AdrianKing
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Game of Monsters - 176
🕑 Added 2025-02-18 17:52:10 +0000 UTCFor Once in My Life
Joshua found himself staring at Yasaka.
That, by itself, wasn’t what he’d call new, really. He stared at her a lot, whether because she was beautiful, impressive or something along those lines. The youkai leader was someone that drew attention effortlessly, much like his other partners. This time though, it was for a different reason that he couldn’t keep his eyes off of her.
It was because she was being adorable.
It wasn’t unheard of for that to happen, admittedly, but it did happen a lot less often. That was why it hit so hard when it did though, Joshua guessed. Although, on the other side of things, it happened more often as she became more comfortable and open around him. The same as it did with all his partners.
In this particular instance though, there was a little extra effect to things.
Why?
Because Yasaka was fidgeting with a flower in her hands, a brown iris to be exact, and humming happily. Beyond how extra cute she looked like that, smiling an unreserved smile, Joshua was left wondering something. Because that was a very specific flower to just be admiring. And while he’d told her – as he’d told Serafall and Gabriel – about the significance of it, he thought it was a little odd that she’d picked up one just because of that.
On the other hand, he had an idea in his mind that sounded kind of crazy.
And yet…
“That’s not the one I gave you, right?” he asked, unable to keep his curiosity in check even if it made him sound dumb. Or was it arrogant? Self-important? Wait, wasn’t that the same thing? The point stood though.
“It is,” Yasaka answered, much to his disbelief, beaming at him like she hardly ever had to his knowledge. “Why so surprised? I thought it was a very nice gesture, especially because I could tell it meant something for you. It’s an even greater gesture now that I know it means something and what that something is,” she told him, turning to gaze at the flower once more. “You also gave me this on our first date and that’s… a lot.”
A first date that had been quite a while before.
Had she kept the flower in perfect condition with Senjutsu all that time?
Although, that was the part that really got his attention.
There was something much more concerning about what she said.
“Contrary to what someone might believe seeing the state of my love life now… I don’t date just anyone,” Joshua told her, feeling very awkward and like he needed to justify himself. He didn’t want her to think he’d give one of those to just anyone, which he was now realizing might be an assumption someone could make, considering he’d done the same thing with Serafall and Gabriel. On the first date to boot, as she’d said herself. “I just… I guess I go into a relationship expecting it to last, to go well, to… lead to what the flower means to me. The iris does mean new beginnings, faith and hope. So, what I’m trying to say is-”
“Joshua,” Yasaka told him and he stopped himself from rambling even more, giving her a sheepish look. “I love you,” she said meaningfully.
“I love you too,” was his simple response, the words coming out almost like a whisper. He hated that it sounded so weak coming from him, but she’d caught him off guard somewhat. He was already awkward on good days, but she’d managed to find a moment in which he was extra awkward to throw that at him so strongly.
And there was also the fact that he was still… kind of off from the time of the year it was.
“You haven’t managed to awkwardly stumble your way into a disaster yet, Joshua,” Yasaka told him, apparently reading his cringing inner self all over his face or something. Maybe all over his life energy? His control over that might have slipped a little and he was already not that good at it. “We love you as you are, awkwardness and all. I know it won’t help or fix things, but you should know we really don’t mind.”
She was right. It wouldn’t help or fix it. He wouldn’t suddenly stop feeling awkward just because she – or they, whatever – told him that it was fine and he couldn’t mess up. Hell, at times words like that would just put pressure on him. He’d be left worrying that he might somehow reach new levels of awkwardness that’d be too much or that he was messing everything up by doubting them or some other thing in the same vein. Such was his fate, he supposed.
However, he did appreciate the words for the spirit in which they were delivered. It might have helped that Yasaka was wrapping him up in the warm sensation of her life energy. Whichever of the two – or maybe it was both? – was the case, Joshua still smiled at her the best smile he could at that moment. It wasn’t much, but she seemed to appreciate it all the same.
