'T WAKE UP….."
Another morning, another dumb day of...wait a sec. It was Sunday.
…
Hell yeah.
…
HELL YEAH, HE MIGHT GET SOME PUSSY TODAY.
Wait, that's probably not best way to go about this. He's only going on a date...but on the other hand-
FUCK YEAH LUCKY OUTFIT!
Issei looked himself over one last time. Lucky socks, check. Lucky boxers, check. Lucky shirt and pants?
The brunette shot himself finger guns. And this time, he really felt it.
Double check. He was gonna give this girl the best date ever. He even planned it all out!
First, they'd walk around the Sunday Market and get food, then he'd take her to the arcade and impress her with his reflexes. Finally, he'd end the date under a beautiful sunset at the nearby park.
The plan was foolproof. His classmates didn't really go to the market, Matsuda and Motohama spent their Sundays jacking off, and finally his dad would keep his mom busy for the day.
Issei felt pretty proud of himself as his date's lips pressed against his and her tongue intertwined with his. Kami, he felt good.
"Ise-kun, could you do something for me?" Her words were like honey, dripping between harsh breaths and sweet, hungry kisses.
And Issei loved every moment of it.
"Of course," Lips met again. "Anything." And again. "Just ask," And again. "And I'll give it to you..."
"Anything…?" He was caught; nothing more than a lamb following its loving shepherd, "Then...,"
Oblivious to the knife in his hand, and the blood on his clothes.
"Could you give me your life, Ise-kun?" Her grip on his shirt tightened.
Issei felt a cold sweat on the back of his neck. "Wh-what? C-could you say that again-mmph!" Lips met for one last time. The girl slowly broke the kiss, and the brunette watched in horror as two wings – like an angels – unfurled from her back.
But these wings, were as dark as night.
"Will you die for me?"
Black feathers embraced them, weaving hypnotic patterns in the breeze as violet eyes changed from cute to psychotic. Deranged. The girl let out a demented giggle, before laughter filled the park.
'Why do I feel so cold?' He struggled to look down.
Red. So much red. Was it his? Brown eyes met dull violet discs. "Well, Ise-kun? Would you diiieeeeee for meeee?" Something left his body with a wet crunch.
'It hurts so much...Mom, Dad...I...' The sky was red like the ground. 'I...' Black feathers kissed his skin.
'I want to see you again.'
The fountain ran red as screams echoed through the night. The skies opened up, and wept for a young man.
And in a distant future, time moved in reverse.
So this is how it ends, huh?
…
That's pathetic, kid. That's not the stubborn bastard I deemed worthy. That's not the monster that tore me limb from limb.
…
It won't end like this. You still have unfinished business right? Heh.
So then, kid. How about you and I make a deal. One last time. Just repeat after me. Surely you remember the stupid shit you said the last time around, right?
'My bonds will give me the strength to defeat you'?
Jog any memories? No? Hmph, to say you spouted all that lunacy about bonds to me. Look at you, you can't even remember your first companion. Bah, no matter, care to remind these fools of my name again?
The deal has been struck. And while your new life is your own, you've got some...responsibilities to take care of.
[Kuoh Central Park, 9:57 PM]
"How filthy. And they call us brutes."
A young-looking man gazed at the bloody mess before him. He would have looked rather handsome, if not for the mandibles tearing through the side of his face, his two extra sets of arms, and his far too many eyes.
"Whatever, as if I'd let perfectly good meat go to waste." A twisted facsimile of a smile crossed his face before it split open, revealing a dripping tongue and vicious fangs. "Dinnertime – hm?" The creature wasn't one to waste time observing his food, but…
He was fairly certain that corpses shouldn't be glowing green. Or glowing at all as a matter of fact.
"...Pretty sure that's a bad sign." He deliberated for a moment, before smacking a clawed first against an equally unnatural palm. "If I beat the shit outta it and cut it up some more, it's gotta stop glowing, right?" He was a genius.
The man-spider-thing stalked towards the corpse – wait why was it moving? Corpses don't move. Or look extremely pissed. Or hold glowing swor–
His world went dark.
