AStoryForOne
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Chapter 281
🕑 Added 2022-11-13 11:43:45 +0000 UTCA chat, huh?
Never talked to an Angel before, I wouldn’t really count that time that Azazel came barging in and making a fool of himself.
Well, I don’t really see a reason why not? He’s been really polite thus far and I could spare a few minutes.
“You don’t need to be so on guard, I am here under peaceful intentions. I’m many things, boy, but a liar is not one of them.” He flashed a toothy grin.
“Really? Isn’t it common sense that if someone says they aren’t a liar then they’re a liar by default?” I raised an eyebrow at his proclamation. I’ve heard that said before, Meridia has said that her word is beyond reproach, and I fully believe her. To hear a Fallen Angel say it is a little……
“The Church would tell you that Angels are perfect beings and they can’t lie~”
“I’m pretty sure they despise Fallen Angels just as much as Devils.”
There was a flicker of annoyance that crossed his face before he buried it away. “More, actually.” He chuckled. “It’s just not as openly despised.” He waived his hand flippantly through the air. “Devils this, Devils that. It’s their rallying cry, an enemy they can tell their younger members to hate without reservations. Fallen Angels, though, that’s pointing out the fallacy of their faith. We’re supposed to be perfect beings created by God, how could we possible ‘fall’? So we’re not talked about much unless It’s important.”
“Sounds like a round about way of saying you can in fact lie.” I pointed out.
He shook his head with a small smile. “Many Fallen lose things when they fall. I chose to keep that aspect of myself. To lie is to deny your own actions, to relinquish responsibility. Every one of my words, everything I do, they are mine and I will never deny them.”
“An odd way to look at it, but I don’t deny the sentiment I suppose.” I shrugged at his reasoning. “I can’t say that I don’t feel similarly.”
“The strong have no need to lie.” He chuckled again. “Even renown tricksters, even those detested pagan Gods such as Loki – they don’t lie. They skirt the truth, they tempt and they play their word games, but they don’t lie.Not like Devils.” Kokabiel finished with a scowl.
“So he says to the Half-Devil.”
“Please, we both know you don’t even associate with them.” He rolled his eyes. “Tell me, do you think yourself a Devil?”
I guess that’s pretty common knowledge at this point, huh?
I actually gave that question some thought. Even before my manychanges, I never really thought myself as a Human or a Devil even if I did align myself with Humanity. “Point.” I nodded. “And with your obviousdistaste for them, even if I don’t care to associate myself with them, I’m surprise you’re speaking to me so amicably.”
“It would be hypocritical of me to lump you in with them just because of how you’re born. Just as I no longer see myself as like my siblings above, I don’t necessarily see you as those from down below.” He shrugged with a casual dismissal. “Besides, you’re also partially Human, even if I don’t really care for them, they’re alteast better than Devils.”
“Is that so….” I muttered, not really knowing what to say to that.
“Do you disagree?”
“Not at all.” I crossed my arms. “I care about one Devil. The Devil Faction could disappear as a whole for all I care.” Well, I suppose I would protect the things important to her as well, but I just can’t bring myself to care about them. “But I think this conversation has taken a strange turn. I’m curious, why are you here?”
“Well, you questioned the truth of my words.” He said with an amused look. “But to answer your question, well, I suppose I was investigating after recent events. I also took it as an opportunity to do some sightseeing. I haven’t been here before – not since before the Youkai here separated themselves from the normal human.”
“Investigating? And what’s so interesting here that you wanted to investigate?” I was curious if it was any specific incident or just in general.
“Playing the fool?” He raised an eyebrow. “Even ignoring the fact that those Faeries had attacked Japan of all places since disappearing for so many centuries, why, aren’t you here? How long ago was it that a Half-Devil fought a God off the coast of Japan? Or was that something so insignificant to you that it was easily forgotten?” He let out a bark of laughter.
I guess for everyone here it hadn’t been that long…..with my moving between worlds, things just felt different I guess.
He studied my expression for a moment before continuing. “Do you know what they call you around here? When I asked questions about you to the Youkai on the street when I acted as a tourist?”
“What?”
“They called you a Hero.” Kokabiel laughed. “Imagine, the son of the current Lucifer, being hailed as a Hero outside of the Devil Faction, none of the usual propaganda to help either.
“A hero?” I repeated the word, it almost felt foreign. “I never thought of myself as a hero. I’ve met heroes and I don’t feel like I can measure up to those lofty ideals. I’ve only ever care about the things within my reach.”
Kokabiel tilt his head in amusement. “How refreshingly selfish.”
“Most people are selfish, I don’t see why I have to be different.” I felt no shame in saying so. I would protect what I cared about and keep everything within my reach safe. “But I feel like you’ve been dancing around the question I asked.”
“Hmm, maybe I have.” He hummed. “I admit I initially came because of the Fae attack, I wanted to see what happened with my own eyes and to get a…..measure of things. Call it a vested interested in the state of the world’s balance after hearing about the War Declaration.”
“Worried that your faction was going to be pulled into things?” I really couldn’t fault him for that, and it’s not like he’s causing trouble like Azazel. Yasaka has a very open policy in regard to people coming and going as long as they don’t cause trouble.
“Something like that~” He smiled in a way that didn’t sit well with me. “I was wondering if I should change some of my upcoming plans, but I think it doesn’t matter in the long run, just some extra considerations to make.”
