Hard Work Beats Talent (High School DxD x OC)

Chapter 5: Ice Cream and A Plan of Dreams

The rest of the day passes by without anything else worthy of note happening, with the past couple of hours consisting of Koneko going from place to place with Ed waddling behind her like a newborn duckling as she introduced him to the school's facilities (and faculties if they just so happen to meet a teacher along the way). The headmaster was mysteriously absent, so they skipped the principal's office. Nearly the entire time, Ed reacted to each and every sight with open glee and excitement, even when said sight is something as mundane and commonplace as the classrooms.

"Why 'nearly'?", one might ask. That is because the only time during the tour where Ed drops his smile-and-thumbs-up combo and instead breaks into a crying fit of pure ecstasy is when Koneko let her rebellious tongue (that she never bothered to give obedience lessons to) runs loose and informed him her favorite spot on school grounds: the rooftops.

Thinking back to it, Koneko has to physically restrain her hand from giving herself a hard smack to the face. The one spot in the entire school where she could enjoy some much-needed solitude, and her big mouth just had to go ahead and tell the loudest and most intrusive person she knows where it is.

"Farewell, peace and quiet. You were... too beautiful for this world." Koneko quietly laments, knowing that a thirty-meter height and very few ledges to grab onto wouldn't do much to dissuade Ed from scaling the wall and pester her some more.

"Oh well, at least I get a free day out of all this." Koneko remarks, breathing in deeply and let her mind simmer in the reality that she doesn't have to do much today other than being Ed's guide. Getting assigned with what is colloquially known in Kuoh Academy as the 'extended welcoming ceremony', she is exempt from all the lessons for the day. It isn't a lot, but she suppose it is good enough compensation for her to deal with her friend's antics and keep the complaining down to a minimum.

Though the fact that Ed kept asking questions, both reasonable ("How long does a class went on, I wonder?") and ridiculous ("Can I lift the lockers in my free time? It would certainly help me build strength and cultivate the spirits of others through inspiration!"), throughout the entire process makes it extremely tempting for her to just ditch him and vacate the premises without looking back.

But a sense of duty and the power of their friendship kept her in place, and thus the beleaguered Nekoshou must endure these trials and tribulations:

"Fine colors these walls have, don't you agree? Say, rival, do you happen to know where I can seek out this particular brand of paint?" Asked Ed, as he ran his fingers along the walls of the art room.

"Rival, I detect the smell of leaves of the trees here to be particularly fresh, youthful and spirited! I believe I have never ask you this before, but what is your favorite specimen of plant? I feel quite partial to oak saplings, for the youthful spirit they embody in their infancy!" Asked Ed again, as he lowers his head to take a sniff from a nearby bush.

"Koneko, greatest rival of mine, will you be so kind as to identify for me the genus of the flowers that beautify the exuberantly green shrubbery of the school? It will be of great use increasing the range of my botanical knowledge and further expand my mind!" Asked Ed yet again, one arm wrapped around Koneko's shoulders and pulling her closer as he motions a hand towards a myriad of greenery that decorates several parts of the massive courtyard.

And the stream of pointless questions just keep piling on and on. So much so that, as a natural response to a potential cognitohazard that will inevitably cause her ears to bleed, she blocks him out and replaces his voice with a more pleasurable sound. A song, the purrings of a relaxed cat, anything at all!

Just.

To.

Stop.

Hearing.

His voice.

Alas, this only work for all of two minutes before Ed's mouth yammering on and on wears down her psyche again and once more her delicate ears are assaulted with idiotic questions.

"Koneko, my rival-"

"What is it?!" Snapped Koneko, turning to Ed with an irritated huff now that she's at her wits' end. It was not at all her intention to snap at somebody like that, Ed least of all, but the white-haired Nekoshou is just so inexorably, utterly annoyed by the auditory torture she is being subjected through that her weary nerves simply could not came up with a calmer response.

"We have arrived at the Student Council office once again!"

Turning her head to one side, Koneko looks up and... exactly like what he just said, they have made a full circle around school andnb had returned to the front door of the office in question. She sucked in a sharp breath, but said nothing as she twist the handle and hold the door open for Ed. "In you go." Again, she did not mean to be so snappy, but all Koneko wants right now is some time for herself to dunk her head into a bucket of icy water, preferably with some parfaits on the side to cool down after this tiresome day.

Like always and evermore, Ed replies with a genuine smile that would easily obliterate most of her bad mood. Not that she'd let it be shown. "Why, thank you my rival! Your chivalry and constancy make even the honorable knights of old green with envy!" He said, giving Koneko a courteous bow to which the Nekoshou merely reciprocates with a curt nod before turning around to leave.

But just as she takes another step however, Ed's large hand land atop her right shoulder. "Wait! Before you leave, may I make a request?"

"Yeah?" Swatting his hand off, albeit gently, she turns around to look up the much taller Ed.

"Could you perhaps wait for me at the gate? There is something I wish to show you once school is finished!"

Koneko doesn't know whether to blame her heart or her head, because she finds herself nodding despite having been exposed enough to Ed's... Ed-ness to last her an entire week. Any more and she may just come down with a case of the freshly-coined Acute Spirit Poisoning, chief symptom being: finding the things that Ed do to be socially acceptable and not out of the ordinary at all.

Oh, she is probably falling ill with that already. Does a treatment exist? Or will she be the helpless patient zero, unable to do much but to succumb to her sickness and become another instance of Ed's overzealous spiritedness?

...Or maybe she just wanted to spend more time with him. As friends, and nothing more. "I don't see why not." Even if she is sick with an entirely fictitious condition, it probably won't be as bad with Ed by her side, despite him being the cause of her (admittedly) insignificant troubles.

"Excellent! Until then, my most spirited rival, we shall part ways!" With no small amount of fervor, Ed marches headlong into the student council office, a gleeful smile rapidly spreading across his face.

"Right..." Koneko watches with little emotion as her boisterous friend disappears through the double doors, though her ears do twitch a bit upon hearing the loud greeting Ed delivers to the hapless Student Council president. The white-haired Nekoshou struggles to hold back a shudder: poor Sona's ears must have been devastated beyond repair.

But alas, there is little Koneko could do to help the Sitri heiress out, given how entering the office right now would equate to her own sensitive ears getting blasted by Ed's overdeveloped vocal cords. And so, muttering a silent apology that Sona would likely live out the rest of her life not hearing, Koneko turns around and leave for the front gate as requested by Ed.

-0-

RING-RING-RING!

Thus goes the bell, announcing the Kuoh Academy's student populace that schooltime has concluded. Like clockwork, the students pack their bags and begin leaving their respective classes in semi-disciplined groups.

With a spring in his step, a jolt in his back and a gleam in his smile, an ecstatic Ed skips through the hallway of Kuoh Academy, passing through the leaving students without a care in the world after exiting the Student Council office. If anything, the looks only prompted him to turn around and flashes his observers with his signature grin-and-thumbs-up combo that only ever succeeds in making his peers walk away with either awkward smiles or blank stares.

Ed, ever the delusional optimist, simply regards their body language as a positive one. "The coolness and spirit of my gestures must have been so awesome and inspiring, they could not help but vacate the presence to keep the heat of their own spirits under control!"

As the young martial artist approaches the stairs, he prepares himself to calmly walk down each step like a right and proper student that he now is...

Only for the familiar petite form of Koneko to enter the very corner of his peripheral vision.

Like a dog spotting a particularly thick and juicy femur, Ed halts in his tracks and, in a cartoonish motion where his upper half goes one way and his lower half the other, practically presses himself up against one of the windows along the hallway. There stood his dearest rival, leaning against the school gate with a look of bored indifference as she gazes at the skies.

However, Ed instead interprets that look in her eyes as one of annoyance rather than boredom. "Oh no! Have I truly kept her waiting for so long that irritation born of impatience has marred her youthful features? This cannot stand! My burning spirit never allows me to show up so late as to irritate others, my rival least of all!" Looking back at the stairs, then towards the windowsill, then back at the stairs again... an idea starts to bubble inside of Ed's mind. One of the traits that a great spirited warrior must have is punctuality; he must be economical with his time, no matter how much or how little.

So how will he be punctual about this? How will he, a young man whose spirit burns as bright as the great ball of fire that is the sun, reach Koneko as quickly and efficiently as possible without wasting any more time than necessary?

"I MUST DEFENESTRATE MYSELF!"

In front of at least a dozen students and teachers alike, Ed flips open the locks and pushes the window out before leaping through the windowsill without a whit of hesitation. A Good Samaritan breaks herself out of the prevailing bystander syndrome and tries to grab Ed by the scruff of his neck in an effort to save his life, but she was too late.

As he remains airborne, the fearless fool repositions his body so that both knees are squeezed as tightly against his stomach as possible, whereas his arms are outstretched so that wind resistance will damper the speed of his fall. Then, a mere few seconds later, Ed begins his brisk descent.

