A High School DxD FanFic - Part III - Stripped...

 … of Power

As the credits to the last episode of the second season rolled, Rias felt a touch of frustration and sadness.  “My dream wasn't in either of those seasons,” she said.

“I didn't think so,” Ben said.  “It's late.  I'm going to do a little online research before turning in.  Hopefully, I'll find an answer for you by morning.”

He stood.

Rias got up as well.  On an impulse, she walked over to him.  

“Hey, Ben?” she asked.  

When she had his attention, she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close for a hug. 

“What's this?” he asked calmly.

She let go and stepped back.  “Thank you.  You've done far more for me than anyone else might have.”

Ben's smirk was solemn, sympathetic.  “Whatever you do, don't give up.  We'll get you back to your friends.”

Rias felt tears trying to escape from behind her eyes.  With a nod, she gracefully made her way to bed.

* * *

The dream came back.  This time, Rias woke with heartfelt pleas from three of her friends, people she had rescued from a dire fate.

Asia's words she remembered were, “I was lost.  But, you gave me the gift of a new life!  I will always appreciate everything you’ve done for me!  You’re the best sister I ever had.”

Gasper had something to say.  “If you hadn’t come along to find me, I would have had to walk the Earth as a pariah!  Or, even worse, I might have died on the streets!”

And, finally, her Knight, Kiba, also tried to remind her of what she had done for him.  “When I was dying, in pain - when I was consumed by hate - you took me in, saved me twice-over!”

As Rias contemplated these pleas of remembrance, tears came to her eyes.  “I haven't forgotten.  I'm here.  I'll find a way back to you.”

“Another dream?” Ben asked the next morning, at breakfast.

“Yes,” Rias replied.  “Was I loud?”

“Actually, no,” Ben said.  “I've noticed it seems to happen every other night.  A pattern.”  He brightened.  “Good news.  There is a third season that aired in Japan.  It finished earlier this year.  The American distributor did a simulcast streaming event online.  I went ahead and signed up for their YouTube channel, and found it there.  It's subtitled, but I have it all set up.”

Rias finished breakfast quickly.  She was excited and anxious again.  To curb her expectations, she did what she could to calm herself.  It was possible this rendition of her life through Issei's eyes would still fall short of providing an answer.

The events of the third season didn't have as many embarrassing moments for Rias.  A lot of the antics were more with the rest of the club.  Some of that did provoke Rias to jealousy, leading to rash moments of self-exposure, but the animated depictions didn't linger.  The only moment that made Rias's cheeks burn was when Issei summoned her by his Sacred Gear in order to fondle her breasts and unlock a new power level.

Ben really didn't have much to say during their watch-through.  Checking on him, he was unreadable.  Rias guessed it might have a lot to do with him trying to keep up with the subtitles.

Then it happened.

The show caught up with Rias's most recent memories of her life.  She watched the moment with someone she thought was Issei.  Then it went further, showing that it wasn't Issei.  

The real Issei was with Asia as they trained for the sports festival.  Thanks to Gasper, the rest of the club, her family, learned of Rias's disappearance and they set out to search for her.  They figured out where she was by where she wasn't, and enlisted the aid of some antagonists to reach her.

She was in the void between worlds.

Once Issei and her family were left there on their own, Rias watched her dream start to unfold before her eyes.  The snippets of dialogue played out in the order that she recalled them over the last week.  And, it went further.  Breath shallow, Rias watched them fight a version of her possessed by a Red Dragon Gear shard.  Finally, she understood why she was attacking them, and had no control.

In the show, their words broke through to the animated Rias.  When she was free, she and Issei fought and destroyed the duplicate gear.  The show, and the season, ended with Issei's confession of love.

“That was it,” Rias breathed.  Louder, excited, she repeated herself, looking at Ben.  “That was my dream!”

“Really?” Ben commented.  “How much of it?”

“All of it.  I could only remember some of their words each night, but I'm sure this is what I've been seeing.”

Ben stared at the YouTube screen menu, thoughtful.  “It fits.  As I see it, one of two things is happening.  “Either you're hallucinating this.”  Ben waved at his living room, indicating his entire world.  “Or, you're having an out-of-body experience while your body's possessed.”

He looked down, thinking.  “If I were to write it, it would be the out-of-body experience.  The void between dimensions could also act as a gateway to other realities.”

He glanced at her.  “When the shard took over, your soul was ejected from your body, and it ended up here.  Thankfully, God protected you by giving you a temporary vessel.  You're here until the events in the void are resolved.  Time has no meaning there, so it could be going on right now.”

His eyes narrowed in thought.  “Your dream's the key.”

Rias thought she saw where he was going.  “The words I remember.  They're in order.  My last dream was the pleas by Asia, Gasper, and Kiba.”  

“Interesting.  My guess is that once your dreams catch up with what we saw, you'll be going home.”  Ben smirked at a funny thought.  “If you want to be sure, you could always ask God.”

Rias contemplated that thought a moment.  “I don't think that's necessary,” she said.  “He's proven himself through you enough.  I see no reason to doubt your conclusions.”

“Then, it's simply a matter of waiting,” Ben said.

* * *

After lunch, Ben went into the room next to the living room.  Rias glimpsed an office, and could hear him busily typing away.  Later that afternoon, he came out of his office.  He mentioned taking a break from typing.  Then, out of the blue, he asked a question that Rias wasn't prepared for.

“How would you want to discover Al in your universe?”

“Uh...” Rias had to think a moment.  Finally, she admitted, “I don't know.  I hadn't really thought about it.  I'll have to get back to you on that.”

Ben had drifted into the kitchen while she answered.  “What if he accidentally killed Issei?”

“What?!  No!” she protested, instantly alarmed at the idea.

“Keep in mind, 'alternate reality',” Ben said.  “And, from a story-telling perspective, it would be the most rewarding, and not just for the shock value.  Think about it a moment.  After surviving your initial attempts at retribution, and generally knowing the setting's story from prior adventures, he'd feel obligated to replace Issei as part of your team.  I imagine you'd even demand it of him, impressed with his power or abilities.

“Since you and your team wouldn't completely trust or like him right away, he would have to spend time earning that trust.  And!  He'd be in an interesting situation.  He can't be reincarnated into a devil or angel of any kind.  So, he'd be relying on his abilities as a modified super-soldier against people with powers.  It might get to a point where he has to fall back on his link with his creator-God to overcome some of the most powerful demi-gods.

“Thoughts?”

“I don't like it,” Rias said without any hesitation.

She did admit to herself that his reasoning was sound.  The possibilities were intriguing.  But, her emotional attachment to Issei overrode all that.

“Yeah,” Ben said.  “That one strays a little too far.  I'd have to 'Atlantis' that one.”

“Atlantis?” Rias asked.

“Oh.  In Plato's dialogues, he often used Socrates as a mouth-piece.  When people asked what Socrates thought of Atlantis, he said something to the effect, 'He who created Atlantis also destroyed it,' strongly suggesting that Plato made Atlantis up.”

“Ah,” Rias said, pleased that Ben had some knowledge of history, and wasn't strictly a student of fiction.

“When I put Al in anyone else's sandbox, I tend to have the adventure 'undone', as if it hadn't happened, especially if the adventure really wrecks the initial story line it's derived from.  He was never really there to begin with, so, when he's gone, the timeline goes back to normal.  The events are solely for his benefit.  Though, I do tend to leave a little something to torment a character or two with what was, yet isn't.”

“Okay,” Rias said, understanding.  “Like Plato and Atlantis, you make the events around Al, then unmake them.”

Ben stepped up to the shelf wall that partitioned the kitchen from the living room.  “Something to keep in mind when devising your ideal encounter.  You wouldn't normally know to be looking for him.  Again, he wasn't born into your reality, but merely deposited.  He has no history there.  So, unless he lands right in the club or in front of one of your friends, it would require contrived events to bring him to your attention.”

“Like 'he's being chased by fallen- or Heaven's-Angels?” she offered.

Ben thought for a couple seconds.  “Being a foreign element, he could attract their attention right away.  I don't know your world's policy on 'outsiders'.  I imagine your crew could be ordered to investigate his arrival for the devil faction.”

“And, that's some other me,” Rias reasoned.  “After my visit, here, I will know to look.”

Ben quirked a brow.  “Now, that's an interesting iteration.”

* * *

Ben was still scheduled to work on Wednesday.  Instead of going with him, Rias decided to stay with his mother.  If it was merely a matter of time, she wanted to expand her experience here.  This would also let her get to know Ben's background a little more. 

