Scarlet 23

Scarlet 23

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Commissioned by Sivantic

Wordcount: 2500

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You did the right thing, Taylor. Stop moping about it.

I walked to school every day, usually in silence, but this time Ddraig spoke to me as we passed.

My fight with Quarta kept playing in the back of my head.

The ultimatum I gave her left a bitter taste on my tongue.

All my instincts and experience told me that I should’ve ended her then.

The logic behind it was simple.

Quarta had attempted to attack me after we made our compromise. She broke the deal that we brokered with her that was entirely for her benefit. That was enough proof that she wasn’t right in the head. Every sign pointed towards her being a zealot, one that I couldn’t be swayed, yet I hadn’t caved in her skull.

I wasn’t moping.

I was wondering whether or not I could do what I needed to do to survive and thrive in the world I found myself in.

Then, skip school. Start finding opponents to fight. Train harder. Work your ass off. All of that’ll get you results. Whining doesn’t!

Ddraig’s words reverberated through my head.

My stomach rumbled and I didn’t hesitate to take a detour, since I’d intentionally left the house early. The thoughts that I had didn’t feel right to have around my parents and Asia.

I entered a convenience store to get breakfast, while Ddraig decided that he had more to say.

Look, Taylor, you have to accept the fact you’re not really you anymore. You’re in a young man’s body. A young man who never went through what you did. Ddraig’s words were a bit calmer and more rational this time around. He rarely spoke with any wisdom, usually just regurgitating media at my face, so I listened to him. Physical experiences change people and you’re in a body that doesn’t have any of the experiences you went through.

The store clerk’s breath caught when I filled a basket with liters of water, a dozen onigiri, and as many of the breakfast bentos I could fit in the basket. My appetite was growing rapidly thanks to becoming more and more like a dragon within. Mom and dad didn’t bat an eye when I made my request, they just helped each other cook more and filled up the fridge.

As the young woman at the registered scanned the items, while I loomed over her, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of Ddraig’s words.

He was right.

Hyoudou Issei was a physically different existence. I was taller, broader, and more muscled than I used to be, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. The body that I have has gone through far less than my previous one, even with all the things I put it through. The body I had now never endured being in stress for years, never endured getting badly beaten, and never lost any limbs.

The person I was just before I became Khepri would’ve caved in Quarta’s skull.

But most of the “me’s” before then wouldn’t have.

And, the “me” now shook and trembled at the thought of doing something so cold-blooded and ruthless.

It was a problem.

Bah. You’ve killed Fallen Angels, Taylor. You took them on and just eviscerated them without mercy. Heck, you killed that one Exorcist too. You can be cold and ruthless when you want. I decided to take a seat a block away from school and start having my breakfast. The onigiri were cold, but the bentos still hadn’t spent too long in the refrigerated shelves. I shoveled them into my maw first and let the onigiri lose some of their coolness. I think you’re just not used to your new body’s empathy.

I couldn’t help it.

I snorted at that.

Empathy?

Ddraig probably meant my new body’s inability to stop wondering what girls were feeling and thinking about them. Those thoughts usually ran in parallel with all the urges to grope, touch, and sniff them.

Teenage hormones were a menace, but I was sure that I was going to be living with my body’s incessant perversity my entire life.

Thinking about other people all the time. Worrying about them. Holding yourself back for their sake. Those are all new things for you.Ddraig’s words made me frown. The food was appetizing, but nowhere good enough to distract me from his words. You spent most of your last life being driven to fight, to kill, and to destroy. This time you’re not being pressed to think of your enemies as just enemies.

If I was interpreting Ddraig’s words correctly, I was sure that that he was implying that I was some sort of psychopath.

You were driven to fight. All your goals could only be furthered by fighting. All you knew then was that you needed to be violent and win. Ddraig clarified further and a sinking feeling settled in my gut. My stomach rumbled and my body wanted food, but my appetite was gone. I had to force myself to start eating. I don’t know about being a psychopath, but you lived your last life with the mind of a warrior waiting to fight, to kill, and to die. This time it’s different. You want to be more than that… even though it’s less fun.

