Chapter 3: As the Years Went By
Disclaimer: I do not own Highschool DxD and no one believes me since my story is so damn good! Their words not mine but the OC's do belong to me.
5 Years Later
The sun was high in the sky shining over the Earth in its ever encompassing warm glow. Red deer were running out in the fields in herds as birds flew over the green meadow. On the hill overlooking it all sat a young boy, who couldn't be another older than 6. He had short shaggy black hair, a thin but not overly so physique, with a round face. The boy had no real defining features except maybe the way his eye shined with intelligence and wisdom far older than his years allowed.
'Yeah that sounds about right.' I took a deep breath as I relaxed on a stump over the clearing. Two bags rested next to me and if one were take a look inside they would find the dozen or so bodies of game I hunted today, from rabbits to hares and even some foxes. The other bag contained a 100 or so metal pellets that I personally formed from the scrap metal I found laying around. The only reason I wasn't hunting red deer today was because I hunted 5 yesterday and mom already salted them and placed them in storage (which was just a large wooden box that was insolated with animal hide).
'This should be enough for today.' I looked over my game and decided that I hunted enough
"Time to go bac-oh?" I noticed a lone boar in the distance about 50 meters or so from my position. Wild boar was always in high demand even to the traveling merchants that stopped at the small town. Not to mention this boar was big and fat, it's probably been living across the river where the majority of hunters don't go because it's too much of a hassle to get around. Not questioning how the boar got past the deep river I quickly chose my next course of action.
"Well, since God so graciously gave me this opportunity I'd be stupid to waste it." I reached into the bag full of metal pellets and took one out.
Placing my thumb nail against the middle of my pointer finger and placing a single pellet there, I took aim at the boar. Calling on my Chi (that's what I started calling the white aura) I quickly sent a small amount to my two fingers coating them both in white light along with the pellet.
"Annnddd…..bang." Flicking the pellet towards the stationary boar, It instantly became a blur and soft shrieking sound was heard as it travelled through the air. The boar, hearing the sound, turned towards the source but it was too late to dodge. The pellet pierced the boar's forehead, shredding its brain, and then proceeded to shoot right out the back of its head falling to the ground. The boar, dying instantly, swayed for a second before falling sideways into the grass, next to the bloody pellet.
"Bull's-eye." I smiled at my accuracy
Getting to my feet I grabbed both bags walked over to the boar's corpse, quickly giving thanks, and began skinning the animal.
"Urghh…I still get a bit squeamish when it comes to this." My face scrunched up when I opened the boar's belly to bleed it out. Let it be known that no matter how much experience you have cutting up meat in your kitchen it pales in comparison to hunting down your dinner and skinning it personally. I threw up the first time I brought home a kill and skinned it.
'It was a freaking rabbit too of all things.' I blushed at the less than stellar memory. 'Dad couldn't stop laughing after that.' I smiled remembering how mom proceeded to kick dad's ass for laughing so hard.
"ha…hahaha… worth it." Was what my dad said after the beating
Fond memory aside, after bleeding the boar I picked it up and carried it to the river to clean it. Digging out the internal organs (keeping the heart and kidneys) I thoroughly washed the inside of the boar, storing the bones in my game bag, and picked up the corpse placing it on my shoulders. Making sure I didn't forget anything I poured Chi into my feet and took off into a sprint. The surroundings in my vision moved quickly, like I was inside a car driving fast and after running a path that would take a normal person 30 minutes to complete in 5, I made it back home. Walking up to my house, sweating up a storm from what can be considered my daily run, I tried to open the door but my mom beat me to it.
"Welcome home!" My mom gave me a crushing hug ignoring my sweat to which I smiled and responded "I'm home."
"Did you have a good hunt?" Not seeing the boar because I left it on the lawn, I brought my mom outside to see it.
"Ooohhh!" Maddie's eyes lit up to the fat boar on her lawn and after looking over it once she turned and started checking me for injuries.
"Mom I'm fine." I gave a wry but refreshing smile to my mother's actions. 'I'm been hunting for 5 months already, she worries too much.'
"Just making sure. Lord knows you'd get injured and then you'd try to hide it so I wouldn't worry." Maddie gave a very reasonable argument that sounds exactly like something I would do.
"I'd tell you." Not that I'd ever say that out loud
Giving a 'humph' to my bare faced lie Maddie grabbed my game bag while I heaved the boar that was twice my size up to the kitchen's skinning table (Mason made it when I brought back my first red deer). While I cut up the small game my mom got to work on the boar; she was better at it anyway. Applying Chi to the dull kitchen knife to make it sharper, I cut the meat of the small animals while thinking about the past 5 years. When I found out that I could use Chi that night I practically smiled for the better part of a month. I had freaking superpowers and a good one if all the things I could do with it was evidence. An aura that increased my strength, speed, and durability depending on how much Chi I was currently using. Amplifying the performance of any tools from a knife (making it sharper) to a metal pellet (making it as hard as steel). I could even use Chi to alleviate any discomfort my body had, one thought and I had a refreshing stream of Chi coursing through my body working out any kinks. Of course I couldn't do all these things at first and it took a lot of practice, a lot of it painful, before I got to this point. The large amount of Chi I had now was thanks me to using it every day and exercising it like a muscle. Though it came with the side affect that I got incredibly hungry after using too much Chi and I soon started eating my weight in food. I haven't gotten into any hardcore training yet mainly because I was too young and that would only stunt my growth later on, magical life energy or otherwise.