And so, he falls from a third-story height...

...before landing in a squatting pose with both feet flat on the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust in the process. The students surrounding the landing site gasp in shock and horror, with some even rushing in to assist whom they believe to have just crippled himself by jumping out of a window.

Much to their surprise, however, as when the screen of dust clears it reveals not an agonising Ed with both of his legs a broken, bloody mess, but rather a smiling Ed with not a wound to be seen on his toned legs or the rest of his body. In fact, he doesn't even look like he's uncomfortable, let alone in pain.

Standing back up and brushing off the scant amounts of dirt gathered around the bottom of his pants, Ed waves at his short-statured rival and runs over to her, completely oblivious to the wide-eyed stares that all but shows that he has just ousted himself as a genuine superhuman amongst man.

"My greatest rival!" Ed loudly announces as he sprints towards Koneko, before coming to a dead stop and bows down right in front of her. His face was scrunched up in pure remorse, and he looks as if he was on the verge of tears. "My utmost apologies for making you wait such an exhausting amount of time! It is absolutely inexcusable of me, for I did not expect my talk with miss Shitori to take so long! As penance for this grievous mistake of mine, I shall run a hundred laps around Kuoh blindfolded with 100-kilo weights tied to my fingers-"

Before he could finish the description of his self-inflicted punishment and carry it out afterwards, Koneko puts a stop to it with a single knuckle tap to his forehead. It was already embarrassing enough that he's saying all of this around so many people, but the fact that it is meant for her directly only exacerbates Koneko's shame; now she can't even pretend like she doesn't know him. "It's been ten minutes since you told me to wait here." Then, she crosses her arms. "And stop with the whole 'penance' stuff. You're overreacting."

"It is NOT meant to be hyperbole! I am simply following my personal code of honor!" Ed gasps and steps back with one hand on his chest, finding it unthinkable that the richly-deserved punishment/training he puts himself up to is considered an 'overreaction'. Though, in his attempt to retort, he sounds more miffed than offended.

"We're not living in the Edo period, and you're not a samurai." Koneko ruthlessly dismantles Ed's argument, her voice barely changing even a note. "If I don't think you need to be punished, then you don't need to."

"But it isn't just a matter of honor! It is a matter of reinforcing and bolstering my spirit as well, to show that my will is strong enough to adhere to my own rules without fail, every time!" Ed replies, heated fervor permeating his voice as he clenches his fists and gazes skyward. If his passionate spirit were to become corporeal, Ed would no doubt be set alight with the intensity of a star.

"You could have used the stairs."

"But that would mean an extra ten seconds just to traverse the stairs! Ten seconds too late to meet you, my rival!"

Koneko opens her mouth with the intent to make a sarcastic riposte, but relented upon realizing that getting into an argument with a wordsmith of Ed's level is no more than a pointless struggle. "Of course, of course. Anyway, what did you want to show me?" And thus, she changes the topic.

"Oh! Goodness me, I somehow completely forgotten about that! My apologies once more!" Like an invisible switch being flipped, Ed snaps right back into his usual cheerful disposition, scratching his bandanna-wrapped head in a sheepish manner. "I was planning to fulfill the promise I made to you if you were to act as my guide!"

"You mean...?"

"That's right! Your unique, exquisite, one-and-only frozen dessert of choice... ice cream!"

Now it's Koneko's turn to say 'Oh', because almost an entire day of having to show Ed around school has overtaxed her brain to the point that the little promise they made has completely slipped from her memory. While she would not have faulted Ed if he were to forgot, she would be lying to herself if she said she wasn't somewhat elated at the prospect of satisfying a sweet tooth.

But before all that, Koneko decides to brush up her subpar teasing skills to mess with Ed a bit, if only to get back at the mental torture he had put her through today. "And here I thought you had forgotten all about it."

"Me?! Forgotten about a promise?! NEVER!" While everybody else would have shrug it off or give a self-deprecating laugh, Ed looks positively distraught at the mere thought of disappointing someone he has made a promise to. To him, breaking a promise with just about anyone is enough to send the young man into a fit of paralysing despair, and moreso when said 'anyone' is his fated rival. "I did not forget! It was... something else occupies my mind at that moment, is all!"

"Are you sure? Sounds like forgetting to me." Showing no mercy, Koneko continues wearing a mask of skepticism, knowing full well of the power she truly possess over Ed.

"I- No! Y-You see, I was remembering the promise of ice cream with absolute clarity! But then I notice your presence at the gate and, upon seeing the negative connotations of your facial expression, I was so overcome with worry that I may have taken too long that my main objective in this afternoon was temporarily pushed out of my conscious thoughts!" Ed explains in his signature overly-wordy manner of speech, a hint of panic present in his voice. "It was, without a doubt, an accident! I swear on the honesty granted to me by my burning spirit!"

"Mmm..." Koneko presses a finger against her chin, feigning contemplation.

Ed leans closer to his Nekoshou rival and friend, nodding incessantly with a hopeful expression.

"Nope. That just sounds like excuses to me. You're not being a very good rival, you know, forgetting your promises like this."

After her response take approximately a fraction of a second for his brain to process, Koneko witnesses Ed figuratively and literally crumbles before her eyes in a mix of sheer guilt and desperation. Dropping down to his knees, Ed smashes his forehead against the concrete ground with a force resounding enough to make a small crack. "MY GREATEST RIVAL! PLEASE, ACCEPT MY UTTERMOST APOLOGY! I DID NOT MEANT FOR SUCH AN IMPORTANT MEMORY TO ESCAPE THE GRASP OF MY MIND! I CLEARLY HAVE NOT TRAINED MY MENTAL FACULTIES SUFFICIENTLY ENOUGH! PLEASE, I-"

"Okay, okay. Apology accepted." As much as she would like to continue abusing his gullibility, Koneko stops herself before the joke ceases to be funny. And besides, there's a certain limit to the volume of sound her ears could take before permanent hearing loss settles in. "I can tell you're sorry."

"J-Just like that?" Asked an incredulous Ed, who once again finds himself surprised by the vastness of Koneko's magnanimity. While he has nothing but respect for her willingness to forgive such a grievous mistake on his end, he cannot allow himself to be let off the hook so easily. "My spirit does not allow me to accept your forgiveness so shamelessly! I must do something, anything, to redeem myself in the eyes of my greatest rival!"

"Well, for starters, you can take me to get ice cream." Koneko said, voice as deadpan as always.

"That is my goal to begin with! No, no... I have to do something else for you that carries the same weight!" Jumping up from his prostrating form, Ed wipes off the tiny specks of smashed concrete stuck to a reddening spot on his forehead and tries to brainstorm an idea that will serve his current objective: help Koneko in kind to reclaim his honor! Koneko had chastise him in the past for taking things a bit too seriously, but to him, a promise is a matter of life and death, and breaking or even forgetting about one is worthy of a hundred punishments!

After several seconds worth of shifting the rusty gears of his brain into overdrive, a genius idea struck Ed as a metaphorical light bulb briefly flashes back to life above his head. Turning to his so-called rival with a grin so bright it could double as a flashlight in a pinch, Ed beckons a hand at Koneko. "My dear rival, after spending the majority of our time at school providing me guidance with such focus and dutifulness, surely you must be quite tired?"

Koneko's seventh sense, developed specifically to deal with her friend in blue, instantly flares up in suspicion that he is about to do something amazingly embarrassing and equal parts heartwarming. "...Yeah?"

But just this once, since he's already agreed to take her to get ice cream, she is willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and listen to what he has to say.

"Exactly! Since you are currently not at your physical and mental peak, your overall well-being has been reduced! Even walking must have felt rather taxing! And that is why..."

And then, before Koneko could even register any kind of movement aside from a brief flash of violet, Ed has somehow appeared behind her, grabbed her by the waist before hauling her atop his shoulders. Both of her legs are parted and resting on each shoulder, which means that the only thing preventing her sensitive spot from coming in full contact with the back of his head is her flimsy school-provided skirt. Her exposed thighs, however, are squished against his cheeks.

All of this, combined with the uniform's skirt being so short that all it takes given her position is a slight gust of wind to reveal her butt for all the world to see, is more than enough to dye her face in a light shade of crimson. "E-Ed! What the hell are you-"

"What else, rival? I am offering you a first-class seat on the elite, never-before-seen ride that is the Edmobile! Powered by youthful spirit, made of muscles and forged in the fires of training, the Edmobile shall take you anywhere, anytime!" Mimicking the noise of an engine revving up, Ed hops up and down to help his legs warm up, accidentally causing Koneko's skirt to hike up in the process.

"Ed, people are-" The flustered Koneko turns around to see that more than a few boys have begin eyeing her, and with a glare that could freeze entire oceans, drive them away. "People are staring!" She hisses at him, looking down on Ed's bandanna-covered dome.

