A Dragon's First Breakfast

Issei had a dream that night. In it, he had encountered a girl with black hair and eyes, wearing what seemed like such an exotic dress that one could only describe as having been made by an artist. They had talked for a bit, and then proceeded to play together in the playground near his home, before she would follow him back home.

The dream had ended there, mind blacking out and regaining cognitive thoughts as he slowly roused himself from sleep. Yawning out loud, he scratched the side of his face as he looked out the window, pondering over what they would be having for breakfast…

And then, everything comes back to him.

'Wait a minute. That wasn't a dream. That literally happened last night,' he blinked himself out of his sleepiness, looking down to his hand. The feeling of Ophis's hand in his still lingered on his mind, acting as a reminder that everything that transpired was real. 'Huh. What time is it? Ah, shoot,' he grimaced. 'It's past ten already… Oh well. At least it's a weekend.'

Issei remained sitting, letting the last dredges of sleep leave his system. It was warmer now, but the gentle breeze that slipped into his room through an open window felt refreshingly nice. A cold shower would really be nice soon enough. He doubted he would enjoy being sweaty and sticky later on.

The boy hums. Memories from the night prior resurface, and what a heck of a night it had been; he'd gone to the playground to be on his own for a bit. A little sad about stuff, so he'd wanted to take the time to just be on his own and calm down.

He didn't expect to meet such a unique girl, and for his mom to decide that she should come back home with them. Most people might think this whole situation odd, but he supposed it was better than leaving her out in the cold.

Now that he thought about it, it's a little concerning that Ophis doesn't have a mom or a dad like he does. What had she been doing all this time, then? Had she been going around from place to place without anyone to look after her? That sounded so lonely and terrifying.

Before he could pursue the thought even deeper, his stomach seemed to grumble, causing him to deadpan at it. "Right, right. Let's get you sorted."

Pushing himself out of his bed, he disposed his clothes before taking a shower. It was always rejuvenating to start off the day with a cold shower (even if he would prefer taking a hot one, although the warm weather as of late doesn't really make that a viable choice), and once he was done, he got himself dressed up in fresh new clothes he picked out from his wardrobe. A plain red t-shirt hung over his body with a pair of brown shorts.

Once that was over, he looked himself over once in the mirror before he got out of his room and proceeded to head down. "Morning, guys!"

"Hmm? Oh, good morning, Issei," his dad greeted from the dining table. He seemed to lean his head a little to the left, as if searching for something. "Hey, where's Ophis-chan?"

"Huh? She's not up yet?"

"Well, seeing that she isn't down here yet, probably not," the boy looked around the room, finding no trace of black hair. "Probably still asleep? She didn't look all too exhausted, but you never know," considering how she'd told him that she'd never slept before, that might be possible. "Think you can go wake her up for us, buddy?"

Issei hummed back with a nod, quickly going up the stairs and finding the guest room that Ophis was using. It was at the end of the corridor opposite to his own room, with a door coloured white like mahogany to easily differentiate the rooms; his was a redwood shade while his parents' was brown oak.

"Ophis," he called out, knocking on the door. "You up yet?" He waited for a moment, only to receive no response. "Sheesh. Must be super out. What do I do..?"

He'd never had to deal with this sort of situation. Usually, it's his mom who has to wake him up, and not him doing the reverse. Even so, he supposed that everything could be a learning moment, so he sucked it up and pushed through, twisting the doorknob with a quiet apology to the sleeping girl.

It was dark inside. Just the barest amount of sunlight peeked through the window, which didn't provide enough illumination for him to see the room around him. Fortunate that there wasn't anything dangerous on the floor for him to accidentally step on, so he opted to just move towards the bed—only to find a suspiciously large mound hidden beneath the blanket.

He quirked a brow at this. So Ophis is this kind of sleeper? He wondered how she could possibly be comfortable hunkering in like that. It's so freaking hot outside!

"Ophis," he gently called, softly shaking her entire body. "Come on, it's already morning. Get up."

Not a response, save for a light tremble and the blanket getting sucked inwards. He recognized this as an attempt to avoid waking up; to stay asleep for a little longer. He had to stifle a chuckle at the sight.

"Come on, you can't just stay inside forever. Hmm… What should I do?"

Humming, he moved his head to stare upwards at the ceiling now. Issei was familiar with the concept of people acting in certain ways when someone attempts to wake them up. You know, those who grumble and groan in response, some who actually strike back with flimsy punches, and others utilize their inner turtle spirit and cover themselves with their blanket a lot more—this one is Ophis. He was the kind who would say 'I'm waking up', stay conscious for a minute or two, and then go back to sleep.

