DxD: Lost in Time

Hisashi lay sprawled on the grass, his blonde hair tangled and splayed out around his head like a halo. His red eyes, usually bright with fiery passion, were now heavy-lidded and clouded with exhaustion.

His chest rose and fell in erratic breaths, as though each inhale might be his last. A strained chuckle escaped his lips.

"Damn it... I've never been so tired in my life," he muttered hoarsely, his voice barely audible.

His gaze shifted to the sky, where the moon hung serenely, a pale orb illuminating his fair skin in soft silver light.

The contrast between his fatigue and the calm beauty above him was almost ironic. He let out a tired sigh, his hand pressing against the cool grass as if grounding himself to the earth.

"What day is it?" Hisashi asked, his voice laced with a hint of confusion.

Natsumi, sitting a few feet away, mirrored his exhaustion. Her purple hair, tied into two messy buns, framed her face, and her red eyes, just as tired as Hisashi's, glared out from beneath her bangs.

She glanced at him, a faint smirk playing at the corners of her lips. Her breath was shallow, betraying the same physical toll the training had taken on her.

"Great question, son," she replied, her voice breathy. "I'm afraid I don't have an answer for you."

Without saying more, she stretched her hand out, fingers tense with anticipation. A flicker in the air preceded the sudden appearance of an object that shot toward her at impossible speed. Without hesitation, she grasped it, her fingers closing around it with the precision of a seasoned fighter. It was a phone.

She tapped it on, her tired fingers working the screen. After a few moments, her tired eyes widened, and she let out a soft sigh. "Thirteen days. We've been at this for thirteen days, nonstop."

Hisashi blinked, taking a moment for the revelation to settle in. His frown deepened as he processed the implications.

"... Three days before school opens," Natsumi added, her voice trailing off. "You never explained why you wanted to go to school again, by the way."

Hisashi blinked again, his brows furrowing in confusion as he tried to gather his thoughts. "Oh... I didn't realize so much time had passed. But wait, I feel like I'm forgetting something important." He furrowed his brow, squinting as he searched his mind for the missing piece of the puzzle.

And then, with a sudden jolt, he shot up from the ground, panic flaring in his red eyes. "Shoot! I was supposed to be interviewed yesterday!"

Natsumi couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. His frantic movements, wild and disorganized, were almost comical in their intensity. She watched him for a moment before smiling knowingly.

"Fufufu..." she giggled softly. "Youthful energy, I suppose." She shook her head, thinking to herself, If only I could have that much energy at my age...

Hisashi, noticing her smile, gave a sheepish grin. "I've gotta go. I'll see you during dinner, I guess."

Natsumi gave him a teasing glance, her voice dripping with mock innocence. "Where else could I possibly be?"

He snorted, his playful expression turning sly. "I know a certain crow that's been perching on my doorstep lately. I've been thinking about buying some pesticides, you know? Just in case."

For the first time in what seemed like ages, Natsumi's face flushed crimson. Her pale skin turned a deep shade of red as her eyes widened in surprise. She stammered, "I-I don't know w-what you're talking about..."

Hisashi raised an eyebrow, a deadpan look crossing his face. His lips twitched into an amused smile. "Really? You sure about that?" His gaze flicked to her, noting how her ears had reddened, as if she were about to spontaneously combust.

Hisashi's thoughts wandered to a rather amusing scenario: I swear, if I find that crow... I'm making feathered curry out of it. His mental image was disturbingly detailed, but the mere thought of it seemed to amuse him.

"I think roasting him sounds like a solid plan," Hisashi said, snapping his fingers as if struck by a brilliant idea. "Maybe a crow kebab for New Year Eve's dinner?"

Natsumi's eyes widened in disbelief, her cheeks now glowing redder than ever. "Do not dare," she exclaimed, her voice rising with exaggerated intensity. Her pupils vanished entirely, her anger reaching a comedic level.

Hisashi simply smirked, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "I won't, jeez. I'm just messing with you." He sighed theatrically, rubbing his chin in exaggerated regret. "Although... he would make a great crow cab barb."

Natsumi groaned in embarrassment, her face buried in her hands. "Hisashi, you—"

"Well, look at the time!" Hisashi cut her off, his voice shifting to a playful sing-song tone. "I gotta go. Bye!" Without waiting for a reply, he dashed off with a mischievous grin, leaving only a trail of dust in his wake.

As Natsumi stood up, shaking her head in bemusement, a faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "At least years of war haven't completely broken him..."

She paused, her smile fading into something more contemplative. But it makes sense. After all, he doesn't remember much about it...

With a flash of light, Natsumi teleported away, the last of her laughter echoing faintly behind her.

---

Meanwhile, Hisashi was leisurely strolling through the streets of Kuoh. He took in the sight of the tall skyscrapers, the cars zipping past him, and the bustling crowds going about their business.

'What a relatively peaceful city. It would've fooled me if I didn't know what lay beneath the surface,' he thought, his red eyes scanning each building with calculated precision.

He stood still for a moment, then his stomach growled. The scent of food wafted through the air, drawing him to a nearby food stand. He found himself salivating at the delicious aroma.

