Helloooooooo, my friends! I, uh….
I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself. I know, I know, I already have other stories that I need to finish. I know this! But I just can't help myself this time! My therapist told me that, in order for someone as mentally active as me to avoid writer's block, it might be best to just write whatever comes to mind! It's the best way to stimulate my creative juices! I have hardcore ADHD, okay! I've had it my whole life. I'm always on overdrive, so if I shut down my ideas just for the sake of prioritizing certain stories, I'll be creatively stunted… And so, that's what ultimately brings us here.
Ever since I started my fanfiction journey many years ago (happy 8th anniversary to me BTW, it was in November lol), there was always a select few amount of story ideas rolling around in my head that I promised myself I would one day try to write, even if it was only part of the way. One of those ideas recently resurfaced, and I haven't been able to get it out of my mind since. That's when I ended up asking my therapist, who's familiar with my writing habits and difficulties, about what I should do. I personally wanted to keep focusing on "A Fool's Heart," since that story was on a roll for a while. And since it's also in the middle of a very important arc, I didn't wanna pause it. However, my mind kept taking me elsewhere. That's when she advised me to do what's best for my creativity. Let it fly! Don't stuff down your own ideas, lest you begin staggering your own creativity to the point of not being able to have any ideas at all! And I'm taking her advice, because the amount of writer's block I have nowadays is way worse than it used to be when I first started, which is something I've thought about a lot since my anniversary just passed. I wanna rekindle my creativity as much as possible, so from now on, I'm just gonna write whatever comes to mind. And like I said, as of recently, that's an old story idea that I never wrote.
Now, you might be wondering what that is. Well, the more observant of you will have read the title and synopsis, it should give you a good idea. Yes, that's right. This is a reverse DxD story! In other words, one of those classic (and yet somehow rare) DxD stories where Issei is a servant of Sitri instead of a servant of Gremory! Yep, that's right. It's Sona DxD! Wait, that already exists…. Anyway, it's a pretty obvious fanfiction idea, probably one of the first if not the main idea everyone is struck with whenever they watch the series for the first time. Nothing too special. But you know what they say, it isn't about the idea, it's about the execution. And this is an idea I've been stuck with forever so I might as well throw it out there.
Just a word of warning though: first off, this will be a harem story, it's still DxD after all, that's part of the DNA. Second, and even more importantly! This story is going to be….the same as regular DxD, but also absolutely completely different… What I mean by that is, it won't be an exact "reverse" of DxD in the literal sense. Um, so basically, yes, Issei will be Sonas's Pawn instead, which means no Saji. However, their positions aren't just inverted. Saji will just be a human, there likely won't be a Grmeory Pawn to replace Issei. This also means that despite the many differences in the story, the world itself will remain generally the same. There will be differences here and there, but the overall universe and the plots will stay similar for the most part, it's mainly lots of character differences that'll be happening. So you can kind of think of this story as a weird fever dream that canon issei might experience. Or rather, more like a mirror version of his own reality. But not a 1 to 1 plane mirror, more like a funhouse mirror. See if you can spot the biggest (and smallest) differences! You will, they're pretty obvious.
Anyway, without further ado, let's get on with it, shall we!?
Welcome, my friends, to Sona DxD!
…I'm kidding. I'm not gonna rip off that story. Fun fact, I think that's still one of the most popular and most followed/favorited stories in DxD history for this website? Idk, I haven't checked in quite a while, but I do remember when it was in the top spot for the longest. Crazy, huh? That's how rare [IseXSona] type stories are. At least, I think. P.S. I've also never read that story actually, haha. No reason either, I just never got around to it. Luckily that means I literally cannot plagiarize it lol. If you see any similarities, let me know, because I literally wouldn't know otherwise, haha. (I doubt it'll have any though.)
DxD
Life. 1 - My name is Hyoudou Issei.
"Uwaaaa…. Uu…."
Sometimes, when I fall asleep, I have this dream.
No, I have it nearly every night. This dream, where I can hear a child crying somewhere in the distance of this dark place. It's pitch black every time, and the only thing I can see in front of me is a wooden park bench. There's an old, homeless looking man lying on it. He looks completely lifeless. It's almost like….
Yeah, no doubt. He's gone. I can tell with just a glance. That must be why that invisible kid is crying. I can't see him, but I can tell that he's heartbroken just by the sound. In fact, listening to his cries fills me with dread… Every time I end up in this dream, I'm always overwhelmed by this sickening feeling of despair. Staring down at this old man and hearing those cries, it just makes the feeling all the worse. It grows and gnaws at me constantly until I reach my limit, but right when I try to do something about it, I realise that I can't. If I try to touch the old man on the bench, my hands go right through him, as if he weren't even there.
No, rather, it's more like I'm the one who's not really here. Maybe that's why I can't see the crying child either. That must be why no one can hear my voice either, including me. Despite the darkness, I can still hear the sounds of other people passing by and muttering, meaning that the child isn't the only one around. There's other people too, I just can't see them either. Even so, when I try to call out and ask for help, my voice doesn't come out. There's nothing but an empty exhale, like if my voice is being choked out of me. Even though I can breathe, I can't ask for help. Everyone is unaware of my quiet wheezes. Or maybe they're just ignoring it…? Why would they? It's obvious that they just can't hear it, right?