"Let them look all they want!" Come Ed's response, which promptly makes his rival gawk in astonishment. "They are just in awe of the cameraderie between rivals! Even though we are competitors in all facets of life, we would still help one another when in need! That is the true, spirited and honorable rivalry that you and I have!"

Koneko was moments away from knocking Ed out with a swift hammerfist to the head or just choke him into unconsciousness with her thighs, but stops herself upon hearing of Ed's entirely non-perverted reasons for putting her in such a position. As much as she would like to slap him and then hide in a hole elsewhere from the shame of having so much skin exposed, Ed's innocently naive view towards things and acts that most would regard as touchy or intimate makes it almost endearing to her.

Almost. It isn't so endearing that she won't chew him out for it later.

But still... sweet Satan on a crutch, her case of Acute Spirit Poisoning must have been really severe if she is actually putting up with his blatant invasion of her personal space. In fact, aside from the sensation of his head sandwiched between her thighs and the knot of his bandanna slightly bumping against her crotch, she could still feel the way his big, strong hands groped her waist like she was no more than a doll, ready to be played with-

"Note to self, spend as little time around the pervert as possible." Koneko mentally reminds herself as she shakes her head, blaming the newest addition to the peerage for these strange thoughts whenever Ed is in close proximity. "He's giving me the pervert flu. These things never crossed my mind even once, so why now...?"

While Koneko struggles to sort out her rebellious feelings, Ed has finished warming up his leg muscles and is now adopting a starting position. "Hold on tight, my rival! The trip to the nearest parlor shall be a short one!" Having said that, Ed flexes his fingers before placing his hands atop the Nekomata's knees and hold them in place. "Here we-"

"Huh?"

"GO!"

With a gleeful smile and without any further warning to Koneko, Ed dashes forward and into the distance beyond the gate like a sprinting cheetah. Meanwhile, in spite of her impassive expression, Koneko clung onto Ed for dear life with both arms wrapped under his chin. She would have told him to slow down, if not for the wind billowing around them drowning out her voice, no thanks to the sheer velocity of which Ed is carrying her at which could easily outstrip a speeding moped.

Rapidly approaching a corner, Ed makes a left turn.

Reaching a dead end, he proceeds to vault over it and drop into private property, where he and Koneko are promptly accosted by an ill-tempered Akita. However, no dog could match the pace of Ed's legs and they easily escaped, though not without giving the Nekoshou a bit of a fright in the process.

Coming to a stop at an intersection, Ed's eyes darted left and right, before deciding that the most reasonable course of action when facing with such directional dilemma is by scaling the nearest building. Koneko could barely get a word in edgewise as Ed limbers up his arms and starts climbing up a three-story house like it's not a big deal to be invading other people's property and treating it like a part of an obstacle course.

Upon reaching the roof, Ed goes through with the sane act of jumping off and landing on a different street, before running off again with no visible loss in stamina.

Running past a convenience store, Ed almost stops but ultimately determines that the place isn't the one he is searching for, and keeps on running. "Too generalistic!", he says.

Then, a bar. "I need ice cream, not alcohol!", he declares obviously.

Then, he vaults over somebody else's wall and apologize to the very much confused homeowner as he zips past the man. "My most sincere sorries!", he claims.

And then-

"ED!"

Koneko rarely, if ever, raises her voice, but the scant few times she does, it is just loud enough to break through the noisy wind and catches the attention of Ed's ears, prompting the spirited martial artist to slow down to a light jog instead so he could hear her properly. "Yes, my rival?"

"Do you know where we're going?" It's a question that Koneko is tentatively sure she knows the answer to, but still wants confirmation from the subject himself. It has been twenty minutes, and a sneaking suspicion tells the Nekoshou that Ed actually has no idea where they are going.

"I do!" Ed replies with a smile and a thumbs-up, a gesture so synonymous with him that Koneko pretty much expects it by this point. "We are heading towards an ice cream parlor!"

It doesn't answer her question, however. "And do you know where that is?"

And with an even bigger smile... "I do not! But it is of no great trouble! I shall scour this town from top to bottom until I find us an ice cream parlor! A man with spirit as great as I will never give up until the task is done!"

His legs propelling him faster by the second, Ed went from a jog to a run once more, letting a poker-faced Koneko to stare at him as he sprints across streets and invade others' private property again.

Shocked into silence by his sheer lack of common sense, Koneko stares down at him for an entire minute, her hazel eyes narrowing as time passes before she lets out an annoyed exhale. Grabbing the hands holding her knees in place with hers, Koneko wrestles them away. With her legs now free, she vaults backwards with both legs spread in a fashion worthy of a professional gymnast.

Then, with one hand, she grabs onto Ed's ear and pulls him downwards with considerable force, completely killing the spirited young man's momentum and forcing him to land on his back whereas she landed on her feet. However, Koneko did make sure to use just enough strength as to not rip his ear off by accident.

"ACK!" Grunted Ed, feeling the air being forcefully expelled from his lungs as he falls. "W-What is the meaning of this, my rival?!"

"You're wasting time," Koneko answers him with nary an emotion in her voice, save for a tiny bit of frustration and lingering embarrassment from having her skirt hiked up so far for so long. "Come on. I know a place."

Ed hops back up to his feet, his face slowly turning as red as the ear he's clutching. Of all the humiliation his spirit has endured, being helped by the person he's supposed to be helping is quite possibly the greatest shame he could ever experience. The fact that this person is his sworn rival, his greatest competitor and friend in life only exacerbates his embarrassment.

He tried, by God he tried, to mask his lack of geographical knowledge with sheer perseverance, but it could only take him so far. Tears start gathering around Ed's eyes as he berates himself for his inexperience with Kuoh Town. "That does it! Once I arrive home, I shall study the map of Kuoh until I have memorized every nook and cranny of this place! Then, I shall train with Ophis-sensei until my body no longer listens to me!"

But before he could fully devote himself to undertaking such an arduous self-imposed challenge, he needs to know something first. "May I still be the one to handle the monetary requirements?"

Koneko merely shrugs, looking back at him. "It's your promise."

Ed closes his eyes as a breath of palpable relief escapes him. The responsibility of paying still goes to him, so his honor has been restored by a small amount. And with his shame slightly alleviated, Ed thinks it only makes sense to alleviate his punishment somewhat. "And make sure to get at least four hours of sleep."

After another eardrum-rattling apology and bowing low enough to fold himself in half like a chair, Ed follows her, making sure to remember every step he takes and every single detail of the way there so that he will always know where to go.

After just five minutes of walking, they arrived. In many ways, it is the typical establishment whose primary focus is on frozen treats: air conditioners running at full blast, a colorful sign with bold letters to attract the attention of sugar-loving children and a frozen display of trays after trays of flavors. Not only that, but a closer look behind the display shows that milkshakes, yogurts and cakes are on the menu as well.

All in all, it's a sight that makes Koneko drool a river, her sweet tooth aching for a taste.

But to Ed, it's a sight that sends shivers up his spine and cause his body to actively produce insulin in anticipation. The sugar...

The essence of sugar radiating from this place...

Oh, it is tremendous!

There is so much sugar, his heart might just give out from looking alone!

"I-I understand your fascination with desserts, my rival, but are you sure this is a healthy diet? Are you taking in proteins, at least?" Ed couldn't help but voice his concerns to Koneko, tapping his fingers together in an uncharacteristic way. As someone who grew up with nothing but meat, vegetables and water (coldness optional) to build his spirited muscles, the sight and smell of sugary foods is practically kryptonite to Ed.

Not to mention, all the horror stories of the sugar-induced obesity his master have told him as bedtime stories only further reinforces his aversion.

"What's it to you?" Koneko, perhaps sensing that Ed may have some negative views towards confectionary, immediately becomes defensive. One can insult or demean her all they like, but insulting her sweets or being a pervert? They better run before she turns them into a chalk outline. "Backing out of our promise now?"

"I would NEVER! It's just that your consumption of sugar has always been unreasonably gigantic! I was concerned for you when we were children, and I am still now!" To show her just how worried he is, Ed performs a dramatically slow pirouette with eyes closed and one hand holding his chest.

"Huh." Ed Sakari, the guy who punched a boulder until every bone in his hands break, trained so much that his social life is nonexistent and very recently climbed atop other people's houses instead of using the streets like a sane human being, is calling her unreasonable. The more Koneko thought about it, the more ironic it sounds. "That's rich, coming from you."

"Rich? Thank you for the compliment!" Whether or not her snarky comment was caught or flew over Ed's head is left ambiguous, as Ed's only response is yet another thumbs-up complimented with a dazzling smile. "Though I must admit, my current financial status is rather dire..."

"Does that sound like a compliment?"

"It sure does! After all, 'rich' is a positive adjective, no?"

"...Whatever."

