|:[Reuniting With Change I]:|
- :|: - Seven Years Time Skip - :|: - Issei x Irina - :|: -
A thirteen-year-old Issei shot into the sky, bursting his four pairs of white wings from his back and a lustrous halo atop his head as his hair bled from brown to blonde. His eyes followed bleeding from passionate brown to a shining emerald.
It was a late morning that Saturday, and the clouds were barely covering the sky.
However, Issei didn't mind the sky, no, he was too focused on his plans. He was excited because for once, he had free time away from school (until Wednesday), and training.
"—Yosh!"
Gabriel did promise he would be able to see her one day. And that day, is today! He nodded confidently; he was going to make sure of it!
"I'm gonna' visit Irina!"
He knew which direction was west, like a bird or a compass, and headed a bit north of west.
England!
Issei zoomed forward, focusing slightly on his arm, allowing for a familiar sensation to engulf his left hand up to his elbow.
"Boosted Gear!"
[Boosted Gear!]
[Boost!]
*Boom!*
"—Roaaar!"
With a sonic boom and a roar, Issei's vision blurred slightly as he only focused on going faster to get to England, where Irina said she would be living.
The adrenaline started to pump through his body, making him unmindful of how much wasted energy he put in zooming through the sky in a holy white streak above the clouds. Not that it actually mattered.
I can't wait to show Irina my wings!
Issei grinned at the thought of Irina's surprised face. In that moment, he would pull her into a hug and hug her for all she was worth, and that was a lot for Issei. Irina was always on his mind for far too long that it would be an understatement to say that he simply missed her.
Faster!
[Boost!]
*Boom!*
Again!
[Boost!]
...
After a few minutes, he was almost past China.
Faster!
[Boost!]
*Boom!*
Issei laughed in pure joy. He could barely wait.
I'm almost there!
...
*Vrroom-Fsssssssh!*
A harsh wind blasted against Issei's wings and back as he suddenly stopped, high in the sky, at a point where people looked like dots.
He pulled a picture from his pocket and unfolded it. On the picture, a lightly brown haired girl, with an age much like his, in a plaid brown and green uniform. It was a small gift from Gabriel, when he told her about his plan.
"So what are you going to do when I'm gone and without school?" Gabriel asked, sitting crisscrossed in the warming sun.
"I think..." Issei stopped to think of something. He jumped from his position and shot his left hand into the sky. "I'm going to see Iri-chan!"
Gabriel smiled at his way as she reached into his pocket, also moving from her position. "I knew you were going to pull something like this, so, here." From Issei's pocket was a folded picture of a girl.
"T-This is, Iri-kun?" Issei was flabbergasted; she looked so different but it was still noticeable that it was still his best friend.
Gabriel nodded, as she reached into his pocket again to pull out a map. "Yep, she should be at Canterbury, England, so make sure, you know where it is, 'k?"
"I'm really going to see Iri-kun!"
"But you can only tell her of your secret," She ended her statement by tapped his nose with her right pointer finger, "okay?"
"Yes! I will! Thank you, Gabriel!" Issei almost jumped onto her as he moved to hug the woman .
The woman giggled slightly at his enthusiasm and hugged back.
"You're welcome, Ise." She released some of her energy and let the sensation overtake them both. With that energy came a teleporting spell. Although Issei could do it himself, Gabriel often forgot as she liked to think of him as her son.
"Now, sleep Issei, I'll miss you, you know." Gabriel let a sad smile grace her face. She was rather dependent on the boy, not that he knew.
"I'll miss you too!" He slipped into his bed, oddly wondering if his parents were sleeping too. "Good night, Gabriel!"
"Have a wonderful time, Ise." With a wave and another flash of her 'radiance,' she was gone, leaving only fading specks of 'radiance.'
"I wonder what Iri-kun is doing..." Issei plummeted down into a forest, but before he fell, he came to a stop with a strong beat of his wings. With it, came a massive gale, shaking the whole surrounding area.
*Ffsssssh!*
He was about to hide his wings and run through the city to find Irina, but he heard something.
"—Kah!" A high-pitch feminine voice cried out from somewhere around him.
Huh?
Issei followed the sound, wondering if someone had been caught up in his descent from the "heavens."
"Grruuuah!" It was a bellow of a beast. It caused Issei to speed his approach since the beast sounded angry. How Issei knew, was lost on him.
Once he made it to the beast, or chimera, he saw a girl around his age with long blue hair that barely went past her hip.
In the girl's hand was a large golden and blue broadsword that gave off energy much like Issei's own angelic energies. What is she doing to a monster like that?
The girl blocked another slash from the lizard-panther-rooster hybrid's claw. Then the blade started to shake violently in the girl's hands. Though it seemed to make the monster back off a small distance, as the girl glared at the sword in frustrated.