Still, he knew he had to at least try and get Ophis up and running. Otherwise, she may as well sleep through the entire day… which, now that he thought about it, she might just pull off.

"Ophis," he tried once more, shaking her body. She didn't budge an inch. Jeez, a deep sleeper this one is. "Ophis, come on. Wake up."

"Muhmhg…"

"I don't talk sleep talk, Ophis. Come on, you need to get up."

When his fourth attempt failed to rouse her even in the slightest, Issei lets out a sigh. Jeez, now he knows how hard it could be for his mom whenever he sleeps in too late and refuses to get up early. What's the saying? What goes around comes around?

He quickly pushes the thought out of his head. Right now, he needs to figure out some way to get her out of bed, or else they really might just miss out on breakfast. He's hoping mom would go western for today and make them some omelettes. It'd be even better if they could have some pancakes, but—

Wait a minute! Breakfast!

He dropped down to his knees and leaned his head close to the mound. "Ophis, you need to wake up and take your shower. Afterwards, we can go get our breakfast together. If you don't know what that is, it's our morning meals—"

It was like a flip of the switch. Before his very eyes, the blanket was immediately thrown upwards against the ceiling, revealing a very awake girl with wide eyes. Not even wasting a beat, she bodily threw herself off the bed and rushed into the bathroom without giving him even a second glance. He'd only managed to raise his head to stare at the door that slammed shut.

Issei snorted. Despite literally having known her for just a single night, he already knows enough to figure out that she apparently has a fondness for sleeping and eating, despite her apparently having no knowledge about sleeping prior to last night. Everyone's got their quirks, he supposed.

Without wasting a beat, he goes over to arrange the bedsheets to the best of his capabilities, then pulling open the curtains to let in some light. Much better. Feeling satisfied with his work, he made his way for the door—

Only for the bathroom door to swing wide open once more, catching him by surprise. "Issei," Ophis called, still fully clothed. "What do I do?"

"What do you mean? You shower."

"I, understand. But how, do I do that?"

Well, darn. That's really concerning; had she never used this kind of stuff from wherever she came from? It would be one hell of an explanation if she ever tells them how she'd lived prior to coming here. Really worries him as to how she'd taken care of herself all this time.

But that also brought up the issue as for how to deal with this. After all, he's a boy, and she's a girl. Mom and dad always taught him to mind his manners around girls, and that meant not seeing them naked. So how… oh yeah.

"How 'bout you wait there for a bit? I'll go call mom for help."

"Very well."

Simple problems require simple solutions. And simple tends to be the best (most of the time).

So it was that he heads down once more, explaining the situation to his mom (she looked surprised, then worried, and finally determined) before letting her take over. That left him to sit with his dad down at the dining table and talk while they waited for the other two to finish up. Running water sounded in the background.

After some time, his mom reappeared with Ophis, still dressed in her dress from the night prior. The girl quickly steps into the seat beside him, his parents chuckling at them as his mom heads over to serve the food. The scent of food is enough to get him bouncing in his seat—and even Ophis! Even if her expression seemed emotionless as always (something that he's noticed since the night prior), the excitement is noticeable in her body movement and that minor shine in her eyes.

"Pancakes!" Issei cheered.

"I figured Ophis-chan would enjoy sweets, so I decided to make this for today," his mom said. "Are you okay with this, Ophis-chan?"

"I, am okay with anything," she said, looking no less excited to sink her teeth into her breakfast. "What is this called?"

"Pancakes. Granted, I'm making the western kind, but it shouldn't taste any worse, right?"

Like heck it should. What his mom makes, they're always the best, and this was no exception. With the plate of three pancakes served before him, he could appreciate its symmetrical roundness and sheer fluffiness as he tapped his fork against it. It was a golden-brownish colour accompanied with a faint sweet fragrance that's just so perfect.

He reached his hand for the jug with syrup, pouring a fair amount of it on the top of his pancakes. The added brown liquid seemed to make the entire presentation shimmer for a moment, making him salivate. Beside him, Ophis watched him very attentively.

"What, is that?"

"Syrup. It's super sweet, and I add it to my pancakes for some extra taste. It's awesome."

"Issei prefers his syrup," his dad said. "I prefer mine with fruit jam."

"I won't say it doesn't taste good because it really does, but I can't believe him when he says jam is superior to syrup," he said that while giving his dad the stink eye. "The only thing that's perfect for pancakes is syrup, full stop."

