Help, I can't stop making new story because i think i got better at writing and wanted to start fresh
This totally doesn't reflect my fear of commitment or anything
Before you read, here's what you can expect from this story:
-Despite being a time travel fic, it WON'T follow the canon's plot. You might think it does for the first 10 chapters, but it doesn't.
-Main characters feel like actual main characters instead of girls waiting to be conquered and completely put on the sidelines in the next arc
-This isn't your standard Peggy Sue fic where nothing has changed and the Issei-named MC just steamrolls through everything. I promise you that much. Even if at first glance it seems like it's going to be another one of those uninspired time travel fic where nothing meaningful actually ever changes; it's not.
-The 'need of the few'. You've read plenty of stories where the MC try so hard to save everyone. This Issei just doesn't care. A 'selfish prick' if you're one of the many.
-It's DxD, but with less one dimensional characters. Including the villains. Asia won't be bland, and I won't force you to automatically like your hated characters, but at the least you can enjoy what they mean to Issei
-Underused characters in the DxD universe. Mainly the females, cuz i know you want them. Tiamat, Griselda, Suzaku, Ingvild, Latia, Bennia, Kiyome, etc. etc. If you can name them, I probably already have plans in store for them.
-Lemons. When necessary and meaningful.
-If you doubt me, don't you know who I am? I'm DanzyDanz. Nice to meet you ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
I wrote Everyday Life with Supernatural Girls, Lucifer, Death's Chosen, and Refugees. Not to talk big, but I kinda know what I'm doing. And I'm well aware of all the mistakes I've done on those stories, and I'll be careful not to repeat any mistakes I've done. Learn from my shit and stuff yo
-More mature, sensible characters, especially those that were made stupid for the sake of slapstick comedy i.e Serafall, Gabriel, Grayfia, Metatron to name a few others... Or Fafnir, the dragon who got contracted with Asia because panties... Haha funnee ecksdee i guess
-Lastly, you won't regret reading this or money back guarantee
Enjoy
Fates Reforged
[Prologue]
When they first met, it was terribly dark.
So like what the Creator probably did at the very beginning, Issei lit up the 'room', complete with an unenthusiastic, "Let there be light."
And so there was light. The abyss surrounding him and the Red Dragon Emperor dissipated completely, eaten away by the power of imagination. It didn't require much more than that; imagination. This meeting place was inside his own mind after all.
Instead of a completely and depressing black space, it was now a grassy field where children would probably roll down the hills and get told off by their mothers for being too adventurous, while their husbands were rolling down next to their children, probably next in the list of the mother's ire. Or the other way around.
Women could do stupid fun too; they just rarely do it to balance out the stupid shit men like him do. And somehow, they couldn't stop themselves from loving these idiots. Him included. Although, looking back, Issei thought that his girls did more stupid shit than him when he was young and stupid to read their flags.
"Hmm?" Two serpent-like emerald eyes opened by the sudden brightness, and widened by the sudden change of his environment. His giant scaly body standing on his two legs as Ddraig glanced around, and finally spotted his 'partner'.
"You?" Though his facial muscles were far inferior to humanoids and the like, Issei could tell his loyal companion was raising an eyebrow at him.
"Me." He replied, throwing in an obligatory hand wave.
The Crimson Dragon Emperor lowered his neck and body, now fully on all four, as he studied his partner up close. Appearance wise, nothing much had changed. Before him was still the same 17 year old boy, but Ddraig could tell something wasn't quite… no, not right. Right meant the boy was right to begin with.
Something wasn't quite wrong.
First off, they had never met.
Unless he was dreaming himself, then there shouldn't be any human out there who could stand before a Dragon the size of a skyscraper and hail them like he was just a giant gecko with wings. No… This boy wasn't Hyoudou Issei… His host shouldn't possess enough power or the will or even the insight to be aware of his presence within his soul, let alone summoning him to a meeting.
He bared his teeth. Was this all just a mind trick? "Who are you."
"Chill out dude." Issei raised both his hands, taking a seat down on the patch of soft green grass. "It's still me, Hyoudou Issei. You're probably thinking I'm lying through my teeth, but honest to god; I ain't. You can ask… Well… Dunno who you can ask right now. Ophis, probably. Or Great Red… Not sure if they'll remember me here though… But I'm pretty sure I can convince Ophis."
