(AN: Was a little under the weather yesterday. Couldn't write well.)
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Igor looked at her seriously. Part of his neglect in school matters was his disregard for them. All those
people in Kuoh Academy were part of the mundane. Akeno was countless times stronger than them.
But often times, physical might didn't translate spiritually.
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|DxD|- Chapter 126- Some Things Never Change
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Akeno slumped into her raised knees. She felt stupid...because she was. After saying everything and finally being able to face her thoughts, she realised just how stupid everything was.
Issei and Irina were her best friends. It had been that way for many years. Instead of cherishing that bond, she was swept up by the wave of junior high.
She waited quietly with trembling fingers. Her big brother was disappointed in her. He had to be. It was a twisting pain in her heart, because she didn't want to disappoint him.
"?!"
Akeno stiffened when Igor's arm wrapped around her. He pulled her close with his other arm. Together, they sat close, and she smelled the scent of wet grass and leaves on him.
"You did good, little chick. As long as you know where you went wrong, that's enough."
"You're not mad...?"
She asked softly. She looked so cute with her bright eyes.
"No, Akeno. I'm not mad. But I want to remind you."
Igor's smile shrank slightly in seriousness.
"Do not neglect Issei and Irina. They've been with you for a very long time. Don't lose them over fair-weather friends. You do know what that is, right?"
"They're friends who leave you when times are bad..."
Akeno mumbled softly. She wanted to argue that her group of friends weren't like that, and Igor noticed it.
"When you're older, you'll understand. But I want you to remember that Issei and Irina are true friends you can rely on."
Akeno nodded slowly, then asked with a mix of loss and confusion.
"Big brother. Why do you always say I'll learn things when I've grown up? I'm grown now."
"Yes, yes. Our Akeno has grown up now. But not enough. You'll understand when you're older."
Igor ruffled her hair and stood up. Akeno sat gobsmacked, surprised by Igor's evasion.
"It's not fair, big brother. You have to tell meeee."
She chased after him and clutched the hems of his coat. Igor chuckled and gently brushed aside a loose strand of hair from her face.
"Then big brother will make an exception today."
He pulled her along the riverside, and took the time to deepen certain truths. One truth was that all those friends Akeno had were, ultimately, mundane. Igor believed the mundane and the supernatural should stay apart to avoid both sides inevitably hurting each other.
The lesson with Gorou and Miki was still all too clear in his mind. There was the helplessness of knowing how wide the world was, and knowing they were now a weakness to be used.
Igor cautioned Akeno about her so-called friends. They could not be called true companions. At best, they were temporary and would be forgotten in a few years. And it was not amiss for some to have ulterior intentions. His little sister was turning out to be quite the flowering tree.
"Big brother. Does this mean I must stop being friends with them?"
"No. Play with them. Eat with them. Experience life the way your mother and father intended. But always cherish your true friends. After all..."
Igor smiled.
"...we won't always be here."
"..."
Akeno's steps slowly faltered. Her head lowered, and she clutched her skirt between her fists.
"You...you can't die..."
She whispered, then rose in defiance.
"You can't!"
"?"
Igor raised a questioning eyebrow and chuckled in understanding. He flicked her forehead and scolded lightly.
"What nonsense are you thinking, little chick? No one is dying."
Akeno rubbed her head as her eyes widened in surprise.
"Huh? Then...?"
Igor chuckled again. If only he could take a picture of her expression.
"Someday, Akeno..."
His gaze turned forlorn, and fondness sparkled in his eyes.
"Someday, you'll grow from a little chick into a big bird. Someday, you'll leave your nest and soar the skies. Someday, you'll become a smart and beautiful woman. And you will find an equally smart and capable man to build a new nest together. When that time comes, we naturally won't be there, will we? Unless you want your mother, father, and brother to be next to you at your wedding."
Igor watched with amusement as Akeno turned red from top to bottom. Perhaps her growing up wasn't that bad after all.
"D-Don't say that stuff!"
Igor walked away with a chuckle. His steps were unhurried, much like the river beside him.
A quick set of steps shuffled behind him, and Akeno sprang onto his back. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and she headbutted the back of his head.
"Stupid! Stupid Apu! How can you say dirty things?"
"Dirty? Don't think I don't know what novels you read?"
"I...hmph!"
Akeno slumped on his neck and refused to answer. And so, Igor carried her like this on the way back home. The years may have passed, but...
[Some things never change.]
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AN: I'm not one for being nosy, but I have to point out a concerning ideal Igor has here. He says the friends Akeno has now are ordinary and temporary, and tells her to rely more on Issei and Irina. Not much of a red flag on its own. But Igor also believes the mundane and the supernatural should stay apart. That already looks like the foundation for something discriminatory. Maybe I'm overreacting, but I'm also concerned how Igor seems to have no friend who's normal.
Chapter 126
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