Rias 6

Rias 6

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Commissioned by cjdavis103

Word Count: 2055

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“Issei?”

“Y-yeah?”

“Would you care to explain to me… what you just said?”

“N-no?”

“Okay, that’s fine.”

“R-really?”

“Absolutely not!”

“Gah!”

I seized Issei and held him down. His features were panicked, flushed, and terrified. However, I was not going to hold back. After all our years together, he said words to me that I couldn’t accept. A phrase that I would never allow to go said without fighting it with all my ability. My mind, body, and soul were all united in my current goal, as I held Hyoudou Issei down, and I was willing to commit every possible sin possible to gain what I wished from him.

Even with our relationship…

No.

Because of our relationship, I could let those words go unchallenged.

Issei looked upon me with tears in his eyes, red flushing his cheeks, and apprehension on his features. He was afraid. I didn’t want him to be. But, I had to do this. For both our sakes, so that our relationship didn’t deteriorate, and actually advanced, I had to do this here and now without the slightest bit of hesitation.

I grabbed him by his lapel and brought his face towards my own.

Then I screamed into his ear.

“TELL ME WHO PEARL SHOOTER REALLY IS YOU TRAITORRRRR!”

“I can’t! I can’t! I don’t wanna die, so I can’t!” What a pitiful fool I have before me! Damn him to heck! He understands, yet he cannot risk his body for my sake?! Me, the woman who stood in line for his favorite circle, when he was sick? I, who set him up with a dozen handshake events, was being barred from meeting my favorite magical girl ever!? Blasphemy! Heresy! This is the work of an enemy Stand! If I couldn’t force the answer out of Issei, I was going to have to make sure that he was indeed himself, or not being mind controlled! “Please, Rias! You don’t understand! My life is on the line here! I wanna live and have children!”

“If you’re not brave enough to do this, how do you expect to be brave enough to become a man! The more you refuse, the more you become an eternal virgin, you know!?” Yes, indeed. I had to do this for Issei’s sake! I was worried about his prospects. What kind of a man didn’t have the courage to risk his life for his friend!? Standing in line as a pretty girl for a doujin circle nearly killed me! I did that for him, but he couldn’t do the same for me? I had to do this to make sure Issei lived properly! “If you’re worried about never procreating… know that humanity rejects the genes of a coward!”

“Humanity’s going to reject my existence if I don’t help you!?” Issei was affronted by my words. As he should be. It was completely true, after all. Courage is an important facet of any male. And, right now, Issei lacked the courage to divulge ultra-secret confidential information regarding the Preservers to me! I could only blame the environment he grew up in, since I could not hate my best, useless, and deadbeat friend. Damn you, Japanese Culture! You’re ruining Japanese Culture! I love you so much, please don’t be angry at me. “I-Impossible!”

“It’s totes true, so talk, dammit!”

Unfortunately, during my interrogation, the door to my room abruptly opened.

“So... this is what NTR feels like, huh?” That smugness. That illegal-VA sounding voice, due to both youth and an exotic accent utilizing Japanese slang. The scent of strawberry shampoo and peach lip gloss… and the dark shadow cast by an unknowing, uncultured gaze upon my precious, precious collection! This fiend who has trespassed upon my home can only be one person: Elizabeth Ulrich! My antithesis as a childhood friend… Issei’s first girl! Gah, she ruins everything—wait what’s that about NTR? “Or, is this reverse play, Gremory-chan?”

I looked at my current situation with consideration for social norms in mind.

Ah.

I see.

It does look like I’m doing that sort of thing to Issei—

And, I’m blacking out now.

…

“So, you’re a fan of Diamond Demise and Pearl Shooter huh? Well, that’s about as surprising as whatever happens to anyone who walks into cattle cars. Which is not very, if you’re wondering.” Uugh. Holocaust jokes. Why can’t this girl be anything besides crass? What Issei-kun saw in her, I didn’t know. And, of course, she had to sit on his lap while right in front of me, while we talked about my issue. All my sacred figurines’ gazes are looking upon me. I can feel their sorrow at my current state. However, I had to persevere and ignore my concerns about my love life. Social anxiety and terror later. Magical Girl Pearl Shooter now. “Well, I guess I can tell you. I can run away faster than this big baby over here.”

Big baby? Was that a nickname!? I bet you haven’t even seen Issei’s baby pictures… or have copies! Take that name back this instant! Uwuu! I mean it! Take that name back right this instant. Ah, I think I’m going to cry. Ulrich is so mean! Wait. I needed to be strong. Swallow the blood you’re coughing up, Rias. You have to do this. You must. You must be the first fan to send a heartfelt letter of thanks to Pearl Shooter and open her heart to the world that loves and adores her!

“T-that would be very appreciated, Ulrich-san. I would like that very much.”

“W-wow, you sound like you’re in pain. Jeez. This is really hard for you isn’t it?” I… I would like it very much if the concern in your words were put to action. Please, leave Issei-kun’s lap. Stop looking so prim, cute, and lovable, too. Damn, you Elizabeth Ulrich, why must you be so cruel and cute at the same time!? Issei doesn’t let me sit on his lap or get lap pillows since he can’t keep it pure anymore… even though that makes me feel slightly better about our current circumstances, I still want a lap pillow from my childhood friend who once called me Onee-sama, uwu! “You really don’t want to ask me for help do you?”

