Thunk.
"...Noriaki." Rias sighs, looking at my gift placed oh so carefully upon her desk, "I thought I said we had it taken care of."
At this point, the redhead didn't even sound mad, just tired.
Which, when one is dealing with Yuuto and his issues? Absolutely fair.
"You said that, sure." I point out, patting my gift on his still unconscious head, "But, you also didn't tell me not to, ya know?"
Rias just slumped, seemingly not even having the energy to try and argue, her hand petting Yuuto's hair with far more care than mine.
Yeah, my gift? A freshly beaten to hell and back Yuuto Kiba!
I healed him of the worst of his injuries before bringing him in, so there's no need to worry or anything.
At this point, it's up to him to just wake up and deal with the consequences of his actions.
And the rest of his injuries. I didn't heal him all the way after all, and I want what pain remains to be a reminder.
It takes a moment, but Rias, looking down at Yuuto, finally asks the question she's dreading to hear the answer to.
"How'd it go?"
I click my tongue.
"About as well as it could have," I answer honestly.
I didn't linger on the exact details of our fight, but I explained to her what I told him in between the beatings.
Martyring himself. The war he'd start. His old family. All of it.
By the end of it all, Rias looked legitimately pained.
"It," she gulped, letting out a shaky breath, "would probably be even worse than that, thinking about it. Yes, the others and I would be the first target, but so would the Gremory Family as a whole, our friends, allies…I can't even imagine the devastation of such an operation…" she trails off, eyes growing increasingly unfocused.
"Feel free to add that on for me when he wakes up, then, yeah?" My words snap her out of it, prompting Rias to look at me.
"Ah, you aren't entirely sure, then?" She asks, dread creeping back into her voice.
I sigh and reluctantly nod, "I think he's starting to get that what he's doing, or was trying to do, isn't good." I begin, "But, and it kind of sucks to admit, but he's somewhat like me in this regard. His emotions are ruling him right now. Emotions and trauma. If I lost my friends as he did?"
My eyebrow twitches at that, at just the mere mention of the idea.
"I slaughtered the vampires, sure. I knew I could get away with it. I know I can't do the same to the Church." I continue, golden light flickering off my form, "I'd still try, even if I had to burn the whole world down to accomplish it."
Fuck politics. Logical thought. Reason. I couldn't live with myself, letting them live for something like that.
Rias shivered, and I let out a breath, the golden aura simmering down beneath my skin.
"He's lucky." I go on, "He lost his family, but he got a new one, thanks to you. I can tell he loves you guys a lot, so, as corny as it is to say, what he needs now is a reminder that he's loved back, and what he'd be doing to you all if he keeps going down this path."
For a second, Rias perks with a blush before giving me a skeptical look, "That's it?"
I huff and shake my head, "Oh, trust me, it sounds easy, but it's really not." I give Yuuto's head a flick, "See, his pain is still there. Unless you memory-wipe him, or resolve it, all you can do now is push it back down, give him something to love and cherish in the present, rather than hating and despairing the past. That kind of thing."
Rias frowns at that, "Memory wipe is out of the question. How do we resolve it?"
I shrug, "Kill the guy who did it, who's already dead, or let him destroy what he believed was the cause of his family's death."
Rias immediately slumps again at that, "That's…" she struggles to find the words, so I answer for her.
"A problem? Yeah, that's him alright." Rias gave me a frown now, but I merely held up my hand, "Oi, don't give me that look. I won't make fun of his pain, but I will tell him and you the truth of it. Thankfully, he's a person, so he can grow from it…but clearly not alone, because he hasn't worked out of it even after you picked him up."
Rias sat back into her chair and leaned back with a sad, drained sigh. "...I know." It takes her a moment to respond, "I know, I'm just…not sure how to really go about it."
"Just try as I told you, alright?" I sigh back, "I basically did the equivalent of smacking the side of a static-filled box TV. Now it's up to you to give it the shake-up it needs to start functioning normally again."
Rias, beside herself, can't seem to help but giggle a little at that, "I think Yuuto is a little more complicated than a box TV, Noriaki."
I snort at that, "He's a swordsman, I assure you, we all have the brain of a box tv set."
"Hmm?" Rias tilted her head to the side, a wry smile stretching across her face, "That includes you then, doesn't it, Noriaki?"
My scoff was even louder than my snort, "Not even that anymore. I cleaved my tv in half. Now it's just a sword up there."
Seriously. All my brain juice went to the plan to hide the True Longinus, then dipped straight into the negatives with everything relating to Sacred Treasures and making them in Takamagahara.
I crave the simplicity of smacking things with a sword.
Rias stood back up and walked around the desk, stopping right in front of me.
"I know you're joking, Noriaki, but…" She puts her finger to my chest, "I believe you're too kind not to have a little heart up there, as well."
I shook my head at that, "If I were kind, I'd be doing this for free."
"I'd be heartless if I let you do it for free." She fired back, her smile growing cheeky.
