Chapitre 24: Request to join
As Elros turned to leave the cliff, he suddenly got a text from Saji.
'Hey. I'm in the hotel lobby. You free?' Saji asked.
'Yeah. I'm coming now,' Elros replied. He opened a magical portal and teleported to his room. As he got there, he was surprised to see that Akeno and Rias were just getting settled in.
"Hey! You guys enjoy your day?" he asked cheerfully.
Akeno and Rias nearly snapped their necks as they turned to look at him, their hearts plunging into the deepest pits of Tartarus as his cheerful voice reached them. It was a stark difference as they saw him again after learning what they had. The boy with the cold eyes and the knife in his hands, covered in blood seemingly never existed; instead, standing there was a man who cared deeply for people and never let anything get him down. Hell, his very presence was often enough to heighten the mood.
"What's wrong? Did something happen? Are you all alright?" Elros asked seriously, frowning as he saw their expressions.
"What? No! No! Nothing. It's just… good to see you," Rias said as she quickly leaped forward, enveloping Elros in an unusually tight embrace. Elros raised an eyebrow but shrugged; who was he to complain if his girlfriend wanted to hug him tightly? He put his arms around her and held her just as close to him, rubbing his hands comfortably along her back. Rias exhaled deeply as she felt his tender touch. It was well needed after the day they had had.
"Likewise. Although, we just saw each other this morning," he added with a little chuckle. Rias smiled and nodded as she leaned back, bringing a hand to his cheek. Rias paused and just held him there, making sure to take in his face; his warm brown eyes, the scar on the left side of his face, and the charming smile she couldn't get enough of. She brought him in for a deep and passionate kiss that he returned. Akeno soon came up behind her, smiling uneasily as she did the same. She felt as though she had to hold back tears as their lips met; here they were, pretending like nothing was wrong while Elros just went along, business as usual - totally unaware of what she and the others had been up to.
"I tried to text you guys a little while ago about something, but I got a message send failure. Probably in a dead zone or something," Elros said. Rias felt her heart drop and she quickly checked her phone; no texts.
'DAMN IT! Of course, he couldn't reach us there! NOBODY FUCKING LIVES THERE! WHAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENED?! DAMN IT!' she scolded herself before calming down. She turned to him and smiled.
"Yeah, sorry about that. Dunno what happened. But what did you want to talk about?" she asked, rushing to the point.
"Well, I took the girls out today. Mihae asked if it would be alright if I moved them into the house. So I kinda asked Grayfia if she could talk to your dad about adding a few floors so they could live with us. Hope you don't mind," Elros said sheepishly.
"Not at all. I think that's a great idea. I'm sure they'd all love that as well. If you already asked Grayfia, I'm sure she'll have told my father by now. It'll probably be done by the time we get back home," Rias said. That was fine with her; in fact, she was surprised that she hadn't had it done earlier. The girls needed a permanent place to stay, after all - and she was certain they'd want to stay with Elros. However now that seven other women were moving in, she'd have to be careful none of them would try anything… uncouth with him, unless they had her express permission.
"Well, I gotta head to the lobby. Saji wants to talk about something," Elros said as he quickly kissed them on the cheek and exited. As he shut the door, Rias and Akeno both let out a sharp exhale. They looked at each other and gulped, an unspoken conversation held between them.
"I'm gonna go shower. Should I draw you a bath as well?" Akeno asked.
"Yes, please," Rias nodded as she looked outside their window, a frown on her face. She, Akeno, Sona, and Tsubaki would have a difficult night ahead of them - likely one to be plagued with guilt, fear, and hundreds of new questions.
-o-
"Hey, Saji. What's up?" Elros asked as he met the teen in the lobby, pacing. As he approached, Saji was sheepishly rubbing his head.
"Hey, Elros. I… thanks for meeting me," he said nervously.
"Not a problem. What did you need to talk about?" Elros asked.
"I… look, I wanted to apologize. I want to say I'm… sorry for calling you a coward and for challenging you like that. It was… wrong of me. You're a good guy. I just…," Saji said, pausing several times to get his thoughts together. Elros put a hand on his shoulder and grinned back at him.
"Not a problem, man. I understand," he said kindly.
"If you still want to go, I can-," Saji began, but Elros shook his head.
"Na. I still need to get acquainted with my first familiar, plus it turns out I'm going to be busy the day of the full moon anyways. So it all works out," Elros said.
"Thanks," Saji said, smiling in relief.
"No problem. Have fun with it. Can't wait to see what you get," Elros said.
"Likewise. I'll see you later, then," Saji said as he took his leave. Sure that he was gone, Elros pulled out his phone and made a call.
"Barry Allen,'"came a youthful voice on the other side.
"Barry. It's Elros. You free Saturday?" Elros asked.
"Hey, man! Yeah, I think I'm free. You want to meet up or something?'"Barry asked.
"Yeah. I'll come down to Central City. That work?" Elros asked.
"Sure. See you then,'"Barry replied, hanging up.
'Guess this is where we begin. I'll see Barry then head over to London to being training. Need to be on point before my fight with those three,' Elros thought as he headed back up to his room. As he reached the elevator, however, he was greeted by two new faces.
"Momo! Tsubasa! Hey!" he said excitedly, greeting the beauties from Sona's peerage. They smiled wide as they saw him.
"Hello, Elros. We just saw Saji pass by. Did he speak with you?" Momo asked.
"Yup. We're all good. What about you two? Heading out at this hour?" Elros wondered.
"Well… we were kind of hoping to see the fireworks again," Tsubasa said sheepishly.
"Would you like to join us?" Momo quickly asked. Elros looked surprised by the question but shrugged.
"Yeah, why not? You want to invite anyone else?" Elros asked.
"Mmm… let's let them get their rest. Tsubaki and Sona both seem rather tired," Momo said.
"Sounds good. I'll just let Rias know really quickly," Elros said as he shot off a text. With that, he exited with the two beauties from Sona's peerage.
-o-
Sona was sitting in the bathtub with her head tilted back, her eyes closed as she thought about what she had learned today. It made her extremely uncomfortable. When she enlisted Tsubaki and the others into her peerage, she knew as much as possible about them without breaching any significant parameters of trust. Some of them - like Tsubaki - had had difficult lives; others lived more or less normally. However, all the pain they carried they shared with her of their own volition. She never had to resort to such tactics to learn about them. Trust, after all, was paramount to a master-servant relationship she thought.
