I updated yesterday and already my fic got booted out of the front page in under 24h. Wtf? I thought this fandom is supposed to be dead? Stay dead goddammit, the new season hasn't even been announced yet ( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡° ) Edit: nvm i was blind
New Story Cover because y not
This one's a more lighthearted and, dare I say, mellow chapter. Esp compared to last one's chaos. Chaos is fun and all, but this story's meant to be a heartwarming one.
You'll see why soon enough, so grab your blankets, your milk, pillow, ease up and enjoy
Highschool DxD
[Chapter 3]
|| A Misfit Out of Water ||
The lunch bell rang and the students cheered with joy for their torture had been put on hold.
And Roygun wasted no time in packing her stuff because she, too, enjoyed stuffing her stomach with good food, and was not one of the overcommitted teachers who plow through an entire chapter of a material in one study session. She knew students couldn't cram all subjects in their head. Not even the teachers could do that. Well. Except for Rossweisse, but she was a freak. Roygun wouldn't be surprised if that valkyrie had two brains.
As she stretched her hands, yawning and groaning effortlessly sexy, giving the boys a just reward for listening to her and not screwing around as much, Roygun gave the entire class one last glance. Particularly at the new transfer students.
Serafall Sitri had already made herself the center of attention and seemed to be relishing in it, answering some of the risque questions from the class cambion and the succubus pair. As expected from being an idol-actress-thing, whatever the kids called it. Roygun doubted she had to worry about Sona's older sister for settling in, although her arrival was indeed, shocking, and in the eleventh hour too. She registered and enrolled on this very day, in fact. Whether Sona Sitri was made aware of her arrival was still one to be seen.
It appeared The Pit had gained themselves another energetic twin-tail, just less tomboy and more girly. Not that Class 4-A was lacking in the girly department, but it was the class with most tomboys in it. Shidou Irina, Erika Chiba, Meguri Tomoe, and positively that new dullahan Xenovia Quarta.
As for her, Roygun was a little hesitant to trust the female dullahan to the Circus Runner, more so since he didn't seem to have found out Xenovia was a girl with a tightly wrapped chest. Not good for one's health and Roygun was entirely against the idea, but as it was dullahan's custom and their body was sturdier than most thanks to their heritage, there was little the school nurse could do.
What kind of trouble would Issei bring her to, she idly wondered… Although, in spite of everything, Hyoudou Issei was a generally good student. Disturbingly adept at reading people's emotions and comfortableness, and quick to apologize if he overstepped a line. He was a creepy pervert during his first year at school, and it took him a while to get rid of that reputation, but he had more than redeemed himself by practically making everyone who spent five minutes with him laugh along with him at something.
Other than his wide sense of humor, he had never gotten himself into fights. He broke up plenty, rather, because he was friends with both wannabe fighters and had them made up on the spot, and brought the guys to a ramen shop to give him a treat. A bit of a tease, but nothing too far. Everyone had a bit of a tease in them, they just didn't know it. Just as everyone is a pervert in one way or another, underneath all their modesty and fake innocence.
Except for Ingvild 'Vivi' Leviathan, who was happy just to feel belonged.
Hyoudou Issei was academically average, at most but no one's a perfect student. Even Himejima Suzaku, the Class genius, had trouble making friends her age and was a sheltered kid who kept mostly to herself, especially when Rias or Akeno were busy with their club activities. It wasn't until this year where she stayed behind and became part of The Pit, the Vermillion Bird finally learned how to smile and relax. No doubt being near Tobio and Natsume had a major role in warming up and melting her ironically ice queen demeanor, but Roygun believed the entire class played their part.
The Pit might have a notorious reputation with the teachers, but even so, none of them could deny that it was the class where everyone felt like they were part of a family.
And for an unexpectedly heartwarming reason too.
With that in mind, Roygun left the class, and entrusted the New Kid to her new date. She wished the two nothing but the best — not that Roygun would ever say that aloud. She was their strict and devilish substitute homeroom teacher. Having a semi-parental-like bond with the kids was Rossweisse's job, not hers.
Speaking of the New Kid, Issei didn't wait to get Xenovia acquainted with the class by giving her a quick tour around with everyone who hadn't yet left for the school cafeteria.
"And these two sloths are Kuroka and Bikou," Issei then gestured his hand as if to present the two assholes, one was planning to taking a quick cat nap since the lunch break lasted an hour, while the latter was just about to raid the canteen, stopping only because Issei was there with the new kid.
"Queen Flirt and Butt-of-the-Jokes Bikou," continued Issei, causing Kuroka to give the New Kid a playful wink whilst Bikou seemed like he was about to throw something at Issei. "The Cat and the Monki. Which one's the cat is pretty easy to tell since she has those big ears the size of her face. Bikou's called the Monkey because he's Sun Wukong's descendant… Believe it or not… And he can climb a tree to get down a stuck ball in a snap, so he's got that going for him… Don't stay near them too much if you don't wanna catch the fleas."
