Date: 28-08-2023
Disclaimer: I do not own anything except OCs and other changes from canon. Also, any resemblance to real people is not intended. This is fiction, after all.
I was lonely.
My parents moved around a lot, so I could not make many friends.
No friends means no one to play with.
Having no one to play with means having to entertain myself.
Entertaining myself means…exploration!
Being in new places all the time makes it very fun to run around and find even newer places.
This time, my parents were investigating something in a forest in England.
Not sure what that was about -they wouldn't tell me-, but it meant that we stayed near the forest for a while.
So…forest exploration time!
I chased some animals, got dirty, found some groves, got lost once, and a lot of other fun things.
My parents also fussed about me when I got back, so that was even better.
They weren't around much, so any attention was good attention.
My exploration ended up with me finding a new friend.
A friend in a clearing.
Talking to him was hard, though.
He spoke English and I could only speak a little.
I knew more about Japanese and Italian, because I have stayed there for a while.
But I have only been in England for about 10 days.
So I met my new friend -who was not a friend yet, at the time- one day in a clearing.
He was in his shack, clanging on an anvil.
I was interested, so I peeked into the shack.
There was an older kid hammering some metal into a tube shape.
It was curly, so that must have been it.
It was cool.
Well, it was hot -he was smithing-, but it was cool.
Hihi, pun.
I giggled and that got his attention.
Well, I thought so, but later I learned he knew I was there all along.
So cool!
I babbled at him in Italian.
He just send me a confused look and said something in English.
I think it was something like "I don't get it."?
Don't know much English yet, so I was not sure.
But it became awkward.
We both just stood there.
Then he signed something.
He pointed at himself, and said "David".
'Ooh, that must be his name!'
I pointed at myself and said my name.
He looked at me weird.
I get it.
It's a Japanese name, so Europeans must think it is weird.
I tried to ask him what he is doing, but I forgot he did not understand me.
He just tilted his head and then sighed.
He made the 'stop' sign with his hand.
The one where you put all your fingers together and show your palm to someone.
He then mumbled a bit.
His eyes flashed.
That was cool.
I yelled excitedly for him to do it again.
He said "Sure" and flashed his eyes again.
I squealed.
Then I babbled about how cool it was.
But then, I realised something.
Only witches can flash their eyes like that!
Was he a witch?
But witches are girls, right?
So he can't be a witch.
I didn't know, so I asked him.
He said "I…am…a…wizard".
Slowly, so that I could understand.
I knew the first 3 words, but not the last one.
Gasp I got it!
'That must be the name of his people!
So he is a wish-hard. Not a witch.'
I nodded to myself in understanding.
'Yep. That is good.
No witch means no witchcraft, so he is safe from Hell.'
I did not know, at the time, he was planning on going there anyway.
For a while, I met him every day in that clearing.
He would show me some magic or tools that he created.
Then we would 'talk' about it.
Actually, I just talked his head off, and he sometimes said a small sentence back.
That was until he showed me his skill with swords.
It was beautiful.
And it was cool, too.
I wanted to learn that.
So I told him that.
He said "Sure, but English lessons first."
Awww.
I pouted at him, but he would not budge.
So we began our lessons.
Some days later, I could speak English a bit.
Enough for him to teach me swords.
He gave me a wooden sword, that he pulled out of thin air.
Amazing!
I asked him if he could teach me that, too.
He said to go learn swordfighting first.
So I did.
It was hard, but I kept going.
I wanted to be like my parents.
They were exorcists for the Church.
Our family had a holy sword that they used to fight evil with.
That was why we were in England.
There was a camp that had 'No contact' anymore.
So my parents were here to check it out.
I did not know at first, but I paid attention because my friend asked to be left alone.
My parents were scouting the forest, so they might find him.
Anyway, swordfighting!
David taught me how to 'position myself properly'.
It is just standing correctly.
With my feet and such.
He also taught me how to stab and slash in the right way.
We sparred often, but I could never hit him.
Sometimes I thought I would, but he would always duck out of the way or suddenly block me.
I wanted to hit him.
He said he would make me a sword if I did.
