How's it going everyone! I'm KID2NR and I bring you a new fanfic. Or rather, a complete re-hashing of an old one.
To refresh things as well as give a backstory to newer readers, several years ago I wrote OmaHima: The Brooklyn Demon Slayer, a fanfic set mainly in the world of Omamori Himari (also known as OmaHima) that follows a simple premise of someone other the MC being a demon slayer. As the title suggests, the MC of the fic hails from New York but has some Japanese ancestry. However, there were a couple parts I either wished were written better, failed to elaborate, or were in poor taste.
So rather than continue, I decided to give it a reboot (hence the Re:birth in the title), this time blending the worlds of OmaHima and Highschool DxD together into a single continuity (it also helps that both deal with the supernatural and share the same original publisher: Fujimi Shobo). Think of this as a fusion AU if you will, and as such, expect a vast number of changes to happen in this unique universe, ranging from minor to major and even ones that'll surprise you. Characters from other franchises will also make their way through the cracks, but OmaHima and DxD will be the primary ones in terms of lore.
Oh, and for the longtime readers who waited patiently for my return, thank you so much. It really means a lot and I hope to continue working on this fic in the far future.
Okay, now with all that out of the way, please enjoy the story, and witness the rebirth!
Note: Chapter revised May 2, 2020 to include introduction
Disclaimer: All characters and settings (including OCs) are properties of their respective owners.
Legend:
"Normal speech"
"[English speech]"
"{Other language}"
"Thoughts (Assume character's native language)"
First Round - Fated Encounter (a single step)
Visual: A split image of Gordon walking with his skateboard in a sling, the left side showing him at Times Square and the right depicting him walking the famous Shibuya crossing
An endless field lined with blades of grass and stalks of wheat as far as the eye can see.
Several trees were spread across the horizon, and a vast ocean of black filled the moonlit sky above with sparse amounts of clouds. A gentle breeze agitated the leaves, enticing a light and audible rustle.
A lone figure stood in the middle of the field, a teenage boy whose clothes were slightly tattered and bruises covering his sepia skin. Gripped in the boy's left hand was a sword that was currently being used as a temporary crutch, its blade embedded into the dirt. Concrete grey eyes darted around as if wondering to himself, "What is this place?"
"How aggravating that you would push me this far, boy."
A woman's voice echoed, catching the boy's attention. Her tone was cold and authoritative, yet at the same time regal and aristocratic. He slowly – ever so slowly – turned his head...
And what the boy saw brought a sub-zero chill running down his spine, a frightful gasp slipping past his lips.
An enormous fox appeared in his line of sight, standing several stories high and whose illustrious golden fur glowed underneath the full moon. Nine golden tails swayed behind its hindquarters, each roughly measuring a hundred feet in length. The hair on the fox's face was a paler shade of gold compared to the rest of its body, and around its neck was a silver ring with three jade-colored jewels resembling teardrops hanging below, each separated by a white pearl.
Standing in front of the fox was a woman wearing a colorful and elegant multi-layered kimono that covered her entire body. Her golden locks flowed down towards the ground in a long cascade, with decorative hair sticks worn at the back. The woman's sapphire orbs narrowed into an icy glare that complemented her stern expression. Yet, it didn't subtract from the otherworldly beauty that was radiating from her.
But the boy knew all too well what this woman was truly capable of, which is why his muscles were tense.
"As you can see, these plains was where I met my demise. But now..."
Turning her body away from her dark-skinned adversary, the woman's red lips curled into a contemptuous sneer, the pupils of her eyes becoming slit like the fox behind her.
"I shall make it your grave!"
The woman disappeared from the battlefield, leaving the gargantuan fox to unleash a deafening roar that caused the earth to rumble. The dark-skinned teen shielded his face from the fierce gusts that followed while keeping himself planted from the tremors, letting his arms down only after they stilled.
He could not be beaten here.
No matter what, he cannot afford to lose to this wicked and loathsome creature that caused him so much suffering.
He has to push through.
He has to win!
The grey-eyed teen planted his feet and made a mad dash towards the giant fox, letting out a loud yell as several spheres of blue flame surrounded the vulpine beast.
"PERISH, INSECT!"
Another roar came from the nine-tails' maw before unleashing the fireballs towards her sienna-skinned foe, setting the scene for a climactic showdown.
...
...
...Hey.
I...got a question for ya.
Do you...believe in the supernatural, by any chance? Ghosts, mummies, werewolves, yetis, those kinds of things?
Yeah, yeah, I know you think I'm crazy for even suggesting that, but I can prove they're real. If you're willing to hear me out, that is.
Hm? You'll listen? Phew. Okay, better buckle up, 'cause it's gonna be a long one.
This all started my first day entering school in Japan back in May...
I am a spirit divested of human capabilities
I am a spirit
There are masses alike, hiding in plain sight
Open your eyes
You cannot perceive me...
The lyrics to Erra's "White Noise" blared out from a smartphone placed on a nearby nightstand. The song continued for a few more seconds until an outstretched hand grabbed hold of the phone and shut it off.
"[N-Nnnnh...]" A voice grumbled from under the covers, which were later unraveled to reveal a teenage boy with a head of curly, charcoal-colored hair. A regular grey t-shirt and black shorts were all that covered his sepia-skinned frame.
The teen emerged from his bed and slipped his bare feet into a pair of black slides, before grabbing a nearby headband from his nightstand and putting it on to keep his hair in check. Unplugging his smartphone from its charger, he checked its screen.
07:03
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
"[Could've picked a better day for me to start school here,]" he said, heaving a sigh.
Today was an important day for Gordon Fortune-Evans, as it would be his first day attending school in Japan as part of a year-long cultural exchange program. The school in question was Touryou High School, located in Takamiya City in Japan's Iriya Prefecture. The fact even taking on such an opportunity was quite baffling for Gordon, to say the least, considering his above-average grades and lack of involvement in any extracurricular clubs back in his native Brooklyn.
Though it was likely his grandmother's influence that got the New Yorker roped into attending school in the country she met his grandfather.
A man neither he nor his father had the honor of meeting face to face.
Unfortunately, the day also marks the anniversary of his mother's death...
An event that just so happens to coincide with his birthday.
"[Right, better get ready.]"
It had only been several years since Gordon's mother, Laura Fortune-Evans, was shot and killed by an armed thief on her way home from work. The effects of the tragic event may have lessened, but how it went down was forever etched in the teen's memory.
