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The following is a fan-based
FICTION
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Chapter 45: Reigniting the Oath
When I first looked at the living room of my house back in Kuoh Town, I thought that it wouldn't have never been filled by too many people. I was still tip-toeing the line between getting yanked in the main story and staying in the backstage, blissfully unaware that the sort of events, the same happening right in from of me, would have actually happened.
Azazel smiled at the disappointed frown Michael was giving him, smugly refusing to address the annoyance the archangel had for the roster of guests currently in that room while also looking particularly awkward when regarding with his eyes at his own 'subordinates'.
I was still neutral about the decision pushed by both Issei and Asia to take in both Irina and Xenovia, the two girls were far too unpredictable for me to know how they would lash out at the knowledge that God was dead.
Kokabiel didn't hold back even in this occasion, his glee at having both faithful warriors of Christianity dealt such a blow was something that he couldn't avoid himself from tasting.
Irina was shocked, she looked positively terrified but… she still had a family. The girl still had friends, she still had something she could do after this whole mess, something to not truly fall in utter despair.
Xenovia…
I was incredibly confused about her. While many could easily pinpoint my inherent difficulty to approach her attitude to her unique reactions that were known to lack common sense and own some lewd underline, I was sure this wasn't the case.
Someone like her wasn't certainly going to react this weirdly just because of this occasion, her case stemmed from some lonely childhood where she never had the chance to truly learn 'how to grow up'. She was molded in a puppet, a willing one, but also someone that couldn't live without her own job.
Her duty became her very soul, her life was only the battle and the defense of her faith.
Any attempt to attach herself to someone else? Only Irina was successful, but just because they were friends thanks to their mutual work. Not even Griselda Quarta giving the girl her surname seemed to spurn anything particular out of her.
A tool… that was deprived of her own reason to exist. Latching onto Issei was the quickest way to get away from the hollow sense of nothingness one could only feel at seeing everything in their own life crumble before their eyes. Not the smartest, but the easiest and the fastest one to avoid the agony.
But in this scenario, only the Shidou was close (by childhood friend's standards) to the brunet, the blue-haired girl left unanswered prior to the encounter with Kokabiel and thus having no reason to 'like' Issei.
I was glad that Kunou and Koneko had decided to stay by 'their' room, same for Kuroka and Akeno deciding to 'secure' my own room and while I knew the latter case was an odd circumstance that was possibly going to cause me some shenanigans later today, I merely sighed and focused at the very discussion the 'Regent of Heaven' was leading.
Gabriel was here too, but the young woman was mostly endeared by the lap pillow I was offering her. Quite awkward for how much grave the situation was for the two exorcists, but I was certain they weren't truly minding it, actually seeing it as a moment of relief from the dreadful news just around the corner.
Irina was scared, I could see it from her erratic behavior to stare everyone at the table and then look away the moment her stare was matched by the very subject she was looking at. She was pale, mortified, embarrassed and at loss over the whole turn of events, but the brunette was keen to not make any ill mistakes and question the authorities before her.
Xenovia was staring silently at table. Her eyes lacked any warmth, anything lively, she just looked like doll because of how her posture reminded so much of a puppet without strings. Gone was her hopeful outlook about life, her simplistic livelihood and now she lived like aimless sheep in the sea of lost.
I blinked, my eyes having been fixed on the girl for a while now and the speech Michael was giving long forgotten as I mostly knew how it was going to end up into. A little question, a test of loyalty and, just as expected, it happened right how I saw it coming.
"I can't express my sadness to how this news was given, nor I can punish you for being caught in this terrible situation." The man muttered in a mournful tone. "But, I hope you both understand that now I will have to put you to a difficult choice. You either accept to swear your silence over the matter… or you will be granted a life outside of the duty the Church requested before today from you. A life without any memory of what happened few days ago-"
"What kind of choice is that?" The blank words leaving Xenovia's lips surprised the archangel silent, but the girl was far from over and she sighed tiredly. "I either turn a blind eye… to the very foundation of my faith, or I just destroy what is left of my very life."
There was some awkward silence that followed, Irina was utterly shell-shocked by the words of her friend, surprised it would come to this and… I was particularly shaken by her emotions.
Being emotional doesn't just mean showing anger or happiness while speaking, it was embodying the state of their own souls and… I could feel a tremendous amount of despair coming from the blue-haired girl.
