||King Me Not||

Lucifer. Meaning; the Morning Star, or the Lightbearer. Something, something light-related.

The name of the First Satan, the Devil among Devils whose power rumored to be beyond comprehension for he was once God's favored child. An angel once claimed he became a fallen angle for causing panic in Heaven, simply because the name slipped off his tongue. Uttering this sins-bearing name alone was enough to be cast out from Heaven. So very few lived long after his demise to tell tales of how he ruled Hell alongside the other Satans, and now, there left only rumors.

And as one who often stood at the receiving ends, he knew the true annoyance of misunderstanding-causing rumors.

Like those about devils having the horns of a goat — the spiraling ones. Why in the living hell would he want to have goat's horns in the first place? Ramming someone to death sounded amusing, but the headache that might come after surely wasn't pleasing. Furthermore, he loathed those screaming mammals as much as he hated getting stains on his suit. More to that, his hairstyle wouldn't go well with two horns, and combing it would be a massive pain in the arse to deal with.

As to honor his untimely death during the Great War, which also resulted in the death of his fellow Satans, their names were hallowed as titles for rulers of the Underworld. Lucifer, Beelzebub, Asmodeus, and Leviathan; these four names that carried great meaning for the devils of the Underworld Empire. Essentially, their names were considered sacred, but Lucifer especially was one name nobody should utter lightly, be it in Heaven or Hell.

Thus, when a sharply dressed and very-much-human-looking person flippantly introduced himself as Lucifer, Rias was rightly infuriated.

"Are you aware of the meaning that name carries?" the Gremory started, her tone hostile.

"Of course!" Lucifer beamed, "The Lightbearer. Morning Star. Yada, yada, yada. It's in Latin, you see."

"It's Maou's name." Rias corrected. It took Lucifer a moment to realize she meant 'Satan', which confused him as well. She didn't look Japanese... So why did she intend to talk in Japanese specifically for that word? But who cares? He didn't. She had taken his interest to care about silly stuff. "What human parents would give their child the name of a devil?"

"Maybe some parents do. Those cultists earlier are rather suspicious." the young-looking devil who was older than all of them combined shrugged indifferently, "But I digress! It was self-given, self-thought. Why, I thought about it myself!" He shone his smile, obviously pleased of himself. "I'd use 'John' but… I don't look like a 'John', to be honest."

"Don't you dare make light of that name." Rias seethed, much to his confusion.

"What? 'John'? What's wrong with John?"

"Lucifer." By her palms erupted a swirling black sphere of destruction, flaring dangerously as it churned the air around it. It was the very same unholy power that had reduced his possible bed-mates to dusts.

Threatening? Not at all.

"Ah yes! I wholeheartedly agree!" Lucifer snapped his hand, snickered as Rias' destructive orbs perished into nothing, alarming her and the rest of the devils. "That name should be hallowed by everyone. I like the ring of 'in Lucifer's name, begone!' myself. Why can't those pastors use that instead of Jesus' name? Demons don't like Jesus. They'd vote for me."

Distraught that her power was snuffed in a flash, Rias took an uncertain step backward.

And he took one confident step forward. "If you'd like to know me better, I'm actually quite the daring fellow if I do say so myself. Considering my very long and drawn out daddy-issues, I'm afraid I don't know where to start."

As he smiled with his lips and eyes, Rias and her small band of devils were evidently shocked, a little bit scared, and even more vigilant than they already were. Hesitantly, they took another step backward, closing their distance to the exit, eyeing his every movement as Lucifer stood in his place this time.

"Oh please, relax!" Again, he raised his palms in a peaceful manner. "I'm as harmless as a hamster and positively as cuddly. What need have we for unneeded violence." His russet eyes trailed over a certain chesty beauty whose hair was tied into a long ponytail. She was smiling serenely until what he did to Rias earlier.

Akeno. Akeno Himejima. The name rang as he pulled the memory from his time as Issei Hyoudou.

"Especially when there's a fine young lady like you." He said, "Why, I did introduce myself, didn't I? Don't you suppose we can hold civilities around here?"