His swords are so cool.
There was one that was on fire.
And another that had electricity around it.
And also that one that freezes stuff.
I wanted one.
But first, I would have to hit him.
Many days went by.
I could tell my parents were getting frustrated.
They could not find anything but a burnt camp.
They said there were signs of a fight outside of the camp and someone was there to 'cremate' the people.
I didn't know what 'cremate' was, but my parents were angry, so it must be bad.
At the same time, my swordskills became a lot better.
I still could not hit my teacher, but I was a lot faster and more sure of my strikes.
It also did not help that he was growing up quicker than me.
Yeah, weird right?
When I did not grow at all -I checked-, he grew a whole centimeter!
He said he just "grew up fast".
Maybe I can do that, too?
If I do that, maybe my parents will let me go with them.
Good idea.
So, I asked him if he could teach me.
He said "No".
There were a bunch of reasons, but I don't remember.
I was sad that he would not teach me that.
I also didn't like that I could still not hit him, either.
When I told him that, he grinned.
Grinned!
That is not cool.
Well, until he told me "How about I go back to the speed and strength I used to fight you with?".
I did not get it, but I told him "Yes".
With a nod for good measure.
So, he did.
I hit him almost immediately.
It was still difficult with his skill, but I was suddenly faster than him.
I was stunned.
He laughed and told me that he was gradually increasing his speed so that I would keep improving.
He fooled me!
I definitely did not stomp my feet and pout.
Totally.
Then I remembered.
Magical sword!
I told him I wanted my new sword.
He gave me one.
Of course, it popped out of nowhere.
Still cool.
He gave me a blade with lines on it.
It looked broken.
That is, until he grabbed the handle and slashed with it.
It extended and curved with the slash.
It's a whip-blade.
So cool.
And it's mine now.
He also showed me that it could move without him moving at all.
Like a snake.
Scary.
I tried it.
It extended, but flopped on the ground.
He said I had not 'directed' it.
I had told it to 'extend'.
This is difficult.
I pouted.
I told him it was unfair that he gave me a sword that I could not use.
He laughed and said "Nothing worth having is simply being given. It needs to be worked for.".
That sounds wise.
A saint must have said that.
So I said "Amen".
He looked at me weird.
Did I do something wrong?
So I asked him.
He just shrugged and told me we were going to spar more.
So I sparred more with my Teach.
My parents told me not to go out today.
They said they were 'on the trail' and that it was risky for me to go out.
I said I could help.
They would not believe me.
So I stayed home.
Until I thought 'Oh no! What if Teach is in danger, too?'.
So I snuck out after my parents left.
I was in the clearing.
Teach was not there.
If I was early, he would 'crack' out of nowhere at the time my lessons would start.
So this is nothing new.
I had asked him about the 'cracking' before, but he said it was "just a thing he could do".
And no, he would not teach me that.
Anyway, today is different.
He might be in danger when he 'cracks' in, so I was going to be on the lookout for it.
I hid in the bushes.
That is when I heard voices coming from another side of the clearing.
They sounded familiar.
Still, I waited.
Then, my parents walked into the clearing.
They were obviously on guard, with their weapons out.
'That's weird. Weren't they hunting a criminal or witch or something?
Why would they end up here?'
My parents checked the shack.
Then, Teach 'cracked' into the clearing.
He looked like a late teen now.
He really grows up fast.
My parents stormed out of the shack, weapons raised.
Where they going to attack Teach?
Why?
Sure, he could use magic, but it was not witchcraft, so it was fine.
Right?
My parents started talking to Teach and shuffling sideways.
I know this tactic.
Teach told me it was to do a 'pincer attack'.
While they were shuffling, they were talking to eachother.
But I could not hear them.
I was too far away.
Later, I learned that Teach put a 'barrier' around me to shield me, both from sound and from attacks.
After a lot of shuffling, where my mom ended up more or less behind Teach, they attacked.
They were slow.
Yes, I could see them running, but I knew that Teach was faster than that.
My sense of 'normal' speed was skewed, but I realised that later as well.
Teach casually evaded both strikes and I nodded my head.
