Chapter 8 : I Refuse

Takeshi closed his eyes, as per instructed.

Think about something that made him feel strongly, eh…

Himself, maybe? No. He was a sad, pathetic person. His own mediocrity frustrated him, but that wasn't enough.

Yuuma? He was indeed angered by the humiliation she caused him, but there was something else. Amazement, actually.

Her graceful yet brutal movements. Her sweet voice spelling curses and insults unfitting of a beautiful girl as her.

The pain she made him feel.

"…"

There was a special kind of feeling. A tingling sensation, starting from the center of his heart, and spreading throughout the muscles and bones of his back. Then, from his back to the left arm that he was still unable to use.

Yes… he was searching for that kind of feeling. The sensation others shied away from.

The struggle to keep himself alive. The exhilaration when being on the border of life and death.

The burning, constant suffering in the midst of dying that told him he could still come out alive.

Yes. That brought him excitement. Expectations of an even more painful, more heated confrontation.

With that kind of sentiment swelling up inside of his chest, he tried to recreate the night of his death in his mind, just on his very final moments…

…Right then, just a moment before his body ceased to live, Takeshi had felt a presence overtaking him. An unknown phenomenon that refused to let him die.

He wasn't so careless as to assume he was special or anything, but possibly, when his body perished, something saved him.

That something, if anything, could have been his Sacred Gear.

So he searched for it again. He reached out with his feelings, and…

…

…

"…Nothing."

He took in the real world around him once again, and with it, the fact that he wasn't able to do anything.

Nothing came out. There was just a sensation, a sense of mild accomplishment, but not much more.

Yet, when began to shift on his seat, he realized he could actually move his entire body.

That could sound strange to anyone no else, but he was confused.

He could move his left arm. The arm that not so long ago was completely paralyzed, useless.

He put his left hand in front of him, and wiggled his fingers. Then, he flexed the limb just to test the mobility.

Numb, stiff, and heavy. Yet, his arm moved, and that was a lot of progress already.

"Nothing at all, Hyoudou-san?" questioned Rias with a somewhat agitated voice. "Not even a little feeling or tingles somewhere?"

Yes. "No."

Takeshi wasn't an idiot. He wouldn't just give Rias a reason to bother him in the future. If a Sacred Gear was such a valuable possession, then the redhead would surely want it for herself too, before anyone else got the chance.

"I… see. That's fortunate, I suppose."

Stating the obvious, she focused her attention on Issei. Takeshi did the same.

Their expressions were of utter surprise. No words were spoken, as the sight they were beholding held more significance than any direct explanation.

Issei was very concentrated, and his facial features were strained. Running down his left arm was a faint, red crimson light of some sorts, and just on top of his palm, a green glow. It was distorted, almost non-existent, but it was there for all to see.

"That's…"

"It is," Rias responded as she anticipated the boy's question. "He's not quite there yet, but that's unmistakably it. A Sacred Gear."

Takeshi could only look in bemusement at his brother's feat. His heart became heavy and thumped almost painfully at the sight.

It was incredible. As Rias said, it didn't look like a weapon or tool at all, but that didn't make it any less amazing.

And just a moment later, Issei let out a heavy gasp of tiredness. The red light disappeared as if it hadn't been there in the first place. He began breathing heavily, and his face was covered in sweat.

"…Did it work…?" asked Issei between ragged breaths.

"Yes! Simply astounding, Ise. You did pretty well for your first time." Rias gave the underclassman a friendly tap on the back, congratulating him.

Issei blushed, either because of his exhaustion or because he was actually flattered.

"If it doesn't bother you, Ise, could you tell me what you thought about?"

A brief pause came. Issei was silent for a moment, regaining oxygen, before he spoke again.

"Hehe… It's a little embarrassing. I… thought about him."

He pointed a finger at Takeshi.

The older brother widened his eyes a little. His dull, disgusting visual orbs seemed even more inhuman when trying to show an unexpected emotion, but it was there.

"…When we were talking about that Fallen Angel, Takeshi wasn't even scared or shaken. He maintained his composure throughout the entire conversation, and…"

The brunet started scratching his head.

"…I realized that my big brother is a very cool and strong person. Only he could accept a challenge like this without batting an eye."

Consequently, Issei showed a wide, brilliant smile from ear to ear.

