As the three of them sat down with some tea served by a maid, Issei couldn't help but wonder why the two of them had their memory back and why it had happened without them meeting each other once more. And from what Red had said when he had the headache, he didn't think he would be able to answer it either so just decided to go with the flow for now. "So I'm sure the two of you have questions, and I've got a few myself but how about we start with what you last remember before your memories came back."
Yasaka could understand the question and had been wondering that herself what all had happened to make it be where they were back in time and what had caused her memories to come back. "That is a suitable area for me to get the ball rolling as I'm quite curious as to what in the world happened. The last thing I remember before my memories came back was that the Beast had broken free and I honestly at the time knew that no one would be able to stop it so while I did try and defend Kyoto I knew it wouldn't work so died in peace. I do remember that much but I do find it odd about regaining my memories and what triggered them.
"Back while I was pregnant with Kunou I had a warning given to me by a Yokai priest about a boy who would come to me that loved breasts above all else and would help me in my biggest time of need and next thing I know I've got this massive headache that rolls through me and my memories are back. I've been trying to quietly find out any information I could but it wasn't until I heard that you were the one being sent by Azazel to this meeting that I had hopes once more." She said before taking a sip of her tea and letting Issei take over from there.
Issei wasn't too sure what to think about the whole situation honestly though he could see why that might be enough for a memory trigger with what little he knew about how it all worked out. "Well, if I'm being honest, I could see that being a trigger with the way I used to be, though I am trying to change my ways in this timeline. Right during my final battle against it, I was pulled away by Great Red himself into the Dimensional Gap where he gave me the choice of being sent back in time to grow strong enough to deal with the Beast this time around. I've been back a little over seven months so far and have started training under Azazel and Vali Lucifer who have also gained their memories back as well as two of my friends from high school."
Yasaka could understand why Issei might want to go back in time to stop an event like that from happening but still wasn't sure on a couple of points. "Ok, I can understand that and why you would want to come back, even if I'm surprised that Great Red would willingly help you but that's a minor point in this whole situation. I'm still confused on why we got our memories back and like you said how they came back before you time traveled."
"That's something that Red told me could happen with anyone that knew me in the previous timeline, both friend and foe, is that they could regain their memories once a trigger of some sort is done, though I don't know what any of the triggers are until they happen. Yours seemed to be the warning given, while Azazel and Vali's was seeing my Crimson Promotion armor from what I can figure out, while my school friends was seeing me defend them from bullies so the triggers aren't really following a pattern, at least not yet. The one thing I'm not sure about though is how Kunou also remembers since she wasn't born yet when yours came back. If it was a separate instance, I could see it happening, with what little knowledge I have on this type of stuff, but I just don't know right now." Issei commented, getting nods from the two but before either of them could comment on it, the Boosted Gear popped up on his arm and Ddraig spoke up his thoughts.
"[I have a theory on that after listening to the three of you talk. It's possible that since you were pregnant with Kunou at the time, it somehow affected her memories as well since something like this might consider the two of you 'one' person at the time, which wouldn't be far off.]" He commented, surprising both Yasaka and Kunou at his popping up to speak, though Yasaka came back quickly and couldn't disagree with it after thinking on the matter some.
"It would make sense as I did feel the magic flowing around her when I remembered and then when she was born, her first word was Issei," Yasaka said, poking fun at her daughter who wasn't fast enough at catching onto what her mother was talking about to try and stop her from saying anything embarrassing but she was too late and could only pout at her mother before Issei patted her on the head calming her down.
Since she had at least gotten some closure on what had happened to cause her memories to come back, Yasaka decided to get to what Issei had originally come here for. "So, since we can always come back to this subject, how about we get to what you actually came here for."
Issei couldn't disagree with her statement so shifted gears over to it instead of what they had been talking about. "I can work with that and it will possibly be easier since you have your memories back on who I'm talking about. We had an incident last week where Akeno Himejima's mother passed away protecting Akeno from her mother's side of the family and we were too late to save her mother, I never knew when it actually happened in the past and Azazel didn't have his memories back yet, only regaining them right as it happened, but I was able to save Shuri's soul and put it in a feather thanks to Great Red stepping in and helping me after we reached the scene. While Grigori's technology isn't at a high enough level yet to clone humans, we had the thought that maybe the Yokai might have an idea on how we might could speed up the process or a way to do it sooner."
While Yasaka had heard that something had traumatized Akeno in the previous timeline, she hadn't known the full reasoning behind it and now that she did, she couldn't help but feel sad for the girl but she also could see why Azazel would want to try and help bring the family back together. "Off the top of my head, we don't have a way to bring back a human yet but there is a chance it's been looked into in another faction of Youkai not under my watch. I will ask around and see if any of my contacts have any leads that will help but I will gladly help you in this endeavor." She said, getting an enthusiastic nod from Kunou.