“Thank you,” he mumbled, looking down and pretending like his attention was back on his notes and his spells. If the giggle that reached his ears was any indication, he wasn’t successful at all. He hadn’t expected differently though, really.
The giggles in the back of his mind were a lot less appreciated.
‘You’ve been awfully quiet as of late,’ he thought to himself, his expression changing as he sighed and sat straighter. At least this was something that he could deal with and not feel exceedingly out of his depth. Although, that was its own shape of humor, he supposed.
What did it say about him that he was more comfortable dealing with a pantheon of deities than he was with the people he loved?
Love and love-adjacent deities seemed to be finding his current situation very entertaining though, by the feel of things. Joshua did notice though – and appreciate – the fact that there were other presences communicating with him. The deities of death and the departed, he noticed, even without the somber feel of them. All of them were at least mindful enough to send their regards and their well wishes.
‘At least some of you are polite,’ he commented, receiving more than a few annoyed feelings. ‘Nephthys, if you could be a dear once more… thanks,’ he thought, grabbing the beer the goddess offered. He wasn’t nearly drunk enough to deal with them now.
“Anything I should know?” Yasaka asked her but he just shook his head. “The usual then,” she added, drawing a snort from him. “They really should mind their own business.”
Then he settled and patted Cheshire – who had just jumped on the seat beside his – along with communicating a bit with Friday to help her understand. She hadn’t had much time to get used to the gods and goddesses of Egypt yet, considering how little they had involved themselves in his life. However, she definitely needed to learn about that.
Especially with how fascinated some of the aforementioned deities were with her.
[}-o-{]
“Everything alright, Professor Davis?” one of his students asked as he stood, leaning on his desk in the classroom. “You seem… off.”
“Thanks for the concern, Marissa, but I’m fine. I’ve just been in a mood these days, is all,” he answered with, giving the woman a slight smile that she shyly returned. Then he took a deep breath in and prepared himself to continue with the class. He’d allowed himself to delve in his melancholy a little too much while waiting for everyone to take notes, evidently.
“Not magical exhaustion again?” another student asked before he could say anything, however, and Joshua pretended not to notice the slight mocking tone in the words. In fairness, he had shown up magically exhausted much more than other teachers… who never did.
“Not this time, no,” he replied calmly, wishing his better students weren’t so quick to glare and project general hostility at anyone that mocked him or otherwise insulted him. He was pretty sure that was the reason why half his worst students were the way they were. The other half were probably that contrarian or stupid. “Now… Where were we?” he asked, turning to his own illusion boards and considering where to pick up the lesson.
Although, as he did, he felt the need to liven things up a little. Giving regular lectures was all well and good, but maybe doing something more dynamic would maybe help him not be so… off, as Marissa had put it. ‘Yes, that sounds like as good an idea as any to me,’ he decided, tilting his head and then spinning around to face the class once more.
“Change of plans,” he announced, and either there was a shift in him or the class was just really interested in this change, because they all perked up immediately. “Stars aside, how many of you have learned a Hex that I didn’t teach you and that wasn’t a project for this class?” he asked and he saw many of his students freeze. On top of that, he saw the Stars deflated, but… Well, they were overqualified for most of the ideas he often had for class.
Honestly, he had half a mind to ask Agnes to set them up in a separate class entirely. Would that make them pseudo-apprentices? He was sure they’d like that idea. Maybe a little too much, but oh well. He was beyond caring for what other people perceived as debts towards him. If they wanted to repay him at some point, so be it. He’d just try and not let them worry too much about it, he supposed.
Back to his idea though, there were a disappointingly – but not surprisingly – low amount of hands being raised as an answer. To that, he held back a sigh. He did guess that’d be the case, but did they really have to be like his highschool self and perform the bare minimum that a class required? The magical world rewarded overachievers, he specifically rewarded those too, even those that weren’t Stars.
They didn’t even have the excuse of being average, considering they had to be solid magicians to get the chance to be in his class at all. Either that or have some serious pull or spent a good amount of money and/or favor, but if you were going to go that far to get there, why not at least put some effort in, right? Or was he missing something logical or “logical” once again?
