Beware My Power Chapter 25: Normlacy

As Elros woke up the next morning, he noted that this time, Rias was already up. Akeno was comfortably sleeping on top of him, a light and beautiful smile on her face. One of her hands had disappeared up his shirt and rested on his stomach, a finger unconsciously tracing his scar. He gently kissed her atop her head and woke her up. Giving a cute little yawn, she clamored on top of him, resting her cheek against his face and going back to sleep.

Elros chuckled internally at her behavior. Akeno certainly had a different quality to her compared to Rias. She was more seductive and p.r.o.ne to giggling at something lascivious, but when the tables were turned she would blush madly. He remembered Issei telling him how much she would tease him when he got the chance - sucking his fingers to draw out extra energy, rubbing against him when she was wet, and being extremely touchy feely. But since Elros had arrived, those events all but stopped. He saw her blush more and restrain herself, but she also seemed happier than ever.

He kissed her on the cheek, moving to her lips as she turned to face him. That was the motivation she needed to finally stir awake in full force, returning it with an eagerness. He flipped her on her back and began to kiss her down her neck and cleavage, working his way down.

"Mmm… this might be the best way to wake up," she said as she grabbed his head and brought him back up. While she didn't mind him pleasuring her, she didn't want Rias or the others to walk in on them.

"Yeah? Then why didn't you let me have breakfast?" he grumbled, eliciting a giggle from her.

"Don't be gross. Plus, I don't wanna be seen," she said. Elros grinned and pulled the covers over them, letting his fingers trail down. She rolled her eyes and stopped him again.

"What? We won't be seen," he said.

"You know what I mean, you degenerate," she giggled.

"Wow. You're really mean," Elros grumbled.

"You still love me," she smirked.

"Oh, you're d.a.m.n right about that," he said as he kissed her again, grabbing her tightly and standing both of them up. As she wrapped her legs around him, she reared back a bit to admire his features. She traced the scar on his face with a slight frown, before smiling again at his always exuberant features.

"We should get ready. You wanna go first?" she asked.

"Why not both of u-," Elros began before Rias suddenly ran into the room.

"Nope! If you shower with anyone first, it's gonna be me," she said. Akeno groaned but soon giggled in agreement.

"That's fine with me. Then Elros can see how much more fun I am," she said as she quickly dismounted, stole a kiss, and went past her best friend who sighed and smiled.

"d.a.m.n it. You're already ready," Elros grumbled as he went over to Rias.

"Sorry. You were slow to wake this morning," she said shrugging.

"Huh. Well, we can get dirty right now, if you'd like," Elros suggested.

"Mmm, no thanks. Maybe some other time, though," she said, walking away. She felt him wrap his arms around her and pull her close, resting his chin on her shoulder as he looked at her. As she turned to look at him, she blushed; sometimes, a simple look from him elicited a powerful response.

"What?" she asked quietly.

"Nothing. Like I've said before, I enjoy looking at you," Elros whispered, kissing her gently before he grabbed his clothes and went into another bathroom. Rias smiled lovingly as he left. Somehow, he always knew what to say. Spirits high, she headed down.

-o-

"WOAH! What's all this?!" Elros asked as he drooled over the absolutely ridiculous amount of food that was laid out for him.

"Marion and I thought we'd prepare something for you," Bürent said as she and her twin maid hugged him. Both of them wore their maid's outfits as they prepared the food and drink for Elros, sitting him down at the head of the table.

"You guys didn't have to go through THIS much trouble!" Elros said.

"Please, it's no trouble at all. Marion and I are used to cooking quite a bit. We usually did so for Lord Phoenix and his family every morning," Bürent answered as they stepped off to the side while the rest of the girls got seated.

"What's wrong? Aren't you hungry?" Elros asked, frowning.

"It's unseemly for the maids to e," Marion began but was silenced by Elros quickly.

"No, no, none of that. Come on! You girls prepared it, so it just wouldn't be right if you didn't eat as well! Come on, come on," Elros said as he ushered them into chairs at his left and right side. The other girls smiled; they had a feeling this would be the case.

"Are you sure?" Bürent asked, blushing.

"Completely sure," Elros said as he piled some food on her plate for her.

"Please, Elros - you don-," Marion began, but he did the same for her.

"Nonsense. You two went through so much trouble to do this for us, the least I can do is serve you," Elros said with a pleasant smile before he sat back down. Marion and Bürent blushed hard before they began to dig in.

'I can't remember anyone that ever asked me to sit at the same table with them,' Marion thought.

'I don't think anyone has ever served me before. He's so…,' Bürent thought, her heart fluttering slightly.

"Oh… G.o.d, this is perfect," Elros said as he took his first bite, ignoring the pain in his head - he would not give in.

"We're happy to hear that," Marion said with a smile.

"You know, you two don't have to wear those outfits either if you don't want to," Elros said.

"Ah. Well… it's grown on me, actually. I feel s.e.xier in it, I guess," Bürent said with a smirk.

"To French Maid outfits!" Elros said, raising a gla.s.s. Some of the girls giggled while others groaned, but all smiled.

"So what's the plan for today?" Yubelluna asked.

"Mmm… I'ma gonna invite the guys over to work on the home theater. You girls want to join-," Elros began before he was met with a resounding no.

"Please, ladies - try not to sound so excited!" Elros exclaimed dramatically.

"Since there are only five guys, I think I'll invite Sona's peerage over as well. Akeno's right - we need to start training. We might as well get some in while you're working on the theater," Rias suggested.

"I agree. Would you ladies mind helping us?" Akeno asked Riser's peerage. They all nodded in agreement; it sounded much more fun than whatever Elros was planning.

"And then tonight, we're gonna watch Jaws," Elros said, grinning at Marion and Bürent who smiled wide and nodded. He quickly texted Saji, Issei, and Kiba - letting the latter two know to bring Gasper as well.

As he began to eat again, however, a magic circle opened not too far off. Mr. Gremory appeared out of it, a wry smile on his face.

"Father? What're you doing here?" Rias asked, getting up. She knew it was serious if he showed up unannounced.

"h.e.l.lo, sweetheart - ladies. I need to speak with Elros - urgently. It's regarding the match he has in a few weeks," Lord Gremory said. Everyone looked on in worry. Elros nodded and got up, escorting Mr. Gremory outside of the house to speak.

-o-

"Forgive me for intruding in such a way," Lord Gremory said apologetically.

"Nonsense, sir! This is your house, after all. Thanks again, Mr. Gremory. And for adding the modifications so quickly," Elros said.

"Not at all, Elros. Just let me know if you require anything else - I'm only too happy to help you, son," Lord Gremory said, smiling at him. He and his wife already considered Elros their de facto son-in-law by now; even more so with the news he had just received regarding his match.

'We keep piling it on this poor boy…,' Lord Gremory thought with a sigh before speaking again.

