24 The Demon's Word.

(Ok, the votes are in and we go for Red and White Empresses. Even the image for Valina has been voted on. Enjoy a longer chapter than normal.)

Once he was high above Kuoh, Romonus released his Spiritual Sense as he searched the entire town for Issei or his parents. Akeno was still in his arms calmly snoozing away from the sleep spell as he used his superior processing power to search the entire town. 

After a quick search, Romonus was quick to not only find the house in question but also Miki and Gourou Hyuodou. 

'Found you.' 

Romonus flapped his wings down and he landed outside the house. When Romonus searched the house with his spiritual sense he found what he was looking for. He of course saw the two parents of Issei and someone else. 

'Ok, what the hell is going on?' 

Instead of a young boy like what he expected he instead saw a small brown-haired girl that looked a little tomboyish. She wore a pair of shorts and a red hoodie. Romonus for a few seconds did not know how to take this information. 

'Ok, this world is one of those worlds. A female Vali and Issei like in some fanfics I read? Why though? Is my existence enough to change everything so strongly? I mean, change something in the Fate of a world and stuff is bound to vary.' 

Just as he was thinking about broken Fate and its effects, the small girl sat up and walked into the kitchen. He focused on the conversation that started. 

"Mom, Dad, can I go out?" 

Gorou looked up from his paper and nodded. 

"Of course, just be careful of any strange boys out there you here?" 

Miki lightly smacked him on the head. 

"Please Gorou, don't scare her. Go on Itsuki." 

The small girl hugged her parents both before she ran outside. Romonus by that time stepped off the ground and appeared on top of the house as she ran off into the town. As he watched as go, Romonus squinted his eyes as he wondered what would affect Fate more. 

He kills her regardless of her not being 'Issei', turning her into his servant, or leaving her as a free agent. For now, though he looked at Akeno in his arms and opened a teleport circle in front of him. He placed Akeno down into it and teleported her into his room. 

The spell he placed on her would keep her asleep for a few hours so he had time. Now that she was safe he activated Godspeed once more and appeared in front of Itsuki. She of course did not expect him to appear in front of her causing her to run straight into him. 

Since she was so small and weak she of course felt like she ran into a steel wall. 

"OW!" 

She rubbed her nose a little as she looked up to look at him. At first, she did not know what to think as he was dressed in his Bloodborne hunter outfit and Blood Drinker was on his left side. 

Her eyes quickly filled with fear as he was not a cosplayer. He activated his Eyes of the Soul causing them to glow their dark purple as he looked at her soul. He was looking for one thing and he saw it. 

'Two souls, one stronger than the other. This is the host of Ddraig.'

"Girl, what is your name?" 

She backed away a little as she answered. 

"Itsuki Hyuodou." 

Romonus kept walking so her backing away was not helping. 

"I see, how old are you?" 

She stood up and turned around to run away as her parents had told her. If you are stopped by strange people don't wait and run away. Romonus smiled as he extended his hand and with telekinesis caused her to float back to him. 

"Wow there, don't run just yet." 

She started to kick and flap her arms in fear as she was in the air. 

"I-I-I-I'm flying?" 

He nodded as he started to walk with her floating by his left shoulder. In fear, she reached down and grabbed onto his shoulder. 

"Neat right? Magic I mean." 

She nodded now a little curious. 

"Magic is real?"

He nodded as his wings emerged from his back. 

"Hold on." 

Before she could process what he meant he tensed his wings and took off into the air. Instantly she started screaming in fear for her life as he rose high above Kuoh once again. Once they were up here, she had grabbed onto his hair and head. 

"DON'T LET ME FALL!" 

He smirked as he snapped his fingers and released the telekinesis. She instantly fell slack with the only thing holding her up was the hold she had on his face. Too bad it was not enough and she slipped. 

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" 

He cackled as he flew down and caught her hand holding her firmly as she dangled in the air. 

"Alright, we got a lot to talk about and plenty of time. Are you ready to be honest?" 

She nodded with terror. 

"Yes, please don't drop me, Demon man. I promised I will pray to Satan and give you a goat, just don't drop me." 

He chuckled as her brown eyes were quickly welling up with tears. 

"OK, Itsuki, answer my questions and I will bring you back safely. First question, before meeting me did you know about magic?" 

"No, sir. My granny would speak of Youkai and gods though." 

Romonus nodded as that stayed the same. 

"Have you ever met an old man with a fancy glass monocle and a long beard? He always talks about perverted stuff."

She thought about it before she remembered. 

"OH! Grampa Od, he sometimes would be in the street yelling about boobs and stuff. He even gave out these books about boobs in the park, why?"

Romonus' left eye began to twitch as Odin as always was a mega pervert. He sighed as he lifted Itsuki a little and looked her in the eyes. 

"Want to learn some magic then?"

Itsuki like any kid wanted to learn magic. Sometimes she would go out into the woods to try to learn the magic of the forest. It never worked through so she was starting to give up. 