As the duo continue conversing about the topic of sweets and how much is too much sweets, with Koneko occasionally lobbing an insult at Ed who merely laughs it off, they fail to notice that the owner of the parlor is now leaning forward from his place at the display. "Hello, roro."

The presence of a third voice garners the attention of both the Nekoshou and the human with effortless ease. Turning around, Koneko and Ed are greeted with the sight of a tall man in his mid-forties with a full beard, a white shirt with red stripes and a black bowtie that looks almost tiny against his thick neck, all capped off with a rainbow-patterned cap. In contrast to his comical appearance however, his teal eyes look positively world-weary.

Curiously enough, he wears thick leather gloves which obscure any and all detail of his hands, aside from the fact that they appear to be large.

"Welcome to Goro's Glucose Goodness, what would you like to order?" While one would expect the owner of an establishment with a customer base of mostly young children to have a lighter tone, the man sounds as if he is one wind-up music box away from falling asleep.

Only a second of silence passes by when Ed starts to talk again. "Ah, salutations my good sir!" Ed takes a second look at his apparel, then at the sign above the parlor before smiling. "You must be the owner of this fine and spirited establishment?"

"That would be me, roro." The parlor's owner replies in an inexpressive voice, albeit with the odd 'roro' word finishing his sentence.

"Then allow me to extend a formal greeting and a show of gratitude for having entertained and serviced many children and sweet lovers over the years, sir Goro!" Excluding himself, for obvious reasons. "And also, my apologies for not noticing your presence earlier. Me and my rival were having a very spirited conversation, you see!"

"I can very well see that, roro. You are not being exactly quiet, either." Comes the man's kurt response, his face easily giving Koneko a run for her money in the arts of poker-facemaking. Not quite on the same level as his Ophis-sensei, but impressive nonetheless. "And my name is not Goro."

"O-Oh? But the sign-"

"Goro is my brother, actually. I am taking care of the place in his absence, roro."

"Ah, I see! Then you are-"

"Goro, roro."

A five-second pause goes by as Ed's brain tries to formulate some sense out of his reply, before opening his mouth. "...The both of you are named 'Goro'?"

"We are twins, roro. The reason I am speaking like this is to help people tell us two apart, roro."

"Oh, that makes so much sense! How come I did not think of that?"

"You couldn't have known, roro."

"But I SHOULD have! Goodness me, my capability of logical thinking leaves much to be desired."

"Logic isn't the be-all and end-all, roro. Sometimes, one must think outside the box to achieve a goal guarded by common sense, roro."

"That is true! But an excess of anything is a detriment, and thus an excess of flexibility breeds indiscipline. Some rigidity would help keep your mind and body in proper order. Instead of a plastic string that breaks, why not a plastic ruler that bends back in shape when needed?"

"I can see your reasoning, roro."

"I am glad that you do! But mister Goro, have you ever wondered as to how rulers, a symbol of the straight and narrow, can have an incarnation that is so free and nimble?"

"They can bend out of shape and will return to their original form when laid flat, roro. I believe it assists with measuring lengths which are more non-Euclidean in shape and form, roro."

"I see, I see... but what measures as 'non'-Euclidean, if I may ask?"

"If something is considered 'Euclidean', its geometry and shape follows the set of propositions that are based on the five postulates devised by Euclid, a famed Greek mathematician. A square would be an Euclidean shape, roro. A sphere would be non-Euclidean, roro."

"Hmm... I suppose that does make sense. But what does- mmph!"

Before Ed could finish his sentence that will no doubt continue the utterly pointless and abstract conversation, Koneko quickly puts a stop to it. She cannot believe that she, someone who had always pride herself as Ed's primary anchor in reality, allow him and the owner who seems weirdly tolerant of his antics to have this exchange for as long as it is. She never should have let it go on for so long, so theoretically speaking, it has already been infinite-percent too long.

So, with one hand covering Ed's tireless mouth, Koneko gives the slightly-bemused owner her best smile, which is baring her teeth in a way that doesn't make others think she's about to bite someone. "What he meant is that we're here for ice cream. That. Is. All." Putting in punctuations for emphasis, Koneko continues smiling at the man while Ed struggles against her iron grip on his lips.

"I can tell that was his original goal as well, roro. I am simply indulging the need to talk of a potential customer, roro. It helps maintain a veneer of approachability, improves customer relations and ensures loyalty, roro." The owner, now named Goro is quick to explain the reason behind his willingness to have a conversation with Ed that serves no real purpose. "Well, what will your orders be, roro?"

Thankful that the owner is an individual of extraordinary patience and simultaneously stamping her growing annoyance towards his verbal quirk, Koneko allows herself a moment of respite by breathing in and out slowly. Then, parting her lips, she starts to recite the particular combination of ice cream flavors she liked. "I would like-"

"QUADRUPLE-SCOOPED MINT CHOCOLATE AND ROCKY ROAD, WITH ALL THE SPRINKLES AT YOUR DISPOSAL ATOP!"

Ed beats her to it however, having managed to force her hand down for long enough to shout out the ice cream combo he committed to memory. Koneko again immediately silences him, though this time by impulse as she delivers a backhand strong enough to cause Ed to backflip several times in the air before finally crashing against the wall behind them, caking the area with a thin cloud of dust and plaster.

Seconds later, the Nekoshou realizes her mistake in that she has thoughtlessly subjected her friend to physical abuse when he has technically done nothing wrong aside from shouting her order, and as such quickly helps the disoriented Ed up. "You got my order, right?"

"I did, roro." Even after witnessing a tiny slip of a girl sending a taller, more well-built young man flying into a wall as if he weighed nothing, Goro's face remains stony. "Will he be alright, roro?"

"He lived through worse." She said to the owner, which prompted Ed to give a reassuring thumbs-up as well. He would have said something as well, but with Koneko having a vice grip on a particular sensitive spot on his body, he can't lest he gets pinched.

Now, broken bones he can endure. Ripped skin? No problem.

But getting pinched by Koneko? He would sooner take an Elephant Swing to the family jewels than putting himself through that level of agony again. The only other person who could replicate such pain into his nervous systems is Ophis-sensei, and she's in an entirely different league compared to his rival.

However, all of that is no longer of any importance once Goro (who keeps saying 'roro) comes back with an ice cream cone of epic proportions and legendary flavors. At the cost of making Ed's inventory 300 yen lighter (and subsequently rendering him broke), the Nekoshou finally gets to enjoy her ice cream.

It was so good that in fact, perhaps out of happiness and a bit of guilt for putting Ed through several instances of physical violence, Koneko offered her taller friend some. "Want some?" She offered, lips still slightly glossy with cream.

"Oh, I am fine!" Ed quickly replies. Perhaps, a little too quick. "You need not to worry about me! I have no desire to ever taste something so obscene anyway!"

'Obscene'? Who uses that word to describe ice cream? Either way, it isn't as if she is complaining about getting more for herself, even if Ed would never ask her or anyone else if he could have some. "That's fine. More for me."

As Koneko goes back to the task of licking the four scoops however, she fails to notice that Ed would occasionally steal glances at her, though moreso at the towering cone of ice cream.

"I wonder how it taste? Is it so good that people are willing to risk ruining their bodies over?"

But alas, the heat of his burning spirit means that Ed could never let himself go for long enough to taste it for himself. As such, the exotic flavor of ice cream will most likely remain forever unknown to the taste buds of Ed Sakari.

A modern tragedy. But as long as his rival eats it with happiness in her eyes, he too can tell that it must have tasted nice...

"But this is only the beginning!"

Little does the poor Nekomata know however, Ed's thoughts are actually far more sinister than the issue of ice cream and their tantalizing tastes.

"If she is happy now, then her joy would be exponentially higher by the time I follow through with my plan tomorrow. A plan so utterly devious that the revelations of it happening will sweep her clean off her feet! The ice cream is but a prelude - the full course of my scheme will bring her such indescribable delight that she will finally accept me as her eternal rival, and our rivalry will see new horizons!"

Just simply thinking about it has gotten him all giddy. So giddy, he didn't even notice that Koneko is sending him curious looks. "Just you wait, rival, just you wait! Once my plan for tomorrow morning has been carried out, the spirit that you kept hidden underneath a heart of ice will blaze like wildfire!"

-0-

"Class 2-C, class 2-C... where on earth could class 2-C be?!"

Thus spoke Ed Sakari, full of panic and confusion as he zooms past the hallways of Kuoh Academy like a squirrel juiced up on caffeine, checking each and every room he runs across. A duffel bag, kindly provided to him by Le Fay to store his school supplies, swings wildly up and down as he runs.

"AAAAAH!"

Thus spoke the school janitor, so surprised by Ed running past at speeds that would ended up sending her flying had the martial artist bumped into her (in fact, had she taken a single step forward, that would have happened) that she falls back butt-first onto her bucket, spilling the mixture of water and cleaning fluids everywhere. "Watch where you're going, ya damn brat!"