His eyes broadened one more level. "The Ouroboros Dragon Ophis? And Great Red? How did you even know of their names? Just yesterday you are fooling around in your school as per the ordinary, doing nothing good with your two idiotic accomplices—"
"Hey don't talk shit about my pals." Issei tossed a pebble into Ddraig's gigantic head, dealing zero damage as the rock just bounced off. "I know they're idiots, but they're my idiots."
"...You clearly know something that I don't."
"Heh heh, and that annoys you, doesn't it Drakey? Wanna know what else I know? I know that you're still a baby… in dragon years, at least."
"Wh— how did you know?! Who supplied you with this information?!"
"You did." He replied, his smirk turning to a smile. "About some time within the next year."
Ddraig blinked, completely at a loss, and slowly sat down like a dog sitting on its hind legs. "What else do you know? Make me believe that you came from where I think you are."
"Yes, idiot, I'm my future self coming back to be… well… myself." Issei muttered. "But fine. I also know that you accidentally melted Tiamat's Giant Golden Goose Egg at one point because you and your equally simple-minded rival couldn't stop fighting like an abusive couple who never get enough of each other."
"You dare to insult a Dragon Empero—"
Ddraig raised his entire body, casting a gigantic shadow upon his host who didn't move an inch and instead showed him a very annoyed look, and was so completely without fear that Ddraig had to take a spit take and got a bit nervous himself despite Issei's size was just the length of one claw.
"A baby Dragon Emperor who didn't know better. And yes. I do dare. Now sit back down you moron, and admit what you did back then caused so much shit to the Underworld a.k.a. Hell that you two cut off their numbers in half and probably more."
Ddraig reluctantly lowered himself on all fours again. "But we are—"
"No buts. I don't care who you were or are. You two murdered fathers and mothers and sons and daughters. Those lives lost was just an afterthought for you, is that what you're saying?"
"But he's my eternal riva—"
"You have a rival. How nice! But who gives a shit other than you! Just because you two wanna punch each other to oblivion doesn't mean you're instantly justified to outright murder everyone else."
"They interfered our batt—"
"They were at war!" Issei threw his hands out of frustration. "You think God could just hit 'pause' and put the war on hold? Or the Satans just walk up to the Grigori Generals and negotiate another date for the battle or just count it as a stalemate? No! Because you two were going to ruin Hell! Not cool man!"
Ddraig never cried, but he felt like he wanted to. None of his previous hosts had ever addressed his past like this… let alone scold him for it.
"...W-well? What's your problem with it?"
"Everything!"
"Wh— that's unreasonable!"
"Well what you did was unreasonable!" Issei said vehemently, like a father scolding their children. Except this child was a skyscraper-sized Dragon. "Look. For the sake of not spoiling you what's your future is like, let's just say that the shit you did back then caused a lot, a lot of major fucking problems with a capital P for the Three Major Factions, that it makes Akeno's depressing childhood and severe daddy issues a sitcom."
Ddraig tilted his head to the right. "Akeno? The Smiling Devil?"
"She's not the point. The point is; you and I had so much to do together in the future, buddy ol' pal. So much charities to attend, so much people wanting to be saved, and so much version of Generic Evil Organizations Murder. Inc. that kept popping up for no good goddamn reasons that neither of us can ever catch a breath."
Suddenly, the young boy in front of him looked like he had aged ten years as he sprawled down, lying completely on his back, staring at the blue skies he imagined.
"...That was genuine frustration. If you know that much, then I suppose you really are from the future… simply because I can't think of any other explanation for it."
"I swear, dude. It's me. You're the only dude I need to have trust in me." Issei sighed. He knew his Draconic companion could be a bit thick in the head sometimes, but boy if it didn't grind his gears. Then again, he wouldn't be called the Boobies Dragon Emperor if it wasn't for him, so Issei counted it as even.
Ddraig took a moment, thinking, thoughtful, studying his host's expression that had never changed, and too real for a mere 17 years old to be pretending.