"Come on!" The girl stared down the sword, as it was alive. She began swinging it around but this time, her swings were a bit wavy and out of control.
Issei was done watching and quietly made small ball born from his draconic energies. "—Dragon Shot!" The ball of red energy hit the beast as it was in mid-lunge.
*Boom!*
The blast obliterated the foul beast, making quick work of the monster. Issei wasn't going to allow the girl, who looked to be around his age, to get hurt on his watch.
"What?" The girl deadpanned, seeing the beast she fought with all her energy being simply destroyed from an attack that came out of nowhere.
Using the spell, he learned from Gabriel, he translated her words and his next words into English after he debated whether he should approached the girl. In slow English, he said, "A... Are you okay?"
The blue haired girl blinked repeatedly at the approaching angel. The heavy blade fell from her hands as her disbelief caught up to her. Issei, the oblivious boy, took it as a sign of weakness and tried to gather the girl in his arms, only for the girl to get to her knees with her hands together and her head down.
Xenovia found herself blessed, confused and amazed all at the same time. All she wanted to do was master the sword given to her. However, instead, she faced the pinnacle of purity, an angel, with four pairs of wings, nonetheless, who also tried to hold her, in an embrace.
What... What do I do?
"Um..." Issei wasn't sure what exactly he was doing or should do. "...Are you okay?" He repeated.
Xenovia wasn't sure what to do in her predicament as she was never taught what to actually do in an angel's presence and racked her brain for answers.
"...I'll... I'll just go?" That statement was more of a question than a statement.
"—Wait!"
Xenovia didn't realized what she said until it came out. Immediately, the girl clasped her hands against her mouth, horrified that she spoke, after she chose to stay silent.
"Y-Yes?" Issei was surprised but found himself returning to the girl.
"Can..." She glanced towards Issei then averted her eyes, oddly embarrassed, "Can you tell me how to become strong?"
Issei wasn't too sure how to answer the girl. He glanced to the abandoned broadsword.
Durandal...
Gabriel had told him about various holy artifacts, which included Durandal. "Why are you in such a hurry?" The sincere question made her pause.
Why was she in such a hurry? Xenovia knew people hailed her as a warrior-nun prodigy at a young age. Did that push her?
No...
It was to fill something within her. A hole of sorts.
"The last person who had sword, it took him many years to master the sword ya' know?" Issei stepped back from the girl.
She already knew that. Yet, no matter how much pain and practice she when through, she couldn't effectively use the sword! It frustrated her to no end.
She watched the angel pick up the sword with ease and swing it, lightly.
Suddenly the green-eyed angel stabbed the sword into the ground, surprising her.
"Never forget, to wield, any and everything, one must be of pure intention." A blinding light radiated from the sword. With the light fading, Issei was long gone.
...
Issei sighed, he totally bull-shitted his words, and hoped he didn't mislead the girl. He wondered if Gabriel would get mad at him for revealing himself to a mortal that wasn't Irina.
Nevertheless, he shoved it to the back of his mind when he spotted a lone girl skipping on the sidewalk. A smile overtook his face, voluntarily, as he began his approach.
Huh?
Issei stopped his approach and hid his presence when he noticed a person going up to her. It was fat man who looked to be the priest over the nearby church, which he ushered Irina into.
What's going on?
Issei let himself move up towards the window. He spoke a small spell, allowing himself to phase through the window easily and without a trace.
The church was a bit on the smaller side and empty of people besides Irina and the fat man. It was mainly golden brown with various columns and bench-like seats. Running down the middle, was a regal blue carpet with a golden outline.
"...With that, I bless, the warrior-nun, Irina Shidou. May God always be with you!" A glowing blue gem fell from the man's hands and dropped into Irina's outstretched palms, only to fade away like diamond mist as it touched her hands.
The man took a dagger and gave it to the girl who gratefully took it. The dagger twisted and transformed into a ribbon, attaching itself to Irina's wrist.
Warrior-nun?
...
"I wonder, what's Ise doing nowadays..."
Behind Irina was an invisible Issei, smirking at the comment.
"Yeah, I wonder what I do nowadays too..." He put a hand to his chin and nodded in agreement, waiting for her surprise. A knowing and happy smile split across his face.
"Huh!" Quickly she turned, a soft voice reached her ears. The voice was familiar but so different at the same time. "A-An A-A-Angel!" She blinked quickly in surprise before she got to her knees, shakily.
"Hi Iri-kun!" His tone was happy and he even waved.
"I-Ise?" Irina lifted her head instantly at her childhood nickname because only one person called her "Iri-kun!"
"Yep, the one and only." His hair bled from blonde to its usual brown and his eyes followed in suit with it respective color, but he left his wings and halo out. "Miss me?"
"B-B-but, h-how? When?"
My best friend is an angel?!