Elros was not in her peerage. She didn't know him as well as Rias or Akeno did, but she knew him well enough. She liked him immensely - that much she knew, and she knew that he felt the same way about her. She knew that he was guarded with his past - and now Sona could see why. But it should've been him that told her about his life; she had no right to spy on him. Sona took a sip of wine and sank a bit further into the tub, wondering what his reaction would be.
'If he finds out, he's going to be angry. Very angry. We had no right to do that to him… to betray his trust, especially when he's been nothing but a gentleman to us. I'm sorry, Elros… forgive me. Please,' she thought as tears suddenly began to fall.
-o-
Tsubaki was nearby, wondering much the same as she leaned against the wall. The coarse sand had gotten in her clothes as it whipped around, much as it did for the others. All needed a nice and long bath to digest what they had learned from the old man. She gulped as she remembered the stories he told her about Elros's father and about Elros himself. She imagined what that looked like - a four or five-year-old child holding a knife over their father's prone form. It was a far cry from the Elros she knew and liked.
She wondered what she'd say when she met him. She would have to be careful to not blurt anything out, regardless of how much she wanted to. She mentally slapped herself for her hypocrisy. If the shoe were on the other foot - if Sona had told Elros whatever he wanted to know about her - she would've been angry at both of them. She would want to slap him for doing such a thing. The tender moment they shared not to long ago zipped through her mind yet again and brought a tear to her eye. She had begun to like him and now there was already something that threatened to tear their relationship apart.
-o-
As Rias plunged herself into the warm bath, she remembered the scorching heat of Death Valley. It wasn't something that she was used to despite living in Hell. Hell was nice; it had a kind climate unless you ventured into different zones, which she never did. She stayed in her family's township where she was well liked by all, never having a problem with anything. If she needed something, she had it; if she wanted to have fun, she did. She, and by extension her peerage, never wanted for anything. Except for Gasper, when she recruited them all she did it with a grace and gentility that was hard for anyone to capture with words.
Not with Elros. He had fallen out from the sky like a meteor and destroyed her house. He unconsciously killed two Fallen Angels - and could've easily done the same with her and Akeno. And then when they brought him to the ORC, he inserted himself between her and her best friend like he owned the place, grinning ear to ear. She asked him to join and he started at her with a look that was unusual - one that pierced her to her soul, one that made her blush. He took a day to give her his answer - a day in which all she could think about was what he would say to her. Whether he knew it or not, he held the cards in his hands - he shook her calm nature.
She gulped as she reflected on how differently they were raised; her with love and affection showered on her by her mother, father, and brother - and him in the vicious heat and cruel sand of a place that was more hellish than Hell itself. Her father took her horseback riding and dining in the finest places; his father took him hunting and made him kill for some sick sense of enjoyment. She loved her father dearly; Elros could've killed his own at a point.
'I'm so sorry, Elros. You deserved to have a happy life. And now… I keep… pushing you into the same situation over and over again. Riser. Now that stupid duel in a couple of weeks. Rating Games. All that on top of your own responsibilities. And you do it for me… because you love me… I… Please forgive me for betraying your trust. I promise I'm going to make it up to you. I promise. I love you so much,' Rias thought as tears suddenly began to flow like rivers. She hugged her legs to her chest as the horror of his past washed over her like a flood. She rebuked herself for holding him to a higher standard that she held herself to at this point. She knew that if Elros ever betrayed her trust - by cheating or learning about her in such a way - that she'd be hurt and angry beyond belief. And now, their relationship barely in its nascency, she had already gone behind his back to learn about him. She had betrayed his trust; and she knew that if he ever found out, his reaction would be much the same - one of anger and hurt. He would want to leave her. As she thought about a life without him, the tears and her own sobs grew louder and louder, needing a small enchantment to make sure no one else heard.
-o-
As Akeno stood in the shower, the cool water cascading over her, she couldn't help but think about her own father. She remembered how much she loved him; how she thought his wings were so beautiful. Then he left. He left her and her mother - his wife - to fend for themselves. He wasn't there when he died. That's where he should've been. That was his responsibility.
And now here was another man that eschewed his responsibilities. Elros's father should've loved him after his mother died in childbirth - should've made it clear to him that it wasn't his fault. He should've showered the child with affection to make up for it and given him all he needed. But he did none of that. He tried to turn the boy into a monster; and he might've even succeeded, Akeno thought. Elros was a force of nature on the battlefield; she remembered how he easily decimated Riser's peerage as well as Vali; how he broke the Stray Devil. She knew that in a one on one, he'd likely overpower her with little trouble.
For all of Baraquiel's faults, he never beat Akeno. He never tortured her; he never made her kill a living thing. She never held a knife over him, preparing to strike. Even on the run, she helped people as well as she could. She knew what love was; Elros lacked any semblance of it as a child. She wondered what the long term impact was on his life.
'How is he so happy and cheerful all the time? If I was raised by a man like that, I'd… hate everything. I'd hate myself for thinking I killed my mom. I'd be bitter. But he's the furthest thing! He's always smiling. He's so loving and sweet and kind. He's like a brother to Gasper and Koneko… and when he kisses me, it's so warm and passionate. What… What happened to you, Elros?' Akeno thought. She felt tears begin to fall; she just wanted to go back in time and hug his younger self, letting him know everything would be fine. That he'd soon meet her and the others and that they'd love him.
-o-
"Beautiful," Momo said as she, Elros, and Tsubasa leaned on a railing and watched the fireworks burst in the air above them. Elros smiled as he saw Mickey's head go up; he had no doubt Gasper and Koneko were probably watching from their own windows.
"Definitely. We all should come out here more often," Elros said.
"Are you from around here?" Tsubasa asked.
"You could say that. Few hundred miles away," Elros said.
"Big city?" Momo wondered.
"Na. Small little shack in a desert town. Hotter than it is here, that's for sure. What about you two?" Elros asked, looking between them.
"Japan," Momo answered.
"Likewise," Tsubasa said.
"Travel often?" Elros wondered.
"Very little. We try to keep busy. Studying or training or this or that," Momo said.
"Sometimes you gotta cut loose," Elros grinned.
