AN: So, I found myself growing annoyed at the last two chapters of SotDK, my other story. The last chapter was boring to write, and I wasn't pleased by how it turned out, so I'm taking a break. Fortunately, this idea ruthlessly consumed my imagination until I wrote it down. So now you have this...

Regarding the title: I changed it.

Summary: The sacred gear system had one fatal flaw. When Issei is killed by Raynare, he awakens the memories and powers of Ddraig stored within the Boosted Gear. Now, he will shake the world as the servant of Rias Gremory, but, more importantly, as the True Red Dragon Emperor! Issei is Ddraig. Less perverted Issei. Issei x harem.

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Ch1: Memories

Sacred gears were an imperfect invention brought forth by the Biblical God for two purposes. While the first was to bestow a divine blessing upon a chosen few, the second was far more sinister in nature: to bind for eternity those who displeased him. It took far less energy to seal a being strong enough to pose a threat than it did to kill them, and for one as experienced in such an art, it was easily preferable. The most notable instance was the defeat of the two heavenly dragons, Albion and Ddraig, who had the power to destroy the entire world in the midst of their rivalry. The dragons' power was passed on for centuries through the system, their sacred gears manifesting in humans and granting them immense power capable of destroying gods.

But there was a fatal flaw. God, in all of his forethought and planning, forgot one simple fact: Even he, for all his power, could die. And surely enough, in the greatest battle of the war between angels, devils, and fallen angels, he was killed.

The sacred gear required energy to work, and a lot of it, comparable to the cost of keeping heaven afloat. When dealing with sealed beings much effort was necessary to keep them from escaping, either through their host or the object they were contained within. Sacred gears attached themselves to the souls of their bearers, and only the Biblical God had the ability to keep the two separate.

Of course, he was dead now, and the archangel Michael replaced him. Though strong in his own right, Michael didn't have the capability to keep the stronger beings, such as heavenly dragons, separate from their hosts, leading to the hosts often being refereed to as dragons themselves. Luckily for the archangel, the dragons themselves were still sealed firmly within their respective gears, though the hosts found themselves more easily able to take on their dragon's power. He knew it was fortunate that the troubles stopped there, and hundreds of years later, he forgot all about his fears of the dragons escaping. And even if they did manage to break free from the infinite loop, their bodies were obliterated, scattered into a million pieces then decayed by time until there was nothing left.

It wasn't like one of them could ever return.

There was no way he could have expected this...

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Issei Hyoudou was thirteen when it first happened. His school was having an school spirit oriented event where each grade came to class sporting its unique color. The year above wore white, one of the school's three colors. For the entire day, he found himself inexplicably angry at them, scowling at his upperclassmen more often than not. His buddies, Matsuda and Motohama, long before either were perverts, thought Issei was just having an off day, probably irked by a test grade or the like. Issei himself thought nothing of it at the time, thinking he was perfectly justified in his distaste of the school's choice of such a plain color. Halfway through the day, a throbbing pain struck his left arm, and he went to see the nurse, who promptly sent him home to his parents for rest. She had no idea what ailed him, so she told the Hyoudous to find a pediatrician and get him checked out.

Nothing was wrong, and the pain faded over the next day.

Then, two days after that weird day of school, he dreamed of a white dragon. A week after that, he found himself idly drawing a dragon on his notebook paper, and he didn't even have the first clue on how to draw! The instances grew in frequency. In tandem, the images and dreams began to grow more diverse, though most were of this white dragon. It glared at him, challenging him to a fight, and he found it growing harder and harder to deny. There was a thrill about it, an eagerness to see the white one submit, but he also began to see it as an old friend.

He liked seeing that dragon. Between his anime and manga interests, not much noteworthy happened in his childhood. But now, something was happening, like he was waking up.

A month later, the flashes increased until they came every day. He was able to put a name to the dragon, Albion, and the word felt strangely familiar, as if he'd known it all his life. The next day, despite there being a school uniform, he wore a red tee shirt. When he was promptly sent back home to grab his uniform, he settled for wearing the color wherever he could.

It was about another month after that he figured out he could smell and sense things his friends weren't able to, and he even learned how to distinguish people by their scent alone. His parents were creeped out, and his buddies thought it was incredible that he could tell people apart while blindfolded (though Issei didn't tell them how he could do it). He knew that this should remain something he kept to himself.