“It sounds like you could have done all of this without showing yourself to me. The fact that you didn’t announce yourself to Yasaka and just wandered around, you alteast wanted to keep low profile. So, why specifically come talk to me when you could have investigated in relative secrecy?”
“Hmm…..call it a whim. If I didn’t hear you were out and about I may have just left already.” He shrugged once more. “I wanted a chance to meet the person behind so many of the rumors and strange occurrences.”
“And do I live up to any perceived hype?”
“….You are a scary young man.” He narrowed his eyes. “How old are you and yet, I can’t see through you at all. You aren’t a freak like your father, no, you are something that…….grew into what you are now. I don’t know how, but you’re a monster of your own making.”
“Should I take that as a compliment?” I snorted.
“Just an observation, maybe tainted with a hint of jealously. The one thing I admire about humans is their ability to change so drastically if they put their minds to it.” He stood up, dusting himself off. “I wonder if that’s why Father was so fascinated with such lowly things. Us Angels are even more stagnant than those Devils. They atleast had the bright idea to start stealing humanities’ potential to better themselves while we sit here, waiting for the world to change without changing with it.”
“Then what’s stopping you? You’re no longer bound by Heaven’s system, the rules and such don’t force you into certain paths anymore. Be whatever you want to be.”
“You don’t know much about Fallen, do you?” Kokabiel looked at me. “When we fall, we lose a part of ourselves. It’s not just no longer being connected to Heaven, but Father’s love, his essence that he poured into use is ripped out when we deny our original purpose. In desperation, we do whatever we can to fill that emptiness with something, and that something becomes an obsession that we can’t escape from, just like those who still live high above. Devils are slaves to their sinful nature, Angels are slaves to Father’s rules, and we’re slaves to our own obsessions.”
He sounded rather….melancholic when he said that. “And what’s your Obsession, Kokabiel?”
“Hmm, who knows?” He cracked a smile once more. “Maybe you’ll find out soon enough. But I think I wasted enough of your time. It was an interesting talk, even if it didn’t go anywhere. But I do have on question before I go.”
“What can I do for you?”
“You wouldn’t happen to know a good place for a meal, hmm? I can’t say I’m particularly knowledgeable about Japanese cuisine, but I find myself craving something, a good meal to celebrate.”
“I know a few places around here, I could point you in their direction.” I didn’t really know what to expect from him but how this talk went, it wasn’t this. “Down the street, three block take a right and there’s a quaint little restaurant that serves good food and drink.”
“You have my thanks.” He hummed something I couldn’t quite make out as he began walking away.
“You said you’re celebrating…” I called out to him before he got too far away. “What exactly are you celebrating?” For some reason, a few things he said before made me anxious.
He turned, giving a sideways glance. “I don’t know yet. Either the end of a long life, or the start of something spectacular. We’ll see what happens in a few days~” He gave me a final wave before disappearing down the street.
Whatever, it didn’t concern me. He didn’t seem hostile to me, so it wasn’t something I was going to dwell on
I was just going to focus on my job right now and help secure Kyoto from any attacks.
***
Shorter chapter than usual because this one fought me the entire way. Still not entirely happy with it, but I think i set the tone I wanted for Kokabiel's character. I didn't like his original attitude in canon, it didn't feel right how cartoonishly he came off in his motivations.
Comments
Kejmur
I think that if Kokabiel plays it smarter here, doesn't gloat, and simply attacks as fast as possible, I still think the scenario where Will ends up seeing only the final result of the fight may be possible as well. With casualties or not. Another scenario may be that Kokabiel doesn't attack in that specific spot, but changes targets, because of his scouting of Will. Yeah, Will in theory is neutral, but he also didn't declare that he will completely stay out of it. While killing Rias/Sona would hurt the Devils, it doesn't really weaken them that much, if he is more strategic here, as right now they are nothing special. I think he would need to hit where it hurts the most. Kidnapping Sona/Rias may be also a smarter choice. It wouldn't be hard to find a moment where they are alone, as they like their 'school normal life', and set up a trap for a bigger player to eliminate him this way. Why fight directly, when you may fuck them up by surprise.
Matt
I don’t think casualties are going to happen, but I’m fairly sure that it’s going to be a far closer call than in canon. Will claiming neutrality will keep him out of it at the beginning, but he’ll probably be called in via Venelana when the two peerages finally get it in their head that they’re outmatched and send a call for help. Another possible outcome is that due to Wilhelm’s affects on Rias’ peerage training more and getting a better scope of what’s out there, they’ll be more cautious and call for help sooner. Or maybe the extra training they’re doing will make them more arrogant and cause them not to make a call for help at all. The suspense is killing me!
BlessedEris
It might sound unpleasant, but I hope if Kokabiel attacks Kuoh, everyone doesn't just miraculously get off unscathed by the power of being an anime. This world has shown itself to be much more serious than the anime itself. Casualties amongst their peerages if not Sona or Rias themselves dying should be expected. Not only that but every pantheon is a powder keg at the moment. This might be what lights the fuse.
AStoryForOne
That was exactly it, I'm glad it came off as I intended.
Eineus .
Get the feeling Kokabiel is trying to scope out Will. He likely wants to know whether should he (Kokabiel) commits to the attack on Kuoh to potentially restart the Great War, would Will come to the aid of the Devils. Will is a game changer to whichever side he joins like his father. So Will remaining neutral in this conflict works for Kokabiel.
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