“Too few, it seems, but oh well,” he commented, shrugging and taking note of the students that had raised their hands. “We’re going to hold a competition between you, guys. The one that casts the non-curriculum hex that impresses me the most will get to ask me for an appropriately good favor. Ravel will take care of it. If you don’t mind, Ravel?” he explained, turning towards his secretary at the last part.
“Not at all, Mr. Davis,” the devil answered immediately, without hesitation. She was great like that. He decided to do something nice for her. She’d been extra helpful those days, and that was saying something considering how much she did on a normal day. “Leave it to me,” she added, looking up from her notepad and at his students.
Several of them shuddered – even those that wouldn’t participate – and Joshua didn’t blame them. He’d leave it in her hands because Ravel would deal appropriately with them, and she would also deal appropriately with anyone that tried to be too smart for their own good. If someone was stupid about cashing in his favor, she’d be the one to put them in their place.
At that point, Joshua wouldn’t even feel bad for whatever happened to them.
He wasn’t the smartest when it came to those kinds of things, but even he knew not to throw a blank favor at anyone, especially these people. Magicians were some of the most absolutely ravenous people in the world. They did whatever they could to climb up the ladder. It was why so many of them were kind of assholes, he supposed.
Not like he didn’t understand why though.
Humans were the lowest of the low when it came to the supernatural, and magicians were lower than most Sacred Gear holders and magical artifact users. Mostly because those tended to learn magic too, so that immediately put them above most regular magicians. They were also more interesting too, which meant that they got more opportunities to shine too.
“Now, who wants to go first?” he asked, focusing back in the class and he almost laughed when everyone remained firmly where they were, unmoving, silent.
Because of course they did.
[}-o-{]
“Dad?”
“Yeah?” he asked absently, almost groaning as he realized that he needed to change one of the parts he’d written. He didn’t scratch it nor erase it though. Instead, he just wrote it all, the right way this time, on another page. After all, he never knew when he might need to backtrack to a piece that he thought was wrong only to not have the previous information.
“Why is Rias pouting?” Kunou asked and he almost rolled his eyes.
“Because she wanted me to train them personally,” he answered, just as plainly as he had before. Exasperated as he was, it wasn’t bad enough for him to take it out on the devil heiress. She was just… a little conceited, he supposed. She wasn’t bad.
“Weren’t you training with them until a bit ago?” Kunou asked next and he nodded with an “I don’t know either” expression on his face. “So, she’s just dumb then.”
“Kunou, that’s not nice,” Joshua told her, even if he didn’t think she was wrong. What did Rias expect? That he’d spent all the time with her and her peerage? He got along with them, sure, especially Koneko and a little less with Kiba. But Rias herself? They hadn’t interacted that much, especially after the Phenex situation was solved. And Akeno? She had gotten a little better with her glares since it came out that his relationship with Grigori had been shot, but she still had her hang ups, like Raynare.
“I’m not wrong though, am I?”
“Even if you’re not wrong, that’s no reason not to be polite, especially to friends,” he said, turning to look at her to make sure she was listening. Which she was, fortunately.
“You call people dumb all the time,” Kunou pointed out and he had to concede her point. However, there was a key difference that might help him win this argument. He had a feeling Yasaka wouldn’t like it if he lost it, so he hoped it’d work.
“Yes, but that’s when them being dumb is bad for someone,” he explained, poking her nose. “Everyone does dumb stuff all the time. I do, you do and Rias does. It’s when that dumb stuff is bad for someone that you need to point it out. Preferably without being mean, but some people do deserve a verbal smack once in a while,” he said and Kunou listened attentively, giggling at the end.
Was it good to teach her that? Not really, but he tried not to tell her to do stuff that he didn’t practice himself. Do as I say and not as I do wasn’t something he liked participating. He’d always hated it as a kid. Sure, he knew why it went that way now that he’d grown and matured some, and he did fall for the safety of that net sometimes. For the most part though, he tried not to, even though he was only human.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Kunou replied, an adorable smile on her face. “Say… do you think I can convince Raynare to make a flame show?” she added then, her brain apparently having enough of that conversation and jumping onto something more fun. “If I keep looking at Rias’s pouting, then I’ll have to tell her that she’s silly.”