"My apologies, miss janitor! I would help if I can but I am on a very, very tight clock!"

And with that line delivered at breakneck speeds, he runs off again. He is done covering the first floor, so now, moving onto the second.

As he makes his way up the empty stairs, Ed couldn't help but felt a sharp tug in his heart for leaving the janitor to clean up the mess (of which he is indirectly responsible for) all on her own. As a man of vibrant, fiery spirit which always burst with fervor when helping those whose spirits are in dire straits, to abandon a soul in need like this pains him to no end.

But he can't afford to stop now! Not when he has barely five minutes left until class starts! Today is his first day with some actual studying involved, and to be late on his first real day of school would not only create a bad first impression with his teachers and his peers, but also spells bad luck for the rest of the year.

And he absolutely cannot have that! Had he taken Ophis-sensei's suggestion to rest early instead of sparring with her while blindfolded (and wearing clothes weighing as much as a small house) until past midnight, he wouldn't be waking up so late. "Through the power of spirit, I increase my speed!"

Increase his speed, he certainly did. So much so that it looked like there is a blur skipping past the hallways than an actual person.

Four minutes and thirty seconds later...

It takes commitment, it takes focus and it takes sheer will, but at last, Ed has finally found his class. After all, it only takes about twenty laps around the second floor until he realizes that he has ran past the classroom about, well, twenty times in a row. Oh well, at least he gets a bit of morning exercise out of it.

As one of Ed's tenets of conduct dictate: to achieve the epitome of mental and physical strength that he desires, one must always be the most severe on themselves. Which, of course, simply translates to Ed training his body and mind wherever and whenever possible. What he has just done now is a shining example of him following his personal code!

But that doesn't matter now! What does matter, is that he makes an entrance that will accurately portray his excellent spirit, his youthful determination and his willingness to work hard and improve himself in whatever ways possible.

After spending another twenty seconds checking his appearance, redoing all his buttons, smoothening his sleeves and fixing his collar so that not a single crease can be spotted, Ed takes a deep breath as he enters the classroom with only ten seconds to spare.

And how does he enter class? Well, like any other human being with a perfectly functional mind...

He cartwheels his way in, followed by a front flip before landing on both feet with a beaming smile. "Salutations, everybody! My name is Ed Sakari, hailing from the lovely region of Kyoto all the way to this excellent educational facility that I, from now on, will be sharing with the kindred spirits that are all of you!" Raising his hand towards the class, Ed gives a thumbs-up along with a smile that showcases the pearly teeth that he has painstakingly brushed until he ran out of toothpaste. "I do sincerely hope that you will all accept me as a part of this wonderful class, so that we can engage in wholehearted, spirited cooperation in order to get through a year full of trials and tribulations! Let's bolster each other's spirits in times of need so that we can all become the best versions of ourselves!"

The second his introductory speech is over, Ed strikes a pose of true and utter spirit: legs spread out, one hand behind his back with the other covering his face. "HAI!"

How exactly does this overly specific and odd pose symbolize the fierce heat and unrivaled intensity of his spirit, you may ask?

The answer is quite simple, really: because Ed certainly thought so, and therefore it must be true for the spirited martial artist's unbreakable optimism means that he is mostly immune to any form of self-doubt... even if said pose looks really, really stupid from outside view.

As Ed closes his eyes, he smiles in anticipation.

In a moment or two, the whole class will give him a standing ovation, having been so moved and inspired by his spirited speech and his exuberant personality that they couldn't help but feel their own spirits blazing with energy and enthusiasm as well.

Once their spirits has reached critical mass, the only way they can release the youthful energy building up within is to join Ed on the journey to become the best, most spirited versions of themselves-

"Sakari-san..."

"There it is! The inevitable compliment of how admirable and cool I am, and how my indomitable spirit is an inspiration for them all!"

"Are you quite finished?"

"What?"

"What?"

Opening his eyes, Ed turns toward the source of the voice, which seems to have come from the teacher: a mature woman in her early thirties with long black hair kept in a bun, who is looking at Ed with one eyebrow raised in waiting.

Then, he looks at the class. In total opposite to what he was hoping for, everybody's reactions range from apathetic gazes, to uncomfortable side-glances, to mocking giggles. The majority, however, sat in stunned silence. Not only do they have no idea how to actually respond to Ed's sheer energy, but also his 'spirited smile', which Ed has meant to be the brightest and most vibrant smile one could give, just comes off as creepy and deranged.

And thus, Ed has managed to induce the uncanny valley effect onto others in spite of being human himself. An impressive achievement, if not exactly what he is looking for.

"What is he on about?"

"Is this guy for real?"

"Wait wait, isn't that the same guy who walks on his hands yesterday?"

"That's him."

"You know, I actually welcomed the guy here. He's weird enough that none of the girls would ever look at him, so less competition for us!"

In no time at all, the class has begun muttering amongst themselves, with most of the comments coming from the boys who are glad that Ed will be a non-factor in their schemes of getting lucky. The girls, on the other hand, are either chuckling mirthily or noting on how Ed's unwavering enthusiasm is a bit awkward to handle.

"Hmm... it appears that their spirits are much weaker than what I assumed if my youthful and energetic speech did not do much to awaken them." Thought Ed with an analytical rub of his chin, as if he is trying to solve a science experiment gone wrong. The cold reception seems to have done little to dampen his spirit... but then again, most things fail to even affect it, let alone snuffing the fire of Ed's spirit out.

"Sakari-san?"

"But it is of no matter! All I need is to double my efforts next time, and by then, they would have gotten over the shock caused by the overwhelming heat and power of my spirit! That must have been why the reception to my spirited entrance is less than satisfactory!" Ed notes to himself with sparkles in his eyes, as if he has figured out the faults to said science experiment. The mere thought of that, just maybe, the lukewarm reaction isn't because of the class's lack of spirit but rather because of his own excess of spirit never once occurs to Ed.

"Sakari-san."

"But how am I going to do that? How can I make an already spirited introduction even more spirited?! Oh, that is it! I need to make my entrance extra dynamic with a Bombastic Intro! That will surely get them to-"

"SAKARI-SAN!"

Snapping out of his reverie thanks to the shrill exclamation, Ed glances at the teacher once again. If her face was one of mild disapproval earlier, she is definitely annoyed now. "Oh no! My period of contemplation has made me ignorant to the outside world!"

Filled with terrible remorse that he had been so oblivious towards the teacher, an individual that he should paid utmost respect to as a student, Ed leaps into the air again with his head almost touching the ceiling...

Before landing before her with his head and his knees on the ground in repentant prostration. "I apologize for my transgression! I was so utterly consumed by the heat of my youthful spirit and my fervor to spread its fire to the rest of your magnificent class that I forgot about the importance of your presence as well! As your student, this is disgraceful of me! Any punishment you give, I shall carry out without fail!"

The teacher, clearly not expecting Ed (or any student she has ever taught) to show her this level of self-condemnation if her shocked face is anything to go by, lowered herself so that she could be at eye-level with Ed. "Sakari-san, you don't have to make such a... scene. I can tell that you are sorry, so please stand up."

"Do you... really accept my apology so swiftly?" Ed looks up to her, tears already welling up in his eyes.

"It's not like there's something wrong with what you did... just, tone it down a little next time alright? I know you must have been very excited." The teacher, in spite of how out of her depth she is when it comes to dealing with Ed and the accompanying list of odd mannerisms a mile long, still finds it within her wealth of experience to at least try understanding him. "Come on, please stand up. I don't think a, uh, spirited person would be on their knees and be all sad like this."

Ed's eyes grow wide. Looking up higher so that their eyes meet, Ed outstretches his arms as to show his newfound reverence for this woman, no, this kindred spirit in skirt suit and black tights. Unlike the rest of the class, she has at least grasped the baseline philosophy of the power of spirit!

And that is to always stand up, no matter the odds or how far you have fallen! "YES! I thank you, miss, for having reminded me of the most basic principle a spirited soul like myself should have remembered!" Bouncing up from his kneeling position, Ed snatches her hand before giving it a vigorous shake, smiling as he remains blind to how he's worsening the teacher's prim and proper image with each shake. "AH! I haven't even asked for your name yet! Please, miss! Tell me the name that I can use to refer to a woman of spirit!"

"Y-y-y-y-you-ou-ou-ou c-c-can-an-an-an-"

"Oh! My apologies, once again! I truly don't know my own strength at times!"

"As I was saying..." Only after Ed lets go can she recollects herself enough to reply in a less disjointed manner. "You can call me Kuroki. I am your homeroom teacher." She said, all while trying to fix her hair into something more presentable than the current nest of crows it is right now.

"A spirited and meaningful name, miss Kuroki! It is more than fitting for someone as youthful in spirit and appearance as yourself!" Said Ed with nothing but genuine feelings, giving Kuroki a thumbs-up in addition to his compliment.