…But then again, why would they ignore the crying child here? And moreover, why would they ignore the man that has clearly passed away, all alone on this park bench…?
Ah, there it is again.
Just like always, I only realise it at the end. Right there, towards the end of the dream, that's when I remember.
I recognise this old man. I know him.
He's the old man from my childhood. The perverted oji-san who taught me his lecherous ways. I dubbed him "Ero-sensei" after a character from one of my favorite shonen manga series. He's the one who introduced me to my love for women's bodies. He told me lots of stories, played cards with me, showed me lots of ecchi doujinshi and photos.
And most of all, he taught me something. That, despite what the world has taught you, everyone deserves a fair chance. People aren't meant to just be forgotten or left behind. People aren't born to be ignored or neglected. So if there's ever someone who looks lonely, be their friend. If someone needs help, be the hand they reach out to. If someone cries out in distress, answer their call, even if no one else does… He taught me those important lessons, just like my real grandfather did before him too.
He was….just as important to me as my grandfather was….
"Uwaaaa…. Waaaa.."
This dream…. It always ends the same way.
With the body of the oji-san having disappeared from the bench, leaving only his blanket behind, the same invisible child crying endlessly, and me, standing alone in the darkness, with tears streaming down my face.
Ah, I see.
That crying child….it was me all along, wasn't it?
《Wake up! Wake up! If you don't wake up, I'm going to kiss you!》
Click!
I slapped the button of my alarm clock, shutting it up once and for all. I rolled over in my bed and groaned.
"Ugh…. I just can't catch a break…"
Knock, knock!
Someone knocked on my bedroom door. From the other side, I heard a familiar voice. The voice of my most important family member in the world.
"Ise! I'm heading off to work! There's breakfast on the table!"
"Okaaaay.."
That was the voice of my sister calling me from beyond my bedroom. Well, I call her my "sister," but we aren't actually related. You see, she's adopted.
Oh, I should probably explain that. Okay, where do I even begin..?
—Alright. My life is a long story, but to keep it brief, my parents had a lot of trouble making kids. They lost 2 before I was born, and by the second one, they were ready to give up. That's when they adopted my sister at a young age, much to the dismay of my father, who only wanted a son. Eventually though, my mom became pregnant again, and I was born not long after. My father got his son, but at the cost of his marriage. My mom wanted a daughter, which is why they adopted my sister in the first place. But my mom wanted her own daughter, not "someone else's." At least, that's one of the things she shouted whenever she argued with my dad. As for dad, he accused her of cheating, since it was apparently suspicious to him that I even ended up being born, despite me being his spitting image. After that, mum just constantly blamed dad for not being able to help her conceive, while he blamed my mother for the same. Eventually, their marriage fell apart.
I can't say how much it affected me, since I was so used to it by a certain point. I mean, I don't really remember a time where my parents got along. And when they'd finally divorced, I was already in my first year of middle school. They didn't just divorce though, they also left me and my sister behind. I guess neither of them really wanted to take responsibility for kids from a failed marriage. Dad came the closest to taking over for us, but he didn't want to take my sister in. It was the first manly thing I did in my life, but I refused to go anywhere without her. I think I must've said something like "it won't be home without onee-chan." Funny thinking back to it now. I was an okay kid.
Nevertheless, that convinced dad that he didn't wanna deal with us either. He wanted a son, not the package deal. Not to mention, he compared my personality to my mother's so often that it upset him. So, unsurprisingly, he left us too. My sister was already an adult by the time I was in middle school though, so she was able to take care of us on her own. I guess the only kind thing we can hand to our parents is that they left us behind with our childhood home. Thanks to that, we weren't forced to move out of Kuoh or anything. My sister took over the ownership and got a job to provide for us both. Now, it's just me and her living in this house.
Actually, it's just me and her in general. In my second year of middle school, we lost both our parents, permanently. Apparently, mum had passed away in a terrible car accident. A few months later, dad passed away too. Guess he drank himself to death. Nee-chan believes that dad might've done it after hearing about what happened to mum. Honestly, I'd be surprised, considering how they left off. But I guess humans are complicated…
It's just me and Kyoko-neechan now. But it's not too bad. We take care of each other. She's the one person I can rely on. I hope to be that person for her one day too. So far I've just been a burden.
Ugh, geez. Here I am telling my whole life story. So much for keeping it "brief," huh…
Oh, I just realised that I never introduced myself.
Hello, everyone. My name is Hyoudou Issei. I am 17 years old. As of a few weeks ago, I am now in my second year of high school. As for the school I attend, well, that's exactly where I'm about to go.
PART 1
"Uuaaaah.. Ugh…"
I yawned tiredly after sitting down in my seat. Man, why is it that I can never have a good night's rest? One day it's the same dream as always, and then every once in a while, I have dreams about flying in the sky like some giant bird. Either one gets my blood pumping too much to properly sleep. What a drag.
"Heeeey, Hyo-kun. Sleepy as usual, I see. Still staying up too late pulling your third leg? Maybe you're having some trouble getting it up like usual?"