Barbara lived in a small town by the name of Springville, which was only a few minutes from Cedar Rapids.  Her house was a narrow, single-story farm-style house set next to a creek with a singular Weeping Willow on the lawn by the stream.  The garage was the only part of the house seen directly from the driveway.  A sidewalk went around to a front stoop, but Ben accessed the house through a side door leading into the garage, to a door into the kitchen. 

Ben's mother was a pleasant lady.  Her dark hair and eyes set her apart from her son, and she was short.  But, after close scrutiny, Rias discovered minor shared features, including Ben's sturdy build.  

Barbara was a bit more chatty than Ben.  She had lots of questions which she would ask Rias throughout the day, Wednesday.  However, she was a busy-body.  When she wasn't trying to pry information out of Rias, Barb watched informational shows, cleaned at her house, or crafted.

Rias joined her for the shows, and spent time with the cats when Barb was keeping her hands busy.

Noir wasn't alone in the house.  Barb had a British Short-hair named Violet.  Rias found the name clever and ironic in the same way as Noir.  British Short-hairs were a blueish, silver gray.  Violet also happened to have darker tabby stripes at the end of her tail, and small calico-style splotches of vanilla and peach.  Violet was friendly enough, and she got along with Noir easily.  Where Noir's purr was quiet, though, Violet's was loud, sounding a lot like a lawn mower.  Sometimes, her loud motor purr would get rusty, starting to squeak.

Wednesday seemed to be the most that she had seen Barb active.  As the week progressed,  Ben's mother seemed to have a harder time moving around.  The older woman's legs and hips were starting to swell.  Barb's appetite also seemed lighter and lighter.

Thursday night, Rias threw together a small snack at Barb's request, taking it to her in her bedroom.  Except to use the bathroom, Barb had spent the day sequestered in privacy.  The next morning, most of the meal remained untouched.  

“Can you help me up?” Barb asked after Rias checked in on her.  She sounded weak, out of breath.

“I'll try,” Rias said, her voice quiet with sadness.

“Don't worry,” Barb said.  “My healing's coming.  It's only a matter of time.  This, too, shall pass.”

Rias nodded.  She could see where Ben got his faith.  Rias decided not to voice her misgivings.  Rias tried to offer her arm, but, it wasn't enough.  She pulled on Barb's arms, trying to get some momentum to get the older woman on her feet.  A couple of tries and Barb finally succeeded, talking herself past her weakness.

Barb had a walker in her room which she used for the first time that Rias had known her.  Using that, Barb worked her way laboriously to the bathroom.  Rias left her in private to do what she needed to do.  Afterward, Rias had to help Barb back into bed.  The older woman's legs were surprisingly heavy, and they felt damp.  It was as if she had sprung a leak, the swelling was so bad.  In fact, Barb's sheets and pants were damp, reinforcing the notion.

Rias wanted to call an ambulance or Doctor.  Her worry had grown to the point she couldn't really keep her mind on anything pleasant while Barb remained sequestered.  The lines from her dream had been a continued sign of hope for Rias.  Now, she couldn't begin to focus on even that.  

When Barb could still move around the day before, Rias believed Barb's claims that it would go away.  Now, she was watching Ben's mother deteriorate.  But, Rias held her peace, trying to trust in Barb's faith that God would heal her in a day or two.

Then the moment of disaster she had dreaded finally came.

Late in the afternoon, Rias had to help Barb struggle into the bathroom again.  Not long after, Barb called out.  Rias, more anxious than normal, came to the beckons, finding Barb still seated.  Ben's mother looked exhausted and out of breath.

“Can you help me up?” Barb asked, her voice sounding weaker than earlier.

“I'll try,” Rias said, her chest tight with emotion.

Between the handrail on the wall and Rias trying to pull on Barb's other arm, Barb started to move.  But, Barb quickly gave up, heaving.  Again, she tried to talk herself past her weakness.  They tried a couple more times.  The third time seemed to be a huge success.

However, just as Barb lifted off the seat, her knees gave out.  The older woman collapsed to the floor, ending on her hands and knees.  

Worry turned to outright fear.  Panic brought tears to Rias's eyes as she felt overwhelmed at the suddenly impossible task.  “I'm not strong enough to help you like this,” she blubbered.  More firmly, she announced, “I'm calling an ambulance.”

Vision starting to blur as Rias lost composure, she raced out of the bathroom, through Barb's living room and into her kitchen.  Phone in hand, she tried to remember the emergency number Americans used, but it escaped her frantic, panicked mind.

Racing back to the bathroom, Rias found Barb still on her hands and knees, but her arms were on the verge of collapse.  When Barb finally did fall, she at least still had the clarity to collapse onto her side, though she cried out in pain.

Rias clamped a hand over her mouth.  “Oh, god.  Are you all right?”

Barb huffed for a few seconds, but eventually answered.  “I'm okay.”

“What number do I dial?” 

“Nine one one,” Barb replied after a couple more labored breaths.

The ambulance took what seemed like an eternity to arrive.  In that time, Rias tried her best to make Barb comfortable, covering her over with a towel and getting her a pillow.  The cats were also concerned, and Rias had to keep them off Barb, then out of the way when the paramedics came into the house.  The entire time, Rias kept wiping tears away, wondering how they wouldn't stop.

During the wait, Barb said something that bewildered Rias.

“I guess he'll have to learn to live without me,” she murmured. 

Realizing that Barb was contemplating her own mortality made Rias's tears flow harder.  “No,” she pleaded.  “Don't die.  You can't.”

After that, she was at a loss for words.  Now, more than ever, did Rias lament not having her missing powers.  She could have used magic to heal Ben's mother, or used her strength to get her off the floor and back into bed.  She felt guilty for being so powerless, and wondered if her presence had caused this.

The paramedics were busy loading Barbara into the ambulance.  They had asked if she wanted to come along, but Rias refused.  Someone had to stay and watch the cats, since Ben was still a day away.  

Barb, though weak, was very awake.  Her dark eyes looked into Rias's.  “Call up my daughter.  And, get ahold of Ben's work, so they can let him know.”

Rias nodded.

A paramedic handed her a card to contact them and keep track of Barb's destination.  Once they were loaded up, the Ambulance drove down the lane, crossed the short bridge over the creek, and disappeared over the hill next to the town's Pond Park.

Though her cheeks were crusted from dry tears, Rias could feel yet more behind her eyes.  Turning, she was about to head back inside.  She paused, feeling a presence.  Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a shadow.

In the street, unmistakable against the wild, wooded brush on the other side, stood the man from the ride-along, the self-proclaimed servant of the 'Great Red Dragon'.  He was dressed the same way from when she met him at the gas station.  

“Was this your doing?” she demanded, immediately angry and suspicious.

Something, a thought or instinct, kept her rooted to her spot on the driveway.  Rias didn't dare approach him in her current state.  Without Ben around, she might not be safe.  He hadn't had the opportunity to flaunt his power.

His smile repelled her in spite of his perfect white teeth and chiseled, handsome jaw. “Maybe,” he drawled.  Without showing his eyes, he looked in the direction of the departed ambulance.  “Such weak, short-sighted critters.  Even the most protected can be harmed through those who aren't.  If only she had kept taking her meds.  But, oh, her honesty got her removed from the state health insurance, even though she is actually still eligible.  Oversight.  Now she can't afford them.  Whoops!”

He ended his mock concern with a mean cackle.  “I don't understand what the Creator sees in them,” he concluded derisively, spitting on the ground.

Rias could feel her blood start to boil.  “Well, when your numbers reach near extinction levels after the war, you might find they'll make great replacements for your forces,” she snipped.  “What I don't understand is how a powerful creator would allow something so evil as you to continue existing.  If I had my powers, I would blast you into oblivion!”

“What's stopping ya?” the servant taunted.  Somberly, he added, “My reckoning is coming, along with my brothers.  Oblivion might be more preferable.”  He turned his brim-obscured stare squarely in her direction.  “You made your decision?”

“I already have my answer,” she said defiantly.  “If you really were watching me, you'd know that.”

“So, it'll have to be the hard way.  See, my master really wants to meet you.  So much so, I'm supposed to bring you back by any means necessary.”

“What's stopping you then?” Rias asked, turning his taunt back on him.  “Instead of talking, you would have snatched me away by now.”

With a grimace, the servant took steps toward the driveway, but stopped at the edge.  After a heavy sniff, he growled.  “This ground's been prayed over so much, it's practically hallowed.”