"Look." Issei restarted. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to shout at you. I'm not always prickly like this I swear. Just... fed up with things."
"...Very well. You were the first person to ever scold me... and... I don't know what this feeling is, but I believe you." He decided, and a small smile formed on his host. "I still want to know how you came back to the past."
"Technically, this is the present now." Issei began, and Ddraig gave him his fullest attention. "Whatever happened in my timeline is now erased. Zilch. Nada. It either hasn't happened yet or never gonna happen because I did something to stop it from happening. Butterfly effect and stuff. I think."
"You didn't answer the question."
Issei shot an annoyed glance. "I'm getting to it."
"...Wow. Grew some temper didn't you…"
"...Ye. Evidently." The man with the appearance of a boy let out a sigh only tired adults possessed. "Sorry 'bout that. My brain's small but I got a lot of emotions going rampant. I'll put on by big boy pants sooner than later."
"You admitted your wrongs... at the least." Ddraig muttered, looking into himself. A bit ashamed that he couldn't do the same.
"We had everything, you know. Our name goes from the Realm of the Dead to Mount Olympus. Everywhere we go, people recognize us instantly and ask for photographs and autographs. Any chipped pieces of our armor got auctioned to fund orphanages… But we felt like neither of us had the time to enjoy anything anymore."
Ddraig let out a low growling sound as he hummed. "Hrmm… Was I made aware of it?"
"Dude. You're like the only real friend I have and still able to talk to, since, well, we can't be separated."
"How far from the future are you? If your fame transcends even Realms, then surely you would have a spouse or two… And children."
" 'course I do. Wives and kids who I only got to see once a year. Once. Not to talk big, but that's literally how dependent the world is to us."
"...With great power there must also come great responsibility. I may not be in a place to tell you that considering what I've done but... If not us, then who?"
"Yeah, right." Issei scoffed. "Do you know what I think about that goddamn adage? A fucking grade-A bullshit saying made by people who refuses to get up from their asses and try to find alternatives other than having to relying on one goddamn dude who just wants to bang his wives and watch their children grow up."
"...How old were you again?"
"23."
The Dragon's eyes nearly fell off. "Twenty-three?! You're still that young and yet your bitterness exceeds that of an Elder Dragon?!"
"Hey man. Name any twenty-three year old that has to fight Evil Gods or Dragons or insane Sacred Gear users on an hourly basis. That kind of thing probably excitest you, but even you get tired of it. You said our life has become a cycle you found impossible to enjoy. In fact, you're the one who proposed this whole idea."
"...Point taken." Ddraig nodded. If a battle-maniac like him would say such unthinkable things, then surely it was severely bad. "You still haven't said how you got here."
"Oh. Well we talked to Ophis and Red."
"We're… acquainted with them?!"
"Friends." Issei corrected. "The Ouroboros Dragon is actually just infinitely lonely. Yes, yes, very sad. As for Red… He's sorta… Good acquaintance of ours, I'd say. Anyway, even with all our powers combined, it's only possible to send one soul back, and since your soul is still stuck inside a relic, we agreed to send my soul back. It was… what, ten minutes ago? Then when I came to, I realized I was dreaming, and you were here… and now we're having this weird conversation. You following me so far?"
Ddraig duly nodded, showing his attention.
"Good. Before I got sent back, I did make promises. Promises we gotta keep because they're my words, and therefore your obligation as well."
"...How am I included in your commitment…"
"Your future-self agreed on your stead, so if you wanna file a complaint, send it to him." Issei grouched, putting his arms behind his head to act as a headrest. "First off, when possible, we're taking Ophis back, and keep her safe. Make her our friend, and make friends for her. With good people that don't want to use her for evil. And believe it or not, that's the easiest one."
This would be a very trippy dream if Ddraig was dreaming all of it. So he nodded. "...Okay. Is what is difficult is what you promised to Great Red?"
Issei shook his head. "Nah. He didn't ask for anything. Just helped us willy-nilly. Said whatever happens to him, happens. He's cool like that." He smirked. Damn Dragon just wanted to be the coolest. "The difficult one is what I promised to you. Question is, do you wanna know?"
