The warm light of the dining room softly illuminated the scene. Daniel, Hikari, and Hibiki sat around the table, having dinner together. The food, simple but delicious, had been prepared by all three, with Hibiki showing surprising culinary skill while Hikari helped with enthusiasm and a bit of chaos.
—"So Alya got mad just because you were late!" Hikari exclaimed with a mischievous giggle, taking a spoonful of rice to her mouth.
—"It wasn't 'just' that," Daniel replied, shrugging as he took a drink from his glass. —"But yeah, apparently we were in that friendship phase where small mistakes become big dramas... though it's all good now."
—"Hmm... sounds like that girl has you in her sights," Hibiki murmured, tilting her head. —"You're not getting yourself into another harem, are you?"
Daniel nearly choked on his water, coughing while his two Sekirei looked at him with dangerous smiles.
—"I-It's not a harem!! And I didn't do anything!!"
—"Yet..." they both said in unison, before bursting into laughter.
The atmosphere was warm, familial. For Daniel, it was a strange but comforting feeling of home. Sharing these moments with them, with that mix of affection, mischief, and closeness, made him feel he wasn't so alone in this new and chaotic world.
After finishing dinner and clearing the table together, Daniel grew thoughtful for a moment, until he decided to speak.
—"Girls... I wanted to ask you for something."
Both looked at him attentively, sitting down again in the living room, one on each side.
—"What is it?" asked Hikari.
—"Is everything okay?" added Hibiki.
Daniel nodded, though he seemed a bit tense.
—"Yes, everything's fine. It's just that... I want to improve a skill I recently awakened. The problem is, to train it, I need someone to attack me. With a real intent to harm."
The twins looked at him, bewildered.
—"What!?" they said at the same time.
—"Why would you want us to hurt you?" asked Hibiki, genuinely concerned.
—"That sounds like something very stupid even for a guy like you," added Hikari, frowning.
Daniel raised his hands calmly and began to explain:
—"It's something called Observation Haki, an ability that allows me to perceive the movements, emotions, and hostile intentions of other people. But for it to strengthen, I need to be put in situations where I'm attacked without warning. It's the only way for my body and mind to sharpen their reaction."
Both girls looked at each other for a few seconds. Then they looked back at Daniel with serious faces.
—"You want us to practice by attacking you with everything we have?" said Hikari, her eyes shining a bit with contained excitement.
—"And you'll withstand it without defending yourself?" added Hibiki.
—"Yes, that's the idea. But not to seriously hurt me. Just... enough for my instincts to react."
A slow smile formed on Hikari's lips.
—"So, we're going to play a game of blows? I like how that sounds."
—"If it's to help you, Daniel," said Hibiki, a bit more seriously, —"then count on us. But we'll stop if we see you're in real trouble."
—"Thank you," said Daniel with a genuine smile. —"I trust you."
Shortly after, they went out to the backyard. Daniel stood in the center, eyes closed and heart calm. In front of him, Hikari and Hibiki took their distance, adopting offensive stances without holding back their energy.
—"Don't get complacent," said Hikari, sharpening her smile. —"This will be real training."
—"We'll take care of you, but we won't make it easy," added Hibiki, activating a faint electrical field around her.
And then it began. The attacks weren't lethal, but they were fast, precise, and with the clear intent of making Daniel react. Quick punches, unpredictable movements, and even soft electrical discharges like Hibiki's kept him in a constant state of tension.
Daniel sweated, his breathing quickened, and sweat beaded on his forehead. But each time a blow was about to hit him, his body moved. Sometimes by pure intuition, other times by that subtle vibration in his mind that told him where, how, and when the next attack was coming.
The Observation Haki was improving.
The night filled with movements, sighs, laughter, and soft falls on the grass. And when they finally finished, Daniel was panting, lying on the backyard ground, smiling exhaustedly.
The two Sekirei approached and sat beside him, one on each arm, also sweaty but laughing.
—"You're crazy," said Hikari, —"but it wasn't boring."
—"You did very well," murmured Hibiki. —"Your presence is... more intense than before."
—"Thank you..." said Daniel between pants. —"Seriously, girls... thank you for helping me."
Both leaned in to give him a soft kiss on the cheek.
—"Always," they whispered at the same time.
That night, Daniel slept deeply... not just from physical exhaustion, but from the tranquility of knowing he was no longer alone in this world.
The weekend arrived like a breath of fresh air, but for Daniel, it was not a time to rest. With only two days before Hikari and Hibiki officially entered Kuoh High School, only one thing was on his mind: training.
The first day, dawn found him already in his backyard, wrapped in sweat, his breathing steady while the huge rock at the back of the property showed fresh, deep marks. Punch after punch, his right fist fell with precision on the surface. Each impact vibrated all the way to his bones.
