20 Where's the Heart?

Sona felt the headache build behind her eyes, but she couldn't even rub her temples.

"SO-TAN!" Miracle-girl Levi-Tan continued to holler as she shook Sona back and forth in a tight hug.

"So-tan?" She heard Issei ask quietly.

At any other point, she would appreciate his helping Saji calm the students and parents when they came to gawk at the 'magical girl cosplayer.'

Right now?

All Sona wanted was to find a hole to crawl into to die.

"Levi-tan missed you!" The Satan continued to wail loudly as she flailed Sona around like a rag doll. "Did you miss me? Did you? Did you? Did you?"

"Ufufufu," Akeno giggled at the sight. "That is Sona's sister."

"But... isn't her sister..." Issei trailed off as he no doubt felt the horror Sona felt daily.

"The Satan Leviathan? Yes. Yes, she is." Akeno was taking far too much pleasure in this. Sona would have to get back at her later. "All the Satans are... unique. Lady Leviathan is much like Lord Lucifer and dotes on her sister."

"I 'id't 'no 'ot 'u' 'ere 'oming," Sona tried to speak, but it came out muffled against the most famous pair of breasts in the underworld.

Damn her sister.

She'd hit her growth spurt soon.

"I almost missed it," Serafall cried, hugging Sona tighter. Was that her spine or a rib-cracking? "Your message was intercepted. It was that bitch Gabriel! I was going to go 'Pew-pew' to get it back!"

There had been no message. 

Sona had, very carefully, not communicated the date for Kuoh Academy's parent visit date. Despite wanting to see them, she hadn't even mentioned it to her parents or aunt, lest her sister find out.

"But Mi-chan told me we'd be late if I invaded Heaven." 

Sona felt an odd mixture of gratefulness and spite toward her aunt. 

On the one hand, her sister invading Heaven would no doubt restart the Great War, something they had gone through a lot of effort to prevent recently.

On the other hand, Serafall would not be here.

Then, a scarier thought entered the Sitri Heiress' mind, and she froze.

She hugged her sister back.

"Ah," Serafall exclaimed in joyful surprise. "So-tan? You missed me! Is it finally yuri-yuri time?"

"I missed you," Sona said, head finally peeking out from her sister's cleavage. She wasn't even lying. Despite Sona's considerable embarrassment at Serafall's antics, she did love her sister and was happy to see her. She just wished the Leviathan behaved more... appropriately, as befitted her station. "Are you here to watch me in a class?"

More importantly, going along with the Leviathan's antics was the best way to direct her attention from unwanted directions.

Like a blind boy on a bench.

Sona had been meticulous in only using Sitri agents when looking into Eren's background. If Serafall ever found out she was investigating a boy her own age...

Sona shuddered in horror.

Even her parents only thought she was scouting a potential new recruit for her Peerage.

"Mhmh," Serafall nodded, eyes sparkling in joy. That was literal. There were actual stars in her eyes. They twinkled. "I get to watch So-tan be all serious and smart and cute and cool. Mi-chan is also here. She was looking for you. She needs to refill her So-tanium too."

Sona felt a wave of gratitude at her honorary aunt at that moment. She knew her sister's Pawn did not like leaving her cottage, preferring to spend her days in peace in her territory, away from politics and combat. 

The fact that she always visited when Sona went home for the summer and was here now filled the student's heart with warmth.

But that didn't change the fact that neither of them could learn about Eren's existence. 

Her aunt would tell her King immediately. Despite their opposite natures, Serafall was her best friend, and the pair saw each other regularly. Serafall would know everything within a week.

Then Eren would die.

Or, worse, her sister would embarrass Sona so much that she'd need to die to purge her shame.

"Lunch is going to end soon," Sona half lied, trying to extricate herself from her sister's arms. She didn't succeed. "I need to get back to class. Why don't you find Aunty and tell her you found me?"

"But, but, but, but," Serafall stuttered, sounding like she would cry. "But I just found So-tan. And we haven't had yuri-yuri time."

"I will still be here," Sona said, ignoring the last part with the ease of long practice. "I want to see Aunty too. And then we can talk after school at the house." 

Far from the park and the boy in it.

"Moouu, fine," the Satan pouted as she lowered Sona back to the ground. "But don't do anything cute till I get back with Mi-chan and the camera."

"I promise," Sona said seriously, and it was everything she could do not to deadpan.

