Koneko was not a fan of fancy parties like these. She would rather stay at home, laze around and eat sweets. This black, frilly dress was itchy against her skin, and she would surely kick Issei in the balls if she could rid herself of this thing. This whole thing would've been much more bearable if this party was to celebrate something good, like the inauguration of a candy land in the Underworld? That was worth throwing a grand party like this. But to celebrate the loss of her King to that piece of womanizing bastard? Koneko had to take a deep breath to control the urge to flip this table and go on a rampage.
None of these thoughts reflected on her being, she had the ultimate poker face.
Kiba sensed that Koneko seemed more subdued than usual. Well, he could not blame her. All of them were dealing with this new reality in their own way. He could not help but feed the fire of worthlessness burning within him. How was it that he could not save his benefactor, his savior, the one time she needed him to? How could he let down the very person who had stretched her arm out to save him from that freezing wasteland that one day? He could still remember her cherubic face, flushed amidst the freezing cold. Her eyes were unusually grave and her crimson hair a beacon against the sordid snow. He took her up on her offer to be a part of her peerage and he did not regret it.
If only he could forgive himself.
He was tugged out of his reverie by Koneko. He looked down at the petite girl and smiled when she offered him a cupcake. He accepted it with thanks and bit into it, relishing the sweet. He spotted Asia, looking fidgety and nervous. She kept glancing at the door, expecting something. He was about to ask her if she was alright when the doors blasted open and in barged Issei.
Koneko would punch anyone who dared to say that she was glad to see that pervert crash the wedding procedures. She had expected this to happen. He might be a pervert, but he had a good heart.
"RIAS BUCHOU'S VIRGINITY IS MINE!"
… A pervert is always a pervert. She could not the slight twitch of her lips. They gathered around him, eager to take action.
Kiba slapped Issei on the shoulder and shook him, "So you came, I did not expect any less from you."
Issei grinned back at him, thumbs up, "Of course I did you handsome bastard! I will beat that chicken up and save Buchou from this marriage contract", he paused, face falling comically "I still can't believe this is a thing, though."
They could only smile wryly. Asia clung onto Issei's arm, painting his cheeks red.
'That's cute', Koneko's eyes widened at the thought that flittered past her mind and shook her head to erase that very memory. Disgusting.
"Finally, you are here Red Dragon Emperor", a calm voice sounded behind them. The bespectacled President of the Student Council, Sona Sitri, made her towards them accompanied by her trusted Queen, Tsubaki Shinra.
"Ara~ ", Akeno grinned like a fox. "Worried about Rias were you Kaichou?", Akeno let out a demure giggle, fooling nobody.
Red creeped up Sona's cheek, but she faked a cough and played it off. Again, fooling nobody.
"Enough standing around," Sona ploughed through. "What is your plan Hyoudou Issei?". This prompted them to look at Issei, only for him to stare at them like a deer caught in headlights.
Koneko smacked her forehead and let out a quite sigh, the sight comical on her expressionless face. Akeno just seemed entertained and Kiba just shook his head. Sona stared at them, unable to fathom how they had survived this long.
"See, this is not something you can take light-"
"Well, well, well. Look who we have here", Riser strutted in like he owned this place. "The Red Dragon Emperor who lost to me." He grinned at them and all Koneko wanted was to punch him in his stupid face. The all-girl harem/peerage (bar his sister) of his followed him and the envy radiating from Issei was almost visible.
Riser strode to Rias, who was staring at Issei with unreadable emotions. She did not speak up, uncharacteristic of her. He grabbed her forearm harshly and pulled her forward. That was it, they got ready to strike.
"Don't forget Hyoudou Issei, Rias is mine now", he sneered at them and pulled Rias close to him. She still had a little fight in her. She struggled against his grip, but it seemed like she was just going through the motions.
Issei was ready to blow up, wearing his heart on his sleeve. "You bastard! Let Buchou go! Fight me again if you dare. I will beat you and take her away." Issei roared out.
The crowd gathered watched this new development with interest, murmuring and whispering among themselves. Riser did not care. "Why must I fight you again? What incentive do I have?" He shrugged, "I won the Rating Game fair and square and I won her as a result." Riser scoffed and waved his hand in dismissal. "I don't fight losers who lost to me".
They were stuck at an impasse and looked at Sona for askance. She looked to be deep in thought, figuring out any possibility of a loophole.
"Enough." A voice spoke out and all their attention shifted over to the devil walking down the stairs. His aura filled this hall and all of us bowed down of our own volition to greet the ruler of all devils. Sirzechs Lucifer, her King's brother, was starkly different. He wore a robe kind-of garment that looked stylish and practical at the same time. His eyes were closer to green than the turquoise blue reflected in her Buchou's eye and he sported the same smile for as long as she could remember. The Strongest Queen, Grayfia, accompanied him. His perpetual shadow.
He strode to the center, which inevitably separated Riser from Rias. Buchou looked at her brother's back and down at the floor, masking her emotions. "I am interested to see this match between the Red Dragon Emperor and the Pheonix." He announced out of nowhere and the discussions picked up in fervor across the hall.
The Lucifer did not care. "Whoever wins, will get Rias." He could have worded that better, but he cut to the heart of the problem and gave them a chance.
Riser was not stupid enough to not notice it. "Why should I fight him again when I won the Rating game?" he demanded "How is that fair?"
The Lucifer's smile did not break nor falter. He just looked at Riser and retorted. "Would you not fulfill my desire?" Read: I am the Lucifer, and my wish is your command.
Riser grit his teeth and looked away. He could not refuse the leader of all devils. He will play this little game. "Fine"
"Hell yeah!" Issei grinned with utter confidence. "I'll beat your ass and take Buchou away!"
Riser sneered. "Big talk for a bug. I defeated you once and it's not going to take me long to do that again."
Before this pathetic excuse for shit-talking could go on, the Lucifer interjected smoothly. "The bout will take place-"
Fear. Terror. Death.
Koneko felt the Underworld cry out in horror. Being a Nekomata, she was innately perceptive of her surroundings. And it was warning her that a monster was approaching. She could faintly hear the footsteps, but she could not bring herself to care as she was crushed to the ground under the sheer pressure emitted by this being. It seemed like the entire Underworld was doing its best to keep itself from exploding. Like the beast was pushing and testing the very limits of this world.
'If this kept on, then this dimension might fracture and all of us will die', Koneko bit her lips to jolt her alert. Her arms were trembling, and her knees were digging painfully into the ground.
The footsteps halted and the doors opened. She struggled to look up under the mountain pressing against her, but she could catch a glimpse of him; the sea blue eyes that were staring directly at her golden ones. Her eyes rolled up to the back of her eyes and everything went dark.
That was the last thing she remembered. She woke up a few hours later, shivering and cowering in fear. That experience etched itself into her very being and she would never forget it. Now, she was escorting that very monster to the Occult Research Club, their base and hangout spot. She was walking a few steps ahead of him and did not look back. He did not seem to be threatening. Did not radiate any energy nor signature. Like a blank canvas, undetectable.
'This must've been how he appeared out of nowhere back then', Koneko concluded. She reached the door to the Club House and just walked in, Adam following her.
Rias looked up from her desk at the sound of the door opening, expecting Koneko. But she froze when she caught sight of the boy who walked in.
How could she forget him? He looked younger than he did that day, but his eyes betrayed him.
"How…", she could not form words. "Why…?"
Adam looked at Rias and smiled slightly.
"I am here to train you."