Chapter 36-Tonight, I Start A Fire

Disclaimer: I don't own Highschool DxD.

Tonight, I Start A Fire

"I expected to see lots of magicians already," Joshua commented once they finally made it to the meeting place Serafall had talked about. It was sort of an open garden in between walls. Although, to be fair, the place was so big that one could hardly see from one side to the other. "But this is still more than I thought."

Indeed, big as it was, the entire garden was filled with people. Serafall and him could barely walk without bumping into someone. He'd certainly have crashed into a person or two if he hadn't been careful, he was sure. Most of them were rather distracted too, reading through a file that he supposed they'd been given to analyze the situation and suggest defenses. That was his guess, at least.

"Yasaka spared no expenses calling for help with this," Serafall cheerfully replied next to him. "She's very worried about her daughter, you see? If only she weren't so mean. Her daughter's so cute I wouldn't hesitate to smite anyone that attacked her."

Joshua blinked at that, wondering if he was reading too much into it when he thought that sounded vaguely like she was threatening the Youkai faction. He probably was. Serafall didn't strike him as the type of person that would do that. Then again, how was he to know if it was all an act or not. He'd long since decided to keep his more paranoid thoughts at bay, however.

"Well, I'm here to try and help out," Joshua commented simply as he looked around some more. He didn't think there was anyone as young as him in the gathering, but he couldn't look at everybody so there was that. Maybe he was wrong? "Although, where do I-?" His question was immediately answered when a… person that had a crow head and black wings gave him a file.

"Here you go," The man said simply, giving him a passing look and pausing when he looked towards Serafall. Joshua wasn't paying attention anymore though, his hands instantly opening the file and taking a look inside. He was going to give a cursory look only, or at least that was the plan.

However, as soon as he did read a bit of it his mind drifted.

Excalibur Ruler had been involved, apparently, which was eye catching on its own. Joshua had researched about the Excalibur fragments after his run in with the Church and the Legendary Sword wielders. He knew the story and he knew more or less what the swords could do.

Ruler was supposed to be the strongest of them all. A sword that let its wielder basically control anything and anyone so long as they were strong enough. It was said to be on the same level as Longinus Tier Sacred Gears, which was scary on its own, honestly.

Furthermore, there were two of the aforementioned artifacts involved too. Dimension Lost and the True Longinus itself. One that let the user create and control mist that basically manipulated dimensions and the other a spear that could kill basically anything. 'Longinus Sacred Gears are bullshit,' Joshua mused to himself.

On his face, however, spread a grin. Dimension Lost was the thing to focus on, he knew instantly. It was the kind of stupidly powerful thing that could bypass defenses as if they weren't there to begin with. That was the obstacle to get past in his mind, the challenge he was to face. 'How do you deal with something that can even go against Gods?' He wondered to himself, going through the rest of the file's information.

His eyes paused again at a particular part.

Khaos Brigade.

'Those guys again?' Joshua noted with a frown. Distractedly, he noticed that there was a murmur going on around the other magicians. He caught some indignant complaints about Dimension Lost, expectedly. He also heard some scared comments about the terrorist organization.

Joshua read through that last part eagerly. He hadn't known much about them when he met them and he hadn't bothered to ask Sairaorg. He'd thought they were a small thing, something that was in his city and maybe a few more. This, however, meant there was more going on. That they were much bigger.

He wanted to do something about this even more than before. Khaos Brigade had made him fear for his life for a good while back then, and Joshua hadn't forgotten about it. He had enough reason to give this his all already for a number of reasons. However, the chance to stick it to the terrorists would have convinced him on its own.

'That and trying to make a ward that works against Dimension Lost,' Joshua thought excitedly, his grin persisting. 'How to go about it? Something conventional would be bypassed easily enough. I need something that's not actually trying to stop them. Maybe not even trying to detect them. What though? How do I go about that? Could I-?'

"Jo-tan!"

