Don X Don (High School DxD Miracle Child SI Chapter 12)

Poke.

"Hey. Psst. Hey, hey listen. Psst, hey."

Poke, poke, poke.

"Go away. I'm busy." Rachelle said through gritted her teeth as she tried to focus on her daily prayers.

She was rewarded by another poke to her cheek from Milo. She was being tested by God. She's sure of it.

And right now she was trying her hardest not to think of the Miracle Child as the Annoying Child.

"Come on, look what I made."

Rachelle sighed as she said 'Amen', halting her prayers for now, and looked to the side to see Milo holding a cardboard box filled with rubber balls.

"What is this?" Rachelle asked, wondering what the point of all of this was.

"I filled a couple of balloons with water, and then ties the tip, they were like this." Milo then squeezed one and threw it in the air and caught it to show how bouncy it was.

"I don't get the point." Rachelle said with a dry look, unable to believe how childish the real Miracle Child was to be amused by something like this.

"Weeell~," Milo set the box down, and his tone suddenly putting her on edge. "You can do this."

Milo clapped his hand hard, with the water balloon in the middle.

Right in Rachelle's face.

Sister Griselda was used to unusual events happening. A lifetime of training and fighting prepared for to expect the unexpected.

That doesn't mean she was prepare to see the Miracle Child of Gabriel running through the church's halls, with his body double, angel wings unfurled flying after and throwing water balloons at him.

Griselda had to paused and blink a few times, to be sure she was seeing correctly.

The prim, proper and always serious Rachelle was flying after Milo throwing water balloons at him.

And yes, Milo was retaliating with his own cache of water balloons that he seemed to have placed in cardboard boxes around the church.

"Flying is cheating! Flying is cheating!" Milo cried out.

"It's tactical air superiority, you brat!" Rachelle cried back. "I have the high ground! That's what you said before, right!" She said with a savage grin.

Rachelle! Where did you learn to talk like that? Griselda wanted to cry out.

But one look at the grinning Milo, badly feinting whining about unfairness, easily told her.

One week of being here, and already Milo caused Rachelle to act out. In a way it was nice that Milo was helping Rachelle act more like a kid, but Griselda had wished it wouldn't cause such a mess.

"Stop this foolishness and I will be lenient with you." Rachelle said in a 'magnanimous' tone. She used her magic to float all the water balloons around her ominously.

"I see, even going with magic, rather than playing fair, huh." Milo said back, yet his amused smirk showed that he wasn't really feeling sour, and even might be planning something.

"Victory forgives all. Do you accept defeat?" Rachelle grinned.

"I choose...M.A.D." Milo grinned back throwing Rachelle off.

"M.A.D.?" She blinked in confusion.

Milo moved his hand, holding the emergency fire pull. Rachelle and Griselda's eyes widened.

"Mutually Assured Destruction!"

"No! Not fair!" "Wait!"

Rachelle and Griselda tried to shout. Milo pulled down the lever.

"AAACK!" Rachelle flinched and floated down from the ceiling as all the fire sprinklers went off. She also lost her control of the water balloons letting drop to the ground.

Cries of surprise rang out from the nuns and priests at the sudden water falling on them.

"Hahahahaha!" Amidst all the chaos, Milo stood laughing with his arms spread wide. "SUPREME VICTORY! MUAHAHA-OW OW OW!" As Milo was laugh maniacally at his 'victory', until a wet Griselda marched up and grabbed him by the ear.

"Explain what's going on. Right now." Sister Griselda already had an idea, but wanted to see what the children had to say.

"His fault." Rachelle immediately pointed at Milo.

Griselda blinked at Rachelle's turnabout behavior, from how she usually acted. She was throw back to focus by Milo's chuckling.

"Worth it." Milo said, to which Griselda frown.

His smile didn't leave even when he went about washing and drying all the church grounds as punishment.

When Rachelle asked him later on mid-punishment why he wasn't sad, he said:

"I knew the consequences of my actions and fully accept them."

"Why?" She asked.

"Because it made you smile."

Rachelle did not run to her room to hide her red face. She walked with a focus on her destination.