Kuroka didn't lift her head from her arms, but she did lift one hand to flip him the bird.
"O-Oh. Hello." Although disturbed by these clear violations of the social norms taught in her old school, Xenovia assumed this was how 'normal' schools operated. She then bowed her head, in a somewhat awkward, stiff manner. "How do you do? I'm Xenovia Quarta."
"Yo, Bikou," Bikou gave the dullahan an upward nod. The casual greeting for all men without necessarily being friends with one another. That said, the Monkey King progeny had better things to do. Things like ensuring he wouldn't starve. "I'd stay but I'm starving man. Hey Lilim! Wait for me!" he shouted to the only black-haired girl in the class, who hung by the door to wait for the monkey.
Then Bikou scanned the room like a monkey looking around for predators. "Where's Kaz?"
"Already left. Dude's got a new girlfriend. Second year. Some wizard kid apparently."
Bikou raised his brows. "No shit? I thought he was dating Darkness."
"Still is."
"...He dates the darkness?" Xenovia muttered quietly, puzzled once again by this class' creatures.
Luckily she had Issei to set her straight. "No, no. It's a nickname. You remember the blonde girl, ponytail, sitting next to our seat with another guy? Less-handsome than me, shorter, and normally has a grin on his face."
As she was perceptive —at least she liked to see herself as such—, Xenovia quickly recognised the girl he meant.
"Yeah. Her name is… Uh… What was it again?"
Being stared at for help, Bikou fumbled his words as he scrambled his memories. "Erh— uh… Something-Ford… Latina? I dunno man. Fuckin' royal vampires and their long ass names..."
Issei chuckled, and his chuckle turned into a snort as he saw Xenovia's look of disapproval. Quite the stiff dwarf dullahan, isn't he? "Right. Yeah. Well, maybe we'll run into her."
"Fuck. He's got two already? Can't believe I'm being left behind by fucking Kaz…"
"Aren't you close with Isabela?"
"What? 4-B demon?"
"Short spiky brown hair, wears a mask and crop tops all the time even in winter. Stacked as hell."
"Nahhh…" Bikou waved his hand dismissively, laughing at the rumor. "We just go to places together. Girl's got a good vibe and don't bully me like this friggin cat... What, you fancy her? Want me to introduce you?"
'Because she's into you, you monkey-brain.' Issei took a moment to wish Isabela all the luck in the world to finally break this monkey's thick skull.
"Nah," Issei instead said, wisely staying out of his friend's density lest he caught it. At least Bikou was still the gentleman, unlike Saji that was nowhere to be found. Possibly begging Momo for forgiveness.
"Hey, Monkey! Hurry it up!"
And Lilim's shout marked the end of their conversation.
"Sec!" Bikou shouted back, looking back at the jester. "You comin'?"
"You go on ahead," Issei told him, placing a hand over Xenovia's unexpectedly floofy wavy hair, failing to notice the light blush coloring the dullahan's pale cheeks. "Someone's gotta give the Rookie his tour. Unless he's already hungry, that is."
"N-No," Xenovia stammered, clearing her throat. "I'm fine. I've had breakfast."
"Welp. See ya later then." Bikou smiled a snide smile. "Every bit the Class Rep eh?"
And Issei scowled. That day of betrayal was forever seared in the annals of his memories. "Screw you, by the way. Traitor."
"Bikou! Leave me hanging any longer and I'll fucking eat you for lunch!"
"Yea! Yea—, the whole class voted for you, Prez," laughed Bikou as he strided away, leaving the clown to his devices as he rejoined the succubus, then getting kicked in the shin the next instant as his cry could be heard from where Issei stood.
As she watched her classmate leave the room with another flock of classmates, Xenovia peered back to the Black Cat who had already buried her face in her arms.
"Is… Is she alright? Does she lack sustenance?"
Issei nearly failed to keep himself from snorting, but he managed. Kuroka, on the other hand, had lifted her face back up to display her facetious grin.
"Sustenance… Why, I see one standing right before me nyan~" she purred, half-lidded cat eyes staring at the Fresh Meat. "You smell nice."
Xenovia, being Xenovia, and mostly unaware of 'needless' things such as flirting and play on words, took the flirt as a compliment. "Thank you. I believe good grooming and cleanliness is essential to enjoy a good life."
"You're cute," Kuroka hummed. "If you're a girl I would've gobbled you up. Although I don't mind cute boys from time to time…"
Noting the growing concern on his junior's face as the dullahan seemed to have no available stock response for this kind of social situation, Issei bailed him out. "Alright you headpat-slut, quit bullying the Rookie."