- With Issei -
What the hell? What just…
Issei glanced down, noticing some...er, odd marks on his left hand. Those were definitely new. He was pretty sure he would remember getting a large, glow-in-the-dark green x-like shape on the back of his hand. Or the similar lines running up his left arm.
Oh, and the sword. He definitely would have remembered the large fucking sword.
Definitely. Alongside the corpse of whatever the heck that thing on the ground was. Considering no one else was in the area, he'd say that he did that.
'So then, let's assess the situation. There's blood everywhere. I should be dead, but I got better after talking to some Scottish voice that speaks Japanese. Okay, yep. Ab-so-lutely going to have a panic attack tonight. Oh, and that cute girl – Yuuma-chan, I think – is a psychopath who quite literally ripped something out of my body. Great.'
"Alright, Issei. Home first, mental breakdown later."
.
.
.
The first thing Issei noticed was that his mother wasn't home. There was no worried fretting over his battered form. No smell of homemade cooking. No noise from the TV.
It was silent.
"Issei." Except for the voice of one Basara Hyōdō, sitting at the dinner table under a single, dim light.
"Hey...Tou-san, I'm back." Basara seemed taken aback for moment.
"Yes...you are," The man's eyes stopped at the large hole in his 'son's' shirt. His eyes narrowed. "Sit down for a moment, Issei."
The tired teen sat down at the table. "Hey...where's Kaa-san?"
Basara stopped his actions for a moment. "She'll be out for a while Issei. Has business to take care of, she'll be back soon though. Don't worry about it."
The man resumed his mixing at the small bar area. Liquid from different bottles mixed together in the mugs in front of him. Stirring the drink one last time and nodding to himself, he brought the drinks to the table. "Here you are, Issei. Now then," He gestured to the drink, then at his own. "Let's talk."
Issei glanced at his mug, noting the strong smell. "Uh, Tou-san? I can't drink. I'm underage." His father figure simply waved his hand at him.
"It's more to calm your nerves than anything else. Now, as I said. Let's talk, Issei."
The younger brunette brought the drink to his lips, quirking a brow at the subtly sweet, smooth taste. His father narrowed his eyes further.
"Better?" Issei gave a nod. "Good. So, what happened tonight." The teen hesitated. "Hm, so that's how it is...guess there's no choice." Issei looked up curiously at his father figure.
Only to subsequently recoil in fright as a cruel-looking blade appeared – in a flash of violet light – into the man's waiting palm. "Don't worry, it's only for show. Now do you think you can tell me?"
Issei slowly gave another nod. And then broke down in front of the man who raised him. He told him everything. The girl, the date…
His death…
He stopped for a moment before continuing. Something felt wrong to him; almost like it was missing. Blinking away any more tears, he checked his cellphone. It was cracked, and still had some of his blood on it.
But it was still the same as it always was. And for some odd reason, it felt oh so wrong to him.
- With Basara -
The first thing he did was try to quell the rage in his veins. Someone, or something, had attempted to kill his nephew.
That was their first mistake.
Their second one, would have been leaving the body to rot, but if Issei's explanation was anything to go by, that was covered as well. At least, so it seemed.
But all that mattered now, was that his brother's son was still alive. Or should he say his son? He did raise him.
Basara glanced at his nephew again.
No, he could never be his father. He simply wasn't fathering material. Case and point: he just gave his son hard liquor. Not that it even mattered. And that brought him to his second point.
That shit, it wasn't natural. Nothing about it was. If he needed any further proof that Issei should be dead – at least aside from the large hole in his shirt – then he got it just now. From his experience, no matter what you were, Devil, Angel, Fallen, anything else under the fuckin sun–
He knew would to make them plastered out of their damn mind. His alcohol tolerance, as lame of an ability it seemed, was evidence of a natural filter in his body.
One that most things – Issei included – didn't have. After all, why would they have something that shouldn't even exist at all?
So Issei's new...'ability' meant one of two things. One, something must have [Erased] his son and taken his place. That was promptly thrown out the window. If that was the case, his blade would've purged the illusion from it's form.
That left the second one, and Basara wasn't so sure if it was better. Messing with Anima Magic, especially Necromancy, never ended well for anyone. Especially the target.