It was a terrible sight… that was oddly familiar. It just… felt like I've seen this kind of behavior before somewhere in the past. But… where?
Where could I have- Oh!
Nope! We aren't going to have her do that.
It might be her best chance after Kokabiel. We could still give it a chance-
She will turn out just like Artoria. Taking that sword is a goddamn curse for simple humans.
But what if she wasn't left to suffer the burden alone?
...What?
Excalibur destroyed Artoria because she wasn't truly helped to handle the duties it came with the sword. Plus, she was supposed to be a hero and a king at the same time. Duties clashed, she failed to understand what 'Ideal' meant and things derailed right into Camlann.
You… want to have Xenovia actually become a what? A Hero of Justice? Even that is a big no-
And why not?
...Elaborate.
Archer became disenchanted with the whole 'Justice' idea because he was so stupidly straddling at the concept of 'Romantic Hero', never questioning the complexity of the modern hero. But given the fact Xenovia isn't affected by Survivor's Guilt? Given that she receives some genuine advice over her duties-
It might still end badly…
Just not as bad as Artoria and only if we allow bad things to happen.
Then go ahead, but I will tell you only this… 'That is Hell we are kicking her into.'
...Using EMIYA's quotes now?
He was genuine in his opposition to the UBW Route, that Shirou possibly ended up becoming EMIYA Alter after the Anime's last scene.
Nodding with some determination embed in my face, I looked down at Gabriel, the blonde blinking back at me with half-closed eyelids. "Gabi, can you forgive me if I spare some words with Xenovia? It's something very important."
Blue eyes blinked back, childish annoyance flashing momentarily but then the girl moved, a slight huff preceding her moving away from my lap. "Thank you, I promise that I will buy you something you will like."
Her face eased, a smile blooming once more. "Candy?"
"Gabriel-"
"Just a few of those wouldn't be that bad." I interrupted quietly and Michael sighed with some disappointment directed at the seraph… but he nodded. "Only four- but what do you exactly plan to do with Miss Quarta?" I blinked at his question and shrugged.
"Felt like she needed some time to think, maybe get some stuff done and..." I turned my attention once more at the girl. "I wish to offer a third possibility to her."
"A… third choice?" The blue-haired girl asked with a confused tone. "I-I can't nor I will join Grigori-"
"And that isn't the choice I was planning to give to you." I interrupted with a calm tone, expecting that remark. "Actually, it hasn't anything to do about factions, joining or leaving something or another. It's something much more important in my opinion."
"And you can't tell this at the table… because?" Azazel questioned, his eyes narrowed at me with some curiosity but I merely sighed.
"Because I think it's private." I replied placidly. "And I think the only one that should know about this is Xenovia."
There was another bout of silence, but the blue-haired teen blinked and recovered quickly. "I-I- Why?"
"Reasons." I replied quietly and without hesitation, ignoring the frowns I was getting. "And I think you need some breath of air outdoor, I think you've been holing up in my house for a while now."
At least she had the decency to blush at having her reclusive behavior called out, maybe there was truly something I could do about her…
Xenovia was clueless as to why things had turned out like this.
She had expected to face some serious moment with 'the one that ruled Heavens'. God was dead, her heart would still pause just a moment from beating at remembering the devious grin in Kokabiel's face while he proclaimed this truth.
A horrid truth, a terrifying one that kept her from going forward. The once clear path was now darkened, non-existing, and her determination to find a way out from that gloom had long plummeted away from her to grasp.
She was alone, she was afraid and she had been ready to face the looming decision. A decision that would have her devastated one way or another. A decision that was… delayed.
The girl blinked as she helped Lor- Hoitsu by placing some curious packages of food in the small cart he was holding. The fact that the young man also gave her the freedom to pick whatever she wanted to try and eat just left her even more confused about what was happening.
There was some minor bantering, some light-heart talking that preceded their arrival to the store, but nothing about this whole situation hinted at whatever serious 'third choice' he was trying to give her.
Only peace and the cool breeze coming from the A/C system of the building were there to fill up the normalcy of this place. Odd, but quite common from her perspective about this little city.
She didn't have the time to explore all around, her main objective taking over any curiosity over this small town and this little trip was giving her a deeper and better glimpse at the place she had been living until now.