"Gah," Serafall gasped in an exaggerated manner, stumbling back dramatically, clutching her heart. "Like that! Serious So-tan is super cute! Don't do that again, or Levi-tan will not be able to leave."

Sona didn't say anything else, unwilling to push her sister further.

"I'm going, I'm going," Serafall said, large crocodile tears filling her eyes as she looked at the student council president. "So-tan is a meanie."

Then, with a twirl of her too-short pink skirt, Miracle Girl Levi-tan disappeared in a shower of sparkles.

Sona pretended not to notice as Serafall Leviathan flashed the entire gymnasium her panties as she cast a spell to alter everyone's memories.

The crowd that had gathered blinked stupidly. Sona could have done without the need to hypnotize the entire gymnasium, as well as leave the sparkles behind, but she still admired the control of her sister's spell.

But now was not the time for that. 

Sona needed to focus on crisis management if she wanted to go the entire day without being forced to join a convent out of shame.

Which was a much bigger deal for devils.

It took less than a second for Sona to adjust her uniform, control her hair, and align her glasses before she whirled on the only occupants of the room who hadn't just been mind-wiped.

Saji, Akeno, Xenovia, Issei, and Asia.

Rias wasn't there, likely dealing with her own visitors, which was good. Lord Lucifer or Lord Gremory would let Eren's existence slip to her sister for amusement if they found out about him.

"That was well done," Akeno giggled with a golf clap. "I was expecting you to run away crying and for her to chase you yelling 'So-tan, So-tan!' I am a bit disappointed you learned how to deal with her." 

Damn sadists.

"Leviathan is a magical girl," Xenovia was muttering to herself in shock. "Lucifer is henpecked. Both are sis-cons. My entire life has been a lie."

Sona didn't have time to deal with the new Knight's trauma. 

"Get Rias from her brother and father," Sona ordered the Queen. "Then tell her to take them home immediately after school. No dawdling."

"Uh," Issei raised his hand in question. "I still don't understand what is going on. Why is a Satan a Magical girl?"

"Not important," Sona cut him off with a swipe of her hand. "What is important is keeping her, my aunt, and Rias' family from discovering Eren."

"Why," Saji said with a pained grimace.

Sona felt sympathy for her Pawn. She really did. She wasn't unaware of his affection for her, and she had tried to let him down easily.

Unlike other devils, she never wanted to leverage her position as King to gain romantic favour from her Peerage.

Still, it didn't mean she would tolerate dawdling just because he felt antagonism towards Eren without ever meeting the boy.

"Lord Lucifer is already aware of him," Akeno shrugged, the sadistic smile still on her face. "We passed Eren's blood samples to him to give to Lord Beelzebub to try and find a cure. It seems like he has taken it as a personal challenge."

"And is Lord Lucifer aware of how much time Rias spends with Eren?" Sona adjusted her glasses so they'd flash ominously. "Or would you like me to tell Lady Lucifuge about some of the outfits you wear when meeting Eren? I haven't heard one of her speeches about propriety in a few years." 

If Sona was going down, she wouldn't go alone. 

They could all join the same convent.

"Nobody saw them," Akeno hurried to defend herself. "He's blind. And the thought of dressing like that where anybody can catch us... nnnngggg." 

Akeno shuddered, and Saji stepped back, eyes wide in surprise. Both Issei and Asia shared beet-red looks.

Xenovia was still traumatized. 

Sona was unperturbed, well used to the half-fallen's inclinations. 

All the Sitri did was continue to stare down the female pervert until she got the message.

"Fine," Akeno pouted, crossing her arms under her bust so it bounced. "But we can't leave the school early. We're skipping the last classes to free Gasper today."

"Congratulations," Sona said immediately. She was genuinely happy for her friend. Being unable to control Gasper's power had been a significant thorn in Rias' side for years. It also showed she was nearing her goal of Ultimate Class. "But then we'll need to take Eren away for the day. One of us will have to slip away immediately after class without them realizing we're gone."

"Is the Child of Evil a threat?" Xenovia whispered/asked Issei, finally snapping out of her funk. "Can I kill him?"

"What? No!" Issei cried, aghast. "Why are you so set against Eren anyway?"

"He nearly cut off my guardian's leg," Xenovia said seriously.

"Yeah, but Asia healed her, didn't she?"