But there was no residual magic tying him to a caster, or any magic signature that could be affiliated with a faction. And that was where the main problem was.
He had never heard anything about Scottish gods. In fact, last he checked, they were currently affiliated with Heaven. So what the hell would they need with a...Godslayer, was it? And why Issei of all people? Unlike himself and his 'wife', the boy was completely normal.
…
…
Right?
- With Issei -
[Issei's Bedroom, 4:52 AM]
Issei woke up covered in a cold sweat.
'What just...what did I...' His hands gripped his head, grabbing clumps of brown hair.
"What's wrong with me?" Nothing was making sense. Who were those people? And why…
Why did he feel so guilty?
.
.
.
[Kuoh Academy, 9:30 AM]
"Alright class, today..." Issei wasn't listening.
'I wonder...' He gazed at the tree outside the window. Its leaves were already changing colors despite fall just starting. It moved at its own pace, uncaring of the world around it. 'If I would have died and never gotten up again...' A leaf fell.
'Would anyone have missed me?'
"Issei!" The brunette snapped his head towards the teacher. "Would you mind answering the question, or are you too lost in your fantasies to pay attention?"
The jeering laughter of the class gave him his answer. There was no good humor in it; only the desire to see him humiliated.
It pissed him off.
The chair moved back with a sharp screech. The class watched with stunned silence as Issei stalked towards the board. He realized after a moment that his nails were embedded into his palms.
He disregarded the marker his teacher tried to give him, taking one off the whiteboard instead. Glancing at the board and glancing back at the teacher, the brunette came to a conclusion.
The teacher thought that he didn't know how to do this.
He didn't fucking die yesterday, have nightmares, and find out that supernatural bullshit has been around since day one, just to deal with this crap this morning. He was not in the mood.
So he solved the damn question, turned back around and sat down in his seat. This time though, he was staring straight ahead.
The rest of the room got the unspoken challenge.
Anyone else?
.
.
.
[Kuoh Academy, 11:20 AM]
He felt like he was being watched again. But this time, he couldn't be bothered to look up. Issei didn't know why Rias Gremory was worshiped like some kind of goddess, or why who she decided to stare at was the business of the student body, but he truly couldn't bring himself to care anymore.
Who was to say she wasn't like Yuuma? A pretty face with a psychopath center? Everything about her was so perfect to everyone. Well, aside from himself at least.
Sure, she had giant tits, a pretty face, and that luscious red hair…
But so did Akeno, except her hair was black.
The point was, he knew absolutely nothing about her aside from the fact that she was hot. Most people probably didn't know much either, considering she stayed within her little club clique.
He knew nothing about her, she knew nothing about him. And yet, she was watching him out of all these people in the area.
Another case of something that felt wrong to him. The feeling only got worse when Kiba walked up.
"You are Hyōdō Issei-san, correct?"
Issei quirked a brow from his seat under a tree. "Who's asking?"
"Our president, Rias Gremory, would like to meet with you," He still had that same polite smile on his face.
Having it sometimes was fine. But all the time?
That was just plain creepy.
The brunette mulled it over for a moment. The Occult Research Club was one of the hot topics of the school. An exclusive club composed of some of the most popular students in school. No one knew how to join, or even when it formed. Being asked to meet their sexy president away from the prying eyes of the school was a rare opportunity.
An opportunity he couldn't pass up. For multiple reasons at that. If he were somehow able to join, then maybe – just maybe – he could find out something about what could have caused last night.
"Sure thing. Lead the way Yuuto-san." Kiba's eyebrows twitched in shock for a moment, before he smiled and gestured for Issei to follow. An interaction the nearby female students didn't miss.
"Is Kiba-san going to make the pervert a gentleman?" Some squeals.
"He'll take him into a nearby classroom and 'teach him'!" More squeals.
Issei and Kiba briefly made eye contact, both of their faces twitching. "We don't speak about this. Agreed?"
"Agreed."
And so a bond was formed through mutual annoyance.
.
.
.
[Old School Building, 11:31 AM]
"Well, this is awkward."
The occupants of the room had been staring at him for the last five minutes, simply drinking, eating, shooting him apologetic glances (that one was Kiba), or just fucking staring.
