Interlude I: Ruin, Lightning & Snow

It has been three months since Ray went on his quest to another world. I, Anna Yamada have divagated since then. I have felt empty since then... something is truly missing. 

Also, I wasn't the only one that felt that way. For some reason, my mom too has been rather downcast ever since, although I imagine it is because Reina-san is also missing, her friend. 

There have been a lot of changes, but I cope. He always wanted me to be a good girl, so I worked hard to be a good girl and make him proud. Many were disappointed when it was said that he 'transferred' back to America to study; the many girls who had a crush on him mostly, while the boys rejoiced that the 'Gaijin' was gone.

I had to restrain myself as my Youkai instincts were taking over. I still had friends, but it wasn't the same for a while; Ray-chan was the only one who knew I was a Youkai.

Before leaving, he gave me one last 'gift'.

Kuu-chan returned and he ordered her to 'take care' of me. I didn't understand why I would need protection until the first night of hunger struck me. Then, I realised Ray had been thinking ahead for me, as always. 

Because of how strong I have become, normal youkai like kappas no longer sate me. It has to be a powerful youkai or deity, otherwise I'd go into a rampage that I would prefer to avoid, that's why Kuu-chan is here, although now her name is Haku. 

Things got a bit more lively a few weeks in.

"Anna-chan!"

"Rias-chan, Akeno-chan!"

I got some new friends. Love-rival friends.

Rias-chan, Akeno-chan and Koneko-chan transferred to my school, I heard that her dad bought it as Japan is currently the safest place on earth for devils to live in. We kicked it off really well, and since Ray told me to get away from Kaneda-senpai, I had lost a group of friends anyway. 

Aside from the two of them, Kuroka-chan also snook around... among all of Ray's girls, she's the one that vexes me the most. 

"Anna-chan you're so cute, nya!~" She hugged me, cuddled me, bought me sweets... she's so cute that I can't properly fight her! Also, she can transform into a small black cat.

It is unfair that she's so cute as a cat but yet so buxom as a woman, and I always felt so confident in myself...

Anyways, Kuroka-chan may be dangerous but she's the least of my worries... at the end of the day, she's already Ray's pet, there is nothing I can do. But then there are Akeno-chan and Rias-chan. They weren't very happy when I told them that I was going out with Ray, especially Rias.

But she was clever, more so than I thought. 

"Do you know what a harem is, Anna?" She asked me, hooking her arm around my shoulder, I felt like I was about to fall into a trap, so I avoided it. 

I know what it is... I know Ray has one already and I am part of it. But I don't understand why I feel so competitive towards Rias-chan and Akeno-chan. Maybe because they're around my age, and they're beautiful like me. Ray never put his eyes on someone else around my age other than me. 

'Maybe he doesn't even see them that way...'

Thoughts of jealousy ruminated in my mind over and over on that particular night. I didn't feel like myself, having these wicked thoughts, wondering what Ray was doing on that other side, if he missed me... or if he was with some other girl and had forgotten me. 

The thought alone hurt quite a bit... and I got very hungry. 

I was sleeping in Kuu-chan's embrace and she noticed my bloodthirsty.

"There there~" She giggled and allowed me entry on her neck... but before I could take a bite, I stopped. 

"Kuu-chan".

"Hmn?".

"I-I want to hunt..."

…

That's the time it all started. I became someone different... before, Ray may have thought I was a cute girl consumed by hunger. Now I had embraced hunger.

*MUNCH!*

I devoured and devoured… Youkais weren't enough so I escalated. Rogue devils and fallen angels too, dwarves and supernatural criminals, in our hunts, Kuu-chan took me to plenty of places.

"Anna-chan…"

At their request we took them along, Akeno-chan and Rias-chan, they wanted to train and become stronger… and when they saw me like this, instead of rejecting me, they accepted me.

"Anna, you're so cool!" Rias-chan said at that time, I thought she jested.

"*sob* what's so cool about this… Ray-chan would think I'm creepy!".

**

**

I, Akeno Himejima, knew Anna was always cute, but she could be so… hideous... unexpectedly. It is the dark nature within her.

Just like her, I also have a darker side within me. A fallen angel that I have always rejected. It is the bloodline that abandoned me and my mother to our luck. Unlike Anna whose parents thrived together, that was not my case.

"Akeno-chan…"

But whenever she put her hand on my shoulder, in this form of hers that's so dangerous and beautiful, I eventually couldn't help it. That pair of black angel wings popped up seeking to be accepted. And as it couldn't be any other way, she saw them and found them beautiful.