And wasn’t it kind of ironic, that Kunou, who used pouting to get her way a whole lot those days, said that?
All the same though…
“I think you can manage that,” Joshua told her and she beamed at him before leaving. Raynare listened to Kunou like she was Joshua himself, after all. Well, with anything that wasn’t too dubious. He could only be grateful that she wasn’t that unreasonable with her devotion. He could easily imagine her being so and that’d have been a nightmare to manage.
“Joshua?” a voice said and someone had clearly been waiting for him to be alone, he guessed. It made sense though, he supposed, considering…
“Asia,” he replied with a smile, setting his notebook down in the end and turning to check on the web Morag had been working on. She was making a “drawing” of… It didn’t look like much to him, but considering how intently Friday was looking at the strange, incomprehensible design, Joshua could take a guess. “Did you need something?” he asked, turning towards the nun and smiling invitingly at her. That always helped her voice things that she’d otherwise hesitate to.
He had a feeling she’d be a work in progress for a while.
“I just… Some friends wanted to have a sleepover, but we didn’t have anywhere to go. So, I thought…” Asia started, her voice growing more and more unsure with every word. He knew where she was going, but he thought it might be a good moment to try and get her to speak up for herself. If he saw her struggling too much, he’d help her though. “I thought… maybe we could come… here?” she finished asking and Joshua found himself exceedingly proud of her.
“Well, not here, considering we’re in Kyoto,” he commented with an amused smile that he quickly got rid of when he noticed Asia’s face falling. Right, get on with it. “But you can use our place at Kuoh, yeah. Just gotta make sure it’s all fine and in place for visitors. Leave that to me… and maybe Jeanne. She loves using the place for her own friends, so she’ll help me make sure she didn’t finish something from our supplies there.”
“I can help,” Asia offered instantly and expectedly.
“Nope. You almost never ask for stuff. Let us do this for you,” he reassured her, giving her a wide smile. “Gotta make sure you feel like you can do it, after all.”
“One thing has nothing to do with the other though,” she pointed out, recovering some of her scarce confidence and smiling shyly at him.
“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“... Thanks, Joshua.”
“Don’t mention it.”
[}-o-{]
“I almost want to tell you to stay,” Serafall commented, adjusting his tie and making him raise an eyebrow at her. “What? You look great in a suit. You look great in general, but you look extra dashing in formal clothes, I gotta say. No wonder devils are falling over themselves to get autographs from Domino Mask,” she commented and he had a hard time telling if she was joking or not.
“Are you sure you’re ready?” Gabriel asked from where she was. She seemed – much like Yasaka and Serafall – confused as to why he was doing what he was doing. He’d had to plant some information here and there to connect what little intelligence he’d gotten, and he’d still barely managed to convince them that it was a good idea at all.
He guessed that was the price for using metaknowledge.
“Ready as I’ll ever be, and I have a feeling that waiting will just make things harder,” he said and Cheshire backed him up instantly. He could never be grateful enough that his feline familiar had developed in the way she had, with that sixth sense that helped her know more than she should reasonably do. At that moment though, it was for a whole different reason that he appreciated it.
Because if he said he had a feeling, it was dubious, but if Cheshire had a feeling? Then everyone listened.
Even his cautious girlfriends.
“You know we can help, right?”
“It’s better if you don’t though, right? As I understand it, at least,” Joshua answered Yasaka with.
“Mr. Davis’s political power will never be properly consolidated if he always relies on you three, I’m sorry,” Ravel spoke up, if hesitantly. He gave her an encouraging smile and she returned it nervously before continuing. “He’s strong and so are you, but there’ll always be people that won’t respect him politically if he’s always hiding behind you.”
