Chapter Text
"Summer is here!" Cheered one energetic Kiana Kaslana with a grin as she leaned on the pool table in a game area where the group is. "Swimsuits, beaches, and relaxation!"
"Kiana, summer break is in a week," Issei said as he used a chalk cube on his pool cue before lining his shots.
"Stop ruining my fun, perv!" Sticking her tongue out to her friend, the white comet of the Kaslana family looked at the pool table. "Besides, shouldn't you be excited?"
"Nah, I'm heading to Italy this summer," Issei revealed as he hit the cue ball with enough force to launch it at the set of balls, scattering them around and pocketing several balls in the process. "What?"
"Why are YOU heading to Italy?"
"It's important and I have to finish this quickly," Issei revealed as he aimed for a solid-colored ball and pocketed it with a hit from his cue ball.
"Eh? But I made plans to have you as my lackey! Your reward is seeing me in my swimsuit!"
"Yeah, bummer," replied the pervert as he pocketed another solid ball before frowning as the cue ball was pocketed.
Pouting to herself, the white comet grabbed the pocketed cue ball and aimed. "Any chance you can reschedule it?"
"Can't. Unless you want me to end up as fish food,"
"When will you leave?" Kiana asked, frowning as she missed her target.
"In a few days," Issei revealed as he aimed the cue stick, and with enough force. The cue ball moved like a bullet, hitting and pocketing several of his targets as he moved to another position. "I need a favor,"
"Go ahead,"
"Look out for my mom and dad, okay?"
"Hmm... sure! But... hang out with me before you leave!"
"We're already hanging out,"
"No! You're demolishing me in pool!"
"Sucks to suck,"
"When did you get snarky?!"
"Since a white comet crashed into my life," Issei shot back, pocketing the 8 ball and winning the game. 'More like after your first brush with the Mafia,' Ddraig echoed in his mind. "But seriously, I want you to check up on my parents while I'm gone. I'm leaving my spider, but I'd rather have you looking out for them, too."
"Come on, you two," Mei said with a smile as she looked at the duo. "Miss Theresa is treating us to ramen."
"Sweet! Auntie Teri is spoiling us! Come on, Perv!"
"Morons," A bored voice echoed out as Bronya Zaychick, the youngest of their group, followed along, staying close to Mei.
The pervert rolled his eyes as he cleaned up the pool table and followed along. If a dying will flame user could see him for that split second, a mane of yellow flames formed around him like a mirage of desert sand.
"You better have your wallet ready, Auntie Teri!" Kiana said with a grin as she sat next to Asia and Mei. Issei took his place next to Asia while Bronya was between Mei and Theresa.
"You girls did a good job, so I'll treat you today."
"Hey, what about me?!" Cried out the pervert.
"Y-you can share mine, Issei,"
"You're an angel, Asia!"
"Of course, I'm treating you too,"
"Well," a soft voice echoed out from a man. A man whom both Theresa and Issei have just noticed now. Theresa, a veteran exorcist despite her physical appearance, and Issei, a veteran of dying will flames capable of sniffing out illusions near him. Seeing him, Issei's eyes widened before narrowing into pinpricks as desert sand disappeared from the simple band on. "Can I recommend some ramen?"
A ring on his hand, one that Issei had seen once during that fateful day. One of the extremely rare A-rank mist-type rings and a part of a unique set. Of that set, the ring in front of him was born when a woman who did not accept the death of her lover. The desert sand swirled and disappeared, retreating to the watch he wore, one holding a special ring that can draw out flames not belonging to the seven flames of the sky.
"Sure!" Kiana said with a grin, eager to try out some ramen recommended by a regular of the shop.
"Do you have some recommendations for us, mister?" Asia, bless her heart, innocently asked the man sitting next to Issei. The pervert said nothing more as he discreetly pulled out a steel ball.
"Kawahira," The man introduced himself with a blank face, while Issei remained coiled like a spring ready to explode. Even with his experience with dying will flames, his new rings are located on his pointer and ring fingers. A simple green gem surrounded by a pair of dog-like heads circling it like a yin-yang symbol, along with a ring decorated by twin ravens circling a purple gem. "My name is Kawahira." Issei will lose. No doubt about it.
"Do you have any recommendations, Mr. Kawahira?" Asia asked.
"They'd better taste good! I can be quite picky with food!"
"Kiana-chan, that's rude," Mei said with a sigh.
"The Bronya believes some recommendations will be optimal."
Unlike the four younger girls, Theresa noticed how coiled the usually laid-back perverted teen her charges picked up as their trainer for dying will flames. As a veteran of countless battlefields, her instincts were razor-sharp, easily able to detect presences that posed even a single intent to harm her or those around her... For someone to easily slip under her radar... An ordinary-looking man at that. Her instincts, honed by decades of combat, screamed at her not to fight. The pervert paled at the proximity of the man next to him.
—
After the ramen break they had, the pervert said goodbye to the girls and walked away before taking a sharp turn to a nearby alley and emptied the ramen he had just finished eating a few minutes ago. Sensing someone coming close, the lone ring under his clothes he wore like a pendant glowed ominously, ready to react.
"Hi~, are you alright?" a cute, soft, and feminine voice snapped him out of his act of expelling the contents of his stomach. Fluffy.
Pink fluffy hair and jewel-like pink eyes. Dressed in a white button-up shirt, a pair of white boots, and a black skirt with a pink streak.
A mane of scraggly crimson hair-like flames and a scarred eye greeted the girl as a stallion, an Apaloosa, appeared in front of her.
"Echoes?"
The girl smiled and gently scratched the stallion's neck and mane. "Good boy,"
Echoes, the horse, neighed softly and nuzzled the girl before turning around, picking the pervert up by the back of his clothes.
"Ah? So you're Kiana-chan's dying will flame tutor," Issei blinked as he looked at the girl while Echoes stood behind him. "It's nice to finally meet you! I'm Elysia, Elysia Schariac! Nice to meet you, and you too, Echoes~,"
This girl is dangerous.