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He sat on a nearby log, observing as the other members of the trip talked amongst themselves. Their words were muffled and purposefully guarded. He understood. Whatever intentions Rias may have had for him, he was still not a member of her peerage, a position he would staunchly preserve. That meant whatever private words she may have had for her servants, he was not allowed to hear. That suited him just fine. If Rias wanted to tell him, she would do so in her own good time.
He watched as one of the figures detached himself from the group and began striding towards him.
Yuuto Kiba. Third year student, and arguably the most popular boy in the academy, if not for his dashing good looks then certainly for his earnest charm. Like Rias, he had a particular sincerity to him, and the way he always smiled when doing anything made him very easy to approach. His legion of secret admirers attested to that fact. They had nearly trampled him once, when he had the misfortune to cross the boy's path in the hallway. The stream of fan girls had crushed him to a wall and held him there for minutes while they sighed and giggled excitedly amongst each other as Kiba passed. Of course, that was when he knew him as a human and not a devil.
Now after spending some time with Rias's peerage, he wondered how much of that charm was faked. The boy still smiled, still spoke courteously in private, but there were times he caught the devil staring off into the distance, as though reminiscing about something. He had once been human. Rias had told him that, and Kiba had further elaborated, though the version of events he gave was brief and succinct. But from what he knew about devil resurrections, the boy had died once before being raised, and he did not doubt for a second that there might have been something dark in his history that eventually led to that fate.
There was also the issue of peerages, though in Kiba's case it was more of a nonissue. Rias and Akeno both pursued him relentlessly about joining. Issei was surprisingly the most enthusiastic about the idea. Asia, being the newest member, was only beginning to settle in and had very little say, but he knew she would welcome him amongst them. Koneko was always quiet but from the sometimes clinical gazes he would receive from her, he guessed that at the very least, the girl would assent to his inclusion due to the power he could wield. It was only Kiba that was neutral on the matter, and besides the part he played in intercepting Tsubaki, had little to do with Rias's attempts to lure him in.
Instinctively, he knew respect from the boy did not come freely. It had to be earned.
It reminded him of Akihiko. Complete with fan girl following.
He stood up as Kiba approached, and his eyes focused on the objects the devil had slung over his shoulder.
How interesting.
"You are proficient with these?" the handsome boy asked and tossed him one of the two swords he was carrying. He caught it by the hilt and twirled it about his wrist, relishing in the familiarity of holding a blade once more. Swords had been his favorite weapon to use in the Tower, and more than a few Shadows had perished by his hand and the steel it had held.
"Not bad," Kiba smiled, "It's good to see a potential Bishop have some expertise in close combat."
The devil saw his bemused expression and chuckled.
"I'm sorry. I am getting ahead of myself. Sona explained the Rating Game to you, but she left out some of the more minute details. In short, should you ever join our Buchou's peerage or any peerage for that matter, your rank would be Bishop."
"Bishop," he repeated the word, none the wiser.
"Yes. A rank is determined by what the piece is good at. I, myself, am a Knight, and my specialty is close combat and speed. Generally, that's what all Knights are good at, but the Sacred Gears they use will be different. Koneko over there," Kiba gestured to the petite girl standing near Rias, "is a Rook. She may not look like it, but she can take and dish out a lot of punishment. That's the difference between Knights and Rooks. Knights are very fast, but they are rather fragile. Glass cannons, if you will. Rooks, on the other hand, can absorb a lot of damage, but they are usually quite slow."
He nodded in understanding and watched as the devil performed some complicated sword motions of his own.
"Akeno is our queen. She has all the strengths of a Bishop, a Knight, and a Rook combined. Besides Rias, she would be our most important piece in a Rating Game. Issei, as he might have told you, is our only pawn. Normally a peerage will contain any numbers of pawns but when our Buchou resurrected Issei, she had to use all eight pieces," the devil paused, as though if thinking of something and then shook his head before continuing, "The last rank is Bishop, and unlike the earlier ranks, they tend to be ranged pieces. Which is why you would be one. The power you have shown, the ability to use elemental fire and ice as well as heal yourself, would make you a very good Bishop."
"I see," he replied, "And Asia. She would be a Bishop as well?"
Kiba smiled at him.
"Exactly. Her talent for healing makes her a powerful piece, but one that needs to be guarded closely. That's actually the norm for all Bishops. They tend to be vulnerable should they be engaged in close combat. And that's why I am here. To test your melee capabilities, so we can judge how much effort we need to expend to keep you safe in a Rating Game."
He stared at the blade in his hand and then at the devil who had given it to him.
"I do not intend to be a part of Rias's peerage."
His counterpart flourished his sword and then brought it up to his face in a dueler's salute.
"So you say," Kiba tilted his head in acknowledgment, "Nevertheless, indulge me."
And then he lunged.
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