"It's true," Asia chimed in like an eager puppy sticking its nose into a bag. "I can't heal Mr. Eren, but Miss Griselda is all better. And Mr. Eren is really kind. Um, most of the time."

"He still almost killed her," Xenovia insisted.

Sona ignored their little by-play. She had much more important things to worry about than the former exorcist.

Like preventing her family from embarrassing her in front of the whole school, her friends, and her crush.

Not necessarily in that order.

"I will ask Koneko to sneak off after we let Gasper out," Akeno nodded as she leaned in to conspire with Sona. "She's been trying to get Eren to take her to a new snack store. It shouldn't be too hard. You know he has a soft spot for her. But I don't know how we will keep him hidden with the peace conference happening here."

"Peace conference?" Sona asked.

"Lord Lucifer let it 'slip,'" Akeno rolled her eyes fondly. "They're using Kokabiel's recent attack as an excuse to hold a peace conference between all three factions. It's going to be held at Kuoh."

"And I wasn't told," Sona hissed. 

This was big. 

Huge really.

The ceasefire had waxed and waned over the years, but all three factions were technically still at war. 

That there would be a peace conference, and it was in her territory?

"You probably would be," Akeno shrugged. "Part of the reason Lord Lucifer and Lord Gremory are here is to evaluate the territory before it is finalized. But once it is, Kuoh will be crawling with security from all three factions. Eren will be found unless he leaves town."

"He won't leave," Sona said immediately, and Akeno nodded. Both knew how stubborn that boy could be. 

Still, the Sitri heiress' mind was working a mile a minute. 

She had never achieved such clarity of thought before, and Sona would have marvelled at it, but it didn't matter. 

Right now, all she needed to do was to save Eren's life, her life, and her sanity.

Again, not necessarily in that order.

"But he's human. And the only supernatural aspect about him is his life force, which most can't sense." Sona quickly put together a plan. It was rough, but it might work. "After today, we stay away from him. No visits, no familiars, nothing. Just between when people start to arrive and the end of the peace conference."

"Any security will notice him right away," Akeno pointed out. "He's inside the wards."

"Most will only realize that we 'let' him through the wards of the park. If we don't draw attention, he'll be safe with all the extra security in the area. We'll exploit the blindness most people have towards humans," Sona explained easily. Devils, angels, fallen, or even anyone else of power simply ignored humans without magic, Sacred Gears, or something equivalent. "I don't care if they see him. They just can't connect him to us. Eren just needs to remain unnoticed for a few days."

The only risk would be the church. They might hold a grudge. Sona would keep an eye on them. They'd think of another plan if Griselda arrived as security, but that was unlikely. She was half retired.

More importantly, Sona didn't want her sister or aunt to find him.

It was for Eren's safety, really.

Would it also save Sona from taking vows of chastity and locking herself away from the world out of shame?

Yes, but it was mainly for Eren's sake. 

Really.

"It has been a while since I saw Aunty," Akeno asked with a light smile. "Yuuto will be happy. He hasn't seen her in years, either."

Sona's eyebrow twitched, but Issei interrupted before she could say anything.

"Who's your aunt? Is she hot?" he asked eagerly, always happy to talk about women. Asia pouted beside him. "Kiba has a devil girlfriend? He never told me."

"He does not," Sona declared as she crossed her arms in a huff. "She is my sister's Pawn. My adoptive aunt."

"Yuuto had the biggest crush on her," Akeno giggled behind her hand. "He'd follow her around everywhere, asking for training or trying to help her. It was so cute."

"So he's into MILFs," Issei crowed triumphantly. "That's why he never went on a date with his fans, the Damn Handsome. I'm so proud. How's her oppai?"

"Uuuu," Asia whined piteously, looking down at her own modest bust.

"Leviathan's Pawn?" Xenovia murmured to herself. "I have never heard of her."

"She's pretty," Akeno giggled in answer to Issei as Sona's eyebrow twitch returned with extra force. "But I'm bigger."

Just for emphasis, Akeno put an arm under her boobs and bounced them suggestively while shooting a challenging look at Sona.

The twitching was getting worse.

Was everyone trying to anger her today? And shouldn't they be focusing on the crisis here? 

Sona didn't want to join a convent. 

"But yes, Aunty is beautiful. And you wouldn't have heard of her Xenovia. She was reincarnated before we were born and rarely leaves her land. She doesn't like to fight. And since Satan Peerages don't fight in Rating Games, if they don't take missions, they can go years without being seen if they want."