Issei didn't answer her questions. Instead, he leaped at her with wide arms. He couldn't hold back the urge to hug her. It was the first time in ages that he's seen her. "I missed you!"
Irina, still trying to get used to the fact that her childhood friend was an angel, barely hugged back and responded, "Yeah, I missed you too." Lightly, she patted at his back. The revaluation made her more than confused.
"I'm an angel, cool, right?" Issei stated the obvious, oblivious to the fact as he pulled back from the embrace.
A pout overtook her expression as she let her 'warrior' facade drop. "Mou! I want to be an angel too!" She pulled at his back with childish vigor. "Gimme your wings!"
She's still Iri-kun.
"No! Wait!" She stopped herself, realizing she was actually talking to an angel! She got to her knees, once again, leaving Issei confused.
"Eh?" Issei was dumbfounded.
Irina bit her lip, wondering if God would scorn her for acting in such a manner to one of His Angels. She wanted to say something at the same time but didn't know how to address her 'friend.' She decided she would only speak when asked.
"This, huh?" His tone was indifferent and slightly scared Irina as she wasn't used to that kind of tone from anyone, especially Issei. His expression changed. He wasn't happy. He didn't look mad either, which made Irina just a bit relieved.
"I didn't want it to come to this but..." His brown covered his eyes in an impenetrable shadow. His hands rose as if he was going to summon lightning. "To pay for your sins, Irina, warrior-nun, you shall perish!"
What?!
...
April Fools!
Irina felt the wind get knocked out of her as menacing fingers reached her sides. He was tickling her! "AH-Hahahah! Ise-Ise, s-stop! Ahaha!"
"Perish with the power of the tickle Angel!" Issei found himself laughing with Irina.
"N-No fair!" Irina didn't realize he succeeded in making her drop her former expression and bowing stance.
"Issei-kun!"
...
"Mou! Issei, that wasn't fair of you!"
"Ehehehe." In return, Issei scratched the back of head and laughed. "I guess so."
They sat in silence for a few moments, feeling the wind blow against them. Irina knew he definitely was Issei but him as an angel? She felt blessed-no, even more blessed-that she knew him before and at the fact that he was an angel, the peak of purity.
"Hey, Irina." Issei turned away from her with a sad smile on his face. "Does me, being an angel... Does it change anything?"
Irina's eyes widened at the question. "I-I..." Her studies wanted her to say "yes." However, she knew the answer he wanted was "no."
"I don't want to lose your friendship, Irina." At his heart, Issei was pure, and only wanted to laugh and have fun everyday with the people he favored, like a small child, which he wasn't anymore. "I missed you a lot."
"I-I missed you a lot, too." Irina began remembering her vigorous training. "Issei, does being an angel change our friendship? I don't want it to."
"Does that mean—"
"But, Issei, I have my own responsibilities, so wait a bit longer." With a bright smile, Irina allowed herself to hug the angel.
"Irina..." Issei hugged back, his thoughts and plans in disarray. However, he wasn't going to let that stop him! "I have 3 days until I have to go back. So let's have the most fun!"
"B-But Ise—"
"I know, I know." Issei felt a grin crept up his face. "You wanna know how it feels to fly?"
"Huh—" Issei didn't let her finish and picked her up bridal style. "Isssssseeei!" He zoomed up into the sky; his eight wings wrapped around them, making it seem like they were a white bullet.
...
"Issei! Be careful!" Irina wanted to squirm but she was afraid of falling.
"I'm not going to drop you, I promise." With his warm voice, Irina felt her heart go warm against her chest. However, Issei didn't notice her blushing and sudden timidness and continued, "Does the view look pretty?"
They weren't in England anymore, to say the least.
The sky was yellow, purple and all the shades in between. The cloud were literally just above them. Irina swore she could just touch with a small jump, if she wasn't in Issei's hold. Underneath them, was a clearing in the forest. Everything around the clearing was green as far as the eye could see. But inside the clearing was a sight to behold.
The clearing had her name in various flowers. She held a hand to her mouth.
"Issei… This is..." Irina didn't finish her sentence for she was too immersed in the scenery around, above and below. It was simply breath-taking.
"I know, right?" Issei silently casted a small spell, allowing for an invisible plane to appear. "It took me forever to perfect the spell (because he's a natural in destroying things), I hope you like it."
Issei let her down, and was careful so she wouldn't fall from his arms, until she began squirming. "H-Hey! What are y-you—"
"You're not going to fall, I promise," Issei said with his voice smooth and without fault. It made Irina feel a bit warm, especially when she looked up to his confident face.
"O-Okay..." Hesitantly, she took a step, only to realize she was walking on nothing! She shot a look back to Issei to confirm that she was literally walking on nothing. He smiled gently with his playful look already long gone.
"Irina, don't be afraid, even if you somehow do fall, I'll catch you." She felt her ears go warm despite the chilling winds.
