I do not own any content or character in High School DxD. Enjoy.

Issei was quite used to the unexpected by now. In fact, even three minutes earlier, he would gladly bet that nothing, nothing could ever faze him. Not even the slightest bit. That would be three minutes before a seemingly human woman was chasing his car down as he stomped on the gas pedal.

It was a simple job, kill the target. There was a routine the target followed on Saturdays; he'd be in a restaurant. It was a busy street, and he was two buildings away in a car. Easy money, right?

Apparently not. Then again, he was not told that there was a superhuman bodyguard involved!

She'd seen him after he had taken the shot, and had literally ran through the wall. It took a second for him to process that, but then he hit the gas. And here he was, three minutes into an impossible chase on a day with high traffic. Perfect.

"Focus, Issei, focus!" He told himself as he panicked behind the wheel, the woman gaining on his six. He cursed as he looked at the busy street ahead, and grabbed his sniper rifle with his left.

"Damn it!" He said as he hoisted the weapon's barrel on his seat, and took aim using his rearview mirror. He pulled the trigger twice in a row, only to impede her as she just evaded them, and had to stop.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" He cursed as he saw the traffic ahead and took a left. A glance at his mirror told him she had not given up yet. He cursed himself again for bringing any sidearm.

"Gotta time this right." He muttered as an idea popped into his head. He drove frantically as he took aim again, waiting for the opportune moment. Just as she was picking up speed again, he fired his last bullet overhead, hitting the street lamp over her. He didn't wait to see if the flash had blinded her or not, he veered off to the right and leaped out his car, just as it hit a building. The explosion rocked through his body, but he managed to roll away. He didn't look back at the debris, instead marched on until he was well and truly hidden in the crowd.

Fifteen long minutes he walked, his body tense, his posture rigid. The people gave him odd looks as he nervously checked every reflection for her, but she wasn't there. Finally, he let out a breath as he reached a lonely bus station, and took his phone out. He called a number he had memorized for the night, and waited with baited breath as the phone rang.

"How did the assignment go?" A feminine voice asked after three rings.

"The target is down." He informed her as he huffed.

"But?" She could hear the uneasiness in his voice.

"There was a bit of a mishap." He told her, the reality finally crashing.

"Elaborate please."

"I was seen and chased on foot by one of his bodyguards. I managed to get away." He said.

"You had a car, Mr. Basilisk." She pointed out in a deadpan voice. "And unless you were right next to the target, I doubt anyone could see you."

"I was two buildings away." He clarified. "She saw me, and she chased after my car. On foot!" He bit out the last words.

"That's impossible." The female said in a disbelieving tone.

"She broke through the wall, for goodness' sake!" He almost yelled. "She dodged two shots, and I only escaped by a freak accident! What the hell is going on?"

"I…Are you positive?" He could hear the worry in her voice, and it only made him angrier.

"Yes, I am positive! I lost my fucking car!" He yelled.

"Hold on a second please." She took a breath, and put the call on hold.

"Fine." He grunted as he waited, still trying to process the last hour.

"Mr…Basilisk." A different, deeper voice crackled through his phone, a Russian accent perhaps, drawing his attention.

"Yes?" He asked.

"I must say that I did not foresee this happening, and must apologize." The voice told him. "I take full responsibility, and will compensate you for your…loss. Consider this contract completed."

"Very well." Issei relented. "I will expect payment within two hours."

"Of course, Mr. Hyoudou. Have a good night." The call cut off, and he was left alone with his thoughts.

"What the fuck was that?" He muttered as he stood there dumbfounded and clueless. Until his phone rang once more. He sighed as he looked at the caller.

"Issei?" The caller asked in a worried tone. "Are you alright honey?"

"Just working late, mom." He told her with warmth in his voice. "I'll be home in an hour."

"You know I worry, son. I'll be waiting with your dinner."

"Sorry, mom. I'll hurry. See you."

"Ok honey." He let out a chuckle as he cut off.

"Mothers." He shook his head as he waited for his ride home.

(Chapter break)

"Issei, wake up."

"Five more minutes, mom." He groaned as he felt the sunlight hit his face.

"You're already running late. And it's your first day." His mother told him, her arms akimbo.

"Fine" He got up with a huge yawn, stretching. "Give me ten minutes."

"Honestly." He could hear her huff as she left.

"Mothers." He sighed as he got in the shower, the water refreshing.

A few minutes later, Issei was in the kitchens, frowning at his attire. He looked like he was wearing a tux, with a white shirt, black tie, and red lapels. The Kuoh Academy badge was embossed on his right.

"Mom, are you sure that they gave you this?" He said as he pointed at his outfit.

"Why? Anything wrong with it?" She said as she looked him over.

"It's too…flamboyant." He said.

"It looks just like what you wear to work, dear." She told him. "And it looks good on you, so no buts."

'Exactly' was the word that came to his mind, but he refrained from commenting, opting to reach for the plateful of eggs and toast on the counter.

"Speaking of which, can you quit that job of yours?" She sounded hesitant. "It's just that you're always late, you know? Now that you're in high school, it may affect your education dear."

"It helps pay the bills, mom." He stated as he chewed, mind on last night's event.

"Your father's savings…" She began, but he cut her off.

"That's for contingencies, mom. I don't want to live on it. Plus, if I don't work, you'll take up extra jobs. I can't let that happen." Issei stated firmly, before he finished up.

