Interlude 1: Father Winter
These are armature works and I do not own any character within, I do not own Highschool DxD ect.
"ANOTHER!" *crash*
A bearded, red haired man laughs jovially at one of the long tables. Beside him on either side is a gorgeous blonde one in a simple dress the other in armor. The one in the dress gives him a soft side slap in rebuke for the destroyed goblet. Though the smile on her face indicates it is more in play then any actual condemnation.
"Honestly you can't just ask like a normal person? What if Nora saw you behaving like this?"
"Yes," the armored blonde continued off of the first, "I would also want to know how you behave around my little girl. She already seems to be taking after you too much." The tone was a bit more severe then the first, but obviously still teasing.
"What is the fun in a basic response? Plus Nora is in bed and of course I am only ever the gallant hero for my little girl."
"I don't know brother, that beard seems a little scraggly from here. You sure gallant is the word to describe you?" A melodious voice floats over the general din as chuckles break out from the crowd.
"Baldur, you pretty boy, none can beat my rugged charm." Thor's voice carries back.
"Rugged you say? I suppose that is a nicer way to say unkempt."
"Well not all of us choose to look like women."
"If I recall you once tried your best to look like a woman. Shame it could only seduce a giant."
Laughter echoes throughout the halls as the two brothers jabbed at each other back and forth. Smiles on their faces and drinks in hand.
"Big talk from a man all the way over there. Perhaps you would say it to my face?" Thor responds eventually, having lost the verbal duel.
"Yeah, my daddy could kick your butt."
Silence descends on the hall as the voice of a little girl pierces through the air. At the entrance is a small child, eight or nine years old, with strawberry blonde hair. On her face a look that she no doubt believes is confident and proud, but is really just cute. Like a kitten trying to look fierce.
"And what are you doing up young lady? You should be in bed." The armored blonde states standing up from the table.
"But you all sounded like you were having so much fun, and I am not tired. I want to have fun too."
"Oh you are not tired are you, so I must have just imagined that yawn earlier."
"I am not *yawn* just because I yawn doesn't mean I am sleepy."
"Well sleepy or not"
"Sigrún," an old voice cuts over the conversation, "time is best spent among those we love. There is no harm in letting the little one be with us." Slowly the people move out of the way as an old man in a blue robe approaches. A long white beard failing to hide his grin and mischief in his one good eye. "Especially when the young warrior is so full of energy. There is no possible way she could get to sleep right now."
"Yeah, there is no way. Just like Gramps said."
A sigh escapes the blonde. "Fine, if lord Odin says it is for the best, who am I to argue with such wisdom."
The little girl cheers as she runs over to Odin for a quick hug "thanks Gramps."
The old man simply lets out a small laugh while patting the young girl's head.
"Now what is this I heard from you my darling niece?" Baldur's soft voice comes from their left. "Do you truly think your great uncle Baldur is not strong?" a tone of false hurt coloring his voice.
"No you are strong too. My dad is just the strongest."
The laughter begins again, even brighter than before at that comment. The loudest coming from Thor himself.
"Indeed I am." His voice booms as he strides over to his daughter. At his approach he stoops to pick up the girl before lifting her up above his head and giving her a slight toss. The girl giggles as she is thrown before being caught again by her father. Once he has her held securely in his arms he continues. "It seems you have inherited the wisdom of Odin."
"Oh hoh. Bold words brother, but are you willing to back them up?"
"Always, little brother. Let none doubt that Thor is the strongest Odinson."
"Now hold on there brother," a third voice chimes in, "you should be careful not to boast beyond your ability."
"Ha, feel free to join Vidar, it will not change the outcome."
The conversation had not gone unnoticed by those around the room. As they boasted back and forth tables were being moved and benches repositioned so now an open circle sat in the middle of the longhouse.
Fight, fight, fight, fight
A chant began amongst the people around the room.
"It seems we need to teach our dear brother some humility, wouldn't you say Vidar."
"Indeed, then little Nora will know who is the strongest."
The red haired man just laughed before handing his daughter off to her mother. The valkyrie takes the girl before going up to sit by Odin.