Rias was both surprised and amused to hear this.  She became aware of a light shining down on her from behind, even though the sun was still well above the western horizon to her right.  Looking toward the sun, she caught sight of a giant shrouded in light standing over Barb's house, but only out of the corner of her eye.

Rias's smile had a little venom in it.  “You have no power.  Believe me, I can relate.  But, I don't sympathize.  I'm not going with you.  I will wait until Ben comes to get me.  My dreams have been on schedule and I've seen how they're supposed to play out.  They're catching up with my reality.  Once they do, I'm heading home.”

The servant didn't say anything.  Turning his head in contemplation, he took a step and vanished.

Rias waited a few seconds, to be sure nothing more would happen, then turned toward the house.

“Thank you for your protection,” she said equally to what she assumed was an angel of God, and to Ben's God equally.

Then, she went inside to spend time with the cats.

Ben showed up on Saturday evening, much as Rias expected.  As they gathered up both cats, Rias felt the need to apologize.  

“I'm sorry about your mother,” she said while holding Noir in her arms.  “In some ways, I feel its my fault.  If only I had my powers -”

“Don't,” Ben interrupted, quiet but stern.  His features softened.  “I know you mean well, but there really is nothing you could have done.”  He put the cat carrier on the kitchen's island bar.  

“First off, it's not your fault.  Mom was hospitalized a few years back for dangerously high blood pressure and an enlarged heart.  She's been in perpetual heart failure, ever since.  It was only a matter of time before that caught up with her.”

He managed to stuff Violet into the carrier.  “Even if she passed, my mom's a believer.  She'll be in a better place.  Like I said, I don't think you'd be able to revive her as a devil, even if you had your powers.  And, I doubt she would have accepted magic healing, either.”

Brightening, he reached for Noir.  Rias handed the old cat over, and Ben wrestled him into the carrier while he added one more thought.  “And, don't worry.  For us Christians, death isn't the end.  When Jesus comes for us, those who died believing on him will be resurrected, just like he was two thousand years ago.”

Gate closed on the carrier, Ben looked in Rias's general direction.  “But, It's still too soon to give up on her.  I'm praying and believing she'll be alive when the rapture comes.”

* * *

When Ben went to visit his mother in the Hospital on Sunday and Monday, Rias stayed home with the cats and YouTube.  He had mentioned friends and family would be visiting, as well.  With her own departure fast approaching, she didn't feel comfortable giving the wrong impression, and there would be prying questions, if Barb was any indication of the rest of the family.  She also figured it would be boring.

Both nights, he came back looking tired.  

“Anything new?” she asked when he arrived late Monday evening.

“Only that she's fallen into a coma,” Ben said, unconcerned.  “They're still working to stabilize her.  They can't tell which way it's gonna go, for now.”

He plopped down on the couch. 

“What is God telling you?”

“He hasn't given me an answer, yet.” Brightening, he looked at her place in the stuffed chair.  “Tonight's the night, isn't it?  Fitting.  It was a Monday, about this time, when I first found you.”  He glanced at her face.  “Well, if I don't see you in the morning, it was nice to meet you, Rias Gremory.”

Rias stood and walked over to plop down beside him on the couch.  Once seated, she leaned over and wrapped him in a hug.  “Thank you – for your kindness and generosity.”

Ben reciprocated with a single arm, then pulled away, standing.  “One last meal before turning in?”

Rias brightened.  “A bowl of chocolate pudding?”

Her eyes had barely closed when Rias was on her feet standing in front of a man she had never seen before, yet recognized.  They were surrounded by a swirling, colorful background.  Rias knew it to be the void between worlds. 

The man, Jesus, had a glow of light about him.  His gaze captured hers with warmth and love.  She couldn't look away.

“The battle for your soul is concluded,” he said in a kindly, full-throated baritone.  “It's time for you to return to your beloved Issei.”

“Wait!  Which was it?” Rias asked.  “A hallucination or an out-of-body experience?”

“Ben had the right of it,” Jesus said.  He gestured with a hole-scarred hand.  “I couldn't let you have a copy of your normal body.  I didn't need you tempted to use your power, only to deny a lot of your actions.  You would also have suffered in Ben's presence.  He is a man of faith, after all.”

A desperate thought came to Rias.  “Could Ben come with me?”

Jesus smiled.  “Come, now.  Do you really think I would simply hand over something I paid a high price for to someone like you?”

“Not even on loan?” she tried a compromise.

“Not even for a conjugal visit.”

Rias deflated.  “I had to try.  I -”

“You see in him what I see,” Jesus said, completing her thought.  

“What's to become of his mother?” Rias asked quietly

“Her time has come.  Tomorrow, new developments will force the family to decide.  She will come to be with me, waiting for the soon resurrection.”

“He seemed so lonely,” Rias said, feeling sad.  “Why did she have to die?”

“To facilitate a series of events that I want to happen,” Jesus said.  “Don't worry for him.  He's not lonely.  He has me!  He always had, always will.  He will be just fine.  Ben will move on, doing the tasks I guide him to until I rescue my people from the time of testing.  Then, he and his family will be reunited.  Just as you are about to be with yours.”

“What about my world?” Rias asked.  

“I haven't given up on your world,” Jesus said.  

That made Rias unbelievably happy.  And, then, she had a new thought come to her.  “What about the Ben in my world.  Is he anything like yours?”

“That Ben won't be the same,” Jesus said.  “Without me, without my spirit to seal and guide him, he will have struggled with his fleshly nature on his own.  He would have no protection.  He won't have the spiritual discernment.  In many ways, he would very much be a disappointment if you're looking for a direct copy of the Ben you found here.”

He graced her with a warm smile.  “I felt your pain, while you were here.  And, I know the pain you face, as you are.  But, it doesn't have to be that way.  You can forget.  I can wipe your memory of your time here.”

Rias's heart froze at that thought.  She understood the logic behind accepting, but part of her didn't want to give up this one connection, however faint it may be, to a person she grew to appreciate in the week she was here.

She heard her thoughts echoed in Jesus's voice as he explained.

“You don't have to go back to your world, tormented with the memories of your time here.  If you keep your memories, you'll be tormented with the desires you acquired here.  How can you be faithful to Issei if you still daydream of one of my children?  Issei loves you unconditionally.  Will it really be fair to him if you share room in your heart with someone else?  And, you will never see Ben again.  Over time, your memories for him will fade.  Would that be fair to him?  Would it be fair to you?

“But, if you forget, you can blissfully give Issei your total attention.  However, you won't be openly watching for when Al comes to your world.  You won't be able to empathize with normal humans, not having spent time in their shoes.  You know, now, what it's like to be powerless, at the mercy of others to a degree you didn't get as pure-bred devil royalty.  You would not be aware of other realities, of potential hope, of me!  You would no longer retain learning to understand an omnipotent creator of universes. 

“Which is more valuable?  Experience?  Or Loyalty?  You have two choices to make before you return.  Do you want to remember?  And, do you want Ben to forget?”

His gaze turned distant.  “Time to go.  Make your decision now.”

Rias could hear voices in the darkness. 

“You’ve got to wake up!” Xenovia called out, as if from a distance.  

As Rias started to wake up, she recognized her friends, their voices becoming clearer, closer.

“Please, try to remember!  Remember my voice – my face!” Akeno pleaded.

“Come back!!!”  Issei cried.

Hearing his voice brought a warm feeling to her heart.  She opened her eyes, tears starting to flood her face.

Akeno gasped, catching everyone's attention.  “Rias?”

“Issei?” Rias asked into the swirling void, weakly calling for the man she loved.

“I’m here!!” Issei answered joyfully.

A High School DxD FanFic - Part II - Stripped...

 … Of Dignity

The choice to join Ben on a ride-along was an easy one for Rias.  They would be ranging across multiple states west of the Mississippi River.  Not only would this give Rias a chance to observe Ben in his natural work environment, but this would expose her to a wide range of people.  She was hoping something might happen to clarify what had happened to her and what she might be able to do about it.

Rias had dozed through the early morning drive to his workplace.  This late in the year, it had been dark out.  The set of shirt and shorts she had picked out one of about half a dozen, were comfortable for as cheap as they were.  Rias was still proud of how she made do with the limited budget Ben had allowed, even when he warned of the local sales tax added to the final price.  Since they had prepared on the day she got her clothes, it had been easy for Rias to simply get dressed and get in Ben's black Chevy pickup in a stupor, and fall back asleep.

She didn't really wake up until they got to the trucking hub from which Ben started each trip.  The sky was already brightening, the hint of sunrise to the east making everything almost as bright as day.  The small complex was just off the edge of a small city Ben called Cedar Rapids.