Ddraig took a long pause. "Despite my curiosity… I think… you're the one who should decide whether or not you think I am prepared for it."
"Wow, lumping it all on me again huh? Classic Ddraig… Bet you're thinking you were cool for saying that wise line huh?"
"Th-that's not what I meant nor was it ever my intention!"
Issei gave his partner a tender smile. "I know buddy. I know."
Ddraig felt a funny feeling creeping on his scaly cheek. Embarrassment? Impossible… Dragons couldn't be embarrassed… And embarrassment should feel mortifying, not make him… stop himself from smiling.
"Who else did you make a promise with? Your spouses?"
His smile fell off his face, replaced quickly by a frown. "No. They'll never allow it. I 'mentioned' it casually to one of them when with the short time we had before either of us had to deal with other shit other people couldn't handle themselves. And her reaction was… well, it's like I asked for a divorce. She's not wrong, in a way, I suppose."
"I see… It must be a tough decision. And a boldest one by far. Although, isn't by coming back to your past, you've betrayed the entire world you left behind?"
"Rather betray the world, than let it betray me."
As Issei shifted his head to face him, the expression Ddraig saw baffled him to his core. For what he saw was not a face filled with regret or second-guesses. It was just a simple, weightless smile, filled with nothing but confidence and not a shred of guilt. Closer to a smirk rather than a smile, but the way the boy easily revealed such a guiltless expression was worrying to say the least.
"The older I got, the more I regretted ever wanting to be a hero. Wanted to start it all over again. It's my sanity's chipping day by day because of having to live for the world. I wasn't living for myself. We weren't living for ourselves. The world can suck a fat one for that."
Issei rose himself to his feet, crossing his arms in a casual manner. "Look. I know it's selfish. But it's not like I'm planning to commit evil-unless it's to our braindead enemies-and ruin the whole world. Sure I might have just ditched the people in that version, but you know what? After all the shit I've been through for them? I think it's fair to say they owe me this much, and despite how sociopathic I sound right now; there's no way for me to go back anyway. That future got choked to death, and these are the hands that did it."
Issei wiggled his fingers, the same way he would if there were a pair of breasts in front of him.
"..."
"And don't you chat shit about that, Ddraig. You were with me on this. Right now, you're just not disillusioned by everything to be able to see things from a standpoint of you in the future—which is now the past. Confusing stuff, I know." Issei said, staring at the Dragon without wincing or losing his ground. "But worry less about the future that isn't even here. That future is now the past for me, and we know what other people say about putting too much damn for the past…"
He continued, noting the Dragon's hesitance. "I also could have not said any of this and told you I came back from the future because the future went to shit, so I had to go back to the past so we can stop the Big Bad Evil Guy from ruining it, but that'll be a lie to you. And you're the last entity in all of this goddamn world that I want to lie to."
Ddraig held him in silence. Never had he become this conflicted, but there was a first for everything. Even for Dragons.
"And I'm weak as shit now, thanks to the old me who never participated in anything meaningful and wanked his days off while being a delusional garbage to society. I'm gonna need your help if we want to make sure our future is better than our last one, for our sake and for everyone else around us that we will care about. You're the only guy I could count upon, back then or now… 'cause I do know without you, I'd have been a hopeless nobody just bumbling around. Probably dead, actually... So. The most important question so far for our lives; are you in, or are you out?"
"I'm in." Ddraig said instantly. "I was worried you have turned… evil, in a way, but you told nothing but the truth… And even if you want to do evil, I hold no power against your will. My cooperation isn't necessary for you to master your Sacred Gear. Sacred Gears, even a Longinus, are nothing more than a tool. Most of your predecessors regarded me as nothing more than that. I'm sure you're aware of it."
"...Uhh... this is actually the first time you told me that… but sure! Yay us. Brothers 4 lief."
"Oh." The Dragon's bright green eyes blinked, actually embarrassed now. "W-well I don't need your pity or anything. It's not like I cared about them; they're just pieces of history now. Rather… for the first time ever since you've become my possessor, I feel eager about the future we will shape, Partner."