Joshua blinked and looked up from the file to see Serafall staring at him. There was a full blown pout on her face, with tears in the corners of her eyes and all. She then proceeded to point at him with her 'magical staff'. 'Wonder if that's actually magical or just for show,' Joshua mused idly.

"Stop ignoring me, meanie!" Serafall demanded, shaking the staff at him, making a jingling sound reach his ears. "I've been calling you for hours!"

"Sorry… Although, I'm sure I wasn't out for that long… was I?" He asked, turning towards Cheshire who was standing next to him. She was the only familiar he'd brought with him, actually. The rest and Jeanne were exploring the city. Or would be, after they got settled where Serafall had gotten them a place to stay. He'd expected a hotel, if a good one at that. Apparently, that's not how Devils did it though, because Serafall had gotten him a house that was bigger than even the Hunter's.

The feline gave him a shake of her head, before dismissively starting to lick herself. It was a little weird, seeing her in her lynx form, but that's what she'd chosen to go with once they entered the Youkai territory. He guessed she was taking advantage of the opportunity to use that as her base form instead of the cat one.

"Still, meanie," Serafall grumbled, stomping her feet.

"Sorry about that," He repeated with an apologetic smile. "Is there something we have to do before I can get started with this?" He asked, waving the file in his hand.

"I have to talk with Yasaka and I want you to come with me," She demanded, still pointing. Joshua opened his mouth, intent on asking if there was a reason for that. Surely it was better that he get to work, right? It wasn't just his bias for wardcrafting, right?

In the end, he decided to just nod and go along with it. The sooner he was done with whatever Serafall wanted him to be part of, the sooner he could start working. Besides, surely she knew what she was doing, right?

"Hm, have you seen Cheshire?" He asked instead, as they moved through the crowd. Apparently, at some point, his feline familiar had left his side. He wasn't very nervous though. It would be stupid for someone to attack someone where they were and Cheshire knew how to take care of herself. If nothing else, Extrasensory should keep her out of trouble.

"I-... No?" Serafall paused, blinking as she looked around. "I thought she wouldn't leave your side," The Satan admitted with a slight frown.

"I thought the same, but it seems she had other plans," Joshua mused before shrugging. "Well, she'll come back. Why do you want me in this meeting, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Oh, I want to bring her attention to you. Otherwise, you'll be ignored in favor of older, more experienced magicians," Serafall explained, as if she were cheerfully commenting on how good the weather was. It irked Joshua a little, but he knew she was right. However, there was a slight problem with her plan.

"Do I want to get her attention? What if I fail?" He asked then, unsure, as he followed the woman through the crowd.

"Everyone is expecting you to fail already," Serafall pointed out, waving her hand towards the people around them. He was just in time to catch someone that looked to be in his forties or somewhere around that giving him a smug look and raising an eyebrow as he gestured towards the Satan. The guy obviously didn't know who she was, otherwise Joshua doubted he would do that.

"I guess that's that… but bringing me to her attention isn't gonna work against that," He mused.

"Not really, it'll just help you if you succeed," Serafall reassured as she continued skipping her way… somewhere. Joshua still didn't know exactly where they were going or how she knew where to go. At least, until he felt something with Magic Sense. Something extremely powerful, but contained. It was so powerful that it made him pale and almost stumble. "I see you felt Yasaka," Serafall commented.

Joshua wasn't paying attention though. Instead, his mind drifted a little. If that's what a Faction leader felt like, then why hadn't he felt something like this before? Why wasn't he feeling that from Serafall? Or why hadn't he felt that from Ajuka?

"We usually keep our power hidden so as to not disturb people. Yasaka is letting her power show so that people know where she is," Serafall explained happily waving her magical staff around. "I mean, we can feel each other, but weaker people can't so…"

Joshua nodded. Then he paused.