"The match, as it was previously scheduled, was supposed to be in another few weeks - after you had reached the Underworld and had been settled in. Unbeknownst to us, however… Anders, Bastion, and Elizaveta pet.i.tioned to have it moved up - considerably. Instead of three weeks… you'll be facing them next week," Lord Gremory said, gulping. When he was first alerted of the matter, his heart fell. To have the matchup changed, a majority was required - meaning that both contestants needed to agree. While the matchup wasn't specifically told to him, he knew what it meant when they were able to successfully move it up - Elros was going to take on all three at the same time. However, he wouldn't be able to bring it up with him - otherwise, Elros would be disqualified.

"I see. Impairing me by limiting the time I have to train. Yes, that certainly is a good idea," Elros whispered to himself quietly. He figured they would be training together - after all, as they were involved in the match, they could freely speak with each other about it.

"We can try to push back, but I don't think we'd succeed in doing so," Lord Gremory admitted

"I understand. It's fine, sir. I'll take them on next week. I'll be heading to London Tuesday to begin training. A week is more than enough time," Elros said. Lord Gremory noted the undertone of his statement - he wasn't telling him everything.

"You'll be training with John Constantine?" Lord Gremory asked.

"Yes, sir. I understand you're not fond of him - very few are, in fact. But I can train with him like no other," Elros said. Lord Gremory nodded - whatever worked best for Elros, he thought.

"It's certainly fine with me, son. But I will let the judges know that you've accepted the new timetable. Other Devils are being alerted to it as well. I get the distinct feeling that viewership of this match will be even more significant than your match with Riser. Michael and Azazel will likely still be there as guests of honor. One of the judges hinted that the top four duelists will be in attendance as well," Lord Gremory informed Elros; not that the information mattered much, but it'd be nice to know, perhaps.

"Hmm… I suppose those four will be wanting to fight as well after I win?" Elros asked.

"It's… difficult to say. The one ranked first hasn't been in a fight in over a decade. In fact, I don't think anyone has seen him in quite a long time. The fact that he might be there watching your match is already causing quite a commotion. Number two… number two hasn't accepted a match in just as long. The final two I believe will want to test your mettle. All are older Devils, however - and extremely powerful in their own right. I do not think that they'll make Rias a condition," Lord Gremory said; at least he could count on that.

"Whew. That's a load off, actually. Although I a.s.sume people will still be gunning for me for her hand. I'm going to have to make sure that I put a stop to that this fight," Elros said, his voice unusually serious.

"Do you have a plan?" Lord Gremory asked.

"I have a few - which one I got with depends on how the match goes, sir. Is that all?" Elros asked

"Yes, that's it for now. Enjoy your meal, Elros. We'll see you soon," Lord Gremory said as he left through a magic portal. Sighing in relief, Elros went back inside. The girls likely wouldn't be a fan of the news, he thought.

-o-

"What is it?" Rias asked in worry as he sat back down, smiling. All their eyes were on him, a.n.a.lyzing his face for any hint of evasion he might offer.

"The match has been moved up, apparently. Going to be next week as opposed to in a few weeks," Elros told them honestly.

"WHAT?!" Rias screamed.

"HOW?" Akeno asked loudly.

"Are you serious?" Yubelluna asked, also visibly worried. That cut Elros' training time significantly - it also meant that whoever he was going to fight had a plan going in.

"Yup. Nothing we can do about it, though. I'm still going to begin training on Tuesday, so I'll be out the whole week," Elros said. They gulped and nodded, but began to vociferously make their complaints known.

"Are you sure you should wait until Tuesday? The home theater can wait and you don't need to see us off," Mihae said. She didn't want to cut into his training time because he was worried about how they would be at school.

"Nonsense. I'm definitely going to see you guys off," Elros said. They shifted uncomfortably in their seats; truth be told, they did want him to see them off. School was new to them, but knowing he was there would make it better. But extra time just became all the more urgent for him.

"Are you sure?" Isabela asked quietly.

"Positive," Elros said. They nodded softly, caught between internally cheering and arguing the point further. Rias quickly got up and walked over to him, taking his hand and leading him into an adjacent room. Closing the door, he turned to face her - the worry on her face evident.

"Are you ok with this?" she asked quietly.

"I am. Don't worry, alright? I'm gonna win. I have to. For you," Elros said as he took her face in his hands, caressing her cheeks. She gulped and nodded, leaning up to kiss him. She held on tightly; she was even more worried now. Whoever he would fight would be much stronger than Riser.

-o-

"Elros!" Gasper cried out as he rushed him.

"Hey, little buddy!" Elros replied cheerfully, sweeping the young vampire up in his hands and lifting him to the top of his shoulders.

Akeno, Rias, and the others watched the tender scene with smiles on their faces. Whenever Gasper interacted with Elros, they just had to pause and admire it.

"Yo," Issei waved as he walked in with Kiba and Asia; Xenovia and Koneko soon followed. Koneko rushed over to Elros and looked at him expectantly. Smiling, he began patting her head to her delight. Soon after, Sona and her peerage appeared as well. Most everyone was shocked to see the larger house that Elros was now the proud owner of, as well as the seven gorgeous women that had moved in; except for Gasper and Koneko, who didn't really care about that stuff.

"H-h-hi," Saji stammered, overwhelmed by the beauty. He joined Issei in comically crying over their lack of luck with the fairer s.e.x; meanwhile, Kiba and Karlamine ended up falling into easy conversation with each other.

"Kiba's joined the dark side," Saji hissed, looking over at his friend.

"I know. He's abandoned us," Issei agreed.

"So Rias, Akeno, and seven other women now live with you under the same roof," Sona sighed, her displeasure evident. Even more compet.i.tion had surfaced.

"I know. It's so awesome, right buddy?" Elros asked Gasper.

"I don't know, but sure!" Gasper replied, eliciting aww's from the girls for his innocence.

"Koneko! How come you aren't chastising Elros?! If this was me, you would've threatened to kick my a.s.s by now!" Issei exclaimed.

"Feels… nice," Koneko sighed as Elros began scratching her, much to the amus.e.m.e.nt of everyone except Issei and Saji.

"Anyways, what're we doing here? Sona said you wanted to ask for some help?" Saji wondered.

"That's right! Saji! Issei! Kiba! Gasper! It's man time! We're gonna be setting up a home theater in my bas.e.m.e.nt!" Elros said excitedly.

"YEAH!" Gasper said excitedly, hands flying up along with Elros's.

"Couldn't Mr. Gremory do that, though?" Issei asked.

"He could… but come on, man! Some things we gotta do for ourselves. This is one of them!" Elros said.

"But… I don't wanna," Issei whined.

"Nor do I, really," Saji grumbled.

"… Likewise," Kiba said.

"I'll help!" Gasper said excitedly.

"That's because you're the only real friend amongst the guys I have, Gasper," Elros said, fist b.u.mping the vampire.

"Issei, Kiba - I'm afraid you don't have a choice. I think it'll be good for you all to spend some time together," Rias said, stepping by Elros's side.

