Pawn to E4 (Highschool DxD)

Primary Colored Suicide

Two And A Half Weeks Ago, April 11, Kuoh Academy, ORC Club Room

Rias watched as he dutifully worked on his graphics tablet and laptop in his lap. It was something she loved to do, seeing the big teddy bear lost in his own little world. Akeno would always tease her over it.

Their manga, Chaos Rider HxH, they had worked on for two years with quite frankly an alarming and blistering pace. In two short years, they had made one-hundred and twenty-seven chapters, soon to be one-hundred and twenty-eight chapters, and soon to be combined into sixteen volumes.

The manga didn't do very well on the human side of things. It was a completely different story when it came to the Underworld and the supernatural community in general, however. It sold like, how Sora would sometimes say, 'gangbusters.' The actual Four Horsemen of The Apocalypse (who were reincarnated during the 80s), who the manga was mainly based on, were huge fans of it. Even the Seraph Gabriel was on record multiple times for saying that she was a fan.

Rias insisted that they publish the first volume under a pen name, and he chose the pen name 'Happy Chaos.' Even made a silly little chibi representation of himself for the 4-koma pages and afterwards at the end of each volume. It was a stroke of luck that she got Sora to agree to using a pen name, it made hiding his identity so much easier. Sora himself believed that he was just posting a web comic.

The Gremory Clan exclusively published the manga and owned the licensing rights, they took 15% of manga sales and 25% of merchandise sales, and even with just that much they gained so much profit. Sora's earnings were in a personal account managed by the Gremory Clan... Rias couldn't wait to see Sora's reaction to how many zeros were on it.

Which was something she would hopefully get to see soon.

She loved him. It was something she had come to realize during their first Christmas together. Sirzechs had gotten wind of her and the ORC being invited over to Sora's place for a Christmas party, and things got a little out of control. Not only did Sirzechs show up, he brought Grayfia, little Millicas, and their parents. It was utter chaos, but... she couldn't help but smile at the memory, it was one of the most precious things in her heart. His and her families got along so well! Sora and Grayfia having a little competition over who could make the best sweets using Koneko as a judge (it was a tie), and Sirzechs taking so many Maou-damned pictures. Millicas, Sora, and Sirzechs doing Super Sentai poses.

Seeing him there, having fun, laughing with everyone, getting into ridiculous mischief with anyone and everyone... seeing him treat them all as one big happy family. She knew then and there that she had fallen deeply in love with him.

She had wanted to reveal her nature as a Devil to him, but the anxiety in her heart stopped her every time. Sora was a completely mundane human. He had no Sacred Gear, no special ability passed down from his ancestors, and absolutely no connection whatsoever to the supernatural. She didn't want to scare him off by revealing she was a Devil, she didn't want to ruin what they already had. The very thought that it was a possibility tore at her heart.

But she had made a promise to herself: when they reached the final chapter of their manga, she would come clean to Sora about... everything. And she would confess her feelings for him. And if things didn't work out, if he didn't take the whole Devil thing well... she would alter his memories. They could continue the rest of their days in Kuoh Academy in peace and the money he'd earned would be sent to his family under the pretense that they'd won a lottery. They would never see each other again after their graduation.

She hoped with all her heart it never came to that.

Rias got up from her desk, leaving her paperwork and contracts, they weren't important right now. She took a seat next to him on the clubroom sofa. While she was rather bold when it came to her Peerage, her anxiety made her more reserved when it came to Sora. It was why when she placed her hand over Sora's, it was a particularly bold move on her part.

Sora blinked as he noticed her hand over his, he turned and gave her a small smile that melted her heart. "Something up, Rias?"

" I..." She opened her mouth, she hesitated, but she powered through. "Sora..."

"Mmm?"

"I want you to meet me after school." She took a breath. "B-By the lake."

It was the same lake he took Issei fishing with him over the summer. Who knew the infamous pervert had more interest than just boobs? But more than that... It was a particularly romantic spot and famous for couples to get together, and it was absolutely gorgeous when sunset set the waters

...And it would give her enough time to gather her thoughts.

Sora stared at her for a few seconds before a look of realization bloomed across his face. "O-Oh, yeah! S-Sure. Of course! Uh, what time?"

"A-Around seven, at the pier. With the café and canoes."

