523A/N: New project time. Feels weird posting another story when I should be working on my others. To be quite honest, it was kind of exhausting and I felt like it was time for a bit of a change. This is a pilot chapter, seeing if you guys are interested in this idea. I know I've claimed to not like harems, but… it is a guilty pleasure for me. I am a simple man. There are some well-written harems out there. Not many, but there are some. That being said, I'm going keep pairings a complete secret. Updates will be inconsistent with no real schedule because I can't for the life of me keep my word on these sorts of things when so many things in my life change almost weekly.
E/N: Hey, dmoose18 here. I won't be showing up often, but I figured I'd put in my two cents on this first chapter at least. Many longtime readers of Siv's might be wondering where the new chapters of This War of Mine and Pride of Four are, and the most I can say is that neither are dead. This War of Mine will be completed come hell or high water, and Pride of Four will likely be on hiatus for a while. If anyone is wondering about the in-depth reasons, you can check Siv's profile because he explains it there. For now, though, this is our current passion project that we're working on while taking a break from the RWBY IP. So, without further ado, here's Chapter One!
By the way, neither of us have read the Light Novels, so for anyone that has, please excuse any unintentional retcons we do. We have watched all four seasons of the show though, and loved it.
Chapter One
A barren wasteland lay in deathly silence, with all those present eagerly anticipating a conclusion to the brutal beatdown taking place.
Gohan stood perfectly still, quite a contrast to the raging golden aura surrounding his form. Small streaks of lightning flickered dangerously in his vicinity, lashing out like a wild animal. Eyes that had once held so much love and care were now imbued with fierce contempt.
The object of his hatred lay before him, broken and beaten. The manifestation of everything he despised. The craftsman that had forged him into an unforgiving and sadistic fighter was certainly reaping the rewards of his efforts. Unfortunately, those rewards amounted to kneeling in a growing pool of his own blood.
"You...you're a m-monster," the oversized green cockroach spluttered. A bit of a rude description, but an apt one in the young Saiyan's mind. Gohan couldn't help but find the bug's statement to be ironic. He was the monster for bringing justice? For avenging all those who had perished? To be called a monster by such a horrendous being caused anger to well up within the nine-year-old.
"I warned you," he chided, lacking any empathy whatsoever. "I told you, push me too far and I'll break. But you refused to listen. They say curiosity killed the cat, but to see it play out right in front of me is amusing." Flaring his aura even more, a vicious smirk spread across his face. "You got tangled up in your ball of yarn, and now it's choking you to death."
The young fighter began calmly strolling forward, his head held high as he glared down at his quarry. If Cell was a kitten, then Gohan was a lion on the prowl. His body was loose and ready to pounce at a moments notice, his eyes sharp and locked onto his target. Every step he took sent visible chills down his prey's spine. He reveled in that fear. His hands trembled slightly as if they had a mind of their own. They were begging him to let them pummel the bastard before him into paste. Hopefully, the feeling of killing this monster would bring him satisfaction.
"Stay away from me!" the insect gasped, attempting to crawl away.
Gohan somehow suppressed the urge to laugh.
"You were so excited to fight me before, Cell. Where did all that bravado go!?" Gohan roared, appearing before the monster, his movement almost instantaneous to all those watching the fight. His amusement was gone, the smirk wiped clean, replaced with stone-faced fury. "It's not so fun when you're losing, is it? How do you feel, knowing that you're going to die and there's nothing you can do to stop it?"
The boy raised a hand, a ball of energy sparking to life within it. Cell's gaze dropped to the steadily increasing mass of ki, eyes somehow widening even more in fear.
"Imagine for a moment," the hybrid-Saiyan started, his tone sharp. "Every person you've killed. Right now, you're getting a small taste of their fear, their helplessness, their anger, right before you ripped their life away."
"N-No!" the pathetic creature stammered. Gohan ignored its pleas, simply continued to allow the energy blast in his palm to grow. "Stay back!" the android cried, shooting to its feet and putting distance between them once more. It roared, flexing its arms and powering up. Gohan felt the monster's ki skyrocket to dangerous levels. What could the pathetic abomination be up to now? It was cornered with no way out.
Its muscles started to bulge, its body wildly increasing in size.
"This trick again," Gohan thought, almost rolling his eyes in the process. "Maybe this time I could get the other android it absorbed out-" he paused his train of thought. No, something wasn't right. Cell's energy was increasing with a haste that wasn't natural at all. Its energy had surpassed its previously stated full power and wasn't showing any signs of stopping. He was missing a critical piece of the puzzle.
Dissipating the blast he'd been charging and taking a stance, Gohan readied himself for the unexpected, his mind jumpstarting and racing to analyze the possibilities that could occur within the next couple of seconds.
Cell was now far too big to move even at a fraction of its speed. Gohan was sure anybody could outpace it now, which confused him even more. There was no way Cell intended to fight like this, and its body only seemed to get bigger.
The monster was cornered with no way out.
Cell knew it.
Gohan knew it.
Everyone watching knew it.
Then the realization struck Gohan like a ton of bricks as a vivid memory played through his head. Android Sixteen had attempted to use a bomb in his chest to destroy Cell. It seemed like a built-in last resort. He was told that all the other Androids had one. However, while they were cyborgs, Cell was purely organic.
Then a memory played from his earlier childhood when Nappa and Vegeta had come to Earth. The unforgettable memory of Chiaotzu sacrificing himself to try and kill the large invading Saiyan.
"You coward!" Gohan roared at the bloated insect. Cell boomed with manic laughter.
"My game, my rules! If I'm going to lose, I'm taking everyone on this planet with me!"
Gohan heard the collective gasps of his father and his friends. Their window of opportunity was closing fast, and the half-Saiyan prodigy had yet to come up with a plan. Due to his insatiable desire to watch the monster suffer, he had foolishly allowed Cell to reach this moment of desperation. But if he acted quickly, there might be a way to fix his mistake.
The countdown had started…
Gohan took a deep breath, calming his nerves. Now wasn't the time to lose it. If he did, everyone would die. His father, his friends, mother, grandfather… everyone. He couldn't let that happen. His mistakes were his to clean up. He had allowed the intoxicating power to seduce him into a state of violent ecstasy. Now, a plan had to be formed.
Gohan flashed forward, kicking up dirt as he sped across the barren wasteland towards his target. He maneuvered himself under Cell, placed both hands on the backside of the enlarged android, and began to push with all his might. If the android was going to explode, the only solution he could think of was to move the explosion as far away from the Earth as possible. Cell currently had enough energy to vaporize the entire planet. That left one destination.
Space.
Gohan knew he couldn't breathe in space, so he was just going to have to hold his breath and use an energy barrier to keep himself alive until he had guaranteed the safety of Earth and his family. He flew at breakneck speeds, carrying Cell to the upper atmosphere, being careful not to pop the monster like a balloon.
"S-Stop! This won't work! I know what you're trying to do!" Cell yelled. Gohan ignored the words, continuing to make his way into outer-space. He had to push Cell a great deal away. What came next, the half-Saiyan was still trying to piece together. He swore he could hear his father and his friends cries, pleading Gohan not to do it.
The boy had to admit, it was a suicide mission.
If Cell exploded up here, he wouldn't have enough time to get back down before the blast engulfed him, and Cell's energy only continued to grow despite the desperate maneuver. It became increasingly clear that Gohan didn't have enough time. He had to think of something else quickly.
