Chapter : 7 BANG!

NO! I can do this... I have too..." said a young Anthony, putting more money into the machine and trying again. And again.

And again... Asia would be lying if she said she wasn't touched, Anthony would always do so much for her; probably because he knew what it was like to be without parents as well as she did... she was found on the church door one day, and was raised as a child of God ever since.

A few years later when she got older; she met Anthony after he ran from somewhere, crying and telling her mistress what happened.

He was raised in the orphanage, but she always felt there was something that... drew her to him. She didn't know what it was, but her hands would tense up whenever she got close to him.

One day when Anthony twisted his ankle, she wished she could help somehow... and she did, as a strange green light emitted from her hands... and the muscles in Anthony's leg was all better.

It was then she and he discovered she had a supernatural power to heal others, though they could never figure out why his hand would tense up whenever she used this power...

Sadly, the other members of the church deemed Anthony was making Asia become 'impure' and sent him away.

She thought she'd never see him again, and she would hug the stuffed toy he won for her that day every chance she got...

-END FLASHBACK-

This was the exact same toy she pulled out. It was a little weathered and worn, but the same stuffed animal nonetheless.

There was now no doubt in Anthony's mind... after all these years... they've found each other again. He hugged her back, tighter than he intended but he was so happy.

She couldn't help but blush slightly; she was pulled so close that she could feel his heartbeat against her own, her breasts also squeezing into him... she cut off that train of thought.

She was a full-fledged nun now, she shouldn't be having those thoughts.

-TIME BREAK-

"You've been assigned to the church in this area? Heh, wow! Quali sono le probabilità?" Anthony said, as he walked Asia over the path towards the local church.

He still couldn't believe after 8 years, he found her again... best part, she REMEMBERED him!

"Yeah... God must have been guiding us to each other, I'm so glad I finally know someone in this town" said Asia.

"Heh, yeah. Talk about luck of the Devil" Anthony said without thinking, making Asia look at him in surprise. He then realized his idiotic mistake... and hidden pun. "Uh... ya know, figure of speech, heheheh..." he nervously covered up.

"Is everything ok?" Asia asked, the look of her innocent eyes tugged on Anthony's heartstrings.

'Should I tell her the truth? I don't wanna lie to her, but I don't wanna freak her out either... what are you saying, Anthony? This is Asia! She'd forgive a bank robber!... Then again, they don't make pacts with Devils, do they?' Anthony thought.

Before he could answer her; they heard crying a few feet away, and a small boy had a bloody knee... poor kid must've tripped, and Anthony couldn't help but feel extreme déjà vu.

"Hey, Asia? You still have... that gift?" Anthony asked her, as they approached the little boy. She nodded and with a soft glow, Asia's hands light with warmth and healed the boy's injury.

While that happened, Anthony felt a small pang in his left hand... just like when they were kids, this would happen. 'My Sacred Gear's acting up I guess... oh shit. Has Asia... had a Sacred Gear... this whole time?'

Anthony deduced. If this was true, it would explain as to why he felt this small pang in that exact spot when Asia used her 'gift'... being revived by a devil was good for something apparently.

Afterward, she invited Anthony to the church for some tea... boy, they had ALLOT to talk about.

-TIME BREAK-

BANG!

"YOU WENT INTO A CHURCH?!" Rias partially screamed, her hands slamming into her desk. Anthony wasn't seen after school for quite some time, and Rias became worried. Calling him on his cell phone, Rias tried getting ahold of him... 10 times!

Anthony thought it was sweet of her and felt guilty he didn't answer, but in his defense, he was getting reacquainted with an old friend he thought he'd never lay eyes on again.

Rias calmed down upon hearing he tell her he'd met her in the clubhouse and explain where he was for the last couple of hours... she wasn't happy.

"What's the big deal? I was catching up with a childhood friend" Anthony said.

"That's not the point! You went to a church, A FREAKING CHURCH ANTHONY! Don't you know how dangerous that is?" Said Rias.

"Um... no? I was raised in one after... after..." Anthony began to explain, but trailed off once he began to relive the memory of his parents death. Rias noticed his expression, this was the 3rd time he'd make a face like that.

She didn't know what happened and while she wanted to help him, she knew it wasn't any of her business to pry into his personal life... except when he goes into a CHURCH!

"After what?" She asked, trying to control her emotions.

"After... it's nothing" Anthony said, shutting down.

Rias tried to relax. She sat back down in her desk, taking a deep breath. "Regardless... going into a church is dangerous.

There are exorcists in there that will purge Devils. It's basically enemy territory, Anthony... I don't want you to get hurt" she said.

"I appreciate the concern Rias... but I'm not a Devil, you said it yourself" Anthony said.

He was right. After Rias contacted the creator of the Evil Pieces and telling him what happened, even he was unsure.

His theory was perhaps there was something about him that messed with the properties of the Evil Piece used on him, but then Rias revealed she had to use ALL of her Pawns to revive him, giving the creator even more confusion.

While it wasn't uncommon for a Devil to have more than one piece, he found it strange that even after all 8 Pawn pieces; that the Italian was still human.

He ordered Rias to contact her again after Anthony had his first Rating Game, that should give him more information to go on.