There was a challenging look upon his dad's face as he stared back. "Ah-dah-dah. That's very silly of you, Issei. See, while syrup is just sweetness, fruit jam offers a little more variety and several aftertastes that make the food taste muuuch better."

"I still can't get over how awful marmalade tastes. Seriously, it tastes like medicine!"

"Well, that's why I told you to pair it with something like blueberry or strawberry! You can't blame me on that one. You did that to yourself."

"Okay, true, but also—"

"Now, boys, no need to argue over which pairs better with pancakes at the table. You've only ever had this talk practically all the time we have pancakes," his mom rolled her eyes, looking over to Ophis with a sheepish grin. "Honestly, these two never fail to banter over that. I have no idea how they manage it."

"It's because dad refuses to accept that syrup is superior to fruit jam when paired with pancakes!"

"That's because it is!"

Both Hyoudou's practically glared at each other, thunder racing between their eyes. Eventually, however, as if they shared a mind wave linkage, their heads turned towards Ophis at the same time. The girl perked up in her seat.

"Alright! We'll settle it once and for all through Ophis!" Issei suddenly declared. His dad nodded, while Ophis simply blinked back. "Ophis, I'll give you one of my pancakes, and I'll split it in half. I'll pour syrup on one half while the other is lathered with some fruit jam," he gave a sideways glance at his dad, smirking victoriously. "You can decide which is better that way, but I know for certain that you'll love syrup way more."

His old man's eyes narrowed in response. "Oho? Sounding rather confident there, Issei. You should know that Ophis-chan, who's already proven herself mature with her taste preferences, will surely appreciate fruit jam more."

"And we'll find that out now!" He then moves an untouched pancake onto Ophis's plate—and then onto a new plate that his mom brings over, since her plate was full enough. With precise movements, he divides it into two equal portions, then proceeds to pour an appropriate amount of syrup onto one half, making sure not to drown it completely in syrup. His father does the same with the other half, lathering a tantalizing mixture of strawberry and blueberry jam on the surface, giving it a colour that contrasts greatly to the syrup-laden half. "Yosh! Ophis, go for it!"

Black eyes blink at the plate before her before she opts to shrug, bringing up her fork and knife to eat. She cuts into the syrup portion first, splitting that half into another half, giving herself a bitesize portion. Without wasting a moment, she engulfs it in one motion, and her eyes promptly widen in shock and awe.

"Hah! She loves pancakes with syrup!"

"Don't be hasty, son. She hasn't even tried out her pancake with jam just yet."

That she hasn't. Without further ado, she proceeds to cut into the other half, giving herself a sizable portion of pancake with fruit jam. When she plants it into her mouth, her eyes widen all the same.

Crud! That was not good for him—and his dad is smirking at him! Ough, the nerve!

But that's okay! Ophis may be enjoying both flavours, and that's totally cool with him, but she would definitely know which one is the better flavour! She's got his back!

"I have decided," she began, getting both males of the Hyoudou family to rise up in their seats in anticipation. To the side, Miki Hyoudou simply watches the unfolding moment with amusement. "I prefer…"

"The syrup?"

"The fruit jams?"

She opens her mouth to say something at first, but then something must have struck her, as her eyes gained a strange gleam. An idea, he would say, for she suddenly turned to look back down on her plate, as if something had caught her attention. Issei and his dad watched her, noticing how she was wordless as she considered the two remaining quarters of pancakes with differing flavours.

And then, she did the unthinkable.

She stacked them together, and proceeded to eat them together.

"Mm," this was an audible response now, and both his and his dad's jaws fell open. Her eyes were wider by a centimetre. To the side, they heard his mom giggling in amusement. "This, is far more delicious."

"S-So neither's the winner?"

"I," she paused to finish swallowing. "Would say both are."

"Well… dang."

Both Issei and his dad sighed at that response. Rather unsatisfactory, if he had to admit, but he supposed a win-win scenario was better than a complete lose-lose. Ophis didn't seem too bothered by this, although she did decide to continue eating, taking the jug of syrup and some jam packets to put on her pancakes while both boys stewed in dissatisfaction.

"Well," his mom said. He could hear the smile in her voice. "That was rather amusing to watch. You two sure were heated about your little competition, weren't you?"

"I mean, you refused to give us a straightforward answer yourself, so we were hoping Ophis-chan could settle it for us, but apparently not," his dad mumbled with a little pout. "Maybe it's a girl's thing. To always find an in-between."