"Thank you, this will definitely make Azazel happy and it gives me hope in helping my friends where I can in this time frame." He said before he decided to bring up another idea he'd been thinking about since he'd heard of the mission to Kyoto. He hadn't had a chance to talk to Azazel about it since at the time it seemed like a small chance of happening but with Yasaka's memories back, it might work.
"Now that we have that figured out, for now, I have a suggestion that I hope we can work something out with but I didn't have a chance to bring to Azazel's attention yet." He commented, getting an interested look from Yasaka. "What about if possible both Grigori and the Youkai sign a peace treaty between each other for now and then when it comes time for the Three Factions Treaty to be signed, it would be easy for you to join us in an official one between the factions."
After hearing the idea, Yasaka sat back in contemplation. While the Yokai hadn't been a part of the official treaty in the previous timeline, they were on decent terms at first which got better with the Biblical Factions near the time Trihexa was released so she didn't mind the idea. "I wouldn't mind the idea of joining in officially with the Factions in the treaty if they would accept us, which I don't doubt they will but it's still a minor concern. If Azazel is agreeing on making an official peace treaty between our groups until then, than I have no issues with it."
Issei nodded happily at the thought of possibly getting peace between factions started early this time around and decided to go ahead and go talk to Azazel about it now. But before he left, he thought of something that he might should mention so it didn't come as a shock to them. "Before I leave, I have something I probly should mention now so it doesn't come as a surprise. I won't go into how it happened as its not mine to tell, though it's a hilarious story in itself, Vali is not a boy in this timeline due to an incident that hadn't happened yet." He commented, getting a look of interest of Yasaka at the news before they ended the meeting for now with Issei promising to stop by often to Kunou's happiness.
Scene Skip
In the month since Issei's meeting with Yasaka, Azazel had agreed with Issei on getting a treaty signed with Yasaka for now but once they started talking over the agreement, they ran into a possible issue. Funnily enough, it was Vali who had brought it up: what will the other factions do when they hear about an unexpected treaty between Grigori and the Yokai might cause some factions to get concerned, so they decided to, on paper at least, have it be an unofficial treaty between the two groups for now until relations between the Factions were better like they were in the previous timeline.
One of the first things that came out of the treaty was the mission that Issei was on now which was to the country of Romania on a mission to see what he can do to help Gasper. After not being able to help Akeno with her situation, he made sure to get in as much research as he could about when all the other members of Rias's peerage before he joined had their issues and was able to be put in place in Romania before Gasper ran away to help make sure he reached Rias in one piece. The one thing though that none of them were sure of was if Valerie Tepes would be with him.
Valerie was a wild card in the group's eyes since she was part of the plot that eventually awoke Trihexa and while they were trying to keep the plot the same with this timeline, they knew that they should also help her out if he came across her and would cross that part of the previous timeline at a later date.
"Damn, I can't see a thing through this fog," Issei said as he tried to get his bearings after he was teleported. Azazel had teleported him as close as he dared to Romania and to where they knew Gasper and Valerie were living and now he just had to try and make sure he didn't miss them as they had never heard where exactly he had escaped from the country at. He also had a set of exorcist guns given to him by Azazel as extra protection as well as a hooded cloak that would help him blend into his surroundings.
Ddraig could only sigh at his partner, not sure what to think. "[Don't forget about the glasses you got from Azazel for this situation. You knew you'd have to deal with the fog when you got here.]"
Grumbling at Ddraig as he had forgotten about the glasses in both his excitement in seeing Gasper again, even if likely from a distance, to the worry he won't be on time like what happened with Akeno. Though that fear became unfounded a minute later.
As Issei got his bearings and realized he was in a forest, he heard a twig snap nearby which lead him to turn around and take cover behind a tree as he saw two what looked like two Vampires running nearby. 'Is that them?'
The boy looked just like a younger Gasper to Issei but if he had to guess the other would be Valerie. The bishoujo was definitely a Vampire with the ears and platinum hair blowing in the wind behind her as they ran but that ended when she tripped over a tree root and lost hold of Gasper's hand.
"Valerie!" Gasper cried out to his friend which also cemented that these were the two Issei was looking for as Gasper tried to pull Valerie back to her feet but she hissed in pain as she tried to put weight on her right foot but now Issei could see that it was twisted the wrong way and while it didn't look broke to him from this distance, it definitely was sprained. "Please don't give up on me yet or they'll catch up to us soon!"
"I can't Gasper. That fall twisted my ankle and I can't keep going anymore. Get going without me."
"No! I can't do that to you. Don't make me leave without you!" Gasper said crying as he kept trying to pull her to her feet but she wouldn't let him.