Akeno was unnerved by his gaze at first, but as he lied down a joking smile, her shoulders relaxed, and found herself returning his gesture with her own smile. Something about him made her feel at ease - strangely enough.

Rias broke the effect, though. "What proof do you have to back your words?"

'You nosey lovely devil.' Lucifer mused ironically as he returned his attention back to the Gremory. "Proof? It's just a name, love. Names can change if need be. If I tell you my name is Jason, would I have to prove it too?"

He then stopped as he felt something beneath his shoes. He raised the front of his left foot, winced, and scraped the burnt remains of what used to be a gothic Lolita on the floor.

"Eugh... disgusting... Would you mind holding this interrogation at someplace else? Preferably a much cleaner place? Or at least until someone bothered to clean this place. Look at this! This is hardly a place for a chat. Erm- interrogation, my mistake."

Rias glanced at her peers, asking their opinions regarding this jovial person while she reflected on hers. His expressions seemed honest, and she felt no hostility coming from him despite his actions. But the fact that she couldn't tell if he was a supernatural or how he erased her power without physically doing anything other than a finger snap deeply unsettled her.

Either he was telling the truth about his name, or he was a strong individual toying with them. Whichever it might be, both options were equally worrying.

And it seemed her servants agreed with her thoughts as they were subtly shaking their heads.

"Well?" He said, regaining the attention. "I'm a patient man, but I'd rather not wait more than I have to. And though I am sincerely interested in you—" he gestured to Akeno, "—and you, I still can't overlook the fact you've murdered my dates for tonight. I believe compensations are in order."

His smiling features fell on her, sending a chilling draft to her bones.

Thinking he was planning something up to no good, the blonde devil stepped between them, protectively standing in front of Rias, a European bastard sword gripped firmly in hands.

Lucifer calmly showed his empty palms. "Why... there's no need to be so affront. Haven't I mentioned I dislike violence?" His smile wanted to its tightlipped form; a sign he was getting a little bit pissed about these developments. "But please take a step to your left— or your right. I was talking to her, not you, young man. Maybe in another life."

Kiba raised his sword defiantly.

"Fine, fine. If I had said 'please', would you move?" No use. The Knight stood there still, eyes sharp and ready to strike his blade unassumingly.

Lucifer was not the least amused, but he supposed talking could only get him so far in certain cases. "You know, young man, there's a fine line between bravery… and stupidity."

With a simple flick of his wrist, he hurled Kiba away using an invisible force. The Force, as those Star Wars fanatics would say – but no. That was only a simple wind spell.

"Yuuto!" Rias screamed in horror as her Knight flew above the top of the stairs, crashing onto the giant cross.

That triggered a chain reaction from the devils as then the little white-haired girl darted towards him. In the corner of his eyes, he noted the yellow sparks and the same black spheres from his old school's idols. Rias had cast her Power of Destruction while Akeno had her yellow thunders cracking by her delicate fingertips.

"Ah well." Not feeling like moving, he handled all of them by intensifying the gravitational pull for them. As they were in a rather small area and clumped up altogether, he didn't need to cast any magic seals. Which was good! He hated casting powerful spells. They took so long he could have just used a simpler spell to kill them twice over if needed.

The floor slapped their face. Koneko managed to stand, but only barely and she could no longer run. Her petite figure shook heavily under the intense pressure, and her feet were quivering. Something was pulling her body down, and it was heavier than any attacks she had ever received. Far heavier compared to Viser's mammoth leg.

That actually impressed him. "Ah, well done little girl. But please, don't resist."

Increasing the force to him was as simple as turning the volume wheel of a stereo. And just so, Koneko joined her friends on the floor, grunting together like a happy little spastic family.

Seeing them struggle stirred a chuckle out of him. He had lived many lives, many different personalities, but it appeared his sadistic tendency had never truly left him. He couldn't help himself. Taking the joy out of someone's misery simply tickled the right bones.

"Well then! If it's not so difficult, may we please be civil?" Lucifer hummed. However it was not said as a proposal. A demand, rather, and his voice wasn't the friendliest whenever he demanded something. No, he couldn't be friendly when demanding something. He had to be imposing, and make them believe that should they refuse, it wouldn't end well.

