"I'll make do by flying."
"Then don't get seen. Now get out of here. I'll see you at dinner."
"Alright, old man."
Golden energy slowly burned to life around Igor. He shot up into the skies and once high enough, he burst away into the horizon, leaving only a long golden trail as proof he was ever there.
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|DxD|- Chapter 48- Teaching Her To Fly
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Kuoh Town, Japan
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From high in the skies, Kuoh was beautiful like a scenic painting. The autumn haze bathed the town in orange and yellow. The sun was no longer its unbearable summer self. People milled about in the streets like tiny ants.
From this high, the division of each district was visible. From the leaf-covered lawns of residents to grey drab buildings of factories and workshops, each highlighted the artistic shift of Kuoh's layout. The forest was ever-encroaching from the side. It was like a giant maw gaping wide around the town that, compared to it, was still very small.
Flying this high up really was a wonderful feeling. It was freeing in a way. Being unbound by the prison of gravity was something Igor never took for granted. Learning to fly was perhaps his biggest achievement and naturally, he wanted to share that. Now if only Akeno would open her eyes.
"Look, Akeno."
"No!"
Akeno was suctioned to him. Her arms and legs wrapped tightly around his torso, her head buried deep in the crook of his neck. Igor had a helpless smile, especially since it was she who asked him to come this high up.
"Don't be afraid, Akeno. I have you, don't I?"
"No way, Apu! This is too high."
Her voice muffled into his collarbone. It was ticklish in a way.
"You'll have to fly this high up one day, little chick. Get used to it."
"I'm not a little chick…"
Akeno mumbled her response and Igor only smiled.
"Yes, yes. You're my soaring eagle. But what kind of eagle is afraid of heights? Only little chicks are afraid."
"Hmph!"
Akeno didn't take the bait. She only coiled around him tighter. Igor felt helpless. A normal man would be squeezed to death at this rate.
"You can't live in darkness forever, Akeno. Open your eyes, even if it's just a tiny bit. I promise I'll hold you tight."
"..."
Akeno raised her head. Her eyes were still squeezed shut.
"You…you won't let go, right?"
Igor didn't reply immediately. He leaned forward and pressed his forehead against her.
"Never."
"O-Okay. I'm going to open them now. So definitely don't let go, Apu. Or else I'll bite you!"
Akeno forced out her threatening words, no more dangerous than chirps. Igor almost wanted to chuckle, but he understood how much fear she overcame. After all, he was no better than her when he started flying. So he responded by holding her tighter.
Akeno felt the firmness of his arms on her back. That little tightening bolstered her enough to slowly…open her eyes. What she first saw were two blue ponds looking back at her. There was so much encouragement behind them.
"If you feel afraid, look at me. Don't close your eyes."
By this time, Igor had slowly tilted his body just enough that she could see the horizon. He wanted her to see this, to engrave the beauty of it all, so that she would strive to see it on her own.
"Go on…"
He whispered to her, and she made her choice. Akeno slowly peeked over his shoulder, and the sight caught her. Beyond Kuoh, lay a sight so beautiful she forgot her fear. A long river wound around the forest. And beyond it, lay pastures of uncultivated land. Ahead sat a majestic mountain tall enough to pierce the clouds. It was ragged and rough. It looked imposing, but it had life.
"Wow…"
Igor didn't interrupt her wonder. He didn't speak nor did he move.
[Let her get lost in it.]
He himself had seen such sights during his travels. The beauty of nature was therapeutic in a way, a reminder that even through all the filth, the world persisted. So he would too.
"W-Waaaah!"
Akeno suddenly buried herself into his neck. Her body trembled and Igor knew what happened. She looked down and…yes. A drop of from this height was incredibly frightening.
"Good girl."
He stroked the back of her head.
"You did well, little eag—"
"D-Don't let go!"
Akeno died a little when one of the two arms holding her suddenly vanished. As a response, she hugged Igor so tightly she was short of merging into him.
"Hehehe~. You have wings too, you know? Why don't you release them?"
"No!"
Akeno vehemently refused. She knew this meanie. Once she released her wings, he'd let her go so she could learn to fly like those geese chicks on television.
"But we're not high up anymore. Look."
"..."
Akeno hesitantly opened her eyes and somehow, they were level with the roof of their home. She didn't know how he did it. Did he move so fast she didn't feel his movement?
"You…"
"Now, open your wings, little chick. I'll teach you how to fly."
Akeno absorbed his words, until her budding excitement was squashed by realisation.
"I'm not a little chick!"
"Yes you are."
"No I'm not!"
Akeno pouted, going so far as to cross her arms. Igor couldn't resist teasing her like this.
"If you don't want to be a little chick, then spread your wings."
"Hmph."
Akeno begrudgingly complied. Two little black feathered wings sprouted from her back. They were sleek and streamlined, just a bit longer than her arms.
"Very good, Akeno. Flap them a bit for me."
"Um…"
Akeno gave her wings a few testing flaps.
"Is this fine?"
"Yes. Now I will drop you."
"Noooo!"
Akeno sprung her arms around his neck again. His arms were now a deadly trapdoor she no longer trusted. Igor didn't let go. On the contrary, he laughed.
"Hahahaha~!"
"Meanie!"
Akeno was indignant. He always teased her at the worst of times. She swore that once she knew how to fly, she'd bite him to death.
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AN: Lord have mercy for Igor definitely won't if anyone ever touches Akeno. Akeno and Shuri are his reverse scales. I'd even go as far as to say they're his anchors to morality.
Chapter 48
END