"Fine, fine… If you're leaving, get me a hojicha-nya. Hot."
"If I don't have to wait, sure."
"Thanks. Love you."
"Love you too."
Kuroka yawned as Issei led her prey away. Not having enough energy stored, more so in this damned cold weather, the Black Cat simply snoozed her break away. A good nap was every bit a better investment than walking down three floors, complaining and groaning about the school not having an elevator like the university building, just to get to the cafeteria.
Mid-way out of the class, Xenovia glanced up at her sherpa. She felt a bit self-conscious to only be as tall as his shoulders, but she quickly kicked that weakening notion away. "..She's not going to eat?"
"She's a nekomata. Err—- nekoshou. Cat spirit-person. Just like cats, she doesn't eat much. Her sister, on the other hand… Well. Let's just say not all nekoshou eat like a bird."
"...Earlier she said she wishes to 'gobble' me up… Does that mean she's threatening me?"
"No, you innocent bastard, you. By that, she meant the other thing."
"...She's going to eat me?"
"More or less." Issei simply laughed. "But no. Especially when the nights are getting colder, she brings people to her room. Only girls, so far, so she can sleep with them. In the most literal way before you're getting any pervy ideas. She spoils them, pillowtalk them, potentially stroke their ears if they have any, until they fall asleep in her arms."
"I heard of this activity; a sleepover? Right? The activity you do with your friends to strengthen your bond."
"Yep," Issei blandly nodded, smiling at this walking thesaurus. "If you can't tell, she loves keeping herself warmer."
Xenovia glanced back at the frivolous cat, and did note that her winter coat was the thickest compared to the rest of the pupils here.
"Aaaand she's got a bit of a doting older sister issues, you see… Her little sister has grown up too much to not get embarrassed when she gets touchy-feely with her, so Kuroka just nabs anyone that doesn't refuse her spoiling. She doesn't mean any harm.… Most of the time anyway."
"...I see…" Xenovia wasn't entirely sure what any of that meant, especially with that vague addition at the end of his sentence. For the time being, she resolved to never lower her guard anywhere around the Black Cat.
"She sometimes helps out at a daycare. Usually on Wednesday. Watamelon Daycare, if you've heard of it. The mascot is a chibi sheep-girl wearing a watermelon helmet."
Xenovia gasped, recognizing the mental picture. "That's where my mother works! I thought it was an orphanage?"
"It's both," Issei said. "But what a coincidence, eh? I used to work part-time there two years ago, buuuut I realized I wasn't great with kids."
"Me neither," the dullahan admitted sheepishly. "I don't understand why they are always screaming or crying when they aren't sleeping."
"Yea sometime you just wanna put them to sleep."
Xenovia worryingly stared at Issei.
"I'm kidding. You, me both then. Some people are just not made to handle kids, y'know?" Issei sniggered. "Hey, let's pay a visit sometime. Screw around with Kuro a bit. She's almost immune to teases, you see, and that grinds my gear a bit."
"...Screws…? Do you require bolts? And I'm a decent mechanic, if you need any help."
"...Leeeet's not worry about that… But thanks."
And thus, her impromptu tour continued, as Issei led her to a group of girls currently marauding their new idol and already squealing over some hot gossip or girly stuff like that.
"And these are the banshees," he interrupted the flow of their conversation as Issei brought up the New Kid alongside him, currently looking up at him with stark confusion in his sunflower yellow eyes. "Because they shriek and squee a lot at every little thing."
Said 'banshees' glared at him in unison, but their glares melted away when they spotted the New Kid, currently standing next to Issei and appearing smaller than he actually was since Issei was fairly tall.
"Good morning," Xenovia dipped her head in a curtsy. "I'm Xenovia Quarta. I hope we may get along well."
"We'll get along well alright," the cambion, Aika Kiryuu, whirred in her casually seductive tone. "Aika Kiryuu. Angel."
"Lies!" Irina immediately chirped. "She's a cambion! Don't listen to her and always take her words with a grain of salt. The entire shaker if you have to."
"You never let me have any fun," Kiryuu whined playfully, then just as playfully glanced at the New Kid. "I see you're already getting pretty chummy with our Class Prez hm? Watch yourself; you already have plenty of competition— ow!"
Irina pretended she hadn't kicked Kiryuu's leg under the table. "Hello! Hey! I'm Shidou Irina. I'm the half-angel here, not her. I can prove it to you; I have wings."
"And I'm her long-lost twin sister! And I also have wings! We're basically sisters from another mother," the other New Kid then exclaimed, making a point as she held her twin-tails by their base before reaching out a hand. "Let's do our best and be friends with everyone in this class, shall we? And that means you too, Class Prez. Irina-chan talked a lot about yo—mmf!"