"I like to call it the 'best of both worlds', dear, and clearly Ophis-chan understands that," she tutted. "Now then, you've had your fun, so how about we continue on with our breakfast?"

He supposed they could. Issei looked down on his plate and was a little disappointed to find only two pancakes, recalling that he had offered one of his own for the sake of the competition. Now he was kinda' wishing he hadn't.

Still, as stared to the side and watched Ophis enjoy her pancakes with a hearty lathering of both syrup and jam, her eyes gaining light each time the sweet treats touched her tongue…

He met his dad's gaze, and both of them smiled together. Well, maybe this breakfast wasn't so bad after all.

Dress to Impress

Created from nothingness, one might assume that Ophis might just be born with absolutely nothing. It was a fair assumption, but in her case, she was born with limitless power the likes of which typical mortals couldn't even fathom.

Amongst her numerous abilities that she had been born with, amassed and honed, she possessed shapeshifting magic in her arsenal of spells. And since leaving the Dimensional Gap, it had come a long way in helping her; it is what has allowed her to blend in with society, taking on the guise of a little girl who could walk amongst the people without turning heads.

The specifics of the spell isn't something that she bothers herself thinking too much about, although she recognizes its capability of switching her appearance; that included her physical features as well as the clothes she dons. That second part helps a lot, considering how she doesn't have any currency to use to buy clothes in the other realms.

But now that she's temporarily moved in with this family of humans, she doubted she could actively make use of any form of magic—these people seem as average as they could get, with no signs of unique heritage or magic present in this family. That alone meant that they'd likely be so shocked if they found her using magic.

And even if she were to use her shapeshifting abilities to switch her clothes out of their sight, they'd certainly question her later. Best she avoid causing any trouble for herself and any of them.

Right now, she wishes she sort of could, however, as Aunty is currently admiring the clothes that she's currently wearing, practically eyeing her from top to bottom with a very observant gaze. This was a completely new experience, and that might not be one of her favourite things.

"Whoever made this design is just amazing! Where did you get this dress?"

"I… had it," she'd already told her how she didn't have any parents, and concocting a lie simply isn't something that she is good at just yet. "So I've been wearing it for a very long time."

"I see… Well, it goes without saying that this is a really lovely dress, but we can't have you wearing just this. You even wore it for breakfast just now," Aunty has her hands on her hips as she says this, smiling widely. "So it's time to go shopping for clothes!" For some reason, a strong sense of dread built up in her.

They exited her room and went downstairs. Aunty mentioned taking the motorbike (because the space outside their house wasn't enough for a car to fit) to get to the shopping mall, something that had her perking up. She had seen countless modes of transportation across the realms, but the concept of a metallic contraption with wheels that moved without being dragged by an animal or relying on magic did interest her somewhat.

Just as she was about to leave, she caught sight of brown hair peeking out from the edge of the couch. She skipped over to him, hopping up to hang from the side of the couch. "Issei."

"Ophis?" He looked back over the couch. "Oh, hey. What's up?"

"I, am going out with Aunty to buy clothes," it seemed as if she wasn't the only one uncomfortable with the notion, for whatever reason, as Issei's expression momentarily wavered. "What about, you?"

"Oh. Well, I'm guessing that mom wouldn't want me to come along because I probably wouldn't be providing anything useful besides complaining."

"Issei absolutely hates shopping, especially when it comes to clothes-shopping," Aunty came over with an amused scoff.

"That's because it's so looong!" He whined out. "I don't have the patience to stand around, wait forever and try out a million clothes!"

"Issei, shopping isn't meant to be quick. It's meant to be meticulous and time-consuming. Otherwise, you'll end up buying something that you'll regret— especially clothes. After all, you'll be wearing them, so it's important to make sure that they fit and are comfortable. Girls are especially picky because they want to make sure what they get is stylish and fits their tastes."

"You would know because you're one, aren't you?"

"Hah! Please, let's not try to change the situation," she rolled her eyes. "I'm old, and I'm only getting older."

"You're literally only thirty plus!"

"And I'm only getting older," she repeated. "So I'm more a woman than a girl. Can't go back to my teenage or child days. But never mind that. Ophis-chan, let's go buy you some new clothes!"

For a minute there, she considered telling her that she preferred staying home, but she had a feeling that that wouldn't work. "Very well. Goodbye, Issei."

"See ya'!"