—"Tch... I still can't harden it completely," he murmured, shaking his hand.
From the edge of the yard, Hibiki watched him with a towel in hand.
—"You shouldn't force it so much," she said as she approached. —"You're going to break your hand."
Daniel looked at her and smiled.
—"If I don't break it first, it won't learn to become steel."
She sighed and offered him the towel, while from the house door, Hikari cheered him on with a water bottle held high.
—"Come on, come on! I want to see that fist turn blue-black already! Don't say you're our Ashikabi if you can't destroy a dumb rock!"
Daniel smiled wearily, but with determination. He was making progress. The marks on the stone weren't just physical evidence; they were proof of his progress. His fist no longer felt fragile. The skin had hardened, and although it hadn't yet manifested the characteristic hue of Armament Haki, it was clear the hardening had begun.
The second day of the weekend was Observation Haki's turn.
—"Alright, now we're really going to move!" Hikari exclaimed, jumping in front of him with a fierce smile.
—"Don't hold back," Hibiki added from the opposite side. —"We want you to react for real."
Both moved like a perfectly synchronized dance. Quick strikes, unpredictable movements, feints, attacks from opposite angles. For a normal eye, it would be impossible to follow them. But for Daniel, the echoes of intent in their attacks began to resonate in his mind like a polished instinct.
—"To the left!" his mind whispered.
Daniel moved, not by reflex, but by pure perception. Observation Haki was no longer a vague feeling, but a guide allowing him to anticipate. He felt the change in air pressure, the faint buzz of energy when attacking, the displacement of his opponents in his surroundings.
—"Now!" Hikari said, launching a combined attack with Hibiki.
Daniel managed to dodge it by centimeters, sweat running down his face, his body vibrating with tension and excitement.
—"You did it!" Hibiki exclaimed, surprised.
—"Wow... You're faster than the first day!" said Hikari, crossing her arms, though clearly impressed.
Daniel panted, but smiled, satisfied.
—"Yes... I can feel it. It's as if I can see without seeing."
Ddraig, from within his Boosted Gear, then spoke with a proud tone:
—"Well done, partner. That is the warrior's path. You not only possess strength, but control. Few humans advance this quickly without direct guidance. I'm starting to think you were made for something greater than even I imagined."
—"Thanks, Ddraig... there's still a long way to go, but... I'm getting closer," Daniel replied quietly, wiping his sweat with the towel Hibiki tossed him.
The twins approached, one on each side, resting their heads on his shoulders. The sunset enveloped them in warm tones, the wind caressed their skin while the scent of freshly trodden grass filled the air.
—"Do you think when we enter school, we can train with you there too?" asked Hibiki.
—"Of course... though I don't know if the teachers are ready to see us break the gym," Daniel joked, drawing a laugh from both.
With their hearts aligned, their power growing, and their bonds tightening, Daniel knew his life was changing fast. But, for now, as the sun set, he just wanted to enjoy the moment... before everything became even more intense.
Monday morning arrived with a different air. In Daniel's house, the atmosphere was full of excitement. Hikari and Hibiki were ready for their first day at Kuoh High School, dressed in the school uniforms delivered just the day before along with the official enrollment papers. Both looked radiant, with their blue-black hair neatly styled and a shared nervous smile.
—"Ready, Hibiki?" asked Hikari with a mix of nerves and excitement.
—"As long as I'm with you... and with him," Hibiki replied, looking at Daniel, —"of course."
Daniel watched them from the doorstep with a slight but warm smile. They looked happy... and inside, he felt deeply moved. They were not only powerful but also sweet, and now that they would enter Kuoh, they would share even more time with him.
—"Well, let's go. We have to turn in those papers to the student council before classes start," he said, picking up his backpack.
They walked to school together, with Hikari on the right and Hibiki on the left, both brushing against Daniel's arms with total naturalness. Their closeness didn't go unnoticed by anyone, least of all by a certain pair of attentive eyes.
From the school building entrance, Alya watched them with a sharp gaze. Her expression, normally calm and coquettish, was tinged with a faint shadow of jealousy.
—"Tch... who are those?" she murmured in Russian, crossing her arms while her blue eyes followed Daniel's every step.
Without stopping, Daniel accompanied the girls to the student council office. He knocked gently on the door, and after receiving permission, the three entered together.
Inside, Souna Shitori awaited them with her usual serene expression. Beside her, as always, was Tsubaki, serious and silent. Souna watched them enter, and upon seeing the twins, she narrowed her eyes slightly, but courteously.
—"Good morning. I'm glad to see you arrived on time," Souna commented, receiving Hikari and Hibiki's papers. —"Everything was already in order since yesterday, just needed the handover and schedule reception."
While Souna signed the final documents, Tsubaki handed both a small envelope with their IDs and class schedules. Hikari and Hibiki thanked her with a slight bow.