"Same goes for you, Saji," Sona ordered her p.a.w.n, stepping close to him as well.

"B-b-," they sputtered but were shut down as their respective masters glared at them.

"Thank you, ladies," Elros said as he swooped in and kissed both of them on the cheek; to Rias's delight and Sona's delight as well as embarra.s.sment.

"What're we gonna do?" Koneko asked Rias.

"We're going to head outside and get some training in. Yubelluna and the others are going to help us. We all have Rating Games coming up very soon - best that we prepare now," Rias said.

"B-but that seems like such a better use of our time as well!" Issei said.

"You don't care about training. You just want to see some girls naked," Koneko mused.

"T-t-that's not true!" Issei stammered - ok yes, it was true.

"Rias and Akeno are going out with Elros now. How do you think he would feel if you broke their clothes off or tried to grope them?" Saji asked Issei. He locked eyes with Elros and suddenly turned bone white.

'c.r.a.p! He'd throw me into s.p.a.ce or something! Gotta be careful! No more naughty thoughts about them!' Issei thought. Suddenly, however - a new voice entered the fray. Ddraig, who Elros forgot could speak, began to talk.

"Yes, he would certainly tear you apart, partner. He's no joke," Ddraig mused to Issei who groaned.

"Jeez, thanks for having such confidence in me, Ddraig," he responded.

"I merely speak the truth. Although, this conversation piqued my interest. You beat the Vanishing Dragon without much trouble, Elros. I am curious as to how we would fare against you," Ddraig said.

"I dunno, D. If Issei tears my clothes off… well no, never mind. A man should never be embarra.s.sed wit-," Elros began before Rias covered his mouth, sighing.

'Nope. The only ones here who get to see that are Akeno and me for now,' she thought, smirking inwards.

"If you are not against it, perhaps you wouldn't mind sparring with my partner and me?" Ddraig said. Elros had to suppress a groan while everyone looked on in interest.

"Hmm…I dun-," Elros began before Issei interrupted.

"No, wait. I agree!" he said. Elros and the others looked on in surprise - of all the people to challenge Elros, they didn't even put Issei on the list, much less consider him to the be the last to do such a thing.

"It's… not a bad idea. I mean… I guess I could use this time to evaluate you guys before we start really training in the Underworld," Elros said.

"So you'll do it?" Issei asked excitedly.

"Fine. Home theater can wait," Elros grumbled. Issei grinned wide and ran outside; Saji and Kiba followed. Elros got the distinct feeling that both would now challenge him in the same way that Issei did. The girls began to exit as well, as did Gasper alongside Koneko, leaving Rias and Akeno with Elros.

"You alright?" Akeno asked worriedly. She knew he didn't like to fight if he could avoid it, but it seemed like the others really wanted to test their mettle against him.

"Yeah. Just… really wanted to build that baby tonight and watch a movie. Oh well. Guess this might be a more productive use of time," Elros grumbled as he put his arm around the two. They turned and gave him a kiss simultaneously before walking out.

-o-

"How do you want to do this?" Issei asked Elros.

"Your challenge, your call," Elros replied as he stretched. He had his flintlock and saber at his side and at the ready for whoever wanted to challenge him. He would likely end up going through the entire peerage; maybe some of Sona's as well.

"Alright, so I'll take you one on one - that sound good?" Issei said as he took his position, his gauntlet appearing on his hand.

"That's fine with me. I've turned the power down on this to stun - so you'll feel a bit of a jolt, but it'll just immobilize you for a few seconds, no matter where I hit you," Elros said as he took his place as well.

"Sounds good," Issei said, smiling wide. He had to admit that it was a heady feeling being on this side against someone like Elros. He never noted it before, but Elros had a presence about him; he felt it as he stared him down.

Issei knew that Riser was powerful - but he was also a p.r.i.c.k. He looked down his nose at everyone, especially Issei, and thought of Rias as a trophy more than anything; something that should be his by default. When they fought Kokabiel, he stayed in flight during the whole fight, looking down his nose at the Devils on the ground below. And when he fought Vali, he fought someone who scoffed at the fact that his rival was a pervert with no definitive skill. All three had significant egos.

Elros was fundamentally different, however. He didn't treat Issei as above or below him; he looked at him on the ground, facing him down. Elros had no ego to speak of; all he knew was that there was a job that needed doing and he was well equipped to complete it. Issei couldn't help but gulp as he felt the power and surety that radiated off of his friend, even as he stood still. His presence alone was captivating.

"Ready… begin!" Rias shouted, bringing Issei out of his admiring stare.

Issei wasted no time and launched right at Elros. Just as soon, however, he ate dirt. The front approach was the absolute worst to take against Elros; he quickly shot at Issei and brought him down, stunned.

"Ah, that hurt!" Issei said as he struggled to get up.

"Fool! Don't you remember the fight he had against Riser? You won't beat him in your human form! His power will immobilize you in less than a second! At this rate, you are comparable to the p.a.w.ns Riser had in play - and remember how easily he disposed of them!" Ddraig berated Issei, who sighed in displeasure. He was right; this was a stupid way to attack Elros. Looking up, he saw Elros barely moved. It was a quick shot from the hip.

"Again?" Issei asked as he got to his feet. Elros nodded as Issei went back a bit and took his place.

"Begin!" Rias shouted after Issei nodded to her.

Issei quickly shifted into Scale Mail. A Red Dragon Armor suddenly encased his body, increasing his power, ability, speed, and defense. A pair of rocket thrusters appeared on his back allowing him even faster bursts of speed as well as flight. It provided significant offensive and defensive power to Issei and was unique to him. For the duration of the Scale Mail, he could also Boost as much as he wanted to - although he still had to be careful of overloading it, as well as cognizant of his stamina and magical power.

"Scan for weakness," he ordered his ring, and it began to do just that. Elros let off some shots in quick succession, but they simply bounced off of the armor as Issei stood there, confident that it wouldn't be penetrated.

"BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!" Ddraig began to roar in quick succession, increasing Issei's power ma.s.sively. Issei quickly sprung into an attack as he launched at Elros, who braced himself for what might happen - physical attack, or would he pop off a few shots?

Issei went with the latter, sending off multiple explosive attacks at Elros. The bombs began to explode around him, scattering dust everywhere. Issei leaped into the middle of the cloud, hoping to catch him unawares by the two-p.r.o.nged attack. However, to his surprise, Elros wasn't there.

Suddenly, he felt something tugging at his back - Elros was behind him. Issei suddenly felt his entire body lurch back as Elros grabbed the tail-like protrusion that extended from Issei's armor back, down, and out. Issei's hands flew to his throat and he tried to wrench himself loose, but it was no use. He felt like his body suddenly weighed much more than it used to as he was spun around in the air. Elros let him go and threw him into a thicket of trees while everyone watched with interest, wondering what would happen next.