"Still," Xenovia crossed her arms in thought. "As exorcists, we needed to study all the Satan's Peerages in case we run into them in the field, as well as all well-known devils and their abilities. That I was never told about her is suspicious."

"It isn't," Sona denied, wanting to end this topic. "Aunty's last mission was years ago. One of her only ones. And the church would not want to talk about it to their younger members."

"Why?"

"I made them look bad."

Sona whirled, eyes lighting up with joy as she caught sight of the familiar woman. The small smile on her face, so rare and precious, lit up Sona's heart.

"Aunty," she said with joy as she hugged the older woman.

"It is good to see you, Sona," her aunt said softly, pulling her tight.

""Whoa."" She heard Issei and Saji say at the same time.

She couldn't blame them, even if she wanted to tell them to stop staring.

Mikasa Ackerman wasn't as voluptuous or sexy as most natural devils, but she was still very pretty. 

With Asian and European mixed features, long black hair, and a body built from training, she fulfilled the image of classical beauty the Japanese had. Her conservative clothing belied the dense muscles and undersold just how deadly the woman really was.

Hers was an intense beauty, unlike the softness of Akeno, Rias or even Serafall. She held herself like a blade, accentuated by her training and form-fitting clothes. Sharp and ready for action. 

The only extraneous ornament on her was the red scarf she never went anywhere without, and even then, it was tucked tight so as not to get caught by enemies.

"Um, they look alike," Asia commented with wonder.

Sona's cheeks burned, embarrassment warring with pride. Sona had always looked up to her sister's Pawn. 

Mikasa's competence, her maturity and grace, and even her confidence, she admired it all. 

Sona was self-aware enough to know that her honorary aunt had been the greatest female role model in her life.

She broke the hug and met her aunt's gaze.

"You've grown again," Mikasa said gently. That was true. Now, Sona was only a few inches, about ten centimetres, shorter than the older woman.

"It is good to see you," Sona said with a small smile. "Did sister find you?"

"I must have missed her," her aunt shook her head. "You know how she is. Especially today."

"You didn't have to tell her about visiting day," Sona said with a light glare. Mikasa must have remembered the date from last year after they had missed it.

"You should not have tried to hide it," her aunt glared right back, but it was softer. Sadder. "Serafall is a bit excitable, but she loves you. Do not lose precious time together because you are embarrassed."

Chastised, Sona reluctantly nodded. Her aunt smiled again and pulled a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Introduce me to your friends?" Mikasa's smile fell to her usual expression of neutrality as she looked over at the gawking students.

"You already know, Akeno," Sona started.

"It is good to see you again, Aunty," Akeno said with a curtsy.

"You look... better," her aunt nodded, looking the Queen up and down.

"Ufufufu, thank you," Akeno giggled, placing a hand on her cheek and idly rubbing it. "I had a bit of a rough wake-up call, I am afraid."

Her aunt didn't say anything, just watching the girl with a critical eye.

"This is my newest pawn, Genshiro Saji," Sona gestured to the boy. He had only been reincarnated recently, and they would have been introduced this summer during the break.

"Pleased to meet you," Saji said as he bowed formally. Sona beamed with pride. Clearly, their etiquette practice had paid off.

"Please take care of Sona," Mikasa nodded, and Sona felt the tip of her ears turn red. She hurried to continue the introductions to distract everyone.

"This is Asia Argentio, Rias' Bishop, Issei Hyoudou, her Rook, and Xenovia Quarta, her newest Knight."

Again, the Pawn didn't say anything, just looking over all three critically. Sona knew she was a woman of few words, except when around those she was close to.

"Nice to meet you, ma'am," Issei said energetically as he bowed. 

Sona noticed, with some schadenfreude, that his bow was far from Saji's in neatness or fluidity.

"Please take care of me," Asia tried to bow at the same time as curtsy and ended up tripping on her own legs. "Uuueee." 

Thankfully, Issei caught her and held her in place as she regained her balance. The teenager held his girlfriend close and seemed lost in each other's eyes for a second.

Xenovia, thank the Satans, saved Sona from having to stare at the happy couple.

"What did you mean when you said you made the church look bad," Xenovia asked. Her aunt evaluated the girl for a long second before answering.

"I was the one that broke up the Holy Sword Project and a few others," she eventually said. "They wanted to deal with it themselves."