"Go kick their butts daddy."
"Well with cheers like that I cannot lose. Have at the!" With that cry Thor wanders into the Frey. Starting with a flying leap at Vidar.
The whole thing quickly devolves into childish rough housing, with armature choke holds and the liberal use of noogies.
"Honestly," Sigrún says as she watches, "I sometimes wonder if I have just the one child."
A musical laugh comes from Sif as she responds, "It does appear we have chosen to spend our eternity with quite the manchild. But I cannot imagine him any other way."
"Indeed, my son never does seem to grow up, but I think it is part of his charm." Odin's voice pipes up from next to them. At some point Nora had taken a seat on his lap. "Ha I think I remember that move from when they were boys."
The move in question being Thor laughing uproariously while laying with Vidar in a one armed headlock. His other arm giving Vidar a noogie. His legs kicking out at Baldur so as to keep him back.
"Thousands of years and they still are the same fun loving boys they once were. It does this old heart well."
Eventually the three brothers tire. Laughing as they lay separate from each other.
"I think we will let you have this one brother, it would be a shame to disappoint young Nora."
"Yes, this one can be yours Thor."
"Daddy wins."
Thor picks up the little girl from his father with one arm while grabbing a drink with the other. Then turns around and raises the drink towards the others. The party roars in delight and soon everything gets back to how it was before the fight. With laughter and revelry all around.
Nora sits with her family for a bit longer listening to tales. Every once in a while she tries to sneak a drink from the adult mugs while they are not looking. But every time she does it moves just as she reaches for it.
All the while Odin sits watching his people with a smile on his face and a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. Especially as he shifts Thor's goblet just out of reach.
.
.
An old man's soft giggle can be heard throughout the quiet throne room. On the throne Odin lounges, the tome in his hands doing a poor job hiding the dirty magazine in between its pages.
"Huh huh huh, this really was a good choice for the April spread Hugh."
Around the room a few guards roll their eyes and shake their heads, amused at the antics of their king.
Caw, caw, caw
Through the open window two ravens fly in with a cry.
"Ah Huginn, Muninn. I hope you have brought me something good. I am almost done with this magazine you know."
Caw, caw
"Oh that is quite the catch. Guard! Go get my wife. This should be something she enjoys. Huh huh huh."
Soon a gorgeous, ethereal auburn haired woman comes in following the guard.
"So dear husband, what is it you need me to see?"
Odin stands to go great her. "Huninn was just in the underworld, it seems the new Lady of Lust has decided to put together her own show. I am sure it will be fun and Huninn found the one with the adult content."
A delicate eyebrow raises, "did you really call me her just to watch overproduced devil soft porn?"
"Are you saying you don't want to see?"
"Can it be projected here? The throne always adds something for me." The two of them grow closer and lean in as the exchange continues. By the end they are almost touching their foreheads together.
Quickly taking a step back Odin orders, "Everybody OUT!"
Soon the throne room is empty except for the two gods. With a tap of his staff on the floor a rune script circles around the edges of the room before fading out.
"So, dear husband, why did you really call me here?"
Odin sighs before returning to his throne and slumping there.
"Hades has begun to move and Isis has agreed to the terms. She gave us the ritual."
"Then it will work? We can bring her back?"
"I have not fully analyzed it, and some parts will need to be converted to our rune system, but yes Freyja. It looks like it can bring her back."
"Then this is wonderful news! How long until her return?"
"I should have the work done by the new year. Come the next Equinox, Frigga will be returned to Asgard."
With a leap Freyja lands in Odin's lap with a happy smile and tears in her him she grins down at her husband.
"Then we will all be back together soon. What do you need, how many of us should be called to join?"
"I can get most of the items without too much trouble and I will do the ritual myself. Only one person can do the casting."
Blue eyes quickly narrow. "And how much will casting this spell take from you?"
Silence meets her question.
"ODIN!"
"I will likely be alright, just weakened. It is a small price to pay for her return."
"Are you sure of this?"