Maybe… it was a gamble, but…
"If I blast him with everything I have, maybe I can redirect the explosion away from Earth…" Gohan thought as he released his grip on Cell. The deathly silence of space silenced all of Cell's words. Gohan couldn't hear anything but the blood pumping through his ear, and his ever-present fierce heart-beat. Time slowed down, almost to a fraction of what it was.
The son of Goku cupped his hands, the legendary Kamehameha wave charging as quickly as he could muster. Cell was on the verge of exploding, his fat, blob-like appearance beginning to bulge outwards. His energy was beginning to expand. He had seconds… less than that.
"I'll be caught in the explosion regardless. My death is certain."
He wasn't scared, unlike the many times he had been before. On Earth against the Saiyans… on Namek against the Freeza force and the galactic tyrant himself. No, this time was different. Gohan felt that despite knowing his death was a certainty now, it had meaning to it. People feared a meaningless death. A death where you are defeated and achieved nothing.
This wouldn't be one of them.
It was time to lay down the cards on the metaphorical table.
Gohan threw his hands forward, crying out a silent Kamehameha that was drowned out by the silence of space. The massive wave of energy thundered toward Cell with no resistance. Gohan was going all in on this gamble. There was no other way out of this situation.
The energy blast crashed into the monster.
All Hell broke loose.
A light, dwarfing the brightness of the sun itself erupted from where Cell had been. It ate away at the Kamehameha wave, but in that instant, Gohan could see that his gamble was paying off. The self-destruction wave was being pushed by the Kamehameha's force. Would it be enough though? As each second passed, the boy noticed that his attack was being swallowed by Cell's last gambit.
"As long as I save Earth, my life is forfeit."
The light approached him, surrounding him.
There was no pain.
Seconds passed, then there was only darkness.
=/=
=/=
Serafall Leviathan was bored.
Well, perhaps not bored, but more so weary of the typical daily routine she'd found herself in. Being one of the four Satans had its perks, but by and large, she found her position as the new Leviathan to be quite dull. She loathed her bureaucratic duties, so any free time she could get was to be treasured and used on the most important things. Which, of course, was either spending time with her adorable sister Sona, or magical girl related activities. Currently, it was the latter, as she was sitting upside down in the backyard of her estate reading the latest volume of her favorite magical girl manga. However, even that wasn't enough to shake the raincloud of apathy that hung over her head today.
She sat on a bench situated between two sakura trees. The sound of running water echoed from the fountain in front of her. Her backyard was rather luxurious, as was to be expected of a Satan's estate. Her property spanned hundreds of acres, as far as the eye could see. Even after all this time, Serafall still found the amount of territory she inherited with her position to be slightly overwhelming.
She had never met him though. He perished a long time ago, along with the biblical God and the other original Satans.
A sigh escaped her lips.
It wasn't as though she was a stranger to grandeur. The Sitri clan was extremely wealthy, as were the other remaining clans of the 72 pillars. She was the perfect picture of a spoiled child, gifted with overwhelming power and talent from a young age, traits that led her down the path of becoming the strongest female devil. However, she never really felt that she needed all of the wealth and perks given to her through her family, she was capable enough to do things on her own damn it! When she was younger, having servants tend to her every want or need wasn't a choice, her parents simply forced it to happen. But ever since then, things had been different. She had no need for them, so she'd never acquired any, regardless of how difficult it sometimes was to be a Satan without any help.
It wasn't like the concepts of teamwork and needing help were foreign to her, quite the contrary. The Old Satan Faction would never have been defeated without working together with her friends. But the government workers she presided over as head of Foreign Affairs were more than enough help, and so, she refused all other offers because they were unnecessary. Regardless, she was the Leviathan, one of the four most powerful beings in the underworld. Her life should have been perfect, and in many respects it was. There was one lingering issue that she'd never taken care of...
Serafall Leviathan had no peerage.
Another sigh escaped her.
Sirzechs often teased her about her lack of peerage. Even Sona and Rias already had their Queens. Nearly all of the upper-class underworld had a peerage, except for her. It wasn't as though she didn't have opportunities, there were plenty of offers made to her. But it never felt right, and so she declined them all. Maybe it was an extension of her belief that she didn't need help from underlings, or maybe she just hadn't met the right people yet? Nobody had stood out enough for her to even consider the idea. Rating games were never of interest to her, and even though many disapproved of the Leviathan not having a peerage, nobody was brave enough to truly make a fuss about it for fear of offending one of the heroes of the Civil War.
Besides, she was far too busy with her work as the new Leviathan. Rumors of a rising faction called the 'Khaos Brigade' had Sirzechs and herself worried. She'd tried going to the other factions for help, but Azazel had been rather quiet as of late and Michael had been unhelpful as ever. Even though they only appeared to be rumors for now, where there's smoke there's usually fire, so an investigation was warranted.
The sky suddenly rumbled, gray clouds rolling in overhead. Raindrops started to fall around the Satan girl, signaling that maybe it was time to head back inside the mansion. An indignant pout crossed her face as she closed her manga and slid it underneath her top so it wouldn't get wet. You'd think as a Satan-Class devil whose clan's magic revolved around water, she'd be able to control the weather around her estate.
Nope.
As she began walking back to her home, the sky thundered again. However, this time it garnered her attention. She felt a surge of energy, enough for her to slightly panic and wonder if she was under attack. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as she whipped her head to the sky. The ominous clouds had darkened even further, and, at their center, a disturbance began to form.
The sky split open, like a crack in the fabric of reality. Out of it, a dot fell. The moment this speck fell out, the crack disappeared, as if it had never existed. Serafall's first guess was that it was the Dimensional Gap. She had every reason to believe that's what it was. She had been there twice in her life. It was an infinite void, space where nothing existed aside from Great Red. And this small dot that continued to fall was certainly not Great Red.
So then… what was it?
Serafall's eyes followed the falling object, observing as it got close enough for her to get a rough estimate of what it was. Her eyes widened when she realized it was a person!
Utilizing her magic, she teleported to where the person would land. She readied herself as the figure got closer. Raising her hands and jumping up to meet the person, she caught them with ease and landed back on the ground. Shock flooded her mind as she examined what she had caught.
A boy, no older than ten, laid in her arms barely breathing. He was clearly wounded, almost lethally so. Gashes, lacerations, and burn marks littered his body like a killer's art project. The purple clothing he wore was nearly ripped to shreds and his hair was matted with blood. Her mind raced with questions, ones she knew she wouldn't get the answers to until this boy was capable of speaking.
Teleporting to her room, she quickly placed the boy on her bed.
Healing magic wasn't exactly her forte, but she was skilled enough at it to at least ease the burden of these injuries. She immediately began working, doing her best to heal the critical injuries first before moving on to the minor ones. Serafall was astounded that he was even still breathing! Some of these injuries should have claimed his life by now.
"You are really something else," she muttered quietly. Once she had stabilized the child, she allowed her mind to roam freely as she tended to the minor wounds. She sensed no demonic energy from the boy, so he clearly wasn't a Devil. No holy power either, so the possibility of him being a fallen angel or an angel from Heaven was ruled out. If he wasn't from any of the three factions, then what was he?
"Human…? No, that's absurd. No human can withstand that kind of damage," she thought to herself. Her mind bounced between inconclusive ideas, and eventually, she gave up on trying to rationalize this situation. Her best bet was that he had some kind of Sacred Gear that kept him alive… but if that was it, she would have sensed it the moment she touched him. Nothing about this boy made sense.