"I also want to be strong. Not just for me, but for others too."

The two women in the room seemed bewildered at Issei's reasoning, but it didn't take long for them to smile sweetly at him.

Rias put a hand beneath her chin, nodding. "Hmm, that's a very noble way of thinking, Ise. But to handle this situation like you're doing right now already makes you strong. Don't be so humble."

Akeno, for her part, put a hand against her cheek.

"Awww, that's so cute. Doesn't it make you feel proud, Takeshi-kun? Ise is looking up his older brother~"

Takeshi scoffed as he looked away.

"I'm not particularly joyful about it. He can do whatever he wants."

"Oh, are you embarrassed? Please tell me you are~"

"Shut up." Then, the boy directed his focus to Rias once again. "Anyway, thanks for your help Gremory. This was very informative."

Said young woman started walking towards her spot with a smile. "No problem, Hyoudou-san. I'm just repaying you for my mistakes."

Both of them perked up at this. Issei felt compelled to ask.

"What do you mean, Gremory-senpai? You couldn't have possibly known something like this was going to happen."

Rias closed her eyes, shaking her head from side to side.

"I should have known, Ise. After all, I'm the one who's in charge of protecting this specific part of Kuoh, and therefore, it's my responsibility to foresee this kind of events. I was careless, and two innocent people died because of me. I have no excuse."

And with that said, she straightened her back, and put her arms parallel to her body.

"Which is why-"

She bent her upper body forwards.

Her crimson hair fell over her face, and it almost touched the ground. She didn't seem to mind.

She was bowing.

"I, Rias Gremory, am sorry for endangering your life."

Her words, sincere and straight, were received with dignified silence.

Takeshi stared at her form, piercing blue eyes boring into her as she kept talking. Akeno watched the exchange with a knowing smirk.

"Because of my attitude, you two went through a lot. I won't ask for forgiveness, because I'm sure I don't deserve it. I just want you to know that it wasn't my intention to let you die, or hurt you at all."

Issei himself was completely at a loss for words, too.

"If you want to hate me, please do so. But accept the information I gave you as compensation for my failure. You deserved to know the truth."

An apology. Out of all the possible ways she could have ended this conversation with, it was with an apology. She admitted her own lack of insight and the consequences of it, allowing herself to go on with that burden.

Not anyone could just apologize so sincerely. And that was…

…Insulting.

"I reject your apology."

Rias raised her head, stunned.

"Gremory, do I look like I need your help at all? Just because a winged monster killed me doesn't mean I need anyone to babysit me. Don't fret over something you had no power of, because that's unreasonable. You're making me look weak."

Of course, why would Takeshi be angry at Rias for his lack of power?

Takeshi knew about his flaws, and he wouldn't start blaming other people for his own problems. He found such a thing absolutely jarring.

"C-C'mon, Takeshi, could you have phrased it a little bit less violently?" Issei told him. "A-Anyway, Gremory-san, you don't need to apologize. Just as my bro said, we're fine now! There's no reason to be angry, I promise."

From the way her eyes softened, Takeshi could tell Rias appreciated it.

"…Hahaha, that's right. I shouldn't be treating you like you're completely defenseless on your own." She straightened her back and took her usually prideful stance. "Thanks for understanding, anyway."

Issei nodded excitedly, while Takeshi just stayed silent.

"…I think we're done here," the older Hyoudou admitted. "I'm going out."

"Actually," interrupted Rias, "there's a last, very important thing I need to talk about."

Just like that, the brunet decided to listen intently instead of going away.

She stared at him with calculating eyes. Then, after exchanging a quick look with Akeno, her voice was heard.

"I'm not human."

The bluntness of her statement took Issei a little off guard, but Takeshi wasn't exactly surprised.. He had figured out she wasn't human long before the conversation started or she admitted that fact out loud.

"I'll make things easy. In truth…"

PAF!

Takeshi didn't flinch. He had seen this kind of thing before.

Sprouting from Rias' back were leathery, bat-like wings. Said wings were big and thick, wide enough to cover the redhead's body if she chose to enclose herself with them. They casted shadows of considerable size on the room.

"I'm a Devil, as you can see."

She turned around, moving the wings naturally and without pause. They were, indeed, real.