I smirked right back at her, "Then I leave the rest of the mushy stuff to you, then, alright? And speaking of…" I trail off.
Which Rias picks up, crossing her arms under her chest, "I already talked to him. They're all busy, you know, what with the fighting's end, and the festivities. But considering who you are, they'll be able to make time."
My smile was beaming, only for Rias to start pouting, looking away with a huff, "You could've asked for more, you know…"
I immediately gave her a blank stare, "That's not all I asked for, you redheaded brat."
Albeit the big meeting is an important one, especially with my new plan to go on and deal with the Khaos Brigade as a whole.
Oh yeah. That reminds me. I need to buy and hide a whole bunch of bananas. Just in case I run into Ophis.
Rias blinked, "Brat!?" She gasped, seemingly both legitimately scandalized and confused, "We're the same age!" She calls out.
I wave her off, literally, with my hand, "Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, Ruin Princess."
Her pout only grows more intense, "As if you have any right to mock me with that! Sun Prince!"
My eyes narrow at her, and in turn, so do hers.
Hah. This girl. Her Queen isn't around, apparently she got sent back to their place to finish getting their stuff for school. Shirone isn't here, of course. Gasper is with Valerie in his room.
I've definitely been around Kuroka too much. And Suzaku. Both of them can be brats, and both of them require correction.
So, my first instinct to correct this brat is to bend her over her own desk, but…that has several problems, all on its own.
And funnily enough, Yuuto already occupying said desk isn't one of them. He could be easily removed after all.
Damn shame that.
So, instead of doing that, I cross my arms and send her a cheeky smile back, leaning down just a tad so I'm closer and more eye level.
"Watch yourself, Princess." I start, mirthful, "Be glad I don't suddenly decide to add your hand to our deal, I'd correct that attitude of yours real fast."
Rias, almost immediately, sputters. Her eyes go wide, her face starts going the same color as her hair, and she damn near falls back.
"T-That-!"
She barely gets out a word, as my cackling and light fill the room, taking me away.
~ A New Sun ~
My cackling continues in bursts almost as soon as I get home, as my phone lights up, and Rias fires off several messages in a row.
When all she got was emojis, she tried to follow me directly.
That had the expected result of her smacking into the barriers set up around the place, and even if she somehow managed to get through them, I'd have stopped her personally.
For both our sakes. Shirone is still here, asleep, thankfully.
But if Rias were to show up going on about that kind of stuff, well…
I can't guarantee the safety of both our jugulars, let's just say.
She really should watch it, considering the only reason I teased her about it in the first place is that she was doing some teasing of her own in front of Shirone.
Turnabout is fair play and all.
In any event, she was sputtering about as hard in text as she would have in person, so most of what she sent was incoherent nonsense.
And besides that, when she finally figured out words again, I had realized we sort of forgot to talk about something important and had moved on to that.
When am I getting what I want from the deal exactly?
Well, if all goes according to plan, after Rias' rematch with Sai in the Underworld. Which is in a mere few days, right at the end of the month.
Of which I'm invited to, which means more than likely I'll be getting what I want in a few days.
I'll probably send a clone to watch the game itself while I have a chat with the Satans.
Now, beyond what I originally wanted to talk with them about, I have a new thing to add.
After giving it a little more thought, I realized I could likely bypass Nilrem entirely and simply go straight to Rizevim himself, assuming the Satans know where he is.
Hopefully, I won't need to slog through all of Nilrem, but I should probably prepare myself for the worst.
I'd hope the Satans are keeping an eye on possibly the most dangerous remnant of the Old Satan Faction still left around, but you really never know when it comes to Devils.
Beyond that, truth be told, I'm mostly just excited to meet Serafall. She was one of my favorites from the series, after all. A shame I probably won't get to see her Magical Girl persona, and will likely get the serious Satan of Foreign Affairs instead, but eh, a guy can hope.
Most of this really is just hoping and coping if it doesn't happen.
Especially for what I originally hoped the Satans would know.
Now that all is taken care of, I troll Rias just a little more with a few more emojis before silencing my phone and leaving her on read for a bit.
I didn't burn much time at all this morning getting Yuuto, and it is still pretty early, so now it's basically just a waiting game until Rias has her rematch.
Is there anything that needs to get done, or that I could do, in that time?
Hmm, I could check in with the clones I left in Takamagahara, see how the Sacred Treasure project is going.
My eyelids immediately felt like lead.
Yeah. No. I'd rather not, on second thought.
Ah, would you look at that, my eyes feel fine again.
Hmm, last I checked in with Suzaku and Yasaka, the clans and the youkai both seemed to be doing fine.
Even if we didn't really discuss what's going on with them all that in depth, as we were more focused on other matters.
Uh. I should probably tell Uzume, and thus my mom, and the others, what I've got planned.
But that'd take like five minutes, maybe a little longer.
I wonder if news ever hit them about the vampires?
Eh. Probably not. I don't think Pantheon news from Europe would really reach here.
Assuming anyone cared enough about the vampires' destruction to go specifically spreading that around in the first place.
