3rd Person POV

Outside Kuoh City

A lone wood cabin stood humbly within the outskirts of Kuoh city, hidden rather deeply in the forestry. Was rather simple in design, but was called home to the couple who lived there.

Daybreak arose from the thick trees, shining through the many cracks of the bushy leaves.

Within the cabin, a young black-haired man slowly arose from his slumber.

The man yawned and saw his bed was empty, apart from himself. He suddenly caught the whiff of something sweet and succulent coming from outside his bedroom. 'She must be making breakfast.' He surmised, rubbing his tired green eyes. He went to the bathroom and cleaned himself up, slicking his spiky black hair back.

He donned his clothing, a black compression shirt, a white hoodie with a familiar purple mark, thin red baggy over-jacket, worn jeans with knee guards, and red fingerless gloves. He grabbed his headphones and left the room, following the scent of food into the kitchen.

Upon arrival, he spotted the one cooking the delicious smelling cuisine, a long-haired blonde woman in a yellow sweater and skinny jeans loomed over the stove. He approached her from behind and wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face into her back, as she was somewhat taller than him. "Morning hon."

The woman smiled happily. "Good morning, darling."

"Smells delicious, what's the occasion?" He asked.

"Well, you're going out searching for them today. Thought a filling and delicious meal would give you the energy you needed." The woman smiled as she continued to cook.

"Don't forget about yourself. Need to make sure you're taken care of too." The short man reminded.

"I'll be fine until dinner. You gave me more than enough last night~" She said, turning back and giving him a seductive glade from the side of her eye.

The man, remembering to what she was referring to, blushed heavily and chuckled. "Yeah well..." He attempted to think of a comeback but failed.

The woman giggled at her husband's cute stuttering, finishing up the dishes. "Come. Let's eat." She said, walking to the table and setting the dishes on the table, revealing breakfast sandwiches consisting of French toast, thick cuts of cooked ham, fried eggs, and a hash brown patty.

The man practically drooled at the sight of the dish. "Oh wow..." He marveled.

"You're supposed to eat it darling." She giggled.

"R-Right." The man snapped out of his trance and joined his wife at the table.

Time Skip

"You have everything?" The wife asked her husband.

"I should." He said, tightening his red fingerless gloves securely onto his hands. He takes a moment to think, simply sitting in silence as he looked to the floor.

"What's wrong?" The wife asked worriedly.

"It's just...what if they're not here anymore? We can't even feel one of their presences anymore. It's like he just vanished. I don't-" He was suddenly silenced by being bonked on the head by something plastic. He looked up and saw his wife with his white and red headphones.

"Stop thinking like that. We felt his presence very prominently the other day. And even more so when that divine presence came to that city. After everything we've heard on our travels, it has to be him." She assured, sliding the headphones around his neck. "You'll find them."

The man nodded, reassured and confident by the words of his loving wife. He arose and walked through the door, stepping into the large forestry outside their home. "Call me if something happens." He advised.

"I'm not some helpless damsel, honey. If something happens, I'll call you just to brag." She smiled cheekily.

The husband smiled, huffing proudly. "I'd expect nothing less." He said. Wings of darkness sprout from his back and he shoots into the sky towards the city at incredible speeds.

The wife watches as her husband fades away into the distance in the sky. 'I know how much this means to you. I'm sure you'll find them. But it's time I do my part as well.' She said, vanishing from the cabin via teleportation.

(Y/N)'s Home

The Azure Dragon's eyes flickered open slowly, adjusting to the sunlight creeping into his bedroom. Feeling weight on his chest, he looked down and saw Asia and Rias sleeping on him.

Rias' sapphire eyes shined brightly as she awoke to her beloved's face. "Good morning." She greeted happily.

"Morning." He greeted back.

"What time is it?" Asia questioned sleepily, rising and rubbing her eyes.

(Y/N) grabs his phone from the nightstand, checking the time. "It's still pretty early." He said, rising from his bed. "You guys can sleep for a bit longer if you want, I've got to do some work in the shed." He said, grabbing his clothes and redressing himself in his t-shirt and sweat pants.

"How do you feel? Did the healing process help at all?" Asia questioned.

(Y/N) moved his body around in different fashions, stretching and flexing his muscles. "My body doesn't feel sore anymore. So I think so. But my magical energy is still gone. So no magic for me for a while." He said. "That said, there's still plenty of stuff I can do, even in my condition." He said. Before he left his bedroom, he turned to the dreary beauties in his bed. "Again, you girls can go back to sleep if you want to. I'll be back in a bit." He smiled.

"'Kay~" Asia smiled, laying down on her guardian's pillow.

"Be safe, don't overexert yourself." Rias said, laying back down herself, cuddling close to Asia.

(Y/N) smiled at the sight before he left and headed downstairs. He entered the living room and noticed the absence of others, which made sense as it was too early for others to wake up yet. "Right." He nodded, heading for the sliding glass door and pushed it to the side, stepping out onto the patio of his backyard and onto the lawn, and towards the metal shed.

He pushed the metal door to the side, entering his shed. He flicked the switch and turned on the lights and instantly noticed how much clutter there was. Mostly storage boxes, multiple workshop stands, a chemistry station, multiple fridges and freezers, bookshelves, and other miscellaneous objects. He went to collect various items from the storage units and headed back to the chemistry station with herbs, minerals, liquids, and other forms of vegetation, primarily mushrooms.

"Alright. Haven't done this in a while. Let's see if I still got it." He said, lighting the wicks under the beakers, donning himself with rubber sanitation gloves, and grabbed one of the books and flipped through to pages to find the recipe he wanted. He began mashing and grinding multiple mushrooms and herbs and mixed them together. He poured them into a beaker with water and let it boil to dilute them as it boiled. The water had changed color and (Y/N) quickly removed it from the burner. He then ground up multiple stone minerals finely, almost like spice powder. As the beaker cooled, he added the powder to the liquid and placed it back onto the burner. It began boiling fast, quickly changing colors once again. He added more water to it to dilute it further, changing its color to a warm sky blue.

(Y/N) took the compound off the burner and let it cool one final time. He sniffed the compound and it smelled sweet, almost like jello. "Well, looks like it turned out good." He said, praising his efforts as he closed down his station and put his things away, carefully avoiding the magic circle embedded on the ground.

After locking up, he looked at his phone and saw an hour had passed. "Jesus, that was fast. Forgot how long brewing takes. Completely lost track of time." He admitted, heading back to the house. "Wonder if anyone else is up yet." He pondered.

Stepping back onto the patio, he slid the glass door open and saw Torhu in the kitchen cooking breakfast.

The Dragon Maid turned to her master and smiled happily. "Good morning, Master (L/N)." She greeted. "How long have you been up? What were you doing outside?" She asked curiously. "Was it your morning training?"

"Not really. I was making this." He showed her the bottled concoction.