"Agreed. Thank you for convincing Sona to let us come here," Tsubasa said with a sigh.
"I think she wanted to come out here as well, to be honest. Can't be easy to have so much responsibility on your shoulders," Elros said.
"You say that as if you don't," Momo mused.
"Eh. Different levels, I guess. It's a lot more personal for Sona and Rias. It's… different for me," Elros said.
"Different how?" Tsubasa asked.
"Hmmm… I wouldn't say I'm detached from it, but my viewpoint is much broader. When I do what I do, I have to make quick and snap decisions. I don't have the luxury of knowing everything about the situation - it's just a series of judgment calls. For Rias and Sona, they're not just personally invested, but it's their own futures they're working with. It's something that'll impact the course of their lives. For me… it's something that'll impact the course of others lives," Elros said.
"It seems you might have it harder. You have… so many lives you carry on your shoulders," Momo said as she brought a hand to his back and rubbed it gently. She felt a warm sensation go up her arm and through her body as she touched him, blushing a deep red as he looked at her and smiled.
"You get used to it," Elros said.
"Really?" Tsubasa asked, eliciting a chuckle.
"No. Not really," Elros said as he sighed and looked up, smiling. "I wouldn't change it, though. Not for a second. Not for anything," he finished, the fireworks ending as well.
"We should get inside. Leaving tomorrow," Tsubasa said after a pause.
"Mmm? Yeah. Yes. Let's," Elros said, slinging his arm around their shoulders and grinning.
"Aren't you with Rias?" Momo asked, sighing.
"I am," Elros said.
"And Akeno?" Tsubasa asked.
"Yup," Elros said cheerfully.
"How would they feel about this?" Momo asked as she touched his hand.
"Probably alright with it. So long as we don't do anything… uncouth," Elros chuckled.
"You're just like Issei," Tsubasa sighed, although she was smiling.
"If I was Issei, you wouldn't let me touch you in the first place because I'd break your dress off," Elros replied.
"Mmm… that's a good point. You're right. You're worse than Issei," Momo giggled.
"Why do girls keep saying that?" Elros grumbled.
"Because you're charming," she replied.
"Well, if you'd rather have me not touch you, that's fine as well," he said as he moved to pull his arm off. However, both grabbed onto it tightly - blushing madly as they did so.
"No, no. This is nice," Momo said quietly.
"You're turning red, Momo," Elros said with a laugh.
"Don't be so mean," she said, smiling slightly.
"My apologies. Shall we head inside?" Elros asked. With a nod from the beauties, all three headed inside and to their own rooms.
-o-
"Elros!" Gasper said excitedly as he entered. He ran over in, exclaiming in excitement as Elros picked him up and hugged him.
"Hey, little buddy. How was your day?" Elros asked.
"Awesome! Issei, Kiba, and Saji were so fun! But we almost got in trouble!" Gasper said excitedly.
"Trouble? What trouble?" Elros asked the other two who sighed. Kiba looked at Issei with a deadpan glance.
"Issei blew the dresses off of some of the princesses," Kiba said.
"On purpose?" Elros asked.
"NO! IT WAS AN ACCIDENT! Look, Gasper wanted a picture so he squeezed in with them, right? I helped position him and accidentally brushed against them. As we were walking away, I just snapped my fingers - didn't even know I touched them, though! And it… just came off!" Issei said, comically sobbing.
"You gotta be careful. There're kids around. This isn't Mickey's Mouse's Stripclub, as much as I wish it was. What about you, Kiba? Enjoy some time with Karlamine?" Elros asked, grinning. Kiba turned a bright red and Issei continued to whine as Elros carried Gasper to his room where Koneko was.
"Hey!" she said happily as she rushed to hug him. Elros smiled and knelt down, returning the hug. Gasper joined in as well. As he leaned back, he rested his hands on their heads.
"Did you two have fun these past few days?" Elros asked.
"Yeah!" Gasper replied. Koneko nodded her head vigorously.
"Good. I'm glad. You two deserve it. We'll come back soon. Or if you guys want to go somewhere else, we can do that too," Elros said.
"Elros…," Gasper said, looking at the ground.
"What's up, little buddy?" Elros asked.
"Why are you so nice to us?" he wondered, looking him dead in the eye as he asked.
-o-
Rias and Akeno were just outside the door as they heard the question. Gulping and admonishing themselves further, they put their ears to the door.
-o-
Elros smiled as he ruffled his hair, doing the same for Koneko - he could tell she was hoping for an answer as well.
"Because you two deserve it. I… Rias… told me a little bit about what you guys went through when you were even younger. You two didn't deserve that. You two deserve to be happy. You two deserve to be loved. And if it's in my power, I want to make sure that you guys are as happy as possible and as loved as possible. Gasper, Koneko - you guys are amazing. I want you to know that," Elros said, smiling at them.
Gasper felt his lip tremble as Elros said that. He knew that the peerage was his family, and they treated him as such. But nobody had put it to him like that before. He lunged forward and buried his face in Elros's shoulder as he began to cry profusely.
Koneko just stared at Elros, scanning his face - making sure what he said was the absolute truth. She could tell it was. His smile was sincere and radiant, holding nothing back. She knew that when he looked at her, he saw the pain in her eyes and across her face. She walked forward into his embrace and held on tightly, crying into his shoulder as well. Finally, she felt like she had an older sibling; finally, she felt like she had someone to lean on. As she looked sideways at Gasper, she knew he felt the same way.
"I love you guys," he said, kissing them on their heads as he held them close. In the short time he knew them, they had become like younger siblings to him.
And if the entities of their past - the ones that made their life hell showed up - he would show them what hell truly looked like.
-o-
Rias and Akeno felt tears come to their eyes as they heard the conversation. They heard the sincerity in his words; the love he had for the two young Devils and the love they had for him. It was enough to make the hardiest man fall to a knee and cry. Smiling, they quickly hurried to their own room.
-o-
"Let's get you two to bed, yeah?" Elros said as he picked them up and carried them over. Tucking them in, he gave them a warm smile and turned the light off, taking his leave. As he closed the door, he exhaled.
'Don't worry Gasper, Koneko. I'm always going to be here,' Elros thought as he headed back to the main room. Asia, Kiba, Xenovia, and Saji were all asleep; no doubt Rias and Akeno were getting into bed as well. He sighed and went over to the window that offered a wonderful view of the park at night, it's lights shining.