A year later at the age of fourteen, when a new girl transferred to his school, Issei noticed that she was unusually attracted to him and that she smelled different than most humans. He wasn't sure why he began calling his friends humans, nor did he realize the transition. When she introduced herself to him, he returned the favor. "My name's Ddra- Hyoudou Issei." He was confused by the slip up, having gone by the same name his whole life. A couple days later, the girl transferred out, never to be seen again. That day left him with only one thought: 'Why did I almost call myself Ddraig?'

As years passed, he grew accustomed to finding out more about himself and accepting all the new developments in stride. He was stronger, more resilient, even a little smarter, but he remained almost the same kindhearted kid with a love of Dragon Ball Z. Though he was definitely considered more attractive by girls, much to the newfound envy of Matsuda and Motohama, he wasn't quite sure with how to deal with their affections. He told his parents about the changes, though, since they were family, and would help him with anything. At first, they thought he was crazy, and they even tried to take him to doctors to see what was wrong. Eventually, they figured out that he was, somehow, telling them the truth.

He felt for certain that he had lived another life, one that he wasn't able to remember.

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It was when he was seventeen that everything changed. For almost two years now he'd gone to Kuoh Academy, a reputable school that had an amazing ratio of girls to guys, a fact not lost on the fortunate teenage boys attending. Issei, though he admired women, still wasn't sure how to deal with them. 'Human females are strange,' he always told himself, as if he knew that there were females that weren't human, a knowledge he'd come to accept. That was just one of the many strange thoughts that naturally passed through his head, the most noticeable of which was the name Ddraig. It felt like his name, perhaps it once was, but he hated that the one word and some flashes were all he could remember.

"Do you ever feel like life should have something more?" He asked aloud. His two buddies from middle school, Matsuda and Motohama, were laying on a grassy hillside with him. School had just ended, but clubs were in full swing, meaning that Issei's two lecherous friends got to peek on girls.

"All the time, brother!" Matsuda exclaimed. "Like a harem filled with the girls from the kendo club!" The former athlete, now known as the Perverted Baldy, was an interesting character, considering that he gave up sports to pursue less than honest desires.

"That's right," Motohama agreed. "Haven't you seen Katase's legs and Murayama's chest?" Motohama, called Three Sizes Scouter for his ability to discern a woman's three sizes at a glance, used to be a near-genius and a top chess player. Sadly, now he cared more about using his intelligence to calculate the perfect woman.

Issei nearly rolled his eyes at his friends. During school hours, this was all they ever thought about. "I was talking about how boring school is." Sort of the truth, though anything involving Issei was a lot more complicated than that.

"Boring?" Matsuda seemed offended. "Boy, we've got all these hot girls out today!" He saw that Issei was still a little distant. "Come on bro, lighten up a little."

"Yeah Issei," Motohama added, "you should go get a girlfriend. That could help you!" A girlfriend, as in someone he could open up to? That didn't sound too bad.

While their advice was predictable in nature, perhaps they were still right. "Ehhh, I guess so. But how? I don't have any idea what to do..."

Matsuda scoffed. "They all love you. It should be a piece of cake to find one you like too."

"I suppose." He was watching some students in the distance before he spotted the elegant red hair of one of the school's Two Great Sisters, called so for their good grades and impeccable looks. Rias Gremory, she was one of those funny-smelling people, and Issei doubted that he could call her human. They claimed she was a foreign exchange student from northern Europe, though he wasn't sure he believed that. There was just something about her that warned him to be cautious, and this instinct often translated to nervousness at times.

Rias shot a glance his way, and he could spot the deep blue eyes despite the huge distance, and Issei stared dumbly. She chuckled into her hand and turned back to her friend, Akeno Himejima, the other of the Two Great Sisters, and said something. Feeling strangely self-conscious, he blushed a little and stood up, deciding it was time to head home.

"Leaving already, Issei?" Motohama said. Normally, he'd stay for another half an hour, enough to bail his friends out of whatever trouble they'd gotten into, then he'd be gone.

Issei shrugged. "Yup."

With that, he began the long trek home. He spent most of it looking at the sky, feeling some inexplicable longing to fly through it. From the small tidbits of memories he did have, he knew that flying under ones own power was one of the best things in the world. The trip home always turned into a journey when he stopped and watched clouds, often loosing track of time. His parents didn't care much about how long it took him to get back, not as long as he made it for dinner every now and then.