Yep, that's what Teach would do.
My parents continued to slash at him, but he kept evading and talking.
The talking did not work.
Teach started to get frustrated.
I nodded at that, too.
My parents were stubborn.
Of course they would not listen when they fought someone.
Teach started countering.
But I noticed he only hit my parents' blades.
He could have easily hit them in other places.
He did that to me often.
So I knew.
He was toying with them.
No, he was 'sparring'.
They continued for a while.
At some point, my parents pulled out their light guns.
Teach dodged those too.
With just as much ease.
My parents were getting tired.
Their arms were twitching from the blows.
I knew that feeling.
My arms felt the same after a spar.
Still, my parents kept going.
My Teach sighed and dropped his guard.
Seems that the spar is over.
But my parents did not know that rule, so they kept attacking.
Suddenly, they dropped on the ground.
I was surprised.
Were they that tired?
No, I saw something whipping at their necks before the fell.
Teach knocked them out.
He usually did not use his shadows during a spar, but he did use them to restrict me sometimes when I was too eager.
Teach turned to me.
He waved me over.
Of course, I knew he knew I was here.
He always did.
"Are these your parents?", he said.
I nodded.
Then he told me something shocking.
"Then it seems our lessons end here."
I did not understand.
Why would our lessons stop so suddenly?
Was it my parents' fault?
Oh.
I forgot he did not like to be found.
So now that he was found, he needed to hide again, right?
Got it.
He continued.
"You have an incredible talent. Don't give up. Keep improving."
'Me, having talent? No way! Teach always beats me so easily.'
I shook my head.
He chuckled and patted my head.
He liked doing that when he thought I was 'being cute'.
"Adorable", he said.
"But this is it. It is time for me to leave."
I pouted.
I liked Teach.
He played with me.
Sparred with me.
Taught me English, tactics, stealth, and a lot more.
He was fun.
I did not want him to leave.
But he looked resolute.
He always had the same facial expression, but I could tell anyway.
He would not budge.
So I could only nod.
"We will meet in the future, for sure.", he said.
I believed him.
Someone this strong and kind could not be wrong.
"Now sleep, Irina Shidou."
Those were the last words I heard from him.
Then everything went dark.
I woke up with a start.
I was in my bed.
Checking on my parents, they were in their bed, too.
Nothing seemed wrong, as if the last battle had not happened.
Later, I checked on the clearing, but there was nothing there.
Even the shack was gone.
The only reminder I had, was the whip blade that was at my bedside.
The first holy blade forged by David Dekker, my teacher.
AN: Another 'other perspective' chapter. It was actually pretty fun to write this one. In the show, Irina was always a bit flighty and seemed to look at things with a child-like wonder. I imagined that, as an actual child, this would be even stronger, so I went with a bunch of short, simple sentences to reflect that. I also tried adding in her background as someone who thinks of the Christian god and his teachings very often, but that did not really work out. So, I took some artistic license to make her not quite that indoctrinated yet. Hopefully I succeeded.
Someone asked for an update on David's status. I would like to remind you that I use the System more as an explanation for David's power, rather than an active measure of it. As such, I would prefer not to show the stat sheet (also because it is actually pretty damn big). Instead, I intend to intersperse aspects of the System throughout the chapters whenever they become relevant, as I have done last chapter.
Additionally, some people pointed out that David's progress was slow and that the System should make it ridiculously fast. Why? Isn't the point of an RPG-like game to grind the hell out of it to get to the good/powerful stuff? I deliberately made the System extremely flexible in what David could gain, but simultaneously extremely slow to improve, to simulate someone with extreme utilitarian potential, but not actually much talent. In essence, I tried making it the epitome of 'hard work pays dividends'.
Next chapter should be wrapping up the introductory arc and should start David onto actually making some real moves. The battle with 2 experienced, adult exorcists -especially one who was capable of killing a high-class devil- showed him that he is actually really powerful. He has also set up the skillset necessary to get started. Depending on the length of the chapter, he might not make the moves themselves just yet, but I expect them to happen in chapter 11 at the latest (which actually sounds like a pretty fitting number to start the next arc on).