Once she had finished healing, she removed his clothes and with a snap of her fingers, changed the bedsheets and dressed him in more comfortable sleeping attire. She tucked him soundly into her bed and watched him sleep for a few moments. Turning, she pulled up a chair and sat down facing the bed, her legs resting on the end of the mattress.
"Not a Devil, Fallen Angel, or an Angel," Serafall murmured, listing off the possible races he could be. He had fallen out what could only be the Dimensional Gap, and she knew that nothing could survive in there. Even the strongest of Devils wouldn't last a second without proper protection. This boy appeared to be only human. It was ludicrous to think he survived for any amount of time in a place like that.
Serafall paused for a moment, realizing she had been chewing on one of her nails. She didn't like being in the dark about things. It frustrated her to no end when Sona managed to hide things from her, but that was nothing compared to the boy in front of her. If Sona's secrets were a regular Rubix cube, this situation was a hundred sided one.
She'd ask Sirzechs for help, but she wasn't sure what he'd be able to discern if she couldn't figure this out.
Her best bet was to wait for the boy to wake up.
=/=
=/=
It took an entire day for the boy to show any signs of recovery.
Serafall had kept a close eye on him, opting to do her work in the bedroom in case he woke up. She had many questions that needed answering to satisfy her curiosity. She was in the process of writing a letter to Sirzechs detailing her thoughts on some of the latest policies and laws in the underworld, as well as concerns about rising Devil clans that had shown themselves to be rather rebellious. However, the shuffling of sheets broke her concentration. She turned to see the boy blink the sleep out of his eyes, turning his head on the pillow to get a better look at the room he found himself in. Serafall could see the slight confusion in his eyes. She clapped her hands together, a smile gracing her face.
"Good morning, sleepy head~!" she sang. Gohan turned to the source of the voice and sat up. He rubbed his eyes, trying to make sure he wasn't still dreaming. His stiff body was a confirmation of being lucid. "How do you feel? Any agonizing pain?" she asked with a bright grin that absolutely contrasted the nature of the question.
"Uh…" Gohan wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. His brain was still processing the words that had come out of the girl's mouth. The first thing that occurred to him was that he didn't feel dead at all. Granted, he had never felt what it was like to be dead, but his father had told him what happened once he passed on. Bright clouds, a pathway, and King Yemma. So far, the boy wasn't seeing any signs of that. "No, I feel fine. A bit stiff, but in one piece."
"That's great to hear! Nice to know my healing magic still works wonders," Serafall boasted. "You really were in bad shape when you dropped into my hands! Do you remember what happened?"
He did, as clear as day. Gohan remembered destroying Cell just as he exploded. The added force of the Kamehameha wave along with the self-destruction would have atomized the monster. There would be nothing left of him after that, not a single cell to spare. Had he saved Earth? If he was still alive, that had to be the case, right?
"Yeah, I was fighting. Decided to take a gamble and… I think it worked," Gohan responded in a more cheerful mood. "So, where am I exactly?"
"Well, you happen to be in the Underworld. A very special part of the Underworld. My home! I'm still curious as to how you exactly got here, but I suppose the Dimensional Gap could drop you anywhere," Serafall replied, her smile ever present. Gohan, however, was no longer reciprocating her happiness.
"Wait, Underworld?" he asked, his voice wavering slightly. Serafall nodded gleefully, totally missing his apprehension.
Silence reigned between the two as Gohan stared at her warily, trying to figure out exactly who she was and what was going on. If he was in Hell, that meant he would have already been judged by King Yemma, but that made even less sense. He hadn't done anything bad in his life! He fought to protect people and had never taken a life unless the situation called for it! How could his soul be sent to Hell?
But then again, he still didn't feel dead. Maybe he should just ask?
"So...does that mean I'm dead?"
"N-No! Not at all!" Serafall quickly corrected with wide eyes, hands waving out in front of her in a placating gesture. This caused Gohan to tilt his head in confusion, to which the Satan girl to chuckled nervously. "Just because you're in the Underworld doesn't mean you're dead, silly! If you had died, you'd be in a completely different part! You'd probably be dealing with Hades if that was the case."
Well, that was good to know. Considering that his dad had never been to Hell, the stories he'd been told of the afterlife treated it as little more than a footnote. Seeing as she seemed friendly enough and he had no knowledge of Hell he would have to take this girl's word at face value for now. Speaking of which, he still had no clue who he was speaking to.
"Who exactly are you?" Gohan questioned curiously. Serafall's grin widened.
"I'm Serafall Leviathan, one of the four all-powerful rulers of the Underworld! Currently, your caretaker," she finished with a beaming smile. Gohan leaned back a little, caught off guard by her overwhelming enthusiasm. She seemed very bubbly and outspoken. "Can I have yours? I gave you mine… it's only fair," she said in a rather lewd manner, although the innuendo went straight over the half-Saiyan's head.
"I'm Son Gohan. It's nice to meet you, Ms. Leviathan."
"Aw, aren't you just adorable!? So well mannered! I wish Sona was more like this," Serafall lamented with mock sadness. Gohan chuckled weakly as he removed the sheets and stepped out of the bed. The urge to stretch had him reaching for the ceiling, while also letting out an involuntary yawn. Serafall looked him up and down, only now taking the time to really examine the boy, rather than fussing over keeping him alive.
The boy was incredibly muscular and fit, that was for sure. He also looked to be only a few inches shorter than her. Judging by his size and tone of voice alone, Serafall thought him to be at least twelve or thirteen. She wasn't particularly tall herself, and it didn't look like Sona was going to be all that gifted in height either. Despite all that, she was proud of her petite looks. Her chest size wasn't lacking, but she knew there were far more impressive feminine figures in the Underworld. Sirzechs also made a point about teasing her on this account as well.
"Would you like anything to eat?"
"Uh, sure," Gohan replied with slight uncertainty. "Although, I really think I should be getting home soon. My mom and everyone else at home are probably really worried about me."
"I'm sure it'll be fine," Serafall reassured turning away. The moment he couldn't see her face, she grimaced slightly. Something in the pit of her stomach told her it was going to be more complicated than that. The boy appeared out of a crack in the sky, very obviously the Dimensional Gap. Returning home wasn't going to be as simple as he made it out to be.
Gohan shrugged, opting to follow her.
The two journeyed toward the kitchen, and Gohan wasn't exactly sure how long it would take to get there. This place was a mansion, a very big mansion at that. Five minutes of walking just to get to the other end of the house. The two of them made idle chatter as they walked, Serafall asking what his favorite foods were and if he was on any diets. As the two finally made it to the kitchen, the half-Saiyan had a strange realization.
He hadn't seen anyone on the way here. In fact, the entire mansion was completely silent. The place screamed royalty to him in all ways but one. In a place like this, he felt it would be normal to see maids and butlers walking around.
"Is it always like this?" Gohan queried as the two entered a rather small room. It had a single cooking space, a table, and a few chairs.
"This place is so big, but it's really quiet," the boy added as he pulled up a chair. As the half-Saiyan took a seat, Serafall walked over to the kitchen appliances and snapped one of her fingers. Glyphs appeared all around the room, turning things on and moving cooking equipment around. Gohan found himself entranced by the spectacle, watching in wonder.