Once assigned a truck from the fleet and a route, they headed out.

Rias sat in the passenger's seat, alert.  She marveled at the size of an American semi, and the tonnage they would be hauling.  She marveled even more as Ben deftly maneuvered such mas around so delicately in the confines of the city, in the midst of growing morning traffic.

If she had to compare, Cedar Rapids was significantly bigger than Kuoh, in spite of the Japanese town being home to the Academy.  If anything, Cedar Rapids was more akin to one of the many outlying subsections of Tokyo, with a large mix of residential housing not too far from main thoroughfares and small business and service districts.  However, being a midwestern town, things were much more spread out than in Tokyo.  This observation would be more true the further west they headed.

Once out on the highway, Ben turned on the radio, which kept conversation to a minimum.  Aside for breaks every couple of hours for rest or food, Rias spent the day quietly, taking in the countryside.  The highway was only a state highway, according to Ben, when she asked.  But, it was a four-lane, split in half by a large grass meridian, interrupted only by crossing points.

She had heard the claim that the midwest was flat.  That was only true for short stretches.  More often than not, there were gently rolling hills for miles.  Fields of corn or beans just starting to brown were often interrupted by treelines and tributaries.  There was even a short, half-hour stretch where the highway narrowed to two lanes.  Fields disappeared on this stretch, to be replaced by foothills more common around Japan, complete with trees.

“Oh, yeah.  They call this the 'Iowa Alps',” Ben said with a smirk when she inquired about the landscape.  “Says a lot about our topography if this is considered 'mountainous'.”

And, then there were the buildings.  Few and far between, Rias could always spot at least one.  A house here.  Small towns there, complete with a water tower.  A Silo on the horizon.  A silo complex down a rail line.

By midday, they had arrived at a proper interstate highway, not far from the Iowa state's capital.  Things widened out there into a six-lane highway, three lanes to a side, with the occasional on- or off-ramp lead lane.  There were places where Rias could glimpse parts of the city.  The most interesting part was the amusement park.  She noted that the only real sign of a proper city was the singular tower building somewhere in the distance, near the heart of the city.  However, surprisingly, the highway kept to the outskirts, with many stretches of tree-covered countryside.

Ben deftly navigated the heavy, non-stop traffic with ease and grace, in spite of a couple close calls with some hasty drivers in small cars or pickups.  Before she knew it, they were out of the city, and heading west again.  At that point, the highway resumed its split four lanes.

Impressed, Rias asked, “How long have you been doing this?”

Ben turned down the radio and asked her to repeat the question.  After she did, he replied, “Not quite ten years.  When my dad passed, about ten years ago, he left me an inheritance.  I took the opportunity to train, get my license and start traveling.  My dad had driven truck, too, so it wasn't hard to find a place in one of his old workplaces.”

Contemplating the numbers, Rias appreciated the amount of experience Ben had.  Then, she was hit by a new implication.

“You were only twenty-five when your dad passed away?”

“Yup,” Ben said.

“So young,” Rias let slip.

“Yeah,” Ben agreed.  “He was in his mid-forties.  Brain hemorrhage from high blood pressure.”

Ben delivered the facts straight, looking unconcerned.  But, for Rias, this news was brand new.  She felt sorrow, momentarily grieving that anyone should have to experience that kind of loss at such a young age.  She had seen it so many times in her world, but never really took it to heart how fragile and short human lives were.  Ben had ten years to get over it and move on.  Rias guessed that was why he didn't get emotional about it.

“Do you miss him?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Ben said after a couple seconds of reflection.  Not once did he take his eyes off the road.  “I loved him.  Still do.  Don't want to make some of his mistakes.  But, for the most part, I do miss him.  However, I know he was born again.  A Christian.  So, we'll meet again at the end of the age.”

For a moment, Rias felt pity welling up in her heart.  Then, she reminded herself that she was in a different universe.  God might not be dead, here.  The rules could also be drastically different.

Rias turned back to watching the rolling countryside.  After a few minutes of silence, Ben turned the radio back up.

Rias woke when she felt the truck start to slow down.  Guessing she dozed off after they crossed into Nebraska, she took in her surroundings.  They were pulling into a gas station.  Ben found a place among the dozen other semis.  Once parked, he left the engine idling.

“End of the work day,” he said into the radio hand unit.

“Understood, Ben,” a woman's voice said from speakers.  “How's the passenger doing?”

“She napped after crossing the Missouri,” Ben replied, amused.

“Sounds like she'll be a handful tonight.”

“Nah.  I doubt that.”

“Whatever you say,” the dispatcher sounded dubious.

“Good night, Angie.”

“Good night, Ben.”

Rias looked outside to see the sun on its way to the horizon, but still a ways from setting. 

Once again, as he had done during the rest and meal stops, Ben pulled out a pad and wrote down time and mileage.  He had explained earlier about the importance of the record-keeping.  Rias could appreciate red tape.  It's what made the devil world function.

“So,” he said, after putting the pad away.  “I know you said you tend to sleep in the nude.  So, you can have the bunk compartment.”  He indicated the small access door between the driver's and passenger's seats which led to the back of the truck.  “It has a partition.”  Ben opened and closed the curtain.  “I'll be running the air-condition tonight.  It's supposed to be in the mid-seventies after dark.  Not very comfortable for me.  However, if you get cold, the compartment has separate temperature controls.”

Rias was touched by his kindness.  “You're so much like Issei,” she said.  “Are you sure?  I can't imagine it's too comfortable out here.”

“It's only three nights.  I think I'll be fine.  Also, I imagine you'll want to clean up.  The showers here are free.  But, Rias.”  He turned to look at her, briefly.  “You are a very pretty girl.  So, be careful.”

He brightened.  “I'm hungry.  Let's get some food.”

Rias woke to daylight.  It was still dark in the truck, and a glance at the console clock revealed it was an early hour, seven-ish.  But, the sky through the windows was already blue.  

In her mind lingered the remnants of a dream.  This wasn't the first dream to wake her.  Earlier, she woke from a dream where she was desperately trying to find a place to pee.  From that, she woke to a protesting bladder.

But, this one was different.  It was a repeat of the dream she first had after showing up in this world.  Again, her friends were calling for her.  Again, the backdrop gave no hints to their whereabouts, being a swirl of colors.  And, again,   the words of her friends faded away as her mind cleared, leaving her with a couple phrases, this time from Issei.  He had sounded frantic.

“Hey!  Look at me!  I’m here for you!”  And, “Listen!  You’ve got to calm down so you can come back with us!  Please, stop!  I don’t want to lose you!!!”

She had given up on this dream the first time since it didn't come back the next night.  Now that it had come back, Rias was still unsure of its significance.  Again, she felt hope from the experience, which she tempered with curbed expectations.

Feeling balanced, Rias picked out a new shirt and shorts plus undergarments and got dressed.  Peeking past the curtain, she noticed the cab was empty.  Once she got out of the truck, Rias spotted Ben, seated on an outdoor bench.  

As she walked over, she saw his hair was damp and guessed he had already showered.  She had cleaned up last night after dinner.  In front of Ben lay a stack of paper on a clipboard.  He was busily writing on the top sheet, pausing frequently to look into the distance.  Rias had seen enough to know that Ben's gaze was inward.

“Good morning,” She said.

Ben came around and looked at her.  “Oh, good.  You're awake.”  He slid his mechanical pencil under the clip on the board.  “Let me put this away and we can get some breakfast.”

Rias decided to ignore the document, ready to fill her rumbling stomach.

Or, she tried.

Rias had figured that Ben would bring up whatever he was writing at some point.  But, they had eaten, taken off, and were now an hour further into the state of Nebraska.  He hadn't said a thing in all that time.

On getting in the semi, she had spotted the board behind his seat, tucked into his duffle.  The devilish side of her wanted to see if there were any buttons to push by reading it, making him uncomfortable.  Her rational side wondered how personal it might be.  Was it a journal?  Would she find things there about herself?  Rias's curiosity was winning out.  Yet, she decided to implement some tact.

“What was that you were writing, earlier?” she asked, forcing herself to remain casual.

“Oh, that?  It's a story I'm working on,” Ben answered happily.

“A story?” Rias mused.  The devil in her perked up, wondering if it was something spicy.  Would it be something he'd be ashamed of?  “Do you mind if I read it?”

“Sure.  Help yourself.”

The devil in Rias deflated.  His enthusiasm meant no spice.  It also made Rias worry that it would be bad.