"No wonder Kiba likes her," Issei said under his breath as he released Asia. Then he tilted his head as if listening to something.

Her aunt didn't say anything despite hearing the Rook's words. Sona knew she knew of the Knight's crush but hadn't given it much thought. 

Her aunt didn't deal with romance and was likely waiting for Kiba's infatuation to disappear rather than addressing it.

Mikasa didn't really talk about her past. All Sona knew about her aunt's life before Serafall reincarnated her except her unique birth location and the fact she had outlived all her friends and once had a child.

"Ddraig said I should be careful," Issei reported. "He says you're dangerous."

For the slightest second, Sona saw a grimace on her aunt's face as she looked at the boy.

"You are honest," the older woman nodded. "And I am not surprised. I killed the last Red Dragon Emperor."

That got some wide eyes from the group, even Sona.

"How come I never heard of this," the student council president asked.

"It was before you were born," her aunt said with a shrug. "It wasn't a big fight. The Red Dragon Emperor is only dangerous if you give them time to ramp up. I didn't."

"Ddraig wants to know why you finally took the challenge," Issei said, looking at his hand curiously. "They had been trying to get your attention for days. He said you were mad about a tree?"

It was only because of her long familiarity with the woman that Sona noticed the tenseness of her jaw. It made the scar on her cheek more noticeable.

"Something like that," Mikasa said simply.

There was less than a year between Sona's birth and her aunt's reincarnation. A newly reincarnated devil, without magic or a Sacred Gear, had killed last generation's holder of Boosted Gear?

"How did you do it," Sona asked, curious.

It had nothing to do with her inevitable Rating Games against Rias' Peerage.

Sona was all about self-delusions today.

"Surprise," her aunt shook her head. "The fight ended quickly. Only a few people heard of it." 

"Why?" Akeno asked, morbidly curious. 

She, like Sona, knew that getting her aunt angry was almost impossible. Whatever the last holder of Boosted Gear had done must have been vile to actually provoke the Pawn.

"She heard about me and was rampaging around my territory in the human world," Mikasa said, keeping her words short. "She killed the last devil to control the area and didn't like someone else taking over. I didn't care and left her alone. She found where I lived and tried to anger me. She succeeded. She destroyed something she shouldn't. A grave."

Sona shared a look with Akeno. They both knew the Pawn's unique situation, and that story didn't line up. Not when they knew she had been born and died beyond the Gap.

If it was before Sona was born, it must have been right after she was reincarnated. Mikasa wouldn't have known anyone who had died in this world. Her aunt didn't get close to people easily.

Coming to care for someone in less than a year? There was no way.

But at the same time, her aunt looked so sad, so lonely, standing there and touching the scar on her cheek that neither wanted to press.

"Everyone back to class," Sona said instead. "The bell will ring in a few minutes." 

She had told a little white lie to get her sister to leave. Sue her.

"I'll follow you," her aunt said, snapping out of her funk. "Serafall will find us, I'm sure."

Sona twitched and shot a look at Akeno, who nodded.

"Will you be staying for a while," the Queen asked with feigned casualness.

"No. I am visiting today and will return as Serafall's bodyguard for the conference."

Sona read between the lines.

Bodyguard meant babysitter between the two friends. There was a possibility that Gabriel would come from Heaven's faction, and Mikasa was one of the only people Serafall would listen to.

This wasn't the worst outcome, Sona thought. Koneko would have time to get Eren off campus today and again on the conference day. So long as Eren was off premises, Sona's life (read: pride) was safe.

"Ano," Asia said hesitantly in the silence that fell as they walked back to class. "Are you Japanese, Miss? Your hair is really pretty."

"...Thank you. But, no, I am not Japanese. My mother was from the East, though. I got my hair from her." Almost self-consciously, the Pawn ran a hand through her long locks. "And you can call me Mikasa... or Ackerman if you want to use Japanese standards."

"That's German, right," Saji said, eager to show off.

Sona wanted to smack him but held her control. He had no idea how much of a minefield that was for her aunt. Sometimes, she questioned whether or not his friendship with Issei was good. He definitely seemed more interested in girls, rather than his duties, when around the Rook.

"No. I'm not German, either. It's not a secret or anything," Mikasa said, and it was like listening to Eren when they first met. Her voice was dead. Empty. "I'm Eldian. The only Eldian in this world."