Bright light greeted them when they exited the house, Ophis momentarily blinded by the drastic difference in illumination. Aunty gestured to a simple thing with two wheels and a green coat, referred to as a 'motorbike'. She gets on it, fixing on a strange helmet around her head before helping to put it on the younger girl. This, she does not like, with her ears tugged in and all. Still, she supposed it was important to keep the head safe.

Ophis moved to sit behind the woman, watching intently as she inserted a metallic object into a slot and twisted it in a direction. She then flicked down a red switch to her right, squeezed a metallic bar to her left, and pressed a yellow button on her right— brr! The girl momentarily jumped when a loud blubbering noise erupted as the bike growled to life.

"Alright, hold on tight, sweetie!"

"…Very well."

…

If there was one thing to be said about Issei's mother, it was the fact that she was an incredibly safe biker, making sure to keep track of her surroundings. She travelled relatively slow, so there wasn't any need to worry about falling off of the moving bike—how she could be scared of this when she technically wouldn't be injured from the fall is a relative surprise.

She had to admit, though. This felt nice. The feeling of the wind against her body as her hair danced behind her as they moved on the street and the warmth on her skin was far different from anything else she'd experienced thus far.

Eventually, they arrive at the nearest shopping mall. Aunty parked someplace close to the entrance, and as the both of them got off the bike, Ophis felt a little shaky on her feet. She gasped for a second.

"Not used to riding bikes, Ophis-chan?"

"No… That was, my first time…"

They don't waste a moment to move into the mall to escape the blaze, welcomed by a draft of cold wind when the glass doors slid open. Ophis couldn't help the sigh of relief, enjoying the immediate relief. To her side, Aunty giggled in amusement.

She had visited several places like this. The kinds where numerous people gather to barter and whatnot, although this one seemed a lot more pleasing to the eye. So many people were walking around, filling the space with much chatter that made it impossible to hear her own thoughts.

Humans, but also devils and angels. And, if she's not mistaken, other races as well.

'Fascinating. So that man, was not wrong to say that the other races also reside here.'

To the naked eye, they barely look any different to the humans that are oblivious to the otherworldly races walking amongst them. That they were capable of masking their signatures really make them seem like humans. However, Ophis isn't called the one of the strongest for nothing; she could easily tell which is which just by looking at them.

That they weren't causing trouble was a little surprising, however. Last she recalled, the three races were in a three-way's war with each other. This time, it seems as if they were purposely attempting to reach a state of amity with one another, and it shows in how well they're mingling with one another here.

Perhaps they're attempting for peace between the three races. And, if that would turn out well, then all races might just put a cease-and-desist to all their squabbles. Earth wouldn't have to host their petty wars and be a victim to the entire mess.

'So long as they do not try to step out of line, then, all is well.'

"So Ophis-chan, what do you like to wear?"

Snapping out of her earlier thoughts, the noise around her returns to an audible volume as she looked up to meet Aunty's eyes. "I, have no preferences. I, will leave the choice to you."

"Then we'll do some looking together and buy what you like best, 'kay?"

"Okay."

So they walked together, searching for the clothes department. Along the way, Ophis looked around, taking in the sights of every shopfront and colours that were present. The shopping mall, as Aunty had called it, catered to just about everything; entertainment, food, clothes. She even spotted a jewellery store, a vintage shop filled with antique gadgets, an old-looking-designed bookstore, and a lot more.

It didn't take long for them to reach the clothes department, with mannequins dressed up to display the newest additions and hotter trends. Several people were already walking around trying to look for clothes to buy—most were mothers with their own children or significant partner, she noticed. Aunty guided her by the hand to another section, where children clothes were located.

It certainly seems a little annoying that she would have to be dressed in clothes for children, but she supposed that was something she'd have to deal with for choosing this body.

Aunty hadn't wasted a single moment, browsing through the selections like a warrior tearing through a mob of monsters. She checked price tags, designs and colours, calling her over from time to time to check if they fit her or if they looked good on her. Ophis let her, if only because she herself wasn't sure what to do in this situation.

What she does come to realize, as the hours tick by and the morning eventually turns into afternoon, is the fact that shopping is not a fast ordeal. They'd been in the same spot for almost a whole hour before they'd move on to the next store, and then the next, and then the next. By then, she'd already picked out at least three dresses and some other things, like socks and even shoes. And with each passing hour, Ophis was beginning to grow weary.

She really wished she could just be home right about now.

"Hmm… I think you'll go well in dark colours," Aunty's comment had her eyes flicking over to the dress in her hand; it was a simple black-laced dress with the hem of the skirt likely reaching down to her knees, with a… sash at the front? "Like that dress you wear."

