Life 6-1

As Noé was returning home, knowing what was coming once he returned, he made sure to shoot Tsuno a text along the way. And he wasn't at all surprised when he entered the house to find his friend already present and reclined on the couch, fingers tapping away on a controller as the TV blared with the sounds of an FPS the blonde was playing.

"First thing you do when we got a job is start a game?" Noé noted, Tsuno nodding as he didn't dare pry his eyes from the screen. "Well… least you came prepared."

"'Course! The threads your old man made for this kinda thing are stylish as hell anyway," Tsuno chuckled as he raised an arm up to accentuate the dark yellow jacket he was wearing. "I'll just be here while ya' put your things up."

"Just be done by the time I'm back."

"It takes you like a minute anyway!"

Tsuno chuckled as Noé vanished up the stairwell, letting out a few curses as he turned his full attention back to his game. When Noé came back down, he was now wearing a red jacket with a fur lined collar and cuffs, a dark shirt and pants beneath it with a chain hooked to the belt loops of the pants, and sturdy, heavy looking red and black shoes. With a nod of his head, Tsuno shut the console off and tossed the controller aside, both boys heading to the "office" door and striding in, finding Van, as usual, at his desk pouring over some documents.

"Hope we're not late!" Tsuno cheered, Van looking up as the teenagers entered.

"On time as usual actually," Van remarked. "As you would have guessed by now, we've got a new Stray to hunt down… or rather, two of them."

"Two?" said Noé, "I mean not like we haven't had to take down more than one before, but two together is still an oddity. Most Strays who get hits put on them tend to be pretty territorial."

"Apparently these ones decided they were better off sharing," Van stated, "Their names are Rev and Lear… oddly Shakespearean choice that last one. Let's see… ah, these two sticking together actually makes sense. They're runaways from the same Peerage and… oh, actual criminals in this case, having murdered their master before running off. And from the info we got… seems they've fully degenerated as well. No saving these ones it seems."

"Can't be helped," Tsuno hummed, picking at his fingernails. "Sometimes Devils just take it too far even for them, and it twists them entirely."

"Standing right here," Noé bit, Tsuno chuckling. "So that's it? Just a simple smash-and-grab?"

"Well… mostly," Van's state got a raise of the brow from both boys. "We'll also be accompanied by some others… you're newfound friends, Noé."

"Gremory's lot?!" Noé snapped, Van nodding. "Why are they coming along to one of our jobs?!"

"Zeoticus figured it would be a good experience for you and Rias both," Van clarified, Noé grumbling. "She has a Peerage, so can walk you through one's basic structure and how they work in a fight. Meanwhile, you and Tsuno can show that lot what you're capable of. Both sides benefit."

"Hey as long as I get to smash something's face tonight, I'm all good!" Tsuno stated, leaning into Van's view.

"Ugh, seriously? Can't even get a normal job without them being involved now?" Noé muttered, glancing at Van as the sorcerer gained a stern gaze. "Hagh, fine… but they better not get in my way. I don't like having to play pick-up for people who can't keep up with me."

"My my, Noé, from here you're sounding quite sure of yourself!" Noé cursed under his breath as Rias's familiar lilt hit his ears, turning to see the crimson haired girl and her group arriving. To his own confusion they were also in their school uniforms of all things. "We come all the way to this workshop and that's the first thing we hear?"

"Well it's true," Noé bit back, shutting an eye. "Slow me down, and I ain't gonna bother making sure someone keeps up. Not my style."

"My, quite sadistic of you," Akeno mused, then she turned to Van, "Also, please pardon our interruption, Sir Edelweiss. Please don't worry about Noé either, his rough attitude is actually somewhat amusing at times."

"I certainly hope we won't get in Noé's way," Yuuto mused, Noé shooting him an unpleased glance as the princely boy didn't waver at all from his pleasant demeanor. "Though I must admit I'm interested in seeing how the current Red Dragon Emperor performs more than anything."

"Don't get in our way either," Koneko stated, Rias chuckling at the quiet girl's addition.

"I do hope we can consider this a proper exchange of methods, however we feel about it," Rias stated, stepping over to Van, "I know it was a request of my father, but I do have to thank you for allowing us to join you. The full reward will be going to you, of course."

"Zeo is being generous as ever," Rias's eyes widened at Van's usage of shorthand in addressing her father. The man rose, stepping to the side of the room, "Let's not waste any more time on chatter than. I already have a passage to where the two Strays are hiding ready to go, so let's be quick."

Van stepped in front of the magic circle carved into a segment of the wall, running his hands along it's runic markings as he chanted under his breath. With a quick swipe that lit the circle up, the light then bent into itself as if forming a tunnel, then opening into an open passage that led outdoors, the rush of fresh, pine-scented air rushing into the office. Van waved ahead as he went through first, the teenagers following him in. What greeted them on the other side of the portal were the gates of an old mansion, rusted and creaking in the night air.

Towering thus over the walls was one of several old mansions Noé recalled being dotted around Kuoh Town. It wasn't unusual to find such properties across the nation, usually they were relics of previous era's westernization that were now left to rot as their purpose was long since served, but with nothing to be done about the land they were on either. The perfect place to hide for a supernatural entity.

"How about we have a refresher before we begin?" Van turned to the group, looking to Noé, "Noé, mind explaining the basics on a Stray Devil?"

"Really?" Noé sighed, putting his arms behind his head. "Stray Devils are Reincarnated Devils who used to belong to Peerages. For one reason or another, they ended up leaving. Common reasons are running away, murdering another member of the Peerage, or being cast out by their Master for not satisfying their demands. They usually have their Evil Pieces stripped from them if they were forcefully banished, but those ones are actually rare."

"And, what happens to a Reincarnated Devil whose Evil Piece has become disconnected from its King?" Van asked, pointing to Tsuno as the blonde raised a hand. "Tsuno."

"Strays like that usually begin to degenerate since their powers start running wild," said the boy, "If it goes too far then there's no going back, at which point the Devil is more of a monster than a sentient being anymore. They may still talk and think, but they're far from rational. As such, it's basic policy to put them down on the spot."

"Good. Anything else?"

"Despite the claims, plenty of Strays abandon their Masters for understandable reasons," Noé stated, Rias's eyes shifting to him. "Considering how Devils are by nature, most Reincarnations would understandably be dealing with some… clashing morals I guess we can say. A lot of runaways are just people trying to get out of a bad deal they either didn't know everything about or got tricked into… not every Devil plays nice when making their Peerage."

"… well, I can't deny that," Rias admitted, Noé only giving a hum.

"Though those ones usually get gathered up by the Association before they can be caught," he added, Rias's gaze returning to him. "Those people do call themselves 'where the wayward gather' after all. No better place to go if you want out of something shitty and wanna keep under the radar."

"You made the point," Rias muttered, Noé turning a finger in an ear. "Ahem. I'm actually quite impressed. You two clearly know your stuff regarding Strays. But tell me, Noé, do you actually know the particulars of how Evil Pieces work?"

"Never had a reason to care," Noé hummed, "And I am positive you would love to enlighten me, wouldn't you?"

"Well, we can save that explanation for after we find out targets, don't you think?" Rias mused, Noé rolling his eyes. "We shall follow you, Sir Edelweiss."

"Then let's get to work," Van turned, throwing the gates wide with a quick pull, "Be sure to be cautious, the space is gonna be tight while we look for the Strays."