"d.a.m.n! What… just happened?" Issei asked as he quickly got up, feeling a bit bruised.

"I am uncertain. It appears that he latched on to our arm and threw us into the trees. We were unable to move, however. That is troubling…," Ddraig mused. Issei stepped back into the ring, where Elros looked at him with a frown - what was he thinking?

"It appears he's evaluating us," Ddraig said.

"He doesn't seem impressed," Issei mumbled.

"That much is evident. Go into attack again," Ddraig said. Issei agreed and launched back at Elros, who tried to shoot him again.

"Ha! That won't work!" Issei yelled as he went for some close combat attacks. He kept Elros moving on his feet, not letting him get a solid footing as he attempted to block each of Issei's strikes with his saber and flintlock.

'Good thing these are so durable,' Elros thought, frowning as Issei continued his onslaught. He didn't want to resort to his ring, so it was paramount that he find and exploit a weakness. Suddenly, he remembered that one of Issei's hands - the one with the gauntlet - had a large, green jewel on it. It seemed to be what carried Ddraig's soul and there were a few more on his body.

Blocking Issei's next attack with his saber, he suddenly brought his flintlock an inch from the gem on Issei's chest. Increasing the power of the burst, he shot at it and rocketed the dragon back.

"d.a.m.n! THAT HURT!" Issei said as he fell to his knee, breathing heavily. As he got up, he felt the sensation from before again. Elros was spinning him again above his head, this time even faster than before. Instead of launching him into the trees, however, he smashed Issei onto the ground and brought this flintlock to his head. Issei gulped as he saw him loom overhead, dangerous and foreboding. Instead of shooting, however, Elros sighed and sheathed his weapons, offering a hand to the dragon.

"What…. happened?!" Issei asked as he took and got up, rubbing his head as he switched back into his regular form. He grimaced as he saw he was bleeding a bit.

"This form of yours is powerful, fast, and offers you a great defensive buffer. But there's a glaring problem," Elros said.

"What do you mean?" Ddraig asked.

"That tail thing from your back. Is it necessary?" Elros asked.

"It… I dunno," Issei said.

"It… is not. But I fail to see the problem it poses," Ddraig said.

"I don't know what kind of opponents you guys have faced until recently, but you should be glad no one exploited it. I had my ring a.n.a.lyze your armor for weaknesses, but even I could plainly see that that tail gave me something to hold on to. If this was a serious battle, I could've kept going and increased the speed while you pa.s.sed out. You couldn't move, could you?" Elros asked.

"No. Why couldn't I?" Issei asked, ma.s.saging his neck.

"G-force. I spun you around at a high speed, using my ring to go a bit faster. That weighed your body down, making it harder for you to move. You and Ddraig need to work on making sure that tail doesn't happen anymore - because as long as it does, I'm going to use this exact same technique to beat you time and time again. You're going to try to block it - but I won't let you. There's no blocking against something like that. All I need is you to lose focus for a second," Elros told them. Issei gulped and nodded.

"Along with that, those green jewels. They seem to be a weak spot; it looks like the orb on your Boosted Gear where Ddraig lives. Protect them. I don't know if anyone has targeted them, but from what I can tell, they're sensitive. Just a heads up - next time we do this, I'm going to go for them and the tail thing if I see it. No excuses to not improve on that," Elros said, clapping Issei on the shoulder.

"I knew we'd learn something from him. This was most excellent!" Ddraig exclaimed to Issei as he walked over to Asia for a quick heal.

"Alright. This match goes to Elros - again. Whose next?" Rias called out, feeling proud of her choice of inducting him into her peerage. While Issei was strong, she knew the battle's outcome would be a foregone conclusion. Elros was simply too powerful.

"I'd like to try," Kiba said as he smiled at Elros, holding a sword. Elros nodded but suddenly opened a pocket dimension. He brought out the black robe he used during his match against Riser and donned it, eliciting a few interested stares. Leaving the hood off, he rested his weapons at his side and prepared to fight Kiba.

"I'm curious about the robe," Kiba said as he prepared to attack. Elros didn't reply, however, as he held his saber out.

"Begin!" Rias yelled. Both Elros and Kiba launched at each with a surprising force, locking their swords quickly and sending out a small shockwave. Kiba was certainly much better than Elros with how he used his swords. Elros wasn't quick enough to get any attacks in; in fact, he felt that he was struggling even on defense. If this was purely going to be a swordfight, he was easily outcla.s.sed by Kiba.

-o-

Off to the side, Karlamine watched in admiration as Kiba wrote poetry with his sword as he went up against Elros. She did feel a bit torn between cheering for the two. She considered Elros her savior and held him in great respect; she admired how proficient he was with a sword as well as any other mode of fighting he used. However, Kiba was certainly closer to her in strength and they could talk at length about what it meant to be a knight as well as the different kinds of weapons they enjoyed using.

"Kiba is certainly the better swordsman," she noted, smiling. The girls noted the admiration in her voice and smiled, but didn't press the point at the moment.

"Seems like he's really giving Elros some trouble," Yubelluna said.

"Elros isn't a swordsman by nature. I also don't think he's using his powers to his fullest. It appears as though he's opting to let Kiba attack; otherwise, he would've used his gun by now," Isabela noted, to nods around.

-o-

The two disengaged as quickly as they began and began to stalk each other like animals. Each step Kiba took, Elros mimicked.

'Hmm… I'm better with a sword, but he's no slouch. Plus, he still hasn't used his gun yet,' Kiba noted, eyes narrowing as he continued to circle Elros. Suddenly, Kiba launched into another attack. He began to glow as he focused his power. Elros looked on in interest; he remembered that he hadn't had a chance to see the powers his friends had at their disposal. To his surprise, swords began to erupt from the ground around him, thrusting at him at a great speed. He quickly took to the skies, evading the brunt of the attack; however, Kiba saw and leaped up as well, smiling. He rocked towards Elros who barely managed to evade the attack.

'Kiba's no joke. Definitely a great fighter. Hmm… Don't want to use my ring. Might have to take a hit if I want to beat him. This is gonna hurt,' Elros thought.

Kiba reoriented himself and launched himself at Elros yet again. To his surprise, however, Elros didn't bring up a sword to defend himself. Kiba made contact, drawing blood - his eyes going wide as he did so. Immediately afterward, however, he felt a sudden jolt; looking down, he saw that Elros got him.

'He let it happen,' Kiba thought, smiling a bit as his sword fell from his hands. Elros carried him down to the ground, letting Kiba use him as support as he got control of his senses again.

"You're pretty quick. Would've had me several times there," Elros said with a smile.

"Still, you won in the end. Was letting me get an attack in necessary?" Kiba asked.

"Afraid so. You're a far better swordsman than I am; not to mention much quicker. Letting you get through was about my only hope of winning. Good hit, though. I think you might want to try making those swords materialize anywhere. Can you only have them come out of the ground?" Elros asked.