"Is that a potion?" She asked.

"It is. I just finished making it. It's been a while since I made them so I'm not sure how it turned out. But I followed the instructions." He smiled sheepishly.

"Oh wow! I had no idea you could brew potions! You never cease to amaze me! Just makes me love you even more!" She cheered happily.

(Y/N) just laughed awkwardly. "Actually, since I have you here and if you're not busy, would you mind helping me finish it?"

Torhu squealed in utter joy. "Yes!! Please!! However I can be of assistance, I will!! I'll give you my blood!! Strip down naked!! Anything!!" She listed off very passionate eagerness.

"N-Nothing like that! I was just wondering if you could embed some magical energy into this for me, then appraise it to see if it came out right." He informed, stopping the Dragon Maid from going further unhinged.

Torhu drooped down in disappointment, accepting her tasks nonetheless. "Okay. Can I see the potion, please?"

"Sure. Here." He handed the maid the blue-colored liquid. She looked intensely at it, using her abilities and Dragon Instincts to analyze the compound. Her hands glowed green and imbued the liquid with her magical energy, causing it to glow. "Here you go, one completed Rejuvenation Potion." She said, handing the bottle back to her master.

"Thanks, Torhu." He said, sealing it with a small cork.

"If you don't mind my asking, why did you make it?" She asked.

"It's for Artoria. To help her feel better. It should heal any lingering battle damage she sustained, cure any ailments, and restore her magical energy."

"Wow, such a prominent potion, Master!" Torhu praised, only to realize something. "Wait. Pardon me, but if it's so effective, why not use it on yourself first and restore yourself to peak condition?" She questioned.

(Y/N) simply laughed awkwardly. "Well...thing is; this potion only works completely if the consumer has magical energy in their system. If not, then it'll just be partially effective. And seeing as how I have none while Artoria has some, it'd make no sense for me to take it. I'll recover naturally on my own." He explained.

"So the potion is more or less dependent on conditions?" She asked.

"Unfortunately. But it has all the components of a Full Potion, a Max Elixer, and a Full Antidote. Another downside is that it takes a while for the effects to kick in. A couple of hours at most." He said, making his way to the stairs. "I'll leave you to your thing. I'm gonna give this to Artoria. Later!" He bid as he ascended the stairs.

He approached the door to the room of his Heroic Sprit and knocked. "Artoria?" He called out to no response. 'She might still be sleeping.' He thought. He opened the door and entered, seeing the lights all off, futon on the floor, and blonde girl sleeping inside. 'Thought so. The hell did she do to make her this out of it?' He pondered, turning on a nearby lamp and taking a seat next to the King of Knights. "Hey, Artoria." He gently shook to roust. "Artoria, can you wake up for a sec?" He shook gently again, patting her in addition.

Arotira slowly awoke from her slumber, her emerald eyes slowly flickering open and adjusting to the new light. She turned and saw her master sitting by her side. "Master." She smiled weakly. "Good morning." She greeted, slowly rising up to greet her master.

"How're you feeling? Any better?" He asked.

"Not all that much I'm afraid." She admitted with shame. "I apologize for not being able to properly perform my duties as your Servant." He apologized.

"Hey don't sweat it, okay? I'm just glad you came back from that battle with Raynare alive." He assured. "Sorry, you got dragged into that mess and wound up like this." He apologized. "But I have something that should help. Here." He said, revealing the glowing blue bottled potion.

"Is that a potion?" She asked, looking and analyzing the concoction in her master's hands.

"Yeah. It's a Rejuvenation Potion. It should help you get back on your feet and put you at a hundred percent." He assured happily.

"If that's true, then you should use it on yourself, Master. Your well-being is far more important than mine." Artoria professed.

"Right back atcha." He said. "This potion only works completely if the consumer already has some magical energy in their system. As you may have noticed, I have none. I made this for you. Not me. Please drink it." He said, handing the bottle closer.

Artoria begrudgingly accepted her fate for treatment. "Very well."

(Y/N) chuckled. "Thanks." He removed the cap and handed the bottle to Artoria.

The King of Knights took the bottle and slowly drank the concoction. The empty bottle was handed back to the Master. "It was very tasty. But my mouth feels a little tingly."

"Yeah, that's normal." He smiled, grabbing her shoulders and gently laying her back down. "That head, goes there." He joked as Artoria laid back in the billow. "The potion won't take effect immediately. So get some more rest, 'kay?"

"If that's what you wish, Master." Artoria accepted her orders, pulling her blanket up higher.

The young devil smiled. "Alright. I'll leave you to it." He rose and went to the door.

"Master." Artoria called. "I'm glad you're still here with us. All of us. Thank you for coming back alive." She smiled.

(Y/N) smiled and nodded back. "You too. Sleep well, Artoria." He bid as he closed the door behind him.

Now alone again, he took a minute to smell himself, picking up the scent of chemicals, herbs, minerals, and fungi. He lightly wretched. "Yep. Shower it is." He decided, making a B-line to the upstairs bathroom.

Time Skip

(Y/N), donned in his school uniform, entered the kitchen, and was met with a larger number than before awake and bustling around.

"Morning everyone." He greeted with a yawn.

"Hey you. Looks like you're feelin' better." Isabela greeted from behind."

"Oh hey. Morning Isabela-?" He was taken aback by the appearance of Isabela's and Siris' attire. Proper business suits. Isabela dressed in a black suit with a mid-thigh length miniskirt and light purple button-up shirt. Siris wore a dark grey shit with matching slacks, and a white-colored button-up shirt. He instantly felt warm and fuzzy inside, seeing two beautiful women dressed in this manner filled a certain aesthetic he had a fondness for. "Well now, don't you ladies look pretty. Very professional-looking." He complimented. "You ready for the interview with Ms. Madison?"

"I guess." Isabela replied, uncomfortably shifting her suit around. "Are you sure this will be okay? We don't have teaching degrees."

"You'll be fine. You're going in for more part-time coach and instructor type rolls, anyways. So there's no need to worry." He assured further.

"If you say so." Siris replied, still somewhat uneasy.

"Breakfast is ready!" Torhu announced, placing the last plate on the table.

"Man oh man, this looks good. Smells good too." (Y/N) smiled as he practically drooled over the servings of french toast, scrambled eggs, and ham patties.

"Thank you do the food!" Said everyone before digging in.

"So, see you're back in uniform. You gonna be okay going to school?" Isabela asked.

"Yeah. I'll be fine. I don't feel as sore or numb as I did before, so I should manage for six hours." He replied.

"Actually, I think we're having short days for the next few days." Rias said. "Something to do with the gas leaks in town. Even club activities has been cut down to be shorter."

"Really? Huh. Didn't know that. Neat." He replied. 'That means I can meet up with Irina earlier. Nice! Oh, I should let her know!' He mentally cheered.