'But man that is one creepy coincidence.' I looked down the knife I was cutting with and into its reflective surface. Looking back was a plain face with an equally average stare. It looked identical to my face in my past life as Dakin. Then again my father's features were vaguely similar to my old dad. Shaggy hair like mine with hints of gray, a broad back that made him look bigger than he was (he was 5'8) and an ever present silly smile.
'Why couldn't I get good looks this time around huh? Is that so much to ask!?' I ranted internally as I continued to cut up the meat. After finishing, I turned to watch my mother work and felt the injustice of it all. 'Why couldn't I get her looks?' Maddie wasn't drop dead gorgeous or anything like that but she was pretty in her own right. A small oval face, high cheekbones, long eyelashes, and soft skin that never seemed to get rough no matter how much work she does. 'At least I got the hair.' Mine and mom's hair was lush and soft and we never needed more than a single brush to be ready for the day.
"I'm home!" Dad came home
"Welcome home." I gave my dad a man hug (well his legs anyway since that's all I can reach) before he turned towards my mom.
"I'm back."
"I can see that."
Dad hit a cold wall. His smile never left his face though as he crept forward.
"Are you still upset?"
A bang was heard as mom cut the meat much harder now. Yeah she was upset. Apparently, Dad forgot their anniversary and this was the first time it's ever happened so she's not taking it well.
"I didn't forget Maddie."
"Humph!" She didn't believe him
Sitting down on the side to watch the love comedy unfold, I started wishing I had some popcorn.
"Really. It just took longer to make than I thought it would." Then Mason walked into the next room
"…" Maddie looked at where Mason went and slowly tilted her head to peek. She quickly turned back to the chopping board when she heard him coming back. He wheeled something into the kitchen. It was a handmade weaving station.
"…" Mom was silent for a different reason now
Dad apparently started working on it when mom's original weaving table broke. He got help from the local head carpenter when they threw it out. That was months ago.
'5 points to house Dad.' I idly thought
Mom walked up to the table and started looking it over, playing with the mechanisms. They worked quite well. She turned to face Mason; his goofy smile ever present on his face.
"…I'm sorry." Maddie blushed at her earlier behavior
"It's fine." Mason didn't really care
They looked at each other for a second before kissing.
"No, I'll make it up to you." Maddie added after separating
"Oh really?" Mason's smiled changed. "Cause I have an idea on how you can mend my wounded heart."
"Humph, what heart?" Maddie snorted at his act before smiling and pressing herself against Mason.
The tender kiss from before was gone and now they were practically trying to suck each other's mouths off. Mason lifted Maddie so she was sitting on the weaving table and she in turn started fondling Mason all over. Articles of clothing started coming off and things started to get more and more heated to the point…..where they completely forgot that I was still in the room.
Watching my mom and dad go at it (and seeing that they weren't planning on stopping) I calmly got up, walked though the side door leading outside, and did what any logical person would do when they see their parent's love comedy turn R-rated. Pour as much Chi as superhumanly possible into my legs and run like hell till dinner. They weren't finished by dinner.
7 Years Later
A loud cluster of noises could be heard within a large wooden house on the out skirts of town, muffled groans and huffs could be heard from within a large room as an old man and young boy faced each other with practice swords in their hands.
"Haa!" The boy lunged at the older man, sword aiming for his throat
The old man nimbly side stepped the attack and countered with a low sword swipe to the boy's chest. The boy blocked the attack and then responded with a sword swipe of his own. It continued this way for awhile, they would swipe, thrust, or chop at each other trying to land a hit. Only difference being was that while the old man kept calm the younger man was getting increasingly agitated and finally made a mistake taking a blow to the side of his head.
"Dead." The old man said in a jolly voice that did not fit his stern looking face
"Damn it." I said softly before thanking the old man for another sword lesson
"Don't mention it kid, you being here makes this old man feel young again hahaha." The old man said
"There also the fact I give you free food." I added with a cheeky smile
"Hehe, that too." The old man, known as Dylan, replied and went to sit down as I put away the practice swords and went to clean his house a little.
Watching Pierce work, old man Dylan couldn't help feeling nostalgic but also bitter. His son died in the last Desmond Rebellion and he didn't leave behind a child with Dylan's wife dying long ago from a heart attack. Watching Pierce move about was making him consider adoption but he knew he was getting weaker and couldn't take care of a child. Dylan could only sigh in sadness knowing he was never going to see his own grandchildren.