STOP. STOP IT. THERE'S NOTHING TO SEE HERE.
Aside from him being alive when he should be dead, but there was no way that they would know that.
"Is it?" Akeno sent him a coy look. Just like the last two times he tried to start a conversation. By now it was getting pretty clear to him that this was a waste of his time and effort. Getting a chance to look at two of the hottest girls in school up close and in person was great and all, but he just wasn't in the mood right now. Issei came here because he thought there was information to be found. He didn't come here to be disregarded for fifteen damn minutes.
Fine-ass chicks be damned.
The only upside was that Mr. Pretty-Boy over there seemed as equally confused as he was. Kiba looked like he had absolutely no clue why his president was acting like he didn't exist. As interesting as that was however, Issei had better things to do.
He could be jerking off right now, for fuck's sake.
"Well, if you simply called me here to waste my time, then you've succeeded. I'll be taking my leave now."
Now that got a reaction.
Akeno's face twitched slightly, Koneko gave him an annoyed look, Kiba seemed baffled, and whoever the hell was in that pile of pillows in the corner glanced away from him.
As for Rias herself?
"Hmm. What a shame then," the club president hummed lowly, feigning a disappointed tone. One Issei wasn't going to fall for today.
"Yeah. It is."
The door shut behind him.
- With Kiba -
Kiba's hand met his face. Hard.
Meanwhile, his master seemed rather confused. "I thought you said that he was an unrepentant pervert, Koneko."
Issei was a perv, Kiba knew that much. But unrepentant?
He let out a quiet sigh. 'The people here really don't understand the concept of change, do they...' It was rather ridiculous in his opinion. He knew Rias was young, but as a noble wasn't she supposed to be better versed in manipulating people?
It was literally their job. They enticed people to let them fulfill their desires. But in order to succeed at that, you need to understand people to begin with. The entire peerage had taken a class on reading behaviors, for the Maous' sake! Was he the only one that had been paying attention?
He glanced over at Rias.
As he got closer to her desk, the words on a page caught his eye.
'…"No!" Naruto cried out as his mentor fell over the edge…?' Kiba leveled a flat look in his master's direction. Not only had she ruined her chance at finding out what was going on with Issei, but she was writing a Naruto fanfiction in the process?
Yes, he had been the only one paying attention. She was probably doing something like this at the time as well.
Time to intervene.
"Buchou, are you absolutely sure that trying to appeal to his perversion and not his visible distress was the wisest opinion?" Or you know, someone else would do it for him.
"What do you mean, Karada-san?" Kiba stifled a groan. How does she expect him to protect her, and defend her decisions?
It's been either one or the other as of late…
"Well...it was pretty obvious that Ise-kun was distressed when he came in," Wait, Ise-kun? Was Karada familiar with him or something? "And your little clique calling him here just to ignore him wasn't necessarily the smartest idea." Damn, that tone was passive-aggressive if he'd ever seen it.
Maybe he should ask for tips.
Akeno's smile gained a small edge. "Perhaps you should've handled the meeting instead, hmm?"
Karada's figure stiffened from her perch in the back of the room. Gasper shivered under his pillow fort.
Kiba sent him a small smile. It'll be alright, he motioned towards the hiding boy.
As the shivering calmed down, Kiba could only realize that he needed more male friends. Being surrounded by this many females without any dudes was weird. And stressful.
Gasper didn't count either.
By the time he snapped out of his thoughts, the blonde knight realized that Karada was gone and Akeno seemed even more irritated.
"What'd I miss?" Koneko glanced at him for a moment, before returning to her cookie.
"Karada-san annoyed Akeno and left."
Oh, so the usual.
Rias' desk was clear now, with the redhead staring down at a single sheet of paper intently. Akeno looked over her shoulder. "Ara ara, maybe another try at that is an order, Buchou."
Rias let her head hit the desk.
- Unknown Perspective -
[Kyoto's Youkai City – Market District, 11:43 PM]
A young man with a yellow and black jacket stepped into an alley.
"Dammit...what'd they call me all the way to Kyoto for?" He ran a hand through his hair before idly messing with a few dark gray strands. "Should've gotten a haircut first..."
A glance to left, then the right.