'Been years since I've been back there. Wonder how much it's changed? Huh. Not much, likely. Still a barren and burning hellhole,' Elros thought as his mind traveled to the sweeping sands of Death Valley. Pushing the thought out of his head, he headed into his own room where Rias and Akeno were already in bed.
"Hey," Rias greeted as she heard him come in, her heart sinking again. He was going to get in bed with her. He would kiss her and put his arm around her and hold her close to him. She would snuggle up to him and get comfortable, smiling as she felt his warmth. And then she'd see the scars and her heart would sink again. But now, she'd see the scars that lay underneath as well - not just the ones across his body.
As Elros got in, Rias and Akeno adjusted themselves and got comfortable. Akeno took one of his arms and held it tightly as she kissed his neck, working her way to his lips before she got comfortable on his shoulder. Rias did the same, resting her lips close to his neck as she brought her hand up and caressed his face.
"I love you," she whispered to him.
"I love you too," he said, smiling. With that, Elros fell into a pleasant slumber; Akeno and Rias were not as fortunate as they continued to stare at his peaceful form throughout the night.
-o-
As Elros woke up the next morning, he noted a light weight on top of him. Akeno was obviously already up and in the shower. Rias, meanwhile, had clamored on top of him. She rested her head on his chest as her hands resting on his sides, hugging him gently. He smiled as he saw how beautiful and peaceful she looked. He began gently running his hand through her hair, hearing her smack her lips in unconscious delight at the feeling. She slowly roused, sitting on his crotch as she twisted and turned, putting on a little show. She laid back down on him, resting her forehead against his as she began to kiss him gently, slowly moving her way to his neck.
"Feeling a bit frisky this morning, I see. I like it," he said as he suddenly flipped her over, doing the same for her. She gasped slightly as she felt him squeeze her breast as his hand trailed down and began to massage her gently.
"Mmm… I bet you do. But not at Disneyland. Let's keep this place innocent. Well… mostly innocent," she said as she brought it up and interlocked her fingers with his. She kissed his hand and looked at him, biting her lip gently in worry.
"What's wrong?" Elros asked, moving up a bit and holding his lips an inch from hers.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Dunno. You seem tense. Everything ok?" he asked.
"Yeah. Just thinking about… how much you've done for me," Rias said, a trace of guilt in her voice.
"What do you mean?" Elros asked. Rias sighed and got up, walking to the window. He sat on the edge of the bed, looking on in worry.
"You… fought Riser. 16 on 1… and you beat him. For me. Then he came and attacked you. You pushed me out of the way and took the attack. Those two creeps challenged you and you immediately agreed to fight them. For me. I've known you… less than two months and you've already done so much for me. What have I done for you? I've gotten you into these situations… and that's it," Rias said. Elros was surprised as he suddenly saw tears splash to the ground. He quickly got up and approached Rias, turning her to face him. He saw the tears that streamed down her face. She lunged forward and hugged him tightly as she cried onto him.
"I don't want you to see me as a burden. You already have so many responsibilities and I just keep adding to them. Duels. Rating Games. Scorn from other Devils… I'm so sorry," she cried as she held him for fear that he might come to his senses and leave.
Elros gulped and tightened his embrace. He held her tightly and kissed her atop her head, gently rocking her as she got her emotions out.
"I can… understand why you think that, but I think you're wrong. You didn't ask for any of those things; it just happened to be how it all played out. And I'm happy it played out that way. I love you, Rias. I want to help you and protect you. And if some creep comes for you, I'm more than happy to beat him away. You're not a burden. Don't ever think that," Elros said soothingly. Rias lifted her head up and looked at him through red eyes, leaning up and kissing him passionately.
'And to add to all that, I'm lying to your face. Would you say all this then? I'm so sorry Elros. I love you. Please… stay. Forever,' she thought as she ramped up the passion, holding on to him for dear life. Elros returned it and kept his arms around her. As they parted, she brought her head back to his chest and rested it there, wanting to stay like this as long as possible.
"Please don't leave me. Please don't ever leave. I don't want to be without you. Stay," she said, her breath shuddering violently.
"I'm not going to leave you. I'm going to stay, alright? I love you, Rias. I love you," he whispered.
"I love you, too. So much. Thank you. Thank you," she said, tightening her hold as much as she could as the tears flowed.
-o-
Almost everyone was gathered in the living room of the massive suite a couple of hours later.
Rias finally got dressed and was ready to go when Elros came out of the shower, dressed as well. She rushed over to him and hugged him, eliciting a smile. He brought her face up to look at him, taking in her beautiful features.
"What?" she asked softly as he stared at her.
"Just calculating what the chances are that I land on your house," he said.
"Slim. Pretty much none," she said, smiling back.
"Yup. Yet it happened. And I don't regret it a single bit. Well… except the whole destroying the house part. That I'm sorry about. Everything since that, however… I count myself as extremely fortunate to be in this position," Elros said as he kissed her. Rias felt her heart skip a beat as he spoke to her; his words always had a knack for being exactly what she wanted or needed to hear. She smiled and leaned into the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"I feel the same way. And don't worry about the house. Losing that and gaining you? So worth it," Rias said as they broke apart and looked at each other.
"Save some for me," Akeno said as she entered, dressed as well. Elros smiled and gave her the same treatment, hugging and kissing her until she squealed in delight.
"So you ready to head back home?" Akeno asked as he weaved his hand through her hair. The feeling sent a pleasurable shiver down her spine; he knew just where to touch her to elicit the right response.
"Yes, but I'll be meeting you there later. I need to go take care of a couple things first," Elros said.
"A couple of things?" Rias asked, frowning.
"Yeah. Heading over to Central City for a couple of hours to talk with an old friend of mine," Elros said, grinning.
"Mmm… alright. How long do you think you're gonna be? Will you be back tonight?" she asked.
"Definitely. But I'm going to be heading to London soon. Have to begin training before we head back to the Underworld," Elros said.
"I'm so-," Rias began but was cut off by a kiss.
"Stop apologizing. You've nothing to apologize for, alright? I'm going to kick Anders ass, Bastions ass, and Elizaveta's… admittedly hotter ass… and then we're going to go on that date. Alright?" Elros said. Rias smiled and nodded. As he swooped in to kiss her again, she avoided it.