"Sakari-san! Um, you don't have to say that..." Despite having years of experience underneath her belt, Kuroki can't stop herself from blushing a bit. How could this have happened? This is a compliment coming from a student more than a decade her junior, not a handsome older man! But she has to point out... perhaps the reason isn't because of the compliment itself, but because of how utterly and truly honest Ed is. She could tell that his eyes betray no lies - after all, he is currently looking right into hers so it's a little hard not to look.

She almost felt young again.

"I only say the truth, miss Kuroki!" To respond to her humility, Ed's smile only brightens further.

"C-Class will be starting now!" Kuroki blurted out, partly to make Ed go away before her face turns even redder, and partly because half the class is staring at her. "Sakari-san, please take your seat next to Hyoudou-san. Third row, second seat."

Ed, either not knowing or not caring that he has nearly reduced his teacher to no more than a maidenly schoolgirl, gave her an OK sign instead. "Very well, miss Kuroki!"

Stretching his leg towards his lane, Ed takes one giant step...

And comes face-to-face with the young man whose spirit burns particularly hot when they first met that fateful night.

"Wha...?"

"Oh, it is you! Good morning. But now that I know your name..." A gleeful Ed grins at Issei. "Good morning, sir Hyoudou!"

A moment of crushing silence goes by as all eyes in class landed on Ed, newly-christened weirdo, and then Issei, notorious pervert. What could possibly be the relationship between these two? In the span of less than ten seconds, wild speculations have already circulate around class.

"Wha-" Bewildered by the mere sight of Ed, whom he and the peerage met no more than a week ago, Issei couldn't help but rubs his eyes again and again, hoping that he's just hallucinating. The weird stranger that boxed with Koneko and, more importantly, the one who gets to touch her all over without receiving so much as a punch, "What are you doing here?!"

"Why, to learn of course! To partake in this wonderful, spirited activity that I have unfortunately missed out during my childhood years!"

Needless to say, it was a hectic first day for Ed Sakari.

And he couldn't be any happier about it even if he wanted to.

After class...

"Page 55, 56 and 57 will be homework for today." Kuroki announces with a firm voice, scribbling said numbers onto the chalkboard so that those who couldn't hear her well still knows what to do. "And... class's dismissed. I will see you all tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow as well, miss Kuroki!" Most high school students would not even bother seeing their teacher out with a sentence as childishly, but then again, Ed is not like most. "Have a nice rest of the day, and be sure to drink plenty of water! I guarantee that your throat requires it! And please, get at least eight hours of sleep! I noticed the dark circles under your eyes and they are quite severe!"

Waving off the blushing woman again, a self-satisfied Ed raps his knuckles on the table. "So, sir Hyoudou!"

Hearing his name being said so loudly and suddenly, Issei almost jumped before realizing that it came from his new classmate. "Uh... yeah?"

"Do you have any further inquiry about today's lesson on arithmetics?"

"Oh, right! Nah, I'm good." Reminding himself that he's just getting jumpy for no reason, given how Ed has shown to be nothing but helpful towards him so far. "Thanks for helping me with the quiz, by the way. I'm kinda sucky when it comes to math..." Issei expresses his gratitude, with no small amount of awe. At first, he thought of Ed as just a kind, but simple-minded meathead. Who could have saw it coming that the guy can rapidly dissect equations like it's nothing?

"Ah, it is of no consequence! One as spirited as I am must always be willing to help out those in dire straits! After all, I have spent the prior week educating my mind with all the knowledge needed for me to catch up!" Ed boasted, a wide smile on his face as he fondly reminisces how the kindhearted Le Fay and her noble brother Arthur have pulled all-nighters just to help him to revise. "With such vast knowledge in my mind, it would be highly selfish and unspirited of me not to share!"

That was a lie.

To be specific, he isn't helping Issei merely out of the goodness of his heart.

But to call it a lie would be too heavy an accusation - perhaps, it would be more accurate to call it a truth and a half of lie. No, not even a half.

A cake of truth, with a tiny cherry of deception placed on top.

And why?

That is because, while Ed's act of offering Issei a hand to get through one of the most boring subjects on the planet is truly rooted in real kindness...

He also has an extra agenda. And by helping Issei, it will help his secret plan go much more smoothly.

"But this is only the first step of the plan," Ed thought to himself, making sure to look in the opposite direction so that Issei couldn't see the slightly shifty look in his eyes. "I will need to do much more if I wish to guarantee the success of my plan!"

Then, turning back to the very-much-confused pervert, Ed cracks an award-winning smile at him again. "I forgot to ask you, sir Hyoudou, but what is the name that your group of wonderful, spirited folks go by?"

"Well, we're Rias's pe-" Issei manages to stop his runaway mouth at the last second out of pure survival instinct, having trained himself to do so to avoid making overtly noisy comments when indulging in his voyeurism. That, and Rias having told him beforehand that their true identities must be kept a secret from the human populace. Issei isn't entirely sure whether or not Ed knows, but he rather not take his chances. "Peers! Yeah, we're her peers! I'm part of her... club. Yeah, a club."

"A club? How aesthetically youthful and spirited! An association of bright-minded connoisseurs converging together to dedicate themselves to a common interest! Now I truly have no doubt that you are one of tremendous spirit to be joining a club!" Ed raises a clenched fist with a gleeful smile, before bringing it down to give Issei a smack on the back. Unlike with the poor wall yesterday, Ed mindfully controlled his strength this time so that the pervert's spine won't get folded in half. "Does it have a name?"

"Oh, we're the, uh... Occult Research Club. We do researches." A five-second period of awkward silence assails upon the atmosphere, before Issei makes a fake cough. "On the occult. You know, stuff like ghosts, demons and whatnot."

"A most interesting name, with an even more intriguing subject matter! As a man of spirit, such topics have never once fail to arouse my attention!" Ed exclaims cheerfully, one hand on his chest as he leans nearer to Issei, who responds by putting up his hands in a futile attempt to establish private space. "Pray tell, are you heading to your clubroom after this class?"

"Definitely! Anything beats sitting in one spot 'til the bell rings, really." Issei at long last gets over the initial awkwardness to reply to Ed some degree of excitement, leaning back on his chair with relaxed smile. The smile, however, very rapidly morphs into one of drooling lust as the image of his King's majestic mammaries overrides any other cognitive process he may have had. "And besides... eheheheh..."

Ed is, as per usual, blissfully blind to the obscene desires written all over Issei's face. "To think, he still had so much spirit and energy as to attend club activities despite having to endure nearly an hour of a topic that does not bring him joy... that does it! I am more thrilled to execute my plan than ever before!" Mistaking perverted lust for wholesome enthusiasm, Ed only held back his own desire to embrace a fellow kindred spirit because he still has a plan to fulfill, both for himself and his rival.

And so, standing up, Ed extends a beckoning hand towards the still-fantasising Issei. "Well then, shall we get going?"

"Oh, right-" Issei stands up as well, albeit only halfway before he realizes something in Ed's words. "Wait, 'we'?"

"Yes, indeed! I shall accompany you on the way there, for I too have an important goal in mind that requires the involvement of the venerable leader of your club! But you have nothing to fear, for this goal is very much harmless and will not cause your leader any trouble! It does not involve any spirited showdowns nor physical confrontation! You have my word! I swear on the bright flames of my spirit that my goal is pure and just!" Proclaimed Ed, utilizing the time-favored tactic of 'talking so much your opponent can't come up with a response'. "In fact, everybody might just rejoice once my goal is accomplished!"

"...Mm." Issei stares at him with an expression of blank bewilderment, almost unable to form words. "Right."

"So, will you lead me there?" Ed asks, still smiling at Issei like an old friend. Not that he doesn't know the way to his rival's clubroom, given that he has committed the directions given to him by Sona to muscle memory, but having Issei willingly walk him there will increase the chances of his plan succeeding exponentially.

"I mean, sure? But..." Issei scratches the back of his head, visibly hesitating. Ed seems like a swell enough guy and doesn't look or act like much of a bad person from what he could see, but the fact that he felt the need to reassure that this goal of his definitely WON'T cause Rias any trouble is already enough grounds for suspicion. Why say something so weirdly specific?

However, he also helped Issei when he was struggling in this class, was never anything short of polite with him (even if he could really use a lesson on maintaining private space) and is overall a very friendly person that he almost couldn't imagine ever hurting a fly. 'Almost', because he was there to witness Ed squaring up with Koneko, and it is easily the most anime thing he has witnessed up until now (right next to waking up to a naked Rias). But even then, it appeared to be a rather chummy affair and Koneko doesn't even look hurt afterwards, so it's more of a spar between friends than an actual fight.

"Hmm?" Issei's enunciation of his reluctance prompts Ed to stick out his ear, a smile still plastered on his face.

