"Uh... teach?" Issei called out to the teacher up front who had stopped moving for an unusual amount of time. It had been over half a minute with her standing like that. She had slackened, her arm coming down as she dropped the piece of chalk loosely to the ground, the white cylinder rolling underneath her wide desk. Like a doll, she was unmoving and lifeless, standing as if she were nearly frozen in time. He could see shallow breathing, but that was it.
Concerned, he called out a second time and was met with the same response.
"M-miss?" Asia spoke up, raising her voice timidly as she too worried for their teacher. Issei glanced at the blonde, noticing Aika's weird expression next to her. It was like she had also become slack and stopped moving.
Scanning the classroom, Issei realized their entire class had become emotionless husks with the exception of them two.
"What is going on...?" He asked, cautiously standing up from his desk. Put on edge, he was expecting something to jump out and attack. The only issue being that he hadn't gotten a system alert warning him of such an event.
Whatever it was, it wasn't dangerous, but it was certainly supernatural. They were in the middle of school - the headquarters of the devil's territory.
'Something like this shouldn't be possible, right? It's like they were all put under a spell...' His eyes widened.
Observe.
Over each and every one of his classmates heads was a status affliction box.
Ailment: Hypnosis
Cause: Hypnosis Magic
Culprit: Akeno Himejima
A surge of surprise filled the boy.
'Akeno?! What is she doing? Is she playing a prank on us or something?' Issei questioned the girl's motives. She had purposefully put their whole class in a trance for who knows what. She and any other devil held special privileges within school. So long as a devil's master approved - in this case Rias - they could basically do whatever they wanted. Casting magic on the other students might've been pushing it. At the very least, Issei recognized that Sona would not approve at all.
This was done without her knowledge. If she found out, she would absolutely take the issue up with Rias.
Either Rias ordered it, or she also didn't know like the time he and Koneko had skipped school to play at the arcade - to which Koneko had received a spanking as punishment.
"I-Issei? What is she pointing at?" Asia asked wearily, dragging the boy out of his speculation. He looked back at the teacher to see she had made a movement out of her stationary confinement. Her finger was pointed towards the doorway of the classroom.
"I don't know... maybe she wants us to leave?" Issei answered. His concern was mostly gone now that he had confirmed their safety, his focus now directed at Asia's own growing anxiety. "It's a little spooky, but I don't think anyone wants to harm us. I think it's one of the devils who want to talk to us."
"T-they do?" Asia questioned, having gently shook and failed to wake Aika up from the spell. Unlike him, she still had no clue what was going on. It unnerved her to think the devils would do something so frightening to summon them instead of simply asking them in person.
"I think so. Whatever they want, let's go find out," he said, appeasing her doubts as he held out his hand. "I told you I got your back, didn't I?"
She smiled up at him, trusting his judgement as she took his hand only to be startled by the girl next to her suddenly voicing, "Nurse."
"Eep-!" Asia jumped, her head snapping back towards Aika who had shifted slightly closer to her. The girl's eyes were glazed over behind the frames of her glasses as she stared blankly at Asia, her voice dull of life.
"Take me to the nurse," Aika repeated more clearly.
"O-okay..." Asia agreed, looking back over at Issei for assurance. Leaning closer, she whispered, "Should I use my Twilight Healing?"
"No, I don't think so..." Issei answered as his mind raced for answers.
What could possibly drive Akeno to be so obscure to call upon them in such a superfluous, elaborate way? None of this was necessary, and was more than excessive.
Unless all of this effort actually was necessary for whatever she was planning.
"They're not sick or anything - just hypnotized a bit. I'm guessing they're using her to lead us somewhere," Issei explained his thought process in a way Asia could understand.
She nodded faintly, standing up from her desk and tenderly taking Aika's hand within her own. "I hope... or I wish that this did not happen... I don't like it."
Issei rubbed her shoulder as he guided her and their brainwashed tagalong quietly out of the classroom. It sort of rubbed him the wrong way seeing his peers in such a zombified state like that, hoping this abstruse method of calling on them would be justified.
They made their way downstairs in the direction of the nurse's office before they came at a strange crossroad.
There was a woman beckoning them. Specifically, she was beckoning Issei after she had pointed at him, giving him a sly grin as she urged him down a separate hall leading in the opposite direction of the nurse's office. Wearing a red dress that cut off underneath the shoulders and around the thighs, along with black miniature wings on her back, she rolled a finger through her dark chocolate hair as her matching eyes gleamed curiously.
Observe.
Name: Lady
Race: Bat Demon
Gender: Female
Level: 5
Familiar Owner: Rias Gremory
Relationship: Indifference
'So Rias is in on it...' Issei confirmed after reading the hidden window, a growing anticipation forming as he watched the girl coyly shake her rear at him. This suspenseful situation was suddenly turning exactly like how a porno would.
If he were dreaming, don't wake him up.
"Take me to the nurse," Aika said blankly again, stiffly tugging her hand around Asia's. The blonde became conflicted as she stared between her friend and the vulgar woman standing away from them. She struggled to keep her eyes locked on the provocative lady's figure, blushing and taking furtive glances at the boy next to her.
"Uh... I think one of us follow her," Issei said avidly as he began to slowly piece together the implication. Both Aika and this Bat Demon ladygirl were trying to lead them in different directions. They were trying to separate the two of them.
That would have normally put him on edge, but there wasn't any danger to be found.
This was totally cool, and his mind began brewing with the wild possibilities.
Patting Asia's shoulder reassuringly, Issei's lips spread perversely. "You can take Kiryuu to the nurse's office. I got this." Initially, he didn't want to leave Asia's side for a second time after promising to have her back.
This didn't count! He'd come back later!
Asia shifted uncomfortably, her green orbs subtly darting back towards the winged woman. "Issei, are you sure? I... I don't trust her..." Her lip jutted out in a pout. Rather than being fearful, she seemed to be upset for a different reason.
"Nothing will happen to me, if that's what you're worried about. I'm pretty sure Rias just wants to t-talk," he stuttered accidentally. "After I see what's on the up and up, I'll come right back. Let your buddy Issei handle business." He barely restrained his hidden agenda from the blonde, reeling in his crude smile so she could have more faith in him.
Frowning, Asia slowly nodded back at her savior, gently reaffirming her grip around Aika's. "O...Okay. I trust you. Please come back and tell me what she wanted."
He hit his chest and winked, inwardly shouting with glee.
He was in the clear!