Kuoh was a peaceful city, nothing out of the ordinary from what she had seen in her past assignments and… walking around without a mission forcing her to not enjoy the full scenery felt oddly relaxing. There was just… so much calm.
Xenovia was a woman of actions, diplomacy hardly her forte but the girl enjoyed the few chances where she wasn't forced to fend off for her dear life. Her posture was relaxed, a far cry of the tension that once domineered over her walking and fighting stances.
She felt like a normal civilian.
It wasn't certainly something she would have wanted to do for the rest of her life, but she could see some intriguing things in being away from duty. It wasn't like back home, where free time was spent at the headquarters where she either did some chores or trained.
A small smile appeared on her face, the weight of the decision momentarily vanishing as her mind had her attention diverted at the silly but relaxing activity that was picking out the products all around her.
Finally her little curiosity overtook her own politeness as the girl settled for a small package containing some potato chips. She hardly tried the flavor of those… potato-related snacks and thus she decided it was high time to tried those out.
It wasn't like she was going to return back home now, with all the limitations it was going to bring her to her life.
She knew that Michael was leaving out several other restrictions that would came by accepting the offer of keeping her lips shut about the greatest lie ever told to her. God, the one and only being that couldn't be faulted of anything, was killed during the Great War.
Something so immense relayed in such deplorable and disgusting tone, by someone that wasn't worth of even thinking about the Lord.
Yet she now knew and… that wasn't something she could accept to keep from telling. It was just… too big, too painfully massive to keep bottled up, even for someone so well-attuned in keeping under control her own emotions.
Irina would surely do that. Her mind was cruel enough to remind her how the brunette would accept the chance to continue with her duties without a single ounce of hesitation.
She was just like that, always too devoted… without a genuine reason. Her easygoing behavior could easily stick around as mocking of Xenovia's genuine attachment to her faith, but after years of being in the same team, not even the blue-haired girl would jump at this notion of the Japanese-born exorcist.
Beep
The girl's attention shifted away from her thoughts, the sound of the cashier going through the products set by the counter getting her back to reality. Xenovia blinked, eyes regaining some importance as she soon learned that… Hoitsu was giving her a small smile.
It was a genuine one, the kindness easy to perceive and… she blinked again as she remembered 'why' they were here and… how she had yet to get any information from the quiet young man.
Somewhat annoyed at the fact this trip was stretching beyond the original purpose, she waited for the cashier to end with his work and get paid, and then by the time the two were out of the store to question what was going on to the her senior.
There was hardly someone around in the streets, by the time they finished with the groceries it was deep in the working hours and thus asking became much easier than planned.
"Hoitsu?" She bit her tongue as to not put the 'Lord' title before the name. The young man fairly adamant to have her address him only by his first name, just as he asked to call her without any honorifics or titles.
Diamoci del tu. He said in Italian, the expression literally begging to 'drop all formalities'.
"Yes Xenovia?" He glanced her way and she sighed.
"W-What did you want to tell me?" A minor stutter, she was feeling impertinent already but she still went ahead. "What is the 'third choice' you mentioned back in the living room?"
He said it was fine with it so… why not?
He blinked, a little surprised and a little embarrassed, but then he sighed. "I guess that I've been delaying this for a while now." He nodded to himself and started to pick up the pace. "Let us go to a… less crowded place."
Less… crowded? There was literally no one around them and- What was he planning to show to her that-
They continued to walk, going in a full detour from their initial walk as they went distant from the more developed section of the town to… the local park.
The place was lacking any occupants, maybe just some guards keeping an eye for any delinquents and then the man stopped.
He sat down on one of the benches and gestured her to take a seat herself. Xenovia complied, but slowly and cautiously as she was starting to feel far too confused to accept eagerly whatever was going on.
Hoitsu sighed. "The reason why I asked you to come with me with this little 'silly' trip was… because I wanted to ask how are you faring about everything that is happening."
Her eyes widened and… she blinked in shock at the words sinking quickly in her brain. It was just so… unrealistic. To know that someone that much important cared for someone like her was…
"I-I'm fine." She was tense, painfully and visibly so. She nodded, she hoped to not be given a full interrogation but-
"Xenovia, I know that you are not fine." There was uncertainty in his face but… also some curious clarity. An odd mix of emotions if she had to be honest. "I know that might sounds utterly strange, but I will have you know that I do care for the people around me."