He gave her a wide smile. "Got it."

She got bolder, wrapping her arms around his. "You promise?"

He snorted. "Of course I promise."

She got closer, her breasts pressing against his arm. "You promise?"

"Goodness sake," He escaped her grasp with surprising ease and pulled her into a hug, "Yes, I promise. You know I'm a man of my word."

Rias practically melted in his arms then and there. Sora was a big ol' teddy bear in more ways than one, he loved giving people hugs. No one was safe, Kiba, Koneko, Sona... Issei. She could still hear the pervert faintly screaming in utter horror about being hugged by a guy on his Birthday instead of a busty girl. It was hilarious.

She nodded into his chest, he made the anxiety in her heart vanish. "Okay."

She chose to believe in him.

[-]

He never came.

She waited for over an hour by the pier.

She felt heartbroken, she felt angry, she felt... confused. This wasn't like Sora. If he couldn't make it, he would've at least sent her a text. She tried to text him over and over. He wouldn't pick up any of her calls.

Rias felt a pit of dread in her chest.

She dialed a new number this time.

[Hello? Gremory-chan how are you!] It was the voice of Sora's mother, Hina.

"Hi, is Sora home right now?" She asked.

[I was about to call him myself. I thought he was with you, working on that manga you two love so much.]

That pit of dread grew. "No... I haven't seen him since school ended."

[Hmmmm.] She could practically hear the woman pouting on the other side. [Maybe Issei and those two other delinquent boys dragged him off to do something stupid again. Smack them over the head for me when you find them, alright dear?]

Rias felt her blood run cold. "Y-Yeah, no problem. You have a nice night, miss."

She hung up.

Sora never forgot to tell his parents if he was going to be out late. Ever. Something was very, very wrong.

She dialed Akeno next. [Oh, hello Rias! I thought you would've wanted some more alone time with Sora-kun~]

"He's not here. He never showed up." Rias corrected.

[Wha... What?] The sheer confusion in Akeno's voice was telling.

"I called his mother, they don't know where he is either. Get everyone together, we need to search the town now! Koneko and Kiba will search the factory district. Meet me in the residential district!"

[Y-Yes, Buchou.]

They spent the entire night searching the town. Absolutely nothing, not a trace. They couldn't even find any Stray Devils, it was almost like the entire supernatural side of the town had gone completely dark.

Where on Earth could he be?

It wasn't until around four in the morning that they finally got a lead. They were combing over the town a second time when Koneko caught Sora's scent in the residential district where Rias and Akeno had checked prior. And they had tracked it to a house that belonged to one of their clients.

When Rias and Akeno got there, they saw Koneko incessantly ringing on the doorbell only to receive no response.

"Permission to break down the door, Buchou?" The shorter girl asked.

"Granted."

Bang!

The door flew off its hinges easily with Koneko's Rook strength.

They immediately stormed the house only to be met with the stench of blood and rot. Mutilated bodies littered the wall. Men, women, children. No one was spared. The house must've been used as the murderer's killing den for a while considering just how many people were here.

Kiba couldn't bear the sight any longer. "This is...horrible." And for Kiba, wasn't that saying a lot?

"Upstairs..." Koneko directed, her voice hollow.

Wordlessly, everyone followed the petite girl up the stairs. She stopped in front of the door that was presumably the master bedroom. Rias reached out her hand for the doorknob, but Koneko grabbed her arm.

They looked at each other silently.

Koneko's face held a deep sadness. Like she was already mourning.

No...

No, it wouldn't come to that!

She'd open this door, and they would waste whatever Stray that thought it could mess with her Sora!

She opened the door.

They would...

They were hit by the pungent smell of dried blood.

Rias's mind could not comprehend the sight in front of her. Not at first. Her mind desperately tried to deny the sight she so clearly saw before her.

He was a tall young man, his hands and feet nailed to the wall in a brutal mockery of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The Kuoh Academy uniform he wore was soaked in blood. The lacerations across his arms and legs were too numerous to count, and his torso was absolutely littered with knives and sharpened implements.

Above his head was written, most likely in his own blood: He cried out for help. You never came.

And his face...

His black hair soaked in his own dried blood stuck to his face; a single, blue, lifeless eye stared back at them, peering through the blood and hair.