(Disclaimer: I don't own Highschool DxD... Ichiei Ishibumi does. (I think that's his name anyway. I suppose I could look it up, but I don't feel like it right now.) Anyway thanks for all the follows and feedback. Sorry I don't have the inspiration or drive to make this a proper series, but then again I hope I at least inspire one or two people to give this plot bunny a try. Despite what those of you who read Celestial Pawn might think, I don't hate Irina. Clearly I don't if I'm writing this fic about her... I just think she'd be a more interesting character if she had been exiled either with or instead of Xenovia. Her character is kinda flat at least in the anime. It doesn't help that she's barely given anything to do, and is often lost in the fold. Anyway I've ranted enough. On to the fic.)

"I... I refuse." Irina said simply. The tension in the room was thick as molasses as Irina sat on Rias' bed dressed in one of Issei's Mom's bathrobes her hair now down, and dry.

Rias tapped her socked foot against the floor in an annoyed huff. "Why not? You said it yourself, you are a heretic, you have nowhere else to go."

"It's not that simple. I still have my faith. I can't just throw away my beliefs, my ability to pray like that." Irina said.

"Irina..." Issei tried to interject, but he didn't know what to say or do to defuse this situation. Rias had offered a place in her Peerage to Irina, only for the former exorcist to turn her down bluntly.

"I'm sorry Issei." Irina said with her head down. "I know now that you, and Asia didn't ask to be turned into Devils of your own will, but If I'm being given a choice in the matter, I refuse." She began. "I may be shamed and exiled, but I still have my pride, and I still believe in God, I cannot just turn my back on him because the Church has rejected me." She said holding his hand. "If it were Xenovia in my place, I'm sure she would say the same thing." She said as somewhere in some alternate universe Xenovia sneezed for seemingly no apparent reason.

Rias continued to frown. "If that is the case, then you have no-"

In a instant Issei was up to his feet. "She is not leaving." He said doing his best not to shout or snarl. Even he was amazed by his own seeming anger. It was not in his nature to get angry with Buchou, even when she was spanking him raw, he did not lose his temper at her.

For a moment Rias was sent reeling back. "Issei, don't make me pull rank-"

"You'd seriously try? After what I did for you, you'd force me to cast my friend out into the cold because she won't serve you?" He asked.

Rias looked at the ground in shame. "I... I'm sorry. You're right." She admitted. "Fine Irina can stay, but she's your responsibility. If she gets in trouble, you're the one who has to take care of it."

"Deal." Issei said smiling. "Thanks Buchou, you won't regret this, I promise."

Rias sighed. "Don't make promises you already can't keep." She said before taking Irina's hand. "Now come on. We need to get you some clothes."

"I can help with that-" Issei began.

"NO! I'm not letting you pick what she wears. You'll make her wear Satan-knows what kind of sexy outfits. Asia, and I will get her some real clothes." Rias declared shoving him out of her room.

Issei sighed. Thinking of how strange girls are. One minute she wants nothing to do with her, the next she takes responsibility for dressing her. "Heh, girls are weird like that." He sighed before going downstairs to get something to eat.

(And that's it for this chapter. Sorry for the bit of an anti-climax, but I felt it was still only natural for Irina to refuse to become a devil here. If you disagree that's fine, I'm just trying to keep her in what I think her character is.

Seriously though if you write a retelling of a DxD fic, and want to take the plot off the rails I believe exiling Irina instead of Xenovia is a good way to go about it. It changes just enough to make things interesting, but not enough to completely derail the story in a totally new direction. Anyway that's just me rambling. Next chapter will be a bit more fun as it's gonna be based on the pool episode... Rating might have to go up at that point depending on what I decide to write. Just a fair warning. Later.)