"...No…"
"Then we will find another way, modify it to allow for more casters or work with others to create vessels of power for you to use."
"That could take years Freyja both to gather the items and set up the modified ritual."
"Then years it will take!" She stops then holding the sides of his face. "It was not your fault. She chose to save you because she loved you. Just as we will save her because we love her. I will not bring back one love at the cost of the other."
She leans down bringing her forehead to his.
A soft plee. "We will bring her back, and when she returns it will be to both of us. All three of us, back together, for eternity. Alright?"
"Alright."
She leans in to give him a soft kiss. "Good."
Then she walks back off the throne holding his hands to pull him up with her.
"Now I do hope you were not lying about that new show. It sounded enticing." With a saucy smirk she pulls Oin from the throne room and teleports to their quarters.
From what they actually watched, the show wasn't too bad.
.
.
The sound of hammers rang throughout the underground workshop. All around were forges manned by squat men with glorious beards. At a clear space in the shop a blue circle formed. From the teleportation circle an old man in blue robes steps out.
"Odin, you old codger, welcome back to Vala-Azril-Ungol."
"Belegar, my old friend. It has been too long since I had a proper beer."
"Hah, come to mooch the good alcohol I see. Tired of drinking that carbonated moose piss you have on Asgard?"
"Come now, it is not Human beer. It is at least more than moose piss."
"Fine, fine. Carbonate goat piss then!"
The laughter of two old men temporarily drowned out the usual sounds of hammers.
"Come, we have your order completed."
With that the two old friends headed out of the forge.
"So how have you been, Odin. I haven't seen you since our last meeting to discuss weapons trade."
"Is that what the meeting was about? Honestly aside from that dance by Brandy I didn't keep too much track."
"Indeed she was quite... flexible. Honestly you should be thankful, those distracting movements got you a much better deal."
"I think it was more her bounty that did, honestly she must have been a devil. I rarely see such endowments on mortals."
"They were quite impressive weren't they." The perverse giggling of old men could be heard from the hall.
Soon the two of them arrived at a storage room. The shelves were filled with wooden trains, toy soldiers and stuffed dolls.
"Fantastic work as always my friend. So what do I owe you?"
"Same as every year, nothing. We are always happy to help with this. Now get that sack of yours out so we can get these put away."
From beneath Odin's cloak a red and gold sack is brought out. Soon the toys are all levitating off the shelves. Each one sent into the pack.
"Stop by some time after new years and we will have a drink together. Get you some real alcohol."
"Ho ho ho, I will be sure to stop by then, and Merry Christmas old friend."
With a wink of his eye and a twist of his head, Odin was gone.
.
.
A large pine tree stood at the center of Asgard. Golden tinsel and glowing magic orbs in every color decorate the tree.
Before the tree, nine reindeer were tied to a red sleigh. In the back a sack of gifts. The soft sound of bells tinkles over joyous laughter throughout the square.
*BOOM*
With a loud crash the main doors to the great longhouse are thrown open, a large shaft of light cast from the open doors all the way to the red sleigh. From between those doors an old man walks out.
With each step towards the sleigh he began to change. Blue robes became a large red coat with fur lining and golden details. A great belt encircled his belly which began to expand, the skinny old man filling out with a great belly. Of Odin only two things remained, a great beard of white and an eye patch.
Upon reaching the sleigh Santa climbs up into it before turning to address the crowd.
"Ho, ho, ho. It seems many of you have decided to hit the eggnog a little early haven't you?"
A jolly smile rests on his face as the crowd laughs and cheers.
"Good, good. This is a time for joy and family. For all of us to spend time together and be merry. So, just like every year, we will have a great celebration that will last from now until Christmas night. So give your loved ones that new axe, get that beautiful Valkyrie under the mistletoe, except you Baldur stay away from that." Once again he paused for the laughter of the crowd. "Enjoy yourselves one and all and come the morn I will join you all in this great celebration."
With that he sat down in his sleigh and cracked the reins. Up he went into the sky and before him a large teleportation glyph of red and gold formed.
