AGG: Devil Side Stories

Rias 2

…

“Oh. Hey, Rias, look. Issei’s being streamed on the Arena.”

What.

“What.”

“Yeah, like, right now. Look. He’s fighting some small fry, and doing the whole ‘don’t give up, you’re stronger than you think’ thing.” Aria had the bad habit of eating while entertaining herself. I, however, had no such habit. Meaning, of course, as we were eating dinner, I did not have my communicator on hand. Thus, all I could do was peer over my sister’s shoulder. “Didn’t the two of you watch a lot of shows like this? Where the hero doesn’t let their opponent give up, for some dumb reason?”

“It’s not dumb.” I could not allow my sister to desecrate such an action. Gaizing intently on my sister’s holographic screen, I analyzed Issei’s current match. Yes, indeed, he seemed to be offering a hand to his opponent. Though he clearly outmatched the Devil, and the Devil was giving up, Issei refused to leave it at that. “This is a true bond between competitors. One that transcends that of others in the battlefield.”

“Isn’t that supposed to be Creighton, though? Divine Dividing and Boosted Gear?”

“No, that’s a rivalry. That’s a long term story element. Since this is during a tournament arc, it just shows off Issei’s character for all to see.” 

“I’m starting to think that we’re not on the same subject, here. I’m talking about real life, Rias.”

“I am, too.” Anime is real. It gets many things right in this world of ours. While some fools would decry it as mere children’s cartoons, there is an undeniable fact that every anime has some meaning or message behind it for those who dig deeper. Shounen, naturally, is meant to espouse the virtues of honor and effort, thus it is the proper lens to look through, for Issei’s current adventures in the Arena. “Not only is Issei being an honorable, but he is being what every competitor ought to be: one who acts as a symbol to be chased after by all his opponents.”

“Rias. We’ve talked about this.” Aria groused with disbelief. As she is my younger sister, I merely listened to her words. As her elder, it is my duty to lead her to the stream of knowledge, not to punish her for not knowing. “Anime isn’t a guidebook for people to live their lives by to succeed. It’s just entertainment.”

I allowed those blasphemous words to hang in the air for a second, then I gestured to screen without even sparing it a glance. “Okay, then, why is the ‘small fry,’ that gave up so easily, now matching Hyoudou blow for blow?”

Aria turned, rolling her eyes, but she could not hope to hide her surprise when she realized what was now happening on the screen. 

“What.”

It was a only single word, but I knew that I was victorious before I looked upon the screen myself.

Indeed, as I’d expected since I saw Issei stretch out his hand to his opponent and encouraged him to fight, the battle was now one between two equals. No, without a doubt, Issei had the upper hand in power and skill, but the sheer determination that his opponent has is allowing the man to rise to the occasion. 

Two foes enter, two equals leave.

That is the very best one can expect from a battle between two competitors.

Upon the match’s conclusion, I glanced at Aria.

“Not. A. Word. Rias.”

Try as I might, I can’t seem to convince my cute little sister that anime brings out the best out of our reality.

Truly, my little sister needs to have more open mind.

…

“Ah, Rias! How are you?” Issei always replied enthusiastically. I’d seen him take a few hits as he’d fought, and he was only human, yet his voice was as cheerful as always. Whenever we met, whenever we spoke, he was always cheerful. “How’d your training go today?”

“As well as always, brother is keeping us busy.” Though, not busy enough to keep me from me visiting you. I don’t know why I can’t bring myself to do it. I saw Issei through the crystals, on the streams, and spoke with him every day. I can visit him, but at the same time I cannot. “I read about your Arena match. There was something about you forcing a Devil to fight you and nearly losing?”

“I didn’t almost lose! He got a few good punches in, that’s all!” In my mind’s eye, I could see his face flush. He would be scratching his cheek at this very moment. Issei was always easy to tease. “I mean, I know that I shouldn’t have done that. Eli told me that I should’ve just let him leave… but I couldn’t, y’know? It just didn’t seem right.”

Eli. Short for Elizabeth Ulrich. He had a nickname for her.

For some reason, it made me happy that they disagreed with one another.

“I think you did the right thing, Issei-kun.” I wasn’t trying to flatter him or intrude. That was what I truly thought. I’d told my own sister that I thought Issei did the right thing. Still, I felt as though I wasn’t saying the right thing. I didn’t like it. Speaking to Issei used to be so easy. Now, I was always confused. “Don’t let anyone tell you different, okay?”

For some reason, I imagined him saying no, and that scared me immensely.

“Yeah, I would feel really bad if I just let Ainz quit. He’s a swell guy, he just needs to have more confidence.” The relief I felt was not to be understated. Yes, Issei was still someone I knew. He still thought of others before himself. Knowing those two facts let me breath with ease.  “I’m sure that he’ll be great in the future, just you wait!”

We continued to speak for a few more minutes, exchanging pleasantries, but I was unable to forget my relief, how I couldn’t bear to visit him, and my wish for him to never change.

I knew that wasn’t possible. 

He needed to become stronger, more knowledgeable, and gain a whole slew of other skills. He wielded a Longinus, was part of the Preservers, and wanted to see the whole world safe for everyone.

Yet, I didn’t want Issei Hyoudou to ever leave me.

I didn’t want him to be replaced by someone with his face, voice, and body, but not be him.

It scared me how much I wanted him to stay the same, even if it meant him having to stay weak. 

Truly, it was against every convention that a Devil should hold dear to their heart.

Yet, nonetheless, that was what I wanted above all else. 

I didn’t want my best friend to become a stranger.