He wondered momentarily, what kind of technique allowed her to do that!?
"I live alone, mostly. I don't really like having servants around the house, I can do stuff plenty well on my own," she responded with a huff. "Having people around tends to distract me from my work and other hobbies, so I keep the property tidy and do the cooking myself. It's not that bad, my sister comes to visit every now and then," the Satan girl responded cheerfully. Her tone indicated that she truly didn't mind the isolation. It wasn't that hard to believe she was fine on her own, but it did seem rather strange to Gohan that she'd live in such a large property all by herself. He asked Serafall to explain.
"This place isn't really mine," she corrected him. "I inherited it with the title. My real name is Serafall Sitri, and I was previously a part of the Sitri clan. It's a very powerful and influential family here in the Underworld. One of the few Devil clans to survive the Great War. Of the 72 Pillars, only 33 remain, and the Sitri clan is among them," Serafall explained in a heartbeat.
Gohan hadn't understood a single word she had said. Well, that wasn't entirely true, he did understand to a point. What stumped him was the information about the 'Pillars' or whatever they were, and Devil clans? He didn't even know where to begin with deciphering that.
"Uh," Gohan started, slightly unsure of what to say. "What changed?"
"I was elevated to a position of power. 'Leviathan' is the name of one of the previous Satans that ruled the Underworld. When he died along with the other three Satans, there was a massive power struggle here along with a civil war. The side that I was on won the war, and as such myself and three other leaders of our side were appointed the new Satans. With that, we took on the titles of the old Satans, and I was given Leviathan," Serafall explained with a lamenting sigh. "I lost my previous title as heir to the Sitri clan, which went to my little sister when she was born."
All this talk of 'Satans' was reminding the boy of that lunatic who had tried to fight Cell before his father, Mr. Satan. He made the extremely well-educated guess that these 'Satans' had absolutely no relation to that joke of a man, but that didn't answer the question of what they were other than rulers. As Gohan processed the new information he'd been given, Serafall finished cooking. Appearing in front of him in a bright violet flash was a plate of pancakes and other delicacies that made his mouth water. He was hungry, considering that he hadn't eaten in at least a day or so.
Perhaps going home could wait a while longer?
"So," Serafall started with a knowing grin, placing down her own food and sitting across from him. "Why don't you tell me about yourself? I'm very interested to know about the boy who fell from the sky straight into my arms~" she finished in a rather dreamy tone. Gohan laughed a little while his mouth was full. If that's really how he'd gotten here, it did sound kind of like the beginning to a fantasy adventure story.
"Well, what do you want to know?" the half-Saiyan asked as he finished his bite.
"Where you come from, what's it like there… you know, the usual stuff."
"Oh, right, well… I live out in the East District with my Mom and my Dad. We're not too far from Orange Star City. My Mom was actually planning on enrolling me there when I turned sixteen," he said in fond recollection. Serafall's eyebrows twitched at the name. "I'm mostly homeschooled and I practice martial arts as a hobby, I train with my Dad and his friends."
Now, Serafall wasn't about to admit her geography skills when it came to Earth were anything special. However, as one of the four great Satans of the Underworld, and especially as the head of Foreign Affairs, she felt it necessary to educate herself on the lands of Earth. She was pretty sure that Orange Star City didn't exist. A name like that would stand out.
"Oh, okay. So, Orange Star City is the closest residential area to you? Is that, uh… in Japan? Or…?" Serafall trailed off. Gohan's expression morphed into one of puzzlement.
"Japan?"
"Oh boy," Serafall thought, visibly forcing herself to smile. "I wouldn't worry about it. It's uh… not important right now," she laughed weakly. Gohan seemed to notice her somewhat nervous demeanor but didn't want to point it out. "So you said you liked martial arts? How good are you? Kicked any bad guy butt recently?" she asked jokingly as she made a show of shadow boxing to her side.
Flashes of recent memories gave Gohan a slight pause. His actions of beating down Cell without a shred of mercy and his unrelenting intent to kill disturbed him now that he had a chance to reflect on it. He had never been that bloodthirsty or cruel before. He almost felt like Vegeta, it was a sobering thought.
"Gohan?"
"Huh?"
The boy looked up, realizing that his head had sunken and he'd slipped into his memories without noticing. Serafall had since stopped her theatrics and looked to him with genuine concern. Now that he'd thought of Cell, a lot of uncertainties were brought up all of a sudden. Since he had woken up, it had been pushed to the back of his mind. Now, he was wondering if he had succeeded at all. Something definitely didn't feel right about this situation. Serafall had told him he was in the Underworld when he had woken up. The Underworld was just another word for Hell, which meant he was no longer on Earth. However, she claimed he hadn't died. So how did he end up here if he didn't die?
"You're thinking very hard," Serafall teased lightly. "I can see those gears turning inside that little head of yours."
"Is Earth safe?"
"Huh? What do you mean?" she questioned, slightly confused. "If Earth wasn't safe, then I wouldn't be lounging around here with you. I'd be out there trying to make it safe," she reassured. Gohan's shoulders relaxed a little.
"So Cell is gone then? He didn't come back?"
Serafall swallowed, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. She was starting to piece together what was going on here. A lot of it was starting to make sense. It was entirely within the realm of possibility, but even then… the sheer chances that it happened was incredible. The boy's strange power and that bizarre energy signature that wasn't quite human. Regardless, it wasn't like she could lie to him to keep him calm, she needed to see where this went.
"Cell? I'm sorry, I don't know who that is."
"You don't know who Cell is?" Gohan questioned, completely bewildered. He couldn't fathom how anyone wouldn't know. He had been all over the television. He had slaughtered cities of innocent people. The entire planet knew about him. Surely the higher ups in Otherworld and the Underworld had to have some clue as to who he was, considering how many people he'd killed. Now Gohan was panicking, nothing was adding up.
"I like to keep up with current events in the Human world, but I have my responsibilities here as well. Perhaps… I just missed him?"
"No, that's not possible! He's killed hundreds of thousands of people! He almost destroyed the planet!"
"That seals the deal," Serafall thought somberly. "He's not from this dimension at all. To think the Dimensional Gap is capable of interfering with other universes as well… it's almost inconceivable. I have to tell Sirzechs about this."
Gohan stood up out of his chair and began pacing, his nerves clearly getting the better of him. Serafall couldn't blame him. She'd probably be a nervous wreck if she pieced together that she had landed in a different universe. What would she do in a life where she couldn't interact with her adorable little sister! Oh, the absolute horror!
"I'm sorry, Gohan. If such a threat existed, then we'd surely know about it here in the Underworld. If Earth were suddenly destroyed, we'd all be erased as well. The Underworld is linked to the Human world, just as Heaven is and all the realms connected to it," Serafall started, standing up and drawing his attention. "This might be a bit hard for you to hear, but when you landed in my arms earlier yesterday, I concluded very quickly that you had come from the Dimensional Gap."
"No, that's wrong! Otherworld and Hell aren't connected to any one planet, that would be ridiculous considering how many there are in the universe! And what is the Dimensional Gap, what does any of that even mean?!"
Serafall took a deep breath, knowing that this was going to be difficult for the boy to hear.
"What I'm saying is that you are in a completely different universe. I've never heard of Cell or any of the places you claimed to have lived, and the Underworld certainly doesn't work in the way you've just claimed. East District and Orange Star City? I've never heard of any of them."