And so Odin said as he flew out of sight, "Merry Christmas to Asgard and to all a good night."
.
.
A cold wind blew down the street bringing little flakes of snow with its passage. A small old house sits silent along the streets. No lights in the windows or decorations in the yard. Within her room, young Lisa lays in her bed shivering in her sleep. The blanket is not enough in the drafty house.
Suddenly the sound of tapping on the roof jolts her awake. So with cautious steps and her blanket wrapped around her body she sets out to the family room.
The dark room appeared empty. At one side was a fireplace long since burned out above which hung two long socks. There was no tree in the corner, instead artificial pine tinsel was strung up in the corner in the shape of a Christmas tree.
Everything was just as her dad had left it before putting her to bed. There was even a plate with a cookie by the…
Where was the cookie?
"Now I do believe that you should be in bed Lisa." A warm voice came from behind her. "After all, how can I put your presents under the tree secretly with you watching?"
There, behind her was "SANTA!"
"Ho, ho, ho indeed I am."
"Are all those presents really for me?"
"Well," here Santa seemed to pull a roll of parchment from the air, "I have a Lisa Montgomery from Montana right here on my nice list. That is you isn't it?"
"Yes!"
"Then these presents here are for you."
"Thank you Santa" she said, leaping to give him a hug.
"You are quite welcome little one," he replied, returning the hug.
"Now I can't give away all the presents before Christmas morning, but since you are up I do have something for you." With that Santa knelt down letting the girl stand back before reaching into his pack. Then from within the sack came a small bundle of fur.
"I heard about poor Mittens, so I thought you could use a new friend. This is little Leo." With that he handed the automaton cat over to the little girl. The second it touched her hands it came to life, purring and radiating warmth.
The little girl dragged the cat into her face, almost crying as she did. The cat just kept purring and snuggled in closer.
"No one should feel alone on Christmas. Now back to bed you go. You can get the other presents in the morning."
So Lisa trotted back up to her bed, snuggled up with her new cat then settled down for a long winter's nap. Only this time there was no shivering as the cat in her hands radiated warmth to the girl, just as the enchantments intended.
So with the girl in bed and a twinkle in his eye Santa finished his task. Once all the presents were set out, back up the chimney he rose.
Returning to his sleigh he prepared to hit the next stop on his list. Cracking his reins he set his team onto the next child in need of Christmas cheer.
"To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
.
.
Cold wind blew down the snow covered path. All around brick buildings stood looming over any who walked between them. Every window sat bricked up or barred, nothing but the steps of a single old man sounding across the empty street. It was the day after Christmas and many were still indulging in the holiday feeling.
This was no place for family cheer.
Odin, dressed in a dark blue suit, walked down the empty streets before turning into a lane between two buildings. Their stone facades and boarded windows seeming to cast a shadow upon all within. The alley between two blocks was bricked off with a single large doorway as the only entrance. The far end was completely enclosed by a single story brick wall creating a yard between the two buildings.
At the far wall another smaller grey wall was constructed. Before it, tokens of remembrance sat on the ground. Flowers and candles for the dead.
Before this wall Odin knelt in silence, making his own candle to join the others in the snow.
This continued for some time, only the old man and the snow carried on the breeze. Then the solemn silence was broken by a displacement of air and the sound of boots on snow.
"My lord Oden." her voice was soft, barely more than a whisper, yet here it seemed to roar like thunder.
"Brunhilde, what brings you to such a dreary place?"
"Nora has been playing with that hammer you brought her for Christmas, she wants to show it off. She has been asking for her grandfather."
"I see, then I will be sure to see her when I return to Asgard. Thank you for bringing the message. You are free to leave"
Silence stretched between them as Odin continued to gaze at the shrine. No sound of displacement nor feeling of magic to indicate the Valkyrie had left.
"My lord, this… I don't think… None of this was your doing."
"Yet I am still at fault. I choose to support this, it is my responsibility."
"We all supported them, we all fought."
"Because I lead you. I choose which side to take, I choose which way we would go as King of the Aesir. So I am to blame for our failings. The rest of you only followed where I lead."