"It's the only way I've pulled it off. I could try using a vertical surface; I don't think they'd work in the air, though," Kiba said.

"I see. Give it a shot, nonetheless. Maybe we could couple it with my ring powers. I can create a solid surface almost anywhere with it," Elros said. Kiba nodded and smiled at the advice; he'd have to test it out. He headed over to Asia for a quick heal while Elros wiped the remainder of the blood and took his position again.

"Elros wins," Rias announced. As she ended, Saji stepped up to bat. Although he regretted challenging Elros in such a manner not too long ago, he still wanted to test his skills against him.

-o-

"I hope this doesn't turn out too bad," Sona sighed.

"I'm sure it won't. Saji know's that Elros is strong. There's no shame in losing," Tsubaki said.

"Try telling him that. Boys," Sona said, shaking her head.

"You can do it, Saji!" Ruruko shouted at her crush. Saji grinned and waved his thanks at her, eliciting a blush that some of the other girls jumped on. Momo and Tsubasa, however, remained stoic as they observed, surprising Sona and Tsubaki.

"You two alright?" Sona asked.

"Hmm?! Yes. Yeah," Momo said, blushing as well and drawing raised eyebrows from the peerage.

-o-

"Ready?" Saji asked. Elros simply nodded, his weapons resting in his hands.

"Begin!" Rias shouted.

"Here we go!" Saji exclaimed. A Sacred Gear appeared on his left hand. It had the appearance of a lizard; with two purple orbs for eyes. His arms and legs were soon covered in a purple armor-like material, with spikes jutting out at the kneecaps and the elbows. Aiming his Sacred Gear at Elros, the mouth of the lizard opened and a thin blue light shot out. It contorted like a string around Elros's arm, taking him by surprise. Looking at Saji, he saw the young man smiling.

As soon as it tightened itself, Elros quickly jerked it towards him. Saji went flying towards him, unable to get a good hold on Elros. As he neared, Elros shoulder checked him - hard - sending him to the ground. Quickly, Saji got up - now longer smiling. He quickly shot out the Absorption Line again, but Elros dodged it quickly.

'I've no idea what that can do. Good thing he didn't try anything that first time; I lucked out. Can't let it get a hold of me,' Elros thought as he hopped around the battlefield, doing his best to avoid it. Saji's armor didn't do much in terms of protection, Elros felt; leaving his body mostly unattended.

As he landed again, he shot out a quick light burst at Saji that found its target.

-o-

"Is it just me, or can no one escape that attack?" Issei groaned.

"It's not just you. Even in his fight against Riser, he got his p.a.w.ns eight for eight. I'm not sure what the properties are, but it's no normal bullet," Rias said, although she was smiling wide as she watched the match. With each victory, Elros cemented his position further and further (not that he needed to at this point, she thought) as a force on their team.

As Saji got to his feet, he groaned as Elros approached him.

"I'm kinda happy you didn't accept my challenge now, to be honest. This was… embarra.s.sing," he groaned.

"Don't beat yourself up on it. I don't know heads or tails about what your power is, which is why I moved to end this particular fight as quickly as possible. I hope it gave you a sense of what to improve on, though. It seems like you shoot rope or something out of that Sacred Gear; so I think you need to improve the durability of it. You need a better footing, as well. If I could swing you towards me that easily, most will be able to. Feet planted firmly on the ground," Elros advised him. Saji nodded and went over to Asia for a heal.

"Elros wins. Who wants to go next?" she asked aloud, however, there didn't seem to be any takers.

"I think everyone knows how it's going to play out. Kiba, Issei, and Saji aren't pushovers by any means but they didn't really stand a chance. Plus, I think everyone still remembers his fight against Riser. Unless… you want to give it a try?" Akeno asked Rias.

"I don't think so. My powers don't really lend themselves well to this kind of training. You?" Rias asked.

"Mmm… maybe when I have all to myself for a day," Akeno said with a giggle. Rias rolled her eyes but smiled and nodded.

"That's everyone for now, I think," she told Elros who nodded and approached her, sheathing his weapons.

"Huh. That didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would. I thought I'd have to take on everyone for a second," Elros said with a satisfied grin.

"As much as it's to figure out our strengths and weaknesses, I think everyone knows how it'll turn out. But, the egos of men are so much more fragile than women," Rias said with a smile.

"You've no idea. I'm just lucky that Gasper didn't want a piece, otherwise, he'd have reduced me to a crybaby," Elros said with a smile as he pa.s.sed his gun to Gasper, who looked at it with awe in his eyes.

"Well, at least some of us learned something, right?" Akeno asked the boys who were still nursing their wounds and egos.

"Hey Elros, why is it none of us can dodge that attack? I mean… Kiba's really fast, and even he couldn't," Issei said, nodding at the gun.

"There's fast - then there's as fast as light, which is the speed at which those shots travel at," Elros said.

"That makes sense. Man, that is so unfair," Issei grumbled.

"Remember - get rid of that tail and protect those orbs," Elros said. Issei nodded and hopped up as he ran over to a free patch of land to begin his training. At that, the others began to break up as well. Karlamine paired with Kiba, much to Elros's delight; while Ruruko went over to Saji. The rest of the girls paired with each other, some with Riser's peerage, and began working on their own skills - leaving Elros with Sona and Rias.

"What're you two gonna do?" Elros asked.

"Mostly observe. We'll offer as much advice as we can," Sona answered.

"What about you?" Rias asked.

"Hmm… Dunno. Guess I might as well get a few hours in as well. Maybe you could offer someone on one?" Elros asked Rias, slinging his arm around her waist. She smiled and leaned in, but shook her head.

"Down, boy. Tonight, we're going to be serious," Rias said.

"Fine," Elros sighed, sulking off to a free patch of land to get his own training done. He sat on the ground and began to meditate. He began to think about how to best use his time with Constantine in a few days - what he needed to work on and what would offer him the best advantage in a 3 vs. 1 fight. The odds were certainly stacked against him, as anyone would think. Anders, Bastion, and Elizaveta were all extremely powerful. One or two or three aces wouldn't work; he'd need as many as possible, and then would determine during the match which ones to use. With a light smile, he got to work.

-o-

As Rias and Akeno woke up the following morning, they noticed their favorite pillow was already awake. With a yawn, they both sat up, rubbing their eyes as they looked around their room. Against the window, they saw Elros's figure. He seemed to just be looking outside, his smile reflected in the window.

"What's up?" Akeno asked as she got up and walked next to him, holding onto his shoulder for support. Rias took the other side, resting her head on it and yawning again. Elros put his arms around both of them and pulled them close.

"Nothing much. I didn't wake you, did I?" he asked.

"Na. But when you're not in bed, it's like my body notices," Akeno said with a smile, kissing his cheek. Turning to face her, Elros kissed her pa.s.sionately, taking her slightly by surprise. She leaned into it, however, feeling his hand at her back. He turned and did the same for Rias who let out a squeak of pleasure as she felt him squeeze her from behind.