(Y/N) smiled somewhat happily, probably the most happily he's been seen in a long while. Rias noticed it and, while happy for her servant and lover, she couldn't feel somewhat upset and jealous.

Time Skip

Kuoh Academy

"I'm gonna show Isabela and Siris to the Principal's Office. I'll be back in a bit." (Y/N) assured Issei and Asia.

As the devils walked the halls, the two ladies couldn't help but noticed a large number of students, nearly all of them, have their eyes on them. Some were curious. Some were envious. Some were lustful. Just like outside.

"Sure are a lot of kids here." Siris observed. "And why are some in different uniforms?"

"Oh, we were supposed to have an archery competition with another school. They came here since our team went to them last year. But, because of what's going on in town, I don't know if it's still gonna happen." (Y/N) informed.

"I see." The former Knight replied.

The devils reached the door to the principal's office.

(Y/N) knocked.

"Come in!" Ms. Madison replied.

The devil entered and met the black woman. "Mr. (L/N). Good to see you." She greeted, quickly noticing the two women behind him. "I take it these are the ladies you told me about?" She asked.

"That's right." He replied, looking back to the to introduce themselves.

"Hello, Ms. Madison. My name is Isabela." Isabela greeted with and offered hand.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Siris." Siris greeted, offering her hand as well. "Thank you so much for agreeing to meet with us today." She smiled.

"Not at all. Besides, it's the least I can do for (Y/N) given everything he's done for this school." The principal praised.

"I'm just happy to do my part and more." He humbled. "Well, I'll leave you ladies to it." He said, leaning down and patting the women on the shoulder. "You got this. Good luck." He wished before leaving the office and headed to class.

As soon as he entered, the beel rang and he hurried to his desk, as did the rest of the students.

The teacher soon entered and stood at the podium. "Morning everyone. As I'm sure you're all aware. We have a short day again today. Please be sure to let up with your clubs shortly after the last bell and vacate the academy grounds by 3 pm. That aside, we have a new student joining us. You can come in now." He beckoned to the student outside as he began to write on the board.

Xenovia stepped into the classroom with confidence, earning immediate "oohs" and "ahs".

"My name is Xenovia Quarta. It's nice to meet you all. I hope we get along." She bowed, her stoic and blank expression ever-present.

The men went absolutely insane at the appearance of another bewitchingly beautiful and buxom girl being added to their class.

"Ms. Quarta, you take the seat next to Ms. Argento." The teacher instructed.

"Xenovia, over here!" Asia waived happily.

"I see. Thank you." She slightly bowed and made her way to her new desk.

"We're in the same class. Yay!" Asia beamed happily.

"It appears so. Should be fun." She replied with a faint smile.

The two devil boys watched at how well the two former Church members were getting along and smiled.

"Alright, now let's get started..."

Time Skip

The classes for the day went as fast as possible. Even when having an hour's worth of information crammed into one's brain with 45 minutes can take a toll. Especially if it was all new material. However, one student was hardly affected.

(Y/N) was more excited about his meetup with Irina, he spent all of his classes planning where to go and what to show her while he conducted his own business.

The final bell loudly rang through the school, ending another cram-filled day.

"Alright. That's enough for today. Good work, everyone. Make sure to have quick meetups with your clubs then go straight home. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am!!" The students replied.

They rose up and bowed as the teacher left.

(Y/N) hastefully packed his bag and made a mad dash to the door. "See you guys! Later!" He waved to Asia, Xenovia, and Issei.

"He seems to be in a rush." Xenovia commented.

"Yeah. No kidding. I haven't seen him bolt out of the classroom like that in like a year." Issei said.

"I wonder if he's going to check on Isabela and Siris. They had their meeting with the principal about part-time work today." Asia guessed.

"Sounds like him." Issei chuckled.

"Though..."Asia started, seemingly upset at the mere thought of another possibility. "I'm sure he's heading out to see Irina for their date." She said.

"Ah...yeah that'll do it too." Issei commented.

"Date? What's a date?" Xenovia asked.

Both Issei and Asia looked to Xenovia completely shocked. However, quickly remembering her upbringings and how similar it was to Asia, it didn't seem all that ridiculous or silly now.

"Oh boy..." Issei sighed, mentally preparing himself on how to explain it to someone like Xenovia.

Principal's Office

"Hello?" (Y/N) entered, peering his head inside to see if Paula was busy, only to be met with laughter from three women. He looked over and saw Isabela, Siris, and Paula laughing up a storm.

"Oh, you girls are great! We've got to get drinks together some time!" Paula Madison smiled.

"That'd be great. We've been here for over a month, but haven't really had a chance to go exploring. It's mostly been job hunting." Isabela claimed.

"Oh honey, I totally get you. Stick with me girls, I'll make sure you know the ins and outs of this city." Principal Madison smiled.

"I take it things went well?" (Y/N) questioned, suddenly gaining the attention of the women.

"Oh. Yes. We just wrapped up. Where did you find these girls. They are an absolute delight!" Paula smiled.

"Through my club." He replied, not being entirely wrong or lying.

"Well, they're wonderful. Anyway girls, I'll let y'all go. Most club activities are canceled this week due to the gas leaks in the business district. Hopefully this'll all be over soon and we can have you start teachin' these kids within the next week or so. Be ready for next Monday." Ms. Madison informed. "We'll fill out your paperwork then."

"Will do. Thank you again Ms. Madison." Siris went to shake her hand.

"Oh come on girls. Call me Paula." She smiled, shaking the hands of the two former devil servants. "Be safe on your way home ladies."

"We will. You too Paula. Have a good night." Isabela smiled as she and Siris walked through the door.

"I don't know where you found those two, but they're very wonderful girls." She praised, almost immediately smirking knowingly. "You datin' one of 'em?"

"Have a good night, Principal Madison!!" (Y/N) bud as he quickly walked out the door, closing it behind him.

The young devil sighed and approached the two women with a proud smile. "Looks like everything went well. You ladies got yourselves some jobs. But, you sure this is what you wanna do? I already told you, you don't have to work to pay me back or anything."

"It's fine. Really. Besides, this'll give us a chance to pay you back for everything." Isabela assured.

"Not only did you give us shelter and food, but you freed us both from a life we hated living. And we can never thank you enough for that. So, we just hope this will be enough to start." Siris explained.

"I mean...I can think of a couple other ways~" Isabela purred.

"I'm sure." (Y/N) sweat dropped. He looked at a nearby clock and realized what time it was. "Oh crap! I gotta go. Hey real quick, what kind of beds do you two prefer?" He said before leaving.

"Preferably something stiff?" Isabela replied, somewhat confused.

"Same here. Why?" Siris questioned.

"Just checking. Later! Careful on your way home!" He bid as he ran down the hall.

ORC Headquarters

"Now then, since everyone's here we can begin." Rias declared.