"But we never condoned this! You never condoned this! We didn't know, we" Her voice got progressively higher and louder, echoing through the yard.
Odin's voice, still soft, cut through it like a knife. "I chose not to know."
Again silence hung between the two of them.
"I chose not to look too far into our new worshippers. I was so lost in my pain and my anger I chose to turn a blind eye to what was going on around me. Spending all my energy and resources looking at the enemy before us I never looked at the people I was standing beside. I should have known better, should have looked closer. I didn't."
A tired sigh left his lips at this as he stood to look around at the brick buildings.
"I was so lost in my hate after the death of my wife, so desperate for my pound of flesh that I ignored all the warning signs. Desperate to get revenge for Frigga that I spat on all that she was, and Asgard paid the price. A name in mud, even now, whole groups of Valkyrie no longer willing to go down to choose the slain. Too ashamed of the monsters they brought into our halls of valor. Years spent cleaning up the mess made from my decision."
"I am the god of wisdom and the king. I am supposed to guide my people down the right path. Instead I charged down the wrong one, and this was the result."
"My king, I"
"It is alright Brunhilde, to some things, there are no answers. Come it is time we both went home."
With that he set off, his Valkyrie close behind. Both fading away as they teleported back to Asgard. All that remained of the visit was a single candle at a wall.
Soon the place was silent once more, all that remained was the chill of the winter's breeze. Snow drifting down shadowed streets and out a wrought iron gate, atop it a single sentence.
Arbeit macht frei
So I was working on the next chapter when my brain decided to go the whole other direction. True story of my thought process:
'You know how you wanted to expand characters beyond the basics, especially the gods since DxD did the dirty.'
'Yes'
'So why don't you do a short story for one of them. So you can show what they do outside of the devil's.'
'That is a great idea I can start with a short story about Odin. Then just add it to the end of chapter 2.'
So, that didn't happen. I honestly thought this would be super short, like 4 quick scenes, maybe 5 pages I could tack on to chapter 2. Instead it got way longer so now it is an interlude.
Anyway point of these is to give an idea of what the other factions are doing. Since the main character is a devil a lot will be focused on the three factions, even the lore will be mostly written by devil's. But the others are not just sitting around doing nothing until the devil's show up. They all have their own plots and issues (some of which will coincide with the main plot) outside of the three factions. Plus it should also give me a chance to expand on the other gods so they are less one dimensional. I mean Odin is a several thousand year old god of wisdom, he should be more than a pervy old man.
Plus it should give me a chance to fix Hades a bit, there are no words to describe how much I despise DxD Hades.
Ended up changing the peerage order around a bit. Realized Valerie would need to be pretty high cost, also since she won't be a lvl100 in a world of mid level characters Albedo would be less. Did see the recommendation for Dimaria (and I loved the idea), but I could not figure out a way to get her powers. I mean maybe a Sacred Gear with Chronos' soul within, but that would be so stupid overpowered. No way it is not already a Longinus. Basically she is super cool but time magic is way too strong and the existing instance of it in cannon will be hard enough to work around let alone her even better version.
King: Riser Phoenix
Queen: Valerie Tepes (DxD)
Rook: Kagamiin Kyōka (Dragons Rioting) - hero lineage
Rook: Nora Valkyrie (RWBY) - Demigod child of Thor
Bishop (mutated): Albedo (Overlord) - Devil/Fallen Angel hybrid
Bishop: Kuroka (DxD)
Knight: Ayane (Dead or Alive) - ninja
Knight:
Pawn x4: Osakabehime (Fate) - former ghost now sorceress/spy
Pawn x2: Melascula (7DS demon snake and necromancer)
Pawn x2: Viola (One Piece) - Romani with the Sacred Gear Eyes of Argus
Anyway, read and review. If you see any glaring writing error (spelling sentence structure) let me know. I proofread these but I am not perfect. Also give me your thoughts on this interpretation of Odin and the idea of these interludes as a whole. I am still likely going to do the others I have planned but I am curious what you think of the idea.