The person who sat down in the empty seat in front me, which didn't belong to her by the way, was none other than my main confidant, Aika Kiryuu. A golden eyed, bespectacled girl with a medium sized bust who ties her messy hair into braids that hang off each side of her head. In our school, Kuoh Academy, she's locally known as the "Perverted Glasses," a name shared with her male counterpart, some dude named Motohama. Never spoken to the guy, but I see him and his buddy occasionally being chased down by a group of girls.
"I wish you didn't ask about that in class, Aika."
"Oh, my bad. Would you rather I texted it?"
"I'd rather you didn't ask."
Aika grinned mischievously. I think you've noticed, but this perverted girl likes to tease. A lot. Even her nickname for me is just a tease. I mean, she only started calling me that after hearing my sister call me that once.
"Oh? Is it because I'm right? Did I hit the nail on the head? Well, don't feel too bad. Every guy goes through it once in a while. You're young, so you'll be fine as long as you practice moderation. Just try limiting it to once a night and you'll start noticing the difference. Want me to send you some juicy materials to help you out tonight? You have to promise to use it only once though."
She was talking in a sarcastic and haughty manner, clearly just teasing like usual. This girl is seriously perverted though. I mean, I'm not one to judge, but she's got guts saying stuff like this out loud as a girl.
"Yeah right. No way I'm using anything you send me. It'll probably just end up being some hardcore fujoshi smut again."
"How dare you insult the beautiful world of shōnen-ai? Maybe if you tried it out, you wouldn't be so judgemental. Ah! Or perhaps you're just hoping for something a little more "personal" from moi? Iya~aah, Hyo-kun, you dog! I know we're close, but asking me for stuff like that is too much even for me, you know? Ah, but I might consider it if you promise to do my Japanese subject homework for the rest of the year."
I never know where she gets all this energy from so early in the morning. Still, it's more fun to have her around, even with all of the teasing. And she's been my friend since middle school. I can't exactly lose her now.
"Speaking of which, Hyoudou, have you decided on which club you're joining yet?"
Oh, yeah. It's the start of the year so clubs are still recruiting. Aika and I were talking about joining one recently.
"Oh, that. Uh, sort of..? What about you?"
"Who, me? Oh, well, I was thinking I might join the literature club."
"Pfft. And read what? Are you gonna try and domesticate the members into the realm of Yaoi? Their poor brains will be rotten by the time of the cultural festival."
She frowned.
"Hey, converting high school girls is easier than you think. And what about you, smart guy? What grand idea were you having for after-school activities?"
"Oh, well, I was actually thinking of applying for a position in the student council."
Aika snorted a laugh, which made my eyebrow twitch in frustration.
"Huh? What's so funny?"
"You can't be serious! And you were making fun of me? If a pervert like you joined the student council, every one of the academy's programs and school events will end up resembling strip shows by next week. That is, if the rest of the extremely strict, all-female student council doesn't strip you of your flesh first."
"Oh, come on! Can't you at least have some faith in me? I wanna do good things every once in a while too! I've got tons of good ideas for the school to implement that don't involve anything lecherous. Plus, unlike you, I don't have a reputation of being a massive perv. Hell, if your reputation was any worse, the girls might not even let you change with them for phys-ed class."
"Your reputation only remains that way because I allow it. If I wanted to, I could bring you right down there with me. All it would take is a couple of message screenshots and some photos of the beloved "collection" of Eroge on your desktop. I could even add a video of the stack of your favorite doujin collection hidden underneath the pants of your clothes drawer."
" Teh—! H-How did you..?! When the hell did you get all of that?! How did you even find that?! And how'd you get into my computer?!"
"Oh, please. You're an amateur talking to a pro here. Boys always hide their stashes in the most obvious places, I swear. Also, you really should think about replacing your keys. I'm sure it doesn't need to be explained, but the number keys you use for your PIN login are going to be the most worn out. The chat messages speak for themselves."
"Y-Yeah, but if you reveal those, you'll just be exposing yourself too! I've only ever replied with vulgar responses whenever you said something dirty first!"
"Sure, but everyone already knows I'm a pervert. If I show off that's how you talk to a girl though, pervert or no, imagine how that'd make you look. You can kiss your dreams of having a girlfriend goodbye."
I flinched. The thought of it made me shiver. This sly girl..! To think she had all of this evidence stacked up against me! Forget confidant, she's my greatest adversary! A deadly threat!
"Um, excuse me, Kiryuu-san."
Another student came up beside us to interrupt our back and forth. Ah, it's the guy who actually sits in front of me.
"Ah, looks like it's that time again. My bad, Satoshi-kuuuun. See ya later, Issei."
Aika left for her own seat as the bell dinged, right on cue. The guy named Satoshi sat down in front of me and gave me a word before turning back around.
"You know, Hyoudou, you probably shouldn't hang out with that girl. I heard from the other girls in class that she's pretty weird."
That was the advice he gave me. Honestly, I couldn't disagree. She's a total weirdo. Still, I couldn't help but chuckle while glancing across the classroom towards where she sat.
"Eh, she's not so bad once you get to know her."