"Yes ma'am!" Everyone replied.

Akeno, however, looked around the room and noticed that her favorite junior was nowhere to be seen. "President, we're one short." She said.

"Oh, right. (Y/N)'s not coming in today. He's taking a personal day." She informed, sounding somewhat bitter.

"A personal day huh? I thought you would've stayed with him if that was the case." Akeno teased her President. "Be all over him and be all lovey-dovey and such."

"It'd be weird to tag along on a date with a childhood friend." She replied, sipping her tea.

Akeno looked shocked. Almost every once of energy and life practically drained out of her from what she heard. "...what?" She questioned, her tone darker than usual.

Downtown Plaza

(Y/N) waited patiently by the fountain, looking around at each of the shops to see if they could be any first stops. 'Let's see. We can stop by Yukihira's first. If they're not busy, it'll give them a chance to catch up. And maybe grab some food while we're there. I should probably drop by and check on the kids, see if everyone's doing okay, and see if anything needs fixing around the house. I should also probably schedule a drop-off for food back at the sanctuary. They still have food for a bit, but better to be safe than sorry. Everything else I'm sure I can get done afterward.'

"(Y/N)!!" Irina called as she approached the young devil.

He turned to see Irina running towards him, donned in her Church cloak and combat attire underneath.

"Sorry. Did you wait long?" She asked, feeling somewhat bad seeing her fiancé at their meeting place first.

"Not really. I've just been hanging out, planning stuff." He assured. "Besides, we're both pretty early from our intended meetup time."

Irina smiled and hugged her beloved. "I really wanted to see you." She said longingly.

The young devil smiled and hugged her back.

"Sorry if I look a little too "combat ready". I don't have any other clothes." Irina said in shame.

"Wait, like, none?" (Y/N) questioned with shock. "Didn't you pack any for your trip?"

"We were given money for expenses. And we were told not to bring anything that seemed unnecessary. And well...you know..." She reminded with further shame.

(Y/N) instantly knew what she was talking about and simply shook his head. "You really need to start learning how to manage your money, Irina. And packing a couple of spare clothes isn't unnecessary. It's preplanning in case of emergencies." He said, looking around at one of the stores. He gently grabbed her hand and led her. "Come on. I've got an idea."

"Huh?" Irina looked confused but simply went along with her fiancé.

The two entered the store and were met with row upon row upon row of women's clothing.

Irina's eyes sparkled in wonder at all the beautiful dresses she saw and immediately went to look at a row.

"See anything you like?" He asked.

"So many things! They're all so cute!!" She cheered.

(Y/N) chuckled, turning to one of the staff members. "Excuse me, where are your dressing rooms?"

"Towards the back, right next to the full-length mirrors." She informed.

"Thank you." He turned to his fiancé and called out to her. "Irina, why don't you grab some stuff and try some on. They've got fitting rooms in the back."

"You sure?" She asked.

"Yeah. Go for it." He assured.

Irina smiled and grabbed as much as she could from the racks and made haste towards the fitting rooms.

Irina pulled the curtain aside, entered, and immediately started changing into some of the clothes she grabbed.

(Y/N) took a seat on one of the benches and waited patiently. Looking around at some of the little accessories on some of the stands.

"Tada!" Irina cheered, revealing herself from behind the curtain, and showed herself in her new attire. A light purple sweater that reached up to her shoulders under a light purple and blue hoodie, both over a black tank-top shirt, apparent from the thin strings over her shoulders. Her lower half was adorned with a green, checker-patterned skirt and black leggings. "Well, what do you think? Cute right?" She inquired.

(Y/N) nodded. "Very cute, Irina. I'm surprised you managed to find that on your first try. You look good." He complimented, yet he felt something was missing to complete it. "Actually..." He paused, looking around until he found something that could complete the attire. "Hang on." He said, grabbing a barrette that matched the color of Irina's new sweater. "Here." He said, plopping the hat on the twin-tailed brunette. "Now it's perfect." He smiled.

Irina looked back at the mirror and squealed in utter joy at the outfit. "OH MY GOODNESS!!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS!!!"

(Y/N) smiled, turning to one of the staff members. "Excuse me. Is it alright if she wears this out?" He asked, completely shocking the Exorcist.

"Of course. No problem at all. We can ring you up at the front whenever you're ready." The staff member said.

"Great."

"H-Hang on, I can't afford these!" Irina declared.

"I know. That's why I'm buying them for you. At least this way you'll have some clothes for the rest of your time here. Go ahead and grab some other stuff while you're at it, 'kay?"

"B-But-" Irina began to protest, but was silenced by (Y/N) putting a finger to his lips and giving her a playful wink.

"Let me treat my fiancé. It's the least I can do for everything you've done for me." He smiled.

Irina, realizing the futility in arguing, simply smiled. "Okay." She headed off to find more clothes she maybe wanted.

'Glad to see she hasn't changed completely after joining up with the Church. She's still a normal girl...Kinda.' He smiled, retaking his seat.

Time Skip

"(Y/N)?" Irina called, waking her napping fiancé.

"Sorry." He rubbed his dreary eyes. "Guess I dozed off." He quickly saw the few clothes Irina had in her arms. "Is that all you're getting? Doesn't seem like a lot."

"Just a few day clothes and sleepwear. I don't mind using the laundry machines back at the hotel." She assured. "Besides, I don't want to completely burn your wallet."

"If you say so." (Y/N) accepted, getting up and stretching his body. "You ready to go then?"

"Yep!"

The two went to the cashier and (Y/N) paid for the few pieces of extra clothing Irina wanted for her remaining time in Kuoh, plus the current outfit she was wearing. Walking out, (Y/N) held onto the bags of clothing, one with the new and one with the old.

"Baby, you know I can carry one right?" Irina assured.

"Oh. Right. Sorry. Force of habit." He said, handing Irina the bag with her Church attire. "So, ready to hit the road

"Absolutely. But let's drop these off at the hotel first so we're not carrying them everywhere. Sound good?"

"Sure."

Time Skip

After a quick stop by Irina's hotel, the two exited with Irina hugging onto her darling's arm as tightly as she could with the happiest smile she could make. "I'm so excited to spend the day with you!!"

"Me too." He smiled. "So, what do you wanna do next?"

"Let's see! I haven't been to Kuoh in such a long time! Some stuff looks familiar, but there's still lots of new stuff too! I wanna see the arcade! The food market! The art gallery! The concession stands! The jewelry stands! The outdoor boutiques! Oh, I passed an aquarium on my way here! It's not too far from here! Oh, and there's this drink I've heard about in the lobby at the hotel that I really want to try! Ooh ooh! And I really wanna see if that old crepe stand is still around! You know, Mr. Miri's? Oh! I wanna see Yukihira while we're out too please!" Irina continued to list everything she could think of with the utmost excitement.