"That doesn't mean-"
"Have you heard of America? Maybe Japan or China? Germany? Russia? England…? Any of those places ring a bell? They're major countries on my Earth that everyone knows of."
Gohan stood in silence, the realization sinking in. Serafall walked over to him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry. Your Earth is very different from the one I know."
"How's that even possible?!" the young Saiyan shouted, tears starting to form in the corners of his eyes as his entire world crashed around him. "I don't understand! What's the Dimension Gap?! How do I get back?!" he asked rapidly as the tears started to fall. "I need to get back home and see if I really killed Cell! If I didn't win then my family and friends will all die! The whole universe might be in danger! Please, Serafall, I'm begging you! Help me!"
Acting quickly to try and calm him down, Serafall pulled him forward into a hug. The boy surprisingly welcomed it with little resistance. She gently patted the back of his head, doing the same thing she'd do with Sona when she had nightmares or when she was upset.
"Gohan, you need to calm down. You're smart enough to know that panicking won't solve anything, right?" Serafall said soothingly. She felt him nod against her in understanding, but he tightened his grip around her regardless, causing her to smile a bit. They stayed that way for a long time while Gohan calmed himself down, Serafall whispering that he would be okay every so often. As he backed away from her, he still looked considerably confused and scared, but at least he didn't look like he was about to have a mental breakdown. "Now, I'm going to tell you what I know about this situation, but you need to promise me that you'll stay calm from now on and not do anything crazy, okay?" she asked, to which Gohan simply nodded his head and shuffled nervously in his seat. She smiled warmly at the boy and patted him on the head once more.
"Alright then, good. From what I know, the Dimensional Gap is an extremely dangerous place. The rules of reality don't exactly apply there. It's… how do I describe it?" she wondered absently.
Gohan waited patiently for some kind of explanation. While her gesture to calm him down worked to an extent, it still didn't exactly ease his state of mind. His gamble to beat Cell could have backfired and everyone could be dead. Serafall mentioned before that a day had passed, so that would be more than enough time to summon Shenron and reverse all the damage Cell had done, leaving them with a single wish.
He hadn't been summoned back yet, leaving him with two possible explanations. One, everyone was dead and using the Dragon Balls would be impossible. Two, Shenron didn't have the power to summon him from where he currently was. Gohan was silently hoping that it was the latter. At least he'd have some peace of mind that all his friends and family were alive.
"It's a… place. A very, very bad place," Serafall said finally, causing Gohan to deadpan. She even seemed confident that it was a good explanation as well. Thankfully, she noticed his unimpressed expression and decided to elaborate further. "Think of it as like Space, but with no stars or planets. It's just complete and utter nothingness, stretching on for all eternity without a beginning or an end."
"So it's a void."
"I like my description better, but yes," Serafall pouted, crossing her arms with a huff. "A void."
Gohan allowed himself to relax for a moment and gather his thoughts. He wouldn't be getting home any time soon if he allowed his emotions to get to him. If what Serafall said was true, the Dimensional Gap wasn't a place easily reached. Even if he did somehow manage to get back there, from the sounds of it, he'd have no sense of direction.
"Is there anyone that could help me get back home?" Gohan said, finally raising the golden question. "I don't know how to get to the Dimensional Gap, and even if I did, I'd be lost. Is there any way?" he asked. Serafall thought for a moment before paling.
There was one.
Maybe two.
But definitely one.
Someone who knew the Dimensional Gap better than any being in existence.
"Ophis."
=/=
=/=
Admittedly, Gohan wasn't expecting to immediately take a train to meet the King of Hell.
After Serafall had informed him that his only way back to his home was through someone called 'Ophis', he had been excited to get started looking for this person. However, his mood dropped significantly once Serafall stated that it's virtually impossible to find her. Apparently, she appeared wherever and whenever she wanted. If she didn't want to be disturbed, no one would be able to find her. Gohan's hopes shrunk but still remained. At least there was someone that could help him.
The Dragon of Infinity, Ophis.
What did that even mean? Serafall seemed hesitant to even mention the name, let alone the title. He had to admit, the name did seem quite intimidating. This person had to be extremely powerful just by that title alone. What did Ophis even look like? He couldn't even picture it in his head. The best he got was a massive obsidian colored cross between Shenron and Porunga, akin to some kind of spectral nightmare.
Anyway, to come up with some kind of plan, Serafall convinced him that they should meet with this 'Sirzechs' character, who was, apparently, the King of Hell. She claimed he was even more powerful than her, and Gohan had to say that was quite the statement. He could sense Serafall's energy, and she seemed like an endless well of power. He would be quick to compare her to either his father or Vegeta, but he had yet to see her fight.
Who knows what tricks the people of this dimension had up their sleeves?
He sat across from Serafall in her private, luxurious cabin. Serafall had been occupied playing some kind of magical girl game while Gohan stared aimlessly out the window of the train. Hell looked surprisingly ordinary compared to his wild imaginative stereotypes. At some point, he slipped into a deep slumber, his body still recovering from the mental and physical strains of fighting against Cell.
He found himself in a lucid dreamscape. It felt strangely familiar to the time he had mentally sparred with Krillin on the way to Namek. It was a dark void with nothing much of note other than his floating form. He was a bit hazy but aware that this was a dream. There was something about this place that didn't feel right. Gohan could swear there was some kind of presence here.
As if on cue, a booming voice called out to him.
"Son Gohan."
The young fighter looked around but saw nothing. Then, appearing in front of him like a ghost, the form of the largest dragon he had ever seen took shape. It easily made Shenron look small, almost insignificant in comparison. Its scales were a deep crimson, and its body looked indestructible. However, Gohan couldn't sense a single drop of energy from this thing. Maybe… it was because of the dream?
"I have been asked to deliver a message from worlds afar. Do with this knowledge what you will."
The void shifted, changing into something more tangible and recognizable. As the world around Gohan became colorful and real, a smile of excitement crossed his face.
"It's the Lookout!" Gohan flew down, seeing each one of his friends. The sky had already been darkened, Shenron's giant form looming over everyone ominously. As Gohan landed on the Lookout, he reminded himself that this was still a dream. However, there was a sense of reality to it. "What's going on?" he wondered aloud.
"Shenron!" Goku called out. "Are you able to revive my son, Gohan?"
Gohan watched carefully, a small sense of relief flooding his body. This had to be after he had defeated Cell! He did it! He had saved the Earth! He almost felt like jumping for joy, and probably would have if it wasn't for the fact that he wasn't able to interact with any of his friends. He had since walked over to join them, noticing full well that none of them registered his existence.
A brief glance down at his hands showed that his body was translucent and barely visible. He had to be witnessing some kind of memory.
Some moments of silence passed as Shenron processed the request, before ultimately opening his giant maw to respond.
"This wish… cannot be granted."
"What!?" Goku yelled in alarm. Everyone present looked shell-shocked barring Vegeta. The cold Saiyan warrior stood in silence, a somber expression on his face. It never even changed once, despite the distressing news they had all received. Gohan didn't exactly expect a sympathetic reaction from Vegeta, but noticing his total lack of response caused the young hybrid to raise a curious eyebrow. "What do you mean, Shenron?!" his father demanded.
"The one known as Son Gohan is not dead," Shenron informed, causing confused expressions to spread throughout the Z Fighters.
"What does that mean?" Trunks wondered, a look of slight panic evident in his voice. "If Gohan's not dead, then where is he?"