All in all... Issei can say that Ed does not have any bad intentions, and whatever it is he's trying to accomplish would either be, at most, silly or well-meaning. At least from what he can tell from his observation of Ed's behavior as a human being yesterday, and Issei rarely ever observes anything that doesn't have to do with breasts.

Though, for whatever reason, Matsuda and Motohama very emphatically warned him to, quote, 'stay the fuck away from the new kid unless you want to die'. While he liked the guys and all, he has to admit that their ability to exaggerate can get really out of hand at times. Would a person who would, say, rip off heads with his bare hands be helping him through math?

...Actually, Ed could very well do that to him. It's all speculation on his end, but Issei is willing to give the guy the benefit of the doubt, if only out of gratitude for making sure that his report card by the end of the month won't look too abhorrent.

And besides, what is the worst that could happen? "Eh, it's nothing. Yeah, I'll take you there."

His words of approval earned another one of Ed's signature thumbs-ups. "Then there is no time no waste! Let's make our leave, sir Hyoudou!" Then, grabbing his bag, Ed gives Issei a two-finger salute as he quite literally bounces off his desk and out of the door. The pervert merely sighed before packing up his bag as well.

While waiting for Issei to leave, a giddy Ed couldn't help but shake his fists in glee. "The first phase of my plan is done, with spectacular results! Now..." Raising both hands into the air like that of an evil mastermind announcing his plans to take over the world, he lets out a maniacal laugh. "Let the second phase commence!"

Suppressing the villainous cackles down to a series of small giggles, Ed mentally recalls all the steps of the second phase of his plan before cracking another grin by the time Issei goes through the door to meet him. "My spirited heart can hardly wait! Come and lead the way, sir Hyoudou!"

"Jeez, I get it! Slow down." Issei snaps at him as he fixes his shoes, annoyance present in his tone. However, he cools down just quickly enough to ask Ed a question as the two of them head towards the disused schoolhouse. "So... what do you wanna meet our president for?"

"Ah, I see you are curious! Unfortunately, sir Hyoudou, that is a secret I cannot tell you for the time being!" Said Ed, twirling a finger in the air. "But rest assured, for you shall see soon enough of what the full scope of my plan entails!"

"Right..." Ed dodging his question with the age-old tactic of 'it's a secret' raises his suspicions ever so slightly, but not enough for him to start prying for more. If nothing else, he can respect a secret and the need to keep it hidden.

After that, the two continued their journey in mostly silence, with Issei only occasionally shooting a glance or two at the still-grinning Ed.

"SIR HYOUDOU!"

Then out of nowhere, Ed breaks the looming quietude with a booming call of Issei's last name, making the pervert leaping to the side in fright. "AGH!" Realizing that it's practically Ed's way of calling him by this point, he calms down almost immediately. "Y-Yeah?"

"This 'Rias' individual... I assume she is the leader of this spirited club you are a part of?"

Oh. Turns out, it is just a normal question. No reason for Issei's nerves to go all over the place. But still, one can't fault him for reacting that way given how eardrum-burstingly loud Ed was. "Uh, she is. How did you know?"

"You mentioned her name in our earlier conversation, and how you are a part of her club! After some brief deduction, I was able to connect the dots together and figure out that she must have been a figure of importance to you!" Ed said with both hands on his hips, looking rather proud for someone who just figured out something anyone with basic logical reasoning could come up with.

Muttering something unintelligible under his breath, Ed follows up with another question as he perks up. "Does she have a last name?"

"Last name?" Thought Issei, finding it a bit weird that Ed would ask for that despite already somehow knowing that 'Rias' was a first name. Still, it sounds innocuous enough that the brunette won't deny him an answer. "It's Gremory."

"And does she happen to be a young, beauteous woman with eyes like two lakes reflecting the blueness of the sky and locks of luscious red hair like that of a burguny swathe of roses grown from a garden cared with love?"

"...yeah?"

"Is there any quirks, oddities, traits and attributes unique to her personality and spirit that I must be aware of?"

"Well, she likes to sleep without clothes on and-" This time, Issei slaps himself shut hard enough to redden the skin around his mouth, as well as no small amount of pain. "W-Wait, why the hell would you want to know about that?!"

"Because I do not wish to humiliate myself by mistaking her for someone else! She is my soon-to-be conversational partner to whom I have a proposition of great urgency, and to mistake her for another would shame me and my spirit as a man!" Ed retorts, looking as dramatically offended as possible as he closes his eyes and places one hand over his heart, his lips forming into a melodramatic frown. "You must understand, sir Hyoudou! I must know all I could about her as to not overstep my boundaries AND be as respectful as possible!"

Ed, the guy making a big deal out of humiliating himself in a conversation, is also the same guy who greeted the entire school with a shout and walk on his hands on his first day. Issei nearly snorts at the blatant irony of it all. However, his desire to stop Ed from knowing too much about his master (especially the details that he prefers only he knows) overpowers the urge to snark at him. "Well, there's nothing to know about her! She's boring! She's completely normal and not, in any way, special! As lukewarm as a person can be!"

He hates having to badmouth Rias like this, but it is done with nothing but good intentions. Rias told him to maintain the masquerade regarding their true nature at all costs, and that's what he will do. "Forgive me, prez! But I'll do whatever it takes to follow through with your order!"

"But did you not just told me that she sleeps without clothes-"

"I DID NOT!" Now, it is Issei who shouts. "I-I mean, I did, but that was a misinput! I was, ah, talking about a character in one of my games! She likes sleeping naked and has blue hair! That's it, and I'm sorry!"

To anyone with even a modicum of sense and half a functioning brain, it would be blatantly obvious that Issei is lying.

Fortunately for the pervert, this is Ed he's dealing with. "Ah, I see! You have made a mistake, and unlike those who simply shrug it off without a care, you took your time to explain it to me and even show how apologetic you are! You truly are a spirited gentleman, sir Hyoudou!" His confused expression, Ed spins on his heels before giving Issei a pair of thumbs-up, completely free of charge and charged with energy.

Issei blinked once, and then twice, unable to believe his own eyes and ears that such an obvious lie would be bought so readily. In fact, Ed doesn't even look like he realizes that Issei basically just insulted his president by calling her boring. "How did this guy scare Matsuda and Motohama into pissing themselves?!" Issei asked a perfectly reasonable question, rubbing his eyes which are weary with mental exhaustion. "And seriously, this guy's friends with Koneko? He's either paying her or she's just doing it out of pity-"

"Sir Hyoudou? Are you alright?" Ed, concerned over Issei's seemingly haggard look, places a hand on the shorter boy's shoulder, only to have his hand be brushed off.

"I'm fine. Just... can we go already?" Said Issei, sighing heavily with a face that is simultaneously exasperated and relieved. Exasperated for reasons that are fairly self-explanatory, and relieved because he has succeed in his mission to divert Ed's attention away from Rias.

"Oh, certainly! I am waiting for you after all, sir Hyoudou!" Said Ed cheerfully, snapping his fingers which instantly turns into a thumbs-up as he hops up and down. "It would be uncouth of me to leave my guide behind!"

Issei sighs yet again, though not nearly as drawn-out as before. In fact, he even smiles out of novel amusement, seeing how easy it is to fool Ed. That, and once one can look past whatever mental condition is affecting him, Ed is actually a pretty cool guy who clearly cares a lot about other people, even those who are strangers to him. If only Ed shares the same passion and worship Issei has for breasts, then they would have been great friends.

And so, the two continued on their common path through the secluded hallway. "So, there is nothing else I need to know about miss Gremory?"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Excellent! Then I am ready to make-!" Ed proclaims confidently, before immediately cuts himself off and going quiet. Then, he raises a finger. "But first, do you know what sort of tea she enjoys best?"

"I- why would I know about that?"

"Are you not a part of her club? I thought you would know!"

"We're not that close!" Alright, that was a bit of a lie considering all that had happened up until now, but to Issei's defense, he truly doesn't know about Rias's tastes when it comes to tea. Hell, he can barely even pronounce half the names of the tea blends out there.

"Hmm... so I see. Ah, what about the exquisite and fine arts of cloths and textiles then? What is her preferred choice of drapery?"

"I... what?"

"Oh, you know, such things like curtains and carpets?"

"I seriously have no idea, Sakari."

"Please, call me Ed! My first name is far more spirited and youthful!"

"Well, Ed... again, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I see, I see... perhaps you would know more about her orthographic tool of choice?"

"No!"

This 'conversation', if it can even be called that, consisting of Ed asking absurdly specific questions and Issei either rebuking them with one-word replies or flat-out refusing to answer, goes on until they finally reached the door of the clubroom.

Standing in front of the well-worn mahogany door, Ed feels that familiar sense of tension gripping at his heart. It was the same feeling that had assaulted him when he was preparing to meet Student Council President Shitori for the first time, but unlike yesterday, he has now acclimatized to this feeling. Therefore, he will not allow it to dampen his spirit any further.