Ah, speaking of which, you might be wondering how I even became acquainted with such an amusing character. Well, like I said, we met in middle school. It's actually a pretty funny story…
I must've been around 13 years old. It was halfway through my second year of middle school. My father had just passed a couple of weeks before, which means that my mother had already been gone for a few months. I wasn't really popular or unpopular, just a regular kid in the background. Although, the news about what was happening in my life must've kept making the rounds, since everybody treated me pretty nicely for unknown reasons. There was even one time that I was assigned cleaning duty, and some guy I never spoke to traded spots with me so I could get home early. Despite that, I didn't really talk with anyone, nor did anyone talk to me. I was just sort of there. Not that I minded.
Eventually though, one day, that girl showed up.
"Hoh~ Would you look at this? Reading ecchi material in the middle of class? That's quite brave of you, young one."
The person who appeared in front of me while I was reading manga during lunch break was Aika Kiryuu, who I had never once spoken to before.
"Uh, sorry? This isn't ecchi."
"Oh please, don't think you can fool me. I'm a pro. I recognise that art style anywhere. You think I wouldn't be able to tell that it's from that legendary doujinshi artist turned mangaka, Yoshino-sensei himself? You have much to learn if you think you can brazenly read that in class without me noticing."
She pushed her glasses up, bouncing the light off of them like some anime character. I felt some sweat drop from my forehead.
She knew! She recognised the art style that easily, even though I was pretty sure this girl sat far away from me! I had thought it'd go unnoticed since it was a super niche series, but she was still able to make it out! Not good. If anyone realised that it was an ecchi manga series, I'd be labeled as a pervert. As true as that was, that wasn't something I wanted hanging over my school reputation!
"I-I'll have you know, this is an action series! I don't know anything about the author's previous works, but plenty of mangaka get their start that way. In any case, this series is about mechs, so it's not an ecchi."
I played the defense game as well as I could, but the girl was too skilled at the offense.
"An action series, huh? There's plenty of lewd scenes in there though too, isn't there?"
"T-There's some fanservice every once in a while, I'll admit. It's still a shonen series after all. But it's always in service of the plot! The romance between the male and female protagonists is important to the story's development!"
"Which romance? You'll have to be specific considering it's a harem series."
I gulped nervously.
"T-That part of the story helps develop the main character. Since all of the side characters have their own arcs and relationship with the protagonist, it helps them all develop better as characters. L-Like I said, it might be fanservice, but it's important to the story!"
"Oh yeah? Is the hot springs scene from the last chapter in that volume important to the story?"
"There's a hot springs scene?!"
I shouted excitedly….… The girl then began snickering at me with a smug grin… She got me…
She giggled like the goofy villain of a shonen manga.
"Nishishishi~ So you haven't read that far yet? Sorry for the spoilers then. If that's the case, you might wanna save that chapter for when you get home. Don't wanna end up "standing tall" in the middle of class, do ya?"
Ding-Dong!
The class bell sounded and the girl finally stood up.
"There's my cue. Time for me to return to my own territory. Thanks for the interrogation, it was fun. What's your name, by the way?"
"H…Hyoudou Issei."
"Hyoudou Issei, huh? My name's Kiryuu, but you can call me Aika. "Ojou-sama" is fine too. Catch ya later, Hyoudou-kun~"
Just like that, she was back at her seat, and I was left speechless in mine. She'd totally defeated me. With only one interaction, she was able to spot me, a fellow pervert, in the wild. Now my entire reputation was in danger… What a dangerous woman.
I placed my manga back into my school bag as the teacher entered the classroom. I remember my last thought at the time being:
'...I've gotta get to that bathing scene as soon as I get home..'
I chuckled to myself again as my reminiscing came to a close.
Naturally, the observant pervert noticed me staring at her from across the room and typed something down on her phone. A moment later, I received a mail from her that had the message "sukebe!" written on it, along with a goofy sticker of a monkey. When I looked up from my phone, I saw her sticking her tongue out playfully with the usual half-closed eyed smile.
"Heh. I'll take what I said back."
She's annoying after all, haha.
PART 2
"Hmm…"
I sweated nervously in my seat and tried my absolute best not to fidget. The silence was overbearing.
—Right now, I'm sitting at one end of a large, oval shaped table, across from someone who is considered one of the most beautiful women in Kuoh Academy. A third-year student with straight rimmed glasses, violet coloured eyes, and short hair styled into a bob cut. This woman, who is considered the third most beautiful woman in the Academy, right behind the "Two Queens: Rias Gremory & Akeno Himejima"— is none other than the current student council president, Sona Shitori.
And right now, that same student council president is looking down at a collection of papers containing my personal academic information, with my application for a position in the student council attached to it. You see, after submitting my application, I was asked to do an "interview" of sorts. Apparently, Shitori-senpai takes her job very seriously, just as the rumors stated, so she personally interviews everyone who applies for any position in the council. I happen to be one of those applicants, so it follows that I'd be interviewed too. I knew that going in, but man, I'm still super nervous! No wonder there's always so few applicants to the student council. I've heard that there are lots of people who talk about the idea of applying just so they can get interviewed by Shitoti-senpai, but apparently, her intimidation factor outweighs her popularity, because most people back out of it! Scary!