It retained the same tone and same smile that hid his mild annoyance, but it was easy to tell he wasn't feeling as great.

"Ri…as… what… should… we… do?" Akeno managed as breathing became harder for her.

"Oh, and you and your chums better not rile me more. It hasn't exactly been the greatest day for me, Princess." Which was true. His own ex not only dumped him in one day, but also killed him to top it off. Well, not him, but Issei. But he was Issei, until she killed him.

"Are we in agreement?" he continued, looking down at Rias who had given up resisting, lying there with one cheek pressed against the ground.

Rias writhed as she raised her head, the dread and anger apparent on her face. "Nn… Gh... what... what do you want...?"

"A simple talk! Is that too much to ask?"

"I'll- I'll talk…!"

As she came to terms - his terms - Lucifer's face lightened in joy. "Excellent!" in under a second, he deactivated his spell, and the devils all let off a grunt or the sort.

They groaned as they felt sore all over, and gingerly brought themselves up to their feet, coughing. They were highly vigilant of him now, but he couldn't care less; they now knew he could have wiped them off from existence by a whim.

He waited for them to regain their composure, absently dusting away his breast pocket and his shoulder. Some dust flew over and stuck their dirty hands on his suit, which he did not appreciate.

"I apologize for your hair. I hate to see one with hair as gorgeous as yours having to go through that. And to you as well, young miss." he then said to Akeno. "I… have to say, how long does it take to wash your hair? I mean, they're not exactly short."

Akeno nodded warily, no longer poised. She feared him, in fact. She feared what he might have done to her group next when it seemed that neither fight or flee was no longer possible.

"It's... alright..." Rias paused to catch her breath, looking at her servants and then at Kiba, who seemed to have gotten back up, worriedly staring at them from the top of the stairs, unsure on what to do. "I'll listen to your demand, but is it fine if I... continue my work first?"

Lucifer widened his eyes. "Why, of course! Please, please, don't mind me and go ahead."

"…Thanks." Rias muttered, before looking at the top of the stairs. "Kiba! Can you bring her down?"

Like a giddy little child, he spectated as the blonde devil brought the blonde girl down to them. She was still unclothed, and he was still uninterested in an undeveloped body. Devils like women who wear Victoria's Secrets or the like, not some kiddy plain white panties with a bear.

"If you don't mind me asking, what exactly do you want from that girl?" He asked, "...You don't intend to do an open autopsy right here... do you?"

After saying thanks to Kiba, Rias looked at him. "I'm… reincarnating her as a devil."

He arched his lush masculine eyebrows, tilting his clean-shaved chin to one side at that answer, and said with a ridiculed look, "I beg your pardon?"

-Break-

"Wow." was his simple reaction as he saw a green light oozing into the girl's body. Asia, from what Rias told him. Apparently a student at Kuoh High as well. His memory about Issei's life was waning as they spoke. "That's… wicked. How'd you do that?"

Rias found it unsettling how someone as powerful and utterly terrifying acted like a kid seeing a magic trick for the first time. And it was over something she considered trivial. Either way, he was stronger than them. If he was only making fun of them, testing his tolerance again would not end well for her and her servants.

As life came back to her, Asia's eyes fluttered. Rias extended a hand at the peculiar man as a set of crimson chess pieces materialized above her palm.

"Peculiar looking candies, these are."

Rias and her peers blinked.

"They're... not candies, no."

"Oh?" Lucifer took a rook piece and studied it curiously, a marveling gleam on his darkly colored eyes. It was no different to an ordinary chess rook, only made from an elaborate glasslike material, and somewhat lighter than he expected it to be. It contained a demonic power, and he felt its pulse like a heartbeat. It was oddly strong for something so small.

Same could be said to that Koneko girl earlier.

"Those're Evil Pieces. Every devil with high-class rank will be awarded with a set of them, containing fifteen pieces." Rias began, "Mao— Satan Beelzebub made these using the crystals at Agreas Islands. It allows us Pure Devils to gather servants for our own. As you can see, these are mine. They're called Reincarnated Devil."