It was the main reason why he ceased celebrating his birthday at all. What was once an essential milestone of his life, now overshadowed by the death of a family member, one that gave birth and raised him the first eight years of childhood.
Following breakfast, a quick shower, and a bit of touching up (mostly with his hair), Gordon approached his closet. He took a look at his new school uniform made up of a white, long-sleeved dress shirt and a pair of black chinos. He wasn't at all comfortable with wearing school uniforms, but since they were mandatory, he had no choice but to play by their rules. Funnily enough, it only serves to make him stand out more, given he's apparently the only Black dude in a minor city roughly the size of the Bronx.
Gordon's ash-colored eyes drifted towards a small object situated on his desk, next to his laptop. It was a plain red slip with a necklace-length cord tied onto it.
It was an omamori, a Japanese good luck charm. The item holds significant importance to Gordon, in part due to it being a gift from one of his grandmother's friends. His grandmother told him to always have it on, though there were exceptions like taking a shower and whatnot.
Gordon held the omamori by the cord before placing it in his hand. It had seen better days, let alone years. There were scant tears scattered throughout the fabric, and it was frayed in a few areas. However, it still held on okay, miraculously enough.
He flipped the omamori towards the back, where it had a gold kanji embroidering of its place of origin.
"[Yasaka...]" He muttered aloud, recalling his grandmother saying it was the name of a Shinto shrine in Kyoto. He should probably go and check it out one day.
Gordon hung the omamori around his neck, the charm stopping near his solar plexus. His eyes then shifted towards a framed photo of a dark-skinned woman with curly hair tied back into a ponytail resting on his nightstand. Her smile was bright and brought life to the otherwise aging picture, causing the teen to give a wistful smile in return.
"Wish me luck out there, mom. No doubt you'd be proud."
Leaving his room after grabbing his skateboard from the doorway, Gordon made his way down towards the entryway and slipped on a pair of plaid Vans shoes before leaving the house. Putting on a set of earbuds, the New Yorker selected a track from his smartphone fitting for his first-day commute.
Meshuggah's "Rational Gaze."
Loud guitars and syncopated drums pounded his eardrums as Gordon hopped on his board, kicking the asphalt with his right foot to gain speed. He was quickly zooming down the road, a rush of wind buffeting his body.
Squint your eyes to see clearly
Blur reality to make it real
Let focus go from your deceiving eyes
To know what's been concealed...
Skateboarding has been a lifelong hobby of Gordon's, serving as both a way of getting around New York's busy streets and form of expression. It was also the glue that held him and his friends-slash-neighbors together in the form of the Fenimore Street Crew – The Crew for short.
Riding on a narrow side street, Gordon spotted two people up ahead towards the end: a boy and a girl, the latter wearing red ribbons on the sides of her hair. The skater soon realized he was coming at them fast, and there were several garbage cans lined up next to them. Performing a jump would pose several risks for everyone involved, including the worry of having complaints filed from the locals.
Thus the only option left to him was...
"Heeeey! Skater coming in hot, you two! Move out the way!"
The boy ahead of Gordon caught wind of his holler and quickly pulled his companion out of harm's way, allowing the young boardrider to swiftly zoom on by without incident. He thought he heard someone yelling at him, but the music drowned it out. He'll have to apologize later. They were wearing Touryou High's uniform so it's likely he'll meet them over there.
Gordon's skate trip continued well into the city, going around pedestrians while maintaining a safe cruising speed. He felt there was no need to rush since it adds on to the stress, though he did manage to attract a few looks from some of the local townsfolk just by his appearance. Then again, who is he to judge if they hadn't seen a Black person in flesh and bone? Granted, there are limits, such as touching his hair or taking pictures without his knowledge.
...Just as those middle school girls he zipped by were doing with their cellphones. He was lucky to have turned his face away, though from their perspective, they probably would've taken it as him being shy. It's hard to tell.
Approaching the shopping center, Gordon slowed his board to a stop at a bistro-like storefront with a stone facade and arched windows. He looked up at the sign, which read "Cafe Relish" in an elegant silver script.
"[Looks like a cool place to hang out,]" he commented, shifting his focus towards the blackboard easel placed near the entrance.
Closed for renovations.
Look for our Grand Re-opening coming soon~!
Twitter, IG: Cafe_Relish
"Though I should come back when it reopens."
Gordon hopped back on his board and resumed his morning commute, slowing down when he spotted small cliques of kids his age gathering near a long, chain-link fence. Behind the wall was a rather large school building three stories in height, with a granite sculpture laying superimposed in front of the main entrance.
"That must be the place," he muttered, picking up his board and removing his earphones. Now that Gordon knew he was getting close, he saw no need for the former.
Just as he was about to begin his walk, however...
"You are Gordon Evans, I presume?"
"[Huh?]" A sudden voice caught Gordon's attention, causing the skater to turn his head towards the source.
A girl was standing on a tall ledge, wearing a school uniform consisting of a bright red blazer with a yellow ribbon and a black skirt. Black socks covered a majority of the girl's slender legs, stopping near her thighs while a pair of brown loafers graced her feet. Her long obsidian ponytail flowed gently in the morning breeze, contrasted with a bright pink bow holding it in place. Her eyes, a vibrant shade of violet - almost amethyst, in a sense - gazed right into Gordon, a mild contrast from the neutral expression she had on her face. But even that looked captivating. Mysterious, but also alluring.
It was no surprise the young skater couldn't look away.
But at the same time, there were a few questions that came to Gordon's mind, like how and why she knows his name.
"Uh, do I know you from some..."
Right before he finished asking, however, the girl disappeared from Gordon's sight, leaving him wide-eyed.
"Woah! Okay, I know I didn't imagine that just..."
A gentle hand caressing his cheek brought Gordon out of his stupor. He soon felt his head get turned around, revealing its owner to be none other than the girl he saw on the ledge, a sensual smirk now gracing her lips.
BA-THUMP!
The skater's heart skipped a beat now that he was seeing her up close. His nose was picking up a faint strawberry scent that he presumed was from her shampoo. A refreshing scent, but it wasn't enough to ease his tension.
"You certainly have grown to be a fine young man, haven't you," the girl spoke in an inquisitive tone.
"Uh...thanks, I think?"
Gordon honestly didn't know what to say to the girl that was now beside him. It's not like he was shy, just thrown for a loop is all.
Nonetheless, his returning the compliment caused the black-haired beauty to let out a playful giggle in response, placing her other hand on the skater's chest while drawing herself close to him.