"You think so?"

"Mmhm. It goes well with your eyes and hair," her comment had her tugging on a single strand of black hair. To her, if infinity were a colour, it would be black; after all, something that goes on and on would eventually escape the light and meet darkness, hence her chosen colour scheme. Aunty was not privy to this, instead focused on trying to see if the dress she chose would fit on the girl. "I know I've already picked out quite a number, Ophis-chan, but do you prefer wearing a one-piece dress or two-piece?"

She faltered at the terms. Ophis had simply conjured her dress on a whim without giving much thought as to how it should appear or whatever. All of this attention to detail is simply something that she is incapable of grasping just yet. "Err, anything."

"Hmm… Ooh, that one would look good with you," Aunty reaches for another set. This one is a t-shirt with long sleeves and what seemed to be an outer part, which was black with floral designs along the sides. "This here is a strap dress. You wear it on the outside of the t-shirt. I think you'd look good in it. Want to—"

"No need," she hastily responded, knowing that she would likely want her to go into the fitting room to try it on. She had lost count of the number of clothes she had already put on. "Simply measure it on me. And then, we can take it."

"Is that so? Hmm… Well, if that's okay with you then!"

The shopping doesn't last much afterwards, much to her relief. She could now understand, at least to some extent, Issei's reluctance of going shopping. It will be hardly missed.

Still… The opportunity to spend time with Aunty had been somewhat fun, in its own way. She had experienced company, sure, but this was a different kind compared to her way of interacting with Issei. Aunty was less energetic and open, but no less kind and caring. It made her feel warm inside.

Before she could consider leaving, however, the older Hyoudou tapped her on the shoulder, drawing her gaze up to meet her excited grin. "Say, I've got an idea."

"Hmm?"

…

"We're back!"

"Welcome back! How was the shopping? Oh! Ophis-chan, you look wonderful!"

"Thank you."

The sounds of conversation had Issei looking away from the television, in time to miss the guy in the bodysuit deal an explosive punch to the monster that sent it floating into space. He 'aww'-ed at that, but chose to let it go as curiosity towards the situation dragged him out of the couch and sent him over to check out the commotion.

"Hey guys, what's up—Eh?" He blinked. "Wait, Ophis, when'd you change your clothes? Didn't you just get here?"

"Aunty, asked me to change in the shopping mall," well, that explains it. Movement in front of him has her looking to her, just as she extends her arms to the side. "Does it, look good?"

Well, when it comes to fashion, he doesn't exactly know enough about it to be able to describe it in an essay. But the best he could understand about her dress was how it's a single lace dress with an exterior skirt? Well, the outer skirt is transparent with black floral patterns across it. A thin white ribbon was tied around her neck.

…Huh. Now that he thought about it, wasn't her previous dress also completely black in colour? Maybe she has a preference for black or something? Actually, now that he thought about it…

"It looks good," he said honestly, humming. "The black dress goes really well with your hair and eyes. I like it."

"Really?"

"Yeah," he then grinned. "I know that some people have specific colours that go well with them. The way I see it, I think your colour scheme would be black, white and maybe purple? That must be why you look good in this dress."

"I… see."

For some reason, she goes quiet, though there's a very miniscule smile on her face as she averts her gaze from him. Issei grins a little wider from the sight. Well, mom has always said how a girl likes an honest compliment from time to time. And he hadn't been lying when he called Ophis pretty. She really does look great in that.

Although, on that very night when he would then go on to ask her how their shopping trip had gone, she would go quiet yet again, albeit with an uncomfortable look. They bonded over their distaste of long shopping sessions afterwards.

A Stray Tried to Come Into Their House

There are always plenty of stories of humans falling for the temptation of greed and power that spurs them to reach out to devils to have their wishes granted. In such stories, there is always a blood contract that ends with the human losing something in the end, be it their very lives or something of equal value.

As it turns out, Kuoh was known for being a territory under the devils' control, specifically that of the Gremory household. Its heiress, Rias Gremory, oversees all that transpires in the town, protecting its inhabitants with her peerage.

They were also known to grant requests, just as countless stories entail. Rather than forming blood contracts and promising power, however, these requests usually end up being tea parties, cosplay sessions and even discussions about anime. Not as violent as old stories depict devils to be.

But in the shadows, evil always lurks. And reincarnated devils, those who were originally that of another species before getting reincarnated as devils under the command of a king, are prey to this sin; for those who slay their master and have lost themselves to their power, are prone to losing themselves and going out of control.