Sitting here now, I can't say I blame them. I can't help but feel nervous in her presence. Especially with this daunting silence. Even Shitori-senpai's vice president, a similarly stoic third-year student with semi-rimmed glasses and long black hair, Shinra Tsubaki is just standing there silently next to her president. She glanced at me only once after I sat down, to which I smiled, but she didn't exactly smile back, let alone even acknowledge me….
A silent examination by two of the school's most studious, beautiful women, who also happen to be my seniors… This is more intimidating than any test or social event I've ever experienced.
"Hyoudou Issei-kun."
"Y-Yes?!"
Shitori-senpai called out to me unexpectedly, causing me to reply with a spooked shout.
Ugh, I'm so embarrassed..
Despite that, Shitori-senpai wasn't the slightest bit affected by it.
"I've finished reviewing your academic reports and your application."
"O-Oh, I see."
"As for your grades—"
I gulped nervously.
"—They're fairly unremarkable."
Of course they aaaaaaaaaaaareeeeeee! Goddammit! I knew she would say that! Obviously, they're unremarkable, dumbass! You only have a single A grade on your entire report and the rest of them are B's and C's! Fuuuuck, I'm such an idiot!
"Although you have no failing grades, there isn't anything that stands out in particular about your subjects. An "A" grade in Japanese is to be expected, I would say. Then, three "B" grades and two "C" grades respectively. Not bad, but not impressive either. Fairly standard."
"...Yes."
I responded pathetically, in a little voice. Way worse than these beauties judging me by my appearance, these geniuses are judging me by my academics instead. I never thought I'd see a day where being called "unremarkable" cut deeper than being called "creep."
"That being said, I do find it interesting that despite your average letter grading, the marks on your exams seem to be irregularly high. Even for the classes where you have the lowest grades, your test grades rarely come back underneath the 90th percentile. Even on the entrance exam, you scored surprisingly well. In fact, since this Academy became co-ed only last year, there's only two entrance exam reports present which include male students. And if we factor the scores by excluding females, and only include male student population, you were in the top 10."
Shitori-senpai looked at me curiously, as if warranting an explanation from me. I gave the best answer a nervous kid like me could.
"O-Oh, that's, well..! I actually don't have an explanation for that, really, hehe… You see, the best that I can say about that is that…I'm good under pressure, I guess? Uh, who knows why, but that's how it's always been since I was a kid. Maybe it's because I had a rough upbringing, but anytime I'm placed under a great deal of stress or feel like I'm being tested, I sort of do better than when I'm left alone to my own devices. That's why whenever tests come around, I sorta feel like I can remember things a lot more clearly and I can focus more easily. Sometimes, I surprise myself by remembering things I thought I didn't even register during class lectures, hehe… Eh, sorry if that's a bad explanation… In contrast, I suck at studying when there's a far away deadline…"
"Hmm. It's certainly a peculiar explanation, but I wouldn't say it's a bad one. Dealing well with pressure is sometimes a rare but positive attribute, to be sure. Alright. Let's move on. As for your application… There is one thing that piqued my curiosity."
"W-What's that?"
Shitori-senpai turned the paper that she was holding, my application, towards my direction. I could see everything I filled out, and the spot that I left blank, which stuck out like a sore thumb… uh oh…
"Despite how many project suggestions and prospective programs you included in your potential qualifications bracket, you left an entire section of the application blank. Specifically, you left the "personal aspirations" section unmarked. Why is that? Do you not have any personal aspirations outside of academics?"
Yeah, of course she was gonna ask me that. It was stupid of me to assume that she might overlook it. No, I knew she'd ask. But even then, I didn't know what to answer, so I left it blank. Now, the pressure is on… I guess it's time to see if I'm not lying about dealing well with it.
"Yeah, about that… If I'm being honest, I just…really didn't know what to put under there. I don't know that I've ever had any aspirations of my own. Not very specific ones at least. For the most part, the only thing I've ever thought about doing in life is getting a good education, decent job, and having the capability to take care of my big sister.."
Something about me mentioning my sister seemed to pique Shitori-senpai's interest. She asked me earnestly.
"You care for your sister deeply, it seems?"
"Yeah, she's all I've got… I'm not sure if any of the documents you've got there include anything about this, but… I actually lost both of my parents a few years back now."
"Yes, I'm aware. You have my sincere condolences."
"Nah, it's okay… They never really cared for us anyway, to be honest. Maybe this is just how things were meant to be, as horrible as that sounds. My sister and I have only ever had each other to rely on. It's the same thing now. But, at the end of the day, I'm just some dumb kid. I can talk big, but I hardly do anything worth a damn for my sister. Even back when I first got accepted into this school, I only did it for selfish reasons. The idea of being surrounded by so many girls my age was just too alluring. But when I finally showed my sister my acceptance form, she cried… She was so happy and proud of the fact that I was able to get into such a prestigious school, and that I was lucky enough to score within the top 15% of the exam participants, allowing me to attend without high tuition fees…. After I saw that, my motivations shifted a bit. Nowadays, I just think about how I can get good enough scores to attend Kuoh University and study for a good career path. One that will allow me to take care of my sister, so that she never has to worry or work another day in her life… That's it, really."