Lucifer nodded to show he was listening. "Reincarnated Devils... reincarnated... fascinating." he repeated, returning the glasslike chess piece, and lightly brushed her hand as he withdrew his fingers. It was a subtle flirtation gesture - another art he had mastered but still willing to hone. "I take these people are your slaves then?"

"W-well... "slaves" is too strong for a word... I see them as my friends and close family rather than servants or slaves… There are devils who treat Reincarnated Devils as slaves, but I don't… have that kind of inclination whatsoever."

"Right, right. How very benign of you." Rias frowned at seeing Lucifer's inattentive smile. He averted his attention away to the blonde girl who was now sitting up on the pew, looking around the dimly-lit area of the church, obviously confused by the faces of her seniors and classmates. And also his.

"Hello little girl. Welcome back to life. You're a devil now by the way." He greeted, and sniggered as Asia let out a confused 'huh?'.

"W-we'll explain later, Asia… as of now, please rest. Yuuto, can you tend to her?"

"Of course, Prez." Kiba duly nodded, and headed towards his disordered classmate, offering her his blazer like the gentleman he was. "Here you go Asia-chan. It's not much, but it's better than what you're wearing, no?"

The girl blushed.

Meanwhile, Lucifer bobbed his head in wonder. "That's... remarkable. You just pulled a 'Jesus to Lazarus' there Princess." He returned his smiling eyes at her as another question came to him. "But this does bother me… why don't you just have sex?"

Hearing a light giggle, he glanced at Akeno with an approving smile while his witticism splayed a blush over Rias' face. The rest appeared too busy with helping the new Devil to be bothered by his flippant suggestion.

"Surely it's more exciting than reviving the dead. Although yes, I suppose pregnancy doesn't end instantly and children are great taxing burdens, but isn't that the point?"

"It's..." The Gremory cleared her throat to regain her composure. "It's more complicated than you think... err... Sir..."

"Please, I haven't been knighted by any Queen. Just Lucifer is fine. Or Luci, if you rather. Loosh, even. Cipher works too. I'm not that strict with formalities, see. We're all adults here aren't we." He knew she was still unconvinced, cautious of him despite his genuine friendliness, but he didn't really care. Not the first time and certainly wouldn't be his last. Besides, The Devil was great at making new friends - as long as they didn't point a cross at him whenever he speaks.

"Of course, I'll be calling you by name as well."

Rias nodded tentatively.

He gestured at Akeno. "And you?"

"I certainly won't mind, Lucifer-sama." the girl tittered, causing his smile to widen.

"My words. I've always had a fondness towards Japanese people and their friendliness. You can drop the suffixes as well, if you please." He said, now gazing at Akeno—and a little bit at her voluptuous body while wondering how soft it would be when she laid on top of him. Or the other way around. Either would be fine. "Completely unrelated question, but do you happen to be seeing someone at the moment, Akeno?"

"Oh my, ara ara... you are a daring fellow." Akeno giggled, "No, I don't think I do..." She returned his smile with a seductive twirl of her lips. "Are you interested in me, a fledgling high school girl still in her adolescent phase, Lucifer-sama? Does the body of a young maiden rouse you?"

"I'd be questioning myself if I don't. You're a fun lass to be around with no doubt." He moved closer to her, not breaking eye contact, not breaking his smile or hers. "This is where I say some witty pick up lines. You seem like you can use one. Pick you up at 5? Front school gates?"

This development was too scary for Rias who had known Akeno like a sister, especially since the ravenette was starting to fluster. Akeno. Flustering. Over a man she just met. Akeno who would scoff at the idea of dating a boy due to her traumatic past.

Therefore, she stepped in before her best friend made a mistake. "Mister Lucifer—"

"No, don't call me mister." he frowned. "I know I'm not exactly young in age, but I'm still young. Immortality-wise."

Rias gulped. "I'm sorry— Lucifer, then." He nodded. "You mentioned you wanted to head somewhere else, might I suggest my place?"