—"So, are we ready to start the semester?" Daniel asked in a cheerful tone, breaking the formality.
Souna gave him an evaluative look before nodding.
—"Of course. I hope both young ladies adapt well to life at Kuoh. It's an... interesting environment."
—"We will," Hibiki assured with a sweet smile.
—"Yes, and thank you for everything," added Hikari.
With the paperwork ready, the trio left the council. Daniel, carefree, walked with them toward the classroom. But he hadn't accounted for the little Russian storm waiting for him.
Upon entering the classroom, Daniel barely had time to greet when Alya looked directly at him. Her eyes, normally playful, were now cold as ice. Daniel, not knowing why, sweated slightly under that piercing gaze.
—"Good morning..." he said with a nervous smile.
Alya didn't respond, only raised an eyebrow before sitting down. Daniel swallowed and went to his seat... unaware that an interrogation awaited him at the next opportunity they had to talk alone.
Meanwhile, Hikari and Hibiki were introduced to the class as new transfer students. The boys were quick to drool over their beauty, while the girls seemed more wary. Daniel, however, was only wondering how he would explain all this without worsening the situation with Alya.
And though he didn't fully notice it, from the other side of the campus, Akeno Himejima watched from a second-floor window with an amused smile.
—"Rias... it seems our new first-year classmate is attracting more attention than we imagined..."
Only minutes into the school day, Daniel already felt fate was conspiring against him.
To his surprise—and to the surprise of everyone in first-year class B—Hikari and Hibiki were introduced as new transfer students... and yes, they had been placed in the same class as Daniel.
—"We're Hikari and Hibiki," they said in unison, with a charming smile that caused sighs among the boys in the class.
—"They're twins!" one murmured quietly, excited.
—"Our surname is Amaya, nice to meet you," Hibiki added in her soft tone.
—"And... by the way," Hikari intervened, winking, —"we already have boyfriends, so sorry boys."
An awkward silence fell for a moment... until a wave of disappointment groaned among the male students, followed by squeals of excitement and dreamy sighs from several girls in the class.
—"Aaaah, they're so romantic~!" a girl shouted from the back.
Meanwhile, Daniel swallowed hard, sweating as he tried to maintain his composure.
And of course... Alya, who hadn't missed a single detail of the twins' triumphant entrance, slowly turned her head toward Daniel, squinting her eyes with suspicion. The pieces were starting to click for her, but she still had no proof. However, the opportunity to get answers wasn't long in coming.
As soon as the first break bell rang, Alya approached Daniel like an exasperated secret agent.
—"Daniel... do you know those two?" she asked in a casual tone, but her icy eyes revealed she was hunting for the truth.
—"Huh? Them? Sure! I mean... yes, I know them a little." Daniel scratched the back of his neck, uncomfortable. —"It turns out... they're neighbors. They came with me today because they were enrolled late, and you know, Souna asked me to guide them..."
A half-truth. Technically, everything he said was true, but it was carefully edited to avoid revealing the most important part: that they were winged Sekirei bound to him by unbreakable bonds.
Alya crossed her arms, not entirely convinced.
—"Hmm... and they have boyfriends? Because I could have sworn I saw them very close to you this morning..."
Daniel sweated again, just as he was about to try and change the subject, a cheerful voice interrupted the conversation.
—"So you must be Alya-chan!" said Hikari, appearing with her usual energy.
—"We heard a lot about you," added Hibiki with a mischievous smile as she stood next to her sister.
Alya's eyes widened, surprised.
—"Heard? Daniel... talked about me?"
—"Of course!" Hikari responded unfiltered. —"He said you were very pretty, elegant, smart, and that you had a mysterious aura that intrigued him from the first day. And that you make your own bento impressively!"
—"Hikari!" Daniel exclaimed, blushing to his ears. —"That wasn't necessary!"
Hibiki, seeing the scene, laughed quietly while putting a hand over Daniel's mouth to stop him from interrupting further.
—"He also mentioned that he feels very comfortable with you and that you have a nice smile when you're in a good mood," she added mockingly softly.
Alya, completely red, covered her face for a second, clearly flattered, but also amused. After a few seconds, she lowered her hands with an expression mixed with pride and mischief.
—"Well, well... Daniel-kun. I didn't know you thought so highly of me." She smiled with a slightly triumphant expression.
Daniel, still unable to break free from Hibiki's hold, only let out a muffled groan, while Hikari and Hibiki exchanged knowing looks. They had won a small battle that day.
Just as the bell rang for the end of break, Hikari leaned close to Alya and whispered in her ear:
—"During lunch, can you join us? There are things we want to talk to you about... girl to girl."
Alya, still red, nodded without thinking much, unaware of what awaited her, but something in her instinct told her that chat... would change many things.