Both siblings could notice that the wings originated from the woman's back, from a point just beneath her shoulder blades. For some reason they looked like they phased through her clothes.

She faced them again directly, not bothering to hide her wings.

"Now, I would like to extend an offer to you, Takeshi," stated Rias. "You see, a long time ago, there was a Great War between the 3 factions, which decimated an outrageous number of people from every side. Because of this, our collective strength is dwindling."

At that moment, she extended her right hand forward. Seconds later, a red flash of light was seen. It quickly subsided, replaced with a small object.

It wasn't hard to distinguish it from afar. It was a chess piece.

However, unlike most chess pieces Takeshi knew of, this one sported a crimson glow.

"As a countermeasure, we Devils came up with an incredibly useful method. It's called the 'Evil Piece' system."

She walked closer, carefully managing to not touch anything with her extra appendages. One of the wings brushed Akeno's nose, which made her smirk.

Rias put herself in front of him. Looking at it up close, Takeshi noticed it was a knight chess piece.

"This system is simple. Through the use of magical artifacts shaped after chess pieces, we can 'reincarnate' almost any person as a Devil hybrid, giving them the powers and weaknesses akin to any Devil. Each piece gives the person reincarnated different abilities, respectively, and the ritual is exceedingly easy."

She showed him the piece in question. It exuded an ominous presence which sent shivers down Takeshi's spine. It was even more malignant than Yuuma or Rias' pressure whenever they decided to be threatening.

"Evil pieces are only given to high-ranking Devils, such as me. Those people that are reincarnated serve under the person who owns the evil pieces, and they are called a 'peerage'. Each member has the title of the evil piece they possess, and they are known as servants. The one who's known as the 'king' is also the master of those servants."

Takeshi shuffled back, not wanting to be close to the evil piece. He heard the explanation, and so far, he understood it.

"I will not lie; once you are reincarnated, your humanity will be tarnished permanently. You will cease to be what you were born as, and it's impossible to take the evil piece out without killing the one holding it. But I suppose that's a price to pay for all its benefits."

The boy's blue eyes shone at their center with a blue-red light, reflecting the image of the unnatural power before him.

It felt sickening.

"Hyoudou-san, I tried to save you yesterday night," Rias said with an apologetic expression. "I tried to use an evil piece with you, and your body rejected it. I managed to reincarnate Ise, because he was still alive. But you were in even worse conditions…"

Issei was a Devil? That explained why he was alive at all. He didn't need to see his brother's face directly to know he was as dumbfounded as Takeshi himself.

"I don't know how, but you managed to survive. Right now, I'm giving you the option, as I should have done with Ise.

If you become mine, I will protect you from any other beings that wish you harm, and help you become stronger on your own.

You will never suffer any of the earthly needs that you may have gone through before.

Your future will be safe with me."

Takeshi diverted his eyes, and locked sight with Rias' green ones.

"So, Takeshi Hyoudou, I ask you: do you want to become my servant?"

The shadow of her wings approached from his sides, encasing both of them in a single exchange between two parts.

If he gave up his freedom, his humanity, and his entire being to this person, then he wouldn't need to search anything anymore. He would have it all served to him on a silver plate.

He would become a privileged version of a slave. Nothing else. Just a pawn in another person's chess game, as if that wasn't ironic enough.

He would be used. If he didn't know better, there was the possibility that they would just discard him too.

Something within him stirred painfully at the thought of it. Something that almost hurt on another level that wasn't just physical.

…

…

…

…

There was nothing to think about. The answer was already clear.

"I refuse."

Rias didn't react. She stood still as a stone.

"Why?"

Takeshi's pupils contracted.

"I have lived as a free person. I will die as a free person.

My challenges,

My objectives,

My motivation and the person I am…

…You won't take them away from me. You can't take them away."

She didn't retreat. Her resolve was as firm as his.

"I'm not taking anything from you, Hyoudou-san. I'm giving you much more. Please reconsider. This world is a very dangerous place for you to be alone."

Takeshi was being tempted by the Devil herself. The illusion of choice was just a masquerade to hide the Devil's own ambitions and dreams.

She promised him lowly things. She would just use him to achieve greater goals that wouldn't concern him anymore.

He couldn't waver. His life, as sick and obnoxiously empty as it was, held the truthful sense of despair to it.