'Poor guy.' I had to give it to the old man, he had no family left and he can still be so jolly all the time. This moment of lament was actually rare and few. It was kind of funny how I met him, I was chasing this particularly annoying elk two years ago and I didn't shoot the pellet at its head since my dad wanted it's antlers to make something and I didn't have the confidence not to damage them if I went for the head. So I chose to put 5 pellets in its ribcage hoping to shred its heart, it didn't work. So here I 'am chasing this thing for 20 minutes over many hills and ridges waiting for it to bleed out (it held on for a pretty long time all things considered). So when it finally died I was so ecstatic I uttered a quick "thanks" and immediately got to work skinning it. I didn't realize I was in someone's back yard and Dylan chose a very interesting way to help me realize that. By pointing a musket at my head. In his defense it was pouring that day and I was wearing a thick cloak to protect me from the rain (the rain was why I couldn't just use Chi to enhance my senses to get a perfect shot. Imagine getting enhanced hearing, smell, and sight in a downpour; yeah it wasn't a pleasant experience). Even if he did shoot I would have just used Chi Aura to protect myself from the bullet but thankfully it never got to that. He invited me inside his house so I didn't have to skin the elk in the rain and I accepted the offer. It was through this that I was able to find out Dylan's name and how he used to be head captain for a pretty important noble in London and that he was quite skilled with the sword. He also helped me skin the elk so I made him an offer, He teaches me how to use a sword and I'll personally hunt large game for him every week. Dylan, finding no problem with it, agreed and that was that. Granted I could easily beat the old man if I used Chi but I reframed from doing that since I wanted to gain real proficiency with a sword.
"Alright old man I'll be off now." I chose to call it a day
"Hold on." Dylan stopped me and headed to the back of his house
Waiting a bit for Dylan to get back, he returned with two long wooden boxes. Setting them down on the table he proceeded to open one revealing a one handed steel sword that looked really sharp and expensive.
"Wow….it's impressive." I gave my honest opinion. "This doesn't happen to be the part where you say I'm your greatest student and want me to continue your life's goal to reach the pinnacle of the sword?"
"Like hell." Dylan responded with a loud snort
"Yeah I figured as much." I wasn't bothered by that though. "So why are you showing me this?" I had to ask
"It's a prize." He simply said
'Okay now I'm really not following.' I was getting more confused but I didn't wait long before Dylan explained himself.
"Your quick with a sword kid, your no genius but you definitely have what it takes to get far." Dylan gave his assessment of my talent with the sword and it was his honest to God opinion. Two years of working with me and he's only ever received dedication, patience, and respect (most of the time). I wasn't spectacular with the sword like some of his students were back in the day but I was good. So he chose to reward me for his efforts and dangle a future prize for further incentive. Dylan opened the other box and a less expensive but still nice looking steel sword was shown. "This is yours."
Quirking a brow, I looked down at the sword in the box and slowly grasped the handle and pulled it up. 'Good balance. Is this a shark skin handle? Nice.' I placed my pointer finger along the edge. 'It's sharp!' I bled immediately but I channeled some Chi to the cut and it was quickly healed the next second, the old man didn't notice. "It's a good sword. Whose is it?" I noticed the wear on the grip and assumed it was used a lot before.
"It was my son's." was Dylan's answer
Eyes widening I quickly placed the sword back in the box and pushed it towards Dylan. "I can't take this old man."
"Yes you will." He pushed the box right back
"Dylan…."
"Oh using my name now are you?" Dylan chuckled at my reaction before picking the box up and shoving it into my chest. "I want you to have this kid. I know my son wouldn't want it collecting dust in some old man's closet. So just take it, as a favor for me okay?"
I had no words. I looked down at the box and back at the smiling Dylan before steeling my resolve. "I'll use it well." Conviction laced in every word
"You better or I'll hunt you down personally you hear?" Dylan gave a hearty laugh
Pierce's talent wasn't the only reason Dylan gave him his son's sword, it was also because of his kindness. Many times Pierce would come over and help clean his house, or give him food his mother made, or just to talk and he would patiently listen to the old man go on and on about the battles he's been a part of and the adventures he's had. Dylan has even been invited over for dinner and Pierce introduced Dylan to his parents. It was one of the better evenings Dylan has had in a long time even when Pierce and his father, Mason, had to hold back his mother after he was introduced as his swordsmanship instructor. 'How dare you corrupt my innocent son by teaching him to use such evil things!' That memory brought a small smile to the aged face.
"Alright, now get out because I don't know about you but this old man needs his sleep."
"Wha-" Dylan gave me the sword's sheath and started pushing me out the door.
"Wait! Hold on I still need t-" I was already out the house and Dylan was closing the door.
"See you Monday kid." The door shut with that
Left outside I stared at the door, than at the box in my hand, then back at the door. Soon collecting myself I gave a deep, respectful bow to Dylan's house and made the trek back home. The box in my hands containing the sword felt especially heavy even though I've easily carried far heavier before. I never noticed the old man watching me walk away from his window, a fond smile on his face.
When I got home that day and showed the sword to my parents it took all my persuasive power and even a portion of Chi to hold my mom back from taking the sword to Dylan's house and shoving it where the sun don't shine.
"He's corrupting your young mind I'm telling you! Swords are evil you hear me!? Evil!" My mom really didn't like swords and my dad was too busy laughing his ass off to be of any help.
I slept with the sword next to me that night; it was a particularly restful one.