That was the best and most sincere answer I had to Shitori-senpai's question about my aspirations. To be honest, I have no idea why I went on like that. It wasn't like she asked for such a thorough examination of my personal history, but… I don't know, I just couldn't help letting it all out. Maybe I'm a little more desperate to talk about it than I thought…
The next moment, I was left in astonishment. The beauty of the student council president finally afflicted me. Shitori-senpai… she smiled…
"That's a wonderful goal to have. Whether or not it sounds grandiose or ambitious, taking care of one's family is always an admirable motivation."
I was completely taken by her beauty.
"T…Thank you.."
Shitori-senpai went back to looking at my application before proceeding further.
"Still, it would be better for your prospects if you had something more concrete laid out in writing. If you don't mind, I think I'd like to help you in that regard."
"O-Oh, yes, please. Whatever you say."
"Very well. In that case, let's try simplifying things. In order to find an aspiration, one must know their own values. Tell me, Hyoudou Issei. What is it that you value? By this, I mean your "beliefs." What do you think are important rules or standards that you live by? Something or things that you believe to be the case or should be the case, based on your own history and life experiences. It might sound personal, but it's integral to understanding yourself. If it is too personal however, you are free to refrain from this activity."
"..No, I understand. I'll try my best."
Taking Shitori-senpai's advice, I thought quietly to myself. Values, huh…. What are my values? The things I believe in…. My "truth," based on my experiences….
Hmm…
At the end of the day, I couldn't help but remember my grandfather…
("You are a kind boy, Ise. So be kind to others, always.")
Jii-chan…
("There's always someone out there who feels like they've been forgotten. Like old folks like me. But you, Ise, you make this old man feel like somebody out there still loves him. So if you meet somebody who feels like they've been forgotten, show them that somebody remembers them. That way, they'll know someone's still thinking about them.")
You taught me everything right. I miss you so much…
("You don't think your dad loves you because he ignored you when you were crying? Nah, that's not true. Your dad's just an idiot, but he loves you. I just wish I'd raised him better… But don't worry, I'm here. As long as I'm around, you won't be ignored. That's why, you gotta be the same way when you grow up. If you ever hear someone crying, don't ignore them. Be the one that answers their cries, even if nobody else will. Can you do that for me, Ise?")
Be the one to answer their cries… Don't ignore them. Now that I think about it, it's bringing up my memories of the "Ero-sensei" from the park too…
("Where do you live, Oji-san?")
("Who, me? Oh, I'm just your regular old hermit, my boy.")
("What's a hermit?")
("It just means I'm from around is all! You don't need to worry about that, my boy. I lived with my daughter for a long time, but… well, after my son went up to the heavens, she decided… I mean, I decided I didn't wanna burden her anymore, so I went on my own! This oji-san has always been more of a free spirit anyway! That's how you gotta live, my boy! Wild and free!")
("Like Goku-san!")
("Yep, just like him! You gotta be like Goku-san…. But just like him, you gotta be fair to others, my boy. Goku-san always helped those in need, and…he always gave everyone a second chance. That's how you gotta be. Promise?")
("Yeah!")
("Good! Now look at this! This part of a woman, above the tooshie, is called the "dimples of venus!")
"Hehe.."
I chuckled out loud on accident. After digging up that kind of memory, I couldn't help it. Oji-chan, and Ero-sensei, as I called him… I miss them both… They taught me everything I know. All of the rights and wrongs. All of the things I should value, it comes from them. From their teachings, their guidance… From what I saw in them and what they lived through. Honestly, what am I even acting confused about? I already know, don't I? Yeah, I know my values. There's no way I don't.
"Well, when it comes to my values, senpai… I guess that much is pretty clear to me."
I took a breath and stated it as seriously as I could to avoid making a fool of myself.
"I believe in equality and fairness. Wherever there's somebody in need, someone facing dire circumstances, or somebody who doesn't know who to call for help, I want to be there. That's the kind of person I aspire to be. Somebody who doesn't just ignore people. Somebody who doesn't forget about people. My grandfather and my mentor taught me lots of things. But what they both taught me above all else is that everyone deserves a fair shot. A second chance. Nobody deserves to be forgotten or left behind. Nobody deserves to be treated like they're lesser because of where they come from or what they are. Everyone's got circumstances, it's just up to all of us to understand that. I want to be the one to understand it all, remember the forgotten, and protect the defenseless. That's all."
When I ended my speech, there was another heavy silence left in the air. I could feel the gazes of both of the bishoujo on me, causing me to feel uneasy. Their blank stares are like perfect poker faces, I can't read them at all. Did I say too much…? Reflexively, I let out an awkward laugh.
"E-Ehehe, well, it's something like that… Sorry if that all sounded weird, I can be a little dramatic sometimes. Um, but basically, yeah, that's the gist of it. I guess you could call me sort of an "underdog." My circumstances have always kept me in an unfavourable position, so I'm the type to always be thinking about how to help "the little guy." Of course, it all sounds nice, but it isn't really something you can put in writing to make a concrete plan out of. I mean, outside of crazy childish dreams like solving world hunger or slavery, erasing poverty or homelessness, or ending discrimination, there isn't a realistic way to define my values with an aspirational lens. That's sort of why I didn't bother. I didn't wanna make you guys think I was some idiot to be laughed at…"
Ah, I've definitely said too much now. Now it seems like I've misjudged them preemptively. I hope they don't get offended by that. I should say something.