I managed a chuckle at Ddraig’s little attempt at a joke, while I sat alone in a park with the sun’s orange rays just starting to truly drive away the night.

My phone rang as Asia messaged me wondering where I was and soon enough my new parents were asking me if I needed them to bring me my lunch.

Soon after that, Rias was asking where I was along with everyone else.

My phone was practically incessant for a few minutes, until I managed to get the right replies out.

Ddraig was right.

Things were very different now.

Even though I had my past memories, I was in a new body shaped by a far different environment.

I wasn’t just Hyoudou Issei.

I was the entire life that he lived, which was far more peaceful, caring, and understanding than my last one.

The thought of killing someone in cold blood, who thought they were doing the right thing, was something that I couldn’t do.

And, it was a waste of time to ruminate on that fact, instead of doing something more productive.

Fuck yeah. Being mopy is worthless. If you have time to mope, you have time to have a training montage… so get at it, Taylor! You need to start getting strong enough to tear apart Fallen without using Scale Mail!

Ddraig returned to his old self in an instant, his wisdom and advice threatening to fade away, until I stored them away with conscious effort.

He was an advisor one moment and someone just along for the ride the next.

But I really couldn’t ask for a better partner.

Heh.

…

Irina sighed after apologizing for Quarta’s actions.

“She’ll be staying put until the end now. I’m really sorry that things ended up this way.” Irina shook her head and nodded in appreciation when Akeno served her some tea. Rias’s after-school club had a small villa on school grounds that was very well-equipped with luxurious products. While everyone was having snacks, I was scarfing down a bento full of beef, rice, and vegetables. “I’ll take her on and punish her myself, if she tries anything strange again, I swear.”

Koneko had a hungry gaze on my food, so I handed decided to give her some. The nutritional, tasty medley looked out of place on dining china meant for fingerling sandwiches and tiny pastries, but the white-haired, amber-eyed Neko was pacified.

“If Issei-kun was hurt, and didn’t state his wish to see matters settled, I would have evicted you from my territory.” Rias was surprisingly aggressive with the information. I’d thought with her usual demeanor and Irina’s earnestness, that the scarlet-haired Devil would’ve waved the matter aside. It didn’t make sense, until I realized that she was effectively extracting a personal favor from Irina for me… and since I was connected to her… “Thank Issei-kun for his magnanimity on this matter. He is the only reason why you remain.”

Irina relaxed just a little at Ria’s words, before meeting my gaze, standing, and giving a proper, formal bow while I remained standing.

“Thank you, Ise-kun.” Irina’s words were earnest and there was even a smile on her face as she told them, before she raised her head from the bow, and retook her seat. She indulged in Rias’s hospitality for the first time after she bowed… as did Rias. The more subtle power plays were beyond me, but I was catching on to the more obvious signals. “Now… I would be very happy to be involved in your plan of attack, Gremory-san.”

“Very well.” Rias gave a nod and held out her hand. Her Familiar came forth from the magical circle. The bat-like creature was one of the many Familiars involved in searching for stolen Excaliburs, but ended up finding more. “This is the facility that we located.”

Kiba’s teeth grit at the sight of it. He’d almost attacked it himself after it was found, since the same experiments that happened to him were occurring at the same facility.

“Valper has been sighted at this location multiple times by Issei-kun’s familiar.” My Familiar had played a key part in discovering the facility. It was well hidden from the Devils, but my Ratatoskr was contracted to me and wasn’t repelled by the wards designed to repel Rias and Sitri’s gazes. “We determined that he has many former Exorcists working with him, but we have no idea who is supplying them with funds and kidnapped children.”

The initial plan was to wait and look at the facility for a while and gather information, but when a shipment of kids arrived while guarded by exorcists, the plan changed.

