(Koneko POV)
Koneko let out a huge yawn and stretched her limbs. Her muscles were stiff, but her bones let out satisfying cracks that sent warmth through her body. She shook her head a bit to drive the remnant heaviness away and spotted the clock.
3:08PM
Her brows rose a little, which was the equivalent of an expressive person doing a double take.
She had slept for 10 hours? No wonder her stomach had been rumbling and protesting. Her throat was parched too. Quickly, she padded her way across the room and opened the bottom right shelf. There were sweets, biscuits and chips. Her finger inched to the chips slouching atop the biscuits, the chilli-pepper variant of her favourite brand. She was careful to move backwards and then rise to her full height, her head banging on the ledge on multiple occasions. Satisfied, she looked around for her bag and spotted it in the same spot from morning. She retrieved her water bottle and lounged on the sofa, tearing open the snack and munching on them one at a time.
She had slept well. It had been a while since she was knocked out cold and this completely alleviated the heaviness that was constantly clouding her head. Her bones, which felt like they were on the brink of snapping now felt as light as cotton. Her breathing came easy and she actually felt hunger, like proper, ravenous hunger after many nights.
She loved her King as a friend and senior. She was kind, caring and extremely patient with all of them. Especially her. Rias would never complain nor turn her nose up whenever Koneko needed comfort. Her sister's descent to madness haunted her and the fear that she would show up to kill her had kept the little Rook awake on multiple occasions. Rias would simply gather her in her arms and rock her to sleep when she was little. She had gotten a bit big for all that now, but the nekoshou could always calm down in her King's presence.
Crumbs fell on her shirt and she brushed them off. She waved her hand over her chest region and was met with no obstruction. Her mind instantly wandered to the soft pillows of her King's chest and she grew a tick mark. Her hand itched to smack that pervert.
Her eyes widened as her heart picked up pace in consternation. 'Issei'
She jumped off the couch and all but ran to the attached bedroom. The door was wide open and she went in. It wasn't a good feeling to see the normally energetic, perverted and excited teenager lay in bed listlessly. He was simply sleeping, even she could tell from the constant and relaxed rising and falling of his chest. His face was slack with peace as opposed to the horror and pain from yesterday.
Good. She would give him a chocolate once he wakes up.
Asia wasn't here as the bed beside the Pawn was arranged neatly. The bishop might have gone to attend today's classes. She was particular about such things.
Koneko shrugged and walked to the couch. She snatched the chips and emptied the water bottle before leaving the clubhouse altogether. Classes were done for the day and you should vacate the campus by 5PM, wrapping up all club activities by then. A good 2 hours for maintaining your body and extra-curricular.
The Rook did not have any specific destination in mind as her legs carried her to the Kendo Hall of the school. Kiba would occasionally frequent here to keep his instincts sharp and give some pointers to the kouhai's. He is well loved in this school.
The nekoshou crushed the now empty cover and threw it accurately into the dustbin placed conveniently to the side of the hall. The kendo team would not be present today as they were off on their week-long training camp for the nationals coming up. Kuoh Academy puts equal emphasis on educational as well as extra-curricular activities. Making it to the Nationals? Even more so. Anyway, Koneko had intended to cut diagonally across the Hall and roam somewhere else.
THWACK
"Again"
Her ears picked up the sharp wood-against-flesh sound and the voice that accompanied it. A voice she was unfortunately familiar with. Her heart notched up a gear and she could hear the blood rush to her brain. Her skin broke out in goosebumps and she started breathing a bit faster.
She feared him. She was scared of the monster that is Adamas Phenex.
But she did not fear him as much as she did on that engagement day. The Adamas then was a different beast altogether. The very Underworld was crying out in pain and the Phenex progenitor did not care. He wanted to make a statement, and he did.
If that was all, then it would not have been so bad. The reason why she trembled like a newly born fawn every time she neared his person was his aura. Her sister tapped into the world's power, went mad and killied the High-ranking devil Naberius. The nekoshou vividly remembered the crazed expression on her big sister's face as she succumbed to the filth and rot of the world. The world is a dangerous place and the Earth isn't hosting all living beings on its person out of kindness. The world is simply bearing their existence till all of us go extinct.
And Adamas Phenex put the fear of death into that very world. His sheer presence he radiated that day made the world cry out in fear. The Phenex turned out to be the one you called to kill the boogeyman.
The precious memories of her sister and her eventual madness combined with her aversion to Senjutsu made her fear the monster that was Adamas Phenex.
But now? His presence wasn't so overbearing, nor suffocating. She did not know what he did yesterday to Issei, but she knew instinctively that the progenitor did not mean any harm. It felt more like a test than an outright attack. The Adamas now was akin to a kitten compared to the tiger he was then, but it did not feel like he was weak. Just like how you know a tiger cub will eventually grow up to become the King of the beasts, this version of Adamas will eventually grow up to become the King she had seen then.
Same person, two bodies. Not a split of the soul but natural regression.
Koneko had never seen anything like this.