"Fufu~ There is no need to be so modest. Though I wonder..."
She looped her arms around Gordon's neck and tipped her toes to meet his face, causing the startled skater to drop his board on its deck. His face was turning crimson at how the situation was escalating, not to mention the soft sensations of her voluminous chest pushing against his own.
"...Have you grown to be a man on the inside, too?" she asked, whispering huskily into his ear.
"Huh? Woah, hey! Hey! Cut it out!"
Gordon forced himself away from the raven-haired girl the moment she started licking his left ear. He went through it with his hand and grimaced when he found traces of saliva on his fingers.
Shaking his head in disgust, the Black teen picked up his board and took off towards the school, leaving the girl bewildered for a moment before her lips curled into a bemused smile.
"Interesting..."
Earlier...
"Achoo! Achoo! AA-CHOO!"
It has already been a rough morning for Yuuto Amakawa, the boy wiping his runny nose down with a tissue he pulled from his pants' pocket after sneezing up a storm. This after he was subjected to a rude awakening from his neighbor's cat.
The boy's eyes glanced over to a frowning girl with golden-brown hair reaching her chin, decorated with thin red ribbons on both sides. She was wearing Touryou High's uniform for the female students, made up of a yellow-orange vest with red accents over a white dress shirt with a purple ribbon on the collar, and a pleated green skirt with a white stripe near the hem. Pink Chuck Taylor high-tops were worn over black, thigh-high socks. Clutched in the brunette's hands was a brown leather briefcase.
"Geez, that was really mean of you, Rinko. Why would you drop a cat on me knowing I'm allergic to them? Are you crazy?"
"Then you shouldn't have said I was too heavy when I was trying to wake you up!" Rinko Kuzaki shot back with a huff, revealing a set of amber-colored eyes. "Seriously, a maiden's heart is sensitive, you know."
"...'Maiden,' she says," Yuuto mumbled off.
"You say somethin'?"
Yuuto waved his hands in surrender, not wanting to face his neighbor's wrath a second time as Rinko heaved a frustrated sigh.
"Honestly, you're turning sixteen, Yuuto! At least show some tact! That's like, über important!"
"Sixteen... Oh, right!"
"Yep!" Rinko turned to face Yuuto with a bright smile on her face. "Happy Birthday, Yuuto!"
Today was Yuuto's sixteenth birthday, though for him, it also marks the anniversary of being made an orphan after a fatal car crash claimed his parents' lives several years ago. Rinko, his friend and next-door neighbor since childhood, was fortunate enough to look after him alongside her parents, so he hasn't been entirely lonely.
The young man reached into his dress shirt and fished out a decorative omamori from underneath.
"Wow, I'm surprised you still have that," Rinko said, eyeing the charm. "It looks pretty worn out."
Yuuto gave a short nod. "Yeah, but I can't just get rid of it. It...It means too much to me, you know?"
"...Right, your grandparents gave that to you before moving out here a long time ago," she recalled.
The omamori was their parting gift to Yuuto before passing away a year later, almost five months apart from each other. Sure, he was sad about them dying, but they had raised him since he was a toddler and taught him many important things. Every day spent living with them was filled with adventure.
And there was one other person whose name Yuuto couldn't recall (he does remember it started with a "G," though). He would always see her out in the forest and would play with her for hours before his grandpa came looking for him. She sure was disappointed when he broke the news he was leaving for the city with his parents.
"Wonder what she's doing now?"
"Yuuto! Heeey, Yuuto!"
Yuuto was brought out of his reverie by Rinko calling him. "Huh, did you say something, Rinko?"
The ribbon girl pouted at her neighbor's absentmindedness. "Come on, didn't you hear anything I said? Sae-chan told us yesterday that we'll be getting a new student from overseas! Today!"
"O-Oh, right. Kisaragi-sensei did say something along those lines," Yuuto remembered, holding his chin. "Any clue on who they might be?"
"Oh, I hope it's someone from Mexico! Like that Banderas guy from the movies! Nononono-wait! England! No, Peru!"
"Pretty sure Antonio Banderas is Spanish," Yuuto corrected his neighbor as she rambled on about who the overseas student might look like.
Their walk to school continued onwards toward a narrow side street lined with trash cans awaiting pick up from the local garbage disposal. The two shared a few topics together, such as upcoming tests and how their school's baseball team lucked out in the playoffs.
"...And that was totally an out! Is that referee freaking blind or something?! I mean, what the actual hell is he on!?"
"Kinda disappointing, though. Our team was really killing it the first couple of innings."
"Yeah, I know!" Rinko shouted, stomping the pavement. "Grr! Next time I see that ref, I'm gonna give that S.O.B. a grand slam right up his face!"
"That's...kind of going too far, Rinko," Yuuto said, nervous.
"You saying I shouldn't?"
"Heeeey!" a voice hollered out. "Skater coming in hot, you two! Move out the way!"
"Huh? Kyah!"
Rinko suddenly found herself pushed aside as a blur sped past her field of vision. It happened so quickly that she didn't have time to recollect her thoughts.
"Wha...? Wh-Wha...!"
"Are you okay, Rinko?"
The ribbon-wearing brunette looked to see Yuuto with his right arm extended across her chest, looking towards the direction the skater took off in. Her cheeks flushed a little at the close proximity, though they returned to normal soon after Yuuto removed his arm.
"Haah... That was really close," he sighed. "Would've been dangerous if either of us got hit."
"Y-Yeah..." Rinko shook her head and stomped over to where the skateboarder made his exit. "Hey, watch where you're going, skate punk!" she hollered. "You almost ran us over!"
"He did try and warn us, though. Although..."
"Although what?"
Yuuto rubbed his chin in thought. "...I'm pretty sure that skater had on our school's uniform. And he looked pretty foreign, too."
Rinko's eyes became wide as saucers at her friend's deduction.
One blink, then another. And another until...
"Eh? EEEEEEEEEEEHHH!?"
Yuuto's body recoiled from Rinko's scream of disbelief. There are times like this he wished he brought his earbuds.
"Y-You can't be serious! A-A-Are you telling me that skater is the overseas student Sae-chan was talking about?! Grrr...! Come on, Yuuto, we're going after him! I'm gonna show that skate punk what happens when he crosses paths with the great Rinko Kuzaki!"
The ribbon girl stomped away to pursue the skater, leaving Yuuto by himself.
"Maybe I shouldn't have told her," he regretted, giving chase to her. Perhaps he can convince her to not go through with it.
...One can only hope.