The way she cleverly worded her sentence caught his attention. "Why, this soon already? Certainly!"

-Break-

The air was cool, it screamed of night, but the backdrop was dark and creepy. It reminded him of Beelzebub's chamber except cleaner with fewer flies and less noise, and fewer dead bodies which he appreciated greatly. God knows why he chose to be the Lord of Flies out of all lordly titles.

He took a glance around the dimly-lit room that belonged inside the old school building of Kuoh Academy, and admitted the Victorian furniture fitted nicely with the neutral-toned walls. Still, not something he would pick as a theme if he made it a home for himself. And definitely not the large pentagram at the corner either. They seemed to repel guests and invite Jehovah Witnesses.

Clearly, this wasn't her room.

'Bamboozled, I have been.'

He heard the tinkling of a stirring spoon, and soon enough, he caught the light scent of steaming tea as the footsteps came closer. He craned his neck, and smiled appreciatively at Akeno as she placed two cups on the coffee table nearby while Rias took a seat at the sofa opposite of his.

There was a playful frown that he played as Akeno sat beside her, not him.

"Welcome to the Occult Research Clubroom. This is the center of our operations, my peerage's. We gather here before any... assignments." Rias said, raising a leg over one knee in a refined manner.

"It's a nice room. It's very... thematically atmospheric." He muttered, saving some details. If he was to be fully honest, he'd say the room creeped him out because of the candles. "Why are we here, exactly?"

Rias scrunched her eyebrows. "To discuss what you want to discuss, is it not? Or do you suggest we move somewhere else?"

"Oh, I don't want to be a bother." Lucifer shook his hand flippantly, glancing at a corner. "But if I have to say, maybe your room or Akeno's, perhaps? Or anywhere else that isn't as… moody."

'You insult my room?' was what Rias wanted to say, but was held back due to the possibility of ticking him off. Instead she glanced at Akeno, who in response only smiled at her. So much for help, Rias thought. Yet before she could say a word, Lucifer continued.

"I'm just joking, Princess." He chuckled, standing up and walked towards a cupboard, before pausing his steps and looked at Rias. "Partly, joking." smiling, he continued his trot, poking around the furniture while being eyed carefully by the crimson-haired devil.

"You mentioned Beelzebub. How is he?"

Rias watched him walk around, suspicion high. "I don't believe you're referring to the new Satan, Beelzebub?"

Lucifer stopped, furrowed his eyebrows, and turned. "Excuse me? 'New Satan?' What kind of new Satans."

"Yes." Rias frowned. 'Weird.' "All of the Satans were killed during the Great War. To honor them, their names are revered as titles for the rulers; the new Satans. That's why I reacted hostilely to you when you claimed you were Lucifer."

"Oh. That's a shame." Lucifer mumbled, somewhat sorrowful. He then continued his listless prodding around, touching anything that caught his interest - such as the smooth surface of the wooden cupboard earlier that he was now sliding his fingers upon. No dust. Impressive. A much improvement to that weird cultish place below the church. He gave these devils credit for this attention to detail.

"So then, are these "new Satans", related to the old ones?"

Rias thought for a moment, considering her phrasings for her answer. If he was really Lucifer, he might get furious.

But she decided to tell what was there instead of making one up. It appeared to be the wisest choice after what he did, and she didn't want to lie and get caught when she wasn't confident in her ability to make him think she wasn't lying.

"Regrettably, no one. The old Satans' descendants declared war several decades ago. It resulted with their defeat. They now have territories separate from those under the current Satans' influence."

That information froze him in place. "A war…? Devils against devils? Why?" Lucifer paced back to the couch, a hand on the wooden brim.

The concern and confusion on his sentence and his face was real, which surprised Rias. "It's... a clash of ideologies. The old Satan descendants aimed for domination, to eradicate the fallen angels completely, while the Anti-Satan supporters preferred to ensure the devils' survival as a species instead of glory. We were still recovering from the Great War, as we still are today. We shouldn't take any casualties let alone inflict each other's… but… that's what happens when two conflicting ideologies clash, I suppose."

