Chapter 4 : Free
All things considered, the 'changing room incident' had been handled rather well, if I can say so myself.
Because, let's face reality for a second here: there was no way in hell it wasn't going to be a shitshow, but the -admittedly bad- level of artistry, me pretending that I was in possession of a full set-up -which still boggles my mind- and Rias, well, Riasness ended up defusing the situation relatively well.
If what I could infer from the echoes in the Immaterium, I wasn't warranting Distrust anymore, more like Pity and second-hand Shame.
Which, oi, firstly: fuck you too.
Secondly, it made me realize that I really can't give a shit about high-school drama bullshit.
In comparison to everything which supposedly happens in this world, away from prying eyes, prissy rich girls getting all precious because of a little bit of ink rated pretty low on my 'list of things I give a fuck about'.
Also, apparently, I was way more in shape than I expected -or maybe everyone else plainly sucked- since I managed to wrench a comfortable third place ranking at the sports examination-thingy we just went through.
Don't bother asking who exactly took first and second place, because that would be the two devils who, apparently, at this stage, don't really know how to hold back when put against mere humans.
To my infinite amusement, I had thrown Rias' way a very disturbed look when her 50 dash results came out, the girl having run faster than freakin Usain Bolt, I shit you not, to the general disbelief of, well, everyone around.
Once she realized her screw-up, the girl instantly panicked, did something, which I assumed to be some kind of mind-whammy bs which slipped on me like water on a duck's back -ourah for inherited mental resistance!- and ran a second time, noticeably slower, yet still taking first place before Akeno, the half-fallen having less difficulty dialing her supernatural strength down.
I then politely applauded like every dunce around, the other girls already falling over themselves in front of the two beauties for some kind of reason, while inwardly smirking all the way.
Because that was the kind of shit I was never gonna let her live down, if my true nature came to light some day.
Some would argue that I should be pissed that she tried to mind-wipe me, but, well, firstly it did shit all, and, secondly, it was kind of what I expected from a ditzy, nerdy devil having done an 'oopsie'.
Plus, I owed her one for her nonplussed, dare I say enthusiastic even, attitude displayed previously in the changing room, even Akeno having done a little double-take at my ink, which didn't surprise me in the slightest considering the gathering of assholes she was raised by before her whole shtick happened.
So, yeah, I was letting it slide, as long as it wasn't done maliciously, but if my read on the crimson haired girl was on point, that wasn't really her style to try to manipulate a friend 'for their own good' or something along those lines.
No, she was just a dork, plain and simple, who just happened to both be born a rich girl and won the genetic lottery with her Power of Destruction bs.
Though, that bit about me eventually tattooing her? No way in hell that happens without a signed mandate from her siscon of a brother, because that sounds suspiciously like a suicide with extra-steps.
I suppose that I'll need to get good at it first, though.
Maybe something to work on before I burn myself out while training like a maniac?
All work and no play probably makes a very dull Psyker, after all, and it was true in a way that it kinda looked like I did those in juvie or something.
Had I known, I wouldn't have selected those while creating my character, a lifetime and an universe ago, but hindsight is twenty/twenty, as they say.
"That was fun!" Rias cheers next to me, her mood as perky as ever, and wrenching me out of my idle musings, prompting me to look her way.
Girl, what exactly did you do for fourteen-ish freakin years if a little bit of human sports is the height of your entertainment?
I snort a little, trying to hold my mirth, but failing badly.
"What?" the blood red headed girl asks curiously, her Queen throwing me a side-eye over her shoulder, which, protective much, girl?
I wasn't gonna hurt her feelings, so, please, calm your tits.
"You're always that hyper, aren't you?" I ask archly, my lips quirked up.
"Not really, no?" she not-quite asks in answer, tilting her head, a finger on her chin, "It's just, I can't really help it now?"
"New country, new school, new opportunities, getting spoiled by choice?" I rattle, prompting a pleased nod from the heiress of destruction.
"Yes! That's exactly it!" she chirps happily, before doing a happy twirl.
I giggle.
Gosh, the girl is freakin adorable, like a puppy.
"You're adorable, like a puppy!" my brain-mouth filter stops working for a beat, and, before I know it, I'm pinching her cheek, the girl letting out a little startled 'eep!'.
I let out another, unprompted, giggle at her absolutely flabbergasted expression, Akeno's eyebrow daintily raised in a 'do you know what you're doing exactly?'-way, but I can't be arsed to care.
…I seem to giggle a lot, now that I think about it.
You know what, later.
"What does that mean?" the devil asks, a bit confused, absentmindedly rubbing her cheek.
"It's a compliment: you're endearing, excitable, and always happy." I explain matter-of-factly, before winking at her.
She beams at me and I see in the corner of my eyes the half-fallen's expression soften a notch.
"Sadly, it'll come to pass," I carry on, giving her a one shoulder shrug, "School can get pretty boring, you know what I mean."
I -almost- catch her startling, but she catches herself back really, really quick.
Supernaturals are just built different, man.
"Ah ah," she trails off, a bit too awkwardly to fool an observer who already has an inkling about what's going on, but gets reassured by my 'innocent' smile, "Yeah, I guess."
I have a feeling that messing with her is going to become one of my favorite pastimes, don't I?
"Doesn't mean you still can't make the most of it," I keep going on, to her visible relief, "There's plenty of opportunities to grab hold of if you're looking out for them."