“Keep in mind, you'll be reading a rough draft,” he added.  “The goal of hand-writing it is to get the scenes and ideas into words.  When I type it up at home, I'll edit as I go, making for a more refined second draft.”

He glanced at her when she fished it out of his backpack.  “Let me know if you need help reading a word or two.”

“Okay,” Rias said.

In her hands was a direct look into the mind and imagination of one Ben Parker.  Settling in, she quickly sorted through to find the starting pages.  He had tucked the finished pages under the unused ream of line paper in such a way as to make it as simple as pulling out the document and flipping it over.  He also had the pages number, should she ever question where she was at.

With equal parts anticipation and dread, she started reading.

It truly was a rough draft.  Rias frequently found notes in the margin where  he finished a thought, added a thought, or made a note-to-self.  A couple places were encapsulated, a block of text to be repositioned to a different place indicated by an arrow or circled number.  Some places had odd phrase choices. In spite of this, Ben's print was mostly legible, and Rias had little trouble reading the story.  

The story, itself, was interesting.  A gaijin had been conscripted into the Japanese military during an ongoing futuristic world war, one with transformable giant robots.  The story followed his exploits, but was told through the eyes of the crew around him.  

Everyone noticed he was far more capable at a lot of things than he had a right to be.  Though the tale was far from complete, it already had a couple of the female crew falling for the protagonist.  He had a key hand in some poignant moments that expanded the setting more.  There was even a push by some of the crew to put the soldier into a position he seemed particularly suited, that of a robot pilot.   

What caught Rias's interest was the protagonist's initial reluctance.  The gaijin had a problem with their tech.  It didn't meet his expectations, and he constantly lamented its short-comings in the cockpit while he was using it.

Done, Rias put the document back as she had found it.

“I have to admit, I want to know what happens next,” she said.  “Who is Hikaru Nishihara, anyway?  I get that he's an American refugee.  That bit about him discovering his home was destroyed by the super volcano was particularly touching.  But, was America really that far ahead of the rest of the world technologically?”

Ben smirked.  “Are you sure you want to know?  If I tell you, it'll spoil the story.”

Rias hesitated.  It would be fun to see it to its conclusion, watch everything revealed naturally.  Ben decided for her, not giving her a chance to reply.

“Eh,” he said.  “At the rate I'm going, it may be a while before it's complete.”  He glanced in her direction.  “Hikaru Nishihara is just one of many names he goes by.  His alias changes, different from world-to-world.  He is a wanderer of universes; a planeswalker, if you will.  What you're reading happens to be just one of his many adventures.”

“So, he's experienced a lot,” Rias said, understanding.  “Including advanced technology not available to the world he's on.  And, they don't know.”

Ben nodded.

“How does he get around?” she asked.

“Supernaturally!  It's the only way for me to have real fun with it.  I didn't want to be limited to any particular time and place, like in 'Sliders'.  And, I don't think science could really make it happen.  The only way would be by an act of God, the creator of universes.  It is a gift granted to him for an unfulfilled desire of his heart.  

“God places him in a world.  He would have an adventure, exploring the setting, and then God would move him on to the next world. 

“There's more to it than that.  He had to be physically enhanced to survive encounters with demigods, for example.  But, that should give you a rough handle on the idea.”

Rias smiled.  “A very Christian take on a deep subject.”  A whimsical thought came to her.  “Do you think he's visited my world?”

As soon as she asked the question, the scope of the moment, the meaning finally hit home.  Ben's answer merely reinforced the notion that their meeting was very much by design.

“It's possible,” Ben said with a knowing smirk, glancing at Rias.  “I figured you would appreciate that.  Here I am, a fan of science fiction and fantasy.  Shows like 'Doctor Who' and 'Dungeons and Dragons' opened me up to the idea that I could actually visit the worlds I saw on TV or read about in comics and books.  I could visit and interact with them.  So, now I write about a man who does.”

He glanced at her again.  “It should be obvious, now, that your being placed where I would stumble upon you is no coincidence.”

Rias quietly agreed.  She also had a huge insight as to why Ben believed her so easily.  It was a divine appointment.  But, was this by his God? Regardless, how long would this appointment last?

The first stop was at a major distribution hub for Ben's trucking firm.  The transfer was as simple as docking the current trailer at the warehouse and hooking up a new one.  They left Denver with no real fuss, heading to the next stop in Wyoming.  This far west, the terrain was still wildly diverse.  Near Denver, the plains had long since started to mix with near-desert scrub and dry, rocky hills.  It was, to Rias, the land made famous in movies and television, with the lines of the Rocky Mountains standing out to the west.

They made their next delivery at the next major hub in late afternoon, and spent an uneventful at a rest stop along the highway.  Rias woke the next day, disappointed that another dream about her friends never manifested.  During the eastward stretch, on to the third delivery, Rias managed to get Ben to explain more about his planeswalker character, and the adventures he had been on so far.  

“A lot of it is fanfic,” he explained.  “Inserting him in someone else's sandbox.  That was the point behind my making him, after all.  There are a lot of stories and universes I enjoy made by other people.”

“Don't you have some worlds of your own, though?” Rias asked.

Ben smirked.  “I do.  You've read part of one.”

As the drive progressed, he listed off a handful more.  Most were around the concept of Al becoming the pilot of some sort or giant robot.  Even though the character had plenty of aliases to go by, many situationally derived, Ben fell back on Al, which was an interesting short-hand for a contrived name.  

But, then he said something that caught Rias's attention.

“Have you ever wondered what some worlds would be like if the enemy had won?” Ben asked.  “There've been a few times I've contemplated it.  I have an idea for a string of worlds I like to call 'Desolated Earths'.  Al gets to explore a variety of aftermaths where 'a great enemy' had won.  Maybe a world where a power-hungry magic-user has successfully conquered the world.  Or, a world dead of life, an abject lesson by God for Satan.  There was a third option, but it escapes me, right now.”

Trying to imagine that was pretty heady, and Rias played with the thoughts which came from it for hours, throwing out some suggestions of her own in that regard.

Ben was greeted the moment he got out of the truck at their next destination.  This was expected.  But, the conversation between Ben and the man she assumed was a manager was something new, altogether.  She heard the entire conversation take place outside the open driver door.

“Yeah, Ben,” the manager practically shouted over the truck's idling engine.  “One of our warehouse guys got sick on the job.  We had to send him home.  Think you can help us unpack this?  Shouldn't take more than an hour or two.”

Ben's reply was muted, but affirmative.

“Thanks' man,” the manager replied.  “Don't worry.  You'll get paid extra for this.”

Ben hopped up into the truck to let Rias know what she had already heard.  She wasn't looking forward to a couple hours of idle boredom.  Certainly she could pitch in, or watch, for a change of pace.

“Mind if I help, too?” she asked.

Ben pursed his lips in thought.  “Since you rightly don't exist, it might not be a good idea.  But, you can hang around and watch, as long as you keep out of the way.”

“Thank you,” Rias said.

Inside the warehouse, Rias glimpsed only a portion of a sprawling complex.  The place was filled with heavy duty shelves standing as tall as twenty feet.  Some of the shelves were crammed full of boxes.  Others were nearly empty.  She kept out of the way while Ben first helped to unload the trailer.  Using a pallet jack, he pulled out and arrayed huge stacks of freight in a line at the loading dock.  Someone else came along with a forklift and took each stack to a wide open area where people worked on breaking down the pallet.  Eventually, each stack got redistributed to other pallets that got picked up by more forklifts which disappeared into the maze of shelves, or planted them in front of other loading docks.  Once the truck was empty, the manager man came over and led them to a pallet waiting to be broken down.

“When Steve asked me to help unpack, this is what he meant,” Ben explained.

“Is she going to help out, too?” Steve asked, good-naturedly.

“I don't mind,” Rias offered.

“She doesn't even have her license yet,” Ben said.  “And, I doubt her family would like the idea of handing out her identification.”

“So, she's a minor,” Steve concluded.  He studied her and Ben a moment.  Rias imagined the cogs working behind his eyes.  “This ride-along is for education, right?”

“Yeah,” Ben said, sounding curious.

“Well, this is part of the business.  Tell you what.  Keep track of how much she works and add it to yours.  Make sure she gets paid when you do.”

Ben smiled, nodding.  “I can do that. What's the time?”

Steve pulled out a smart phone and rattled off the hour.  “Damn!  Almost lunch.”

After Ben nodded, Steve left for whatever other business awaited him.  