"Explain yourself, Dragon," Piccolo demanded. "Gohan's energy perished along with Cell's. How is it that he isn't in Otherworld?"
Another few moments of silence passed as Shenron observed all present. For a second, Gohan could have sworn the Dragon looked his way, despite his large head not moving at all.
"Son Gohan has been displaced due to the energy exerted during Cell's demise. I cannot revive him, as he is not dead, and I cannot bring him here, as it is beyond my abilities to do so," Shenron replied calmly. His words washed over the group in an unsettling manner. Gohan watched all of his friends bow their heads. Krillin clenched his fists, his body almost shaking. Trunks was the same. Piccolo was suppressing his rage the best out of everyone.
"Please Shenron, isn't there anything you can do to help us?!" Goku pleaded, clearly in distress. Gohan couldn't really ever recall hearing his father that desperate. It was almost frightening to hear a man so brave and courageous sound so hopeless. Gohan wasn't sure if it was possible to cry in dreams, but if it was possible, he certainly felt like he was.
"The only service I am able to provide is sending a message. Beyond that, my interference with that dimension is extremely limited."
"Different dimension?" Tien exclaimed. Even Goku looked rather confused.
"The blast must have been powerful enough to rip a hole in the fabric of reality. It was powerful enough to shake the entire planet. Honestly, I'm surprised we're still here," Piccolo commented, his anger subsiding a little. Gohan allowed himself another sigh of relief. It sounded like Earth cut it really close, but his Kamehameha gamble paid off.
"How are we supposed to get him back then?" Krillin asked, looking around for some kind of answer. "If he's still alive, that means he's lost and all alone over there! Who knows what kind of disasters he could be in!? For all we know, Cell could have survived the blast and tagged along with him!"
"Unlikely," Vegeta snorted. "The coward tried to blow himself up. He may have Piccolo's regenerative cells, but nothing can regenerate from being space dust. Gohan got lucky. If you are all so focused on getting him back, then I would highly suggest we converse with the boy's mother," Vegeta finished, pointing to Trunks.
"Mom?" the boy replied, slightly confused.
"Bulma?" Krillin said, mirroring Trunks' expression. "What can she do that Shenron can't?"
"She did make a time machine," Yamcha pointed out, drawing everyone's attention to him. Trunks gained a thoughtful look. "It might have been the future Bulma, but they're still the same person. I'd be willing to bet that if Trunks gave her the time machine, she'd be able to study it and make altercations!"
"Hey, that's a pretty good idea!" Goku exclaimed.
"I guess that could work," Trunks retorted, sounding rather hopeful. "The problem isn't so much making the machine, as I'm sure my mother could figure it out. The problem is how long it would take to make something so complex, and whether or not we can land in the same dimension Gohan is trapped in. It took mom years to build the time machine I used," the older half-Saiyan stressed.
"The groundwork is already there, I mean, it's a time machine," Krillin chuckled. "How hard can it be to change it so it jumps dimensions? Isn't time traveling similar to jumping dimensions?"
"Not in the slightest," Trunks countered, shaking his head. Krillin dejectedly lowered his shoulders. Admittedly, no one here knew anything around technology aside from Trunks. They were all excellent fighters, not engineers. The lavender haired boy was the exception, having grown up surrounded by his mother's genius work. "While my time machine might help mom skip decades of research, the base concepts are different. This will take time."
"It's not like we have any other option," Piccolo voiced sagely. "Gohan will have to stay put until we are able to get to him. If Shenron can't bring him back, I doubt the Namekian Dragon Balls will be any help either. This seems like the best course of action."
"If it would be any consolation," Shenron boomed. "I can offer this much without spending the rest of my energy. Son Gohan is safe for the time being. From my limited knowledge of the space he occupies, he is in no immediate danger. Now… my time is slowly running out. Make your second wish!"
"Alright!" Goku declared. "Shenron! Could you send Gohan a message? Tell him to stay safe and that everything is alright on our end! He's probably super worried about Earth. Let him know we're trying really hard get him back! Can you do that?!" Goku called out.
"That is well within my power!" Shenron boomed. After a few seconds, the power of the eternal dragon swelled, his eyes glowing a deep crimson. In a few moments, it subsided, showing that the wish had been made. Gohan allowed himself to smile slightly, knowing that his family, friends, and home were safe. "Your wish has been granted! Farewell!"
In a flash of light, Shenron was gone and the Dragon Balls were shot into the sky and spread out across the planet. The surroundings started to bend and liquidate around Gohan. The Lookout and his friends vanished, and he found himself floating in the black void once again.
The godly-sized crimson Dragon awaited him.
"I have fulfilled my end of the agreement with your Eternal Dragon, young mortal," the enormous dragon boomed. Gohan felt gratified, relief flooding his body. He had no need to stress about the fate of his world anymore. The only question was whether or not what he witnessed was authentic. He was under the impression that it was. Although, he had to know the identity of this large Dragon.
"Thank you," Gohan bowed, as respectfully as he could. "If it's not too much to ask. Who are you?"
"I have many names, young mortal. However, the name most meaningful to you in answering your questions about what just occurred would be Great Red, the Dragon of Dreams. I was requested to deliver that message to you by your Eternal Dragon. I would have entered your dreams earlier, but you were still recovering and your mind was too weak to handle my presence."
Gohan stored that knowledge away for a later date. He'd ask Serafall and Sirzechs to elaborate more on Great Red. Something told Gohan there was more to this dragon than meets the eye. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself about this entire situation. Who knew fighting Cell would have led to all of this? An entirely new dimension, one he knew nothing about! Now that his concerns about his home were mostly put to rest, all he really had to do was wait for his family and friends to come and save him.
Or he could attempt to seek out Ophis.
"Tread carefully, little interloper. This world is unlike your own. I can offer you that much advice before you wake. Know that my eyes will be watching you, as will many others when your existence becomes known."
"Oh, thanks, I guess," Gohan replied, a little unsure of himself in front of such a powerful creature. Despite the situation, he had to ask the question. "If you don't mind me asking, why did you help me? I mean, you didn't have to deliver the message Shenron gave."
"Your presence in the Dimensional Gap did not go unnoticed, little one. If anything, I obliged the request from your Eternal Dragon out of courtesy and respect. It is not often I meet other entities from worlds afar," Great Red retorted. Gohan listened as the Dragon hummed a little in thought, the sound almost vibrating his small tiny dream-like form. "Besides, it was not a difficult task to perform. I hold power over the Realm of Dreams. This small interaction is not an onerous task, thus I did not feel the need to deny your Eternal Dragon."
"I see," Gohan murmured. "Well, again, thank you."
"Go forth then. Your time in this realm has expired. We will speak again, when the flames of conflict give rise to ruin."
"Huh?"
Gohan suddenly found himself back on the train, his eyes wide open.
"Wakey wakey!" Serafall boomed, her cheerful shout startling Gohan. He turned to her, a look of confusion in his eyes, both from wondering what the Dragon had meant by his last words, and why Serafall had awoken him. "Gosh! You are so adorable in your sleep! You do drool a bit, and you were tossing and turning. Don't worry though, everything is cleaned up and a-okay!"
Gohan blinked away the tiredness from his eyes, sitting up in his chair. He looked out the window, noticing that the scenery had changed dramatically from when he drifted off to sleep.
"Are we almost there?"