"Like what?" she asks, inching herself closer to me, like I'm about to tell her a very important secret.
As I said: the girl is pure sugar, and she's going to give me diabetes.
Wonder what prompted her to distance herself from her peers two years from now, some kind of conflict?
Now that I really think about it, she didn't have a human friend worthy of note in the show that I can remember at the top of my head.
What exactly happened here?
"Well, travel, for one." I elaborate, "You could always take the time to sight-see, there's plenty of locations worth of note in Japan, and their shinto temples and shrines are all intriguing in their own way."
…Which may be difficult for them to properly visit, considering, you know, devils.
"But I'm sure Himejima-san already told you that," I carry on with a lazy jerk of my head toward Akeno, "But if she hasn't, you should really consider it.
"So, travel, for a start. Then, there's food, because, believe it or not, but there's more to Japanese food culture than sushi, maki and ramen!" I carry on, giving Rias another wink, making her giggle, before letting out a little 'umu' of assent.
…Adorable.
"The culture, after that." I explain further, gesturing vaguely around ourselves, "From what I understand," -because I'm fucking living it- "Japanese culture is a bit alien when put into contrast with a more European mindset." -and oh boy am I downplaying it- "It may have been a bit idealized by the different forms of media filtering across the sea, but the rules are a big part of it: it's more stringent, a bit too stuffy to my taste, even, but that's only my opinion."
"Is that why," Akeno interjects, no doubt rescuing her King as she was about to put her foot in her mouth if her slightly disbelieving expression is anything to go by -I'm dissing her dream country, of course that would upset her-, "You're aiming for a more… alternative lifestyle?"
Not really, no. It's because the night is dark, and full of fucking terrors, and you know it very well.
Truth is, if I could spend my life away from all this supernatural bullcrap, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
'Unlimited psychic powaaah!' looks pretty fucking rad on paper, but it makes you interesting to the other players.
I got a second shot at life and I'd really like some peace and quiet this time around. Being perfectly positioned for a do-over and finding myself a more interesting job this time around is a godsend.
But if someone takes note of me? Then I can kiss my slow life good-fucking-by, since every assholes and their mother is going to come knocking, by curiosity at best, and some more nefarious options at worst.
"It's because I want to be, to feel, free." I answer instead, putting in as little words as possible what I really feel, so as to not rise undue suspicions-
-only for Rias to instantly perk up.
Oh.
Oh.
Yeah, that would hit pretty much all of her buttons, this kind of speech.
Well, if I can kill two birds with one stone…
"As I said, over-politeness, too stringent rules? Not a fan." I explain, my hands moving emphatically, "I mean, it's the dream country for when I'll be an old, wrinkled, lady, but before that? Ergh, please.
"That's why I try my best: not because I'm afraid of losing my scholarship, but because I want to be able to land a job abroad."
I mean, before really thinking about it this morning, it hadn't properly hitted, but what I said in the changing room still rings true.
No way in hell I'm resigning myself for a life in Japan.
The country looks good on a postcard or in an anime, but, in real life?
I've read Amélie Nothomb's 'Stupeur et tremblements': I know what's in the cards, and it's definitely not for me.
At least, I'm still fluent in English and French, so I give myself pretty good odds to be able to get out of this wage-slave trap post graduation.
And if I can get away from the supernatural clusterfuck that is Japan in DxD?
Even better for my mental health.
Who knows? Maybe I'll manage to argue for another scholarship at the end of the year, if I rank high enough.
"The way I see it, academia is strength, and, with enough strength, you can do what you want. Always has been, always will be: the strong do what they want, while the weak satisfy themselves with the scraps.
"You're not satisfied with your lot in life? Then struggle, get stronger, rage against the dying of the light, if you want to be poetic about it. Don't just lay down on your belly and wait for someone else to do the job at your place, to save you. That's a loser mindset.
"Get smarter, get stronger, get tougher, fight the battles you're forced to undertake, and fight to win." I end with a clenched fist in front of me at chest level, giving the two devils a rueful grin-
-only to see Rias gaping back at me, positively star-struck and eyes shining, while Akeno looks low-key gobsmacked.
Sorry, miss sadist, but I think I just lit a fucking fire under your King's butt.
Should deal with that hot mess of arranged marriage easily enough if Rias has two more whole years to kick her peerage's ass back in shape because of one shitty motivational speech.
Shia Leboeuf, this one was for you.
"That's why I know I'm going to get out of here." I explain further, a bit nonplussed, like it's no big a deal, "Because I'm going to give myself the best odds possible.
"Oh, and about what we were talking about earlier, there's one last thing." I add, a finger raised.
"And?" Rias excitedly asks, almost vibrating with excitement, "What is it? Tell me!"
I chuckle.
"No parental supervision." I stick my tongue out of my mouth at her, making her giggle.
"Ah ah, that's true." she beams back, before clenching her fist in front of her, losing herself in her little world, "No parents…
"Say," the Gremory heiress perks up, doing a complete emotional one eighty, making me low-key bawlk, "Did I tell you that you were the coolest girl I know?"
"Erh, yes? Yesterday?" I answer back, half-amused and half-constipated.
…Later.
"Guess what?" she chirps, "That's still true!"
Well, if she's the one saying it, then…
[AN: And cut.
Had to explore the aftermath, realized I actually had an opportunity to nip a future problem in the bud with nearly zero consequences for Prima's own life, so, here we go.
Hope you enjoy, xoxo]