"Not that I mind, but what was that for?" Rias asked as she toyed with his hair.

"Just wanted to," he replied.

"Fine with me," she said, kissing him on the cheek.

"I'm gonna go get ready. Feel free to join," he said with a grin, eliciting a roll of the eyes from the girls who went back towards the bed and sat down. As he left, however, Rias frowned. Not telling him that she went to his home with the others was beginning to hammer down on her. They had learned more about Elros and his family than they expected - but it was from a third party, not from the source itself. She gulped as she wondered how he would react towards her if he found out.

'He's going to be so angry with me. Probably more so if Sona or Tsubaki tell him. I'm not so sure we should've gone, anymore. If he breaks up with me… it wouldn't be worth it,' Rias thought, shuddering violently at the thought. Elros had been her first for a lot of things; her first kiss, her first date, the one she gave her virginity to. All of that happened in a whirlwind period; and now, this specter threatened to tear him from her. She'd fight tooth and nail to prevent such an outcome - whatever it took. With a sigh, she laid down, pulling the cover over her heads and was alone with her thoughts.

Akeno was much the same as she leaned against the window, fogging it gently with her breath and drawing a heart on it.

'A + E,' she thought, smiling wide as she wrote it on the mirror. As with Rias, Elros had been her first for a lot of things. He was also the first person since Rias that she had confided completely into regarding her past; she had told him everything, to the point she could remember it. He was the first person that accompanied her as she went back to her birthplace. He protected her from the elements that inflicted such horror on her, holding her tightly and lovingly, making sure they couldn't do a d.a.m.n thing to her.

'And I repay him by lying to his face. If he leaves me…,' she thought with a gulp; it would be too much for her, she thought. As much as it would hurt her, she would handle his anger and rage if it came to that; but his absence? It would cut her like a hot knife through b.u.t.ter. That would be the one thing she couldn't stomach.

'Please don't leave me,' she thought as tears formed in her eyes. She quickly wiped them away and got into bed as well, trying to control herself.

-o-

Elros ran his hand through the sides of his hair, observing the spot where it turned from pitch black to stark white in the mirror. He smiled as he picked up a straight edge razor. Hal was the one that taught him to shave with it, he remembered.

'Cut myself open the first time. And second, third, fourth, and so on,' Elros thought with a chuckle and as he spread the lather and pressed the blade to his cheek, gently beginning to cut away the hairs that had begun to sprout. As he went through the motions, he wracked his mind for what might've happened those few days that his memory was missing. He had hoped that he would begin to fill in events over the last month, but all he could still remember was the flash of yellow.

'Can't just ask Sinestro about it; he'd consider it something of interest and devote some resources to figuring out what happened. All I know is that his Corps. is involved somehow - if it's yellow, it can't be anything else. Too bad my ring's data was corrupted for those days. Asked Sal to look into it, but even he wasn't able to retrieve anything. Whatever it was didn't press its advantage, though. Could've easily killed me,' Elros thought as he finished up. He washed his face and got dressed, applying a bit of aftershave.

"Hey. Done?" Akeno asked as he stepped into the room. She went over and hugged him, lingering as she began to smell him around the neck. She bit her lip as the heady scent reached her. She caressed his smooth cheek and smiled, kissing him. With a wink, she went to the bathroom while Elros went over to Rias who was still in bed.

"You alright?" Elros asked as he gently pulled the cover off. Rias smiled as she saw his face again, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down. Like Akeno, she smelled him around the neck, taking in the after shave.

"Mmm, that smells s.e.xy," she said l.u.s.tily as she kissed his neck, working her way to an ear.

"Glad you think so," Elros replied, his hands trailing down her body and hiking her leg up as he kissed her pa.s.sionately. Rias smiled and pulled him completely on top of her, giggling as his hands moved between her legs.

"Must you always be so frisky?" she asked, giving a little gasp as he quickly entered and exited.

"Sorry. Like I said, I'm a lover," Elros replied with a smirk.

"Uh huh, I can tell. But school starts in a couple of hours and I want to be able to concentrate," she said.

"Fine," Elros grumbled as he rose up, taking her along with him.

"Don't sound too upset. I promise that after you win that duel, I'll have something extra special for you," Rias said.

"Oh? Like what?" Elros asked.

"You can't expect me to spoil the surprise," Rias said as she traced his chin with her finger, giving him a seductive look before she walked into a free bathroom.

'Sign your wills, Bastion, Anders, Elizaveta. My win just got even more important,' Elros thought with a grin as he headed downstairs. The rest of the girls were already a.s.sembled and in their school uniforms, much to Elros's delight. The sight of all the beauties nearly brought a tear to his eye.

"Don't you look handsome in your school attire," Yubelluna said as she greeted him with a hug. She looked like a marvel in her uniform, the clothes fitting her tightly and well. Elros grinned as he returned the hug, kissing her on the cheek.

"Not as well as you. Not as well as all of you. Good G.o.d - ah!" Elros grumbled, nursing his headache.

"You should know better than to blaspheme," Yubelluna giggled.

"So worth it, though. Thank you Mr. Gremory for such a wonderful school uniform," Elros said with a grin.

"So are we all gonna be in your cla.s.s?" Bürent asked as she moved to hug him as well.

"Some of you. Karlamine - you're gonna be in Kiba's cla.s.s," Elros noted.

"Wonderful!" she shouted eagerly but blushed red as everyone's eyes were on her.

"Mihae, Xuelan, and Isabela - you're gonna be with Issei, Asia, and Xenovia. Let me know if Issei or his perverted friends give you any trouble and I'll sort them out," Elros said. They nodded in agreement.

"And Bella, Marion, and Bürent - you girls are gonna be in cla.s.s with Rias, Akeno, and I!" he said excitedly.

"Perfect," they said in unison, smiling.

"And what time are you leaving for training?" Mihae asked.

"I'll probably leave sometime tonight or tomorrow morning. You'll still be able to contact me if you need anything, though," Elros said. They smiled and nodded. Soon, all were seated again and digging into a wonderful breakfast that Marion and Bürent prepared.

-o-

"You girls are all gonna be starting school today?" Issei asked he met up with the large group as they walked to school.

"Yes. Myself, Xuelan, and Isabela are going to be in your cla.s.s," Mihae said, smiling. Issei began looking l.u.s.tfully at the girls but was brought to Earth by Asia tightly pulling his ear.

"Issei - I don't want your friends giving them any trouble, alright? I'm trusting you here, man," Elros said as he threw an arm around his friend.

"You can count on me," Issei said.

"I know I can. Because if I hear one complaint from these lovely ladies, then I'm going to talk to Aya and the girl's kendo team about how you, Matsuda, and Motohama all volunteered for practice. And I'll be sure to ask them to get all of their anger out," Elros sighed.

