Astra

(High School DxD SI OC)

"Astra! Help me bake the bread!"

I, who was tending the flowers, was startled by the sudden call from the Matron. Quickly put the watering can down, I take off the rubber gardening gloves and ran inside. "Y-yes Ma'am! Please wait a bit!"

Quickly I washed my hands and wore apron over my long skirted dress, and helping the Matron baking the bread for tomorrow. In this orphanage, Bread is always made every evening, and last for two days, top. There was about 20 children here, ranged from age two to thirteen. Any child grow older than thirteen are immediately sends out to Church to become Priest/Nun or exorcist.

"You will made a good wife. It's a pity you won't marry anyone."

I smiled simply at that, and continue baking another batch of bread.

I was seven. I had six more years to live here and preparing for my future. To run away from this place and that shackles of so-called education for the future.

You see, I don't want to become a Nun. Nothing against Nuns everywhere, and not like I'm Anti-Christ. It feels wrong for me to become nun. I was too free-spirited.

I have a secret, too. Or two of them. And I don't want to see anyone's reaction if my secret ever goes out. It will end up in tears, heart breaks, and flame of misjudged anger. I can see it from right here and now.

Call me selfish or coward, I don't care. I want to avoid that. I know a losing battle and hopeless case when I see one. Easy to giving up on case like that. I know. I should try better than running away. Running away never solve the case. Only piles them up till they buried me alive. My parents would say that...

...or mom does. Before she was killed because refusing to marry a Don who was infatuated with her. For a whore in late thirties she was really pretty and charming. Her last word is for me to run away and never coming home. Not even to her funeral because it will kill me. The don is don of an important famiglia in this side of Italy and has many subordinates. All Mom left was her necklace.

My father? He was never been here.

He leave Mom when she was pregnant... Mom said I was child of One Night Stand. Probably my father never know he has a daughter here. A one weird daughter. A coward to boot.

It won't be strange to think he leave because he can't stand a cowardly daughter. Though I KNOW one of my Secret, one that made joining a church sounds like death sentence, come from him. I wish if he was going to leave Mom and I, he didn't leave this unwanted souvenir! I can life without that!

!

Guh...

"Astra? Your face is pale, dear? Are you sick?" the Matron asked me, concerned.

I tried to put up a smile. A plastic smile at that.

"N-no ma'am. I... I think I just need the toilet..." I said and hurriedly run to the toilet. Praise the God for existence of dark-colored curtain and bathroom lock. Before I locked the door, I hear the matron said something.

"Oh dear. Does she get indigestion? The lunch was undercooked..."

Ahaha... as if things are that simple.

As I locked the door and make sure no one was here, I relaxed a bit and let it out. It miffed me since it throw my balance off the whack and ended up making me creating new feather duster. At this rate the Matron or other kids will ask where did I got those from! Stupid stupid stupid stupid!

...I better get a bath while I'm here. It will just go under control after a while.

If only I can torn them out without screaming like the damned.

"Nee Ren" Someone called me "You seems to love star."

Yes. Yes I do. I love stars so much. They are pretty diamonds. The compass for adventurer to navigate their journey during the night. If you linked them together you can see a shape. Either a person or an animal or perhaps a miscellaneous. Each of them had story behind their twinkles.

I love them.

I want to become a Star. But...

"Ren!"

It hurts.

I struggle to breathe. Blood flowed from my mouth. My lungs... they didn't work. I can't breathe like this. What happened? Why everything are blurs? Why everything was too cold? Too loud? Too confusing. It hurts it hurts it hurts make it stop please. Someone, drain those blood out.

"Ren! Stay strong Ren! Ambulance is coming! God, the blood won't stop! Press it harder dammit!"

"I'm trying woman! Any harder and I might crush her heart instead! You don't know a damn about this thing so shut up!"

W-who... who are those...? I... seems to know them but who? Their face were blurs. Are those... my friends? But why can't I recognize them? Is it because I can't see their face clearly? No. It can't be that. I hear them just fine so why? Am I getting concussion? My head is dizzy...

Ugh... it's hurt. My head hurt. My chest hurt. I can't move. It feels like someone tying me with chains and padlocks and throw the key to ocean... heavy. Cold. Dark...