Clearly, Rias Gremory and her peerage is tasked with this anytime a stray manages to trespass Kuoh. But having been away to sort out some business of theirs back home, one manages to get into the town under the cover of night.

"Blood… I need blood…"

When a person is reincarnated by their master, a bond is formed between both individuals that links their souls together. This is necessary to protect the servant from spiritual collapse, for the process of returning a dead one back to life isn't exactly a simple process that comes with all sorts of limitations and dangers.

So when a servant slays their master by their own hand, it effectively breaks its bonds with its master that distorts their own soul. Deterioration follows, and as its mind loses any semblance of self-control, the reincarnated becomes a stray that seeks to satiate their desires.

And those who are damned will be slain without mercy.

This one, who once served a young baron who overlooked a territory to the west side of Japan, recognizes the fact that it may die for entering this region. But after having escaped its hometown and travelling this far, it has effectively burned itself of all its energy. Food is necessary now. Everything else was secondary.

"Where…" Its words were sluggish, blood-red eyes taking in the sights of the quiet town in search of prey. "I must… eat…"

This town is much smaller compared to where it had come from. And with less security, which makes this place a much easier picking. If there was a time to feast, now is the moment.

Finding no one wandering the streets, the stray begins to move across the rooftops of the houses, deciding to get a closer look. A hiding spell has been casted to mask its presence, effective enough to fool even high-class devils. No one would be spotting it any time soon.

Eventually, however, the stray arrives upon a two-storey house, staring at it from the outside. It was clearly illuminated, with sounds of laughter from within. Sniffing the air, the scents of two adults and a child fill its nostrils.

Meat. That alone was enough to send a thrill down its spine, its earlier pangs of hunger amplified into a full-blown ravenousness that has it drooling down the chin. And the fact that they are humans is even better, as they tasted the most delicious among all races.

"Which one to eat…" It muttered, the remnant of its mouth forming a twisted smile that would have horrified most people. Its hands reached up to seize its throat, feeling it bulge each time it gulped. "Why not all..?"

"Better yet, why not none ?"

It was a reflex born out of years of training, the devil that it once was under the servitude of another acting as an assassin that relied on speed. Its legs snapped as it leapt backwards, away from the little girl that stood precisely where he had just been mere moments ago, her blank eyes staring at him.

Impossible. It had trained itself to be able to sense those approaching it from afar. But for this one to have somehow bypassed that and gotten that close to it?

"You, intended to eat the people inside there, did you not?"

The girl was not human. Though it looked like one, its aura signature was simply too foreign to categorize her as a human. Plus, her feat would have made it impossible for her to be called one to begin with.

Wind picked up, blowing her hair to the side as the hem of her skirt and the ribbon that hung around her neck danced in the direction of the breeze. Her gaze was unblinking, wholly focused on the creature, which never took its eyes off of her in preparation for her next move.

"Hmm. You must be, a stray, yes?" It refused to answer her, but she didn't seem to care. "You managed to enter this town. Those devils that watch this place. Not very, attentive, are they? Or perhaps, they are occupied."

"You… What are you?"

"I, am Ophis," she said. The stray did not respond, unfamiliar with the name. "You, do not know of me?"

"You… are unimportant. Leave, or you will die."

"Me? Die?" The words were uttered with a complete absence of mockery or pride, yet the stray felt challenged all the same. "That, would be impossible. The humans here, however, can. You are after them, yes?"

For a moment, her gaze seemed to move back to the house it had been staring at from afar. Something flickered in her eyes before she stared back at it.

"Unfortunately for you, I cannot allow that."

"You… intend to protect them? Very well."

Baring its fangs at the young girl, the stray felt its body crack. Bones and muscle were displaced as its vessel transformed, growing even larger than it already was. A pair of ivory scythes grew out of its palms, eyes dotting every inch of its torso in the process. Evil energy wafted off of its body, like a physical manifestation of its own aura.

This girl thinks herself strong, does she? Though she had managed to catch it by surprise earlier, that wouldn't be possible this time. Not when it had succeeded in killing its own master that fateful night, who had been known all across hell as the 'Death Bringer'. Such title befitted a man who had survived countless fights, yet he fell to his servant all the same.

This would be no different.

The first initiative is the key to an immediate victory. Like an unwound spring, it darted forwards—straight for the foolish girl that dared stand in its way!