"B-But I'm just a stranger, sir- I mean-" She panicked a little but Hoitsu was quick to take the lead.
"You were a stranger, Xenovia." He corrected. "If Issei and Asia thought that you were someone worth of enough trust to house both you and Irina, then I think-"
"Irina was Issei's childhood friend." The girl interjected, looking at her knees, looking rather… unhappy with the discussion. "I'm not worth of-"
"You better stop at once that sentence." The teen thundered, looking incredibly annoyed. "There is nothing of being 'worth of' as you were putting it."
She didn't reply to that, keeping quiet.
"Look Xenovia, I'm not trying to give you any lecture." He assured with a small smile. "But I want you to know that… you still have a purpose."
"I don't." Her throat was painfully drying up. The wild storm of emotions never ceasing as he continued mercilessly to speak to her.
Why couldn't he just stop? Why couldn't he just… let her suffer?
"So you are telling me that, now that you know that God is dead, you are not going to save Irina if she is defenseless against a monster?"
She straightened up at once at the question, looking irked at it. "What? No, I would-"
"And what about a Stray Devil attacking a bunch of civilians, wouldn't you be able to help them because God is dead?"
Xenovia was ready to refute the scenario but… she stopped, her expression growing perplexed as she felt that something about the questions was… different than mere taunting.
"I will give you an explanation about God that the Church will never try to give you about him." He said with calm determination. "And that is… God isn't Christianity."
"He is the Creator-"
"But He certainly isn't as 'Infinite' as the Church makes Him look like if he dies against 'Finite' beings, doesn't he?" He poked deeper at that very detail, the one that make it possible for God to… die. "He existed and He did some stuff. He made 'mostly' good things but now that He is 'gone', do you really think it all just washes away?"
She stood quiet, for a moment she felt like a child being given a lesson back at the private catechism. She could feel the stern but moderated tone of Griselda Quarta addressing some of the precepts of the Bible with impressive precision, giving some honest but also well-defined explanations over past events for Christianity itself.
"Good morals, a sense of community and the need to care for the next guy are still going to survive time itself." He motivated, smiling. "You certainly didn't change so quickly at the news, signorina."
She huffed. "D-Don't call me that."
It was all right if it was meant to be taken as a polite way to address her, but it didn't take much to realize it was a teasing title than anything else.
"Sorry." He apologized curtly. "But you have to admit that you can't seriously let your 'life' end here of all places and time."
"He is gone-"
"But the need of a protector is still here, isn't it?" He sharply pointed out, bringing the girl's response to a halt. "As an Exorcist you represent a dutiful protector, a hero some would say."
"I'm not a protector, nor a hero." She sighed, staring forward in an absent-like stare. "I can't even use Durandal to the fullest. After years of having it in my possession, I still can't understand it."
"The Holy Sword that is meant to destroy everything in its path?" He asked calmly. "Do you know who was the first owner?"
She blinked, looking confused at the last question. "Wasn't it… Roland?"
"Indeed and do you know what he did with Durandal?" He continued without hesitation, getting Xenovia in a cycle of answering questions.
"It was because… I think he destroyed an army 100,000 men alone."
"And how did he do that?" His smile widened. "How did he achieve such an impressive feat?"
"He..." The blue-haired girl scrunched her face while thinking about it and… realization then dawned, embarrassment rising to replace the nervousness of before. "He used Magic."
"And can you use Magic?" His smile twitched as she fidgeted in her seat.
…
"Xenovia." He pressed on and she sighed, crossing her arms close to her chest.
"F-Fine, I do not- but I thought Magic was just something to boost its real power-"
"It has already too much power, its user needs some boost to make use of it to the fullest or… you flop."
She snorted. "I-I do not flop-"
"Yet you just said you did-"
"I did not!" Her face was turning red in embarrassment and Hoitsu chuckled.
"F-Fine, then." Hoitsu sighed, his happy smile still there. "How about I give you your third choice?"
The girl huffed. "Okay, what is it?"
"Michael wouldn't let you return back to the Holy See without getting you restricted from going 'against him' and I know you wouldn't never enjoy the life of a simple civilian, action is now part of you after all."