"If you don't leave now none of us will live so please! Run for me and live! Find the life you couldn't have before for both of us!" She said, pushing him away before he finally left her crying as she smiled at him before leaning back against the tree nearby as she waited for their pursuers to arrive, having not realized Issei was nearby yet.
'Don't worry Gasper, I'll make sure you're able to see Valerie again soon,' Issei thought to himself as he stepped out of cover surprising Valerie as he came into her line of sight. "That was a lot of courage you showed there, sending him off like you did and I admire that." He said though he was a little confused at first at her next words until he remembered what he was wearing.
Valerie wasn't sure what to think of the kid that just showed up in front of her that she'd never seen before but while her first thought was he was one of the hunters sent after her and Gasper, it didn't make sense that he wouldn't have struck before Gasper left her here. "Are you one of the Vampire Hunters sent to kill me?" She asked Issei, trying but failing to keep her voice steady and getting a confused look from Issei until she pointed to his guns which is when he realized what she was talking about.
"No, no, no. I'm wearing these as a backup to my Sacred Gear in case I got attacked. I actually came here to protect the two of you as I heard about you from my superior, though you sent Gasper away before I could get close enough to do anything about it." He said, giving a half-truth to her question.
"You've heard of us? But how. And why would you want to save us? We're just half breeds that are looked down upon by the Pure-blooded Vampire's and ostracized by the humans." She said, before flinching as he came up to her and put a hand on her shoulder in a comforting manner.
"None of that matters to me or my superior as we don't care what background you come from and I have a good feeling about you after watching the scene with the other Vampire that happened. Plus I have a feeling that your friend won't be on his own for long," he commented but before she could comment on that weird phrase of his, he felt the Hunter's she mentioned reach their location. "But now let me deal with your pursuers." He said as he turned away from her to her confusion until the Hunters came into view.
"Unless you want to be killed, I would leave now as this girl is coming with me." He said, letting out some of his killer intent hoping to not have a confrontation but knowing there was little chance of them leaving.
"You think we'll listen to you, a human? Don't make me laugh." The apparent leader of the group said as while he didn't like the feeling of the killing intent being sent towards them, his arrogance didn't let him think they'd lose. "We aren't leaving here until we kill the half-breed abomination behind you and find her friend that soiled their family names by not only being born but by running away." The leader said causing Valerie to look down in defeat while Issei just sighed at the arrogance he remembered most Vampires showed at anyone that wasn't pure-blooded and he called upon the Boosted Gear.
"Then you'll have to go through me to get to her. I don't care if she's not a pure-blooded Vampire or her origins and she'll be coming with me." He said which caused the leader of the Hunters to growl in annoyance and order his people forward.
Pulling out his pistols and also calling on the powers of Ddraig, Issei started punching back Vampires and boosting the bullets of the guns through "[Boost!]" and taking them out by hitting them in their knees and forcing them to the ground. While he could have called upon Ascalon to help as well, he knew it might call the attention of Heaven and he wasn't quite ready for that, though it looked like he wouldn't need it anyways as after he took down their leader without killing him, the rest pulled back in wariness as they finally realized that they were both outmatched and what exactly they were up against.
As Issei saw them finally back off, he also backed up a little bit though kept his guns ready and Gear out as he tried once more to get them to leave. "I'll once more tell you to leave this girl alone. I left your friends alive this time but next time I won't be as lenient. Now take your allies and leave." He said lifting his guns in the air once more before sighing in relief as the ones still standing gathered up their fallen allies and left the area in a hurry.
Thankful that they had finally left, he turned back towards Valerie and offered his hand. "I'm sorry I didn't do this earlier but I'm Issei Hyoudou, this generation's Red Dragon Emperor. If you'll allow me to, I'll take you somewhere safe that we can get your foot checked out and a safe place to live."
Valerie honestly wasn't sure what to think about this boy that just suddenly showed up to help her but she decided to take the plunge as she had nothing to lose in this case. "Valerie Tepes and yes I'll take your hospitality. Thank you." She said as he helped her up and offered her a shoulder to lean on as he opened a portal to Grigori and walked through it.
Teaser For An Upcoming Event, possibly starting next chapter.
As Issei exited the teleportation circle at the edge of the site, he prepared himself for what was to come. He'd heard the stories about what had happened to the 'participants' of the Holy Sword Project and he knew he needed to take it down hopefully before any of the kids were killed by either the poison or Valper's men, but as he gained his bearings and figured out where exactly he was compared to the site, he heard a commotion of yelling men and running feet nearby and moved to check it out and hoped he wasn't too late.
Still reading and waiting for more............
Depending on when i do the HSP scene i've got it half written out already but yeah im glad i haven't lost you yet