Turning toward the pallet, Ben explained the numbering system they would be referencing.  The numbers dictated which boxes or items went to what other pallet.  Once she understood, Ben cut the Seram-wrap off the main stack, and they began.

Ben made it look easy. 

Methodically, he placed boxes near their assigned pallets first.  After the main stack had been sorted, he started arranging boxes and items on their new pallet so that they wouldn't topple.  Finally, the new pallets were wrapped up in more Seram-wrap.  Once done, the forklifts came and started carting them away.

Rias found it hard to keep up.  Devils were generally stronger than humans, imbued with spiritual magic that also bolstered their physical capabilities, as well as giving them special powers.  She didn't realize until now how much she had relied on that for even mundane tasks.  

As a human, she was able to move boxes with some exertion for maybe half an hour before her muscles were sore.  Her back ached something fierce, forcing her to take frequent rests.  Some boxes she could barely budge at all, even fully rested.  

Ben was able to heft them easily.  As Rias's stamina flagged, Ben started handing her really light parcels while tackling the normal and heavy stuff with what seemed like boundless energy.

Rias watched him with growing respect when she could't move.  Ben was strong.  For once, Rias contemplated how much stronger he might be if he were a Devil, maybe in her own house.  There were a lot of other things besides strength that would make him useful.

At one point, she also realized that his size wasn't all that it appeared.  What could be mistaken for fat was probably more bone and muscle.

“How is it you're as strong and energetic as you are, and still be overweight?” she mused.

“What's that?” Ben asked, pausing to catch his breath.

Again, that sharp hearing.  Rias repeated herself, loud enough for him to hear.  

“Diet,” was his simple reply.  “Maybe it's all the sugary drinks.  It could be a lifetime of eating wheat four with a gluten sensitivity.  It could just be the sorry state of nutrition in food in general.”

“You're sensitive to gluten?” Rias asked, surprised.

“Yeah.  Just learned this recently.  Of course, as you've seen, bread is everywhere.”  He handed her a box, changing the topic.  “Here's another light one.”

All in all, it had been roughly an hour of work, as Steve had predicted.  Once done, Rias was tired and hungry.  Ben, thankfully, decided to take lunch, finding them a ride to a restaurant.  It was at least an hour before he decided it was time to hit the road with a new load.

They were heading home.

It was night at another gas station, and Rias had to use the restroom.  When she went in, the only person around was the night clerk.  When she exited the ladies room, she was caught by surprise when someone spoke to her.

“Rias Gremory,” a man said, “Of the house Gremory.”

The first thing that surprised her was the language he used.  It was one Rias knew well as a devil.  It couldn't be completely uttered by a normal human tongue, and, generally, only devils used it.

Looking up, she saw the one speaking to her.  Leaning against the wall, she saw a tall, scrawny man.  His almost anorexic frame was not hidden very well by his long overcoat.  What she could see of his face under a floppy, wide-brimmed had was clean-shaven.  His hair was long and black, bound in a ponytail.  He tilted his head to one side, still managing to keep his eyes concealed.

Sniffing hard, he said, “Can't say I've heard of it.”

“I'm sorry.  Who are you?” she asked in the English she had grown comfortable using over the last couple days.  Her heart tightened with equal parts anxiety and anticipation.

“I've been watching you ever since you were deposited on the highway, five nights back.  I hadn't been able to come near you as long as you were around him or anything of his.  If you want to know what happened to you, come with me.”

The fact that this creature didn't know the Gremory name was a clue that she was facing something alien, if somewhat familiar.  The Gremory name had been attached to the title of Satan for centuries, and existed in the underworld for millennia.  Through this, Rias was reminded that she didn't know the rules for this world.  She was curious for any knowledge on her situation, but she didn't want to head into this blind.

“Who do you serve?” She asked, letting suspicion color her tone.

The man smiled, his teeth clean, white and perfect.  “The Great Red Dragon.”

The first thought to run through Rias's mind was of Issei.  He was the holder of the Great Red Dragon's Sacred Gear.  She never mentioned that to Ben.  Did they have something, or someone, similar in this world?

She maintained enough control not to blurt out Issei's name.

A couple seconds passed.  Suddenly, the stranger's smile disappeared.  He sniffed the air again and growled.  

“Shit!” he practically hissed.  “He's here.  So soon!”  To her, he said, “I can't stay.  Next time we meet, have your answer ready.”

“What?” Rias blurted, mind racing with confusion.  “What's goind on?”

“Your ward,” the man growled as he brushed past her, heading toward the emergency exit.  “He's protected.  And, he knows how to use it.”

Out of the corner of Rias's eye, back toward the store, a bright silhouette of light appeared.  Rias looked to see what was there.  To her surprise, Ben rounded the corner.  He waved at Rias as he went into the Men's room.  Rias waved back, then looked in the direction the stranger had gone.  

He wasn't there.  She hadn't heard any door sounds to indicate he had left the building.  The stranger, the servant of the 'Great Red Dragon', had vanished.

Rias decided to wait for Ben before heading back to the truck.  Whoever or whatever that servant had been, he was afraid of Ben, or whatever protected Ben.  Rias wondered what kind of powers Christians had in this world.  Ben had claimed that God was active in his life.  Besides their incidental meeting, this had been the most direct proof she had seen.

Once outside, Rias decided to discuss the matter.  

“So, Ben,” she said.  “I met a man in the store who claimed to be a servant of the 'Great Red Dragon'.”

Ben paused to look back in the store before studying her.

“He's not here,” she said.  “He vanished about the time you rounded the corner by the bathrooms.  He claimed you're my ward, and that you're protected.”

Ben nodded, but not to agree.  He was deep in thought.  “Probably a fallen angel.  What did he want?”

“For me to come with him, if I wanted answers to what happened to me.”

“That's a lie,” Ben stated with certainty.  “Satan and his minions are in a lost war.  If they could jump ship to avoid their fate, they would have done it by now.  If anything, they probably intend to study you to see if they could.”

Ben looked at Rias a second and smirked.  “I have something for you.  It's back at the truck.”

He started walking, and Rias followed, curious.

“I'm your ward, huh?” he commented along the way.  “I guess, in some ways, I am.  Go ahead and hop in.”

Opening up the driver door, Ben searched his duffle for something while Rias climbed aboard.  Once he found it, he climbed into the driver's seat, flicking on the inside light.  He handed her a couple blue-ray containers.

“I had been saving these as a surprise once we got back.  But, it seems more pertinent to show you now.  Found 'em at Wal-Mart when you were shopping for clothes.  That was an answer of confirmation if I ever saw one.  If there's an answer for your predicament, I bet it's in one of those, or another season.”

Rias looked over the boxes while he explained.  They were of an anime.  The character art showed passable depictions of her and Issei and some of the other Occult Research Club members.  Issei's name, hers and Kuoh Academy were included in the written series description. 

Hope grew in her heart, and she grew excited.  It was a weird thing, finding concrete proof of her prior life in the form of a show.  But, proof it might be, along with an explanation of how and why she was now in this world.

“Thank you!” she said enthusiastically.

“Don't thank me,” Ben said.  “God led me to find them.”

“Then, thanks to your God.”

“I'm sure he appreciates that,” Ben said, looking happy.  Reaching up to the overhead light switch, he said, “Now, it's still pretty early.  Time to get some sleep.”

Rias quickly climbed into the bed compartment.  Ben waited until she had closed the curtain before switching off the light.  It would be an hour or so before she calmed enough to fall asleep.

The dream came again, that night.  When Rias woke, she was left only with words from Koneko.  “I thought so.  She’s still able to hear us.”  …  “Please, Rias!  Remember us!”  ….  “You are the one who gave me my new name!”

But, there was more.  In the dream, Rias remembered resisting her friends, striking out at them with powerful attacks that only she could use in her devil body.  In the dream state, she had no control over her actions. 

What did it mean?  Rias held up one of the blue-rays, expecting she would finally have an answer.

“You were dreaming again,”  Ben said when Rias met him outside the truck.

“You could hear me?”  Rias was surprised.  

“Hard not to.  You were mostly calling out names.  Issei was one I recognized.”  

She sat down at the bench table.  “It's one I've had before,” she admitted.

“A couple nights back.”

“That one, too?”

“Yup.  Same thing.  Calling out names.  I'm assuming they're your friends.”

She had never been accused of dreaming out loud before.  This was new for her.  The fact he had heard her, and that she had interrupted his sleep was a touch embarrassing.  Her cheeks started to warm.

“I'm sorry.”