(Y/N) couldn't help but enjoy and adore how excited she looked as she listed off everything she wanted to see. "Okay okay. We can do as much as possible. But first, what do you want to do now?"

"Hmmm let's see..." Irina thought, quickly remembering something she passed a while ago. "Let's check the aquarium first! I haven't been to one in so long!" She smiled with utter excitement.

"Sounds good to me. Let's do it."

Time Skip

The two went back to the aquarium and waited in line for entry tickets.

"I can't wait! I'm so excited!" Irina cheered. "They even have a cute little penguin exhibit today!" She squealed with delight.

"Should be fun." (Y/N) could stop smiling. Seeing Irina so happy and excited made him happy as well. Able to forget all the dark and confusion in his life, even for a moment was more than enough for him. The pair before them left, allowing the two to step up to the counter.

"Hello! Welcome to Sea Spinning Aquarium!" The cashier greeted warmly.

"Hello, two student tickets, please." (Y/N) requested.

"We have a couples special going on at the moment. All couples get a 25% discount." The cashier mentioned.

Irina's eyes lit up with utter joy and grabbed (Y/N)'s arm. "Perfect! One couples ticket please!"

"Excellent!"

After the purchase, (Y/N) and Irina began walking the halls of the building. As they proceeded, (Y/N) looked at the ticket. 'That was...weird. But...I guess it does make sense. We ARE engaged. I think.' He thought, looking at all the availabilities on his ticket. "Not only was the ticket on a discount, but if we show this to any market cashier, everything we buy gets the same discount." He mentioned.

"Wow! They must really encourage couples here!" Irina smiled, hugging onto the young devil's arm, pushing it into her ample bosom.

(Y/N) felt fluttered for a moment, but looked around and saw how familiar most of the attractions looked. "Haven't been here in years. Yet, everything looks pretty much the same. It's all still rather immaculate though." He praised.

"Oh wow! What're these?" Irina questioned, running off to look at a tank with some sandworms.

(Y/N) joined her and watched on the other side as the worms swayed back and forth. He couldn't help but smile, remembering the last time he was here with the Sunohara House Caretaker. 'Talk about deja vu.' He thought. He looked up and saw Irina, still smiling, swaying back and forth along with the motion of the sandworms. 'Deja vu indeed.' He thought as an awkward sweat slid down his head. "Alright goofball, let's go. We've still got more to see." He chuckled as he playfully pushed Irina away.

Irina giggled. "Aww. But they're so cute!"

The two continued on their journey through the sea-life preservatory, watching all the sea creatures swim and travel around as much as possible. From massive tanks with numerous fish, such as manta rays, dolphins, and sharks, to open-air sectors with other animals like seals, sea otters, and polar bears.

Once on the bridge, (Y/N) looked down and saw the penguins. "Hey, Irina! Check it out! They got the penguins over here!" He called.

"Really? Where? I wanna see!" She beamed with excitement, rushing back over to the railing, and spotted the flightless birds of the arctic. "Awww~ Sooooo cuuuuute~" She squealed with joy.

The two continued to watch them and (Y/N) spotted a familiar scene. One penguin slapped the flipper of another, which then proceeded to waddle away in annoyance as the other gave chase. (Y/N) watched with a deadpanned expression on his face. '...Lots of deja vu here.'

"Hey Hey! Honey, look!" Irina pointed out. "Over there!" She pointed to a pair of penguins huddling together, pressing their heads together. "Awww~ Kind of reminds me of us." She smiled.

The young devil simply chuckled. "You really think so?"

The two continued on their way and spotted a sign for a dolphin show.

"Hey, that could be fun. Wanna check it out?" He asked.

"Sure!" Irina replied.

The two followed the directions and wound up in a large stage-like pool with multiple rows of seating, which were mostly full. They managed to find decent spots and quickly claimed them before the show started.

"Hello everyone! Welcome to our dolphin show!" The announcer greeted to receive applause. "We're so excited to show you all the wonderful recovery from some of our recent rescue dolphins. As some of you may know, our aquarium is not only a place to watch ocean life flourish, but we also aid in the recovery of abandoned, injured, or endangered sea life. Our team is very proud to be a part of such wonderful creature's recoveries before we release them back into the wild when ready!" Declared the announcer.

"Oh, how wonderful!" Irina practically cried.

"And now, let's introduce our wonderful dolphins! Our first guest is a Pacific white-sided dolphin. Say hello to Maki!" She announced, only for a black, grey, and white-colored dolphin jumping out over her. "Our next guest is a dusky dolphin. Say hello to Haruto!" Another dolphin emerged, this next one was somewhat larger and plumper than the last, making a bigger splash as it went back down. "Our last guest is an Atlantic-spotted dolphin. Everyone, say hello to Souta!!" She yelled, causing a light grey dolphin, with rather cold and unfriendly eyes, to pop out and fly high into the air, doing multiple flips on its way back down into the water.

'That's quite the gaze.' (Y/N) tried to stifle his laughter.

'Oh, man. That takes me back!' Irina thought, holding back her out outburst of laughter.

The dolphins continued to show off their performance. Swiming around the pool as fast as possible, jumping through high-hanging hoops. Even standing straight up in the air as they swam forward and, somewhat danced. Everyone, including the devil and exorcist, was mesmerized by the display. Lastly, they began to catch hoops with their snouts and spun them around. However, the dusky dolphin Haruto missed and the hoop went falling into the water.

"Aww. So close, but no cigar, Haruto!" Cried the announcer.

However, Souta came up from below and spun the hoop on his snout, only to throw it to Haruto, who managed to catch it that time.

"And a wonderful save from Souta!"

The audience cheered.

"Despite his cold-looking gaze, he clearly has a very kind heart. Such a good friend Souta is!" Praised the announcer.

Having heard this, Irina smiled in remembrance. "You know, that dolphin's a lot like you, (Y/N)."

(Y/N) turned to the brunette curiously. "You think so?"

"Well, you've definitely changed a bit compared to when we were kids. But when we were young, you always had this blank emotionless expression on your face. It usually looked like you were scowling. But, even then, you still helped out anyone who needed it without hesitation. Whether it was another kid or a struggling adult, it didn't matter to you. You just helped in any way you could. You're still a kind person, (Y/N). It's one of the reasons why I love you so much."

(Y/N)'s face grew red from the praise, unsure of how to respond. "Th-Thanks." He mumbled. 'Great. I'm still as awkward as ever when it comes to being praised.' He sulked. He felt his hand clasped gently, watching as Irina began to intertwine her fingers with his and hold his hand.

"Thank you all so much for watching! But before we say a fond farewell, we welcome all to come up and say hello and best wishes to our wonderful troupe, as they'll be being released very soon!" The announcer lady declared.

"Oh, that sounds wonderful! Let's go pet the dolphins!" Irina jumped up and carefully descended the steps and approached the pool with many other people as (Y/N) slowly followed behind.