Issei cocked a single eyebrow as Irina placed her hand over Serafall's mouth, who was still talking despite her muffled voice.
"O-Oh. I see. W-Well met," the dullahan nodded, still not yet adapted to her new noticeably louder environment. "Well… Ms. Nephilim, if you ever find yourself desperate for protection against the dark forces, then don't hold back and see me; I'll protect you."
The pink bunny-girl Katase and the brunette dog-girl Murayama both looked at each other, clasped their hands, and squealed at their new knightly prince. He was every bit the reincarnation of Yuuto Kiba. He was even a dullahan like their High School Prince.
That chuuni-like statement spoken unironically, however, immediately relit the repressed chuunibyou in Irina's heart as she excitedly replied with a puffed out chest making her appear bustier than she was. "A fellow servant to the light! Together we'll stand firm against the clutches of evil!"
As Xenovia gave her a firm nod and a confident look, believing she had found herself an ally of justice, Issei couldn't help himself from rolling his eyes as he muttered, "Oh boy… here we go again…"
"Oh believe me," the cambion then muttered, loud enough for the group to pick it up, "she won't be needing any protection anytime soon. This guy on the other hand."
"Oh yeah! Oh right!" Inugami Murayama giddily barked, her curly shiba-inu-like tail wagging behind her back, happily sweeping her slim-fit jeans. "Ohmigosh— I'm so excited I don't know where to start—"
"How do you feel right now, Cap? Over the moon?" Katase chimed in. Although not as hyper as her closest friend, Usagiyama Katase was by no means calm. She was calmest during class, but she knew how to be hyped from a spicy event such as the one they had this morning.
"Ehhhhhh…. So-so, actually… It's no big deal."
"Yeah right it's not a big deal," Kiryuu snorted. "Don't try to play it cool, Hyousei. I know you're hyped."
"Well that's what you think and not how I feel. But I got a dead heart for romance-stuff so what do I know? You're making a mountain out of mole hills."
"...Speaking of mountains… Roygun-sensei has two of them. Safe climbing, Hyousei."
"Thanks. I'll tell you stories of how I managed to reach the peak"
"Mmm. Can't wait."
With a shit eating-grin, Issei finally broke his nonchalant cool guy demeanor as he fistbumped the cambion. The majority of the girls stared at them with judgemental stares. Except Xenovia and Serafall. The former because she had no idea how a person could possibly possess a gigantic natural landform on… wherever it might be, while the latter was too busy gaping her mouth open from the shock.
"Y-You're dating the teacher?"
"Temporarily. Probably," Issei shrugged. "Where's Vivi, by the by?" He glanced around, failing to find the aforementioned she-half-devil.
"I'm here!" And Ingvild Leviathan entered the classroom, a girl outfitted in a coat nearly as thick as Kuroka's, her lavender hair and ears tucked under her purple beanie. "Hello! Hi."
"Speak of the devil— this is Ingvild," Issei restarted as the Leviathan snuck herself between Katase and Murayama in search of warmth and generally just wanting to be in between her friends. The two happily cuddled the adorable little devil. Their little owl. The class' cinnamon roll that must be protected at all costs.
Issei returned her tiny wave with his own as he continued. "Everyone kinda melts whenever she speaks. Or just stand around doing nothing. Excellent singer too, you'll be surprised how far her vocal range is."
That gave Serafall an idea. "Hey, we should duet one day! You wanna try being an idol?"
"No thanks," Ingvild politely declined. "But I'll be happy to sing with you."
"That's an idea, actually…" Issei realized as he turned to his Secretary. "Kiryuu."
Noting the authoritative voice, Kiryuu jokingly straightened her sitting posture. "Yes Boss."
"We haven't spent shit from our savings this month, right?"
"Yes, Boss. We haven't spent shit from our savings."
"See how many can free up their schedule this Wednesday if possible," he said, and already the girls were looking up to him as if he had just agreed to buy each one of them a new pair of branded shoes. "Karaoke at The Phoenix at… five?"
"Five sounds good. I'm planning to sleep until three and pretty sure Kuroneko will too."
"Five then. Five to eight. I'll make the booking," Issei said, not realizing Xenovia was staring at him with renewed sense of respect. Like a knight that had found the king they wanted to serve. "Let's have a welcoming party for these two New Bloods."
"Roger-doger," Kiryuu saluted as she took out her trusty multitool; her smartphone, and rapidly typed his message in the class' group chat, as every student who was still in the classroom received notification with the same ringtone in their phone. "It has been done, Bossman."
"Excellent work." He could have just typed it on his own, but Issei wanted to abuse his position as the Class Prez a bit.