So that leaves me with, uh…well, I'll be damned.
Do I seriously have nothing to do for a little while?
I stop the pacing I didn't even realize I was doing, and find myself before a window. My eyes listlessly drift off, looking at the gravel courtyard outside.
Most of what I'm thinking up right now is little things, like checking out the Black Dog Bar finally and taking up Tobio's offer for a drink.
I don't think I really have anything big left to do.
Not just right now, but in general.
That isn't far off, like ExE, or the Church and Heaven, of which I have no idea how to go about dealing with that, and won't, hopefully not for much longer.
That leaves me with exactly nothing actionable, currently.
Shit.
A ray of sunlight catches my cheek, and I feel warm.
I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.
Maybe it's not such a bad thing? Some calm before some more storm, wouldn't be unwelcome, I suppose.
I could always train some more, but to be perfectly honest, I've had enough of that in Takamagahara to last a while.
It wasn't even the fun kind of training, either. Mental endurance and willing against my own power, accepting it as part of me, not another side of me, all that jazz.
I shake my head, my mind made up.
Now, who should I go relax with, I wonder?
~ A New Sun ~
Sirzechs Lucifer was starting to forget the last time he had the chance to well and truly relax.
Too much had happened in a short period of time following the carving up of the Grigori. Thankfully, it wasn't anywhere near as bad as the Civil War, but in a few ways, it was far more annoying.
In the end, guerrilla warfare can only last so long when you're slowly being starved and picked off, and the final desperate battles, or as Falbium had described them, suicide missions from the dissident Fallen to make their cause worth anything, and do any damage, ultimately resulting in nothing.
Funnily enough, it was the gathering, the big festivities that were held afterward, that took up more of his time and were far more chaotic than anything else.
After all, they were combining several events that were postponed for the safety of clan heirs due to the conflict, and rolling them all up into one massive celebration that's meant to go by very fast.
Fairly unprecedented, especially for the Rating Games side of things.
Sirzechs is very grateful that he won't have to deal with any of that. And he's got enough on his plate as is.
"All the Royal and Noble Houses of Pureblood Vampires have been wiped out."
Sirzechs stopped, mid-signing something. Ever so slowly, he looked up from his desk and stared blankly at Sera, who had just arrived. Appeared, even.
He blinked at her.
Sera stared back at him, entirely unblinking. To be frank, she looked a bit of a mess. And he thought he had a lot on his plate.
Only one word really came to mind.
"Ok," Sirzechs said, completely and utterly neutral.
Sera's eye twitched, "Okay? T-That, that's it? That's all you have to say to that!?"
Sirzechs sighed and put down his pen, "Well, yes? As far as I'm aware, domestically, we don't really trade or do much, if any business with the vampire houses." He rubs his chin in a bit of thought, "They're too proud for that, right? They barely had diplomatic relations with us as is."
"As a whole, yes." Sera hissed, practically falling into a chair right in front of his desk, "But individual pillar clans and factions are a separate story!"
Sirzechs held back the urge to chuckle, "So they're all complaining to you now?"
"Yesssssss!" Serafall absolutely seethed, snatching the pen off his desk, the entire thing becoming a popsicle instantly as she gripped it between her hands in pure unfettered rage, "They're all demanding this, and that, and hnnnnn!" The popsicle pen snaps in two, "When I find whoever decided to do this, I'm going to do THIS to them!" She holds up the two halves of the pen and promptly crushes them into nothingness.
Ah, the joys of not having to deal with the pillar clans for once. Due to the vampires not really having an official relationship and ties with the government, it isn't him that they have to go through; it's Serafall and her department.
However, her words prompted Sirzechs to tilt his head.
"When you find, so who did this is still a mystery?" He asked.
"Un. For. Tun. Ately!" Serafall ground out, before immediately going off, "Olympus knows, but isn't telling for some reason, even though they claim to know! The Church is claiming credit, but Olympus is disputing it, and a bunch of smaller faiths in the area are claiming it was someone they've never heard of, seen, or felt before, while all the former associates or business partners of the vampires are at each other's throats, claiming one of them did it!" Sera grabbed her ponytails and started pulling, "It's a mess!"
Yikes, sounds like it. Sirzechs reached over and patted her on the head.
She didn't even seem to notice, as she sat there, grumbling and muttering to herself about how she's going to craft each letter to every single clan that's bothered her to explode with the force of a nuclear winter.
She'll calm down in a bit.
In the meantime, Sirzechs reaches into his desk drawer, pulls out a new pen, and goes right back to where he left off.
If Sera is still like this by the time he's done, he'll get the clans to back off by having Grayfia do an announcement about 'investment responsibility.'
For now, though, he needs to finish this up before his Ria-tan's second big match, a rematch!
Ah, that, and it looks like he might be meeting someone in person for the first time soon.
Considering how important Kusanagi-san is and has become, it's somewhat surprising they haven't met yet.
Sirzechs can't help but wonder then, why now, all of a sudden?