It was a rush of adrenaline and ecstasy for such an easy victory that would soon be followed with a culling to satisfy its appetite that had it laughing like a madman. It was no weakling; it was a devil who had surpassed its feeble master. Who had survived years on his own, battling his dying body and mind and growing stronger to fend off all that attempted to slay it.

Just one death amongst the many. And then, it would feast.

"You, are truly foolish," she said. And then, without even a chant or gesture, she said in a monotonous voice: "[Die]."

Something snapped. It sounded like a branch or twig getting split in the centre, the sound audible enough that the background noise just couldn't completely deafen.

That was the single thing that whatever was left of its brain could interpret as its vision was then completely reduced into nothingness, final breath taken into its expiring lungs as it collapsed forwards, bodily crashing down on the street below Ophis like a puppet with its strings detached. A single image of its old master surfaced for just a brief second before all thoughts ceased to be.

Ophis, from atop the roof, stared down and watched as the stray's body disintegrated into dust. It lasted a full twenty seconds before it completely disappeared, leaving nothing behind.

'Hmm. How had one gotten into here?'

It was honestly a little weird that she had managed to come across a stray on the very exact moment she decided to go outside for some fresh air. Encountering a stray is like that sort of thing where getting into an actual criminal scenario is less than two percent, so for her to somehow get into that exact moment seemed rather impressive.

Still, she realized she was a little more focused on the part where the stray had apparently come here to find some humans to eat. That she felt bothered to actually stop the stray seemed a little unusual, considering how she typically doesn't try to engage others in fights to the death (besides Great Red, and even that had been much long ago). She might have just let it go ahead and do whatever the hell it would have wanted to if it didn't choose to bother her.

But when she thought about how it was about to target Issei and his family…

"Ophiiis! Where are you? "

Issei. She quickly warps back down to the ground, close enough to the house but far away enough that Issei couldn't spot her right away. Once she was done, she quickly heads over to the front door, where the brunet was standing with his hands cupped around his mouth. When he spots her, his grin comes to him easily.

"Ophis! You had a good walk outside?"

"Yes. I, was enjoying the cold air."

"Oh yeah? Well, I guess you're not wrong," he crossed his arms behind his back, looking up. "Tonight's a little colder than usual."

Is it? Well, she hadn't exactly noticed before, but… tonight certainly does seem that way, now that he mentioned it. It's been hot as of late, after all. The difference tonight really does seem very obvious at the moment.

Hmm… It really is nice tonight.

"So… you wanna' stay outside for a little longer?"

"I, don't think so," she said after a while, looking back at him. "Let's go inside."

"Sure thing. Was actually about to call you inside because mom just prepared some orange slices. Bet'cha gonna' like that!"

"Oranges? That, would be nice, yes."

And so, as the two children walk back into their home, Ophis's second day on Earth comes to an end—although she would then be roped into yet another argument between Issei and Uncle regarding which fruit (apples or kiwis) were better. Aunty forbade them from having competitions like this for a month afterwards.

Author's Notes:

The stories will be divided into two segments; one of which is an introduction chapter for a character, and the other being two or three short stories that look into the daily lives of our characters, similar to this chapter. That will more or less be the format—up until we reach the present day, which I'm still trying to think through.

Also, as you can already tell, we'll be starting with Issei's childhood and progressively move through the years until we reach his present high school year. As for Issei's parents, I have no idea how old they are; in the anime, they look… what? Forty? His father is especially gaunt-looking, so I'll assume that they're in their mid-forties by then.

One last detail that I wanted to bring up; Ophis's dress in the anime practically reveals her front, and she puts two plasters over her nipples. Just omit that particular detail for the sake of this story. Imagine she just wore an actual full-body dress, because that would be weird, and Issei's parents would have a whole lot more reason to be bothered than the fact that she has no parents

And as a final note, I want to thank everyone very much for their warm reception towards this story! Sure, it's only just getting off the ground and it ain't an explosive hit, but it still means a lot. Seriously, y'all have been awesome. Not gonna' lie, didn't expect to be writing a non-mature Highschool DxD fanfic ( gasp) and still get this much love, lmao. But yeah, this isn't intended for action and raunchy romance—just a lot of slice-of-life and fluff for the fun of it. Give Everyday Life with Supernatural Girls by DanzyDanz a shot if this sort of thing is your cup of tea. Pretty chill.

Also, on another note, I got to perform Zombie Pop by DPR IAN last night for a class party. God damn, was it so much fun XD.

Well, it's been super fun so far, so don't expect this story to stop anytime soon! Thanks again, peeps! And be seeing you in the next chapter.