"Those wings! You're like Azrael-san!".

"No, Anna… I'm a fallen angel. You know we're bad people" I let my prejudices take the best of me, but those in front of me were girls like me. 

"Oh, hush you, Akeno-chan! Aren't Youkai bad people too?" Anna said, I couldn't answer.

"Aren't devils bad people, Akeno?" Rias said too, once again I couldn't answer.

Because they were right. I had forgotten… evil… is subjective. But I know all youkais are not evil and not all devils are malicious. Not all angels are saints. 

The people I care about think I am a good girl, that's all that matters. My mother would have wanted me to accept myself for what I am. And now, with them by my side, that's what I will do. 

"Thanks Rias, Anna!".

They are my friends, and even though he is not here, I'm sure Ray-kun would have also found my wings beautiful. I can't wait for him to see them. 

**

**

I, Rias Gremory, felt envious of her. It appears as if Anna was born with everything I ever wanted. Great parents who support her freedom. A handsome, strong and supportive boyfriend. And power… power strong enough to change her fate. Even if she didn't know how to control it.

It didn't help her boyfriend was also my first crush, Ray Lux.

Truthfully, I didn't know how we could be friends. But she was too cute to decline... like one of those pillows you just want to muffle and hug all the time, Anna can be so dangerous and yet so sweet. 

When I saw her devour for the first time I was shocked, not even struggling to fight those rogue devils –easily overpowering them.

I thought: 'With her, I could do it'.

Anna is quite strong. If she joins my peerage– but I stopped there and recalled that I also invited Ray and was declined.

I'm not qualified to have Ray in my peerage. The sort of character he has become, a powerful God and the patriarch of the Shinto Faction. Even Onii-sama couldn't even dream of him becoming a member of his peerage, let alone the pitiful me.

Before leaving, he told me. If I asked Anna, she'd surely join without question and he also wouldn't mind it so long as Anna accepted wilfully. 

My mind was clouded with doubts. Am I qualified to have Anna in my peerage, or Akeno, or Koneko-chan…?

We went to hunt together, I worked hard, I didn't slack... I didn't want to lose to her. I studied her… I watched her and realised.

Supportive parents? a strong and uncontrollable power? Don't I… have those as well?

Was my father always my enemy? wanting me to become someone I didn't want to be, putting weight on my shoulders that I didn't wish to have. And yet, aren't these shoulders strong enough to bear that weight?

Destruction was the key.

But I needed something else. A word, as long as I could talk to him...

A certain day after school I approached the school's garden. I stared at an empty bench for a long time before opening my mouth. 

"Haku-san… I want to see Ray".

She manifested out of Limbo. Haku-san, whom Onii-sama believes is (aside from Yasaka Okami) the strongest Youkai.

"Oh? And what are you willing to give in exchange? Creating a transdimensional gate is costly~" She giggled and sat regally, frankly speaking, facing her is still a frightening experience. Especially now when she's so much stronger compared to before, but also several points of docile.

I didn't know what to tell her. What could I give? I may be the heir of Gremory, but right now I'm just a little girl. 

"Don't be like that nya- she's master's friend" I heard next to me, a hand on my shoulder. It was Kuroka-san. Another one of Ray's 'pets' and Koneko's older sister. Although she has been around taking care of Koneko and teaching her the ways of the Nekoshou, she has also been taking care of us by proxy, we are very close. But I didn't think she'd speak on my behalf. 

Seeing her, Haku-san sighed. 

"Master is busy, Kuroka. If she wants to go and see him, it has to be for something important".

"How about this important -nya!".

An assortment of valuables appeared out of nowhere, they were... treasures? but they were so scarce and small. 

Haku-san looked at them and deadpanned, "Really? This all you got, cat?".

"This is all I have -nya! I'm broke -nya! Just let me talk to master I'll arrange it some other way!" Kuroka cried fake tears.

After a long stare, Haku-san sighed again, "Very well, I will sacrifice something to create the gate. You don't need to worry about repayments, I'll take it from master some other way later~".

"Perfect -nya!~ but, there is something else–"

Two individuals peeked out of a corner of the school, and I gasped.

"Anna, Akeno?".

"We want to see him too!".

It wasn't exactly what I had planned, but I guess... this would have to do. The three of us would go together and I'd finally have a proper word with Ray.