"Nothing but the greatest among the best, I tell you that much. Buddy." Issei said with an 'ok' hand sign, complete with a cheeky grin. "Uhh… I actually made two promises with you. I won't tell you the crucial one since that's one you made me keep, but I'll tell you the other one…"
Ddraig slanted his giant head to one side. "Which is?"
"I promised you to never let anyone give you stupid titles like 'Breast Dragon Emperor', or 'Titty Dragon', or 'Oppai Doragon' for our Japanese fans and foreign weebs who likes to use the Japenese Romaji because they are weebs, or—"
"STOP, STOP! Wh-what in the name of the damned are you blabbering about?! Who dared to give me a nickname lower than dirt?!"
"Well. The world did."
"Then the world will pay for this insult!"
"Whoa chill. The 'world' hasn't given you shit. Hasn't happened yet, remember?"
Gradually, Ddraig calmed down, seeing Issei's point and finding solace in the fact that it was not a certain future. "...But to think they would dare to belittle me with such epithets… What was the cause of it? How could they besmirch my honor as the Crimson Dragon Emperor?"
"Right? Who would do such a thing… How embarrassing. It's almost like you were stuck with a boy whose whole life decision was controlled by his penis."
Ddraig paused, realizing.
The culprit could be standing before him.
"...It… It couldn't have been you… right?"
"Technically, it's the past, past me who did it sooo… According to my flawless logic, I am completely guilt free. Unless of course I did the same thing the past me did and give you those embarrassing nicknames just to see you suffer—"
Then their world shook, trembling as though an earthquake had invaded their dreamland as an almighty voice echoed;
"WAKE UP! WAKE UP! SHEESH MASTER, IF YOU DON'T WAKE UP, I WILL KISS YOU!"
"HYOUDOU ISSEI!"
"Oopsie, look at the time! It's time for schewl! Talk to you later buddy ol' pal~!"
"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH—"
And Ddraig's scream of agony remained, as his host had left him in his dream, casting him away to the depths of his soul where the Dragon's soul had to stay and sit still like a good boy.
[Chapter 1]
||Back to the Start||
The first thing Issei felt was the drastic loss of his power. No longer could he bend steel by a mere flick of his fingers, no longer able to fly, no longer able to cast giant laser while screaming a made-up name at the top of his lungs, no longer able to see through the dark, no longer able to do many things he would be able to do without breaking a sweat if he was still his past-future-self.
And it was worth it.
By the gods it was worth it.
He would probably regret his decision later on, but to hell with future problems. He lived in the past that had become the present, and he didn't plan on wasting it by moping about what he did. Perhaps he had become a bit more of a cynic, but he still had the general optimism that things could always be much worse.
And right now, as he was being chased by the furious mob of Kendo Girls through the track field, he was laughing his heart out.
"Whaddafuck is wrong with you?! Why are you laughing right now?!" On his right, the bald Matsuda yelled at him. "Did you get hit in the head?!"
"They say only a man who has lost everything can laugh in the face of a certain death…" The actually-pretty-smart Motohama muttered wisely, still running.
"Oh I lost everything alright." Issei replied, suddenly halting himself to a full stop, skidding as dust billowed from his running shoes.
His two compatriots slowed their pace, but nonetheless still moved ahead of him.
It couldn't be… Matsuda's eyes widened as the realization hit him. "ISE YOU MORON— Why are you stopping!?"
"You don't have to do this man!" Motohama joined in as he too, became aware of his friend's obvious intent to sacrifice himself, and take on all the rage of the Kendo girls on his own. "We could still make it if we stick together! No need to put yourself on the line!"
"My friends…" Issei sported a smile. A 'cool guy smile' all sacrificial characters make when they know their script is over. "Leave 'em to me. Live prosper and long for me, and remember my name."
He lifted his right hand, and gave his boys a thumb's up.
"ISE YOU FUCKER!"
"Forget it Matsuda!" Motohama grabbed his bald friend just in time before he turned direction, holding him in place as the force of evil didn't relent in their chase, moving closer and closer to their brother in arms. "This is his choice to make! We can't fucking take it away from him!"