"Did...did they make a hidden door? Really?" The steps beneath where it would've been gave it away easily. "And then left the steps there? Jeez, they must be a mess without him."
He knocked on the 'wall' in an odd pattern.
"Who is it?"
"It's me, Hallelujah." The door opened, revealing a blonde with her hair in a ponytail.
"You know, you don't have to use that name anymore, right?" She seemed rather amused.
"Eh, it'd feel weird if I didn't. You know that you don't have to wear that outfit anymore right?" The red leather jacket and short-shorts were one thing. But the cloak was another. It just seemed so extra to him.
"It'd feel weird not to," Cheeky woman. "Everyone else is already inside. What took you so long?"
Hallelujah stared at her.
"Well Nozomi, not everyone has the luxury of living amongst the youkai. In fact, you're lucky that no one saw me on the way over here."
Kyoto's Youkai City was a pretty decently kept secret, and while they did usually live with the humans of Kyoto, the vast majority preferred to stake their claim in the Youkai City. It was constructed to be a safe haven in plain sight, not to mention that the temple where Yasaka and her kin lived was within its territory.
In short, it was a veritable stronghold for the Youkai faction. Moving towards it was considered an act of war, or one of absolute stupidity.
So when Nozomi told him that the were going to have their meeting in the middle of the Youkai City, he was understandably pissed. Remaining under the radar was hard enough in modern-day Japan, but having the youkai on his ass too?
Hell no.
Nozomi laughed nervously.
"W-well, that's great then!" She motioned towards the couches. "Come on, take a seat."
Hallelujah was moments away from tearing into her before her previous words finally registered. "...Everyone…?" The blonde offered him a soft smile and a nod.
The grey haired teen stepped into the 'main area' and stopped in shock.
"Holy shit."
Nozomi had been right. EVERYONE was in the room. Even Gaston and Navarre. Even Alice. He turned his head over towards a preteen girl on a couch. Her hair hung over her shoulder in a braid. But even despite the new appearance, despite her face stuck in a volume of Hunter×Hunter, he could still tell from the sheer aura of power she gave off. That, and the Mikado samurai garb.
It was Miss Isabeau.
He had assumed that she hadn't reincarnated, but her being in front of him in the flesh only raised his hope.
Hallelujah scanned the room. "Where's Asahi?"
Navarre stopped playing with his (now green, funny enough) hair. Gaston looked up from cleaning his new spear. Nozomi looked like she had been slapped. Toki looked away.
Isabeau gave him his answer. "She didn't make it through."
Oh. Yikes. That explained a lot. "Oh."
"Oh indeed." She went back to reading her manga.
The gray-haired boy observed the others instead of asking further. Gaston and Navarre looked to be the same age – about fifteen or so – but definitely weren't siblings anymore. Navarre's black wings and spiky green hair saw to that difference. Gaston's hair seemed slightly similar, but was longer. And brown. Add that to their new facial features and you had completely new people.
It was slightly concerning.
Toki was sharpening a knife in the corner, her new...appendages twitching. Her hair, and by default ears and tail, were still black, but was also styled in a braid like Isabeau's. Red eyes met his.
Wolf features fit her well, he decided. But the slight resemblance to Yasaka was also concerning.
Alice looked the exact same – probably due to her coming through the same way he did. Meanwhile Black Frost looked to be enjoying his newfound human body, if his happy grin and floating was anything to go by. His purplish-blue hair rustled slightly in an unseen wind. His red eyes met with Hallelujah's.
"Hey-ah, ho!" Yep. Definitely enjoying himself.
Hallelujah turned back to Nozomi. "So, enjoying the new – heh – threads?" Seeing her got a chuckle out of him. He hadn't realized before, but she was floating.
On fairy wings.
The rebirth cycle had jokes, he'd give it that.
The fairy puffed her cheeks out at him. "Well, not all of us had the privilege of getting our old bodies back." Still cheeky. Wait.
"Did that stupid cloak just–" Nozomi winked.
"Can't call it stupid now can ya?" She blinked. "Ahem, can you."
Hallelujah let a teasing grin cover his face. "Having fun there?" She landed on the ground, showing that she was now about the same height as him.