Ben shook his head.  “It's all right.  You can't control that.”

“You're right.  The dream is the same.  My friends are all calling out to me.  I can't tell where I am though.  And I don't have any control over my actions.  I want to go to them, and embrace them.  But I attack them, instead.  I don't understand why I do it.”  Rias deflated.  “I don't know what it means.  Any thoughts?”

“The dreams are identical?” Ben asked.

Rias nodded.

“Then it might be connected to why you're here.  When we get back and watch the anime, point it out if we come across it in the show.”  He stood.  “Let's eat and get going.  We're on the home stretch.”

Rias closed the lid on Ben's PS 3 and quickly retreated to the couch.  This moment couldn't have come fast enough for her.  The day's drive had gone by in a blur.  With a few minor stops for groceries and to pick up Noir, they were back at Ben's place after dark.  After he had made a tex mex dinner, they were in place, ready to watch the show.  

From his stuffed chair, Ben worked the menus with the controller.  “If you don't mind, I'm going to do the English dub,” He said.  “I'm not fluent in Japanese and I want to be able to watch the show, not read it.”

“Okay,” Rias agreed pleasantly.

With that admission, the credits to the first episode of High School DxD started playing.  From the cover, Rias knew that the anime was going to be about Issei.  Almost everything would be from his point of view or involve him.  Rias found this enticing.  She had grown more than fond of her favorite Pawn.  A further glimpse into his mind might prove enlightening.

Her conclusion was on the mark.  Issei was very much the vulgar perverted boy she remembered.  The show captured that part of him with no shame, not pulling punches on vulgarity or Issei's perverted enthusiasm.

Rias glimpsed at Ben on occasion to see how he was reacting.  She noticed at the moment of Issei's conversion to a devil that Ben tensed up.

Then it was Rias's turn to tense up.  The show displayed the moment where Issei woke to a nude Rias beside him.  Horror filled her when the show equally pulled no punches on her depiction, leaving very little to the imagination.  Only the fact that it was animated and in English kept her from running to turn the show off.

She could feel her cheeks burning.  “Oh my god,” she murmured, covering her face with both hands to hide it..  “This is so embarrassing.  I didn't think they would go into this much detail.”

“This isn't an exaggeration?” Ben asked, pausing the show.

“No,” Rias admitted.  “This really happened.”

“Well, if my presence makes this uncomfortable, I can leave and watch it on my own, later.”

She didn't understand why it would bother her now, when she was okay with open display when she was a devil.  “No,” she said.  “That's okay.”

“You're sure?”

“Yeah.  I'll be fine.” 

They resumed watching the show, taking a break between episodes for drink refills or bathroom runs.  Rias got a glimpse in the following episodes of Issei learning the ropes of being a part of her devil family.  His kindness toward strangers was one of the reasons he failed miserably at getting contracts.  However, it allowed him to run into and befriend Asia.  That kindness to anyone is what she had come to know and love.

Asia Argento was a Christian sister.  Issei's ignorance and kindness allowed him to befriend her and show her to her destination, since she was new in town.  The two became decent friends, even though by rights, they should have been enemies.  Issei didn't care. Nor did Asia.

When some fallen angels kidnapped her to forcibly remove her healing sacred gear, Issei decided to try rescuing her, going alone if he had to.  Thankfully, the rest of the club had decided to help out in one fashion or another, even Rias.  The events prompted mixed memories for Rias, 

Asia was rescued.  But, it had been a little too late.  Her sacred gear had been removed, effectively killing her.  Rias decided to reanimate her, adding Asia to the house as a bishop, one of the few open positions remaining.  

When the animated Rias started casting the revival and conversion spell, Rias looked over to see Ben stiffened.  His look was grim, his grip on the arms of the stuffed chair tight enough to distort the fabric and whiten his knuckles.  The moment passed, Asia revived as a devil.  Ben relaxed, shuddering.

When he caught Rias looking, he paused the episode.  “Sorry.  I get that the rules in your world are different than mine,” he said.  But, that moment unsettled my spirit.”

“Unsettled your spirit?” Rias asked, hoping for clarification.

“When something is 'not right', it can feel like something is writhing in torment in my chest.  Spell-casting with actual invocations will do this, whether fake or not.  Invoking other deities or spirits.  And, watching something innocent converted into a fallen state.” He flicked a hand at the screen in emphasis.  “It was uncomfortable, and I had to ride through it.”

“Why would that bother you?” Rias asked curious.

“Well, she was a devout follower of God,” Ben said.  “It looked very much like her spirit would have gone to Heaven; a better place than where she was.  By reviving her, converting her into a devil, you've done one of two things.  You either pulled her spirit out of Heaven, or you reanimated her corpse, and whatever she's become isn't her.”

He glanced at Rias.  “I take it, judging by Issei, that the revived Asia acts like her pre-devil self?”

“Yes, she does,” Rias said.

“So, you took her out of Heaven to make Issei feel better.”

“It's not like Heaven's all that it's  cracked up to be,” Rias muttered.  

Ben sighed, looking back to the television screen.  “Well, she might not have been Heaven-bound, anyway, if salvation is anything like it is here.  At least, not right away.”

“You mean Jesus,” Rias said.

“Yup.  I noticed that his name hasn't come up.  Here, she would have had to confess his name and lordship, something I imagine she would have done at an early age, in spite of her gifts.  I doubt she would have been revivable as a devil at that point, because once she did, He wouldn't let her go.  No man could take her away from his hands.”

Rias wasn't ready to say how close he was to discovering a deep truth about her world.  His observations were profound.  Again, Rias pondered what it would be like to have him in her entourage, whether as a devil, or maybe as a simple human servant.

Ben smirked.  “I think I know how this story will work out.  We'll see.” He gestured to the television before starting up the last few minutes of the episode.

Once the credits had rolled, Ben declared he was too tired to keep going.  “It's a good stopping point, the arc complete.  But, you can keep going, if you want.  I'll catch up in the morning.”

Rias deliberated for a minute, but decided she wanted this to be a shared experience.  Embarrassing as much of this was, with deliberate and accidental nudity, she got to watch someone learn about her world and part of her life for the second time.  Issei was the first.  Now, Rias wanted to see Ben's continued reactions, as well.  Already, his insight into the spirit and the conversion process was very eye-opening.

“I can wait,” she said.

“You sure?” he gave her a scrutinous look.  

“I'm sure.”

With a nod, Ben ran her through the shutdown process before they parted ways for the evening.

Watching the series the next day, it wasn't too long before another embarrassing moment for Rias played out in very graphic detail.  Rias had slipped into Issei's room and practically thrown herself at him, begging him to take her virginity.  It almost helped Rias that they were listening to it in English, since her memories were in Japanese.  However, as Issei writhed in indecision underneath Rias's nude form on screen, Rias practically writhed internally in Ben's living room.  Her cheeks warmed and she covered her face in both hands, though she peaked through her fingers to watch.

“Oh god,” she muttered.

“You're betrothed, aren't you?” Ben concluded out of the blue.  

Rias pulled her hands away from her face to look at him in surprise.  

After pausing the video, Ben repeated himself.  “At that time, you were engaged.”

“Yes,” Rias stammered.  “How-?” She trailed off.

“It's the one thing that makes sense,” Ben answered.  “You've been aloof with Issei, doling out small rewards as master to pawn.  This is too sudden.  In a lot of stories, a woman does this when she's trying to escape a fate she doesn't want.”

“True,” Rias conceded. 

Again, she was impressed with his mastery of observation.  She expected, judging by the movie and book collections on his shelf that Ben had consumed a lot of fiction in his life.  Certain patterns would start to emerge in story-telling after so long.

He was also a Christian man.  Such puritans would have a dilemma in a situation like what played on screen.  Which way would Ben go?  The devil in her decided to find out.

“Would you have helped out a damsel in distress in that moment?”

“I'd have refused you, sat you down and asked what was going on,” Ben said.

His ready answer irked her.  She had hoped to make him as uncomfortable as she felt.  An impish thought came to her. 

“Would giving you a glimpse of the real thing change your mind?” she asked in a seductive tone, fondling her chest suggestively.

Ben suddenly turned serious.  “I'd rather you didn't,” he said, bemused and disinterested.

“Why?” she asked, wanting to know his thoughts.  Maybe his reaction wasn't as bad as it seemed.  “Trying to be a good Christian boy and save yourself for marriage?” she added, trying to be humorous.

“Your offer isn't genuine,” he said.  “It's not out of love or attraction, especially for me.  Just like that moment with Issei.  While you may have grown to trust him and like him, you were just trying to use him in that moment.  I think he even recognized that.”