"Yep! Five more minutes and we should be arriving at the Lucifer Estate."
"Remind me again why we didn't just teleport there? You said you could teleport anywhere in the Underworld," Gohan asked. Serafall giggled at the remark.
"I could have teleported us here to save the hassle from traveling, but it's considered rude to barge into a Satan's territory unannounced. I sent Sirzechs a message letting him know we'd be visiting. He's expecting us via the train. Besides, since you're not a Devil, teleporting you would feel a bit strange. Also, given that you're still recovering from your injuries, I thought it would be safer to travel this way," she reasoned. Gohan was unsure about all of that. Teleporting couldn't be any different than his father's Instant Transmission, could it? Regardless, the half-Saiyan shrugged it off. Besides, he got to sleep all the way here.
The train came to a halt, signaling to its occupants that it had reached its destination. Serafall jumped up from her seat and skipped toward the exit, Gohan following along with his hands rested comfortably behind his head. He was in much better spirits knowing his family and friends were okay. Granted there was a feeling of homesickness in his gut, but he ignored it well enough. After all, going to Namek had allowed him to conquer that feeling.
"Yahoo~!" Serafall called out as she stepped out of the train and onto the station platform. Looking around, she spotted exactly who she was looking for, a woman dressed in a maid get-up with luscious silver hair. "Grayfia! Over here!" she called out, skipping over to the woman. Gohan followed close behind, adjusting his purple gi. Serafall had done a quick repair job on them with her magic along with changing his shoes to combat martial arts boots. They were a lot like his father's, except they were black with shades of dark purple to match his outfit.
She had claimed his old shoes would be rather out-of-fashion. He absently wondered if Piccolo would be insulted by her statement.
"Lady Leviathan," Grayfia replied courteously, bowing in the process. "It has been a while since you've come to visit. Master has informed me that this isn't a social visit," the woman noted, glancing quickly at Gohan who had just managed to walk up next to Serafall. "I take it this is the company you wish to introduce to my Master?"
"Yep!" Serafall exclaimed, wrapping an arm around Gohan's neck and pulling him in tightly. The boy hadn't been prepared for it and ended up slamming against her chest. "His name is Son Gohan! You won't believe where he's from!" she laughed. Grayfia directed her primary attention to him, her eyes narrowing as she scanned him up and down.
"He's powerful," Grayfia commented blandly. Gohan wasn't sure if he should be insulted or grateful given her tone. "Not an ounce of demonic power either. You brought a human here?"
"Not just any human," Serafall responded with a sly grin. "One that survived the Dimensional Gap!"
"Him?" Grayfia retorted, her tone betraying nothing but her eyes widening a fraction. She spared another glance at Gohan. The boy attempted to wave while still being held by his overly touchy caregiver.
"Hello Ma'am..."
"I see," she responded, completely ignoring Gohan's greeting. "Very well, let us be off then. Lord Lucifer is waiting."
Gohan noticed a surge of power from Grayfia, then a red glyph appeared under the three of them, enlarging and surrounding them. Space warped around him and he felt his stomach drop and turn. It was a strange feeling, similar to when his father had used Instant Transmission. In a bright flash of crimson, Gohan found himself inside a room, standing next to Serafall and Grayfia.
The room was well lit, with a regal atmosphere and theme to it. Cream colored walls and ornate carpets, while in the middle of the room sat a large table with fancy carvings. The half-Saiyan felt a bit out of place in such luxury, as he had in Serafall's home, but he felt warm and comfortable at the same time. The large fireplace might have been what he could attribute the warmth to though.
He noticed two young girls sitting in front of that fire, talking and giggling together.
At the head of the table sat a man of incredible stature. Gohan recognized his presence in the room from the moment he landed here. Like Serafall, this man's power was astronomical. He was struggling to think of some kind of comparison. There was no doubt in his mind that this was the famous Sirzechs that Serafall had talked about.
He was dressed elegantly, his crimson hair flowing straight down the back of his neck with not a single strand out of place. He had piercing blue-green eyes and pale skin. It wasn't exactly how Gohan had imagined the King of Hell looking like. He was expecting some horns, maybe a pitchfork or something cliche like that. However, this was a different universe. Perhaps there was still a chance for that to be the case back home?
"Lord Sirzechs," Grayfia introduced, gesturing to Serafall and himself. "Your guests have arrived."
"So they have," Sirzechs smiled, standing up. "Welcome to my home, I hope you find yourself comfortable during your stay here," he finished, looking towards Gohan. The boy responded with a curt bow and a smile of gratitude. The two girls by the fireplace had halted their conversation and glanced curiously over towards him and Serafall. Their gaze was mostly on him though seeing as he was the stranger here, not to mention that he was closer to their age.
"Sirzechs!" Serafall grinned. "Long time no see!"
"I spoke with you last week," he responded with an amused smile.
"Still feels like a long time!" Serafall replied happily, skipping over to the fireplace to greet the two girls. "Rias! It feels like forever since I last saw you! Look at your 'wittle cheeks!" the female Leviathan cooed, bending over and pinching the poor girl's face. "You're already shaping up to be bigger than Sona! Aw… she's going to be so jealous! Ah! Who's this!?" she exclaimed, turning toward the black haired girl. "Is this your Queen!? She's so beautiful! What's your name?"
"I-It's A-Akeno, Lady Leviathan," the girl stuttered shyly.
"You're in good company Akeno! Don't worry! The Gremory family is one of the nicest and coolest out there in the Underworld!" Serafall chuckled, brightening the atmosphere even more. She then leaned over sneakily and whispered into the girl's ear. "The Sitri clan is cooler thoug-AH!" Serafall was cut off as Grayfia pinched her earlobe and dragged her away from the now confused Akeno.
"That is quite enough, Lady Leviathan. Miss Himejima has been through quite a lot recently. I think everyone would appreciate it if you restrained yourself."
"Aw," Serafall pouted, turning her attention to Grayfia. "She's so cute though!"
"That may be, but you requested to speak with Lord Sirzechs on a matter of great importance. I feel that pleasantries can wait until later," Grayfia finished. Gohan caught the man in question chuckling quietly to himself as he observed Grayfia and Serafall's banter. He strolled over to Gohan's side, resting a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"While the ladies argue, how about we introduce ourselves?" he offered, to which Gohan agreed without complaint. "I'll go first. My name is Sirzechs Lucifer, previously Sirzechs Gremory. I'm in charge of the Underworld, as you might have heard from Serafall, and I love spending time with my family," he finished happily. Gohan had to admit, once again, that for the supposed King of Hell he seemed very genuine and pleasing to be around.
"I'm Son Gohan. I don't know how much Ms. Serafall has told you, but I'm not from around here. I like Martial Arts, studying, and spending time with my friends and family. I'm looking to find a way back to my home," the boy summarized. Sirzechs nodded his head sagely, understanding the boy's desire to return home. He had heard the specifics from Serafall via letter. It was incredible to think that this boy was from an entirely different world.
"It's nice to meet you, Gohan. Know that if there is a way home, we will help you find it."
"I appreciate that, Sir."
"Well, while I catch up with Serafall and learn all the finer details, why don't you introduce yourself to my younger sister Rias and her new Queen. You seem to be around their age. I wouldn't want to bore you with the dreadful political talks that come with business conversations," Sirzechs suggested, gesturing to the two younger girls. Rias and Akeno seemed to be carefully glancing his way every now and then while watching Grayfia and Serafall argue.