"Doesn't that mean that you can sense Cheshire? Because I… can't," He asked before he trailed off just as he felt his familiar with Magic Sense. Blinking, he noticed that she seemed to be next to someone. Someone that felt particularly… "Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

"I mean, I did feel her," Serafall admitted with a giggle. "But who am I to stop her from helping out, right?"

"You know," Joshua started with a strained smile. "Someday, something around me will be under my control and that day will be glorious."

"You have more control than you think," Serafall commented, looking supremely amused. "It just seems that you aren't really making use of it."

She wasn't entirely wrong, he supposed. Any 'defiance' from his familiars was something he allowed, really. However, he didn't feel like restricting them, that'd feel… wrong.

"I guess… I'd just prefer if things remained calm, for once," He said before sighing.

"Should have stayed away from the supernatural world then, Jo-tan," Serafall replied with a sing-song voice that only made him sigh again. "Cheer up, Jo-tan, she seems to be having fun with her new friend."

Indeed, there was his familiar, now back in cat form. She seemed to be content laying on a little girl's lap as said child petted her. A child that felt distinctly similar to what he'd felt from Yasaka. Nevermind the fact that she had golden hair, fox ears and nine tails coming swaying around behind her… just like the woman that he could now connect with the feeling in his Magic Sense.

"So, you made a new friend, eh, Kunou?" He heard Yasaka ask her daughter and he gulped.

"Mum, I'm just… humoring her," The girl protested with a slight pout.

"Sure you are," The Faction leader commented. "And where did you come from?" She added, turning towards Cheshire. A question which's answer she already knew, if the way she instantly turned towards Joshua and Serafall was any indication. "Serafall, so good to see you," The woman said.

Maybe he was reading too much into it, but Joshua was fairly sure that she was lying. There was also the fact that he knew the Devils and the Youkai faction didn't have the best of relationships. Regardless, Serafall replied as if it had been entirely truthful.

"Yasaka, so good to see you too," She greeted, waving and beaming at the woman. "This is Joshua," She added then, taking his arm between hers and pulling him along. "One of the magicians I brought to help out."

"Is that so?" The Youkai leader asked, raising an eyebrow at him. "Can I ask why your familiar came to my daughter?" For a moment, Joshua considered asking how she knew that Cheshire was his familiar, but he decided to ignore that.

"She does as she wants, most of the time," He replied with a weak shrug. "And I'm here on Shed's behalf, actually, from the Egyptian Pantheon," He clarified then, just to be sure. Better to clear that up quickly before things got out of hand, really. When the woman turned to look at Serafall and then back at him, he added. "Serafall helped me get here and gave me the information, but Shed was the one to contact me first. The Church got in contact with me too, but I already had made a deal."

"Is that so?" The woman asked, tilting her head slightly. At that moment, Joshua felt the Charm through his magic sense, something that Yasaka did too, if the nod she gave was any indication. "Well, it's good to have you here, Mr. Joshua."

"Joshua Davis, but just call me Joshua, I prefer that… Pleasure to meet you, Yasaka-sama," He introduced himself before giving her a long and deep bow. He'd also said that last part in Japanese… he hoped he hadn't butchered it too much, but he could probably be forgiven for that. The bow was done stiffly and awkwardly, but he'd researched it and that's how it was supposed to be on a first meeting with a Japanese person. The deeper and longer the bow went, the more respect it showed… or so he'd read. 'Really hope I'm not messing up.'

Considering that Yasaka bowed back, only slightly and shortly, he thought he'd done the right thing. He'd already known that she wouldn't bow the same way he did, since he was basically a nobody. He wasn't too sure, since he'd never done such an introduction before, but he thought she'd actually given him more respect with her bow than he had expected.

"I see Serafall informed you of more than just what happened here," Yasaka observed.

"Oh no, I just gave him a way to get here and some information on the situation. Not even that much, Yasaka. Jo-tan is just that good!" The Satan corrected, which surprised Joshua a little. Pleasantly at that, since he'd half expected her to just take the credit she'd been given. Then again, maybe she thought that he would correct Yasaka? He wasn't going to, really, but he guessed she didn't know that.