"Hey, I was trying to kiss you there," Elros complained.
"I know. But Elizaveta's hotter ass is now on my mind," she sighed with a smile.
"Fine. This'll work just as well," he said as he quickly nibbled her ear eliciting a squeak of delight from her and a giggle from Akeno. With that, they headed into the living room where everyone was waiting.
"We''re heading back to the ORC. Elros will be coming a bit later. He has an errand to take care of," Rias told the group, opening a magic circle.
"See you guys in a bit," Elros said as he hugged Gasper and Koneko and opened his own circle. With that, he stepped into his old friend's apartment.
-o-
"WOAH! WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!" Barry shouted as he leaped against the wall. A blue circle had just appeared in his room and a figure walked out of it, grinning wide.
"Barry," Elros said happily.
"ELROS?! WHAT?! HUH?! WHAT JU… WHAT HAPPENED?!" Barry asked in shock as he looked at his friend. Barry Allen was a forensic scientist in the CCPD. He had a full head of blonde hair and a solid figure, just a couple of inches shorter than Elros. He was one of the kindest men that Elros knew; even more so than Bruce, Barry was absolutely focused on helping people and doing the right thing. He was intelligent and methodical with his reasoning; wasn't happy go lucky like Elros, but knew how to have fun. And of course, he was the fastest man alive.
"I know, right?! Sit down. I'll explain it all," Elros said, taking a seat. With a gulp, Barry joined him.
-o-
"What. The. Hell?" Barry asked.
"Yup," Elros replied.
"You're kidding," he said.
"Nope," Elros responded.
"You're serious?" Barry wondered.
"Completely," Elros said cheerfully.
"Dude…," Barry trailed on.
"Yeah?" Elros asked.
"WHAT?" Barry yelled.
"Yeah," Elros chuckled.
"You're a Devil? Seriously?" Barry asked.
"I am. You wanna see my wings? They might burn the house down, but they're fucking sweet as hell so it'll go down in a blaze of glory," Elros said excitedly.
"I'm… good. Jeez, E… How do you always get yourself into these things?" Barry asked as he shook his head, although his smile was evident. Since he had known Elros, the guy had a knack for somehow landing in the oddest situations. This was par for the course.
"I'm a magnet, Barry. But honestly - what do you think?" Elros asked seriously.
"I think… you're gonna have to wait and see for a few years. There's upsides for sure - longer life, different powers, easy flight so you don't have to waste your rings power. But… there have to be negatives. They might not have shown themselves yet, but there will be. But you can probably take it," Barry said.
"Let's hope," Elros sighed.
"But… dating several girls. You. Bruce. Clark. The only ones I can think of that could pull it off like cake. But see, Bruce and Clark aren't sexual deviants like you; they're one girl kinda guys. Mostly. Except Bruce, I guess. But you… if anything gets you in trouble, it'll be that," Barry said with a laugh.
"Don't I know it. How's Iris, by the way? You tell her?" Elros asked.
"Na… it's… not the right time yet," Barry said as he looked at the door. Elros nodded.
"But I don't think you came here to discuss my girl problems. What's on your mind?" Barry said as he ran to the fridge and back, throwing Elros a Coke. Elros took a long draft before sighing deeply, giving Barry an oddly serious look. Barry's brow furrowed - Elros was always happy and cheerful; if he got serious, then he better do so as well.
"Have you been in contact with Bruce lately?" Elros asked.
"Here and there. Just the normal stuff, though. Why?" Barry asked. Elros nodded, taking another swig.
"The world's changing, Barry. Fast," Elros said.
"What do you mean?" Barry asked. Elros brought his shirt up slightly to show Barry the new scars. He looked on in surprise to see the one that was near his heart. Going around back, he gulped as he saw that it was a through-and-through.
"This one would've killed you, E. What planet?" Barry asked.
"Earth," Elros replied, to his surprise.
"There's nothing on Earth that could do that. Unless it was one of those Devils?" Barry said, aghast.
"Nope. Here," Elros said, pointing his ring at the coffee table. He created a construct of the three-eyed monster that had nearly killed him. Barry looked on in shock as he ran around it, looking at every detail and assessing it.
"I've never seen anything remotely like this," he said.
"My first encounter as well. It nearly killed me, as you noted. Barry… this thing shattered my constructs like nothing. Its willpower was at least equal to mine. It took my entire group to put it down, and even then, it still looked at me like it wanted to get one last shot in," Elros said.
"They don't know what it is, either?" Barry asked.
"Nope. I took some blood to Bruce and even with everything he has - which, I'm not gonna lie, is more than what even the Devil's have at their disposal - he couldn't identify heads or tails of what this thing is. That eye - the one on its forehead - has hypnotizing properties. I couldn't do a damn thing when it head butted me. I don't know if it's just by itself or if it's a new species from another planet or what. I just know that it's dangerous. And I know it's not going to be the last major threat I have to deal with - or the last major threat Earth has to deal with," Elros said as he finally released the construct and relaxed again.
"Mmm… Alright, I can sort of see your point. Continue," Barry said.
"These kinds of threats have been escalating over the last few years. They're still below the threshold for now, but I don't know how long that's going to keep. The entire scene is changing. I don't know when, but one day - soon - the floodgates are going to open. Earth's on the map. And we're woefully unprepared," Elros said.
"Don't you think you're exaggerating? I mean, we've you for a Green Lantern to protect the Earth. Hal, Guy, Kyle, John - when they're available as well. And Clark isn't a slouch either. Central City's my home, E… I can't just up and leave it. We've our own threats," Barry said.
"But that's exactly what I'm talking about. You and I. Clark. Diana. J'onn. We're living proof that not only are we alone in the universe but that there damn well are others living right here. Just as much, we're proof that there are some beings here that skew the food chain. Cold, Boomerang, others… it's all going to boil over soon, Barry. As much as we need to prepare for what might be coming for us, we need to be prepared for what we have in front of us right now," Elros said.
Barry sighed as he leaned back in his couch and looked up. He had a feeling about what Elros was getting at, but he needed to hear him say it. Elros saw what Barry was thinking and nodded.
"This is all a preface to what I'm saying. Bruce, Clark, and I - we want to start a team," Elros said. Barry gulped as the words came out of his mouth - he had a feeling that might be it.
