Sacred Gear: Heavenly Crown

Chapter 8: Almost Too Late (2)

WARNING: This chapter is DARK. I want it to be scary and different from the other chapters so far. Life isn't rainbows and cupcakes and sin points. Dark stuff will continue throughout the story, but, since is the first major instance, I figured I'd warn you ahead of time.

"Aye, sir!" Asia cheered along with the television. "Issei, do talking blue cats really exist? Can I have one? Please~?"

"Asia," he looked at her seriously. "Should such a creature breathe in this world I shall not rest until you have it!"

"Yay! Thanks, Issei!" she smiled, hugging him.

"I want one too!" Yuuma added, jumping on his back.

"Alright, I shall locate two talking blue felines that have angel wings!" Issei declared. "Should it take one year or one-thousand years!"

"Yay!" Yuuma cheered.

"But I won't be alive in one-thousand years," Asia pouted.

"Don't worry about the details," he waved her off. "You'll be fine."

"Humans don't live that long, Issei," she tried to explain.

"Well, I'll just fix that too," he ignored her sigh of defeat. "Anyway, I have to go. Rias wanted-"

"Can I come?" Yuuma asked. "You haven't done anything with me all week, Issei. Are you tired of me already?"

"No, Yuuma! Please don't cry!" he panicked.

"How does he not realize..." Yahweh deadpanned.

"Alright, alright! Fine, you can come!"

"Yay! Thanks, Issei!" she smiled, instantly stopping her fake tears.

"You did that on purpose..." he said flatly. She said nothing, only smiled brightly at him.

"Am I coming as well, Issei?" Asia asked.

"Unless you really don't want to. The house should be safe enough, but I don't relish the idea of letting you be alone at the moment. That's why you're starting school with us Monday."

"What?" she asked in surprise. "Really? I get to go to school?"

"Yeah, as long as you-"

"Thank you, Issei!" she squealed, darting up and giving him a hug. "Thank you so much! I've always wanted to go to school! They never let me go when I was with the church!"

"Hey, now, of course. If you wanted to go, you could have asked, you know?"

"I...I didn't want to give you any trouble or anything," she fidgeted slightly.

"Hey, look at me," he asked softly. "It's not, ok? Are you afraid that if you ask for anything I won't want to be your friend anymore?"

"N-no...I just..." she buried her face deeper into his chest and said nothing.

"Asia, it may be my job to look after you, but I've been fighting to get you out of that church for years. I meant what I said. I really would love to be your friend, Asia. So don't worry about stuff like that, ok? Be proud of who you are and speak up for yourself, eh?"

"Thanks, Issei," she smiled. "I'm glad you abducted me."

"Was that sarcasm?" he smirked. "From innocent little Asia? It only took three days, but my innocent little Asia has been corrupted! Oh, woe is me!"

"I'm not corrupted!" she giggled.

"Good!" he sighed. "Now, go with Yuuma and get dressed."

"What's wrong with this?" she asked him.