"I-Issei?" Irina questioned as she took a small step forward.
"See?" He confided his wings back into his back and Irina found herself staring.
His graceful fall caused his hair to be lifted off his unblemished and faultless face. His maple eyes were the same eyes she grew up with, full of adventure and warmth. His red hooded jacket was much more like a cape as it swung back. His easygoing smile made her blush, harshly.
This isn't a dream...
"Hey Irina?"
She didn't say anything. She was too embarrassed at her thoughts as steam let her red ears.
"Why are you a warrior-nun?"
"Huh?" She blinked at the unexpected and sudden question. "Oh, uh, you see, I'm one of the few candidates for a part of the Excalibur, 'cause my dad, you remember him?" Issei nodded, "Well, he's an exorcist, so, as his only child, he wanted me to follow his footsteps."
"And... I wanted to b-become a h-hero, l-like we wanted."
"Oh! I wanna know what you've learned so far!" Issei jumped back, and took a fighting stance.
"Eh? You want me to fight you?" To fight an angel? I can't hurt an angel, moreover, Issei-kun...
Issei faltered as he saw the conflict in Irina's eyes. "No, we're not fighting..." Issei thought of something and smirked, confidently. "I bet you can't even touch me."
Irina felt a smirk creeping up her own face as she saw Issei. He was going to play against her competitive side.
"I bet you I can!" The ribbon around her wrist twisted and transformed into a katana.
"You're on!"
*Chhhhak*
Issei dodged with a quick step to the side as Irina brought down her curved blade onto the nigh-impenetrable plane. He smirked again, and poked her in the forehead. In English, he said, "Tag~ You it." The way he said that, without proper grammar, with an annoyingly placed poke, and in such a teasingly tone, sparked a fire into her veins.
"You know I always win!"
...
"Mou!" Irina could barely pout as she huffed in exhaustion. "You broke the game, hhuuah!"
Issei smirk in return, "I can't let you beat for the 76th time." His smirk widened, "Not that I'm counting or anything."
"I couldn't even get you once!"
"You were close a few times, I'll give you that." He poked her by her waist as he crouched down beside her. "You hungry?"
"Actually... Yeah, a little." Irina rolled onto the flat of her back when suddenly she was pulled from the plane and into something familiar, "H-Hey! H-Hold up!"
It wasn't that she didn't like being held by Issei, surrounded by his pure white wings. Because being held by her childhood crush, Issei, was so blissfully secure and cordial. But, she felt so embarrassed in his arms. She wanted to stay, hit him, and hug him all the same time. It was just the fact that he grabbed her so suddenly. She sighed, but Issei-kun wouldn't be Issei-kun if he wasn't forceful.
She looked up to his face, only to advert her violet eyes as they caught Issei's concerned orbs. His concern caused her cheeks to dust pink which only seemed to grow.
"Sorry, I'm just so excited." The nervous laugh that slipped through his lips caused her to smile gently.
"I-It's fine." With that, they slipped into calming silence.
Issei-kun isn't Issei-kun if he didn't act so concerned either. The thought made her snuggle closer into Issei's hold and chest. Irina didn't realize it, but she soon fell asleep, forgetting about her slight hunger.
...
"Hey, Irina, wake up." There was something smacking against her right cheek. "Come on, Sleepyhead."
"Leave me alone, it's too cozy to move." She snuggled into the feather soft whatever.
"But, Iriinnaa!" Issei complained, though he didn't really mind. However, as Irina said before, she had her own responsibilities. Like going home before dusk, and feeding herself.
"Mmmm, Issei-kun, my guardian angel." He blushed at the comment. He's never heard such words from anyone.
Irina looks so cute...
...
It took forever, but he finally got Irina home. The (not-so) problem was that he was (not-so) forced into sleeping with her.
Irina's parents were totally fine that he was visiting. Especially when Irina blurted out that he was an angel. Having old people bow down to him? He couldn't have that, when it went against his morals. After a lot of convincing, he finally got them to act as if he was just a normal child.
He sighed, turning back to Irina's sleeping face.
I wonder what's going to happen tomorrow?
What exactly were Irina's responsibilities?
Vorpal: Why Canterbury? I dunno, I chose randomly cuz there isn't one mentioned in the wiki.
Xenovia is such an underrated OP character in my opinion. She originally wasn't going to be in this chapter.
Did I make Irina seem OOC? I kinda think so.
Not much actually happen this chapter... meh.
Zz, a guest reviewer, I totally agree. The thing is, it's a lot of "work" to care.
I blame "World Purge-Hen." Not sure for what yet, but I do.
Till next time, ne?
"Have a Nice Day."
Koneko's monotone voice:
"April Fools. Die."
Spring Break sucks.
Life happens to happen.
[Words: 3,879]