Lovely Angel (High School DxD)

The Beginning of Change

Issei ran towards the park, dragging his parents with both his small hands. However, after awhile, he got impatient and went to run off. "Issei, slow down! You'll fall!" Though it has never happened, Megumi, his mother, couldn't help but worry every time he ran at such a speed.

"But Haha*!" He only said those words and slowed to a speed-walking pace. He always argued with such words but it held no conviction.

Once they made it to the park's central, Issei began to search for "Gabriel." However, all he saw was a girl. The girl had the same exact hair and everything but Gabriel was an older girl, not that small girl who looked to be around his age, and who waved and smiled at him.

"Issei-kun!" She ran up to him. He was stood still for a moment before he regained his bearings.

"G-Gabriel?" He was confused. Wasn't she like... old?

"That's me!" Her cheery voice rang in Issei's ears. She moved up close to Issei and whispered, "I changed, but, shhh~ Let's keep it a secret, k?" Issei didn't know why, but his cheeks flared with heat, when she moved really close. He only felt this way after he realized Irina was a girl... And it wasn't because he was scared of cooties or anything, something about them both, threw him off...

"Ok, but my parents came by and wanted to say hi." He moved to the side to allow Gabriel to see his parents and his parent see the "famous" Gabriel.

Gabriel saw a woman wearing a pink blouse and a modest pink-n-white checkered skirt. By her side, was a man who wore a simple white tee with a design of a weapon of sorts and dark blue jeans.

Masaru smirked and began to approach the two children. "So this is the little lady who took care of my son when he when out. She's cute; I got to tell you, Ise-Urk!" Masaru's wife elbowed him and his smirk disappeared along with most of his pride.

"Don't mind him. Good afternoon, Gabriel-chan. How are you?" Hyoudou Megumi smiled at the girl and crouched down to get closer to the girl who had otherworldly beauty, especially at her age.

"Good afternoon, I'm having a great time since Issei-kun is here!" She cheerfully and respectfully answered Megumi. Thankfully, Micheal had let her take a break again! She would've felt devastated to break her promise to Issei. She even swore on her pinky!

"Well, how about we have a picnic as a thank you for watching over my son, ne?" She flicked her wrist at her husband and Masaru quickly ran for the car both in slight fear and for the materials.

"Haha, I didn't know we're having a picnic." He stood by his mother's leg and hugged it. His eyes shining, he looked up to his mother, "Are we going to have the Hyoudou "sandwich" special too?!"

"Yep!" Issei smiled happily as his mother rubbed his hair.

At the same time, Gabriel stood looking at her own hands. "...Are head pats really... full of such love?" Gabriel was never 'head-patted' by her father... Micheal never gave her them either since she seen other older children do that to the younger ones. Mou! I'm going to tell him to give me one with all the hard work I've been doing!

She snapped out of thoughts when Issei called out to her. "Hey, Gabriel! Hurry up! The food will get cold!" She looked towards Issei and saw him waving with glee along with his jolly family.

"Sorry!" She ran for the hills, beneath some shade and next to her friend's family.

"Which one do you want first? A sandwich, some fruit or some soup? They're all really tasty!"

She observed the food with slight awe. "I don't know which one to choose, Ise." It was scanning the food when such childish seriousness. In Heaven, the food was good but they're wasn't much variation. Not that she really minded. "Which one do you recommend?" She looked at his face.

"I'd say the fruit, 'cause it's best when fresh, ne?" He smiled her way and Gabriel just had to return the smile. Yes yes, that sounds good! She looked at the fruit salad. I haven't had some pineapple in a while. Last time she had it, was when she visited her fellow Metatron. He shown her his skills as a ninja. Faster than her eyes could see, he cut it into many small pieces! However, he had said he could only do it on a small scale. Thus, she cheered him on! Has he mastered it yet?

"Okay! the fruit it is!" She hummed her way to the fruit and took a plate of various fruits. Using a fork, she stabbed a piece of pineapple. "This is really good!" She said after finishing her piece. Or a lot of hard work! "How did Okaasan make this?

"I dunno! Ask Haha, but it was really good, wasn't it?"

"Un! It was really good!" She nodded vigorously then returned to eating.

"Haha's cooking is the best!" He stuffed another apple slice into his mouth.

After finishing tasting everything, Gabriel realized something. She had yet to give thanks. She turned to the whispering adults. "U-Um, Okaasan, I really like your food and w-would like to thank you for the food." She folded her hands, and began remembering her Japanese manners. Then, she bowed on her knees, making sure not to spill her plate.

She turned to her husband first, "See Tou-san, she's a nice and polite girl." After saying her piece to her husband, she turned back to Gabriel with a smile. "Well then, you're welcome, Gabriel-chan. I'm glad you like my food."

[†]

"Don't go wondering off too far!" Megumi couldn't help but dote over the two children. She could only hope they didn't get hurt or at least not too much if at all.

"We won't!" Her son yelled back, confident that he would, he never did.

"They'll be fine. 'They' always were, weren't they?" Masaru embraced his wife from behind as he referred to Irina and Issei. "It natural to worry. But, I hope that girl does "heal" him."

"Yeah..."

[†]

"Hey, Gabriel, uh, why did you change?" He pointed out what he was wondering the whole time, after they got bored of everything on the playground.

Gabriel wasn't too sure herself, "I just thought... It would be better this way." She smiled cheerfully and made a peace sign by her cheek again.

Issei felt his cheeks flare again but ignored it because for one thing, he still didn't know what it was or meant. "Does that mean you know magic or something?" Oddly, he began to remember a dream he had not too long ago. That dream contained... that wannabe-scary dragon! Hah! Eat that Ddraig-san! Even though, he had no clue what that name meant, but he knew that dragon could also summon fire like magic!

After a while of debating within her head, she answered, "Yep!" She felt some sort of power in Issei. Perhaps, she could tell Micheal and see if she could watch the child. Or even get him to join Heaven...

"That's... so a-awesome! I only wish Irina was here to see it!" The random blurting of Irina's name got Issei to remember something. "...Doesn't that make you an Angel?" Irina said they were super nice like Gabriel and Grumpy Old Man Ddraig did say something about Gabriel and Angels but... he was faaar too busy playing with the fire! What could he say? It shined, it sparkled! What kind of boy could say no to it in their dreams? Besides, Old Man Ddraig was far too boooring! And too busy trying to scary him! Hah! Even Haha is scarier with her cat apron!

How did this child come this kind of conclusion so fast?

"I-"