“Ah, Eli, it’s fun being an S, but Rias definitely isn’t an M, so this isn’t that great.” Issei you have cute nickname for her? Why? I don’t even have “chan” at the end my name anymore, but your girlfriend gets a cute nickname? Actually, I’m not that mad about it. It would take a real asshole to call another girl -chan when they have a girlfriend. Yep. “Ummm, how about just telling her, since you can definitely run away and not die when you do?”

Ah, this was the part when the evil magistrate offers the heroine a terrible choice. What was going to happen now? Was I going to get NTR’d in my own secret sanctum? Was I going to lose one of my most precious figurines? Was I going to be NTR’d ON my figurines? Augh, just the thought of it makes me wanna die—

“Alright, I’ll tell her. No string attached, because I know someone’s going to absolutely hate it anyway.” Huh? Nani? Excuse me? What? Que? All the other single word, surprise interjections that exist? This must be a trick. The evil magistrate loli with the slightly husky, yet sweet voice who uses the heroine’s childhood friend as a throne always demands something of the heroine. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m not doing this for you. I just think it’s funny. And, well, Issei-kun asked.”

Apparently, I’m not the heroine!? That’s totally a main-girl line there! Ah, I’m really falling behind socially aren’t I?

I knew it.

I’m becoming a worthless side character because I didn’t become a magical girl!

It might even be possible I’m just a side character’s side character!

Aria was more important than I was… but she wasn’t the protagonist!

Wait, Rias, control yourself!

You can’t have an existential crisis right before you learn who Pearl Shooter is…and get her to autograph your figurine!

“Oh. Wow. That’s a thing.” Huh? When did I put my cherished Pearl Shooter Mechanized Figure with Holographic Projectors and Extra Cushion on the table? Did my body subconsciously fetch it while I was reprimanding myself? Have I grown so great with anime that it governs my instincts when I don’t pay attention or think? Am I evolving as an otaku!? I need to press B, someway and somehow, because I’m sure that Aria would be very disappointed in me if I get to (missing?) more than I am now. “Yep. I’m telling you for free. There’s no way I can charge you for this info, because it’s going to be great no matter what happens.”

I managed to nod and not squee too loudly at the confirmation.

Finally, I was going to learn Pearl Shooter’s true identity.

And, I was undoubtedly going to be able to claim being her number 1 fan!

…

I looked at Shizi.

She looked at me.

Then, we both looked at the letter I was pushing at her.

“Who told you.” The voice of my heroine was cold, cruel, and calculating. It made me want to cry. I wanted Pearl Shooter to be a great, cheery, and upbeat girl. Someone who overcame challenges with a smile on her face and a BLAM from her rifle. However, that was not the case. Instead, Pearl Shooter’s true identity was a dour Dhamphir dark warrior. Ah, I really feel like crying now. However, I must see this through. “Was it Hyoudou? No. He’s a coward in silly things like this. Ulrich, then. I’ll find a way to pay her back for this.”

The Heroine of Justice I wanted to exist... did not.

However… however… I still couldn’t stand by and hear such words come from the woman who played her!

Mustering all my courage, I looked at Shizi straight in the eye and said my piece.

“Y-you… you need to be more cute and cheerful!” I expected my words to not have any effect. I believed that she was only a dark warrior from a fallen kingdom. A person who didn’t understand how cute things mattered in the world. However, instead of scoffing and looking away at me, a miracle occurred: the red-haired Dhamphir blushed. There was hope… and I was going to grasp onto that hope with all my might. “P-please become worthy of this letter I addressed to Pearl Shooter! Please! I beg you!”

“W-what are you going on about, Gremory?”

She was confused.

Why wouldn’t she be?

For her the situation was only embarrassing, terrible, and something that she was forced to do.

However, it wasn’t for everyone else.

“I’m telling you that you’re doing a good job! That you becoming Pearl Shooter might have been embarrassing for you, but it was great for everyone who has worries about the world.” Magical girls were fiction. However, the things that they fought weren’t. That was what everyone was led to believe. Between the lines in all the kid shows shown in humanity, it shows that humanity must band together and fight. It tells everyone that there’s no heroine of justice that’ll come to save the day, but instead everyone has to work together. “You’re making a lot of people happy! People who thought that all they can do is hope that mankind can fight and die against everything that threatens it, so that everyone can live another day!”

I didn’t wait for her to respond. I needed to say my piece.

“It might seem silly, Ms. Shizi, but please be proud about what you’ve made! You’ve saved so many lives, made so many people smile, and lifted so many spirits, so I can’t bear to think that you hate being the person who made that all happen!” I didn’t dislike Shizi. I didn’t want her to stop existing and for Pearl Shooter to be someone else. However, I couldn’t stand by and pretend it’s okay that someone so great, who’s helped so many people, hate what they did just because they had to dress up in a silly way and act cute. Even if I had to beg every day, I was going to make sure Shizi knew that she did something she should be proud of, even if she’s embarrassed by it! “Please, Shizi-san, be happier about what you did, because it’s made so many others happy, too!”

I didn’t expect an answer.

I expected her to think that I was strange, then leave.

However, when I raised my head, I saw a most beautiful sight and heard a most beautiful phrase.

“J-jeez, stop it! Who made you do this? It was definitely Li, wasn’t it!?” There was a blush on her face. Instead of the cold, distant look there was worry, embarrassment, and a subtle joy that only trained eyes can see. Behind that mask was someone who was doing their best to not smile. There was no doubt in my mind in hear that was the case, especially as she crossed her arms and looked away from me. “D-don’t expect me to believe that you actually think that, G-Gremory!”

Shizi was a real life Tsundere.

I was wrong.

She was perfect.