"Oh, sure. Laugh it up kid. You're just jealous you don't look this good." He glanced her over. About...fifteen in appearance just like Navarre and Gaston.
"No thanks, not a fan of jailbait."
The blonde gaped at him for a moment. "But you're...I...whatever."
She stormed away, leaving the boy guffawing by the wall. "Oh Kami – my sides!"
If only she knew how accurate his statement was. If only.
"Al-alright," he gasped for a moment. "Enough jokes. What'dja call us here for Nozomi?" The aforementioned fairy glared at him for a moment longer before relenting.
"I didn't call us here. Isabeau did." All eyes in the room shifted to the small brunette.
She said nothing at first, carefully marking her page and closing the book. Then she opened her eyes and made to spea-
Wait. WHAT THE FU-
Hallelujah felt his knees buckle for a moment as the world tried (keyword: tried) to comprehend her voice.
The girl blinked for a moment, blushed and then took a breath in. Then a breath out.
"Sorry about that." Jeez. What the hell was that about?
Nozomi waved a hand at her. "Don't worry about it, you're still working on it."
"Sure...but it's still embarrassing. You'd think that I'd have it after all this time" All what time?
He decided to voice the implied question. "Isabeau, you're like twelve, right? There's no way you could've mastered it by now."
Isabeau quirked an eyebrow. "I-" Her eyes widened and she closed her mouth. Another breath in. Another breath out. "I guess you really have been under the radar. Didn't you hear about the newest demigod in the Shinto pantheon?"
The teen stared at her. "...the one that had everyone freaking out for years...?"
"Hm. I thought that you would've," Another breath. "Been too young to remember that. It was a couple hundred years ago, after all."
Oh. Damn.
"So..."Nozomi was giving him a weird look. "That jailbait comment then..."
Hallelujah decided it was better to leave that be.
"As you were saying Isabeau?"
"Ah, yes. I called you here," It really must suck having to stop this much. "To tell you about something I sensed about seventeen years ago."
"Do we need to kill it?" Toki seemed morbidly interested, her ears and tail perking up. Good to see some things never change.
"I, dunno yet." The pauses were getting shorter. "All I know was that it felt like it came from [The Expanse]."
Fuck.
"Not to mention...I sensed him too."
Double fuck.
If their little 'squad leader' was there, or at least was supposedly there, the others (read: the females) would undoubtedly want to hunt him down. Personally, Hallelujah figured it would be better to leave him be. If his best buddy really was around and remembered everything, he definitely would've found them already.
And if it was like seventeen years ago, then what the hell does that make them? A couple of immortals (probably), a youkai of some unknown age, and two fifteen year-olds hunting down a random teenager (in theory at least)?
This was wack as hell. At least, that's what the kids these days say, right?
"So we're going to Kuoh Town, right? I'll make sure to have my spear polished and sharpened for the trip!"
Blending in was going to be hard. Very hard.
- No Living Perspective -
[Unknown Location, Nighttime]
The forest was quiet. There was no breeze, no chirping of birds, no noise of crickets and cicadas.
It was dead.
And as the moonlight wept over the silent clearing, a lone figure disappeared into the misty woods…
Leaving a field of bodies in its wake.
.
.
.
- With Issei -
Issei really didn't know what to expect.
Being called to the most exclusive club in the school was pretty crazy to him, but after yesterday…
Everything seemed so suspicious.
An unforeseen movement would cause him to jump. Sudden lights sent him into a panic. And trusting new people was just getting harder and harder.
Sitting in that room was sending his newfound senses into absolute overdrive. It was taking a lot – a whole fucking lot – of self-control not to break down and panic.
Something was terribly, terribly wrong with the people in that room. Even Kiba, who was friendlier than he'd ever seen him had something...foul coming off of him.
But the worst of it came from the girl at the desk. It was Rias Gremory herself, emitting a sickly sweet smell that drove his body and mind insane.
A smell that reminded him of Yuuma.
The brunette figured that it was nothing but his soul-crushing, mind-numbing fear that kept him from indulging in some rather, er, personal fantasies. That and the anger at her casual dismissal of his presence.
You know, the one she asked for?
Issei eyes stung with tears.