Irina was greeted by Souta, who looked her in the eyes. She smiled. "Hello, Souta! You were wonderful out there! You seem to be in very good health." She praised, gently petting the amphibious mammal. "Best of luck out in the world, Souta."

(Y/N) approached the tank, looking down at Souta himself. The dolphin looked up and him and just blinked. The young devil smiled, slowly reaching his hand down and gently touching the head of the grey-colored dolphin. "Great show out there, buddy. That was a really cool thing you did, helping out your friend." He said.

Souta responded by blasting him in the face with water from out of his spout.

"Oh goodness!" One of the swimmers looked worried. "Sir, are you okay?"

(Y/N) only responded by chuckling. "Yeah. Yeah, I hear ya, bud." He said, continuing to pet the cold-looking dolphin. "Take care of yourself out there, Souta."

The dolphin nestled into (Y/N)'s hand, embracing the comforting presence and words of the compassionate young devil.

Time Skip

"That was so much fun! What should we do next?" Irina questioned her fiancé as she stretched.

(Y/N) managed to dry himself off with a complementary towel, dropping it in a return bin. "Well, it's still pretty early. We only spent about an hour and a half in there. And it's not even five yet." He claimed, only to have his stomach growl, much to his embarrassment.

Irina giggled at (Y/N) and his honest body. "Why don't go get a snack before dinner?"

"Uh, sure. Like what?"

"How about some ice cream? I haven't had any soft serve in a really long time." She beamed.

"I'm down. Actually, there's a park that has a pretty good ice cream stand nearby. That sound good?" The young devil suggested.

"Sure! Let's go! Onward towards delicious ice cream!" Irina cheered, hugging (Y/N)'s arm as the proceeded.

Flower Garden

After walking around more, the two arrived at a flower filled plaza, multiple couples and concession stands filled the area.

Spotting the ice cream stand, the two approached the man running it, who greeted them with a smile. "Hello there you two. What can I get you?"

"Hello. I'll take a scoop of chocolate chip cookie dough on a cake cone, please."

"I'll take a vanilla soft serve in a waffle cone, please!"

The man fulfilled the requests and delivered them both to his customers.

"Thank you!" The two thanked as (Y/N) payed.

Irina began looking around for a comfortable spot to sit and enjoy their frozen treats. "(Y/N), over here!!" She called out, finding a bench and took a seat.

Once (Y/N) approached the bench, Irina held out her treat. "Here? Wanna try it?" She offered.

(Y/N) nodded and took a small bite from Irina's soft serve. It quickly turned into a sweet, ice-cold liquid in his mouth. "That's good." He smiled. "Want some of mine?"

"Sure!" Irina took a soft pit from his ice cream, getting a chunk of cookie dough and chocolate chips as well as the vanilla ice cream. "So yummy!" She squealed.

(Y/N) and Irina peacefully continued to enjoy there treats, watching all of the people interact with each other and others.

"Seems really busy around here today." (Y/N) noted.

"Sure is. I wonder why." Irina thought as she continued to finished her treat.

(Y/N) looked around and noticed some of the banners. Each said something about a riverside illumination showcase. "Huh. Wonder if that's why."

"Why what?" She asked.

"Apparently there's a light show going on later tonight by the riverside. Guess that explains why there are so many people here."

"Wow! Really! We should go check it out!!" She cheered with excitement.

"Sure. But why don't we get some actual food first? It's still not for a couple hours. I'd imagine it'll start once it gets dark, which is still a few hours off." (Y/N) said.

"Okay! Hey, why don't we take this chance to go see Mr. Yukihira and Soma? We can grab a bite to eat while we're there too." She suggested.

The still somewhat hungry devil looked down to his stomach and patted it. Clearly the ice cream wasn't enough. A snack indeed. "Sure. Sounds good to me."

"Yay!" Irina cheered, grabbing (Y/N)'s hand in excitement and began walking with him. "Onward to Yukihira Eatery!!"

Time Skip

Yukihira Eatery

(Y/N) slid the door open. Both he and his date were met with a blast of aroma and heat almost instantly.

However, upon stepping inside, there were only a few occupied tables.

"Looks like the dinner rush hasn't started yet." He mumbled, stepping further inside. "Hello?!" He called out.

"Ah!" A familiar chef acknowledged. "Welcome! Have a seat-?!" Joichiro offered, but was silenced by the arrival of (Y/N) and Irina. "Well now, I was wondering when you were gonna stop by again. And you brought an old face." He smiled.

"Hi, Mr. Yukihira!" Irina waved.

"Hey dad, I got the-?!" Sona came out from the pantry and saw the devil and exorcist. "Woah! (Y/N)! Irina! Hey guys!" He greeted excitedly.

"Heya Soma! Long time no see!" She greeted.

"I'll say! It's been, what? 10 years?" The spiked-redhead asked.

Irina laughed, looking apologetic. "Something like that. Sorry it's been so long. But we're here now! Mind if we stay for dinner?" She asked playfully.

The head chef smiled. "Not at all. Come up and grab some seats. Let's talk." He offered.

The two smiled and went to counter and grabbed close seats.

"So, what can we get started for ya?" Soma asked, handing the two some menus. "Some water and a face towel for ya."

"Thanks." (Y/N) thanked.

"Oh wow. It's been so long, but there's a ton of new items here. They all sound so good! I don't know what to pick!" Irina cried, uncertain and indecisive on what to choose.

"They've got some good calamari." (Y/N) suggested.

"Really?"

"Oh yeah. They fry rings, tentacles, sometimes whole squid bodies if they got some. Usually served with some garlic aioli, marinara, tartar, or even ranch. Can't really go wrong with either of them, honestly. It's an appetizer, so we can start with that and split it."

"Okay. I'm down for it if you are!" Irina agreed.

"We'll start with an order of calamari, with all the sauces please." (Y/N) ordered.

"Got it." Soma wrote down. "Anything else?"

The two looked to each other knowingly. "Few more minutes?" (Y/N) asked.

"Sure. I'll get the squid for ya." He said to prep the dish.

"So, Irina, last I heard from you, you were movin' to Italy. You still there now or you comin' back?" Joichiro asked the young lady.

"Nah, we're still in Italy. My parents actually got positions at the Vatican. I'm just here for a visit." She explained.

"Ah, I see. Here to see the future hubby, huh?"

Irina's and (Y/N)'s faces flushed slightly red.

"Oh, don't look all embarrassed. We all knew you two were gonna end up together. With how much you hung around him and how affectionate you were when you were younger, we knew it was gonna happen sooner or later." Joichiro said with an accepting nod.

"We even made bets to see how long it was gonna take 'til you pop the question, bro! Old man bet as soon as you graduate." Soma said, reappearing and finishing the prep work for the appetizer.