Homeroom was only ten minutes away, yet Class 2-C at Touryou was filled with buzz about the new student who will be attending their class. A wide variety of questions were thrown around, ranging from what he or she may look like to what their hobbies and interests might be.
"Isn't this awesome, Yuuto?! Who'd've thought our class'll be getting the new exchange student! Man, I sure hope it's a babe! Maybe a blonde, too! Man, I'm so hyped!"
Taizou Masaki is Yuuto's classmate and best friend, a young man with short, reddish-brown hair and brown eyes. Like Yuuto, he had on the Touryou boys' uniform with the addition of a black T-shirt underneath his open dress shirt.
"You sure are getting worked up about this, Taizou," he noted.
"Hell yeah, I am! Everyone at school's just itching to find out!"
"T-That so, huh? I'm a little excited, too, to be honest," Yuuto admitted, earning him a pat on the back by Taizou.
"Ha! Knew you'd come around, buddy!"
Elsewhere, Rinko was busy sulking in her seat. As if it was unfortunate enough about being nearly run over by that skate punk, now she has to deal with having him in the same class for a whole damn year! Was this some kind of cruel ploy on behalf of the school? What did she do to deserve this kind of punishment?
"Hey, are you feeling okay, Rinko?"
The brunette turned her head to see a girl with short purple hair and blue eyes behind a pair of silver spectacles that gave her a bookworm appearance. Her chest was a tad bigger than Rinko's, but they weren't the focus of her ire for once.
"Yuu..."
Yuu Shimamura, the President of Class 2-C, adjusted her glasses slightly. "Honestly, I've never seen you this upset since flunking one of Aikawa-sensei's exams. Mind telling me what's up?"
"Some skate punk almost ran us over on our way here," she explained, retaining her scowl.
Yuu nodded understandably. "Well, you should consider yourself lucky that he didn't cause an accident with you and Amakawa-kun. You know I'd be pretty upset, too."
"With you, that'd be an understatement," Rinko murmured in her head. Yuu had always been a bit of a stickler when it comes to rules. It's one of the reasons why she became class president in the first place.
"Anyway, you shouldn't get too worked up over it, Rinko," the violette continued, running a hand through her hair. "We all have to make a good first impression for the new exchange student, whoever they might be. They'll be with us for a year, after all."
"Yeah, don't remind me," she growled, knowing full well that she'll have to deal with that skater.
Not if she had anything to do about it.
"Look alive, guys!" a male student called out. "Teacher's coming!"
The entire class scrambled to their seats as the door slid open. A bespectacled woman with green hair and matching eyes entered the room, wearing a dark green blazer jacket and skirt, black pantyhose covering her legs, and black high heels that added a few centimeters to her statuesque frame.
Yuu promptly stood up to lead the class in their usual ritual, only to be stopped by the teacher holding her hand up.
"No need for that today, Shimamura. I think you know why."
"Oh," she said, almost ashamedly. "Right, sorry."
After Yuu sat back down, Sae Kisaragi adjusted her glasses and started speaking from behind the lectern.
"All right, class. As I mentioned yesterday, today we'll be having a student from overseas attend our school and he'll be staying with us for a year. I hope you guys will welcome him to our class with open arms."
"WHAT!? The new exchange student's a dude!? Aw, man!" Taizou groaned, face planted to his desk in utter disappointment.
Rolling her eyes at Masaki's overly dramatic display, Sae turned her attention towards the door. "Alright, you can come in now."
The door slid open and a young man stepped into the classroom. The first thing about him that caught the class's attention was his sepia skin indicative of his African heritage. His charcoal hair was done in a short ponytail at the back, and his height nearly matched their teacher's shoulders. Around the teen's neck was a decorative-looking omamori that he held onto briefly as dark grey irises scanned the room.
"Whoa, a Black dude," a male student muttered.
"First time I've seen one outside of the movies," another one mumbled. "Wonder what he's like?"
"Hey, hey, don't you think he's kinda cute?" a female student whispered to her friend.
"Yeah, and the back of his head looks so fluffy! I so wanna touch it!"
"I wanna touch it, too!" another girl added.
"But shouldn't we ask him first?" a third suggested.
There were a handful of female students that soon became interested in the Black exchange student, wanting to know more about him.
Rinko, on the other hand, wasn't at all impressed, let alone interested, with the new student. At least he proved easy to find now that she got a closer look at him.
Elsewhere in the room, Yuuto had a look of concern when he caught a glimpse of his childhood friend glaring at the exchange student.
Ms. Kisaragi gave a satisfied smile at the class before turning her attention towards the exchange student. "Go on, introduce yourself to the class."
The new student gave an affirming nod at the teacher and turned his attention towards the class. All of them (save for one) were staring at him with anticipation.
"..."
Unfortunately, their stares caused the new exchange student to stiffen, his breath hitching a little.
"Hey, don't keep the students in suspense. Hurry and introduce yourself."
The student regained his bearings after Ms. Kisaragi's chiding, shaking his head and redirecting his focus towards the awaiting class.
"Um... Hello, everyone. I'm Gordon Evans and I came here from New York. Brooklyn, to be precise," he introduced, starting off slowly. "I...may not know much about you guys, and some of you might have...varying opinions about me, but regardless, I wish that throughout the year I get to know you guys better. It's a real pleasure to meet all of you."
He finished his introduction with a short bow to the class, eliciting some applause from some of the students.
"Mhm. That was a well-put introduction, Evans," Ms. Kisaragi nodded approvingly. "Why don't you sit next to Shimamura for now?" she suggested, gesturing her head towards the violette who gave a short wave. "She's our class representative, so she'll show you how things are done."
Gordon responded with a nod before seating himself next to Yuu, placing his backpack near his seat. The Black teen was a bit puzzled about the class rep's hair color upon quick glance but quickly brushed it off. He's seen a couple people with all kinds of crazy hair colors back in New York (Xen and Ms. Blumenthal quickly come to mind), so who is he to judge?
"[Hey, you did a great job out there. Don't be so stiff next time.]"
"Hm?"
Gordon turned his attention towards Yuu who was giving the Brooklyn teen a friendly smile.
"[I...didn't know you speak English,]" he said surprised. There was a hint of an accent coming from her but it was nonetheless clear and concise.
"[I've studied it for a few years now. I'm looking to become an international reporter for the NHK someday, so having a grasp in another language helps. Still having trouble in a few spots, though,]" she explained before letting out a forgetful "Ah." "[Right, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Yuu Shimamura, your class rep. Pleased to meet you.]"