"How much for the takoyaki?" Hisashi asked, his voice almost frantic with hunger.

"That would be 10 yen," the vendor answered with a smile, unaware of Hisashi's sudden urgency.

"Great! Give me 12 of them!" Hisashi quickly paid the vendor, grabbing the takoyaki before hurrying off.

As he continued walking, he found himself in front of a prestigious school. From the looks of it, only the rich and talented would get the chance to enroll here.

He was about to step inside when an aura he recognized all too well suddenly enveloped him. He walked past the garden, enjoying his snack, when suddenly he stopped in his tracks. A water whip shot toward him, missing by a hair's breadth.

Then, several tendrils of water shot at him, transforming into sharp ice shards. They converged from all directions. Hisashi swiftly leapt into the air, evading the deadly projectiles.

He landed gracefully, eyes narrowing as a crimson dragon hurtled toward him. Green hexagonal barriers materialized before him, stacking on top of each other to reinforce his defense.

"Million Escudo!" he intoned, activating his defense as the dragon barreled into his barriers. The dragon's force was immense, but the shields held firm.

Once the dust settled, Hisashi was nowhere to be found.

Two young women wore the standard uniform which consists of a black blazer with white trim over a crisp white shirt. One pairs this with a pleated black skirt while the other with a red one, thigh-high stockings, and brown loafers, reflecting her disciplined nature and role as Student Council President.

"Where did he go?" one of the devils, a female, asked, her voice tense. She turned her back to the other devil, standing in a defensive stance.

"I have no clue. Did you destroy him?" the other devil replied calmly, but the frown said otherwise. She had jet black, shoulder length hair and a serious demeanor.

"You know I would never do that! That wasn't the purpose of the trap!" the red-haired girl exclaimed, her voice tinged with panic as she couldn't sense Hisashi's energy signature anywhere.

Her long red hair was braided, two strands sticking out from where it began, and strands framed her face. She wore gold, circle-rimmed glasses, and had bright blue eyes and pale skin. She was tall for her age, with a notably explosive bust.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!

The sounds of destruction filled the air, accompanied by what could only be described as a light show. Dark red light flickered in and out of existence from all directions. The two devils exchanged wary glances.

"I see you perfected The Dragon of Annihilation, Gremory. The problem is the speed," a voice called out from behind them. The two devils whirled around, eyes widening in surprise as a young man with blonde hair appeared between them.

They jumped back, putting some distance between them and Hisashi. He flashed them a breathtaking smile.

"Your reaction is slower than I'd like, but the power behind that attack could obliterate an Ultimate-class being, which is dangerous. You risked the wellbeing of the entire town of Kuoh," he said, still grinning.

"Sona already has that covered, so it won't come to that. We also took precautions," the red-haired girl replied, her tone calm, though her eyes never left Hisashi.

"But that attack could've killed me, y'know!" Hisashi protested comically, throwing his arms up in exaggerated distress. The red-haired girl chuckled, a bead of sweat rolling down Sona's face.

"Quit being a crybaby. We both know that even at my peak, I can't destroy you in one shot. You participated in the civil war, contributed to the Anti-Satan Faction's victory, and survived," she listed, raising her fingers for each achievement.

"Sona-tan doesn't care about me anymore," Hisashi sighed dramatically. "I remember when you'd pout if I didn't pat your head or praise you for something. Where have the years gone?" He wiped away a tear, creating an anime-style aura of depression around him.

"Stop embarrassing me, Ojii-san!" Sona exclaimed, her face turning bright red. Her childhood tendencies resurfaced, and she tensed up as she noticed Hisashi preparing for a fight.

Hisashi's lips curved into a smile, and he raised his stance, his body exuding readiness. "So, what's it going to be, Hisashi-sensei?" the red-haired girl asked, getting into a stance of her own. Sona followed suit, both devils preparing for whatever was coming next.

"I'm glad you asked. Let's start with Lesson 1: Taijutsu," Hisashi said, his eyes glowing with anticipation. "You two have grown so strong; I'm excited for this fight."

"Haaaiii!" They both shouted.

"Before we start, would you like some Takoyaki? I mean a New Year is upon us, you don't have to be so serious." Hisashi asked with a smile but the two women nearly choked on the spot.

"This is no time for that!" the both said, almost in sync. Charging at him with incredible speed, he responded in kind.

"A little teasing doesn't hurt anybody!" Hisashi shouted before they battled their hearts out.

Boom!

"We celebrate New Year with a Boom! Baby!"

"Shut up Sensei!"

Boom!

"Why are you two smiling!"

---

Happy New Year Everybody

I'd like to thank all my fans out there for you support. This is my appreciation for you and for the new year. Now, I know I never revealed who the Gremory is right? Well, that's because my thoughts are clashing.

What would you like to see in Rias? Do you want her to be more energetic, less manipulative. The first five to comment have a say in her development but I must warn you, you will be shocked in the future.

Just don't make her evil, I'll turn a blind eye to that one.

Maybe there are some of you who would say surprise me! Trust me, you don't wanna do that. You are free to try me though.