“Damn, I did too good a job putting you in charge of his stuff,” Serafall grumbled, biting her thumb. “You’ll let us do our magic if things go South though, right?”
“Of course,” he replied instantly, drawing a pout from Ravel. The Phenex clearly thought it was insulting that failure was even taken into consideration. “I don’t care enough about politics to risk this. I just think it might be useful to have a little more pull… or for Ravel to have more pull. Never know when I might need it.”
“Mr. Davis, none of this power is mine,” the young devil protested.
“Could have fooled me,” he replied with a half-smile and no hesitation. “Just remember to use it for good, yeah?” he asked, patting her head and drawing a half-groan, half-whine from the girl.
“Mr. Davis!”
“Stop teasing the poor girl, Joshua,” Gabriel told him, highly amused by their exchange, it seemed. If anything, however, the fact that an angel was speaking up in her favor seemed to conflict Ravel a great deal. To her credit though, she didn’t make a big deal of it. “I think you’re both ready,” she added, moving to fix a stray hair from Ravel’s head and then smiling at him.
“Are you doing that on purpose?” he asked her, glancing between the angel and the young devil. “Because if you are, it’s working.”
“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Gabriel told him, smile firmly in place.
Yeah, she was definitely teasing Ravel.
“But yeah, I think we’re ready,” he said, taking a deep breath in and then letting it out slowly. As he did, he called a few screens up and then set up his Title as Great Column. Immediately, the Egyptian Pantheon’s presence made itself evident on him and he was no longer a magician, if a great one. He was now a Pharaoh, and that changed everything, as far as the supernatural was concerned. “Let’s go, Ravel.”
“Yes, sir,” the girl replied, standing straight and stiffly. He was a little amused, but also a little annoyed. He barely managed to make her relax on a good day; he didn’t need her in extra-serious mode. He knew what they were doing was important and all that, but still. He’d have liked not to regress what little progress he’d made.
“Relaaax~” Serafall said, skipping her way to Ravel and patting her cheek. “Josh will be the scary one from the two of you for once. The only thing you have to worry about is making sure everything goes to plan and he doesn’t forget anything, alright? Keep an eye on him for us. Just be your usual self and Joshua won’t have to worry about you and will be able to focus on what he has to do,” the Satan explained and Joshua could have kissed her then and there.
Alas, they needed to get going and they wouldn’t if he did that how he wanted. The look Serafall shared with him promised it’d happen afterwards though, and he was already looking forward to that. For the moment…
“Let’s go,” he said, moving to stand on the teleportation circle with Ravel right behind him. Without any fanfare, the two of them vanished and appeared somewhere else. Taking a deep breath in, he started walking towards the mansion in the distance. He could have appeared closer, but it was a matter of common courtesy not to teleport too close to someone’s property in the supernatural world unless you specifically got offered to do so, even if you were an invited guest.
“Mr. Davis,” a servant greeted them at the entrance, bowing deeply, respectfully. It seemed negotiations wouldn’t be nearly as difficult as he thought. Or maybe he was being too optimistic. Time would tell, but he could hope. “Queen Carmilla is waiting for you.”
[} Chapter End {]
Hey guys! How’s it going?
Some fluff, some teaching, more fluff and… Well, I guess plot advancement had to happen at some point, right?
I’ve been dropping things regarding the vampires since… feels like it’s been forever since I started, to be honest. However, as I’ve kind of stated in this chapter, Joshua couldn’t really make a move without seeming suspicious as fuck, since I’m pretty sure non-metaknowledge possessing people don’t really know what the deal is over there. I could be wrong though, and then all this mess and delay was for nothing…
God, I know that’s not the case.
Anyway, yeah, there’s also the fact that Joshua seems incapable of not having fifty things to do at any given time, so the vampires always kind of got pushed back for one thing or the other. Their time has come though, and it’s… Gonna be something. Good something? Bad something? I don’t know, but it’s gonna be something, that’s for sure.
With all that said, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter.
Discord Link: discord.gg/UTDransjJZ
Random Question: How do you think this is gonna go with the vampires?
See you.