"Can I learn magic?"

He smiled and nodded. 

"Of course, anyone can learn magic." 

As he started to talk he began to fly down so he began to try to shoot his shot. She would make a good Pawn just like the original. He knew she would take several, but not nearly as many as Rias needed. 

He was much stronger than Rias and his Evil Pieces were many times stronger than hers. 

"While we are here in the sky, focus on your left arm. I will help you a little, imagine all your magic is held there." 

As she closed her eyes to focus, Romonus placed a hand on her hand and began to channel his Demonic Energy into the location of Ddraig's soul. Just like Devils could convert Mana into Demonic Energy, humans could in theory do the opposite. 

Just as he expected on Itsuki's left arm the Boosted Gear gauntlet appeared on her arm. When that happened they had already landed on the ground. 

"See, you already had magic in you." 

When she looked at the gauntlet she did seem excited. 

"COOL! Thanks, Demon Man." 

Romonus chuckled as he kneeled in front of her. 

"My name is Romonus Gremory, and I am 11." 

She went silent as she looked him up and down. 

"You're lying. You look old and Mom said lying is bad." 

He rolled his eyes. 

"I am 11 it is just that I am being forced to grow fast. Well, more like I am forcing my body to grow. Anyways want to know more about that Gauntlet?" 

Itsuki looked at it and poked it at it. 

"OK, can I tell mom and dad?" 

He thought about it as he started to walk in the direction of her home. 

"Maybe. Tell me how are your parent's lives?" 

Itsuki looked down a little as she said the truth. 

"Dad is always working and Mom stays home. I wish they would have more time for each other." 

He quickly patted her hair and messed it up. 

"In that case, you should know that I am rich beyond measure and I have magic. I could easily give your parents enough money so they never have to work in their lives again. I could buy them houses in Hawaii, or anywhere they want. Of course not for free." 

She looked up at him with innocent eyes. 

"What do you want then? I will give anything." 

He looked down at her with a worried look on his face. 

"Ok, you have no danger sense at all. I was just dangling you in the air and now you are saying you will give anything. Pretty suspect if you ask me? Are you a spy?" 

She shook her head and walked in front of him. She placed the Boosted Gear in front of her heart. 

"No, I am brave. I am not scared anymore. I will give anything so the are happy." 

'Kids.'

"OK then. Let's talk to your parents as I am sure they will want to know about this. You are lucky I am a nice guy because there are others in this world who will not be." 

She tilted her head as she walked by his side. 

"Why?" 

He looked down at her and explained it.

"Because this world has two sides. The normal mostly civilized side and my side. The side of the Supernatural. Here, all that matters is power. If you do not have it you're trash and if you have a power others want you are a competitor.

And competition is snuffed out by the strong."

Itsuki while young did understand what he meant. 

"Am I in danger?" 

He nodded as he pointed at the Boosted Gear. 

"More than you realize." 

By that point, they had arrived at her house. Itsuki walked to the door and opened it. 

"MOM! DAD! Someone wants to talk to you." 

When Romonus walked in after her Miki and Gorou both looked shocked at the sight of him. He rapidly activated the magic taught to every Devil to trick the minds of humans. He only used it a little to lower their fear and to make them more trusting of him. 

Gorou cleared his voice once his fear was magically weakened. It was not gone though, but he did feel a strange impulse to trust Romonus. Romonus knew how to use this magic best as the more they talked the more he was going to increase the effect. 

"Itsuki, who is this young man?" 

Itsuki instantly told the truth. 

"He is a Demon named Romonus. I bumped into him while running and he showed me this. Look." 

She raised her left hand and showed off the Gauntlet. Miki walked over and began to touch her arm all over trying to see if she could remove it. However, it could not be removed as it was her hand. 

"What is this?" 

She turned to gaze at Romonus who placed a hand on his heart and bowed. 

"I am Romonus Gremory a Noble Aristocrat of the Underworld of the Gremory Clan. We own Kuoh something not known by the people here. A pleasure." 

By this point, he had already increased their trust in him to a higher degree, but still, they did not know it. Gorou looked Romonus over at his Hunter outfit and Blood Drinker at his side. 

"You're an Aristocrat? Rich?"

Romonus nodded as he waved a hand and pulled a chair over to sit in. The use of magic instantly caused both of Itsuki's parents to stare in astonishment. Of course, he was still in control as instead of fear they felt admiration. 

Gorou even said as such. 

"Incredible. Magic is real." 

He nodded. 

"Exactly, which is why I needed to talk about your daughter Itsuki. She is in danger and she is a danger to you. Well, the Red Gauntlet is." 

Romonus instantly noticed how Miki and Gorou's fear began to rise. Miki hugged her daughter and questioned about it. 

"How?" 

He pointed at the Boosted Gear. 

"If I am a Demon, that stands to reason that Angels are real which means God is real as well." 