"I don't have a problem with that," Gohan replied, looking over towards Rias and Akeno. He gave them a friendly wave, one that both of them returned with the same enthusiasm.
"That's good to hear. Rias!" Sirzechs called out. The girl stood up and walked over, Akeno walking tentatively behind her. "Why don't you show Gohan around the place while I chat with Serafall?" he asked kindly. Rias gave Gohan a quick look and a friendly smile.
"No problem!" she responded cheerfully. "I was just about to show Akeno around when we noticed Grayfia teleport in," Rias explained before she turned to Gohan, gesturing for him to follow. "Come on! Let me be your tour guide."
Gohan followed Rias and Akeno towards the door, sparing one more glance at Serafall. She winked at him and gave him a supportive thumbs up. With a small sigh, he followed the two older girls through the door, leaving the older Devils to their private discussion.
The moment the door clicked shut, the smiles disappeared off of Serafall and Sirzechs' faces.
"The boy's power is monstrous," Grayfia commented blandly, as always. "I found it rather hard to restrain myself when I first laid eyes on him. Should he be allowed to wander freely, he could very well fall into the hands of our enemies. I shudder to think what would happen if the remnants of the Old Satan faction got a hold of him."
"He's as pure-hearted as they come," Serafall added, however, her concern was as obvious as Grayfia's. "It's just… he doesn't even have a Sacred Gear, nor is he affiliated with any Faction. He's just a normal human with power that would put a high-class Devil to shame. Anyone could take advantage of him should they whisper the right words in his ear."
"You were right to bring this matter to me personally," Sirzechs said, his tone low and methodical. "This is history in the making. A small boy from another dimension entirely, with power that could set the whole world ablaze."
"He did well to hide it. He is very skilled at suppressing his energy" Grayfia noted.
"Meaning he is capable and trained," Sirzechs sighed. "He speaks well too. He appears to have a good head on his shoulders. You mentioned he fell out of the Dimensional Gap?"
"It's hard not to recognize it," Serafall shrugged. "If it was something else, I've never seen it before. I only assumed the Dimensional Gap given how the crack formed."
"We are not experts on the Dimensional Gap," Grayfia admitted, a fact that all three of them were painfully aware of. "Sending him home may very well be impossible. That territory is inhabited by Ophis and Great Red to our knowledge. Only the most powerful beings in existence have managed to enter and return with their lives."
"Yet he lived," Sirzechs wondered aloud. He returned to the head of the table, Grayfia taking her rightful place at his side. Serafall sat opposite to her, leaving the rest of the table unoccupied. "I do not wish to shatter his desire to return home, but I cannot in good conscience lie to him either."
"I've already told him that his best bet to get home was through Ophis. I also told him the chances of that happening were almost non-existent. He didn't seem too thrilled about that, but he hasn't lost hope."
"In which case," Grayfia started again. "He's going to be around for the foreseeable future. Perhaps we should present the offer to join a peerage?"
"He wants to go home," Serafall stated calmly. "I doubt he'd be so willing to throw away his humanity and become bound to someone if he intends to leave."
"There's no real proper way to present that offer is there?" Sirzechs chuckled lightly. "If I was human and was offered to become a Devil, I would be skeptical too. Regardless, we are presented with a problem of sorts. He is extraordinarily powerful. To what extent, we cannot be sure until we see it with our own eyes. I'd rather not have him exploited by the Old Satan faction or any other renegade Devils. As long as he stays here in the Underworld, we needn't worry about the Angels or Fallen Angels finding out about him."
"That almost sounds like he's a prisoner," Serafall pouted rather sadly. "I'm struggling to agree with keeping him here, should he want to explore. For all we know, he could be here for the rest of his life."
"Again, I would suggest that he be persuaded to join a peerage. That way he can make friends and build a life. He may even come to enjoy it here," Grayfia suggested again. Serafall and Sirzechs thought about it for a few moments. It was a rather uncomfortable silence that the wife of Lucifer hadn't quite been expecting.
Finally, Sirzechs sighed, a small smile gracing his face.
"I don't suppose there is any harm in the offer. We can't force him to join one if he doesn't wish too."
"Who knows, maybe little Rias has already offered?" Serafall joked lightly. "I do wonder what kind of piece he would take. He is quite powerful… maybe a mutated rook? He doesn't seem like the Bishop type to me."
"I would wager a pawn or a knight, given that he claimed to be a martial artist. They tend to be quite fast," Sirzechs added. "Anyway, enough about this, we can figure out the specifics when Gohan returns from his tour with Rias. How have things been, Serafall?" The three devils talked for a long while regarding their lives and political business, with some friendly ribbing between Sirzechs and Serafall as was customary in any interaction between the two. About half an hour had passed when a small magical circle appeared next to Grayfia's ear.
Sirzechs and Serafall turned their attention to the communication glyph, their eyebrows raised ever so slightly. Grayfia listened to a somewhat panicked voice coming from the other end, her eyes narrowing the more information she heard.
"What do you mean?"
There was more incomprehensible chatter that couldn't be made out.
"An intruder? You must be mistaken. There is a boy with Rias and Akeno, yes but he's not a-" she was cut off as the voice on the other end became even more panicked. Grayfia's eyes widened as more information was relayed. She was about to say something when the sound of snapping bones could be heard on the other end of the communication glyph. Grayfia cried out and cut off the connection, causing the two Satans present to shoot to their feet.
"What's going on?" Sirzechs asked calmly. However, before Grayfia even had the chance to respond, an explosion shook the entirety of the Gremory territory.
"An intruder? How did they get in without us noticing?" Serafall asked, a look of concern spreading across her face.
Another explosion sent shockwaves across Sirzechs' home. A scowl appeared across his face as the power of Destruction enveloped his form.
"I don't know, but I intend to find out."
A/N: As I said previously, I am a simple creature. I've been wanting to write a Highschool DxD story for years now, but could never really figure out how to do it. I'm talking about my earlier years while I was still in Highschool. I did write a DBZ/Highschool DxD story at that time, but it's so bad that I'd rather not talk about it. Now probably one of the bigger questions you guys might be asking is…
Is this a harem? It is DxD after all.
I know it's not needed at all, but I almost feel obligated to try and make one work. I have a strict rule with harems, that if I ever decided to try and write one, I wouldn't go beyond three or four love interests. Any more than that, and characters tend to get forgotten about and relationships suffer, along with actual character development. I don't really know what else to say. I mean, this story could either go a harem route, or it couldn't. It's really up to the way it evolves over time.
E/N: Like Siv's said, we have a general direction that we want the story to go, but a lot of things are still up in the air. As for the harem piece, know that even if we do decide on a harem route, it will NOT be like any of the usual harems you see in stories on here. I myself usually hate harem stories with a passion, because almost all of them are little more than smut. Expect none of that nonsense here, any relationships within this story will be properly built up and we will not write any lemon scenes. If a relationship were to proceed to the point of sex, it will be implied and not written, which is the best way to do it it anyway in my opinion. The reason we enjoy DxD isn't just the wide variety of tits Issei gets to feel up (Serafall best girl by the way, fight me about it), but that it actually has a story beneath that with a wealth of potential to be explored. Not to mention that the characters are just so fun and ridiculous.
Anyway, that's what we've got so far! We hope you all enjoyed it, and please remember to follow, favorite, and review if you want to see more of this.
Adios!