DxD: Ascension - Redux

Chapter 19: The Dhampir Bishop

Old Schoolhouse

The Occult Research Club stood in front of a pair of closed doors. They were boarded up, the handles were chained together, and covered in bright yellow caution tape.
"In here?" Issei asked.
"This is where your other Bishop is?" Asia stepped closer to the door.
Rias nodded, explaining the situation: "Last night, my brother insisted that I release the seal and allow the Bishop to leave this room. I'm not sure why, but the Bishop refused."
"They're a shut-in. Literally," Issei commented.
"It's a shame, too. The child used to be the best earner we had," Akeno recalled.
"They made special contracts," Kiba added. "All of them were through a computer."
"Then this kid's power must be incredibly dangerous," Xenovia guessed.
A crimson magic circle formed, floating just in front of the doors. In a flash of light, the restraints on the doors dissolved into red light and disappeared.
"Let's hope this goes well," Rias muttered as she opened the doors. As the light from the hallway flooded into the dark room, a shriek rang out from within. Nevertheless, Rias remained patient. "Hello. I'm glad to see you're doing well."
"I-I don't understand what's going on!" an androgynous voice cried. The voice appeared to come from a small coffin in the center of the room.
"The seal has been broken, so you can come with us now," Rias continued.
Akeno removed the coffin's lid gently, revealing the person within: an adorable, young devil with short blonde hair, pointed ears, and pink eyes. "No! I don't wanna ever leave here!" she complained. "The outside is too scary!" She turned over onto her back, revealing an oddly flat chest.
"Wow!" Issei was amazed. "She's just a little girl! Are all Bishops cute blondes or something?" He noticed Kiba failing to hide his laughter. "Hey, what's so funny?"
Rias smiled. "This child is a boy. He may look feminine, but trust me. He is most definitely a little boy." She put her hands on the boy's shoulders. "Everyone, say hello to Gasper Vladi, my first Bishop. He's a first-year student. And before I had the honor of making him a devil, he was half human and half vampire."
Zach shuddered, putting a hand over the side of his throat instinctively but staying silent.
"Y-you've gotta be kidding me!" Issei exclaimed.

BGM: Persona 5 - Wicked Plan

Issei stared at all the incredibly feminine decorations in the room, still in utter disbelief. "The Bishop's not a girl?! Oh God, why have you forsaken me?" he cried before turning his attention to Gasper directly. "You look way too hot in girls' clothes, dude! And if you don't go anywhere, who're you dressing for?!"
"Um, f-for me, I guess," Gasper answered awkwardly. "I just think these clothes are cuter, that's all."
"Ugh, don't pull that adorable shit on me!" Issei sank to his knees. "When I first saw you, it was like a dream come true! Two beautiful, blonde, bombshell Bishops..."
"He's still all those things, you know," Koneko pointed out. "He's just a boy."
Rias knelt next to Gasper's coffin. "Hey Gasper, how about you come outside with us now?"
Gasper shook his head vigorously. "I don't wanna, please don't make me!"
Issei sighed. "C'mon, dude, you heard the lady. Let's go." He put his hand on Gasper's wrist with the intention of bringing him out of the room.
With a yelp and in a flash of dark purple light, Gasper was gone. Zach immediately turned to focus on the right-hand wall of the room, where Gasper had appeared.
"I'm sorry I made you mad!" the vampire whimpered. "Please don't hit me, I didn't mean it!"
"D-did you guys get a weird feeling just now, or was that just me?" Asia asked, shivering.
Xenovia nodded. "I did too, and I'm pretty sure he's behind it."
"It's Forbidden Balor View," Akeno said. "It's Gasper's Sacred Gear."
"Za War-" Zach began.
"Don't you dare finish that name," Koneko interrupted him.
"When he gets too excited, he can stop whatever he happens to be looking at for a certain amount of time," Koneko added. "But he can't control it, so Sirzechs decided it would be safest to seal him away here as a precaution."
"On top of that, his ability grows stronger unconsciously, so there's a distinct possibility it could become a Balance Breaker," Rias continued.
"Isn't that a good thing?" Issei asked.
The group's attention was drawn to a closed cardboard box in the corner of the room. The soft sound of a person whimpering came from within. "I don't like when you guys talk about me like I'm not here," Gasper complained. "Why can't you just ignore that I'm alive like normal?"
"You're not very good at hiding, dude." Issei walked to the box and tapped it with his foot. "Come on out already!"
"I'm not hiding, I'd just rather be a Gasper-in-a-box than be around you guys!"
"A shy guy, huh?"
Akeno glanced at the clock. "Rias, I think it's time for us to go."
Rias looked up. "Oh, you're right. If you'll excuse us, Akeno and I have to go to a meeting about getting ready for the leaders' summit. And Kiba, my brother said he'd like to know more about your Balance Breaker. If you're free, I'd like you to come with us." She received her reply from Kiba in a silent nod. A magic circle formed beneath them. "Thank you. Everyone else, I need you to handle Gasper's training until we return."
"How do you expect us to do that?" Issei asked. Before he could get a reply, Rias, Akeno, and Kiba disappeared. "...Great."