Life 9-1

It wasn't that long after the attack at the fountain park that Noé arrived at the Back Alley, taking the rare route of going to the building proper within downtown Kuoh. He'd used the time walking there to gather some of his thoughts and form something of a plan after sending out messages. One to Tsuno, who he knew absolutely wouldn't pass up on a chance to go buck wild like this, and another to Rias on the off chance she felt like making do on the potential offer to help deal with this situation if it had escalated.

To say there were few questions asked by Van when Noé arrived at the Back Alley with his clothes in tatters and stained in blood was an understatement. Van only patiently waited as Noé charged through the office door back into their home, coming back a minute later in his combat gear and then planting his rear on one of the other desks in the office. Only then did Van decide it was a good time to speak.

"So… what is it you're planning?" It didn't take much for Van to guess the situation, despite not having gotten a message himself. Or rather, simply because he hadn't needed one, since as per usual, he had one of his familiars tailing Noé to be sure of things. So, he knew everything that had happened earlier in the day.

"Easy, going' scorched earth," Noé said, cracking his knuckles. "No dirty tricks, no games. I'm getting everyone who'll come along and breaking down their front door and then some. Might demolish that damned church while I'm at it."

"I heard I could bust some heads!" The office door promptly slammed open as Noé was flexing his wrists, an all too excited Tsuno zooming over, using a desk as a break as an all too excited smirk showed his fangs. "So, we're bustin' up some Fallen Angels, right? Sure, this isn't going to cause a mess with Gremory? Or she staying out of this?"

"Depends on if I get a response from her or not," Noé said, checking his phone, "No reply on the phone, so…"

"I mean if they show up so what?" Tsuno muttered, picking at his teeth. "The two of us are way more than enough to roll over a place if we go in guns blazing, aren't we? Why the extra help?"

"Because as one of this area's overseers, Rias at least has a right to decide how to handle a threat," Van remarked, standing and going to the wall he did his portal spells at, starting to mess with the runes in place on it.

"Wait, you seriously gonna open a door for us old man?" Tsuno asked, Van nodding.

"Might as well, Noé definitely isn't changing his mind about this," Van glanced back at his son, the teen nodding in response. "You told Asia you'd help her… meaning you're going to stick to that promise to the end, even if you're going to charge in like a moron right to enemy territory."

"Don't have to call me a moron about it," Noé griped, tugging at his hair.

"And yet 'moron' would perhaps be the best word to describe you at this moment," Noé couldn't help but groan as Rias strolled in with her Peerage in tow, all of them looking quite ready to head into a fight… though once more Noé felt the need to question why they thought school uniforms were the best outfits to use. Do they not have anything else? Was his thought, but figured it was worth dismissing. Perhaps Rias just wanted to keep an image going. "Though I would say with what happened today, a moronic act is perhaps in due order."

"I'm surprised you actually showed up," Noé bit.

"Well, I can't simply allow an offense like this to pass, can't I?" Rias countered, "You are a ward of House Gremory. An attack on you, in broad daylight no less, is thus an attack on me. I was willing to let those Fallens have the church so long as they kept to themselves, but it seems their insistence on attacking you has brought us to this."

"… you've been waiting for an excuse to blast them the entire time, haven't you?" came Noé's flat summation. Rias's face flushed just a tad, Akeno and Yuuto stifling snickers at their King's expense, while Koneko's brow showed the slightest twitch to reflect her own amusement at the blunt call out.

"Mayhaps…" Rias said, coughing into her hand.

"Not like I'm arguing… but we're not just nuking the place from orbit," Noé said, Rias and company raising a brow. "This is a smash and grab. I… may or may not have, in the past couple of days, not-kidnapped a nun I met… and now I have to save her again because she decided to go back with those Fallens than see me keep fighting them after they got one up on me."

"Seems your guess him keeping a secret was more spot on than we thought," Akeno chuckled, Rias's brow twitching as any attempt at airs fell away.

"You really are a moron!" Rias said, her tone telling of sheer exasperation. Noé growled while his face in turn took on a red shade.

"Shut up."

"Hagh… no wonder this took such a turn. But… if it was just one nun then… she has a Sacred Gear, doesn't she?" Rias let out a deep sigh when Noé nodded. "Well then that suddenly explains everything. But this doesn't change the situation. At the end of the day, you, Noé, are my responsibility. So even if I'm cleaning up your mess, it's my job to lend you my aid however I can."

"Man, you bounce back quick," Noé chuckled, Rias subtly glaring at him. "But I appreciate the help. They got me a bit last time 'cause they were smart enough to bring a bunch of other Exorcists in the wings to shoot from the back. I imagine we're going to be walking right into an entire mess of them once we show up."

"So?" Tsuno chirped, turning a nail in his teeth. "It's, what, a couple of Fallen Angel scouts and a bunch of quack Stray Exorcists who probably ain't even that well trained! And there's gonna be six of us! I'm pretty sure any one of this lot could stomp the leader of the bunch flat with a flick of their wrist anyway."

"Not incorrect," Yuuto noted, "Honestly this is going to be easier than a Stray hunt. Noé, didn't you say the first time you fought them, they didn't even scratch you?"

"And wouldn't have last time if not for the whole getting shot thing," Noé griped, "Not that it didn't stop me from smashing that Raynare's face in either. This isn't gonna be hard. Just keep in mind I'm also saving someone in the process. So… let's just be fast with it."

"If you're all settled then…" Van spoke up, running his hands along the runed wall, "I'll open the gate as close to the church as possible. Far enough to give you room to advance, but close enough you should be behind a perimeter if there is one."

"Then let's go and actually make this quick," Noé stood and took the front as Van threw the portal open, the ring opening out into a wooded clearing with a gust of air.