Today, he was out until the sun had started to set, having pulled out a notebook and unconsciously doodled a western dragon in it. When he tried he couldn't draw if his life depended on it, yet when he let his mind wander to those flashes of memory, he always could draw either this dragon or its counterpart. While one invoked his pride, the other made him scowl. With a shrug, he put the notebook away and continued his walk, coming up to the bridge he always crossed to get home.

'Something smells off...' It was like that transfer student from many years back. His sharp sight could spot a figure on the other side, a girl whose school uniform had a golden 'P' on it. She had black hair and violet eyes, reminding him of Akeno in a way.

In a few seconds, she was close enough to approach him, clearly nervous about something. "A-ano. Are you Hyoudou Issei-san from Kuoh Academy?"

"Yeah?" Well, that was strange. He'd never seen that uniform before, and unknown people walking up to him like this definitely sparked caution.

"I've seen you around, and I think you're pretty cute."

'Cute, really? Well, I can't deny that I'm attractive.' He wasn't always so prideful, not that he realized his confidence had increased over the many years. "I think you're not so bad yourself." Her face reddened and she gazed away from him.

"M-my name's Amano Yuuma. W-will you go out with me." She seemed so shy!

"Wait, what was that?"

"Will you be my boyfriend?!" She almost shouted, an enormous blush on her cheeks.

'A girl asking me?' She wasn't the first to pose that question, but she was the first to seem so sincere about it. Never before had he really needed or wanted a human girlfriend, though after his talk with his friends earlier today, he wasn't sure he could deny Yuuma. Then again, she was also one of those bird-smelling humans, and he was tired of not knowing how or why they were different.

"I don't see why not."

That was what quite literally marked the beginning of his end.

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The next few days were much better for Issei. Once Yuuma had given him his contact information, he brought her to Kuoh Academy and gave her a tour of the place, obviously taking the time to gloat to Matsuda and Motohama. Those pervs really needed to figure out that the opposite gender was repulsed by their antics, and their chances of getting a date would quadruple if they stopped screaming out everyone's panty colors. That was part of the fun of gloating, and the other was his inflated sense of pride. Either way, he spent much of the week getting to know Yuuma. While he never did figure out what exactly was... off... about her scent and mannerisms, he did notice that she was bashful and polite.

Issei had also noticed that a first year, Koneko Tojou, had been following him around recently. He wasn't sure why yet, but he knew he'd find out eventually. There was something up with that club she was in, the Occult Research Club, and it involved some of the most prominent members of the school.

Now, though, school seemed like such a silly thing to have on his mind. He just had his first date, and it was with the charming Yuuma. His friends were totally right, she put a smile on his lips without much effort. They had eaten dinner, gone bowling, and even visited an arcade for a half hour, all on Issei's suggestion. He thought it went well.

The sky was growing darker, the sunset casting shadows over the park they walked through it, hands intertwined. As the shadows grew longer around them, Issei couldn't help but appreciate how fitting Yuuma's name was. It suggested all of the beauty that their date had converged towards, this everyday spectacle of the sunset. Still, there was something sinister in the air, and his instincts were screaming at him. Danger was swiftly approaching.

With his unoccupied hand, he reached into his pocket and felt the flier that he'd kept for the whole day. Something about it seemed vital.

"Issei-kun, I had a great time today." Her voice drew him from his thoughts.

"Me too." Really, she had fun? He thought he'd been such a bore. Why was he only able to think up bowling as a normal human activity and not something exciting.

Only then did he finally realize that they had stopped walking. They were facing the fountain, the center of the park, where many new couples came to make wishes. The vibrant colors of the sky were reflected off the water in the fountain, casting a mystic glow on Yuuma. She removed her hand from his, taking a coupled steps back towards the dancing colors of the fountain, and smiled."There's something I'd like to celebrate our first date. Will you listen to my wish?"

"Of course!" Oh man, this was the part where couples usually kissed, right? He had never been in any relationship before, much to his parents' discontent, and the fact that he had doubts irked him. Whatever, he could wing it. Still, the thought lingered that she could ask him for something more... mature. As inexperienced as he was with humans, anything on that level could be beyond even him.

