Life 8-1

If Noé had to note one thing as he drove back home, it had to be how glad he was that no officers were on night patrol for the route he took. Being caught without a helmet on would be the worst complication to all of this, especially when he was still more than a bit covered in that priest's blood from the beating he'd doled out, not to mention the still stinging cut on his cheek. Much less explaining why a girl in a nun's habit was with him. The last thing he needed was that.

As the bike rumbled along, buzzing down as Noé pulled up to the gate of his house, he coaxed Asia off as she pulled his helmet off, then looking up at the house as Noé pulled the bike through the gate to its spot on the other side.

"Your home is… rather normal," Asia noted, Noé scoffing as he took his helmet back when she held it out.

"Were you expecting some kind of seedy joint in the middle of town?" He snarked, Asia quickly shaking her head.

"N-Not at all!" said the nun, sounding a bit panicked, "I just… a part of me maybe assumed you wouldn't be… living in such a normal place… is all."

"Well, when your dad's a sorcerer, callin' the place 'normal' isn't entirely accurate," A point demonstrated as they approached the all too familiar to Noé door to the Back Alley. Giving a sigh, Noé opened the ornate door, Asia's eyes widening as she saw it leading into an office rather than a hallway, "Dad! Hooked to the front door again!"

"Ah, shit! Sorry! I was working on a spell formula so it must have… I'll fix it."

"And maybe get out… something happened and we kinda need to discuss it," Noé pulled back and shut the door, and a moment later it shifted back into the normal entrance. Opening it once more, then Noé guided Asia into the main entryway, kicking his shoes off as they went in.

As they did, Asia continued to scan around, again observing how normal it all looked to be. Pictures framed on the walls, a few odds and ends for decoration. As they entered the living room, Asia stopped when she spotted another framed photo atop a decorated stand. It looked somewhat recent, as she recognized Noé on it, though in his glamoured appearance instead.

Two others were standing with him in the photo. One, Van, standing just to the side with a hand on Noé's shoulder as he smiled to the camera. The other was a woman who Noé stood as the spitting image of, clearly annoying the teenager as she stood with her arms wrapped around his neck with a beaming smile on her face. Her hair and eyes were the same muted browns as Noé's disguise… yet with what she knew now, Asia had to assume that too may have been a false appearance.

"This is…" said the girl, Noé peeking over.

"That? Ah, just the photo Mom insisted we take during my first year of high school," he stated, Asia humming as she observed the image some more. "Don't expect her to be here though. Mom travels all over the place, so she's only ever here when fancy strikes her. But… she's never absent when it's something she knows is important to be around for. Every holiday, every important frickin' event in school, somehow, she's always sure to be there for it."

"So… is she…"

"The Devil in the family? Yep," That blasé confirmation stirred Asia a bit. Clearly Noé had been aware of his heritage for far longer than she had presumed he might have been. "Still don't know everything about her though… some parts of that apparently, I haven't been ready to learn."

Both turned as they heard a door clacking shut. A second later, Van came trotting down the stairs, looking like he was about to say something. Instead, the man simply paused, his eyes stopping at Asia as he registered the girl's presence. Then he looked to Noé. Then back to Asia. Then to Noé again. Then back. Then again. Then back.

"What did you do?" And the final turn came, Van spat that out.

"I did nothing that would actually be illegal!" Noé said, not even countering the accusation of 'doing something.' "This is just… an unforeseen consequence of a situation that went to shit."

"Explain."

"Long story short, I went to the job Gremory called me about. But, had to take my bike cause for some reason the summoning circle didn't work. I got there, and, well… guy was dead, fought a crazy stray priest… and uhm… now I have this nun with me. Her name's Asia. She kinda needs a place to stay."

"You didn't think it through, did you?"

"I did not."

"And I can only imagine what the consequences will be…" Van rubbed his temples are Noé failed to properly whistle. He knew perfectly well his impulsive decision didn't even resemble a plan one bit. "What are you going to tell Rias?"

"I ain't gonna tell her shit," Noé bluntly stated. "I'll tell her about the priest, no hiding that once the news gets ahold of it tomorrow… but I'm not going to tell her about Asia. Not her business."

"I-I don't mean to cause any trouble," Asia took a bow. Van shook his head as he stepped forward.

"This is Noé's fault for being an impulsive idiot," Noé shot his father a look, but there was no attempt at protest, "However, I'm sure he had good reason for making such an impulsive choice. Let's just sit down for now, so we can hear the full story."

Van led the two into the living room, taking one of the single chairs while Noé and Asia sat on the couch. With the expecting looks from the two on her, Asia felt a certain pressure as they waited. Taking a breath, the girl gathered her nerves, looking to the father and son both.