Rachelle wasn't one to reveal in another's misfortune. It just wasn't behavior that should be emulated as the Miracle Child.

But Milo had been testing her patience over and over since he arrived.

Yes, his games weren't bad, and other than that first water balloon fight, he hadn't caused a problem for the fathers and sisters again, but he disrupted her schedule.

Even if...it wasn't all that bad, maybe even fun-No, no, it still cut into her normal routine, and that's bad. She had duties after all.

Although at least she can say his games are...easy to adjust to and tolerate.

Still, when Milo was asked what he would rather do for the church when he grew up, and he said become an Exorcist, Rachelle felt some satisfaction at him not showing talent in swordsmanship after trying it out.

Immediately afterwards she felt guilt for feeling that toward the Mircale Child. Then with his each subsequent failure in showing a niche ability or interest in marksmanship, archery, healing or crafting, Rachelle felt her guilt intensify.

She saw how nonchalant Milo was, yet she couldn't help but think he was just masking his bitterness.

If only he knew that he was met for something greater than mortals. For a power that was more than normal humans could ever hope for.

Power that he didn't have because of her. When she had absorbed his angelic heritage, did she also absorb his natural talent? Was he meant to be a great knight or warrior-king, like Sir Roland, or King Charlemagne?

Was he suppose to be great healer or craftsman, yet she took that potential away from him?

Yes, it all helped him be hidden through obscurity of mediocrity, but was it worth the price of him living in quiet anguish at his fortune?

No, she shook her head. It will be fine. I will pay him back for this. I will ensure he is given all that he's owed and more, even my own life to make up for this pain I caused him.

"Maybe you're just not cut out to be an Exorcist. God probably has a different plan for you." Rachelle told Milo after he gave up his latest endeavor. It was true after all. God had a different plan for him, and she will see it through no matter what.

"Hmm... Naaah~," Milo gave a wide grin. "The world is too dangerous to just casually ignore it. Looks like I'm gonna have to Netero it after all."

"'Netero' it? What are you talking about?" Rachelle blinked in confusion. She suddenly felt like...maybe Milo really wasn't bothered by not showing great prospect as an Exorcist. If so, then he was much stronger than she realized.

No. It's as expected of the real Miracle Child. She though.

"Welp, I'm gonna go do my own thing. See you all later!" Milo waved at them and left.

It would be a year before Rachelle would go see what training Milo did on his own. Before that, Sister Griselda had assured her that Milo was fine and that he was walking his own path, and growing into his own strength.

Yet as time went by Rachelle's doubt, worry and guilt returned.

Then one year later she set out to see how Milo was really doing. If he was just goofing off, or actually diligent in his own endeavor.

Is he was feeling down on himself, she would aid him as much as she could, and if not, then all is well.

The sight she saw that day would be engraved in her mind.

She saw Milo doing a very, very simple training.

Milo would preform a punch, with full focus and strength, then resume his starting position and do it again. Every one hundred punching he would give a prayer of gratitude to God.

And given that he would specific his training with his left hand, that meant he also did the same with his right, and then did kicking training with his legs.

He was simply strengthening his body in the most basic way that could be done.

The name 'Gabriel' meant 'Strength of God'. Of course Gabriel's child would channel his focus into the most simple but effective method he had.

The thing that convinced her that Milo was doing well above all else, was the Holy Power she felt from him. Using Holy Power so much meant that she got a feel for it. Able to sense it somewhat. An ability that would grow in time.

She felt Milo's natural Holy Power flow into her, when she was this close to him.

But also Rachelle felt Milo generate Holy Power from sheer faith alone.

He truly was the Miracle Child, and never had a need of her as anything but a decoy. Yet she was glad to be by his side, and witness him grow.

She left the clearing that day, her heart feeling a bit lighter.

All the good feelings however were ruined, when later that day she sat on a whoopie cushion at dinner.

Rachelle didn't need to guess who was responsible. She would have her revenge later all the same, by having the kitchen staff cook onion-based dishes for the next week.

Milo's near teared face was glorious.