"[Pleasure's all mine,]" Gordon returned the greeting as Yuu proceeded to share her notes with him.
After going through several lectures from various teachers, it was finally lunchtime, to Gordon's relief. However, the skater quickly found himself swarmed by his fellow students who were hounding him with a smorgasbord of questions. A few of them were a bit surprised he preferred heavy metal over hip-hop and skateboarding over basketball or football (which, as he learned, had a word of its own when it came to the American variant).
But it's to be expected. Again, a small city like Takamiya doesn't have as many foreigners, not unlike Tokyo, Kyoto, or Osaka. Even if some do decide to visit, they'll probably spend up to a day or two, maybe three at most.
As for his hair...
"Hey, can I touch your hair? Can I, can I?"
"Wooow, it feels so fluffy! It's like a small pillow!"
Gordon was a bit miffed at the girls (and some boys) feeling his hair but decided to put up with it to sate their curiosity. He can always fix it up in the restroom later.
Not wanting the same kind of attention as before, Gordon situated himself on the school's rooftop where he ate lunch by himself. It was quite spacious compared to the roof of his house back home, though it was a bit quiet for his tastes. Who cares if it was off-limits, so long as he can escape the crowd?
The Black teen heaved a weary sigh while tilting his head up towards the clouds.
"What was Grams even thinking with this?" he murmured, his mind flashing back to the day he first heard the news.
January 21, 2017 (Sat)
Afternoon
"A cultural exchange program?"
It was a cold, wintry afternoon at his Brooklyn home when Gordon was sifting through a pamphlet explaining the necessary details, as well as its requirements, such as documentation.
But what really had him surprised was the destination, which was none other than Japan, the Land of the Rising Sun.
The teen glanced up towards an elderly woman sitting across from him at the kitchen table. She was of similar skintone to Gordon with short grey hair and wrinkles indicative of her age. As it was winter, she had on a black wool sweater and dark green sweatpants, this in spite of having the radiator on.
"Grams, you...you can't be serious 'bout this, right?"
Bea Lucille Evans gave her grandson a slow nod, a smile spread across her lips.
"Why not? It'll allow you to see the world from a new perspective, don't you think?"
"Yeah, but why Japan, of all places?"
"...I don't see why not," she replied with a shrug. "After all, don't you want to see where your grandfather lived?"
Gordon let off an uninterested scoff, in turn causing Lucille to sigh. The topic of Gordon's grandfather has been a point of contention between the two for a while. Since he was a little kid, the skater would always try to prod his grandmother about him, but she would always either provide vague answers or try and change the subject. It became somewhat of an annoyance to Gordon, to the point where he just gave up on the topic in sheer bitterness as he grew older.
A bitterness that, over time, slowly grew into animosity and resentment, even more so after his mother was killed. You'd have to be a special kind of jerk to skip out on your own daughter-in-law's funeral.
But why would Grams bring him up now, after all those years?
"Look, I know I've kept you in the dark about him for a long time, but..." She looked at her grandson with an assuring smile. "I believe you will find the answers you have long sought regarding who your grandfather was. Whether or not to accept it, however, is up to you. And it all starts with that pamphlet."
Gordon gazed down at the pamphlet once more, his expression filled with uncertainty.
"I'll...think about it."
...And so here he was, in a land several thousand miles away from home on the other side of the globe. The country where his grandmother met Gramps roughly half a century ago...
And found love together, resulting in his father's birth.
...Thus resulting in his own birth a few decades later.
"Hmm..."
On the other hand, he has also lived with next-door neighbors whose parents were from here and taught him Japanese since childhood. He probably wouldn't have survived the first few weeks in Japan if it weren't for their help.
Still, the grey-eyed teen couldn't help but wonder how his fellow Crewmates were holding up back home. No doubt they were missing him already.
Dante, his best bud since kindergarten and luckless Casanova (though when's that ever stopped him)...
The mute giant Ronnie and his boisterous cousin Olivia...
His next-door neighbor Rika and her little brother Hiro...
And of course, he can't forget about Kuroka and Shirone, Rika's pet cats. Shiro was especially upset about him leaving to the point she refused to let go of his leg the morning of his flight from JFK.
Kuro, on the other hand, more or less gave him the cold shoulder, her typical pattern whenever he's near her. At this point, Gordon wondered if she straight-up hates him or something, having known her and Shiro for little over five years.
Man, does feeling homesick really suck at times like this.
Have you grown to be a man on the inside, too?
Gordon immediately slapped his left ear on reflex and, upon finding out, took a long swig of his drink with a deep scowl.
"[The heck was up with that girl, anyway? Acting like she knows me.]"
Though...as much as he hates to admit it, she was really cute. A bit forward, yes, but cute regardless. He might even call that girl beautiful, all things considered. Hell, Dante probably would've rated that girl a nine out of ten if he ever saw her in person.
"Way she talks is a bit odd, though. Some kind of dialect, maybe?" He did recall Rika's mother saying there are various dialects of the Japanese language, Kansai being one of the more popular since Osaka is located in that particular region. Heck, Rika's mother is a proud Osakan herself.
That still doesn't answer how Scarlet (his nickname for the girl thanks to her uniform) got his name. He can't possibly have known her from somewhere since 1) it was literally his first time meeting her and 2) he only set foot in Takamiya less than a week ago, after having spent his previous week at a hotel in Tokyo.
"Things just don't add up."
What on earth was he missing?
"I think I saw him go to the rooftop."
"Huh?" Gordon snapped out of his musings when he heard the sound of approaching footsteps coming from the rooftop entrance. The voice he heard must belong to a girl judging by the pitch.
"Are you sure we should be going after him, Rinko?" another voice, this time a boy's, asked with concern. "He could be getting some air, for all we know. Leave him alone; it's his first day here!"
"No way, Yuuto! Not until I deck that Skate Punk for almost running me over!" Rinko, the female voice, replied.
"Geez, Rinko, let's just go back already!" the male voice known as Yuuto tried deterring. "Besides, I already promised Taizou I'd meet him at the cafeteria before you dragged me out like that!"
Gordon exhaled in mild frustration. He remembered running into those two students on his way to Touryou, back on that narrow side street. And judging by that ribbon girl's voice, it was gonna be tough calming her down.
"This is gonna be a huge pain."
But if he was gonna apologize, why not start now?