"O-Oh, what I mean by that is—"
"—Those are wonderful values."
Eh? I was caught off guard by the sudden praise. Shitori-senpai commended me again.
"To be honest with you, I'm somewhat impressed. It's rare that someone your age has such a well-rounded understanding of their own perspective and values. Often, people don't consider these topics until they've collected more life experience, which comes naturally with time."
"Oh! Well, for me— I just happen to think a lot is all, hehe..! I've been through a lot, as you can tell, so I've spent lots of time in my own head, reflecting on everything. Thanks to that, I've got a pretty clear picture of who I am and "what" means "what" to me. Unfortunately, that doesn't easily translate to what I want to do or what I should do…."
"Even so, it's admirable. Being able to come to terms with subjects like these in spite of your complicated circumstances in life, it's a great sign of maturity."
"T-Thank you so much! Although, I wouldn't say that it's "in spite" of my life circumstances, but rather, more so because of them. If I had an easier life, I might not have learned everything that I understand about myself now. I had no choice but to use my own experiences as a guide for development. It was the smartest thing to do. The best way to deal with it all…. Besides, if I didn't become a responsible, mature adult like my onee-chan, I'd be useless to her, hehe!"
Again, Shitori-senpai showed to me a rarely seen expression of warmth.
"As someone with an older sister, I can understand the desire to be useful to them."
I grinned widely like an idiot hearing that.
"Oh, Shitori-senpai has an older sibling too!? Yep, yep, you understand exactly how it is then! It's just like that! My onee-chan has done so much for me! At this point, I certainly can't trouble her any further! That's why, I plan to do my best, no matter what!"
That was my firmest declaration. That's right. I can't back down now and make it all for nothing. I'm gonna do my best at everything, no matter what it takes! All for the sake of protecting what I love and becoming the person that Oji-chan and Ero-sensei wanted me to be! And then, just then, maybe..!
…..
Maybe I'll be able to have a harem of girls who fight over me daily! Aaaaaaaaaah, dammit! No matter how much older I get, I still wish for that after all! I want a harem full of girls just like Ero-sensei said he had when he was a young man! I want girls to be fawning over me just like the fans who sent their naked bodies to Ero-sensei in those Polaroids from his touring days as a guitarist! Maybe I should've learned an instrument after all! Is it too late to change my mind and join the music club instead?! Oji-chan, please forgive your perverted grandson! Ero-sensei, guide me in your waaaaaays!
"—Ahem."
Ah, Shitori-senpai cleared her throat, interrupting my wild fantasizing and obsessions. She…. She can't read minds, right? I've heard rumors that people say she knows what you're thinking just by looking at you, but… those can't be true, right…?
"Well, thank you for your time, Hyoudou Issei-kun. This concludes today's interview. I'm glad we were able to talk. We'll take your application into very careful consideration."
"O-Oh, right! Of course, likewise! T-Thank you very much for your time and consideration! Um, I'll just take my leave then… Please excuse me!"
I grabbed my stuff and headed out of the student council office. I hope it didn't look like I was running away…
"So, what do you think of him, Tsubaki?"
"To be honest, I'm unsure. What I can say is that he certainly surprised me. I was expecting a far more mundane or forgettable interaction. Taking all details into consideration, he's most peculiar."
"Indeed. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't pleasantly surprised. As you said, I was expecting far less from him, but he interviewed quite well. If anything, I'm impressed by his level of understanding towards himself. It's really not often you can see someone use their own "terrible" life circumstances as a basis to state their beliefs and ideals so confidently."
"...Yes, you are right, Kaichou.."
"It's alright, Tsubaki. You needn't compare yourself with him. Everyone's circumstances and tragedies they face in life are different. The paces at which we deal with them are also not the same. You don't need to feel defeated by his progress or compare it with your own."
"...Of course. Thank you, Kaichou."
"You worry too much, Tsubaki. We are friends."
"Yes, Sona."
"—That aside, what do you think of his "aspirations?"
"Well, his ideals are eerily similar to your own."
"Indeed. In terms of motivations, his align closely with my own. I have no doubt that if it was for the sake of my dream, he'd be a valuable asset to the team. What about you? Do you think he'd make a good fit?"
"For the student council or for the peerage?"
"Ara, are you suggesting that I was considering reincarnating him into my servant right off the bat?"
"Were you not suggesting that to be the case? How else would he assist in achieving your dream?"
"How perceptive of you. Very well. In that case, as to whether or not he's a good fit for either option, let's just go ahead and say "both." What do you think then?"
"In that case… I would say that he may be a decent fit for both."
"Fufu, yes. Agreed."
On the way home from school, I stopped somewhere in the middle of a bridge and hung my head low over the side.
"Ugh! There's no way I got that position… I'm so screwed."
I groaned with disappointment and lightly banged my forehead against the railing.