"WOOOOHOOO! WE GOIN' KARAOKE BABEY! I LOVE YOU HYOUDOU!"
"And that screaming baboon outside is Genji, Genshirou Saji," Issei casually told Xenovia, a smug smirk on his face, proud of having a competent hype man that was necessary to keep the class' excitement higher than the ceiling. He didn't even need to be in the class to make the students there thrilled about their impromptu class trip.
"Think our Mommy Rossie can come?" Kiryuu said, loud enough over the squealing of her girlier banshee friends.
"I dunno. Purdy sure she's done with work at four. Should I get Roygun-sensei too?"
"You should, so it won't be awkward for our mom."
"Yea you rite. You're so smart, Secretary. This is why I paid you."
"I don't get paid."
"Me neither."
"At least people think you run this place. They think I'm your slave."
Issei didn't miss a bet. "I do and you are."
Already bouncing on the balls of her feet, barely able to contain her excitement, Ingvild Leviathan asked the Class Lead with a childlike wonder. "Are we going? Are we?"
"Well now we have to. Who'd want to ever disappoint you, Vivi?"
"Yay!"
Katase and Murayama both melted even more as she hugged their precious little daughter, who was starting to look uncomfortable from all the heat but didn't want to be rude and just accepted her fate of being squished between the dog and the bunny.
"C-Cute…" Xenovia blurted under her breath, her eyes broadening. How could someone be so… so tiny yet so bewitching? Was this the work of the she-devil?
But Issei caught her slip of the tongue. "Yeah? You like your girls cute eh? Well Vivi's adorable as hell but if you, or anyone for that matter, ever hurt her in any way shape or form, then they'll have to deal with the entire classroom."
Xenovia gulped a little, having the sense to realize that wasn't a joke since everyone was staring at her with a look that made her worry. "I…I didn't mean…"
"Relax, tough guy," Issei then sniggered, once again placing his palm over Xenovia's hair to give his new toy— friend a ruffle. Once again catching Xenovia off guard, as yet again she was powerless to prevent her face from feeling a mite warmer.
The girls practically lived and breathed for this kind of bromance interaction. It helped that Xenovia's kind of blush was the flowering kind; the faint pink that slowly and gently bloomed into a deep shade of red that left few to the imagination.
"The Class Clown and the New Kid…" Kiryuu muttered, adding gasoline into the bonfire of their girly imagination. The imagination of Katase and Murayama in particular, whose wild thoughts were starting to run amok in their head as they pictured the two male students participating in a certain activity that involved getting close with each other's bodies.
Little did they know…
"Oi. Don't make it weird you BL-loving freaks."
"Leave our fantasy alone! We're free to think whatever we want!" Murayama defended vehemently.
"At least don't make it too obvious you mutt."
"Hmph!" and the inugami yōkai scoffed, throwing her head away.
Meanwhile, as she was not particularly up to date with this kind of sudden getaway and planning, Xenovia tugged on Issei's sweater sleeve.
"Is it alright for me to join? I mean… I'd hate to intrude—"
"What're you on about? This party's for you, you numbnut," her touchy-feely friend said as he got touchy-feely again, ruffling her hair as if she was a kid.
Xenovia should feel offended by this demeaning gesture or even mad, but yet… She kinda liked it. Therefore she wasn't able to say anything, afraid he might stop forever if she spoke up.
"You're one of us now," Issei said, taking his hand away because Katase and Murayama were making his normal guy to guy interaction weird again. As per tradition. "That means you as well, Sparkles. Welcome to the club."
Serafall beamed. "A nickname this soon? Why thank you! I feel so welcomed already!"
"Uh-huh. A word of caution; don't be early. No one's gonna be early. At least be five minutes late, or you'll just gonna be sitting there awkwardly, alone. Like Shirina did that one time."
A blush invaded Irina's cheeks. "H-Hey!"
"She thought she was getting pranked," Kiryuu giggled at the memory. "Her face when she saw all of us was the most adorable thing. Next to Vivi, that is."
Still with a quaint little smile on her face, Ingvild checked whoever was standing next to her. She saw Katase who smiled back at her and pulled herself into a hug again because she couldn't help herself. "Meep—"
"Can I invite my sister?"
"Leeeet's keep this strictly in 4-A…" Issei said, feeling the girls were trying to telepathically scream their 'DON'T'. "We don't do plus-ones, otherwise our class will run out of money."
"I can pitch in and pay for her?"
"It's a class activity and it's gonna use the class' savings. Sorry, Sera-tan, but we can't accept bribes."
Serafall wilted a little. "Oh… Okay."
"..." the girls said nothing because none of them wanted the iron-fisted Sona Sitri to be part of their class but didn't want to hurt her sister's feelings. Much as they would pay to see how Sona would handle this spunky elder sister of hers, they doubted Sona could fit in with The Pit.