"...Yeah seriously. We should bail." Matsuda dropped their dramatic act as he knew the danger was very very imminent. He knew he wasn't planning to receive another hit to his family jewels. "We won't forget this Ise! Next ramen house is my treat!"
Issei nodded with a triumphant smile, knowing his sacrifice wouldn't be in vain.
Of course, he didn't just plan to ruin his future by having his balls broken by a wooden practice sword. As the girls surrounded him, closing his exit, he first took notice of how his body had performed. He might not be as strong anymore, but he still had battle experience with various creatures from various mythologies that could put a veteran hero to shame. His body might have forgotten, but his mind remembered.
Still, confronting a whole battalion was a sure way to send him to the infirmary and thus ruining his plan for the rest of the day.
"Hah… hah… you're a brave man, Hyoudou..." The brunette captain of the Kendo Team stepped forward from the mob of the girls, stepping into the makeshift arena created by their bodies.
Speaking of bodies, out of the Kendo squad, Murayama held the firmest pair of breasts. Fitting, for she was their captain. Not that it had anything to do with it.
Like it was mentioned before; his memories remembered.
"But don't you think you can escape your punishment by being brave."
" 'course not, Murayama-san." Issei lifted his empty palms. The girls instinctively backed away from him, as if in fear they would get the reverse-cooties. '...Damn, I forgot I was this bad.' Oh well. An advantage for him. "Which is why I'm here… to negotiate the terms of my release."
"Terms of your release— you think you can get away from this?! How many times have you peeped on us?!"
"Probably a lot more than the time you had us caught." And somehow he was never expelled by the ever-strict Sona Sitri. Gee. Wonder why. "But wait! Before you take a swing, let me say something… Think about it… why are we risking our life biweekly when we live in the age of technology? We can just google boobies and 'lo and behold, unfiltered mommy milkers without the danger of being clubbed to death."
Murayama blinked, then pointed her wooden sword on his head. "...Get to the point here, Hyoudou. What're you implying here..."
"The point is… someone might be paying us. And might be paying us good money for a single picture… An amount of dosh that makes us consider our life is worth throwing away… Because we might be owing another person big money… forcing us to become the way we are now; as three shameless perverts."
"...Really…?" Murayama lowered her weapon, looking a bit concerned now that her classmate might have been living under the shadow of a loan shark. "How much money do you owe?"
"Huh? None. I said 'might', didn't I? I was just making up stuff so my boys can get away further before you can go after them."
"..."
The silence was as if someone had been murdered. Probably him, in the next few seconds as the girls' sympathy had been cruelly shot down by his own honesty.
"Alright then. Not only did you peek without reason you also toyed with my feelings. This is the day you die, Hyoudou Issei."
Issei shrugged. "So it would seem. Especially since I'm gonna get mobbed by you girls. Do I get any chances? I'm not armed with any weapons, I don't want to hurt girls," unless they were bad and rotten to the core, "so if you girls just ganged up on me it's kinda… dishonorable is it…? Totally not the way of the bushido and stuff."
"Yeah? And what do you think we should do? Just let you off scot-free?" One of the girls in the back yapped.
A fair point, to be honest.
"I can't believe I'm saying this… but no matter how vile you are, you are sacrificing yourself for your friends… and credit where credit's due… that is still an act at least respectable enough. Even from you."
"Sweet." Issei smiled. "So… Can I go?"
"Of course not."
His smile faded as quickly as it appeared earlier. "Oh."
"We're still going to hit you, but I'll give you a chance. There's around twenty girls here, but if you can take on everything I throw at you… let's say… One minute? You're free to try and dodge me, but if you get hit just once, we'll continue with our previous punishment and that is to beat you half to death."
"B-But Captain!"
"No buts! A victory where you defeat the defenseless is not a victory worth remembering! And have some faith in me! I'm your Captain, aren't I?"
The girls squealed. "Of course! You're so cool Capn'!"
Issei breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness Murayama watched too many Samurai-themed movies… Things could have gotten really ugly. He probably would have ended up really ugly too if covered in bruises.