"Nonsense." Lucifer frowned, taking back his seat and crossing his arms. "Devils mingle with one another, not murder one another. People murder. What different are devils with humans if they murder their own?"

Rias couldn't say anything at that as she glanced at her friend again, finding his view on devils rather pleasantly unexpected.

"Are these new Satans prolific leaders?"

"I daresay they're doing well as one can expect." Well, her brother is one of them, so she might be biased. But for her part, Rias held great respect towards all of them. Including Satan Asmodeus. "The Underworld had never seen better days compared to now."

Hearing her answer, a smile graced Lucifer's features as he clapped once. "Wonderful. Then there's nothing to worry about. I'll take that as an open invitation to free me from my niggling duties."

Rias creased her brows. "…Duties?"

"Eh. Usual kingly duties. They're boring." Lucifer said dismissively, "I'll tell you what's not boring, though, you. Why don't you tutor me about these new devils from time to time? Hm?"

Once again, he caught Rias by surprise due to the sincerity of his smile, and she could feel her warm blood pooling by her cheeks. Quickly, she took her face away from his by sipping her tea. Strange... what an unusual reaction. This never happened before - and to think she distrusted him not minutes ago.

Fortunately, his smile changed form into his typical playful one as he stood up, buttoning his suit and straightening it out. "That aside, I was hoping you would be so kind and guide me."

Rias raised her face again, inclining her chin at him. "Where to?"

"Why... to my room, of course?" Lucifer's head swayed as his smile turned to a lopsided smirk. "I hate to ask more from you, but I do need one. For alas, I am broke." he flatly admitted. It would be nice if he had Midas' hand. "If there's no empty ones, I'd be more than willing to stay in the same one as yours. Or Miss Akeno's."

"Ara ara~ but Lucifer-sama, we've barely known you for scarcely an hour. What kind of a girl would you think I am if I let you into my room? Are you going to debase myself just so? For your mere amusement?"

"Ah, but I'm a good company to keep. I promise you, I can show you what 'amusement' truly is." He replied Akeno's smile with his own as the two 'sparked' with each other, naturally drawing each other like the contradicting polar of a magnet, but yet again, Rias halted his march to Akeno's panties.

"I'm sorry to say, but there's no other bedroom in this building other than mine..." when out of the blue, an idea flung across her mind, and at that moment, Lucifer could feel the deviousness radiating from her smile. "Which, I would be honored to share, if you'd like to."

Akeno stared at her crimson-haired friend in shock, while Lucifer was eyeing this certain devil, seeing the birth of a plot. One he was fully willing to take over.

"Delightedly."

Rias nodded. "Very well. Akeno, you're free to go home now."

"Mmn. Goodnight, Rias." Akeno said. He found it funny how she didn't feel the need to question her friend. It appeared she knew what she's planning just by looking at her. "Goodnight Lucifer-sama. See you tomorrow." And she ended with her usual lingering titter of a giggle that had left boys drooling for more.

Lucifer was no boy, though, and he'd rather have pleasured sighs over playful giggles anytime.

"Until tomorrow. Night-night, Akeno." As her ponytail rocked left and right along with her lower assets, Lucifer stared at the Japanese beauty until she exited the room and the door was shut. His stare lingered there for a moment. "Shame. I was hoping you'd invite her for a sleepover."

With a gleam in his eyes, he glanced back at Rias, who appeared to be having second thoughts about her choice. "Well then, lead the way, Princess."

That brought her back to reality, and he noticed her closing her eyes for several seconds as if she was steeling herself for her decision, and to prepare herself for whatever was about to come. Rias led him out the room, and through the dark halls as she escorted him to her chamber.

Whatever she was scheming, Lucifer was curious. Grateful too; he didn't have to sleep at a park bench tonight. Living as a homeless man was not the kind of 'living' he'd like to experience more than needed.

His Father had taken His dear time trying to make him comprehend humanity, to show this rebellious son of His as to why He so adored these rising primates. Well it didn't work, and now Lucifer could bid his time enjoying his life as himself, in a world of devils, where he didn't need to be the King of Hell.

He didn't feel fit to be a king anyway.

To be continued...