If anything, she'd either freak out or try to revolutionize it. Watching her clash with Issei who would hold his ground might be the greatest match in Kuoh Academy history, but they'd rather not risk him getting the boot.
Sensing the awkward air as nobody knew how to follow it up, Issei put on his big boy pants. "So… Can I have your autograph? Sera-tan?"
A gasp. "Why certainly! Do you have any paper with you?"
"Don't give him that," Kiryuu said. "He's just gonna pawn it off."
"Mhmm. eBay."
"See? He doesn't even have the decency to at least deny it."
"Oh it's fine, it's fine. Anything for my friend, right?"
That raised a flag as well as one of Issei's eyebrows as he glanced at Irina, who smiled sadly at him, her shoulders shrugging once. That was all the confirmation he needed to get a grasp of their issue.
"And I was just pulling your legs, Sparkles," he instead said. "No one here will befriend you just because you're an idol."
Serafall looked visibly hurt at that statement, but she kept her smile.
Issei wasn't finished, however, and before she could mutter a word, he continued, "Look, we understand you wanna be liked by everyone, alright? But we don't care if you've memorized a thousand dance routines or have performed in front of thousands… which is impressive. But we'll be your friends regardless of who you are. If you're a street sweeper or an idol or the incarnation of a frickin God. Don't bother being fake, no one here is fake. Keep it real."
Serafall's smile dimmed a little, feeling a feeling she couldn't decipher just yet as it was her first. "...If you know who I am, you won't say that."
"You don't know that."
"...You really mean that?"
"Of course!" boasted Issei, chest puffed. "That's this class' motto. Made by me. I came up with that when these little gremlins conspired against me to be their Ringleader."
Serafall cocked her head. "Ringleader?"
"Class Prez," Kiryuu said nonchalantly. "The teachers often compare this class with a circus; hence the ringleader. I have no idea why," she lied as naturally as she breathed.
"Ehhh but we roll with it. When life give you lemons, squeeze the fuck outta it right back at life," Issei shrugged. "Ya like it? It's short and sweet. Like my dick."
"—tionary!" Irina yelped immediately.
"But I…" Serafall muttered. "Are you girls sure? What if I'm not as interesting as Maou Shoujo Levia-tan?"
"No one in this class is as interesting as Maou Shoujo Levia-tan, I can tell you that much." Irina said flatly.
"Yea you're one to talk, Miss Night Blade of the Shadow Garden."
Irina glared at Issei. "Shut up."
Issei returned her glare with a smug grin, before returning to the point he was trying to make. "Point is, Ms. Idol, you're part of The Pit. All 24 of us are one big family here — as some bald American human would've said in this very situation."
"Can't believe he isn't an ogre though. Or a cyclops."
"Riiight?" Ingvild then responded to Kiryuu, her voice airy. "He's all bald and buff and stuff and looks angry all the time. Can you believe The Rock isn't actually made of rocks?"
"That's racist, Vivi." Irina pointed out, then glaring at Issei. "Hyousei, I'm blaming this on you."
While Ingvild looked genuinely horrified, Issei, her former mentor, just shrugged. "I can't be racist. I make fun of every race equally. Including my own."
As they chatted amongst themselves, Serafall paused, and all around her were warm, welcoming smiles and laughs, none of them held any fake or hidden notions behind it. Just… normal people chatting and laughing at things they wanted to laugh at.
"I see…" she muttered, her eyes lining with tears. "...Th-thanks…" And Serafall dropped her fake forcibly cheerful accent, dropping her idol mask and unveiling her true self; a shy if somewhat awkward girl, whose only wish was to feel what it's like to have real friends. "Sorry for being so high-strung. It's just how I've been in the past… Well, as long as I can remember, actually."
"Eyyyyy, you can talk in a room voice!" Issei declared, wearing his goofy smile as Serafall started to giggle, happily wiping away her tears.
"Oh gosh— my mascara—"
"Here ya go, Cheesecake," the cambion then drew out a small pack of kleenex, being prepared for this kind of thing since Irina used to get emotional herself. And never bothered to bring her own tissues… damn half-angel.
Irina instantly melted and pulled her new neighbor for a hug. "Aww…. don't worry about it, sister. C'mere. Big hug. Beeeg hug."
"No~!" Serafall sniffled, giggling nonetheless. "You're gonna make me cry even harder!"
Then the girls squealed and they all huddled up together in a hug, and Kiryuu was about to run away before Murayama dragged her into the pile.
"A girls only group hug!" Issei exclaimed, "Mind if I squeeze in—"
"Back off, Issei," Katase yipped, the class bunny feeling ten times braver in a group and far from Kuroka or Tobio. "This is the girls' territory. Go date your friend. Bye Xen-kun! I like your name. I think it's cool. Keep our leader safe, okay?"