Dammit! He just wanted a girlfriend! He didn't ask to be murdered, to have uncontrollable fear of the unfamiliar…
To feel so alone.
He wished Matsuda and Motohama were still here. Hell, he wished Rina was still here. Any of his friends, really.
He wiped at his eyes. Shouldn't make his father worry anymore than he already did, right?
"You look terrible Issei." Well that didn't work.
"Uh...hey," Issei responded lamely. "Is Kaa-san back yet?"
The man paused. "Erm, not yet. I'm, uh, sure she'll be back soon…?"
Yeah. Sure. Real convincing dad.
"Did something happen, Tou-san?"
Basara paled. "Uh, not necessarily...ah, fuck it," He let his head fall into his palm. "Your mother left. I don't necessarily know where she went, but she looked pissed. Funny enough, it just so happened to be when you died, kid." Damn, Issei could feel that irritation.
"So then, what's got you all worked up?" Basara took a sip.
"There's something wrong with the people at school"
The man motioned for him to continue.
"When I went to meet with the most exclusive club on the campus, they smelled weird. It felt like something was in my head."
Basara choked.
"Ack...wait," More coughing. "Hoo...alright, mind repeating that?"
"The head of that club I met with today, Rias Gremory," Basara suddenly looked tired beyond belief. "Smelled really weird, and it felt like something was messing with my head."
Issei's father figure glanced at his drink. "This isn't gonna be enough..." He pushed it to the side, reached behind him, and pulled out an unlabeled bottle. "But this might do."
The younger brunette watched in disbelief as his 'father' took a long drink from the bottle.
'What the...I can smell that crap from here! It's like it's right under my nose!'
Basara put down the (now empty what the fuck) bottle and sighed.
"Well kid, congratulations. You've met not one, but two supernatural beings in a row that probably don't have the best intentions for you," The man closed his eyes. "You know, I really shouldn't even be surprised. Especially with how much shit Ren was surrounded by on a daily basis..."
"Ren? Wait, what does my dad have to do with this?"
"A lot. More than you can imagine Issei. But that's a story for another time. More importantly, let's talk about what you are going to do next time they decide to call you."
And cut. Have another Author's Note. They'll probably be down here from now on.
Here's my thoughts…
On Issei: Since he has a different upbringing, he's changed quite a bit. In canon, his parents were disappointed in him. In Lucidity they stayed completely supportive, even though he isn't their real son. Not to mention that an actual person wouldn't just take abuse like he does and act like nothing is wrong.
He's also still freaking out over the fact that he got killed.
On Basara: He was originally going to be an older version of the protagonist of Shinmai Maou no Testament, but sort of became his own person as the story progressed. If this was based in 'canon' he wouldn't be mentioned since (aside from being an OC) he would have died. Instead he took the place of Issei's father. Enough said.
On Tsuki: Yikes. That is all.
On Raynare: Nobody seems to take liberties with her origins or why she's even in Kuoh to begin with. That's a lot of untapped potential guys.
On Kiba: I mean, you can't tell me that he really doesn't want any male friends. Especially since he's surround by girls on a daily basis. Sounds cool at first, but I've been there. It kinda sucks. To me, Kiba seems like he puts up the 'Loyal Knight' role to reduce some stress and give himself purpose.
On the SMT crew: Reincarnation is a bitch, ain't it?
On Kuoh Academy: Even in the official series, that place had hella double standards. And since it's run by Devils, it's the perfect place for them to practice manipulation of desires and law. Why is it okay for Aika to perv on dudes or for others to worship the ground Rias, Akeno, and Kiba walk on? It's a little suspicious to me, and always has been. What makes them so perfect to absolutely everyone, even though they only keep to themselves?
On Future Issei:3spooky5me
On Utsuro: Hooray for bipolar (and possibly insane) characters!
On this chapter: There's a lot of stuff going on here, mainly since everything past the intro happens in the same time period. I'm also pretty sure most people don't write things with the literal intent of mood whiplash either.
But I did.
For most stories like this one, I'll also add some codex entries at the end of each chapter where it's relevant. Like this one.