With that in mind, Gordon awaited the pair's arrival, which soon came in the form of Rinko swinging the door open with Yuuto in tow. The ribbon-wearing brunette angrily stomped towards the Brooklyn teen until she was glaring up at him, hands resting on her hips.
"Rinko, stop! You're taking this too far!" Yuuto, the boy behind her pleaded.
"Stay out of this, Yuuto!" she shot back.
Yuuto could only let out a tired sigh at his neighbor's impulsiveness. Why does it feel it can only get worse from here?
No, wait, it already has.
"Um..." Gordon was slowly backing away to get some space. "Yeah, sorry for almost running you over there, Ribbons. Side streets here can be pretty narrow to skate on, y'know. Not to mention hella scary. No hard feelings, right?"
Rinko growled, making it evident to the skater that she wasn't buying it.
"H-Hey, come on, I said I was sorry! What more do you want?"
"How about...my fist in your face!"
Rinko swung her right fist at Gordon, hoping to hit the skate punk square in the jaw with her uppercut. Unfortunately, Gordon caught sight of it and backed away from the raging brunette, causing her fist to narrowly miss his nose.
"Whoa! Sheesh, what the hell's wrong with-ohgod!"
Gordon shifted his body away from Rinko's speedy straight and slipped away again after anticipating another jab.
And another. And another.
"Rrgh! Hold still, Skate Punk!"
"No thanks!" he retorted after crouching to avoid a kick that would have hit him dead in the noggin. He did not ask for this when he came for some peace and quiet on the rooftop! Not at all!
"Cut it out already, Rinko! He already said he's sorry!" Yuuto pleaded.
"See, Ribbons? Your friend and I are on the exact same wavelength!" Gordon grunted, blocking an oncoming punch Rinko had thrown with his forearm. It stung, but he has more than his share of falls and bruises from boardriding to brush it off.
When the brunette delivered her next punch, Gordon decided that he needed to take action to resolve this. He usually doesn't like picking fights with girls unless it's a friendly spar at the local Y, but he'll have to make an exception for this girl.
This is just great. Getting into a fight with a girl dead set on pummeling him for nearly running her over! As if his encounter with Scarlet wasn't odd and frustrating enough.
"Sorry about this, Ribbons, but you brought this on yourself!"
SLAM!
Both combatants ceased their (one-sided) skirmish to see who just entered.
A red-haired male student with lightly-tanned skin was standing in the doorway, his eyes obscured by his bangs.
"T-Taizou?" Yuuto asked, recognizing his friend. "I thought you were heading to the cafeteria. What happened?"
However, he did notice something...off about Taizou's movements when the redhead approached them. His head was hunched forward and his feet dragged with every step he took, and his arms were limp and lifeless, almost zombie-like in a sense.
"Kuku... Kukukuku…" Taizou chuckled evilly, his voice distorted. "At last, I've found you… Descendant."
"Hey, are you feeling alright, Masaki-kun?" Rinko asked, concerned for her classmate's odd behavior.
But Taizou's attention was solely focused on Gordon, the redhead giving a wicked sneer that caused a dark chill to run up the New Yorker's spine.
"What...the?"
"Kohgawa..."
Taizou lifted his right arm up, causing purple lightning to crackle from his hand. The lightning continued to gather and coalesce until a small black sphere appeared on his palm. It was there that the redheaded student lifted his head, revealing glowing yellow irises and black sclera.
"You will DIE!"
Taizou threw the dark sphere, sending it hurtling towards Gordon and Rinko. Both students immediately panicked and hit the deck, causing the projectile to miss and hit the chain-link fence behind them. A large gaping hole was left in its wake, leaving the pair frightened.
"H-Holy crap!" Rinko yelped, glad she was not that fence just now. She and the skate punk would've been goners!
"Are you guys alright?!" Yuuto said worriedly, rushing over to them.
"Y...Yeah..." Gordon shook the cobwebs from his head. "Does your friend do that often?"
"N...No, he doesn't. This is the first time I've seen him act like this," Yuuto explained.
"You and me both," Rinko added.
"Such a disappointment."
The trio directed their attention towards Taizou, the redheaded classmate having a mocking smile on his face.
"Here I find a descendant of the Kohgawas, and it's just some foreigner who hasn't even learned to channel his powers. How underwhelming!"
Yuuto and Rinko slowly turned to Gordon, the skater being just as confused as they are right now at what Taizou just said.
Just what on earth was this guy even talking about? Kohgawas? A descendant? Powers? As if him hurdling that deadly sphere wasn't absurd enough. This is far from the shit he's seen growing up in the Boroughs, let alone heard.
But he does know one thing, though, and that's not letting either himself or his classmates get wasted by this guy!
"I know I'm putting myself in danger, but...I have to try! Somehow!"
Taking a deep breath, Gordon stood up and took a few steps forward, slowly raising his fists.
"Hey, hold on a sec!" Rinko began to protest. "You're not gonna fight him, are you? You saw what he did!"
"Don't! He's our friend!" pleaded Yuuto.
Gordon glanced back at his two classmates, both of whom had concerned looks on their faces. He knew he wasn't taking the best course of action, but given the circumstances, would any sensible teacher believe his story if he told them? They'd probably look at him like a second head just grew out of his shoulder.
And besides, who knows what would happen if this Taizou fellow were to roam free, given the destruction he caused?
"I don't like this either, but..."
Gordon clenched his teeth and made his rush towards Taizou, rearing his fist for a potential straight jab. The strike soon came, but it was blocked by the redhead holding out his forearm.
"Is there even a goddamn choice?!"
Gordon's fighting instincts were on full blast, the New Yorker continuing his assault with several more punches to Taizou. Unfortunately, each blow was quickly countered by the redheaded student, all while having that condescending grin on his face.
It was beginning to aggravate Gordon, but he has to keep going!
WHUD!
"Guh!"
Eventually, he finally managed to land a hit on Taizou, striking his chest and causing the red-haired student to stumble backward. The grey-eyed teen saw the opening as an opportunity to knock him down and did so with one of Ronnie's favorite wrestling moves.
"Got ya!"
He grabbed Taizou's wrist and pulled the redhead close, striking his head with a strong-armed lariat.
"HAH!"
WHAM!
"Gwaagh!"
Taizou hit the ground with a hard thud after receiving the impact, his form sprawled on the floor. He didn't seem to be moving, however, which worried Yuuto and Rinko a bit.
"H-Hey, Skate Punk, you better not-!"
"I don't think he did, Rinko," interrupted the former. "At least, I hope not."
