Chapter 5: Realisation

Irina Shidou was many things.

A good student, a good artist, a good chorister and a person with a good heart.

But even someone like her was bad at something, a certain thing.

That was making friends.

She looked around her and saw all the kids giggling and talking to one another. It was a happy sight, until she looked close to her.

Other than her desk, people flocked to every other one.

She didn't understand why. 

She was the only one without someone to talk to. 

She was confused, she was sad and she was scared. 

She didn't know what to do. 

When she joined the school, her father asked her to make a lot of friends. And she tried, she tried talking but after exchanging a few sentences with her, the kids never bothered to speak with her again. 

She gripped the edge of her skirt and barely kept the tears from leaking out. 

"You know."

She jerked as she heard a voice from behind her.

"If you want to talk, you just have to ask."

It was a boy.

A boy that she recognized. 

"If you want their attention, you have to go and talk."

She did not know why the boy was telling her this, she already knew all that and this made her even sadder. 

"Whoa whoa!" The boy nearly fell from his seat as he saw her cry. "Don't cry! I am sorry!"

She didn't realise that her tears started rolling down.

"They…" Her grip on her skirt tightened. "Stop talking to me after I talk to them."

Hearing this, the boy turned his head in confusion.

"They do?"

He asked. 

The girl nodded, unable to form words in her mouth.

The boy scratched his head, ruffling his brown locks in the process. 

Irina noticed that his hair was very soft, they bounced each time he put his hand over his head. 

She knew the boy, of course she knew him.

He was Issei Hyoudou, the boy that was always at the top of the class. He was someone that no matter how hard she tried, she could never outperform in exams.

And he was someone who was just like her. 

Alone.

She did not know why he never had any friends, because unlike her, he never bothered talking to anyone.

"Err…" He seemed flustered. "What is your name?"

He asked, surprising her.

She couldn't answer for a while.

"Hello?" 

He asked again, and this time she answered.

"I-Irina." She said. "Irina Shidou."

The boy smiled. "Irina, as in peace." He nodded. "That is a good name."

This little comment surprised her.

"You k-know the meaning?" She asked, both confused and surprised at his interpretation.

He immediately scratched the back of his head again.

"Uhh… I had a friend with that name." He revealed. "She told me the meaning."

"Oh." She exclaimed. "Y-You had a friend with my name?"

The boy put on a small smile. "I did."

"You did?" She was confused. 

"Yeah." The boy's smile turned sad for some reason and she could not understand why.

"Where is she now?" She asked, wondering where the girl that had the same name as her could be.

"She…" He tried to explain but couldn't.

However, when he saw the curious look on Irina's face, his smile softened.

He shook his head and looked at her. "She is abroad."

"She is in another country?" 

Issei nodded at her question.

She was a bit sad that a girl with the same name as her was able to make friends so easily, when she struggled to talk to a single one.

She paused and frowned. 

'No, I cannot think like that. The Lord will be disappointed in me."

Being born a devoted Christian, she put her lord above all else. And when she realized that she was committing the sin of envy she immediately scolded herself.

"Are you okay?" Issei asked, confused and worried about her behavior.

For the first time, the girl showed a smile. 

"Mhm, Yeah."

This made Issei grin. 

"So, you CAN smile."

Irina's eyes widened and immediately became flustered at his little remark.

"I-I-"

"Relax." He said, putting his hands behind his head. "I was just teasing you."

On hearing this, she did not get angry but puffed her cheeks.

Seeing this, Issei shook his head in amusement. He extended his hand.

"My name is Issei Hyoudou." He said. "It is nice to meet you, Irina."

She looked confused but when she realised that he was introducing himself, she got excited and immediately grabbed his hand –making him chuckle. 

"N-Nice to meet you." She said, meekly.

This made Issei think of something interesting, and what he did next shocked the girl.

With a smirk, he asked.

"Would you like to be my friend, Irina?"

She froze, she froze when she heard him.

She didn't expect the boy that never talked with anyone, the boy that kept to himself –would ask her, the girl that everyone avoided… to be his friend.

"It is alright if you do not want to be frien–"

"Yes!" Irina nearly shouted. "Yes I want to be your friend!"