Xenovia responded with a silent nod. The girls thought he was just being shy and automatically chalked one point to the cute New Kid.
"Tch," he clicked his tongue, but didn't press the issue since he was just fucking around anyway. "Alright, Rookie, that's our cue to get outta here."
"Y-Yeah. Okay," Xenovia muttered, then cleared her croaky throat. She had been wondering to herself if she should tell him that she was a girl, but then again, she didn't want this — whatever this thing she had with the class leader to simply change.
She regretted not saying it earlier, but Xenovia feared she would be treated just the same way she was treated in her old school. Being one of the few dullahan girls who were cursed with a large bust, rendering her unable to fit in her school's armor unless she wrapped her chest tightly, Xenovia had always regretted the fact that she was born a girl.
She could've been much stronger if she was born a boy. It wasn't a matter of gender, just a plain fact that male dullahan were stronger and more sturdier than the girls. Sure she ran faster and she was the best girl in her year, topping every subject and competition.
Until that very day.
She hit her opponent square in his shoulder, a perfect hit, yet he stayed firm on his steed.
His thrust wasn't perfect. The tip of the blunted lance missed by a whole inch, but he had more power and twice as big and heavy than her. With one imperfect blow, Xenovia found herself staring at the skies the moment she came to, and that she had lost the challenge that she, herself, initiated. Just because she wanted to prove to everyone that hard work could beat natural talent.
But no. Reality refused to bow before her will. Her opponent was simply stronger.
Her hard work had amounted to nothing simply because she was a girl.
Losing that joust shattered every piece of her pride. Her mother took her away, flew to a different continent because Griselda Quarta knew Xenovia needed a fresh start.
And now she got that fresh start. New school, new faces, new classmates… none of them knowing she was a girl. It was everything she thought she needed. To restart her life and experience what it would be like to be respected as a boy.
Yet after hearing his short speech, she couldn't help but admit; that for the first time in her life, wished these kind people knew that she was a girl.
But now it was all too late. If she told them now, then she'd have betrayed their trust and all the interactions she had with them. She was terrified of being seen as weird for hiding her true identity, then being laughed at and ridiculed for trying to be someone that she wasn't.
So all she could say to him as they walked out the classroom was; "Lead the way."
Issei halted their tour as he sniffed some tears. As he glanced down, he noted the New Guy had a bit of red in his eyes. "...Awww… you crying? Want me to fetch Kiryuu's tissues? They're clean. Kinda."
"I-I just… had something in my eyes," lied the dullahan.
"Mhmm. Every bit the noble knight ain't ya," he laughed as he ruffled the flock of blue hair. "Real men cry, y'know. Being sentimental ain't nothing to be ashamed about. Chicks dig sentimental men too, which is a pretty nifty bonus, eh? But not a pussy. Big difference there."
"I'm not crying!"
"I know, I know... I'm just saying," he flippantly said, taking out a handkerchief out of his sweatpants pocket, dark blue with Norse pattern and golden lines, and promptly slapped it over the new guy's chest as he gave the 'guy nod' to his classmates and schoolmates.
Though surprised, Xenovia managed to catch it, thanks to her quick reflexes. "Wh…what's this for?"
"I'm just letting you see Irina's late birthday gift to me," Which was the reason why he bothered bringing this kind of adult accessory to show he knew how to be grateful. "And test if it works as intended and won't give my face a rash."
Xenovia quietly wiped her eyes and just as quickly returned the hemmed square of thin yet soft fabric. "...It works perfectly," she murmured. "...Thanks."
"Mhmm. Don't mention it."
"Yo Issei! Fresh Meat?"
"Yo! Chromosomes, ya know it."
"My name is Chrom Cruach!"
"What I said?"
Keeping her head low, Xenovia quietly watched him as she walked next to him, silently admiring how many people seemed to know him and spared at least a nod of acknowledgement whenever he passed. It was as if the entire floor had at least talked to him once or heard of his name. She felt like she was a knight accompanying a monarch that was well loved by his people — no, the court jester. People feared or respected their kings, or both.
None of these people feared Issei or held him with high regards. He was a part of them, not above or below.
Perhaps court jester wasn't the right title to describe her new leader. People laugh at the court jester, not laugh with him.
Hyoudou Issei was, so to speak, a type of person she had never met before.
And this was the moment where Xenovia Quarta first felt how it felt to like somebody. But of course, Xenovia being Xenovia and completely inexperienced in romance, she seamlessly mistook her feelings as a growing sense of admiration. Though she couldn't understand why her cheeks felt warmer for no apparent reason. Must have been the cold.