Gordon was also feeling troubled for his downed classmate and decided to check on him. However, the skater stopped when he saw Taizou's hand move. Slowly but surely, the redhead began to pick himself up, holding his pained head until he reached his full height. At the same time, a black miasma emerged from Taizou's body, causing everyone to coil back in fear.
"Don't...underestimate me, you little shit! I'll tear you apart and eat up your entrails! KOHGAWAAAAAA!-!"
A powerful gust erupted from the enraged redhead, forcing all three students to shield their faces from the oncoming winds. The stray dust particles being kicked up into the atmosphere caused nearly all of them to cough upon catching them in their mouths.
"Ngh! What's *cough cough* going on?!" shouted Rinko.
"Beats me if I know! I've *cough* never seen Taizou act this way before *cough*!" was Yuuto's reply.
Several seconds passed before the winds started to settle, Gordon being the first to lower his arms. Upon doing so, his eyes became wide after seeing what Taizou had become.
"Holy fu...!"
"NOOOOOO~! I don't want you to leave~!"
A young girl was outside a traditional Japanese home, wearing a short red kimono with a patterned obi around the waist and a pair of zouri, accompanied with a red ribbon around her left ankle. Her black hair was done in short, high ponytails that were kept up by hair bobbles. Despite her appearance, the girl's chest was quite developed, even showing through her kimono a bit.
Her expression, however, tells a different story. Puffy, golden-brown eyes were filled with tears that ran down to her cheeks, and a bit of snot dripped from her nose.
"At least stay with me a little longer! Or at least take me with you! Please~!"
Standing a few feet from the young girl was an older girl with black hair done in a long ponytail, a pink ribbon holding it in place. She had on a school uniform made up of a bright red blazer with a white sailor collar, a yellow bow tied around the collar, and a black skirt. Black thigh-high socks were worn over her legs, accompanied by a pair of brown loafers adorning her feet. Deep violet eyes were staring at the younger girl's teary expression.
"You know that is impossible, Kaya. A Zashiki-warashi's power comes from the home they are entrusted with protecting. If you were to leave, you would be rendered powerless."
Kaya, the Zashiki-warashi, sniffled. "Yeah, of course I know that! But still, you going away is too depressing for me~!"
The violet-eyed girl let out a tired sigh as if having gone through the same song and dance with the younger girl. "It is my duty, Kaya. Surely you must understand that."
Kaya nodded slowly but her expression remained the same. At the same time, a young woman with pastel blue hair and matching eyes stepped out from the house. She had on a pale lavender kimono with a wisteria-colored obi. The kimono was quite long, going past the woman's feet and splaying out onto the ground. In her hands was a katana stored inside a decorative black sheath with gold and red accents. She quietly made her way towards the violet-eyed girl and presented it to her.
"Here is your sword, Himari-sama, as requested."
Himari took the katana from the blue-haired woman and unsheathed it slightly, revealing a lustrous silver blade that gleamed in the sunlight. She eyed the edge of the katana very closely for a few moments before placing it back in its sheath.
"You have my thanks, Aya."
"Of course. I have taken numerous steps to ensure it is in top shape for your journey," Aya explained, taking a polite bow. "Yasutsuna is a priceless weapon, after all."
"That it is," Himari said in agreement, having finished concealing Yasutsuna in a decorative cloth.
Kaya sniffled, holding back her tears this time around. "So, this is it, huh? You're really leaving?"
"...Kaya..."
"It's not fair! I know it's your job as the Crimson Blade, but still! I can't imagine you getting killed out there! And all to protect some clueless mutt from god-knows-how-far who's only staying in Japan a whole year!? What'll happen if he never awakens his powers at all during that time!? What then!?"
Himari, surprised at Kaya's outburst, closed her eyes in contemplation before opening them again, revealing a confident smile.
"Then I shall continue to protect him regardless, even if it means having to follow him to his home."
For a while, Kaya had a bewildered look on her face at her companion's answer. Himari only knew that mutt through his grandmother's letters and the pictures she sent along with them. There's no telling how this guy will act in person. He can be a total jerk for all she knows.
...Or worse, he'll perv all over Himari and steal her virginity the first time he gets! It's hers, dammit! And she'll be the one to take it!
Yes... It shall be hers for the taking. Himari's... Her precious...
"Guhehehe~"
"Kaya-sama, please wipe your drool. You're embarrassing Himari-sama."
Kaya was brought out of her erotic musings by Aya's chiding, wiping the drool from her face with her kimono sleeve.
"Kaya."
The Zashiki-warashi looked up and became surprised upon seeing Himari up close, having crouched down to meet her at eye level. She can feel the butterflies well up in her stomach but ignored them in favor of putting up a front.
"I entrust you to take care of Grandpa Tai's home while I am away, yes?"
Kaya's eyes strayed for a brief moment before looking back at Himari's, a worrisome expression showing on her face.
"If I do that, will you at least come and visit?"
"Of course. You can rest assured."
The two girls share a loving and tender embrace that lasted several seconds. Although...
"Ah! K-Kaya, what are you-?"
"LET ME HAVE MY MOMENT! I HAVE TO FEEL THESE PRECIOUS PUPPIES BEFORE YOU LEAVE WITH THEM! IT'S ONLY FAIR!"
Kaya couldn't resist the urge to grope and stuff her face between Himari's bountiful bosom one last time.
######
That was a few days ago before Himari undertook her journey to the city her master is residing. Countless kilometers have been traveled, and she can already feel the fatigue catching up to her after reaching the city limits. Sure, she can really use a nice nap right about now, but...
"Hehehe~"
How can she after meeting her master in person for the first time? After all those years of only seeing pictures, she finally got to meet him! Sure, she might have set him off with her teasing, but it's the encounter that counts more than anything. It helps that he takes a bit after Grandpa Tai, appearance-wise.
Of course, she can't forget about her mission. It's why she came to this city, after all.
To be the Blade that Protects Her Master.
Now that the omamori he's wearing no longer bears its spell, it would only be a matter of time before ayakashi in the area start to-
"Ah-!"
Himari's eyes widened when she sensed a malicious presence nearby. Concern took over the girl's conscience as she quickly unwrapped the cloth containing Yasutsuna. She didn't waste any time pinpointing where it came from, her eyes narrowing towards the direction of Touryou High.
Thus the Crimson Blade of Noihara sprang into action, jumping from rooftop to rooftop en route to the school.
"Oof! Agh!"