Clenching his fist and then relaxing soon after, Ed turns to Issei, who stood in waiting for Ed to open the door while impatiently crossing his arms, with a strangely subdued expression. "Sir Hyoudou. May I ask you something?"

"I don't know, okay?! I don't even know her for that long, so shut up for a minute!" Issei nearly shouts, throwing up his arms out of frustration as the kettle in his head finally boils over. Though, considering how Ed has peppered him for almost the entirety of their three-minute trip with weird, irrelevant or downright nosy questions that he had no feasible way to answer, one couldn't really blame his reaction past that of a knee-jerk. "Like, holy shit dude! Just stop talking-"

"Oh no no, it is not about that! I wish to ask about something else." Ed quickly interjects and, after seeing that Issei has at least slowed down his breathing therefore showing a willingness to listen, continues in an uncharacteristically quiet manner. "As I have told you before, my proposition will cause your venerable president no trouble. However, I fear that it may come as a bit of a surprise to her. With surprise comes hesitation, and should my luck proves poor enough, hesitation may very well leads to denial. To be able to lead a club as spirited as one that researches the occult means that she must be a very determined woman, and if she were to say no, I'm afraid there will be little that can change her mind."

"Well, you're not wrong there..." Issei thought to himself as he listens to Ed detailing his concerns, remembering how Rias has apparently been tracking down that Stray Devil back at the museum for weeks before his impromptu induction into the peerage. "So?" He asks Ed, wondering why he brought up such a point.

Ed smiles, but contrasting his usual grins which are happy-go-lucky and optimistic to a fault, this one seems to be more... mischievous? It isn't quite as bad as to deserve the 'devious' word, but not entirely innocent enough to be called 'pure'. "But, if a trusted member of her group and someone she considered a confidant who can influence her decision-making were to put in a good word, it may just be enough to shift the balance and vastly increase the chances of her approving me. Do you understand where I am getting at, sir Hyoudou?"

"Uh... kinda?" Issei replied after much deliberation, nodding dumbly at Ed to show that he doesn't actually get it at all.

"Excellent! Then, as a respected member of Rias Gremory's Occult Research Club, will you offer me your support when the time comes?" Said Ed as he extends a hand towards Issei for a shake, the mischief in his smile now replaced by utter cheerfulness. "I believe that with your support, her final decision will sway in my favor!"

"Oh." Now he understands. What Issei is supposed to do is to root for Ed, when he inevitably says whatever it is that he wanted to say to Rias. "But I literally joined last week..." While he usually dislikes the idea of taking the side of someone that isn't his redheaded master (and no, he's definitely not biased), inside Issei's breasts-obsessed mind retains enough clarity to remind himself of the truth that just earlier today...

Ed has bailed him out of a quiz that he would have otherwise failed. Issei's parents may be unusually tolerant folks, but he knows full well that flunking math for the fourth time in a row would make even the most forgiving of moms and dads to throw a fit. Of course, all of this is meant to say that Issei owes Ed one, and he would be an ungrateful jerk if he refuses to help Ed now.

Issei Hyoudou is many things: an incurable pervert, an incorrigible voyeur, an avid enjoyer of womanly assets and Public Enemy No. 1 to the females of Kuoh Academy. What he is NOT, though, is a person who can't fulfill a favor from a person he owes. Once he puts his mind to it, at least.

Regardless, Ed helped him out. It is only fair for Issei to repay the favor. "As long as it's nothing too much... sure." But that doesn't mean he isn't going to get back at the older boy for being annoying though. "But you owe me a solid, okay?"

"That is for certain! Worry not, sir Hyoudou, as from this day now on, I am at your service! Whenever you needed a favor, all that you need to do is to call for my name! Neither rain nor show nor sleet nor hail shall keep Ed Sakari from making sure a debt is paid in full!" Holding up one finger, Ed then pokes his own cheek. "But one, and ONLY one request shall be fulfilled! Do please be sensible and careful with when choosing to summon me, sir Hyoudou!"

Issei nods, a neutral frown on his face. To him, whenever someone told him to 'summon' them in times of need or trouble, it's either a sexy succubus looking to fulfill the other end of a deal with the devil, or like one of those isekais where the protagonist's familiar has a human form, which turns out to be that of a cute girl.

But woe is him, as real life is often disappointing. Instead of a cute girl for a summon, he gets the walking, talking mass of unwaning spirit, unabashed loudness and unneeded optimism that is Ed.

While Issei contemplates the choices in life that has led him to this point in life and broods about it, Ed looks down on the doorknob in deep, profound introspection. With a straight back, one hand on his hip and the other rubbing his chin, Ed does not look like himself for once in his life and instead more like a wise philosopher languishing in the dark depths of his mind.

But as the old adage goes, one must not judge a book by its cover. And so, to see if this newfound change in his body language truly reflects what goes on in his head, a deeper dive is needed to further understand-

"HAHAHAHA! The second phase of my plan was also an outstanding success! Being the sole esteemed scout of Vali Team, it only makes sense that gathering intelligence about my target was but a trivial task! Gaining an ally in sir Hyoudou proved more difficult, but the perseverence of my spirit emerged triumphant nonetheless! Now that two crucial objectives have been completed..."

"The time has come, at last... for the final phase! The one that shall determine the true outcome of all my efforts thus far!"

Looking up again with his smile restored, Ed places two fingers on his forehead. Whether it is out of worry or anticipation, he does not know, but Ed wanted to make sure that all the members are inside, for his plan to achieve maximal effect. Taking a small breath, his nervous system become hyperfocused as Ed activates one of the basics of Senjutsu: ki sensing.

The world, once so colorful and varied, now reduced to no more than a picture of pure darkness through his eyes, illuminated by the ethereal flame-like light of hundreds of souls that currently roam Kuoh Academy. Ed, however, directs his attention only to what are in front of him.

Beyond this wooden door whose rich brown color has been rendered black and white also, he could see four white silhouettes, utterly lacking in distinguishable features save for their humanoid shape, moving about inside.

One shape stands further away from the others, its spirit manifesting as a flame of rather peculiar color: a mixture of pink, gold and black with a core of sky blue. Its hands were held close to one another while performing delicate motions that seem vaguely similar to pouring liquid into a cup.

Another shape anchors itself right at the doorway, just to Ed's left. Its spirit, a plume of fire of pink and blue united, is something more familiar to him. However, this one seemed... almost chaotic? Not exactly explosive, but unlike the other souls, its flames burn almost erratically as opposed to a gentle, slow-moving motion.

A third shape can be seen in a sitting position, its spirit too is a beautiful pinkish blue. What separates it from the others is that its soul is burning brighter and larger, dominating most of the silhouette's chest as opposed to others only taking up the center of their bodies. Ed smiles - there is without a doubt that this is his greatest rival.

The fourth and final shape is also in a sitting position. The fire of its spirit burns a little more subdued compared to the rest, but it possesses one factor that makes this silhouette perhaps the most special of them all: unlike the others' ki, which are a mixture of colors, this one's spirit burns a pure, hot pink without any interference nor embellishments. A perfectly, devilishly hot color.

Removing his fingers from his head and therefore turning off his ki-sensing vision, Ed can already determine what he was going to ask during their first meeting, but hadn't got the chance to. It appears that this school is even more special than he thought!

But regardless, he has gotten the answer he wanted: everybody is present in the room, with only sir Hyoudou left to make a complete group. Now, he can walk in with no hesitation nor fear plaguing his heart and his spirit as shining and fiery as possible.

To doubt oneself is to hold oneself back, and for this final phase of this plan of his to come to fruition, he mustn't allow any reluctance or weakness. Taking a longer, deeper breath this time, Ed twists the doorknob open...

And marches in to what is quite possibly one of the most important events in his life.

"GREETINGS, MISS GREMORY!"

-0-

A/N: I have a confession to make: I heavily, heavily underestimated just how many words I can put out for one chapter alone. Initially, I was planning to incorporate more plot stuff as promised in the chapter 4, but after the first part alone (i.e. this chapter) goes past the 12k mark, I came to a horrifying conclusion that if I were to write this chapter in the way I had intended, then the result would be an exorbitantly lengthy chapter that would be an absolute slog to read through. Considering how narrow Wattpad's interface is, I imagine scrolling down has to be a chore as well.

And so, I decided to delete several dozen paragraphs (hurts me to my soul to do this, but it is necessary) and rewrite the whole thing into a something more bite-sized and easy to digest. All in all, I wish to sincerely apologize to all those who waited for a new chapter, only to get this filler instead. My God, the last thing I wanted is to become the one who wrote the Infinite Tsukuyomi part.

Once again, I humbly apologize and I hope that you will find it within your hearts to put up with this 'chapter' for now. The next one, I promise and swear on my left kidney, will be a proper one with actual plot happening!

Until next time, my gentle readers.