Speaking of oblivious, Captain Oblivious here led the new kid down the hall, telling him the bits and bobs of the current floor; where certain classes would be held, what classes went where, the clubs and whatnots, Issei thought to himself as he recalled a piece of his memories. Back to his first day at elementary school, being the sick kid who joined the class late in the first semester, completely clueless and friendless. A fish out of water. A monkey out of a circus.
Then some glasses-wearing snotty brat hit him in the nose in an accident during playtime. Issei didn't remember if he was in pain or in shock, but that kid cried louder than an air-raid siren. He screamed and ran to the teacher, believing he had just accidentally murdered his classmate since his nose was bleeding.
Motohama became his best friend from that day on.
Issei wondered if that was what started his trend; being unable to leave this fish out of water alone, but The Pit had always been a rather welcoming pond with various fishies.
Some might be flashier than the others, some with weird spots and colors… Some might have been kicked out from another pond or simply couldn't adapt to the water and their previous environments. Misfits, as some would say.
But The Pit welcomes all. Regardless of their shape and size, preferences, backstories and undertakings. Regardless of what family they came from, an ordinary joe or a noble from a distant kingdom. Though not every single one of them, more than half of the pupils there were once misfits; teens that couldn't exactly 'settle in' as easily as their friends. The not so ordinary people who thought the world was simply too foreign in so many ways, that they felt as though they were a piece of a jigsaw puzzle that must cut a piece of themselves for the sake of fitting in.
Well. They didn't need to cut or add parts of themselves, because The Pit wasn't a picture puzzle; it was a circus.
Whatever the teacher thought or believed about Class 4-A, Issei was pretty damn proud to become a part of The Pit, as its Dweller and its honorary Ringleader.
Better to be a misfit than one-size-fits-all.
To be continued…
A pretty short chapter, but the last two chapters were 10k+ words. But I used to write 6k per chap. Can't be spoiling you feckers too much can I?
Now I know Issei is sorta like a Stu where everybody likes him, but he's been around the school for 4 years and is pr much a legend. What, you never had a school legend? what a boring school you had
anyway, this school will be anything but boring, because cat girls and fox girls exist in it. Don't get your real life experience mixed in here, as realistic as i might try to make this fic, it's still fiction. Japanese girls don't fantasize about BL.
Probably... idk i ain't been to japan
You think I concluded Serafall's idol arc too early? Well you can either have that, or me writing Serafall as an obnoxious idol girl for the next five chapter. She's here to be herself and she got what she want. Obviously this isn't the conclusion to her arc, instead just the beginning. She'll have her chance to shine again. Soon™
That aside, Xenovia is the main heroine, not her. For this chapter and 'arc', ig
Yes, I know. Boooo ur women-shaming danzy, booo- well after losing a bet and being forced to watch Captain Marvel, I think it's not farfetched to say we've had enough with super strong female lead. Don't get me wrong, Xenovia is still strong as she is feminine, but do you want her to be another action girl who was raised in a family of six siblings, all brothers, who she roughhoused every single day so she could flip a guy, slam him to the floor, get asked 'how u so strong' and respond with 'I have twenty five brothers' with a smug smile on her fucking annoying face? Another standoffish, smug, arrogant, entitled, woke white female cast?
Yeah. Thought so.
Yes I'm pissed. I'm pissed because i had to sit through that damn movie and be attacked by that movie for just being a guy. I don't hate women, I hate asshole characters, and asshole characters come in various shape and size, and captain marvel is every bit a dickhead that just happened to be a woman
...All because Oblak is going full Kepa this year. Wtf Oblak? why? Did someone steal your legs? Did you make a pact with Ter Stegen to be the shittiest world-class goalie in la liga?
BE PART OF THE PIT BY FOLLOWING THE STORY. FEED THE PIT A SACRIFICE IN FORM OF A SINGLE REVIEW
pls kind sir i implore u
And lastly, I'm not saying this as a political statement thing or anything other than as a fellow human being. Because god forbid having some sort of empathy and ethics these days that i have to clarify this shit, but anway; what the fuck, Putin?
I hope you stay safe and keep your country as yours, my Ukrainian brothers. If anyone have a relative over there, then I hope they made it out quickly and safely. It's fucked how wild this thing is. I didn't even believe it when I read the news. It's the biggest world conflict since Myanmar coup, and that shit is pretty recent and STILL ongoing as well.
And if any fandeads happen to be reading this, though I'm not one of you, I do sympathize with your loss. Hope this chap was at least able to make you forget even for just a second
Until i bring it up again with that statement but y'know... I mean well, aight
These are dark times, brothers. Let's try not to mald as much. Let's instead go to a forest, sit around a campfire, hold our hands and sing kumbaya my pog, and maybe a miracle might happen. at least we'll get famous because we're mistaken as a cult