"Well, actually..." Irina paused, gaining the attention of all the men. She rose her hand and showed the ring (Y/N) gave her as children. "He actually proposed way back before I left. So being back here now is kind of like a sign of fate." Irina swooned.

Joichiro smirked as he looked to the sight-evading (Y/N), who just drank his water in silence.

"Man, what is it with you kids and getting engaged so young. First my Sora, now you?" The man joked.

"Actually..." Irina added. "Another reason I wanted to come here is because I wanted to pay my respects. (Y/N) told me Ms. Yukihira passed away some time ago. I'm so sorry."

"I see." Joiricho smiled. "Thank you, Irina. Soma, why don't you show Irina to the shrine? I've got things covered here on."

"Sure. Come on." Soma said, leading the twin-tailed brunette into the housing part of the building.

"Okay son..." Mr. Yukihira looked to the devil. "What's up? You've had this worried look on your face for a while."

(Y/N) chuckled. He knew Joichiro Yukihira, and almost nothing gets past him. "Well, it's just...I'm kinda going through a lot of personal stuff at the moment. Trying to find myself, in a sense. And she told me about what kind of life she wanted. One she wanted with me." He tightened his hand. "I'm not sure if I'm ready for something like that. Not yet. Or even the near future. I've got too much baggage. And I don't want her to carry any of it. How the hell can I make someone else happy when I keep making others worry?"

Joichiro simply looks at the kid, rather shocked by his claim. Yet, he simply laughed. "Man, never thought I'd hear you of people having existential troubles!" He burst again.

"Hey..." (Y/N) groaned.

"Listen, (Y/N)..." Joichiro said, his voice more deeper and serious. "You two are still young. You've got time to figure things out and find out who you wanna be. And if that person wants to make her happy and fulfill that life she wants, then go for it."

(Y/N) thought about about Joichiro's advice, letting his words sink in. However, knowing the truth, and hiding some key details from his former employer/mentor didn't make him feel anymore at ease. "I guess you're right." He fake smiled. 'How much time though? And who will I end up being when I find out? That's what scares me the most.'

"I'm back!" Irina called, reclaiming her seat next to her darling. "Did you miss me?" She asked playfully.

(Y/N) smiled. "Sure." He chuckled. "I think I'm ready to order." He said.

"Oh, me too! I know what I want now!" Irina cheered.

The Yukihiras smiled. "So, what can we get you two?" They asked.

Time Skip

"Thanks for coming by. Was good to see you two." Joichiro waved as the two prepared to head out. "And (Y/N), our doors are always open if ya wanna come back and work the line again. Even if it's for a few days or even one."

"Yeah, man! When Sora gets back, we should have a cooking challenge! See who's really top chef around here!" Soma declared.

Irina giggled at Soma's energy while (Y/N) laughed awkwardly. "Sure. Maybe some day. Thanks again for the food you guys! Good luck tonight! Have a good one!" (Y/N) bid farewell.

"It was great seeing you guys again. May they grace of God watch you both and bless you for future days. Amen." She prayed before following after her fiancé. "Bye!" She waved.

"Oh wow. Got kinda dark pretty fast!" (Y/N) Claimed. "Wanna start heading to the riverside?"

"Sure. If we hurry, we can probably score some good spots. I mean, how busy could it possible get?" Irina hoped.

Time Skip

Riverside

Upon arriving, there were a large number of people at the riverside. All most likely to see the light show.

"Holy cow! All of these people are here for the light show?!" Irina asked in astonishment.

"Looks like it. Must be a big deal. It's almost too crowded." He said, accidentally bumping into someone passing by.

"Oooh!! Honey look! They're starting!" Irina cheered, pointing to the slowly illuminating lights off in the distance.

Every light fixture along the opposite side of the riverside lit up, lighting up the night sky with radiance. Who would've guessed simple lights could create such a beautiful sight.

"Wow! This totally beats seeing a picture!" She cheered.

The young devil watched as the young exorcist watched in awe. However, the crowds were getting worse and worse by each passing moment. Clambering and shoving closer to the edge just to get a better look. He was pressed against Irina, feeling her body's heat and softness of her chest press closer to him. 'Shit! It's hard to move in here! At this rate, we'll be crushed!' He worried. 'I can't even focus on the light show!'

"Hey look! That one's spinning!" Irina laughed, seemingly fine with the tight space, or lack there of.

"Huh? Y-Yeah. Weird." (Y/N) struggled.

"Hey (Y/N), are you okay? You don't seem like you're enjoying yourself." Irina wondered in slight disappointment. "This is really pretty! Don't you think?"

"O-Oh, yeah. Kinda looks like the Milky Way huh?" He claimed, trying to bare the closed entrapped space.

"Oh hey, I totally didn't even think about that! But now that you mention it, I can totally see it!" Irina cheered with her seemingly boundless amounts of excitement.

(Y/N) smiled, watching Irina be so excited and having fun like this, he found it rather cute.

"Hey look! There's more that way! Let's go check it out!" She started to leave.

"Wait! Irina, it's really crowded. Do go too far ahead!" He warned, struggling to catch up.

"Come on! I'm not a kid! I'll be fine! Besides, if I do get lost, you'll be able to pick me out from the crowd, right?" She smiled.

"W-Wha-?" He questioned, feeling less than confident, especially since his sensory and detection skills were unavailable due to having no magical energy.

"I know you can do it! Come on, just a little further!"

"Irina, just wait a second!"

The two managed to finally escape the massive crowd of people. Feeling the wide open space and freely breathe again.

"Jesus! Finally! Got out of that damn crowd!" (Y/N) bickered and he panted. Once he caught his breath, he looked down and spotted something shiny on the ground. It looked oddly familiar. 'Wait, is that...' He reached over and picked it up. Sure enough, it was Irina's ring. 'Did she drop it?' He looked up only to find Irina nowhere in sight. "Oh no. Irina?!" He called out. 'She was just ahead of me a second ago! Crap! Did I really lose her while getting through that crowd?! Damnit, I should've held her hand or something! I gotta find her!' He worried, running off to find his fiancé.

Time Skip

After constantly searching, (Y/N) arrived at a water fountain. Thankfully, Irina was there as well.

"Thank goodness!" (Y/N) sighed. "Hey, Irina-huh?" As he approached, he suddenly noticed some random man approaching and talking to Irina, who looked less than happy.

"I'm sorry, but I'm here with someone!" She said.

"Hey come on now, babe. Don't be so cold. It's lonely all by yourself, ain't it? Why not come and see the lights with me?" The man continued to push.

"How many time do I have to say it? I. Came. With. Some. One! My fiancé to be precise!" Irina snapped back, slowly but surely loosing her cool and temperament.

"Again with that? Come on, you know I'd be better. Besides, if your engaged, where's your ring?" The man asked.