"Don't worry. We'll be sure to keep them safe," Xenovia said. Elros smiled wide at her and kissed her on the cheek as thanks, eliciting a bright blush at her second ever kiss. Rias and Akeno smiled at each other as everyone continued on their way.

-o-

"Woah," some of the guys exclaimed as they saw the seven beauties that had just transferred to the school. No time was wasted as they immediately beset on some of them. Kiba had quickly pulled Karlamine aside and taken her to cla.s.s; while Mihae, Isabela, and Xuelan went with Xenovia and Asia, with Issei far back in tow. Yubelluna, Marion, and Bürent stayed close to Elros, earning him several scornful looks.

"The guys don't like you, huh?" Marion asked.

"Nope. It's because I'm always surrounded by such beautiful women. Wouldn't change it, though," Elros said cheerfully as he grinned.

"Elros has been an enigma at the school since he started," Akeno said, shaking her head fondly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Elros asked. This was the first he heard of it.

"Here comes a handsome new guy with a notable scar on his face, looking like he just came out of a war zone. He's wrapped around two beautiful women - Rias and yours truly. He's smiling at everyone, girl and guy - despite what they think of him. He's always so bubbly and cheerful and charming, as opposed to some of the more… perverted men at the school. In fact, I think there's a rumor that spread that you've already spread with most of the girls here," Akeno giggled.

"Most?! Who started that rumor? I've barely slept with half," Elros said, loud enough for some guys to hear. He chuckled as they grumbled away.

"That might not endear you to many," Rias said.

"I know, but it's funny. I've been nothing but a perfect gentleman. Well, except that one time you and I almost got it on in the ORC. And that one time Issei I walked in on the girl's kendo team while they were changing. And that one time the girls wanted to partner with me for that project. And the second time we almost got it on in the ORC. And the first day when we slept together in the nurse's office. But that's about it, I think. No, wait! That time after we cleaned out the pool. And the time I made those sculptures of you guys. Ok… now I think I'm done… probably," Elros mused, mostly to himself.

"Seriously? In the ORC?" Akeno giggled, looking at her best friend who blushed a crimson red.

"Don't tell people about that!" Rias complained to Elros who smiled and caressed her cheek, making her blush even more.

"Don't worry, Akeno. There's plenty of better places to do it at school. I've already made the requisite notes in my mind," Elros said with a grin.

'Mmm… sounds fun,' she thought, smirking. Her thought process was evident to the others who simply rolled their eyes.

-o-

"How'd you girls enjoy day one?" Elros asked as they all gathered again near the fountain.

"It's so wonderful here!" Mihae exclaimed happily.

"That's because all the guys think you and Asia are the cutest things in the world," Isabela said with a smile, making Mihae blush; her eyes turned to Elros, who smiled back at her.

"They seem to really like you two as well," Asia said, smiling at Xuelan and Isabela. They sighed but smiled as well; there was only one man that caught their eye, and he wasn't in their cla.s.s.

"I had quite an enjoyable time as well. School is… nice," Karlamine said, looking around. Elros winked at Kiba who quickly blushed and whisked Karlamine away.

"See, Issei - Kiba's already making the moves. It's time for you as well. How was it?" Elros asked.

"Elros… I love you, man. You're like the cooler older brother I've always wanted. Let my parents adopt you," Issei said, comically crying on Elros who rubbed his back and nodded.

"No problem, Issei. I've got your back," Elros said cheerfully.

"What's that about?" Marion asked.

"It-," Asia began, but suddenly Issei's hand clapped over her mouth.

"We gotta go!" he said as he whisked her away. All eyes turned to Elros, who simply zipped his lips.

"And you three?" Elros asked as he turned to Marion, Bürent, and Yubelluna.

"I… love it, actually. I dunno… we've never had the chance to just have a normal life. It's nice not to be ordered around and just… live," Bürent said.

"Thank you for the opportunity," Marion said as she bowed to him.

"Not at all. Thank Rias - she's the one who pulled the strings," Elros said.

"Yes, but you allowed us to come here," Bürent said. Elros sighed but smiled as he walked over to put his arm around the two maids.

"Like I said, your life is your own. Whether it's school or anything else - whatever you girls wanna do, I'm gonna support you," he said kindly. They leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, eliciting a few loud groans from the gentlemen peppered around.

"Shall we head to the ORC?" Rias suggested.

"I… perhaps I could borrow Elros for a moment?" Yubelluna asked. Rias paused and looked at Akeno. She looked at Marion and Bürent who looked uneasy. Suddenly, a look of realization came over her. She quickly nodded and smiled.

"Of course, Yubelluna. Take the time you need," Rias said. She left with Akeno, Marion, Bürent, and the others and headed to the ORC, while Elros and Yubelluna walked towards the treeline.

"What's wrong?" Elros asked, frowning. He noted the look that Marion and Bürent had. Yubelluna gave him a bitter smile as the paused in a small clearing.

"The first time that I was brought to the ORC, Riser wanted to show Issei what he was missing out on. So he began to fondle my b.r.e.a.s.t.s and kiss me in front of everyone. a.s.serting his dominance, as it were," Yubelluna said as she leaned her head forward on him. Elros gently hugged her and brought her in, rubbing her back.

'I definitely should've been more aggressive in that match,' Elros thought. He felt a soft wetness on his chest; Yubelluna was crying. He didn't say anything as he let her do so, just gently rubbing her back.

"I'm sorry. I di-," Yubelluna began as she leaned back, but he shook his head and smiled.

"Nonsense. You've nothing to be sorry for. Riser's the only one at fault. I'm sorry, however. Sorry for what you had to go through while you were with him. If I had known how terrible he was to you and the other girls… I certainly would've been more violent during the match," Elros said, his voice getting cold as he ended. Yubelluna felt a cold chill go down her spine as he said that; looking at him, she saw his eyes shift between warm and cold, soft and hard.

"I'm trying to put it behind me, but…," she trailed off. Elros nodded.

"I understand. What he did to you isn't… going to be easy to get past. But I'm going to help you do just that, alright? As long as it takes. We're going to get through it together. If there's anything - anything - I can do to make it easier for you, you have but to ask," Elros said comfortingly. Yubelluna smiled wide, wiping away her tears, and nodded.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Not at all," Elros said as they continued walking. As they continued, Elros gulped.

"There's a chance that once we get to the Underworld… that you might see him again. What're your thoughts on that?" Elros asked.

"I… am afraid if I'm being honest. I know he no longer as any control over me, but… I don't wish to see him again if I can help it. Being around him has been enough to make me feel… unclean," Yubelluna said uncomfortably.

"I understand. I'll do my best to make sure he's as separate from us as possible. And if he tries to get close, I'll take care of it," Elros said. Yubelluna smiled and took his arm in her hands, simply holding on for support.

"After he attacked you, I was… extremely afraid. I thought that as soon as I had gotten a new lease on life, he was going to take it away from me again," Yubelluna said, her voice straining.