"I see," The Faction leader replied simply as she turned towards him as if he were a puzzle to solve. He simply shrugged with an uneasy smile.

"I started a job here in Japan not so long ago, actually. I thought picking up some things from this country wouldn't hurt," He offered as explanation, which apparently was the wrong thing to say. Yasaka instantly tensed, the tails that had been gently swaying behind her until that point almost straightened.

"What Joshua is trying to say is that he's been working with my sister, Yasaka," Serafall said and he noticed instantly that there was no cutesy magical girl voice then and there. Apparently, he'd messed up already. 'I'm suddenly glad that Serafall decided to come with me.'

"I see," Yasaka repeated, this time visibly calming herself. "I'm sorry. I've been… restless, since this whole ordeal came about."

"I get it," He told her. "I've been in a similar situation myself," He added, remembering the time when he and Jeanne had Khaos Brigade's threat hanging over their heads. "With Khaos Brigade themselves too, if you can believe that."

"Oh?"

"They came after you too?"

The question made him blink as he turned to look at the girl - 'Kunou was the name, right? I really should try to remember that.' - that was looking at them from the side. Cheshire was still sprawled on her lap, but her attention was definitely on the conversation, it seemed. She was looking at him curiously, the tails behind her seemingly pointing at him.

"Let's say I… inadvertently gained their attention," He explained, forcing a smile on his face. Those were definitely not happy memories. "It's actually how I came in contact with the Devils. To solve that issue."

"And you think you can help us with them now?" Yasaka asked, clearly skeptical. Joshua supposed that was fair, after all, if he hadn't been able to help himself, what could he do for them?

"I've made it my mission to get as good at defenses as I could manage," He explained. "I like to think I've done a decent job so far. If I can help you or not remains to be seen though. However-"

"Ah, Lady Yasaka!" Someone called then, making the three of them turn towards a… somewhat old man, from what Joshua could tell. He was well dressed, with a suit that looked pretty expensive. Not that someone like Joshua could tell that, but that's the impression he got. "Alastor Doyle, from Golden Dawn, a pleasure to meet you," The man announced as he approached, extending his hand.

Somewhat, awkwardly, Joshua stepped back as the magician, Alastor, started speaking with Yasaka. Nervously, he turned towards Serafall, who was looking at the two through slightly narrowed eyes. Sighing, he wondered what he was even supposed to do. He could pitch back in the conversation, but he didn't know if that would insult the magic association or something like that.

Before he, or Serafall, could do anything though, little Kunou took a decision of her own.

"Can you keep them away from us?" The girl asked him, making him turn back towards her. She looked… strangely calm for such a young child and after what she'd had to experience. However, her words and her eyes betrayed what she really felt. He smiled softly at her before taking a few steps towards her. He would have approached more, but he wasn't sure if that would set the people around and, more importantly, her mother on edge.

"I'll do my best," He answered, trying to look as confident as possible.

"Do you have a plan?" Kunou asked then, making him blink. Not only because of the question, but also because he'd just realized how serious the girl sounded. Hell, she seemed to mean more business than Serafall had for as long as he'd known her. Which admittedly wasn't much, but still.

"I have some ideas," He replied then with a nod before an idea formed in his mind. "Want me to show you one?" He asked, pulling a stack of cards from his pocket.

The girl frowned at them, clearly unimpressed. Smiling at her, he carefully shuffled the cards in a specific way and pulled a handful of them. His Dexterity might not be all that for the supernatural world, but it was enough to pull off sleight of hand, that much he knew.

"Choose one," He told her, showing her the cards, extending his arm as much as possible to cover the remaining distance between the two. That only made her frown deepen, but so long as she played along, he was fine with that. Despite her obvious opinion on the matter though, she did as he asked.

"Now what?" She asked impatiently, sounding much more like a child. If he was honest, Joshua preferred that much more than that stoic expression and flat tone, really.