"A team?" Barry asked, looking at Elros.
"That's right. When the gates open, we need to be ready. We can't be caught unawares when something big is going on - we need to be prepared to react at a moments notice," Elros said.
"Do you even know what you're talking about?" Barry asked.
"I do. A lot of people aren't going to like it," Elros said.
"Don't I know it. We have no jurisdiction. And we're just rumors for now. Once this gets out… once we go public… how do we know hell won't break loose then? That we won't be the impetus?" Barry said.
"We don't. But I'd rather be reviled and have the Earth protected then caught unawares. Any day of the week," Elros said.
"And your friends? What do they think about the idea?" Barry asked, eliciting a chuckle from Elros.
"They don't know. Bruce, Clark, Hal, myself, and you. That's it. We're keeping a tight leash on this one. We don't need every metahuman… but we need the core," Elros said.
"Who else are you going to approach?" Barry asked. Elros sighed as he thought about it.
"Bruce and I agreed on a few names. I've three more in mind; Diana. J'onn. Arthur," Elros said.
"I see. Maybe Diana and J'onn. But Arthur? I don't think he's going to be as willing," Barry said.
"It'll take some convincing. But that's likely to be the case for everyone - except maybe J'onn. But he's the smart one," Elros said with a grin, eliciting a laugh from Barry. But finally, they both took on serious faces again.
"I can't give you an answer right now, Elros. I… need to think about this," Barry said.
"I understand. It's not something I'd ask lightly, Barry. Especially with what you have with Iris. But… the world's getting larger, and the universe is getting smaller. I just want to be ready," Elros said. Barry nodded in agreement. He had a lot to think about - he couldn't simply dismiss this out of hand.
"Take the time you need. I still have to ask the others, anyways. Let me know when you've made a decision," Elros said.
"Absolutely. You going to head back now?" Barry asked.
"Probably. Unless…?" Elros asked, grinning.
"What do you feel like?" Barry asked with a chuckle.
"Hmm… Pizza?" Elros suggested.
"To Naples?" Barry wondered.
"To Naples. Let's see who gets there first," Elros said as he suddenly shot his hand out and opened a magic portal. Even as he did so, Barry was already there.
-o-
"Hey, what's up?" Rias asked as Elros called.
"With my friend. How's the house looking? It done?'"Elros asked
"Yup. It still has the same style, just several more floors added to it. I think you'll like it," Rias said as she leaned against the glass window of their bedroom.
"Sweet! Thank your dad for me again. Are the girls moved in?" he asked.
"Yup. How much longer are you gonna be, though?" Rias asked.
"Just a bit longer. I'll bring over some pizza as well. Any preferences?" Elros asked.
"I'll ask the girls and text you," she said.
"Perfect. See you guys in a bit," Elros said, hanging up.
As she hung up, Rias sighed and looked at her phone. She turned it on again and started looking through her pictures. She noted that Elros wasn't in very many; he didn't like to have his picture taken, much like his father. She wondered if he had inherited that trait from him - and what other traits he might've gotten as well. Turning, she saw Akeno walk up to her - a thoughtful expression on her face as well.
"He's not in many pictures, huh?" Akeno asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Nope. Just like his dad…," Rias sighed softly.
"You're thinking about how else they might be similar?" Akeno wondered.
"Yeah. But I don't think there are very many similarities. Elros is a good man. We know that for damn sure. His father is most certainly not," Rias said, almost snarling as she talked about him.
"I agree. He's… sweet. Gentle with Koneko and Gasper. Loving to you and I. He's powerful… that much is evident," Akeno said, but she gulped as she thought on another way to describe Elros. It was evident in how he fought the Stray; how he beat Riser and his peerage; how he manhandled Vali.
In fights, Elros was very much a monster.
"When he fights, he's so different," Rias said, sensing her line of thought.
"I know. Let's be honest… during our Rating Game with Riser, our fight with Kokabiel… hell, whenever Issei fights anyone… we spend so much time just smack talking. Elros doesn't even bother with it. He just… get's the job done," Akeno said with a shudder.
"It might have to do with him being a Lantern. If you knew people were dying every minute, would you really talk shit?" Rias asked. Akeno gulped and shook her head. They all knew when to get serious.
"I don't know. Anyways, I'm gonna go ask the girls what pizza they want. Any preferences?" Rias asked.
"No," Akeno answered as she laid down, looking thoughtfully at the ceiling.
-o-
"Think we'll come out to Italy for our next vacation," Elros said as he and Barry walked along the labor in Naples. It was a picture perfect city with a stunning blue coast and several small boats and ships in the harbor. There was a tree line across it, paring well with the colorful buildings that adorned multiple rows. A few peaks could be seen in the distance, towering over the rest of the city. However, Elros and Barry knew that first impressions weren't always correct.
"Naples… such a beautiful place to look at but…," Barry sighed.
"I know," Elros said as they paused, their smiles falling as they observed. Waste management had long been a problem in this paradise, peaking several years ago. While not well versed on the topic as he'd like to be - and wanting to change it - Elros knew he simply couldn't use his powers to do so. Nor could Barry or Clark. They weren't Gods, as much as some might say they were if they knew about their powers. They couldn't pick apart and solved every problem that posed the world.
"You ever think we're wasting our time? Or, on the opposite end, not using it correctly?" Elros asked.
"What do you mean?" Barry wondered.
"Look at this place. We know there's a bunch of landfills here, right? How easy would it be for me to just roll it into a giant ball and take it to the sun? It'd be incinerated to nothing, with zero problems at all. But I leave it. I leave it here, I leave it in the world," Elros mused.
"Hmm… I get what you're saying. But no. That's not your responsibility. That's on the shoulders of the people that live here. If you baby them, they'll never change. They'll grow more and more dependent on you. And then one day, you're going to die and that ring is gonna to someone else - likely someone not on Earth. Then what? They'll be left with no processes in place," Barry responded. He often had the same thought - and it was one that troubled him to no end.