He never lied to himself, even if that meant not finding joy or happiness in anything. If he accepted the offer, he would just simply be a puppet to someone else.

His search would lose meaning, just as his life already did.

"No."

She got close.

Her face was centimeters away from his.

"And what do you want, exactly?"

Takeshi couldn't hear her anymore. The thumping of his heart erased any other sound present. He read her lips and responded accordingly.

"From you?

Nothing."

…

…

…

Sigh

"…I suppose that's it, then."

Accepting the outcome, she retracted her wings and made them disappear. Rias walked away from Takeshi without uttering a single word.

"I respect your decision, Hyoudou-san. I won't force you to accept anything." The woman's obscured face showed a glint of her emerald eyes, staring at him with a defeated expression. "But please remember that my offer is still up. Whenever you desire, you can contact me."

She let out a heavy sigh.

"…Until then you're on your own. I can't stand up for you all the time, since you will not be my main priority. That means you'll be an exposed target for others. Do you understand the risks?"

There was no change in Takeshi's dull eyes. He had considered that possibility before she brought it up.

"I said I don't need your help. I can handle my own life just as fine with the information you gave me."

Seeing the impassive face of Takeshi, Rias couldn't find any slight hint of doubt in his being.

"You have made yourself clear, then." She pinched the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes with a strained gesture. "You may leave now."

Heeding her advice, the teenager stood up. After walking towards the exit and taking ahold of the doorknob, he looked behind for a moment.

"I hope we don't see each other again. At least not like this."

Click

Then, Takeshi opened the wooden door and left without saying anything else.

"Eh, wait a second Takeshi!"

Issei, who had been cautious of not interrupting the conversation, suddenly decided to follow his brother.

He was about to leave too, but…

"…Gremory-senpai?"

The boy called her.

Rias was caught off guard as he did this. She uncovered her face and locked sight with the younger Hyoudou. Then, with a smile, Issei said:

"Thanks for everything." He began looking at the floor. "I… I'm not exactly sure about this whole problem yet, really. I did say I wouldn't back down, but… I need time to think things through."

He raised his gaze again.

"But, that's not it. What I mean is that you're a good person, Gremory-senpai. You… You have my gratitude."

The emerald-eyed woman's constrained features relaxed and morphed into a bright smile, which she wholly dedicated to him.

"You're a sweet person, Ise. You should go and rest. I know you have questions, but it won't do any good to stress you even more. Go now."

There was no need to respond. With a last nod and his usual smile, Issei left too.

…

…

A good amount of minutes passed. The sun that could be seen outside the windows was still in the same position as before to confirm it. Yet, for Rias Gremory, it almost felt like years.

Her throat felt dry. After a moment of contemplating her decision, she spoke.

"…Was I good, Akeno?"

The raven-haired girl, who had remained mostly silent throughout the conversation, looked at her with stoic eyes. Her face didn't look quite the same without her smirk.

"You were, Buchou," she simply responded.

Rias' head hung low.

"You say that, and yet… it doesn't feel like I did…"

A lump got caught in her throat. More seconds went on before the vice-president of the ORC left her couch and closed distances with her best friend.

Rias refused to look at her in the eye.

Akeno put a hand on Rias' cheek. Another hand rested on her shoulder.

"…2 people died, I couldn't do anything about it, and now one of them is just exposing himself to danger again. I cannot just go using the evil pieces however I please, either…"

"Shush now," said Akeno. "It could have gone worse, Buchou. Now, both of them are alive, and Ise is one of us. He has a great potential if he consumed 8 Pawns. This proves beneficial for you."

Akeno forced Rias to raise her head.

"Rias, you're my best friend, but you're also my King. You need more composure and firmness. Just because things didn't go according to plan doesn't mean it's the end of the world. You handled things splendidly so far."

Her hands retracted after a while. The raven-haired woman walked with elegant steps towards her couch.

"…Learn to respect yourself before expecting others to respect you, Rias. Your servants need their King, and not the other way around. Weak-willed kings are overthrown like this, you know?"

Rias took her time to think a little about her friend's advice. With enough tranquility and recovered strength in her mien, she nodded and responded seconds later.

"…I know."

And with that, the foreboding crimson of the evil piece still shining on the desk and the disgusting light of the setting sun served as the closing curtains of the event.

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