"Now," He started, pulling out a pen from one of his cards and writing something on another. "I just have to do a little something…" He mumbled slowly before presenting the pen to the girl. "Now you write something on the card, yeah?"

Bemused, the girl took it hesitantly before doing what he asked.

"I thought… you were going to show me your plan," The girl pointed out, obviously growing annoyed.

"I am," He replied with a nod and a calm smile. Now that she was finished, he took the card he'd written on and held it in his left hand. Then, snapping the fingers on his right hand, the circle on his card activated and both his and her cards lit up. A split second later, the light disappeared. Looking at the card in his hand, he chuckled. "This is stupid, huh?" He read as the girl looked at the card in her hand. "I guess it might be."

"You swapped the cards?" She asked, blinking at the one in her hand. With her eyebrows raising, she did as the card read, placing it on her hand and making it face up. Then the card lit up again as miniature fireworks shot up from it.

How? Well, he'd used one of his training exercises from a while back, actually. One of the cards that he'd drawn illusion circles on when he'd been working on that particular magic. He'd also mixed in Switching circles in many of his cards to practice too. However, he didn't think a Storage spell would be quite as eye-catching.

Now, Joshua would like nothing more than to say he'd seen such a situation coming when he came for this job. That he'd planned to meet Yasaka's daughter and thus had decided to bring something to entertain her… However, that would be a very blatant lie, really.

After all, the fact was that he just liked to have most of his cards on him at all times, just in case he needed them. No matter how ridiculous it sounded, since most of his illusion cards were little more than a light show or party tricks. It didn't cost him anything to carry them though, so better to have them and not need them than to need them and not have them, is what he'd decided.

"I… don't understand?" The girl said after a moment, looking at the fireworks still.

"One of my plans is to place either a teleporting or a switching circle that'll activate if the wards are pierced through, taking anyone that should be protected away," He explained to her, gaining her attention once more. Although, her eyes darted back to the illusion every so often. Sitting on the ground in front of Kunou, he continued. "I haven't trained with that for this job, so I'll have to read up on it some more, but I think it's doable, and it's not in the list of wards that your mother presented in here," He said, picking up the file he'd left next to him and placing it on his lap.

"I see," The girl mumbled, although it seemed that her focus was mostly on the illusion. He smiled at her, amused.

"Say, I have some other illusions, if you are interested," He offered, gaining her full attention this time. "They are actually another idea of mine. Make illusions of anything and anyone that could be a target that also activates if someone gets through the wards. Maybe even have illusions around at all times."

"Can I see the other illusions?" The girl asked and Joshua could almost see the anime stars in her eyes. When he chuckled though, Kunou seemed to realize that she'd 'broken character' for a second. "I mean… Just to check if they are good enough to use," She corrected and he smiled indulgently at her before nodding.

"Of course," He 'accepted', pulling out a few more of his illusion cards.

"So, those are your ideas?" Joshua heard, making him blink and turn his head to be met with Yasaka, Serafall and the guy from the magic association. 'What was his name again?' He wondered to himself.

He blinked again, taking the sight in. The Youkai leader looked between him and Kunou for a moment, a curious expression on her face. The Devil leader, for her part, had a grin that would have completed Cheshire's look quite well. Lastly, the magician looked… very angry, even if he tried to hide it.

"Hm, yeah, these are the ideas I came up with. I'd need to check what wards are there again and do some more research. I didn't have this much information when I prepared to come here," Joshua explained, snapping his fingers to activate the circle on the card that was on Kunou's hand before taking the file he'd been given before.

Instantly, an illusion of a plant started growing from the card like it was a real life time lapse video.

"And about those cards," Yasaka started then. "Any chance I can buy some of them for Kunou?"

[} Chapter End {]

(AN:Please remember that this story is not mine and will never be mine. Make sure to give thanks to the original author on fanfiction.net https://m.fanfiction.net/u/11459794/)