He was the fastest man alive. Even with Elros's new powers, he had gotten to Naples before Elros could even step through the portal. No matter how quickly Elros could be here or there, Barry would always win. With that power, though, his mind was always working at a high speed. He knew that at this very moment, someone was getting murdered. Someone was being robbed. Someone was hurt and dying. An adult; a senior; a child. And he was walking along the harbor with his friend. In choosing to do that, he condemned a life. It was something that plagued him even more when he first obtained his powers, and it was a thought that often woke him up in a cold sweat: who could he be saving right now? But he knew that it was knowledge he'd have to live with - because as much as he wanted to save everyone, he knew that even he couldn't do that. He couldn't be everywhere at once; he wasn't omnipotent or omnipresent - he was just really damn fast.
"We're not Gods, E. Not you. Not me. Not Clark. We're just people, despite what we're capable of doing. And we should keep that in mind. We need to stay grounded. The day one of us thinks he's better than that guy walking down the street, that's the day we lose touch with our humanity," Barry said seriously. Elros smiled and nodded. He felt the same way. And this was why they needed Barry on the team. He would keep them grounded at all times.
"Anyways, let's get that pizza," Elros said slinging his arm around Barry's shoulder, grinning wide.
-o-
"HONEYS, I'M HOME!" Elros yelled as he opened the door to his new house. Mr. Gremory did a wonderful job, he thought - adding multiple floors that could easily house a massive harem of women (no doubt that's what Mr. Gremory thought of when making the additions). The bottom floor was just the same except for the seven new beauties that were sitting around, waiting for his return. They smiled wide as they saw him enter, carrying ten boxes of the best Neapolitan pizza from Naples.
"From Naples?" Rias asked in surprise.
"Can't think of a better place to get pizza than where it was invented. Here you girls go," Elros said as he distributed the boxes to their requestors. Sitting on the counter, he happily began to dig in, smiling wide at the others who returned his smile.
"How're you girls liking the new place? It might be a bit cold or stark for some people's tastes, but I hope you like it. Mi casa es su casa," Elros said.
"I certainly love it. But are you sure we aren't burdening you?" Mihae asked, still unsure.
"Not at all! I'm sorry that it took so long to get you girls situated here. Things keep coming up, and that's on me," Elros sighed.
"Nonsense. You're a wonderful mas- friend to us. And you were still quicker about it than Riser," Marion said.
"He kept us in… less than ideal conditions for a while before his parents forced him to move us into a better place. But it certainly wasn't as nice as this. Mr. Gremory obviously spared no expense. Although, I'm curious about the stuff in the basement…," Bürent trailed off.
"IT'S HERE?!" Elros asked excitedly.
"What is it?" Isabela asked.
"Home theater equipment! We're gonna build out the most kick ass entertainment room this side of the world!" Elros said happily.
"Mr. Gremory could've done it for you, you know," Akeno said with a loving smile.
"I know, but where's the fun in that? I'm gonna call over Gasper, Saji, Issei, and Kiba and make a fun day out of it," Elros said. The girls looked on with smiles of their own; Elros was easily excitable. He turned back to them.
"So what do you girls plan to do now that you're on Earth? I mean you can sit around all day, sure… but no fun in that. Well… SOME fun in that, but…," Elros trailed off, frowning.
"Ummm… I have a suggestion if I might," Mihae said, blushing.
"What's up?" Elros asked.
"Perhaps… since we're all your age… perhaps we could attend school here?" she asked. Elros paused before grinning wide.
"YES! THAT'S A GREAT IDEA!" he exclaimed.
"Really?" Marion asked in surprise.
"Yeah! That'd be awesome! We might even be in the same class! Rias?! How about it?" Elros asked.
"Fine with me. I'll get it set up for those of you that want to," Rias said, giggling.
"We need to start training again as well, Rias. Perhaps you ladies wouldn't mind helping?" Akeno asked.
"If it's ok with Elros," Xuelan said.
"Yeah, it's fine with me. Another thing - you girls don't really need my permission for anything. Live happily," Elros said, raising his glass of Coke in the air and grinning at them. They all smiled back and raised their own glasses.
"You're going to be leaving tomorrow, right?" Rias asked.
"Might push it to leaving Tuesday if the girls are gonna start school. Need to get a better handle on my powers then, though. Plus, need to spend some time with my familiar. Speaking of which, Saji get his yet?" Elros wondered.
"I don't think so. Pretty sure they're still there," Rias answered.
"What is your familiar?" Yubelluna asked.
"A phoenix," Elros said.
"And a mermaid soon," Akeno giggled.
"A phoenix?" Isabela asked, aghast.
"Mermaid?" Mihae asked.
"Yup and yup," Elros replied.
"Two extremely rare familiars," Yubelluna said.
"He was hitting on the mermaid. Dominique," Rias said, smiling.
"Seriously?" Xuelan deadpanned.
"Rias is exaggerating. All I said to her was that she had a beautiful name, that I'm here to find a familiar, and if she wanted to join. I said we should get to know each other better and I'd be back this month. Alas, that didn't work out. Something tells me she might not be happy with me next month when the moon is back. I sent word to Zatouji to let her know; just hope she understands," Elros said with a sigh.
"Sex with a mermaid might be difficult, you know," Rias smirked.
"I don't want to have sex with every woman I see, sweetheart," Elros said dramatically.
"Mhm," Rias giggled.
"You all believe me, right?!" Elros asked. The girls simply giggled, offering no response.
"You have your answer?" Akeno asked with a laugh.
"I can't believe it! You all really do just view me as some sort of male slut… Accurate, yet painful as well. Very well! I accept your label with grace. There are worst things to be called, I guess," Elros said.
"Don't be so dramatic," Bürent said with a laugh that the girls joined in on. Elros smiled as he saw them having an enjoyable time; he was sure that they wouldn't be this relaxed around Riser. He was happy that they were happy.
"Enough about that, however. Karlamine, how was your time with Kiba?" he asked. Karlamine turned a bright red as every neck snapped to her, looks of surprise and excitement on their faces.
"Kiba? The knight in Rias's peerage?" Xuelan asked in surprise.
"You set them up?" Akeno asked, restraining her laughter.
"I did indeed. What can I say? You two are woefully inefficient in your natural born duties as matchmakers so I've had to step in to pick up the slack," Elros said, sighing in disappointment. Akeno and Rias rolled their eyes but smiled.
"Anyways, it's getting late. Let's get to bed," Rias suggested.
"Sou-," Elros began when his phone suddenly rang.
"What's up?" Elros asked.