- Codex Archives: Lucidity -
Issei Hyōdō:A seventeen year-old second year student at Kuoh Academy, and adoptive son of Tsuki and Basara Hyōdō. His dream is to become Harem King – a dream that might come true sooner than he thinks – but he also used to have a strong attraction to Yumi Katase, one of the two captains of Kuoh's kendo team.
After falling by the hands of Yuuma Amano, Issei has unlocked an unknown power, forever changing his fate. What does this new power have in store?
Basara Hyōdō: A man in his late early thirties who was tasked with raising Issei by his brother, Ren Hyōdō. He unfortunately doesn't know how to 'properly' parent, but tries his best – when he's not drinking that is. During his travels, he gathered a host of various skills and weapons, and a taste for alcohol.
After the death and subsequent rebirth of his 'son', he was forced to reveal his awareness of the supernatural to Issei. Every hero requires a guide, and this one just so happens to come in the form of a drunkard uncle.
Tsuki Hyōdō: A woman fulfilling the role of Issei's mother. She has some unknown relation to Issei's family, and absolutely adores her charge.
Following Issei's death and rebirth, Tsuki suddenly disappeared. Where has she gone?
Utsuro:A woman dressed in a cloak with a porcelain mask. She has some relation to the Future Issei she spoke with, and just might not be the most stable of people.
Why is she even here? Anyone? No?
Rias Gremory: The president of the Occult Research Club, one of the 'Great Ladies of Kuoh', and one of the many Devils and other supernatural beings at Kuoh Academy. She has an interest in Issei, but doesn't necessarily now how to approach him. For what reason, you ask? To recruit him of course!
...Right?
Kiba Yuuto: The 'Great Prince' of Kuoh Academy, and a servant to Rias Gremory. He bonded with Issei over mutual annoyance, and sees him as a prospective acquaintance.
He also has no clue as to why Rias has been making bad decisions as of late.
None at all. Nope.
Karada-san: Issei's possible stalker. She lurks in the Old School Building with Rias and her servants.
Aika Kiryuu: Part of the reason why Issei dislikes Kuoh. Aside from being known for embarrassing various males at the academy, she is also a giant pervert that could rival Issei during his freshman year. According to him, she had also set her sights on him to make him a 'victim'.
Was he right about her? Only time will tell.
Hallelujah: A teenager with dark gray hair and unknown origins. He apparently went through the reincarnation process with a few other people.
Although truthfully, he might be older – far older – than he looks.
Nozomi: A young adult who also went through the reincarnation process. Still adjusting to her rebirth as a fairy – which Hallelujah finds hilarious – she currently stays away from combat and plays a 'second-in-command' role to Isabeau.
Toki: A teenager who went through the reincarnation process. Her rebirth as a youkai does not bother her in the slightest.
Navarre and Gaston: Siblings who went through the reincarnation process. Navarre was reborn as a Fallen Angel, and Gaston as a human. They were raised in the same colony in a secluded area of Japan, and specialized in the same fields they had before their rebirth.
Alice and Black Frost: Two unknown people that Hallelujah and the others seem familiar with. Black Frost supposedly wasn't human to begin with though…
Isabeau: A young adult reborn as a demigod. Her conception caused a great stir in the various factions of the world, causing her to attempt to slip into anonymity. Isabeau's new powers caused her to construct a tendency to stay silent and read manga – not that that bothers her. After all, the ability to shake the earth with a word is terrifying indeed.
She acts as a 'commander' of sorts for her group despite her young appearance. What – or who – is it that they're searching for?
Ren Hyōdō: Issei's father by blood. His absence is due to unknown means, leaving his brother Basara to care for his son.
Kuoh Town: A rather large town to the southwest of Kyoto. Kuoh is said to be a cultural meeting point – a haven to the supernatural. The amount of urban legends within Kuoh is worth noting to any who wish to stay there.
If only Issei understood this. Maybe, just maybe, the events to come could be avoided.
Kyoto's Youkai City: A hidden city within Kyoto that acts as a haven for youkai and humans alike. The Youkai City acts as the 'capital' and base of operations for the Youkai faction. Every person who enters and exits the city is carefully recorded via magic, while patrols and various wards keep the city well protected and hidden from prying eyes.