As Ben explained, Rias went into thought, concluding that he was right. While she had succeeded at making Ben uncomfortable, she had gone too far.  Her cheeks grew warm again in growing shame.  Covering her mouth out of habit, she didn't like the guilty feeling.

“I'm sorry,” she said, quietly.

Waving it off, Ben's features softened.  “It's okay.  I know I'm an odd duck.  Part of it is that I do believe strongly in waiting until marriage.  But, even the strip-tease interludes featuring the other girls don't work for me.  I get what they're trying to do.  Issei's an 'every man' character, letting guys experience the show vicariously.  He generally does a lot of what most guys think they would do in any of theses situations.  But, this is a Harem anime, and all those gazes from those girls are for Issei.  Their hearts, if they don't already, will belong to Issei.  Including yours,” he added with a nod in her direction.

He smirked ironically.  “I'm not Issei.”

Rias turned reflective a moment, thinking about how Ben had treated her over the last week.  “You could have taken advantage of this situation, but you haven't,” she mused aloud.  “You've been respectful this whole time.  You're insightful, sensitive.  You're creative.  You can cook!”  Rias studied Ben a moment.  “How are you not married, yet?  You'd make a fine catch.  How come no woman has snatched you up, already?

Ben shrugged lightly with a wave of his hands. “Haven't met 'Missus Right', yet.  Granted, I haven't really put myself in a position to be found.  But, it's also possible God doesn't intend that for me.”

He pointed at the screen, indicating they should get back to the show.  Rias didn't object.  But, for many minutes, her mind wasn't on the show.  For that moment, she wondered if she wasn't here for him.

They finished the first season in the morning, and powered through the second season that evening.  In the first half of that season, another truth about Rias's world finally came to light.  The three spiritual factions - Heaven, the fallen angels, and the devils - were in an uneasy truce.  A fallen angel by the name of Kokabiel wanted to resume the millennia old three-way war.  He intended to use the town of Kuoh as the stage, centered on the Academy.  The combined parts of Excalibur would be the means.

At one point in the fighting with the Occult Research Club and a couple knights errant from the Church, the fallen angel revealed that God was dead.  He claimed that God and Satan were slain at the hands of the Red and White dragons as the two beasts rampaged in a duel, sometime in the ancient past.  This was what had brought about the truce.

As soon as the words 'God's dead,' came from Kokabiel's animated lips, Ben uttered, “No he's not.”

It happened instantaneously, a knee-jerk reaction, almost as if on instinct.

“Maybe for your world, here, that's true,” Rias said.

“No,” Ben said with steely conviction.  “He's not dead.”

“What do you mean?” Rias asked.

Ben, paused the show as he explained.  “You're there.  Your world still exists.  It didn't vanish like a fart in the wind when he 'died'.” Ben emphasized with finger quotation marks.  

Sighing, Ben gathered his thoughts.  He smirked idly at an idea.  Rias waited patiently, knowing more was forthcoming.  That was how Ben operated.

“Normally, I'd chalk this all up to the 'Author of Confusion', Satan, our Great Red Dragon, feeding this to a person from a pantheistic background.”  He gestured in her direction.  “It's clear to me that neither you nor that writer understand the concept of an all-powerful creator God, a creator of universes.  “I'm pretty sure that the God of my world holds it all together by sheer will.  If he didn't like the final outcome, all he'd have to do is let go.  All matter would cease to be in an instant. And, if God were to somehow 'die'?”

“Then the world would cease to exist,” Rias said into his prompting silence.  

“If your God were dead, you wouldn't be here,” Ben said.  He waggled his head with a conciliatory thought.  “Now, there is one possible way God might remove himself from the picture and allow the creation to continue on.  That would be if he sealed the world in such a way as to maintain its own existence.  It would sustain itself in perpetuity.

“I discount that for my world because it was cursed into entropy at the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden.”

“Michael did mention our world is in decay,” Rias mused.

“The Archangel?” Ben asked.

Rias nodded.

“I don't see God abandoning any of his worlds for any reason,” Ben remarked thoughtfully.

“How would you know the mind of God?” Rias asked, joking.  “Aren't his ways supposed to be mysterious, or something like that?”

Ben adopted an ornery look.  “Like accomplishing tasks with foolish things to confound those who proclaim themselves to be wise?”

He turned thoughtful again.  “As I said before, I'm connected to him through his spirit.  He gives me insights on occasion.  Besides, man is made in his image.  And, we're not just talking physical layout.”  He waggled his hand for emphasis.

“Our capacity for creativity, for love, sentiment, holding fast to what we have and the desire for more; all that comes from him.  So, if I want to keep an item I crafted around for as long as I can, going so far as to repair it, what makes you think he wouldn't be the same?  Why wouldn't he hold the same sentiments with his things?  And, he's far more capable at succeeding than I am.  That's how I can relate.”

“That's how you're sure God is holding the world together by his will?” Rias asked.

“Partly.  I know God likes to prove who he is by showing off at times.  What better way to cement your omnipotence and omnipresence by holding an entire universe together, and still interacting with what's in it?  Hell, why not multiple universes simultaneously?”

Ben leaned forward.  “What's more, there's evidence.  Scientists in my world have discovered zero-point energy.  You get matter down to absolute zero, and there's still energy being produced.  The forces which hold atoms together are still active, where, by all rights, atoms should be falling to pieces.”

He waggled his head, non-committal.  “At least, I think that's what it is.  I'll have to look it up again to be sure.  Regardless, its energy that's being generated in a way they can't explain.  Scientists are busy looking for some kind of particle to explain it, which they've yet to find.”

He glanced at her.  “When you get back, you should see if it exists there, as well.”

“Wait, go back a bit,” Rias said, latching onto a turn of phrase. “You think God can hold multiple universes together?  Are you saying you think your God is also the creator of my world, too?”

“I think so.  He declared that He is God and there are none beside him.  I arrived at this idea by constantly reminding myself of his power and love.  Does a thought call into question his power?  Does it call into question his goodness?  If the answer to either of those is yes, it's probably wrong.”  

“So, you're saying he didn't seal my world off to fall into decay,” Rias said, deep in thought.

“Not without a plan to come back and fix things,” Ben amended.

“Huh,” she muttered, taking a moment to think.  “So, by the evidence of decay, and the nature of the creator of universes, the God of my world isn't dead.” She furled her brow contemplating a detail.  “But, then, how do you explain the reports of his death?  The angels confirmed his passing.”

Ben smirked good-naturedly.  “As a natural-born devil, It makes sense you wouldn't know about Jesus, and what he is.  I noticed he didn't get a mention in the show.  The 'Church' is very much the Catholic one.” He shrugged, making a conciliatory gesture before continuing on thoughtfully.

“Jesus.  The son of God.  God made into man.  The embodiment of God on Earth in Human form.  Think of him as a specially created 'God avatar'.  

“You may have heard Christians talk about how God can't abide sin.  That generally stems from the salvation message, and God's impossible standards of righteousness.  We can't be him.  Hence the gift of grace by Jesus's sacrifice.”

Ben sat back in the chair.  “Well, while that is true, the also have it backwards.  No imperfect creation will survive his direct presence.  There were a couple instances in the Bible where God warned that to look on his face would be death to a normal man.  Moses on the mountain was one such instance.”

Rias followed his gesture toward one of his shelves.  There, she saw boxes of board games stacked next to books dedicated to role playing universes.  “Best example I can think of,” he said.  “In a board game, if you and I were to lay out the board and physically try to interact with it, the board and anything on it would be crushed and damaged.  What do you do?”

He gestured to the next shelf over.  Many hand-painted figurines stood on display.  Rias glanced at a nearby side table where more such miniatures were in various stages of construction and painting.  Another sign of Ben's artful spirit and eye for detail.  

“You make game pieces, miniatures, that fit on the board, and use them in your place.  They move at your guidance, and in the direction you decide.  In some games, you provide the words they speak and their reactions to what happens in the game around them.”

He looked back toward Rias.  “That is what Jesus is for my world.  And, I bet that's what everyone saw die in yours.”

Ben brightened.  “Here, he was made a sacrifice for sins nearly two thousand years ago.  But, he didn't stay dead.  He was resurrected by the father, his greater self, and taken up to Heaven.  He may not be physically present, now, but He promised he would return.  When he does, He'll set things right and get us ready for the real him to join us.”

He glanced directly at Rias.  “I believe he'll make a return in your world, as well.

* * *