hollow with a heart (re-write)

part 31: not going to happen.

Issei, Ravel, Kuroka and his old team except for Rias were in his house waiting for the higher ups to send the intel.

Issei: so Akeno how's college?

Akeno: it's shit. We can barely sleep for more than a few hours...

Issei: then why not use a little magic here and there?

Akeno: we did....a lot... It's not enough.. but we powered through, you and the others helped out. Thank you, all of you.

Xenovia: just doing our part. You would have done the same for us.

Akeno: hey I gotta ask, who made the American style french toast? It was so good.

Issei: that would be me, I wanted to try something new.

Akeno: you didn't just make it for me, you made enough for Rias too.

Issei: she was looking weak, her family has been through enough, if she got sick then it'll hurt them even more.

Akeno: is that the main reason?

Issei: yeah, why do you ask?

Akeno: you really don't care about her?

Issei: just enough to make sure she's alive, her family has been very kind to us and see us as their own including me despite how things ended between her and I. I just want to do right by them. I do what I can to make sure she's alive. Two birds with one stone.

Akeno: what about her emotional state?

Issei: I'm not the one to help her when I'm not exactly the picture of mental health.

Akeno: contrary to the evidence.

Issei: ??

Akeno: you're emotionally stable, happier, I see you smile a lot more, you created a new sport, opened up a Cafe, got a few chaos brigade members to join us, you beat Cao Cao single handedly. No one could have done that without being sound minded. What's your secret?

Issei: it's Ahri..... she's the reason I'm doing better, we all are.

Akeno: I know, you two went on a trip together and the first thing you do as soon as you come home is scare us half to death.

Issei: that's her. She's in Kyoto right now and updating everyone on the situation....*sigh*.. I miss her already. So tell us, how were the parties?

Akeno: this is Japan, only adderall keeps us going. Should have gone abroad.

Asia: hey Issei how did you get Cao Cao to join us?

Kiba: yeah I'd like to know.

Rossweisse: same here.

Issei: well I asked Vali to send a note to him once the time was right, I called him out and made him lose composure. He thought he was a hero like his ancestor but I gave him a reality check, after his ego being broken he was willing to listen. He's in our side now.

Irina: like what happened to Riser.

Issei: yes, Cao Cao used his balance breaker but still couldn't fight since anger clouded his ability to think.

Kuroka: I heard that the spear's light burned devils, you were holding the spear when it was radiating it's holy Aura and you only had a few minor burns.

Everyone: what?!!?

Ravel: Issei how could you do something so stupid?

Issei: welcoming the light wasn't stupid...I did it once before.