Gordon landed hard on his back, wincing as a sharp pain ran through. The skater's face was bruised up in a few places, and blood was seeping through a cut on the right side of his forehead. His uniform didn't fare any better, having been dirtied up with several marks all over his shirt and khakis.
Gordon slowly lifted his head up with gritted teeth, his eyes glaring sharply at the person responsible.
A familiar redheaded figure stood before him. Of course, the New Yorker remembers his name. How can he not after hearing his classmates repeatedly call it over and over?
Taizou. Taizou Masaki.
However...everything about him has changed.
His skin, once a healthy tan complexion, was a pale and sickly blue with a rough, almost sandpaper-like texture. His fingernails were long and sharp, as were his teeth that were showing through that insidious smile that got the skater wondering if he really does enjoy making him suffer.
But the real kicker has to be the six long and hairy spider legs that were protruding from his back, all green with sharp red tips. They were a massive pain for Gordon to deal with since getting close to Taizou was next to impossible.
"Hyah!"
Not to mention he was much faster than he was before that bizarre transformation, forcing Gordon to stay on the defensive all the way through. But even that has its limits.
WHUD!
"Gaaagh!"
Gordon's reflexes were starting to slow as a result of his exhaustion catching up to him. It took all he had to keep those spider legs from hitting him, but Taizou managed to land a few hits himself, resulting in the current state the New Yorker was in now.
Gordon received a fierce kick to his side that sent him rolling and tumbling on the concrete. The grey-eyed teen cried out in agony at the pain inflicted on his ribs.
"Taizou, that's enough! Stop!"
"Masaki-kun!"
Gordon looked ahead at Yuuto and Rinko, the pair frightened ever since Taizou's bizarre transformation took place. And who wouldn't be? He was their classmate and friend, and now he's currently beating the living tar out of him.
But still...
"I can't...let him kill me. Not in front...of them!"
Drilling those words into his psyche, Gordon slowly made his attempt to stand, gathering as much strength as he can while ignoring the pain surging through his body.
"Agh! Khh...! C'mon, get up!"'
"Hmph. I'm surprised a brat like yourself can still stand."
Gordon lifted his head to see Taizou slowly approaching him. Almost on instinct, the dark-skinned teen held his fists up to show defiance.
"However, it seems you're already near your limit, ARE YOU?!"
Taizou hurled one of his spider legs at Gordon. The skater managed to move out of the way, causing the tip of the appendage to barely miss his shirt. However, it caught the string tying the omamori around Gordon's neck, yanking it away.
"No! OOF!"
Gordon was met with a powerful kick to the stomach by Taizou, sending him hurtling towards the chain-link fence and colliding with it. The Brooklyn teen held his abdomen in pain, a few curses slipped through his lips before feeling a sticky sensation on his right hand. Looking over to it, his eyes widened when he saw a white substance sticking his hand to the wire fence.
"Huh? What the-!?"
Gordon tried moving his hand away from the fence but the substance binding it wouldn't give way. His attention was then directed towards Taizou, who had a satisfied grin on his face. The redheaded student spat several gobs of the webby substance from his mouth, pinning the New Yorker to the fence with no means of escape. Gordon wrestled with the webbing in a panic but it proved futile as Taizou was slowly making his way towards him, a smug and menacing look overtaking his features.
BA-THUMP!
A dark chill ran through Gordon's back. With each step the red-haired student took, he can feel his heartbeat accelerating at a rapid pace and his breathing becoming shallower by the moment. Several beads of sweat ran down the grey-eyed teen's forehead as Taizou leered over to him.
"Ku-ku-ku. Nowhere to run, brat. Caught like the rat you are."
Gordon again wrestled with the webbing but his blood ran cold when he saw tips of spider legs pointed several millimeters from his face, right near his eyes.
"How about I start by gouging out those eyes of yours...? Ku-ku-ku... HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"Scared" didn't even begin to describe how I felt that time.
I wanted to wake up. I wanted to make sure this was some screwed-up nightmare, but...
Deep down, I knew it wasn't. Not by a long shot.
I was gonna get killed, all 'cause of something I didn't understand.
Not just me, but probably those other two who are his friends.
...But why? Why did it have to be me? What'd I do to get this Masaki guy want to kill me?
Please, I... I can't die here!
Someone...! Anyone...! Please...!
I DON'T WANNA DIE!
"Now..."
Taizou drew back his spider legs to strike Gordon, the skater's eyes widening at what lay before him.
The boy was staring at death. Plain and simple.
He couldn't move, he couldn't run away. He can only look at the arachnid-like appendages that spelled his impending doom.
"Receive...OUR HATRED!"
"NO TAIZOU, STOP!"
"MASAKI-KUN, NOOOOO!"
Yuuto and Rinko's cries fell on deaf ears as the redhead launched his spider legs at Gordon, forcing the dark-skinned student to shut his eyes to avert his gruesome fate.
...
...
...
However, after several seconds passed, Gordon noticed something was wrong. Slowly he cracked an eye open to see...
A blade.
Stopping only a hair's breadth from Taizou's neck was a long and sharp blade that barely grazed the redhead's skin. Its silver luster glistened in the afternoon sun, the rays bouncing off its entire length. The redhead himself was frozen stiff, his teeth clenched and sweat dripping down his cheek.
Gordon's eyes slowly traced the length of the blade, becoming surprised when he saw who was holding it.
Amethyst eyes narrowed into a sharp and intimidating glare...
A long, obsidian ponytail...
And lastly, a red school blazer indicative of the nickname he gave her.
"Scar...let...?"
To be continued...
I know it's not my style to end a chapter on a cliffhanger, but it needed to be done. Expect the next chapter to be a "Part 2" of sorts.
As stated before in the intro, this fic blends the worlds of OmaHima and DxD into a unique continuity. Kuroka and Shirone (aka Koneko) being together is among one of many changes in this AU, as well as Gordon mentioning Xenovia (or Xen, as he nicknames her). Expect other characters' names to pop up as well.
There will also be a tie-in fic titled TBDS: Stories from the Boroughs that deals with the lives of the New York characters while Gordon is away, with some getting wrapped up in their own unique adventures. How the nekomata sisters end up in New York will be covered there, as well. I'm planning to get a chapter done with every two or three I write of this, if possible.
I'll also be cross-posting TBDS and all related material on Archive of Our Own with additional notes and scenes I doubt this site would allow, but the latter won't be until much later. The link to my AO3 page is in my profile page.
So with all that out of the way, please feel free to leave a review with your questions regarding these chapters, and until then, see ya in the next one! Laters!