She took a step forward. Issei knew she was grinning, though the nature of that went unaware. She took another step, leaning in towards his ear. His heart was pounding now, eager and nervous for his first kiss. "Will you die for me?"

The world came crashing down. Did she just ask him to die? "W-what?" He was shocked, totally floored that the date had taken such a turn and he hadn't seen it coming at all! His instincts were screaming at him the entire time, and he refused to listen.

Maybe it was a joke, yeah, just her twisted sense of humor. After laughing, she'd clear everything up, and they'd go their separate ways without any hassle. She was eye level with him now, a foot away from his face. Then, he heard a telltale giggle that turned quickly into a full blown laugh. Only it wasn't humored, it was dark, condescending.

"Will you die for me?" She had played him. Flawlessly, she had lured him into her trap, though why she did so was unknown, then brought him here to kill him. Well, it was a good thing Issei knew she'd get more than she expected, 'cause he sure as hell wouldn't go down without a fight.

She leaped backwards, covering a superhuman amount of distance, then two raven-like wings burst from her shoulders, suspending her above the fountain. Her clothes had changed now, being ripped from her body as she was covered with leathery black strips. She had grown a few inches too. It gave Issei the impression of an exotic demon, and the wings only made her less human. Whatever she was, it explained why she didn't smell human at all, and he hadn't figured it out all this time.

"You're an idiot aren't you," her laughter had turned maniacal, all semblance of that innocent schoolgirl tone gone. "To think you knew something was wrong with me the entire time yet did nothing!" He had to give her credit, she was an impressive actress. And he knew a thing or two about how tough it was to fool others and appear normal.

Light gathered in front of her, forming into a blue spear almost as tall as she was. 'Holy magic,' his mind supplied without hesitation. 'Heh, its a good thing I'm a dragon and not a devil.' Wait, what? He thought the memories had stopped months ago! It seemed, however, that there was apparently a hidden world, one which he had just become a part of, whether he liked it or not. He didn't even bother to question why the word 'dragon' had popped into his head.

"Oh, you've figured it out now? That's right, I'm a fallen angel, here to kill you because God placed that sacred gear in you. Don't want any threats walking around now do we?" She chuckled again, savoring how her plan came together.

She pointed the light spear at him, aiming at his stomach. Then, she thew it.

'Shit!' In a fraction of a second, his mind had registered where it was going to hit him, and he dove right. He cried out in pain as warm blood spilled out all over his body. It had hit him in the side. The burn was intense but manageable, he could still stand. His previously red shirt did little to hid the crimson pouring from the wound, and the hand placed around the spear couldn't hope to stop the flow. After it dissolved into millions of light particles the bleeding only worsened.

He was going to die today.

"Nice try," the fallen said, walking closer until she was standing a few feet in front of Issei. In desperation, he through a punch, much stronger than the average human's. She caught it effortlessly, then twisted his wrist until he withdrew. "This time I won't miss."

Another spear formed, aimed point blank at Issei's stomach. As soon as he saw the spear inches from his body, he twisted away, but he wasn't fast enough.

In one swift motion, Yuuma ran him through the midsection. He coughed up blood, splattering it on the ground. Seeing her work was done, Yumma flew away and left Issei clutching at his wound.

'Red...' He fell to his side, the warm pool of fluid squelching beneath. 'How ironic that the Red Dragon Emperor is coated in scarlet blood.'

An attempt at a chuckle only made him cough up more blood. 'I was almost free... now it looks like I might die...' He had lived so long, conquered so many obstacles, and yet here he would die, as a young teen whose whole life was ahead of him.

'Ddraig... that was my name...' The memories came back to him. He was a heavenly dragon, the Red Dragon Emperor. Now, he would be nothing, his life taken by a lowly footsoldier of the fallen ones before he could break free from the sacred gear.

He never got the chance he so badly wanted... For the first time, he was not in control of his fate, and it hurt. Neither Issei nor Ddraig could stand to lay down and die.

'Please... someone...' He desperately tried to reach a hand out as his eyes closed. 'Save me...' All of his energy, magical and otherwise searched for a last ditch effort.

'I... can't... die... yet...'

"You are the one who summoned me?"

He heard something. 'A... voice?'

"If that is your wish then so be it. From now, you will live for me."

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AN: Thanks for reading! Please review, and if anyone who writes is thinking about using anything from this, pm me!