"Ren! Ren! Don't sleep! Come on Ren! You're strong! God, Ren, I promise if you survive I won't be picking on you again! Please Ren!"

"Come sis! Don't leave me! Please sis! Wake up! Wake up sis wake up!"

Can't... too sleepy...

"Ren! Ren! Please Ren, please! Ren! Re... n..."

Ahh... the voice become faraway... I can't hear anything anymore...

Something pressed against my... hand? It's soft and strong. It's warm and comfy...

"...ay ali..."

...I'm... sorry...

I yawned as I put on my slippers. Some quick teeth brushing and warm bath before dressing in the usual long skirted shirt... though I have to said this. Old School much? This is Twenty First Century! Long skirt in this style was outdated ages ago. In Italy, home for fashionista aside from Paris, we are stood up like infected sore thumb.

...and the matron complained that the people are giving us weird look.

Oh jeez. I can't wait until the day I can wearing pants again.

/Knock knock knock/

Hm? Guest at this hour? Who it may be? I hope no more prostitutes women abandoning their kids here. I hated when that happens. Those kids never grow up knowing their ma or pa.

/Knock Knock Knock/

Persistent and impatient, aren't we?

I walked to the door and open it. The first thing that crossed my head was...

Whoa. Where did I saw him before?

That man has black hair but with golden bangs. His eyes are violet... an unusual shade of violet and more importantly of all, au natural. Not contact lenses. He has thin goatee decorated his chin. Dressing in black Shirt and brown pants and dark gray jacket with red insides. He looks like member of a gang. Deadly and naughty... if you know what I mean. But he mellowed out which made him more dangerous to sense. The calmer one are the most dangerous of the bunch.

"Yes Mister? Is there anything I can help?" I asked him.

He looked down and surprised. Hm? Was something on my face.

"Astra. Who was it?" The Matron said, approaching us. "And who are you mister?"

He didn't turn at her. Just staring at me with that slack-jawed expression. As if I was something short of a miracle. An impossibility. Creepy...

"Are you Astra Speranza? Daughter of Angela Speranza?"

Wha-?! How?!

"Umm... yes?"

"I am your Uncle."

HUH?!

Uncle? How? Mom never said she had a sibling. She was practically living alone as a whore until I come. And if he was my Uncle why wait this long? It was like he need me for something like a job or what. But his expression said I was something priceless and treasure so... perhaps he never know I exist until recently? He had bags under his eyes so he must be pull all nighters. But why...

"...related to Astra?"

"I'm his father's brother."

...

...

...oh.

That's... explain things. Though not entirely. Like who my father was, or what he and this man is. And how did he tracked me down. Certainly not through official record because there's none for slum brat and if I had one, I'll die after first week alone. Mafia held more power in darker side of Italy than any of the officials did.

But this man seems like he can waltz in to a Mafia Fight half-asleep and come out few minutes later, still half asleep, in new clothes because his previous one had been stained by too much blood.

What? When you life this close to slum area you tends to see dark things.

But... since when I walked out from the orphanage, wearing actual clothes I preferred than old school dress, with this man.

"Who are you?" I finally said.

"I said it before. I am your Uncle from your father's side."

"Uh-huh. Never get your name but you know mine."

"Azazel."

Azazel Azazel Azazel... oh.

Oh.

Oh...

"And my father?"

"Name's Kokabiel. Never know he had a daughter till stumbled into someone who fit his general description over a month ago visiting a... woman who then giving birth of a child who could be his cause the timeline match. and you did have his look."

"...as in Fallen Angel?"

Azazel chuckles. "Well, you did inherit more than his look, it seems." He winked mischievously at me as he lead us to an alleway before activating something that can be explained as Magic circle. For a brief moment I saw his twelve pitch black bird-like wings in their full glory.

Oh dear...

I, Ren—something, was reincarnated as Astra Speranza. And not just reincarnated into as Half-Italian, but also into High School DxD world where supernaturals stuff is crazy thing. Even more? My father is none other than Kokabiel, the antagonist of Second Season: The Excalibur Arc.

One thing to be said.

"I find it highly irony my Father's name literally means God's Star and he is a Fallen Angel... while my Mother's name is Angela which means Angel, and my name literally translates as Star."