DxD: Ascension - Redux

Chapter 50: Shutting Him Down

This chapter marks the beginning of Volume XI: The Big Apple. Enjoy!

Sona's Private Sauna

"So? When are you going to do it?" Rias asked, unwrapping the towel around herself.
Sona sighed as she also removed her towel and sat down. "Not preemptively. If he asks me out, I'll do what I have to. But not a moment before."
Rias crossed her legs. "Fair enough. But you know how boys can be with rejection. Make sure you're careful."
Sona chuckled. "I'm not a little girl getting chased around by Sairaorg anymore, Rias. I can take care of myself. Besides, Saji isn't that type of guy. He's respectful."
"I know he is. I don't mean to say he might do something to hurt you. I just mean he might not accept no for an answer. He's already proven to be more persistent than is probably healthy."
"Don't I know it," Sona agreed. "I'll tread carefully, don't worry. And if he needs to be put in his place, well... I'm his master first and foremost, even if we are good friends."
"That's true. What kind of punishment do you have in mind?"
"Nothing specific, not yet. I'd much rather not have to punish him at all."
"At any rate, what about Zach? Did you ask him yet?"
Sona blushed. "I texted him about it. He said yes. Haven't told him what we're doing yet, though."
"I'm sure he'll love it. He told me he hasn't been home for longer than a few minutes since he showed up here. What did you have planned?"
"Well, first things first..." Sona began.

Old School Building, Kuoh Academy (BGM: Persona 5 - My Homie)

"HA! Draw 4, loser!" Issei triumphantly threw down a +4 Uno card on the table between him and Zach. They'd been playing for almost thirty minutes with no winner. "And that's Uno for me!"
"Really, Issei?" Zach smirked his most smug smirk. "You thought you could beat me that easily? Well, since you forgot, I'll enlighten you. We have stacking allowed. Draw 8!" Zach slammed down a +4 of his own.
"Wh- no way! You've been saving that this whole time?!"
"I know you too well, Hyoudou. I had a feeling you'd try to +4 me when you were down to two cards, only for you to then change the color to whatever you currently have in your hand and immediately play it, seeing as drawing cards cancels my turn. So I hatched a scheme of my own. Now then. The color is blue!"
"I hate you so much," Issei whined as he drew eight cards, bringing him all the way back to nine. "Alright, what's your next move?"
"You'll never see it coming." Zach put down a blue skip. "Skip! Skip again!" He followed up with a red skip. "Draw two!" He played a red +2. "And that's Uno. And for my last card... well, Issei, I hate to break it to you, but I could've won even without the +2." He slammed down a wild card. "And that's the game!"
"You've gotta be fuckin' kidding me," Issei uttered, dumbstruck. "You've been scheming this whole time! You damned deceiver, letting me think I'd won!" He threw down his 9-card hand. "GG, dude. You weren't kidding when you said you're the Uno master."
"I never kid when it comes to dumb card games."
Their conversation was interrupted by someone rushing into the ORC's meeting room. Saji fell to his knees before them, out of breath. "You two... I need your help."
"What's up?" Zach helped Saji to his feet. "Something happen?"
"No, not yet. But I'm gonna do it. Today."
"...Do what?"
"You seriously gonna grow a pair and ask her?" Issei asked skeptically. "Been talking about it for weeks, with no action. Oh, that's right. We haven't told Zach yet."
"Told me what?"
"I'm gonna ask Sona out on a date," Saji announced, determination clear in his voice.
Zach raised an eyebrow. "You serious?"
"Deadly serious. I'm doing it tonight, when she assembles the peerage for our meeting. When it's over, I'll pop the question."
Zach snorted. "Good luck."
"What, you think I don't have a chance? Why?"
"Uh..." Zach chose not to tell the other boys that she'd asked him out. "Just a hunch. But maybe I'm wrong. Who knows? Give it your all, bud."
"I'm still confused, though. Why do you need us?" Issei scratched his head.
"You gotta help me come up with a way to ask. C'mon, I'm depending on you! You both have girlfriends, you've gotta have some insider knowledge! Zach, what'd you do?"
"To say I still have a girlfriend would be a lie. But Maddie and I both kinda already knew we liked each other, just didn't wanna admit it out of fear. So neither of us really had to confess to the other. We just had a very awkward conversation and admission of love once everything calmed down."
"Well, what about Irina? Everyone knows you're fooling around."
"We're not 'fooling around,' Saji. It's what we in the States call a situationship. But I didn't really do much of anything besides fight her once, save her life once, and just generally be her friend. And platonically share a bed with her once or twice. But that aside, she fell for me on her own."
"That's not helpful," Saji complained. "What about you, Issei? How'd you pull Rias?"
"Oh, it was simply adorable," Zach said before Issei could respond. "It was so heartfelt and sweet and-"
"Let me tell my own story, dude," Issei interrupted. "I pretty much just talked to her while we were alone. Told her exactly how I feel, and was lucky enough that she felt the same way. Got interrupted by this asshole and our friends-" he gestured at Zach. "-but in the end, turned out she'd been into me for a while."
"I don't need luck, Issei, I need a surefire method! She might kill me if she rejects me or something!" Saji thought for a moment. "Zach, do you know how to make a love potion? Or cast some kinda spell?"
"I reverse-engineered the potion after someone used one on me, so yeah, I know. But I'm not going to teach you." Zach crossed his arms. "Saji, you can't force a girl to love you with magic. That's wrong on so many levels. Ever heard of consent?"
Saji sighed. "Yeah, I know. Sorry for even bringing it up, I just... I dunno. I'm so scared that she'll say no, and I have no idea what I'll do with myself if she does."
"What you'll do is hold your head up high, accept her answer, and get on with your life." Zach put a hand on his shoulder. "We may live for thousands of years, but that's still too short to spend it moping around over a rejection from your high school crush."
"Wisdom of a sage, right there," Issei agreed. "If she says no, so what? You're a pretty cool dude, I'm sure there's at least a couple girls at school who'd love a shot at you."
"Yeah... yeah! That's right! I'm a goddamn stud!" Saji exclaimed.
"I wouldn't go that far," Zach said under his breath.
"Who cares if Sona wants to date me or not? I'll just move on to someone else!"
"That's the spirit!" Issei fist bumped Saji. "If she says no, just come see me, and we'll find you a girl that's sure to love you! Now chant with me, it'll get you pumped! Saji! Saji! Saji!" Issei continued to chant Saji's name, with Saji himself soon joining in.
"Uh. See you guys later," Zach said awkwardly as he teleported away.