Highschool DxD-Dream of Perfection

Authors note :This might be boring for you guys, but this will have a huge impact on the story in the future, so bear with me, just a few chaps and this will finish.

Chapter 17

As the stars twinkled overhead, Yuki felt a sense of peaceful exhaustion settles over her. The day had been filled with more adventure and beauty than she had ever imagined, and as she lay back in the soft grass, staring up at the vast expanse of stars, she felt at peace. The air was cool, the sky an endless canvas of shimmering lights, and the moon hung low, casting a gentle glow across the landscape. It was all so serene and perfect that she couldn't help but smile.

Her eyelids felt heavy, and before she realized it, her body relaxed into the softness of the earth beneath her. The grass cradled her like a bed, the night's embrace comforting and safe. With a peaceful, sunny smile on her face, Yuki's eyes slowly closed, surrendering to the pull of sleep. The last thing she remembered was the feel of the breeze on her skin and the sight of her father standing nearby, his eyes soft with a warmth that any parent would give to their child.

He gazed at her with a smile that was different from his usual soft expression. It was a smile filled with nostalgia, the kind that reminded Yuki of golden wheat swaying under the setting sun on a distant farm. His voice was gentle as he whispered, "Good night, Mother," though Yuki, already deep in sleep, didn't hear him.

TOCK TOCK TOCK

Yuki shot awake at the sound of knocking. The world around her shifted in an instant. Her heart raced as she blinked, her mind still tangled in the peaceful dream she had just left behind. She was no longer outside on the grass beneath the stars. Instead, she was in her small, familiar apartment. The walls seemed to close in on her as she struggled to shake off the remnants of her dream, her heart pounding in her chest.

The knocking continued, sharp and insistent. In her half-awake state, she groggily shouted, "COMING!" and stumbled out of bed.

Opening the door, she found nothing but the hallway beyond. No one stood there, and the usual dull hum of city life greeted her ears. Confused, she rubbed her eyes and sighed, leaning against the doorframe as the reality of her apartment sank back in. It was just a dream, she told herself, though the vividness of that world clung to her senses.

Everything felt so real: the cool night air, the warmth of the grass, the soft sound of her father's voice. Had it been just a dream? Yuki's mind wrestled with the question as she moved through her day, a lingering feeling of detachment weighing on her. Her job at the company felt more monotonous than ever, the people she worked with blending into a blur of faces, their voices muted in her mind.

Something was different today, Yuki thought as she went through the motions. The dream—no, that world—had felt too real to simply fade into nothing. And yet, the world around her seemed so mundane, so dull in comparison. She tried to shake it off, trying to remind herself that this was reality. Her apartment, her job, the steady flow of time—this was where she belonged.

But that feeling gnawed at her all day.

By the time the sun had set and Yuki returned to her apartment, she was utterly drained. She flopped down onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling as her mind replayed the details of the dream over and over. Was that just my imagination? she wondered. The weight of sleep tugged at her once again, and this time she didn't resist. With a deep, weary sigh, she let herself drift off.

When Yuki opened her eyes, she was no longer in her apartment.

She blinked, her heart skipping a beat as she found herself lying in the soft grass once more, the stars twinkling above her, just as they had before. The night sky was vast and clear, the moon glowing in all its silver beauty. The scent of flowers on the breeze filled her lungs, and the gentle rustling of leaves surrounded her.

Her breath caught in her throat. How...? This was the same place. The same world. She sat up slowly, her heart pounding, her eyes wide as she took in her surroundings. This wasn't a dream—at least, it didn't feel like one. It was all too vivid, too real. She could feel the coolness of the night air on her skin and hear the distant chirping of crickets in the grass.

A mixture of awe and confusion washed over her. How could she be back here?

"Yuki," a familiar voice called out, and she turned to see her father standing nearby once again. He was smiling at her, but this time there was a glint of mischief in his eyes.

Before she could respond, he crouched beside her and poked her gently on the cheek. "You're awake, sleepyhead."