She nodded, trying to appear a little disinterested but… she was taken by the logic unfolding before her.
"So what if… you become my apprentice?"
Xenovia froze on the spot, mind stopping as the question unleashed a new confusion. "W-What?"
"If you stay here in Kuoh Town, not only will you be able to keep your memories intact, but you will also not have to keep quiet about the whole thing about God."
"But Hoitsu, with all due respect… Lord Michael did say you are not a swordsman."
"I'm a basic one, but the apprenticeship wouldn't be about swords. That is something I will fix by finding some good teacher about it but… I meant for something else you are terribly lacking right now."
She frowned. "And that is?"
"Your… social capabilities." The teen replied flatly, getting a minor glare from the girl. "You may glare as much as you like, but you aren't fit to speak with people."
"I did well back home-"
"Being polite and being informal are two different attitudes. Several times you still tried to address me as 'Lord' and you were keen to be rather 'over-respectful' around me."
"It's the proper thing-"
"Not when it's a simple trip to the store." He interjected with an annoyed tone. "I've never seen someone this awed by exploring a simple store-"
"I-It's different than those back home-" She tried to defend herself, flinching as the young man narrowed his eyes at her.
"I know that there isn't a particular difference between Japan and Italy about that, signorina." He interrupted once more. "And I don't think there are excuses that can help you right now."
She stared down at the ground and sighed. "I might be a little awkward but-"
"Try with incredibly awkward." He huffed tiredly. "Look, I don't think this offer is particularly cruel compared to Michael's alternatives. I don't want to push you to do anything, but this is the safest route and… we both know that."
The girl paused, hesitation finally catching up as she really felt like this was her best chance at continuing with her… adventure.
The words coming from Griselda back when she went on her first mission echoing true within her mind.
"Sometime we will face our worst nightmares in the strangest and gloomiest of situations, but it is up to ourselves to go and brave the dangers. Fear might reign, but it's hope and determination that win it all."
She nodded, a small smile adorning her face. A lasting smile, a genuine one and… a promising one.
"I… I accept."
They shared a nod, both standing up and proceeding to walk back towards Hoitsu's house and-
So, why didn't you give her Excalibur?
She has the potential to make use of it… but she isn't developed magically. Using it would kill her.
...I feel that it isn't the main reason why you held back. I feel like… it's deeper.
Fine… she is emotionally too unstable to handle the responsibility. I think she would easily fall in the same mistakes Artoria committed during her reign even with my help if she was provided with the sword right now.
And yet you plan to still give that to her. It will be a risky move and, while I can see the merits of such a move, I think the risks will be bigger than the possible reward.
Hope is the last thing to die… isn't it?
You are a moron… but you are still my moronic King, so…
...I will let this happen.
AN
Long chapter, Yay!
I decided to give ample space to Xenovia this chapter as next one will see some serious plot advancement. There are characters that exist within the DxD universe that are never brought up for… strange reasons. This story will be packed with a pragmatic antagonist that… isn't the main villain.
Also some mind-blowing info will be dropped next chapter, like… some stuff no one was aware of!
New Milestone!
Future milestone 1: 820 Followers and Favorites.
P a treon . com (slash) socialistbukharin
REVIEW Q&A!
Ascandas: I've seen two episodes and, from my understanding of some reviewers of the show, I think I will have to watch it more. My initial reaction was… meh… like I didn't enjoy the pacing the first episode had and how the story began. I will give it a look.
Scrumblenuts: I found four major flaws from my early reading of the rewrite:
1) Some chapters have lengthy paragraphs, you should mind the pacing a little of some of those;
2) Some verbs are declined wrong, sometime you do the right one (which is mostly Past Tense) while others (especially to indicate people's actions) you use the present. Present is generally used to indicate 'the present' which is used in people speaking;
3) Punctuation;
4) You wrote in the ANs that you can't get a proper ending to the chapters because you get tired. It happens to me too sometimes, but I learned that the best way to treat this issue is by getting some rest and then finish the chapter when you are well-rested.
I tried to be curt as I want this to be a critic and nothing else. I don't want to kick people's down but I will bluntly admit where there are issues. You are faring well and I will tell you that my very first fanfics sucked much worse than this. Write, improve and adapt. (Nope, I ain't Bear Grylls).