"Only if your grades don't suffer." She sighed, having given up.

"They won't." He promised, "Thanks for the breakfast mom, I'll cook tomorrow."

"Have a fun day!" She waved as he rushed out.

"You too!" He said as he looked at his clock. Ten minutes was plenty of time.

(Chapter break)

"Mothers." Issei sighed as he walked his way home. The day had been one of his most awkward to say the least. Not only did he arrive to find that his 'uniform' was different from all the other boys, he was in a high school with 70% girls!

Well, apparently the Kuoh Academy was an all girls' academy till last year, and so they had only given recommendations on what color to wear. So poor, unfortunate Issei had to spend an entire day among girls in his 'fashionable' getup. Leave it to his genius mother to diagnose him with lack of female attention. At least he didn't look like a puffed-up peacock.

"Ugh." He palmed his face as he remembered the barrage of questions after his introduction. The girls kept whispering, and he kept having this feeling that he was being followed of all things!

"Bad day?" A feminine voice asked as someone fell into step beside him.

He didn't waste a moment reacting as he pulled out his pugio from his pocket and viciously lashed out at his right, only to feel her grab it by the blade and yank it away.

"An interesting choice." She remarked as he stood stock still, too afraid to look.

"N690 steel with a nylon handle, I like it." She idly commented as she came into view.

"Here." She held it out hilt-first.

Issei could only stare at her as he thought of a way to escape. Was she so confident that she was actually taunting him? He stared at her face with a slow developing frown, and tentatively reached for the hilt.

"Don't try anything." She warned. "You can't even scratch me with that."

Issei seemed to falter at her words, slumping in defeat but he exploded in the next second, aiming to grab her hand and direct the blade to her chest. Instead he felt like he was pushing a mountain as he slammed onto her hand with all his weight and nothing happened. She simply swatted him, and he flew off, hitting the alley's wall. His head spun as he heard her heels click towards him.

"Who are you?" He managed to choke out.

"You interest me, Hyoudou." She ignored his queries as she approached. "Or should I call you Issei?"

"Help!" He yelled in a hoarse voice as he failed to get up. She laughed in response.

"My, my, the young assassin is asking for help!" She mocked. "Tell me, can you see anyone here?" She squinted her eyes as she pretended to look around.

"Nope!" She stated victoriously. "Just you and me."

"What do you want?" He asked, finally giving up. The vertigo alone was too much.

"I just wanted to make conversation." She shrugged. "Not everyone has the guts to shoot me and then run away. Even fewer can actually run away, that is."

Issei wanted to laugh, he really did. But in his winded state he only ended up wheezing instead.

"What's so funny?" The woman narrowed her delicate eyebrows at him. A beautiful face, Issei decided. For the last thing he'd see before he'd die, it was a pretty good thing.

"I think I asked a question." She poked him on his right with her heel. For Issei, it felt like she had jabbed him with a baton. He hissed in pain and curled up.

"I only missed two shots last night." He ground out in pain.

She looked puzzled at his words, till a proverbial gong went off in her head. "Oh!" She managed, startled.

Issei had started to observe her as the pain slowly abated. Did she look, sheepish?

"You're telling the truth?" She finally asked, and he was under the scrutiny of those dark blue eyes.

"Yes." He replied scathingly. "I thought you were his bodyguard or something."

She looked at him for a long moment, searching for something. Then suddenly she nodded, and grabbed on his arm.

"Hey!" Issei managed as she pulled him up, supporting his weight on her shoulder.

"I believe you." She stated, as she placed a hand on his torso. The question on his lips died as he felt his dizziness disappear in an instant. The pain was gone a moment later.

"What the?" He cried out in surprise.

"Magic." She deadpanned as she let go. "Can't do much about your dress though. Sorry." She gave a sheepish shrug at his torn lapel.

"How did you find me?" He asked, now certain that she wasn't after his life.

"You forgot smell." She stated, crossing her arms, looking a bit smug.

"You…had a dog in your pocket?" He asked, confused. She tapped her nose as a reply.

"Right." He said, sarcastically. "Supersoldier shit."

"What?" She tilted her head, and Issei couldn't help but notice how good she looked as the pale blue hair framed her face.

"Never mind that." He waved the issue away. "When did you find me?"

She gave a positively feral grin, and Issei felt his face pale. She had never left.

"Don't harm my mother." He said, getting in a stance once more.

"Whoa, relax, will you?" She assured him. "I wouldn't have harmed her. She's innocent."

"Why this whole thing then?" He felt frustrated, feeling like a mouse in a trap. And it was exactly that.

"Information." She shrugged. "Not just anybody would aim for me. I needed to know."

"Also," She gave him a curious eye. "what is a high school teen doing killing for contract? How did you even start?"

"Pays the bills." He shrugged. "As for how I got into this, I was kidnapped. Ten-year-old me managed to take out three with a glass shard before I got socked in the face. The big man was so impressed that he held a gun to my head. Help him to kill, or be killed."

"Ten?" She scoffed disbelievingly. "Right."

"Says the woman who can dodge bullets." He retorted.

"Touché." She admitted.

'Anyways," She said as she looked at her phone. "I have to go now. But I'm in town for the next few, so I'll be seeing you."

"Wait!" Issei tried to grab her, but she lunged off, landing on a roof.

"What's your name?" He yelled.

"Tiamat." She yelled back, leaving him in the alley to his thoughts.

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