He still felt the sting, but not strong enough to stop him

'Ow.' 

"God long ago to protect humans from the creatures in the dark created something. As part of his miracles on Earth, he gifted mankind with his Sacred Gears. Each one has different magical abilities and they give their users powers. 

Your daughter has one such gift. Have you two read the Bible?" 

Gorou nodded. 

"I have, my mother is a practitioner of Shinto, but I converted to Christianity." 

Romonus was glad that was easier. 

"That makes my job easier. Saint Longinous when he stabbed Jesus with his spear created a weapon of Legend. The holiest object in existence while at the same time having the power to slay gods. The True Longinous. 

God created another 12 to go along with it and your daughter Itsuki just so happens to have been born with one. The 5th Longinus, The Boosted Gear. The Prison of the Heavenly Dragon Ddraig." 

Gorou looked at his young daughter in fear. 

"A Prison?" 

"Yes, for one of the strongest creatures to have ever walked this Earth before or since. A being that at the peak of his power could have destroyed this world if he was not slayed by a great alliance of Heaven, Hell, and Grigori.

Following his death God sealed him away in The Boosted Gear which your daughter is now the wielder. That is why I am here, the Sacred Gear holders never have good lives as they are drawn into my world. The Supernatural and if left alone they will draw attention to themselves. 

Kuoh is managed by my clan The Great Gremory Clan and I felt the presence of a Sacred Gear while checking up on this which led to me Itsuki and therefore you. Any inquiries?" 

Miki instantly asked the dreaded question. 

"Can it be removed?" 

Romonus gave her the truthful answer. 

"Yes." 

She instantly perked up. 

"Can you do it? Spare her from this side of the world?" 

Itsuki tried to speak up as she didn't want to give up her gauntlet. She just got it. 

"Wait, I don't w-" 

Her father quieted her down. 

"Shush now. You're too young for this." 

Romonus nodded. 

"I can remove it here and now, but I will let you come up with the answer. Each Sacred Gear is also called equipment of the soul meaning it is linked to the soul. If I remove it, it will cause severe soul damage if not straight-up destruction. I can still do it if you want. Your choice." 

Instantly Gorou and Miki recoiled in horror and hugged their daughter tight. They refused that instantly. Gorou as the Father spoke up. 

"What do we do?" 

"Here is the thing, Ddraig the Dragon of the Gauntlet will wake up soon. Once she unlocked it her future was set in stone. When he wakes up she will begin to grow in power which will draw Supernatural foes toward her. 

I felt it because of the power I have, but once Ddraig is awake hiding won't be an option. Instead, you can leave her in my mentorship. I can teach her to use her powers and how to survive in this world. 

In exchange, I can give you a comfortable stress-free life wherever you choose. Your daughter will grow to be someone of legend who will stand above others. Someone who will know no pain." 

He once again slightly increased their positive feelings for him, but they still had the final choice slightly. Just as both of them were about to answer, Itsuki answered for them. 

"COOL! I want to be strong." 

Miki and Gorou looked from their daughter to Romonus. Gorou stood up and began to ask different questions. 

"Why are you doing this?" 

Romonus stood up as well and explained. 

"My people Demons or Devils whichever you prefer desire to gather the strong for our peerages, also known as our teams. I desire to mentor your daughter in hopes that she will join my team so to speak. Of course, she can say no and I will still teach her if you choose." 

Miki and Gorou looked down at their daughter's hopeful eyes. Since they were under his spell as totally normal humans they were not as cautious as they would be otherwise. They turned to him and agreed to his request. 

Gorou walked toward him and lowered his head. 

"Please, just make sure she is safe. If her fate is set in stone then at least her being able to protect herself will make us happy." 

Romonus placed a hand on the man's shoulder and made him look up. 

"Of course. Any Father wants the best for his child. I will give you my word that your daughter shall face no harm. I will need to take her with me to get her mastery of her powers as they can be dangerous. It should be no longer than two weeks.

Will you believe in me?" 

Gorou nodded. 

"I will trust you. If you wanted to harm us you could have." 

Miki hugged Itsuki tightly. 

"Be careful and listen to him ok."

Romonus decided to calm them down. 

"Relax, I won't be taking her with me forever. In just two weeks. I will even send you updates daily. I will send a servant of my clan to speak to you about your new living arrangements. Itsuki, gather your things. Consider this a two-week vacation to the Underworld." 

"COOL!" 

She ran off to collect some clothes as she thought of this as a field trip. In that time he would convince her to join his peerage as a Pawn. Thankfully he knew that he would need fewer pieces than Rias did as he used higher quality pieces than her. 

'Akeno for the Bishop and Itsuki a Pawn, now I just need Tobio the Knight and we are golden. Then, I will need to rescue Valerie and Gasper. With them, my future Rating games will be smooth sailing until the King Pieces are revealed.'

(Tobio and Gasper will NOT be genderbent.)