We didn’t intend to let children die, so we were attacking tonight.

“Sona’s is already setting up a perimeter and searching for possible escape routes. It will be best for Quarta-san to be with them, as they lack powerful, frontline fighters.” Sitri has well-balanced Peerage and her Queen was very good at holding the line. The problem was that they were Devils and they were going to be fighting former exorcists. They needed more than one melee fighter in that case. “Sona-chan has suggested a wonderful tactic, but it’s only possible with you and Quarta-san following Sona’s orders, Irina-san.”

This battle was a difficult one with the Exorcist’s advantages against the Devils, but with three humans without their weaknesses at their disposal, and plenty of firepower between the three of them,.. Sona was sure to handle the situation well.

I already had an idea as to what she had planned, but it hinged on Irina and Quarta’s acceptance.

Thankfully, Irina nodded quickly for both herself and the exorcist waiting outside.

“We’ll do it. We’ll follow orders to the best of our ability, Germory-san.” Once again Irina stood up, but this time it wasn’t to bow. My childhood friend met Rias’s gaze and stretched out her hand. “I wish to save those children no matter what.”

Rias’s gaze softened at Irina’s words and she stood up and took Irina’s offered hands.

“Then, Irina-san, I look forward to working with you.”

I nodded at the sight and finished my meal with a nod.

It was time to handle the issue that brought two Holy Sword Wielders over to Kuoh and nearly started a war.

Hopefully, by handling Valper, we’d find out who set this up.

…

Quarta acknowledged me with a silent nod as I stood with her and Irina before Sitri.

The bespectacled, short-haired Devil seemed surprised that we were standing beside one another while Rias and the others milled in the back, but she acclimated to the situation quickly.

“Good. You’re all capable of working together. Take this.” She gestured at the three of us and in an instant, I felt a communication spell wash over us. I was aware of separate channels, of which Sitri was also present. She was coordinating the entire battlefield. It was impressive. “The three of you are going to be the frontline force. The plan is to gather all the enemy’s attention and saturate them with fire once they’re clustered.”

From what I knew about exorcists, from the one I fought and killed to Quarta, I had a general idea about the individual strength of each Exorcist. They were strong individuals who were each skilled with short-range and medium-range weapons. The thought of attracting the attention of over three dozen and holding on didn’t appeal to me, but I had powerful reinforcements, a very capable healer, and two allies with the same training and far more powerful weapons than the average Exorcists.

So, I nodded at the suicide mission along with Irina and Quarta.

I filed away Irina’s zealotry for later, while Sitri gave all three of us a bow of gratitude and respect.

“You are burdened with an immense task and all three of you will be essential to the success of the assault. It is very likely that you will all be harmed… but know that we will be coming to help you no matter what. We are foes elsewhere, but allies here.” Sitri spoke for the sake of the two Holy Sword Wielders beside me, but I felt like she was directing some of the words to me. “Be conservative, take as few risks as possible, and rely upon us. Victory can be attained here without sacrifice. Remember that as you carry my orders, okay?”

Irina and Quarta shared a look before nodding against.

Sitri acknowledged their nods, but turned her gaze onto me.

I hesitated a little, before realizing that she probably investigated what I did in Rias’s rating game… and recalled all the times that we fought chess against one another.

I did have a little penchant to take massive risks for massive successes, didn’t I?

Taylor, you gamble with your life every chance you get. You have a problem.

Is it really a fight, if I didn’t do everything I could to win?

“I get it. I’ll be cautious, Sitri.” I answered Sitri and the bespectacled Devil nodded at that. It was good to know that she still took my words at face value. “I’ll stay alive. Don’t worry.”

There was a big loophole to that promise named “Asia Argento’ but I was sure that Sitri already took that into account.

And, if she didn’t, I would anyway.

I could endure a little pain for the sake of saving some kids from a psychopath.