"My ring?" Irina looked down, only to see her smooth golden ring missing from her finger. 'My ring! Did I lose it in the crowd?!' She began to dread.

"Irina!" (Y/N) called out, approaching the young girl, who looked to him in joy and relief. "Irina, are you okay?" He asked. He looked to the man, quickly stepping between the two. "Is there something you need from my fiancé?" He asked, a hint of malice in his tone.

The man spat and clicked his tongue in annoyance. "So she really did have some guy. Pain in the ass!" He hissed, walking off in defeat.

(Y/N) sighed. "You okay?" He asked.

"Yeah. Thanks, hon." Irina smiled, only to be met with a light chop on the head.

"Please don't just run off like that. It was hard enough keeping track of you with all those people." He scolded.

"I'm sorry." Irina laughed. "Guess I was too excited." She admitted.

However, despite his slight annoyance, his worry for her well-being grew more. He suddenly hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry I lost sight of you. And I'm sorry you had a run-in with someone like that. If I was at a hundred percent, I would've been able to find you faster."

Irina smiled, hugging the young devil back. "It's okay." She said. "I shouldn't have ran off like that to begin with. I really was too excited. I just...got caught up in finding a good spot to watch the light show with you, I wound up getting separated from you again." She admitted, tightening her embrace and nuzzling into (Y/N)'s neck. "But I wasn't worried, though." She said.

"What do you mean?"

Irina pulled back and looked at the young devil in his (E/C) eyes, a knowing, bright, and loving smile on her face. "Because I knew you'd find me! I mean, you have before. And I know you will again and again. That's how love works, right?" She giggled.

"I...I guess so." (Y/N) smiled. 'She really believed in me that much, even in my current state.' Her words clearly meant a lot to him.

Irina smiled, leaning up to the young man's face. "I love you." She whispered before placing a kiss on her beloved's lips.

(Y/N), somewhat shocked by this, quickly melted into the kiss and began to kiss back.

The two continued their loving embrace, only to separate moments later for air.

"Come on. The show's not over yet. Why don't we find a better spot and finish it?" He suggested, offering his hand to her to hold. "And try not go so far ahead this time, yeah?" He said teasingly.

Irina laughed, taking the offered hand. "Okay."

"Oh, I almost forgot." He reached into his pocket and pulled out Irina's lost ring. "I found this a while ago. I assume you dropped it.

Irina's violet eyes lit up with joy. "My ring!" She cried.

(Y/N) held her ring finger and slowly slid the gold band back where it belonged.

"Oh! Thank you, darling! I love you so much!" She declared, hugging the young devil.

The two went back to the light show. Finding a spot with less people by the railings, taking in the majesty and beauty of all the displays. Something so tranquil and peaceful after so many days of conflict and chaos seemed to melt away all of the stress.

"This was a good idea." (Y/N) admitted.

"Yeah. Good job spotting those banners. Probably wouldn't have noticed something like this even going on." She giggled, leaning her head into her beloved's shoulder.

(Y/N) looked at Irina's happy and tranquil face, only to feel a slight wave a guilt hit him. 'Before she leaves. I need to tell her. She has a right to know what I am. And even if she hates me afterwards...I'll accept it. But for now...' He tightened his home on the exorcist's hand, who simply smiled at him. 'I want to enjoy this moment. With her. Just the two of us in peace.'

Time Skip

Convenience Store

"Thank you! Please come again!" Thanked the cashier as the black haired man left, taking a bite of his corn dog.

He looked up and saw how dark it had gotten. "Damn. I didn't make any progress today either." He groaned, putting his headphones on and blasting heavy metal. 'Oh well. There's always tomorrow I suppose.' He sighed as he began to make his way to a more secluded place to go use his wings to fly home.

Suddenly, a massive stomp shook the ground. The vibrations seemingly coming from the alleyway. The man looked over and saw something red glowing. He simply bit into his corn dog again and watched as the strange light approached him bit by bit.

Soon enough, a large fur-covered beast emerged from the darkness. "You there." It's deep voice growled at it looked to the short man in red.

The man removed his headphones and simply stared at the creature. "What do you want?" He asked.

"You're presence. Your magical energy. Your malicious aura. You must be similar to him. Direct me to the demon spawn so I may rid of him." The beast ordered.

The man's emerald eye twitched. "Sorry. But I don't know where or who you're talking about. And if I did, what makes you think I'd tell you? Your scent is drenched in blood."

"My masters have ordered me to find his location. But, if I kill him, I'm sure to be rewarded even further." The beast said, reaching behind itself to pull out a massive sword. "Surely this boy's life is not worth risking your own?"

"Like it told you, I don't know. And I wouldn't tell you if I did. So quit trying to intimidate me and run back to your hiding hole." The man replied.

The massive sword crashed down and creating a massive boom upon impact. "Snide comments like that are what lead to early graves, pathetic fool!" The monster chided.

"Oh really?" A familiar voice spoke from amongst the smoke.

As it cleared, the man in red was holding the blade with his bare hand, only to crush and shatter it with ease. "Your weapon may be big, but unless you know how to use it, it may as well be just a giant hunk of iron." He said.

"W-What?!"

"But, if you're going to threaten his life..." Something suddenly appeared appeared in his hand. A sheathed blade with a with an axe-shaped guard and ring-shaped circle in the middle. He gripped the red handle. "Then I'm taking care of you before you become a problem." In a flash, he guickdrew his sword and slid it back into the holster. "Nimble Thread."

Multiple streaks of violet and black erupted in the fur-covered creature, only to erupt in a burst of blood.

The beast screamed, but quickly began to fade into ashes as it died, removing any and all trace of its existence.

The man sighed as he recalled his sword's physical form. He grabbed his plastic bag with convince store snacks and opened another corn dog as he began to walk away.

"I thought it might've been you." Spoke a familiar voice.

The man turned around and saw Chisato Hasegawa approaching him. "You? What are you doing here?"

"What? Can't a concerned citizen look into some weird noises through the neighborhood?" She asked.

The man simply glared at the bespectacled brunette. "You live here now? What about Heaven?"

"Micheal is taking care of things for me. I'll admit, some things could be going better. But I quite enjoy my life here. I get to look after a certain someone whom I'm very fond of." She said with a faint blush.

"Well good for you." He spat as he began making his leave once again.

"Speaking of which, he needs help."

The man stopped in his tracks and turned back to the woman with shocked eyes. "What? You mean-"

"That's right. He's here. And he's progressing quickly. Almost too quickly. Without any proper guidance, he's going to destroy himself. I've done what I could to ease his suffering for the time being, but it'll only last for so long before his body starts to decay from the inside again. Which is why I need your help. You're the only one who can. We both are." She pleaded.

The man remained silent. He knew what she was talking about, more along the lines of who. After all these years, he finally found one of the people he had been looking for. "...Where is he?"