"No one is going to take me away from you. That I promise," Elros said soothingly. She nodded in response, happy with the answer. She leaned in a bit closer as they continued their walk, delighted by his presence.

"This campus is beautiful," she said as she admired the lush greenery around them.

"Very. Present company makes it even better," Elros said, flashing her a smile.

"Careful. Keep saying things like that and I might fall in love with you," Yubelluna said, blushing.

"In that case, I'll continue to say those things," Elros said with a grin, eliciting a giggle from her.

"I'm curious, where did you live before coming here?" Yubelluna inquired.

"I was born in California. Lived in Death Valley during my early years," Elros said with a strained smile.

"The desert?" Yubelluna asked in surprise.

"Yup. Better places to grow up, that's for certain," Elros said.

"And what were your parents like?" she wondered.

"Mother died in childbirth. Father abandoned me when I was six," Elros said.

"Oh… I'm sorry. I… I didn't mean… I…," Yubelluna trailed off, gulping. She suddenly came to a stop and bowed low to him.

"Forgive me. I'm… overste-," she began before Elros gently made her stand straight.

"Bella - you don't ever bow to anyone again, alright? I understand. My past… it's… I'm not fond of talking about it at length, but I can understand the curiosity," Elros said. Yubelluna paused before she smiled again and leaned forward to hug him. Taking her place at his side again, they continued their walk in silence.

-o-

"Sona! Tsubaki!" Elros said as he greeted the beauties in the hallway.

"h.e.l.lo, Elros. Shouldn't you be in cla.s.s?" Sona asked, smiling at him.

"Yeah, but I got lost again," Elros said, looking around.

"You still don't know your way back? Can't your ring remember it for you?" Tsubaki asked.

"It already has. But this gives me a good excuse to do nothing," Elros said.

"Shall we escort you?" Sona offered.

"Certainly!" Elros said happily, putting his arm around the two. They leaned in and began walking slowly.

"Rias tells me your match has been moved up," Sona said.

"Yeah. Middle of next week. I'm going to be gone for a week so I can get some training in," Elros sighed.

"You handily beat Riser, even without your ring. Do you really think you need more training?" Tsubaki asked. Elros smiled sadly at her and nodded.

"Yeah. Training is the one thing I can never skip out on. Whatever it takes," he said, his voice distant. They tightened their hold on him, bringing him back to Earth.

"That, and then the conference in the Underworld not too long after," Sona sighed.

"I keep hearing about that, but I'm still not completely sure on what it is. Is it just a conference to usher in peace?" Elros asked.

"That is the main goal. Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels will be represented there; many other deities and races will be there to observe," Sona nodded.

"Your sister must have her work cut out for her," Elros nodded. At the mention of her sister, Sona let out a loud when and hugged Elros tightly, eliciting a loud laugh from him and a giggle from Tsubaki.

"There, there, Sona. I'm sure she's not that bad," Elros said.

"No, you're right. She's worse," Sona groaned.

"That's exactly what Rias said about her family coming to open house," Elros said.

"She's also taken a liking to you. Thinks you're the coolest guy she's ever seen. That trick against the Magicians with the jet really impressed her," Sona informed him.

"She seems like a fun person," Elros said.

"I forbid you to hit on her!" Sona exclaimed.

"Ha. Don't worry. I promise I won't. I'm offended you have such a low opinion of me. What am I, a male s.l.u.t?" Elros asked as he pulled them in closer, his hands sliding down slightly. Sona and Tsubaki rolled their eyes but smiled as they put their hands on his, eliciting a grin from him.

"Tsubaki," Sona suddenly said.

"Hmm?" Tsubaki asked.

"Could Elros and I have a moment of privacy?" Sona asked.

"Uhh… Oh! Oh, yes. Sure," Tsubaki said, turning red as she quickly began walking in the opposite direction. Elros turned to face Sona, who was blushing madly.

"Elros…," Sona began, avoiding his chest.

"Hmm?" Elros responded.

"You're aware that I've spoken to Rias about you, no?" she asked.

"I am. And about Tsubaki," Elros said cheerfully.

"Yes. And… what do you think about that?" Sona inquired.

"I'm alright with it," Elros shrugged.

"I see. Just… just alright with it… or…?" Sona trailed off. Elros smiled as he saw where she was going with this. He tilted her face up to look at him, taking in her beautiful features. Her violet eyes were striking, twinkling slightly in the well-lit hall.

"Sona, would you like to go out with me sometime?" Elros asked.

As he posed the question, Sona felt as though her heart was going to leap straight out of her chest. She could feel it going rapidly, pounding on her eardrums with each moment. She looked at him in wonder; she was going to ask the exact same thing, but he did it so easily. She felt her blush increase and her temperature rise, aware that she must look like Rias's hair by now.

"Yes," she said breathlessly.

"I'm happy to hear it," Elros said, smiling as he leaned in and kissed her gently on the cheek. He heard Sona's breath shudder at the touch, now a bit different with this new relationship they were about to embark on looming over.

"I was thinking that when we get to the Underworld, you could accompany me to my home. I… My parents would love to meet you as well," she said quietly.

"If that's what you want, Sona. I don't know much about the Underworld, so it's gonna be your call. But after that, how about we have another date on Earth?" Elros suggested.

"Yes. Yes. Yes, I'd like that very much," she said quickly.

"Excellent," Elros said. He held his arm out for her. Happily taking it, she walked him the rest of the way to cla.s.s.

"Oh. So this is where is it is," Elros said, observing the door with a newfound wonder.

"Try to keep it in mind now," Sona said with a smile.

"If I do that, I can't get lost and you won't be able to show me around anymore. In fact, I'm afraid I've already forgotten the path we took. So keep an eye out for me in the halls again," Elros said with a grin as he swooped in and kissed her one more time before entering his cla.s.sroom. As the door closed, Sona let out a deep exhale.

"Yes!" she cried excitedly before straightening her dress out and donning a more serious expression; although, the hint of a smile was still evident.

-o-

"Heading out now?" Rias asked as Elros came down the stairs. She and the girls were having dinner while Elros changed and was about to leave for London.

"Indeed," he said as he went around the table, kissing everyone on their cheeks. They giggled at his antics, sad to see him go so soon.

"Call me if you guys need me, alright?" Elros reminded them.

"We will. Best of luck," Rias said as she quickly rushed over and kissed him once more.

"Ah, one for the road. Perfect," he said with a wink before taking his leave.

She sighed loudly and headed back to the table, her mind with him.

-o-

As John prepared a room for Elros, he noted the serious look on his friend's face.

"Think you'll lose?" John asked.

"Na. I need to make sure I make a statement, however," Elros said.

"That's what you do best, mate," John chuckled.

"You wanna step in this time? I know you've been itching to test something things out," Elros said with a smirk. Taking a long inhale and exhale, John smirked at Elros.

"I've got a few things that might be of use," he said, opening the door and stepping in. Elros followed, grinning.