She stared at him, her mind spinning. "Father?... am I still dreaming?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Her father laughed, a sound so warm and alive it made Yuki's heartache. "If this is a dream," he said with a smirk, "it's a pretty good one, don't you think?"

He poked her forehead this time, a playful grin spreading across his face as Yuki blinked in disbelief. Despite everything, she couldn't help but smile.

The surrealness of the situation began to fade, replaced by a strange sense of comfort. Her father was here, alive and well, just as he had been in her dream. His presence was so real, so tangible, radiating an aura that felt so familiar yet different that Yuki couldn't bring herself to question him or his motives, reminding her of someone dear to her, whom she had lost. She sighed softly, her confusion giving way to acceptance.

"If this is a dream," she murmured, "then I hope I never wake up."

Her father chuckled, ruffling her hair in that familiar way that always made her feel like a child again. "Come on," he said, standing up and offering her his hand. "Let's go to the mansion; you need to brush your teeth and go to sleep."

Yuki took his hand, her heart swelling with a mixture of joy and melancholy. She didn't know what this world was or why she kept returning to it, but for now, she didn't care. As they walked together beneath the starlit sky, the peace and beauty of this world enveloped her once again, pushing away all the doubts and questions.

For now, she thought, this is enough.

As she walked beside her father, the grass soft beneath her feet and the stars twinkling like a thousand silent witnesses, Yuki allowed herself to believe that maybe, just maybe, this world was real.

The days melted into weeks, and each night, Yuki found herself back beneath the stars, walking hand in hand with her father, a mighty being of this realm, who could destroy continents with ease, although she did not know if it was true.

Time lost all meaning in this ethereal existence, where laughter and warmth filled their moments together. The beauty of their shared world was a sanctuary for her soul, a stark contrast to the grayness of her waking life.

As the weeks unfolded, Yuki and her father spent every moment having fun and playing. The gardens bloomed with vibrant flowers, each petal shimmering under the moonlight as if woven from stardust. They danced in meadows alive with the sounds of laughter and joy, surrounded by shimmering fireflies that lit up the night like tiny lanterns.

"Look at that!" Yuki exclaimed one evening, pointing to a cluster of luminescent flowers that glowed softly in the dark. "Each petal of this flower is glowing in different colors."

Her father chuckled, his laughter echoing like music. "These flowers are called Pave, a flower whose petals glows in the darkness, with all 7 colors of the rainbow; they are a plant that was found on a minor abandoned minor dimension."

But as the days turned into weeks, Yuki felt a subtle shift within herself. Each night, when she was in that world, she sensed a connection growing deeper between her and her father; no longer was there a slight awkwardness that was between them, as if they were puzzle pieces that were separated; she quickly got connected to him. 

Then one night, as they sat by a tranquil pond reflecting the stars, Yuki turned to her father. "Father, do you believe in parallel universes?"

He looked at her, his eyes shining with warmth. "Yes, yes, I do believe in parallel universes."

"Then is there a way to cross between universes?" she asked, her voice calm, though the last 'es' quivered slightly.

"Yes, it is possible to cross parallel universes. In the past, I once crossed into a different universe," her father replied, sounding relaxed and calm.

Hearing his reply, Yuki quickly got up, turned toward him, and hurriedly asked, "How was that universe? Was there magic? Were there any intelligent races similar to us?" She tried to sound merely curious, but inside, her chest was pounding with both shock and wonder, wondering if he had come from her universe.

"All right, all right, calm down; I will answer your questions one at a time," he said, a mischievous smile on his face.

"Yes, in that universe, there was magic, gods, and hundreds upon hundreds of intelligent races. I did not stay there long—just a week or two..."

Upon hearing that there was magic and gods, Yuki stopped listening to him; she blacked out, her head ringing and feeling disappointed. She did not know how long she was like that, but after an unknown time, she heard her father say, "It's almost your bedtime. Do you want some dessert before sleeping?"

She, still with her head ringing, her shoulder slumped down in disappointment, replied in a whisper, "Yes, I would like that."