"I met Noé a few days ago, when I first arrived in this town," she began, "The reason for that… is because I was excommunicated from the Church. Noé knows this, but… I have a Sacred Gear, a Twilight Healing. Supposedly it's rare, one that isn't found much."

"Wait, wait…" Van held a hand up, "you're telling me the Church, one of the biggest hoarders of Sacred Gears and artifacts even vaguely called Holy, let someone with a Twilight Healing go? They know about that Gear and what it can do."

"I had the same question in my head, to be fair," Noé added.

"Well…" Asia tented her hands, lacing her fingers together. "Before that, the Church had called me a Saint before. See… I'm an orphan. I was found at the steps of a chapel by a Sister as a baby. So, I only ever really knew the church. Then, one day, the Twilight Healing awakened in me, when I found an injured dog on the road. After that, people from all over came to my home to be healed. They called it a divine gift from God."

"… and this is where we get to what that priest mentioned," Noé said, Asia nodding.

"One day, I found an injured boy while on my way back to the convent. I didn't think of anything of it at the time since I'd helped so many people beforehand. But, well… then it turned out that boy was a Devil. The Church couldn't let it stand that their Saint could also heal their enemies so… I was cast out. For a while, I made do, traveling from place to place and healing people. And then… before coming here, I was visited by a group of Fallen Angels who knew about my powers."

"Which then led you here… and the rest is history," Van surmised, Asia nodding. "Well, it's not unusual for those the Church exiled to begin working under Fallen Angels, if they don't go to the Association first. Why didn't you try to go to them? They would've taken you in in a heartbeat, especially being a Gear holder."

"I… didn't know about the Association until a short time ago. Had I known… maybe I would have, I don't know," Asia's gaze lowered to the floor, her hands bunching around her dress. "At first, the work I did for those Fallen Angels wasn't unusual for what I knew. Simple purification rituals, helping ensure the Church they resided in was consecrated, all normal things for a Sister. But… tonight, what happened when I was with Father Freed…"

"Relax," Noé said, placing a hand on Asia's shoulder. "Like I said, this place is safe, promise."

"Heh, if anyone tried anything they'd be in for a nasty surprise if they set any of my barriers off," Van noticed Asia giving him a questioning look, the man sighing as he leaned on a hand. "You may have already realized it, but to be frank, I'm a Sorcerer. Or Magus, whatever term you feel like using. They're interchangeable. Noé was never destined for a normal life, even if he'd never been born a Half-Devil."

"So, like… one of those… wizards or witches?" Asia said, Van letting out a wry chuckle.

"I can only imagine the things the Church told you about my kind," mused the man.

"Just… I'd always been told those who practiced that kind of magic were heretics. Those who would contract to Devils, make use of their magic, turning away from God's grace to… I'm sorry, I'll stop!" The girl bowed her head, and to her own surprise, Van let out a laugh. An admittedly wry one, but a laugh nonetheless.

"Ahh, even now they're still teaching their brats that's how we work huh?" Van said, leaning on the opposite hand. "Look, I don't feel the need to drill a bunch of information into your head, I'm sure you've had a weird night. But we mages don't quite operate that way. Our pacts with Devils are transactional in nature. I get access to their resources and the political leverage their status offers; they get first dibs on any new magic formulas and tools I concoct in my workshop. Not to mention information, which is more valuable than anything else."

"I promise he's not a bad guy," Noé assured.

"Hardly," Van chuckled, "Anyway, it's not much but there's a few spare rooms you can sleep in, Miss Asia. If you want to get out of the habit, there's probably something in Luna's closet that would fit."

"Dad…" Noé nodded towards Asia, then mouthing the next bit, 'Her chest is way smaller.'

"Ahem… or we just figure something out… whether or not this arrangement will last is another question," Van muttered, giving Noé a not-so-subtle glare. "For now, consider yourself under our protection in case those Fallens try anything. We'll figure out where it goes from here tomorrow."

"I… I'm not really sure what to say," Asia stated, "I'm not sure what is even going on right now… but I feel like this must be a trial from God. I… didn't know the truth of things, and even now I'm unsure of it. But… if I keep believing, then one day my wish will come true… I know it will."

"Well just don't include me in your prayers," Noé joked, Asia giving a chuckle. "I don't think Heaven would appreciate one of theirs giving thanks for getting help from a Devil much."

"That they wouldn't," Van mused, "Now get to bed. You'll be wasting daylight at this point."

"Not that Devils need daylight much," snarked Noé, earning a chuckle from Van and a stifled giggle from Asia.