"Even if the defenseless is a perv?" A girl with short pink hair spoke up. For a girl with a kind personality as long as you didn't piss her off by saying you could play tic-tac-toe on her forehead, Katase actually packed a mean swing and was quite bloodthirsty herself. At least Murayama had her honor thing going on for her…
"Even if the defenseless is a perv!" Murayama said firmly with finality. "And we will each come to him one on one! Kendo is a noble sport, not a gang bang."
"Heh. Gangbang... This one's the reverse one. And not in a good way." Issei muttered quietly, then noticing they were glaring daggers at him. "Sorry, I'll be quiet now."
"Well then girls… make some space." Murayama commanded, and the rest obeyed, enlarging the pit where they wouldn't get hit by a stray swing.
She pointed her sword again at the culprit. "No running away, Hyoudou. We're giving you a chance. Don't waste it by betraying us."
"Yep. I cross my heart. I might be a perv but I ain't no pussy."
"We'll see about that…" Murayama muttered as she readied her sword, firmly holding her wooden weapon. "I'll be your first."
"Please be gentle."
He prepared himself, adopting a self-defence stance, aligning his hands to the height of his chest, palms open like he was planning to catch or deflect, face exposed, feet on heel, and his toe and shoulder a width apart. While he could fight back and severely damage them as his improvised fighting stance didn't require much training as long as he executed it properly, which he would, this wasn't about that.
This was to see if his body could keep up with his mind, and if not, to what extent. He couldn't hit as hard as his strength was pathetic, but dodging should still be in his area of expertise.
"Ha-aaat!" A direct assault. Murayama put one step forwards and lunged with her sword jabbing straight to his nose, intending to knock him out.
An intention Issei was thankful for, since that would spare him from the rest of the girls' anger, but getting hit at first strike would defeat the point. So Issei took one step back and watched the white tip of the sword hang just inches from his nose.
Taken by surprise, Murayama's eyes widened as she retracted her sword, straightening herself back.
"...That was well-reacted…" She muttered. "I thought that was a sure hit. Not many can dodge my first attack like that."
"Really? Sure you didn't just screw up?"
"...I take that back, and I'll make you as well..!"
Her movement, trained as she was, was easy to read. He just didn't have as much time to react as he was a human boy with the experience of a World Guardian - a made up title to make him feel good given by 'the world'. Whatever that meant.
She swung horizontally from his right side. He tucked his head and upper body under it like the way a boxer would avoid a hook, quickly leap-stepping to the right to avoid Murayama's follow up attack; a downward strike that hit the air.
Having fought with people with fancy swords, Issei took the one glaring weakness they sometimes have; they couldn't do much with their sword if he got in too close.
So he did exactly just that.
Slowly, but surely, as he continued to dodge Murayama's swings, he slowly made his way to her. Realizing this, the Kendo Club Captain mitigated his advance by stepping back. For each forward step he took, she took one step backward, some slightly to her left or right so she wouldn't be backed against the live wall.
The sixty seconds were nearly over without Murayama ever landing a hit and trying to regain distance to strike with her sword. Frustration and confusion started to settle, and her finesse was getting weakened by both fatigue and annoyance. Her white shirt was slowly getting dusty by the amount of sand that was kicked up.
"Haah… haah…" She breathed, halting her assault to catch her breath. This wasn't right… All his moves were efficient and wasted no more energy than necessary. In contrast to her, he looked perfectly fit, albeit with a bit of sweat on his cheek.
'This body isn't as half-bad as I thought…'
{That was splendidly done, Partner.} Ddraig complimented.
'Oh? You can talk to me like this again now? Sweet. I wonder if I can still mute you...'
{W—} Ddraig was muted. And unmuted. {...So you can sever our link already… I really wonder how strong you were before.}
'Pretty heckin strong, dude. One sneeze and an entire mountain is gone.' Issei said, and Ddraig couldn't tell if it was a joke or a simple truth. 'Anyway, be right back. Here she comes again.'
Shouting her kiai, essentially a battlecry term for Kendo, to pump herself up as if shouting it could make her strike harder or more accurately, Murayama leapt in for another downward attack to his head. As she made her very linear slash, Issei shifted to his side and closed in on her like a bull.
The surprise was successful, and Murayama moved back in an instant, only to lose her footing on the uneven ground and fell backward.