This was the one of the fastest and the easiest decisions she had ever taken.

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Issei laughed.

"Well then, why don't we talk over lunch?" He teased. "Friend."

…

…

Issei crashed onto his head after reaching home. Today had been one of the most exhausting days for him.

Not physically, but mentally.

Talking, acting and behaving like a child for most of the time was exhausting –especially when dealing with a girl that was barely five.

He knew that that girl was lonely and did not have any friends, which was a surprise for him as he expected kids her age to be able to make friends easily. 

But he soon learnt the reason.

She was a devotee.

But that was not the problem.

The problem was that she was hardcore.

He sighed remembering the lunch he had with her. 

Every bite that she took, she thanked the lord. But that was not all, he would be glad if that was all.

She was someone that would not spend a minute without talking and praising about the lord almighty.

And as kids, people were not that devoted. So, he could understand why the kids mostly ignored her.

They got tired.

They have kids that liked listening to stories, not prayers. That is why most of them avoided her, and the rest was because she was shy and barely had the courage to walk up to others to talk.

He shook his head remembering how tiresome the day had been.

But in a way it was fruitful.

His mother wanted him to find some friends, and while he knew he could not be friends with a bunch of kids, at least he could act.

And asking her to be his friend was to help boost her confidence as well as for him to please his mother.

He felt satisfied, he felt fulfilled. 

The exhaustion was getting to him as his eyes were slowly shutting down.

Until– 

<<Boosted Gear Communication>> 

[Gahaha]

His eyes shot opened at the familiar voice.

[Seems like you have grown stronger, little one.]

He shuddered, feeling the presence in his arm.

The green glimmer in his wrist flickering each time the voice spoke.

But this time, he was calm.

"We meet again."

This surprised the being in his arm a little.

[Hoh? Looks like you are not scared.]

It laughed, immediately making Issei look around himself.

[Do not worry, you are the only one that can hear me. I am not unsealed yet for others to hear me.]

"Oh?"

Issei looked at the system window, and the being was correct… the gear was still locked.

<Equipment: Boosted Gear (Mid-Tier Longinus){sealed}>

The being laughed once again.

[You are not too bad. For you to have grown this strong this early and at this age…]

It said.

[You have potential. But that is to be expected of my host.]

"Host?" Issei asked, worried that it might have been some kind of parasite living inside him.

He was confused and worried about the origin of the being. Issei was certain that this was a peaceful world without supernaturals, so he wondered if the being came along with him from his world.

[But you are not ready yet, not strong enough to keep me awake for long.]

It said.

"Then when can I awaken you fully?"

He asked, a bit sceptical that the being might try to take control over his body.

[Maybe in a year or two, you might be able to awaken me.]

He was worried, this was not something that he expected.

"What are you?"

The being did not answer for a while and Issei expected him to say that it was not time for him to know of him.

But he was wrong.

[I have been known by many names throughout the ages. The Red Dragon Emperor, the Dragon of Wales, Red Dragon Of Domination and many others.]

It said, surprising Issei.

[But most famously, I am known as Y Ddraig Goch of the Boosted Gear, for I stole the Gear from God himself.]

Issei froze. 

He had never heard of such a being in his world.

Dragons were rare in his world and those that were there… Every single one of them was famous enough for even the kids to remember their names.

For him to not know of this dragon– 

There was only one explanation.

"Have you heard of Bolozodia?" He asked and he hoped, hoped that he was wrong.

Ddraig sounded confused.

[Bolozodia? I have never of heard of such a name.]

It said, making Issei pale.

[Sadly youngling, this was all the time you could buy for us to talk with your current strength.]

Issei could barely keep track of what Ddraig was saying.

[But we will meet soon, my host. For you… are this generation's Red Dragon Emperor! Gahaha!]

Saying this, Ddraig vanished along with the green shimmer.

<<Boosted Gear Communication Ended>> 

Leaving a very confused and worried Issei on his own.

Leaving him with a realisation.

"This world…"

He shuddered.

"Is not as safe as I thought it was…"

__________________________________________________________________________ 

[A/N: Sorry for not posting the past few days, the family's been busy shifting to another state.]

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