"God, I'm such a moron…Why couldn't I control my thoughts towards the end there? Why did I leave such an important part of the application blank? And what kind of idiot thinks he's gonna get into the super high standard student council with a completely unremarkable grade point average? Guh…. Why did I tell onee-chan that I was trying out for the student council? I should've just kept my big, fat mouth shut until I knew the result. Now imagine how disappointed she'll be when I tell her I didn't get in… Am I the biggest dumbass or what?"
I reached for my phone in my pocket and looked at the contact screen.
"Should I tell Aika..? If it wasn't for her attending her literature club today, I wouldn't have to wallow in my sorrow alone. Knowing her, she might just make fun of me though… Mm, nah, she'd probably just pat my back and say "there, there, would you like onee-sama to buy you some cake to make you feel better?" That brat… Where does she even get off acting like that? Her birthday is only a month before mine!"
I let out a heavy, woeful sigh.
"Haaaah… Oh well… I guess I'll just shoot her a message for now.."
As I was sending said message to my main confidant, something, or rather someone, interrupted me.
"A-Ano..!"
"Hmm?"
Seemingly out of nowhere, a girl appeared on the bridge not too far from my position. It was someone I didn't recognise, wearing a school uniform I've never seen. She appears to be my age.
"Oh, um, hello..?"
"A-Are you Hyoudou Issei-kun?"
What the..?! She knew my name… This random pretty girl who I've never met before knew my name?! Is my popular phase finally beginning?!
"Huh? Yeah, that's me, but.."
"H-Hello..! M-My name is Amano Yumma! Nice to meet you!"
"O-Oh, right, nice to meet you. I'm Hyoudou Issei. Er, like you said, I guess… Um, how did you know who I was?"
"O-Oh, that's..! I've just been asking around, since I kept seeing you pass by here!"
"Asking around..? But who did you ask?"
"P-People from your school!"
"But I'm not very popular though… You know where I attend?"
"I-I recognised the uniform!"
She seems super flustered, her cheeks are bright red. She can't even stand still without fidgeting. It's adorable! Still, I can't shake this quiet sense of suspicion. I-I don't have a stalker, do I..?
"Oh, I see… So, um, did you need something from me? Is there something I can help you with in particular..?"
"Ah! R-Right! Um, yes, actually..! I-I just wanted to ask… Um, are you seeing anyone right now..?"
"Huh? Seeing anyone? Y-You mean like dating?"
"Y-Yes, that! Are you dating anyone?"
"No, I can't say that I am…"
"Haah, I'm so glad…"
She breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Seriously, what's going on right now?
"Um, hello..?"
"Eh? Oh, right! S-Sorry! Um..! So, s-since you aren't seeing anyone, I was wondering.."
Nothing could've prepared me for the question she was about to ask.
"A-Ano..! W-Would you like to go out with me?!"
….
….
….
"Eh..?"
….
….
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!
End!
And there you have it, folks! First chapter done and out! And it only took me like, what, three days to write? Lol, like I said, it's been sloshing around for a while, so it was basically already pre-written in my head. I just needed to put it down on "paper."
Anyway, as you can see, this is definitely a different version of DxD. However, like I said, it is not a 1-to-1 inverse of the canon. First off, like I mentioned, even though Issei is effectively taking the position of Saji, I wouldn't say their positions are reversed. I still don't know if I'll have Saji involved in the story at all to be honest, but I can say that Issei has taken his role in more than name only. As you can tell, this version of Issei, although having the same parents (Goro and Miki), the same grandfather, and the same mentor (perverted oji-san), does not have the same life. This time, Issei's parents were torn apart by their failure to conceive unlike in canon, and to reflect Saji's canon backstory, these same parents died tragically. Also to reflect him, Issei has a sibling, albeit only one, his sister. However, as I said, it isn't a perfect reflection. Since I wanted to keep things as interesting and unique as possible despite the universe remaining largely the same, I took lots of liberties in the "reflections" department. In contrast to canon Saji, Issei only has the one sibling, who is not only older but also adopted. Issei's parents also didn't die together in an accident, but separately. Issei's main confidant, instead of being a pair of perverts that completed an infamous loser trio, is just another adversarial pervert of the opposite sex who teases him all the time. Thanks to his more depressing but meaningful upbringing, he's also been humbled enough not to loudly proclaim his lecherous ideals in public. This time, he's a closet pervert who wisely flies under the radar! Although, he clearly has his slip-ups.
What else is there..? Well, that's it for now, really. I only want to acknowledge the necessary information that was presented in this chapter. You know me, I don't like spoiling my own stories. Oh, if you're wondering about Saji, he's fine. He still exists, he's just around. I went with the original canon backstory for him which was that he was just some rebellious delinquent who caused his parents trouble. So, normal kid. I'm sure he's around in the Academy somewhere. Still don't know if I want him involved at all or not though. It's rare for me not to plan everything out, I know, but I'd rather just work with what I've planned out and not think about much else.
Also, to answer your question, no. Issei doesn't have any of the Vritra gears. Like I said, not a perfect mirror. More to come on all of that next time! This arc in particular will establish well just how different from canon this story is so stay tuned!
With that all being said, Happy new year, everyone! Let's hope for a good 2025! Hope you enjoy the stories!
Read, rate, review, go crazy!
Stay frosty.