But Issei caught her wooden sword, one she was still gripping onto tightly, halting her fall as he pulled on it, putting his free arm around her back. Like a modified version of a tango dip where instead of a hand, it was a wooden sword with a circular blade.
Several audible gasps were made.
And in Murayama's face of shock and bewilderment, and the creeping red hot blush that was starting to conquer her cheeks, an image of Rias Gremory's blushing face flashed in his mind.
That would be nice. He did plan on redeeming himself for all the missed hints that were thrown at him during his early life as a Devil. How he could be denser than a black hole was anyone's guess, but he wasn't going to break their hearts this time. Not again.
"H-H-H-Hyoudou?" On Murayama's part, her heart was trying to jump out of her chest, which didn't make sense to her. This must be because he was a man… yes. A boy. He was just a boy and nothing more, and she was only flustered because he was the opposite member of her sex, who was also a massive pervert. Yes… that's it. Nothing more. Absolutely nothing more. So why couldn't she maintain eye contact with him?
"Guess I failed." Issei said, sobering up and helping Murayama get back onto her feet and unhanding her sword without even thinking about it. His flash of sadness wasn't caught by anyone present. He kicked the ground in a very mature display of expressing disappointment. "Dangit— I was doing so well!"
"..."
The Kendo members exchanged quiet glances among themselves, before Katase spoke up, "...C-Captain?"
"..."
Without a noise, they realized the fact that their captain and leader was frozen in place and face completely beet red was a very, very, very horribly bad omen. And though they hated to admit it; his performance and the glamorous finish was something some of the girls had sometimes daydreamed about. No one truly expected they would witness a live reenactment of their daydream, and be performed by the Captain they adored and the Pervert they despised.
"...What…? Quit staring at me like that and get on with it." Issei said, resigning to his fate as he closed his eyes. While it wasn't within his plan to be sent to the infirmary, he didn't mind making several adjustments if things didn't go as planned. A good plan is a flexible plan, as he believed, since that way the plan never truly fails, only different degrees of success.
Murayama straightened herself. "I-I-I refuse to count that! That's not a swing I made and you were holding me back from a fall! Consider yourself lucky, Hyoudou, I refuse to take hollow victories."
"Yeah well… I mean he did dodge everything you threw at him for a whole minute…" Katase said quietly, not really wanting to be heard. "But can't we take one hollow victory? Just once? Just this time?"
"Eeeehh… Katase-chan, that's not fair for him." A girl argued.
And the rest started to follow. "Are we going against Captain's words? I don't wanna do that…"
"But he's—"
As the girls bickered amongst themselves, Issei opened his eyes. He had stopped listening for quite a bit and now wondering what the hell was the damn holdup.
"So… Am I staying or what."
"...You can go… But the next time we catch you peeping again—"
"Yeah don't worry." He slinked past the girls who ruefully gave in. "Won't get caught next time. C'ya sword nerds!"
"Wh— why you!"
And before they could think of chasing him again, Hyoudou Issei had made his greatest escape yet. For this second life?, at least. Was it considered as a second life? He doubted that. He retained his memories and he didn't die or get hit by a truck. He didn't want to completely reshape his future either. He might even go ahead and explore the roads he didn't take, while keeping in mind that the results must stay desirable. Because that was what this was all about; taking or avoiding responsibilities to make his future less jampacked with bullshit 'save the world' jobs.
And if fate dared to try and mess with him, he swore to make her his bitch.
Just like Raynare, who had been waiting for his arrival by the school gate, steadily losing her patience, unaware that she was on course to make the worst mistake of her life.
To be continued...
Yes, it isn't the first time travel fic, but I swear it's different. It won't even follow the canon dxd storyline because that's what's Issei's trying to prevent here
If you don't like his character or feel like "WTF HE'S A FUCKING SOCIOPATH", give it a time. You'll understand why he's bitter, and if you're able to put yourself in his place, you'd have done the same. And don't worry, he's not going to break down every 5 chapters. He's an adult in his younger body, not the other way around
Anyway. Review plox. Hit that follow button. I want this to be my most popular story, beating everything i've written before, because I'm that confident in this.