"You talk to Barry?" Bruce asked.
"I did," Elros replied.
"Drop by to discuss," Bruce said.
"I can just tell you over the phone. I have a couple of extremely beautiful women waiting for me," Elros said with a chuckle.
"Everything related to this will have to be handled in person. Also, I've rigged up a new phone for us to use for more… delicate things," Bruce said.
"Fine. Now?" Elros asked.
"Now," Bruce answered.
"See you in a bit," Elros answered, hanging up. He looked apologetically at Rias, Akeno, and the others who looked on in worry.
"What is it? You need to go somewhere?" Rias asked as she cupped his face in her hands.
"Yeah. Need to visit another friend. I'll be back quickly, though," Elros said.
"Alright," Rias said, kissing him quickly before he exited through the door.
"What's all this about? He's been getting called away a lot," Akeno said, her brow furrowing.
"I don't know. I assume it's other Lanterns," Rias said. Akeno shrugged and both turned to go to their room. The girls finished their food and headed to their own rooms, preparing to spend their first night in Elros's home.
-o-
As Elros landed in front of Wayne Manor, the door flew open. Again.
'Good grief, every time I visit Bruce SOMEONE is flinging the door open. Kinda funny, actually,' Elros chuckled to him. He smiled wide as he saw that it was again the beautiful Barbara Gordon. However, her reaction to seeing him was more frosty than last time.
"Elros," she greeted him coldly, not hugging him. Elros was surprised but smiled nonetheless.
"Hey, Barbara. What's up?" he asked.
"Nothing. You?" she asked.
"Just going into see Bruce. You just meet him?" Elros asked.
"I did. He told me what you guys are doing," Barbara replied. To Elros's surprise, she seemed to be angry at him.
"I see… what do you think?" Elros asked. He had an idea of where this was going.
"I've been asking him to let me go on a mission with him for years! The same with Dick! And every time we ask, it's the same thing! You're too young! You're not experienced enough! But you! Why isn't he saying that you're too young!? Why isn't he telling you that you're not experienced enough?!" she spat angrily. Elros was surprised by the reaction. He had always known Barbara to be level-headed; he thought she knew the answers to her questions.
"It-," was all Elros got out before he suddenly felt her slap him - hard. He looked back at her but saw only anger in her eyes.
"He told me that you agreed with him. That we're too young and inexperienced. How dare you decide that for us?" she snarled.
"Barbara-," Elros began before she cut him off.
"NO! Don't Barbara me! I'm older than you, you know? What gives you and him the right to exclude me? I thought I could trust you to be on my side!" she said angrily.
"I-," but she scoffed and strode past him. Elros watched her go, sighing deeply as he rubbed his cheek. Tucking his hands in his pockets, he walked into the Manor.
"Ah, Master Elros. You saw Miss Gordon?" Alfred asked.
"Yeah. She's…. not happy," Elros sighed.
"Yes, I heard the slap all the way in here. My apologies, sir," Alfred said.
"All good, Alfred. I'ma go check in with Bruce," Elros said.
"Very good, sir. Master Bruce has already indexed your retina into the scanner, so you should be able to go in," Alfred.
"That sounds - wait! WHEN DID HE DO THAT?!" Elros asked in shock. Alfred smiled and shrugged before he went on his merry way.
-o-
"Brucey," Elros greeted.
"How many nicknames do you have for me?" Bruce sighed loudly.
"More than enough," Elros said.
"Barbara speak with you?" Bruce asked.
"Something like that," Elros sighed.
"Do you want to let her join?" Bruce asked.
"No. She might be mad at me, but I'd rather her angry and alive than dead," Elros said.
"Agreed. So how was the talk with Barry?" Bruce asked.
"He needs some time to think about it. Reasonable request. I'll ask Diana, J'onn, and Arthur next. Maybe J'onn first," Elros said.
"That's a good idea. I'll have Clark follow up with Barry later. Might put some extra weight behind it if he goes," Bruce said.
"Sounds good. So where's this new thing you have for me?" Elros asked. Bruce tossed him a phone over the shoulder.
"From now on, whenever I communicate with you, it'll be with this. Same goes for when you communicate with me or Clark. I've preprogrammed our numbers in it. It should be perfectly safe," Bruce said. Elros nodded and used his ring to incorporate the frequency just in case he needed something longer range.
"Was that it? Been here less than a couple minutes and we're done," Elros said.
"How was Disneyland? Get to know your friends better?" Bruce asked.
"Yup. Got to know more about that one assholes peerage that I won. Great bunch of girls," Elros said with a grin.
"Did you visit home?" Bruce asked.
"Nope," Elros sighed.
"You might want to sooner or later. You need to come to terms with it," Bruce said.
"You know it propels me just as much as what happened to you propels you," Elros said, his voice cold as ice. Bruce nodded; he was correct.
"Also, my new address. Just in case," Elros said, writing it down. Bruce stored it quickly.
"That concludes business for now. Speak to J'onn when you can. I think he'll be on board with us. Diana… most likely. Arthur will be the most difficult to convince," Bruce said.
"What about Oliver?" Elros asked.
"No. At the very least, not yet. I don't want this to encompass everyone from the beginning. We need to run this close and tight. I trust Barbara not to tell anyone; Queen is a different story," Bruce said.
"Alright. Well, if that's it - I'll see you later, black and yellow," Elros said, going up the elevator. Exiting, he opened a magic circle and went home.
-o-
"Hey. How was your talk?" Rias asked as he got into bed with her and Akeno.
"Pretty good. Hope I didn't keep you waiting," he said as he kissed her and Akeno good night.
"No. Is everything alright, though? You've been getting called a lot, it seems," she said.
"It's all good. People needing to talk about different things," Elros said, smiling.
"I'm curious why you still choose to fly, though. Isn't using the magic circle quicker?" Rias asked.
"Much quicker. I just love a good view. This is definitely the best view, though. And position," Elros said as he kissed them both again, eliciting squeals of delight.
"You're so touchy-feely," Akeno giggled as she snuggled closer.
"I know. Does it bothers you?" Elros asked.
"Just the opposite. Feel free to be as touchy feely as you'd like with me," Akeno said.
"Happily," Elros said as his hand traveled down, giving a tight squeeze.
"Good. Now let's get some sleep," Rias said, snuggling closer as well.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone