(With Ichigo)
It was a beautiful morning in the East Rukon district. A clear sunny sky, a lush green field of grass, the nearby lake shining like a sea of gems from the breeze and the beaming sun's light. Ichigo watched the scenery and took in the tranquility. He loved days like this, making the small cottage that Byakuya gifted to him a favorite of his. Calm, peaceful, no more looming threats, no more tragedies, just a few vacation days getting away from his paperwork as the Head Captain.
"This is a nice morning," he heard a gentle and playful voice say, prompting him to turn his gaze on the wife he chose to share the weekend with. Her long and wavy peach blonde hair shining in the sun, her icy blue eyes doing nothing to hide the warmth and kindness she held inside, a voluptuous figure that her strawberry pink kimono failed to hide. However, the most striking feature was her large belly that she supported with one hand.
"Gin's been quite active," she said with a loving smile as she caressed her stomach.
"He must be eager to come out as well," Ichigo said with a smile, feeling the firm swell of her pregnancy. His touch was greeted with many small bumps that pressed against his hand. "You've made it no secret that you miss drinking Rangiku."
"I really do," she admitted with a tone of longing. "But it'll be worth it when he's finally born." Ichigo pressed his ear to her belly, eager to feel his future son's heartbeat and spirit, but when he reached her stomach he found it flat with a wet warmth.
"Of course, we both know this is a lie."
The smell of blood invaded his nose, causing him to pull away. Rangiku stood in her Shinigami attire, deep and bloody gouges tearing from her heart to her shoulder. The warmth in her eyes was gone and replaced with the freezing chill of a corpse. "You weren't there to save me. And now you're failing again."
Ichigo shot up, jolted awake from the shock of the nightmare. The stumps of his arms burning with the residual embers of the Fire of Creation, a welcome distraction to center his turbulent mind. He was back in the bedchambers of the inner palace, surrounded by the opulent wealth that was part and parcel of Yasaka's life as royalty. His arms were still gone with his body and soul slowly recovering from the fires.
"Ichigo?" A concerned voice reached his ears. "Is everything alright?"
Ichigo looked aside to find Kuroka crawling into his lap. They were both as naked as the day they were born, as Kuroka had shared the bed with him last night. The smell of lavender filled the air as incense burned and a soothing sensation was permeating his body. Ichigo recognized the sensation as a Senjutsu healing technique which worked best with direct physical contact.
Sex was the most efficient process but Ichigo chose to abstain. His wives had yet to give their permission for Kuroka to bed him.
"Yeah," he said, seeing a fading image of Rangiku and a man with short white hair with closed eyes dressed in a Shinigami captain's uniform. "Just some old memories."
Kuroka got out of the bed and dragged her clothes over herself.
'Never again. I won't lose someone I love ever again.' He vowed, as the two deceased Shinigami disappeared, knowing he'd keep his promise.
(Shadow Kyoto: Main Palace, Kunou's Bedroom)
Kazui was face with the eternal struggle of his life, the desire to sleep in when the sun rose in the sky. The bed he was in felt like he was sinking into a fluffy cloud, eagerly embracing him into the land of slumber. It was a very comfortable trap he was eager to stay in, but it lacked the appeal of his own bed back in Shadow Karakura. Something about the familiarity of his own bed felt better than the luxuries of a palace. There was only one thing this bed had that made it better than his own; it was big enough to house him and all of his siblings.
Whenever the children of Ichigo Kurosaki came together for a slumber party for any reason, they had to debate between one of three homes. The palace of Kyoto, the castle of Las Noches, and the Kuchiki manor. The reason being those were the only ones with big enough rooms for the previous eight, now eleven, siblings where they could be themselves. The Shihouin and Fon houses were still plagued by the elders insisting on traditions despite the efforts of Yoruichi and Yuushiro. While Serafall had a palace of her own in the Netherworld, none of the children were permitted to enter the realm of the Devils until the Great King Faction was removed. Celdia has still never been to the Sitri house or Serafall's own palace. Only Tiamat's Nests became a new place for them to have sleepovers in since the motherly Dragon Goddess accepted them as her own.
Kazui tried to go back to sleep before a certain sound made his eyes snap open. One of his sisters was crying. He slowly raised himself and looked around to find the source, seeing Kunou shaking in her sleep. The rest of the children heard this as each one got up and made their way over to their eldest sister. She stopped shaking as Ophis reached her first, gently stroking her hair with each one of the siblings following suit as they heard her mumble out the reason for her tears.
"Mama," she whispered in a small and hopeful voice as she slowly opened her eyes. The hope drained from her face the moment she recognized that it wasn't Yasaka stroking her head, but she immediately changed her expression to a smile. "Morning everyone. Are you looking forward to breakfast?" A hollow smile that she was certain they'd see through. They've been around each other too much and knew they must've heard her crying. Still, she was the eldest child and it was her duty to look after her brothers and sisters. Ophis may be older, but she was the newest sibling.
"Stop Kunou," Yuuichi was the one to say, surprising the Kitsune. The normally most mischievous and playful of the siblings suddenly went all serious. "You don't ever have to pretend with us. You know this. We've already seen how this is affecting you. If you need to cry, then cry. If you need someone to hug you, we will. You're our sister. Our precious family."
"Dad will save mama Yasaka and make everything better," Hisana added with a smile. "It's what he does."
Kunou felt the tears well up in her eyes before she started bawling. She still misses her mother but grateful that her brothers and sisters were there for her every step of the way if she asked. Ophis silently backed away, giving the siblings a moment before clenching her fist. For the first time in the eternal life of the Infinite, Ophis was angry and frustrated for someone else. In an instant the Dragon God was gone, determined to get answers from the one person in Creation that would have them.
(Shadow Karakura: Sternritter S Research Facility)
"Are you serious? Bringing souls back to the World of the Living?" Uryu asked after hearing Vega's summary of the cross-examination report from the SRDI. Right now he was standing before a monitor that Vega modified to account for the Quincy King's cloudy vision. Onscreen was a data sheet and a set of graphs displaying the amount of souls shifting to the Land of the Living was far beyond their expectations.
"Is that even possi- No, wait. With the Holy Grail it might just be. Shit!" Uryu tamped down on the curses that followed. Ichigo had passed on the warnings from the Soul King about the Sephiroth Graal yet the situation seem far greater than those few words implied.
Considering the capability of some Sacred Gears, was it too far to believe that one could be used to summon souls that didn't go through the cycle of reincarnation? If it truly was, then the Sephiroth Graal was the single most dangerous Sacred Gear in existence. Not helping matters was knowing that it was close to Szayelaporro. Granted it was a clone of the Arrancar, but that mad scientist was the type to abuse such a thing. Consequences be damned. Mayuri lacked morality and ethics, but even he would not put the world at risk unless he was absolutely certain he could contain it.
"Operating under the assumption that the Holy Grail is being used to revive the dead, are they even aware of the dangers?" Vega asked as the screen showed more calculations and presented a timeline before a countdown appeared. One signaling the collapse of the carefully maintained balance that held everything together. "At this rate, not even the seal on the barrier to Hell will be sufficient."
Uryu remembered that day, when Ichigo descended to Hell. Cracks started to form in the veil after the Winter War between Soul Society and Hueco Mundo that a few ambitious Sinners took advantage of. His cousin took the chance to dive down into the depths and fought them until Hell itself chose to grant Ichigo its power and authority. With that in his grasp, Ichigo reinforced the veil between the primordial realm and the rest of reality. The fact that it was being threatened again was deeply troubling to those in the know. Those that were trapped within the realm shouldn't be able to escape again, unless someone somehow figured out how to get in.
"They attacked the Kuoh Peace Summit to reignite that war, attempted to launch a second civil war among the Devils, tried to destroy the Norse Pantheon in the war of Ragnarok, and practically crippled Soul Society while kidnapping Yasaka from under our noses in Kyoto. I wouldn't be surprised if they were involved with the theft of the Excalibur fragments at this point."
"Even terrorists have some kind of cause they preach to gather others to their cause." Vega continued calculating a different set of numbers, specifically the weight of the souls and where they were concentrated the most. "We don't even know what message they're attempting to spread. The Old Satan Faction wanted to restore Devils to the image of depravity and sin the new Devil government is trying to distance itself from. Loki wanted to ensure the balance was kept but the Khaos Brigade brought back some ancient evil gods to try and destroy it. Is it really just destruction for destruction's sake?"
"That very well may be the case Vega. Vali admitted that all he wanted was to fight strong opponents and Ophis was just a figurehead trying to get her home back," Uryu stated while looking over the numbers, his heart heavy in his chest. "Did we ever get a report from Heaven about Romania?"
"They confirm that they recognized something akin to the Holy Grail, so our suspicions might be right about its power," Vega answered while he tallied up how many would have to die just to even the scales, with the largest concentration seemingly in the center of the Tepes Vampire territory and various Yokai bases around Japan.
'Ichigo's not going to like hearing this.'
(Butterfly's Rest Inn: Kuoh Squad's suite)
The sun had graced the city but the hour was still too early for most of the students of Kuoh. Almost every single one was still in bed from the first day of touring the cultural heart of their home country. The group from Kuoh was practically dead to the world after the training they did and spent a good part of the night dreading their next lesson. There was only one student that was awake at the moment, and it wasn't entirely by choice.
Issei was in the shower, set to the coldest it could possibly be, and letting the painfully cold water wash over his body. This wasn't to help wake himself up. It wasn't because he felt himself burning with fever. It even wasn't because he felt the need to clean himself.
It was because he needed some way to get away from there.
He was so exhausted and drained from walking the Irazu Sando that he was basically dead to the world. So tired that even Ddraig couldn't rouse his mind from the void of slumber. He couldn't even dream of eventually marrying Rias and any other she'd welcome into their immediate family. Issei had shut down completely beyond the bare minimum to count as 'alive'.
As the hours passed and the morning approached, he had recovered enough for his mind to dream. A dream of finally being recognized as Satan Class and proposing to Rias. A dream where he was still the Oppai Dragon that made the children of the Netherworld laugh and cheer. A dream where he watched Rias, Akeno, Asia, and Irina walk toward him in wedding dresses as they finally got married. A dream where he'd be surrounded by happy and adorable children that would never need to know about the struggles his generation fought for their sake. He would've been happy to see a room full of topless and busty beauties eager to please him, a remnant of his shallow and horny self that was still ignorant of the pain of the world. Unfortunately for the Crimson Dragon, he only had nightmares.
As his energy returned, he kept seeing the pain and sorrow that filled the history of his peerage before Rias came to them and the terror in their hearts. It's one thing for Issei to not look at his own past with fondness, they're nothing compared to what he experienced in the shrine. He still felt the skin on his head itching from where he tore it while walking the path. The warmth of his blood pouring down his head from the scratches. The throbbing of the eye he clawed out trying to stop seeing the nightmares that were their pasts. His nightmare ended when he shot up, desperately reaching for the rook chess piece that freed him from that hellish road.
He was panting like he was running and never stopped, his heart racing as his body instinctively readied it to run. Not fight. Run. As if there was nothing he could do, not even with the full strength of the Ddraig in his hands. It felt like he was still there in Irazu Sando, the lukewarm drizzle of rain gently falling on his bare skin and the feel of the wooden sword in his hand superseding any memory of breasts in his grip. He bolted out of his bed and ran to the shower, turning it on and setting it to the coldest it could be.
The running water was supposed to ground him back in reality, that he was out of that hellish place and safe once again. The feeling of the shower spraying his skin almost brought him back to that road with the lukewarm rain coming down. The pain of the icy chill did more to bring him back to reality as he desperately tried to steady his breathing and calm his body down. Too many things were still lingering with him. He could still feel the texture and weight of the wooden copy of Ascalon in his hand, able to perfectly envision it still in his grip. He still felt the growing pressure of the past weighing down on his back with every step he took. He had to focus on not thinking about what happened because the moment he did, the visions he was trying to escape from would flash in his eyes and bring him back to the nightmares.
"Praise God." He saw Akeno's mother get cut down and felt the heartbreak that threatened to crush him. "Praise God." The sight of a council of the ruling Devils dictated Koneko's fate and filled him with fear. "Praise God." He saw Kiba watch his friends fight to give him a chance to run, despite the despair and hopelessness that gripped him. "Praise God." He chanted again as the sheer madness and dread of Gasper's nightmarish birth flooded his mind.
He needed to focus; to not let his mind drift back to their memories out of fear that it would crush him. Out of desperation, he prayed and invoked the punishment. He would happily welcome the sudden sharp pain of the Biblical God as a distraction from the visions. Anything to get away from the nightmares he accepted for greater strength.
'Sacrifices for power,' he thought to himself, looking at the left hand he offered to Ddraig for a momentary power up to beat Riser. An act of desperation that he made because he wanted to save Rias from the future she didn't want. The memory of his short stint with the Juggernaut Drive, feeling his own life force burn away, just to destroy Diodora after Asia's brief death. Every chance he had to gain a power boost to beat their enemy, he took it and didn't care about the cost.
That was until he saw how Rias reacted when Azazel predicted his lifespan if he kept up this pattern. Soul Society was the one to give him therapy with some of his issues and he doubted Ichigo would offer anything that would slowly kill him like the sudden power-ups he called on. No, the cost of this new training was knowing the pain and suffering of those important to him. The weight of the past. Truly, it was crushingly heavy. On his shoulders and on his heart.
Issei raised his head, getting the full spray of the cold water of the shower as he took another breath and exhaled. He then proceeded to clean himself up. He was going to talk with everyone in the Peerage about this, but that should probably wait till after this mess in Kyoto was settled. They couldn't afford the distractions. Not now.
(Outskirts of Kyoto)
The light of dawn rolled over the land, banishing the last remnants of night. As the animals roused themselves across the land, a familiar huntress was once again tracing the path of her quarry. Artemis had walked the path a hundred times over the course of her hunt for Yasaka and her attackers, but the trail always ended the same. It completely vanished halfway to the meeting site with Indra's messengers.
Her meetings with the Hindu pantheon were few and far between but still enough to paint her opinion of the members of the group. While Indra made her wish to remain an eternal maiden, the King of the Devas would not do this. He would never stoop so low as to kidnap the VIP of a potential allied faction. Nor would the ruler of Svarga ever join the Khaos Brigade. Indra held himself to a higher standard than to join hands with rabble. Though he was difficult to work with, Indra made it clear to everyone that he was on the side of the alliance. He would never risk the world like the Khaos Brigade continued to do over and over again.
The only real suspects were the members of the Khaos Brigade. The reason to kidnap Yasaka remained a mystery. Since the leyline of Kyoto remained stable, Yasaka was still amongst the living and within the city limits. They needed to find her to get any answers but she had to be in another dimension. SRDI agreed with her assessment and sent her a device meant to track nearby artificial dimensional anomalies.
"Ανάθεμά το(Damn it)," the goddess cursed as she looked at the screen and read over a hundred confirmed dimensions. There were too many places to search and it was under the very optimistic assumption that they did not do the same thing to themselves that they did to Yasaka, separating their 'presence' from their beings. This was turning into one of the most challenging hunts in her long life and the stakes were too high for her to let herself enjoy it.
"I'll make sure you pay for ruining such a magnificent hunt, whoever you are," she promised before pocketing the tracker and immediately getting on the alert, sensing a new presence within her range. She pulled out a curved hunting knife and turned to greet her half-brother with a calm smile. "Hermes. What brings you here?"
"Messages, as usual," the Greek god of travelers answered as he appeared in front of Artemis. He was still at arm's length from her, knowing how fast she can be to attack. He wore a light brown shirt under a dark green jacket with beige cargo pants, brown hiking boots, and a brown fedora cap with a white feather. "Nice to see you again Artemis. I know you and your fiance get along but some of us expected you to be more livid at the news of your forced engagement."
"I've enough grace to accept my punishment for what I've done. Hopefully Ichigo's other wives will keep him off of me. Though... I don't hate spending time with his children," the huntress answered. She was still on the hunt though, her senses tracking everything for any possible clue or tell. Nothing unusual was near them and Hermes was relaxed, the dust and wear on his boots telling her that he did run here from a great distance with a smell reminiscent of... the Underworld? "Did our lord uncle have a message?"
"Yes he did," Hermes admitted, his relaxed stance shifting to a more professional one. "He wanted to let Ichigo know that Samael was stolen."
The warmth of the sunlight turned as cold as ice, and Artemis felt trepidation grow in her heart.
Samael was an abomination of the Biblical God. An Angel who assumed the form of a snake and tempted the humans, Adam and Eve, into betraying their God and breaking his one rule. To not eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. God poured all of his hate and malice into Samael, turning him into a poisonous being that no serpent could hope to beat. He was a bane to all Dragons and was thus sealed away in the deepest pits of the Underworld, Cocytus. The very fact that it was taken at all was concerning because Hades and Persephone had absolute rule over the Underworld. Nothing happened without their say.
Or... that's how it should be.
"According to their investigations, it's as if the thieves appeared and took him and even that's questionable. They could only confirm the presence of the thieves from the time they were in contact with Samael and vanished," Hermes explained, giving a deeply annoyed smile. "As the God of Thieves, I'm actually quite jealous about how they pulled this off. But it also feels like they're cheating."
"This is war, Hermes," Artemis returned, "with terrorists. The only thing that will matter in the end is which side ultimately wins. Still, why did Hades want Ichigo to receive this knowledge?" While it was becoming known that Japan and Soul Society was cultivating dragonoids and draconic energy, Samael was hardly an issue to most of the current alliance forces. Olympus itself was still considered neutral until their wedding.
Artemis's eyes widened as she remembered a few key details about her future husband's family.
"Lord Hades thinks that they may target Lady Tiamat and Ophis," the messenger god's answer confirmed Artemis's suspicions. "The Khaos Brigade may have been willing to go at a more moderate pace beforehand but with their figurehead, and their supplier of incredible power, taken from them they might be willing to take far more drastic measures. They might even want to eliminate Ophis before Ichigo can fully turn her against them."
"Agreed. I'll get this back to him as soon as I can," Artemis said, turning to bolt back to Shadow Kyoto Castle.
"One more thing," Hermes quickly started before she could run. "He also wanted to tell Ichigo something about 'finding fewer spider lilies in Persephone's gardens'..."
Artemis actually paused, confused by the seemingly random statement. Believing it was a secret message, she resolved to deliver it as soon as possible. Ichigo and Hades were on friendly terms and time might be of the essence.
(Squad 12: SRDI)
"This is getting annoying," Kisuke mumbled as he clicked away at his keyboard, his fingers moving with such speed and grace that almost any computer would have trouble with keeping up. He was currently working with the problem that Vega calculated earlier. The issue that was the imbalance of souls and how long before everything collapsed. The clock was ticking and the deadline that Sternritter S gave them was seemingly very optimistic. Almost desperately so.
"These numbers aren't getting any more favorable, Kisuke," Mayuri said while he was working on something else. He was delicately injecting a serum into an insect in a clear box. It appeared to be some variant of a mosquito with a baby's face for the head that was seemingly inert. Just allowing Mayuri's prodding and injections. "We have to decide this within the week. Do we have a mass culling and where?"
"Last resort Mayuri," the Squad 12 Captain firmly stated. The numbers flowed across the screen. "Besides, we need to understand the cause before treating the symptoms. We still have a less than one-hundred percent certainty of the situation and a minor one percent could be the factor that changes everything."
Something was still bugging Kisuke about the situation. The numbers weren't in their favor... but something else about them didn't make as much sense.
"I'll start making the calculations just in case," Mayuri stated, finishing his work with the insect. It was filled with a new strain of surveillance bacteria, intended to perfect their intelligence gathering network to weed out enemy spies and to track down anything useful they could find from the Khaos Brigade. With all of the wars the Brigade started over the most idiotic things, it would be easy to hide the culling. "If the issue is one of morality, we can try to see if we can't target souls destined for Hell."
"Hell," Kisuke whispered to himself. It was the one variable he was purposefully ignoring because it was the absolute worst case scenario. "For once, let me be wrong," he begged as he typed in a code he prepared after Ichigo became Hell's avatar and gained his spear. Using the access to Hell's power and his ability to sense those condemned to the primordial realm, he developed a new tracking method to seek out Sinners. He installed it and waited before letting out a sigh of disappointment.
"No," Kisuke whispers as the hits just keep coming. Many were minor pings, living humans that committed their atrocities for the sake of it, but the more concerning ones were the hits that were so saturated in Hell's energy that the only explanation was that they were souls that were pulled out from Hell itself and brought back to life. Some of the more worrying pings were located at various important spiritual sites in Japan, a few closing in around Kyoto.
"Fuck."
(With Ichigo)
'Damn it all!' Ichigo thought as he flashed about Kyoto's Living World side, cursing how much he let his guard down. Even though the Soul King predicted the coming chaos, the situation was deteriorating too quickly for their ability to prepare. It was one thing to know what was coming, it was another to actually control the outcome. It was still up to them to ensure the best possible scenario and too much was currently out of his hands. He had grown too complacent with Uryu's precognition being an asset.
His morning had a bad start and the reports he received did not improve the situation beyond. Movements amongst the Yokai implied that a coup was being staged. The message from Hades was a code that meant there were souls missing from the Underworld. Anything coming from Hell to the World of the Living was always a bad thing.
The Hell matter was the most concerning for him as the World of the Living was essentially a lid on the infernal pit. To keep it from spilling to the rest of this realm and the many others in the vast void of the Garganta.
Collectively, it was beyond worrying. The movements of the Khaos Brigade, the attacks on Soul Society, kidnapping Yasaka, the recent reveal of the enemy movements and perhaps even Sinners being taken out of Hell. If the Khaos Brigade had access to Sinners, it would explain their knowledge of Ichigo and his allies.
SRDI went over Szayelaporro's research notes and they had to give him credit. As deranged as he was, he was still brilliant. Not to the same measure of Urahara, Ajuka, or Mayuri, but that was still a high bar. If Szayelaporro found some way to communicate from Hell itself, then the Khaos Brigade has been watching their every move.
If the Soul King knew about this. then what was he ultimately planning?
Ichigo ground his teeth in frustration. He flashed to a verdant forest, the ground covered in a blanket of thick and soft moss in a massive patchwork of different shades of green. The tourists were sparse at the moment, complaining about the sudden closure of Saiho-ji Temple. None of them noticed as Ichigo made his way through the crowd, wearing a brown cloak and his Hollow mask. He wanted a quiet visit, hoping this way kept him from the watch of the Khaos Brigade. He came through the gates to a stone garden surrounding a large Buddhist temple with a couple of people dressed in robes arguing in front of the main door.
"Why now?" One of the figures asked. "The seals are intact and Kyoto has long since been cleansed thanks to Lady Yasaka."
"Indeed. There doesn't really seem to be a point to this."
Ichigo ignored them as he walked by, slowing down enough for a black cat to slip out of his cloak and stand in the doorway as he passed through.
"It's because Shogun Kurosaki has decided to deal with the Yokai still sealed here," Kuroka said as she took her human form, dressed in a formal black kimono. "He finally noticed the presence here and wanted to eliminate it," Ichigo heard her say as he made his way to the innermost lower levels of the temple. Inside was a stake in a dirt mound with an ofuda ring tied around the top. Ichigo felt a presence akin to a Menos Grande Hollow beneath his feet, but it wasn't hunger that left it empty. It was anger.
Ichigo regenerated an arm long enough to grab the stake and tear it from the ground, a massive skeletal hand coming out with it.
"Gashadokuro. I've heard of your kind but I've never met one," the hybrid said as he looked down into the hole to find a truly gargantuan skeleton, two basketball sized eyes moving about the gaping holes in the skull as the awakened Yokai got its bearings. Gashadokuro were the results of a mass death, from either war, famine, or plague, that received no proper burial. Furious at being denied that, the restless spirits come together to form a massive skeletal being that wants nothing more than to kill. Supposedly they were impossible to fight, the only hope to end such a Yokai was to wait for its stockpile of malicious energy to burn out like a dead battery.
"You are not Lady Hagoromo. Who are you?" It asked in a curious and almost comical tone. Surprising for a giant skeleton.
"I'm the lord Shogun of the Supernatural side of Japan. Ichigo Kurosaki. Who's this Lady Hagoromo?" The hybrid asked as he stepped back to let the massive bones of the Yokai pull itself out of the ground, the two googly eyes of the specter focusing solely on him.
"My lady is the true ruler of the Yokai! Kyoto is her kingdom!" It protested and Ichigo guessed it was glaring at him. No facial muscles to make an expression.
"Kyoto is under the domain of my wife, the High Priestess of Amaterasu, Yasaka. Nurarihyon is the Supreme Commander, Shuten Douji is the King of Oni, and Tsurara Shiraiyuki is the Ice Maiden of the North. I've never heard of any Hagoromo. Unless you mean the traitor of the Kitsune."
The skeleton immediately raised a hand to crush him.
"DON'T-!" It froze when Ichigo was suddenly standing between its eyes. His feet rested on the handle of a katana now lodged into the bone white skull.
"You can either give me answers, or I will end you now." Ichigo told it in a cold tone that left no room for argument. Gashadokuro could already feel the souls that made it up being purified. "Who is Hagoromo?"
"S-she's the true ruler of the Yokai. I served her centuries ago before being sealed. I will die before betraying my lady," it said once it got over the shock.
"Your loyalty is commendable," the shogun said, holding nothing but respect for that in his voice. He then lightly tapped his foot on the spine of Kyoka Suigetsu. The result split the entirety of Gashadokuro in half with the bones crumbling to dust as Ichigo dropped down to the ground. He used Fullbring to sheath Kyoka Suigetsu just as he reached the floor and Kuroka came to the basement along with the Onmyoji guarding the temple. However, Ichigo already vanished in a flash and took Kuroka with him. He was back to the main palace in Shadow Kyoto in an instant.
"Kuroka, send a summons to Nurarihyon," Ichigo immediately ordered once he and the black Nekosho landed on the balcony of his bedchambers. The only Hagoromo he heard of was Hagoromo Gitsune, whom Nurarihyon fought four centuries ago. A battle which paved the way for Yasaka's ascension.
(Ukiyoe Town, Nura Clan Household/East Yokai Faction Main Base)
The home of the Nura Clan was usually loud and bustling with merriment and cheer. Under the command of Nurarihyon, the 'Supreme Commander', the East had enjoyed a largely peaceful co-existence with the humans and fellow Yokai. There were a number of harmless scares to enforce the fear of them and they used that to protect the humans of their territory. Nurarihyon even took on a human lover that bore him a child, a half-yokai son who followed in the footsteps of his father and took the Nura clan to greater heights. Though the son passed away due to treachery, Nurarihyon was left with a quarter-yokai grandson. Though questions regarding the succession of the title of 'Supreme Commander' were often argued over, things were still mostly peaceful.
Today the house was trapped in a cloud of somber worry as rumors of Yasaka's kidnapping reached them.
Walking through the halls was Nurarihyon, an elderly looking man of short stature, dressed in a shiny black kimono with a bald head shaped like a wrinkly gourd. Tales spoke of his mischievous nature, of his ability to enter any dwelling and eat the finest snacks and drinks as if he was the master of the house and leave undetected.
The picture of a highly mischievous yet ultimately harmless Yokai with a penchant for pranks. It was only in the fires of battle when the terror of Nurarihyon became known. The enemy you cannot perceive, the shadow at the edge of sight, the Fear lurking in the dark corners of one's heart.
One of the mightiest Yokai to have ever lived and one of the founders of the Four Yokai Factions of Japan.
Following behind was his grandson and successor, Rikuo Nura. He was a boy in his late teens with spiky brown hair in two shades wearing a pair of round glasses and a kimono similar to his grandfather's but with a blue haori over top of it with the Nura Clan's symbol on the back. By all accounts, he should be the leader of the clan by now but the rest of the senior officers remain unconvinced.
All due to another matter that started and ended in Kyoto.
'To think, there's actually rumors that someone actually dared to target the High Priestess. After what happened four years ago,' the elderly Nurarihyon thought to himself as he sat at the head of a hall, the sides of the room lined with the executive members of the East Yokai faction. From the oldest surviving veterans of Nurarihyon's original Night Parade to the youngest successor of a deceased comrade. Each one maintained an air of professional dignity befitting veterans of their age and ability as various heads of the Nura Clan. 'Let us see how long that lasts.'
"Thank you for coming everyone. I think you all know why we've gathered here today," Nurarihyon passed an appraising eye over the Yokai in attendance.
Nurarihyon remembered the day he informed the Clan of their newly appointed Shogun. That particular meeting had not been quiet by any sense of the word. The elders of the Clan understood the power Ichigo possessed and that the Shinto as a whole owed him a debt for effectively pushing out the Devils. However, that did not stop them from voicing their disagreement due to his humanity and age. A human boy with not even half a century of life leading Yokai lords with centuries of experience? For many it was an insult despite his accomplishments.
A direct descendant like Rikuo embracing his heritage was one thing. The Clan knew Rikuo and had a hand in his growth. Ichigo was unknown to them beyond the Nekoshou Incident ten years prior.
"Not even half a year passed and look at the mess on our hands," one of them started. A one-eyed man with a top-knot and long black beard with a tobacco pipe in his mouth, wearing a dark kimono and haori. "Our mighty shogun takes office and gets us involved in a war without consulting the Yokai factions."
"With a terrorist organization Hitotsumi. Or did you forget that?" Questioned another of the senior officers. One that looked like a normal human with long dark hair and grizzled features wearing a similar outfit. A palpable air of danger hung around him. "They would not leave Japan alone if we just kept to ourselves. I'm certain Lord Kurosaki thought a show of strength would help deter them from attacking, or is this some lingering resentment from the young master becoming the third heir?"
"Hmph! At least Rikuo embraced his Yokai nature, Gyuki," Hitotsumi grumbled, not denying the accusation. "Our supposed unifying leader doesn't even have that. He's just married to one and according to the rumors, he failed to keep her safe." Some were muttering in agreement.
"It was my father's human half that allowed him to bring about the strongest era of the Nura clan," Rikuo directed a stern look to the cyclops Yokai. "From what I hear, Lord Kurosaki is a hybrid himself. A different type, but it's why he's considered strong enough to be the unifying force for the supernatural world. I should've taken the chance to meet him in person," the quarter Yokai hybrid muttered under his breath about a number of missed opportunities.
"And those are still rumors. Not confirmed facts," one of the younger leaders said. He towered over several of the attendees, even while sitting. He was also in a formal robe but also had a red hooded jacket that barely hid his white and red hair. "Besides, I heard that he was honoring a deal he made with the chief god of the Nordic Pantheon. Or did I miss something and honor is now meaningless to the Nura Clan?"
"Watch yourself, Shoei, the situation is still unfavorable," stated another of the seniors, a man that looked like a Daruma doll. "No one has seen either the High Priestess or the Shogun. Only word of mouth from those at the highest positions of Kyoto Castle. It's not a good look."
"The Four Yokai Factions were supposed to give the Yokai a greater voice among the Shinto," started another of the senior advisors. He dressed much like Hitotsumi, but had three eyes with one being vertical in the middle of his forehead and a large fanged under bite. "But the moment Lord Kurosaki was made Shogun, did any of us have a say? And what of giving asylum to Fujimai's daughter without our consent? Kuroka is a wanted criminal among the Devils last I heard and they may take this as too much of an insult."
More mutterings of discontent as arguments broke out among the group.
Nurarihyon let out a sigh as he thought back to how things started four centuries prior.
(Flashback, Year 1615: End of Japan's Keicho Period and start of the Sakoku Period)
While the Tokugawa Shogunate eliminated the last of the dissenters to their rule of Japan, a kitsune who went by the name of Hagoromo Gitsune took over Osaka Castle and charged her retainers with bringing her humans with special abilities so that she may feast on their livers. During this hunt, Hagoromo came to blows with Nurarihyon of the Nura yokai clan after her retainers kidnapped a human woman he loved. Allying with the Keikain Onmyoji clan, an unprecedented move for yokai, Nurarihyon and Hidemoto Keikain defeated Hagoromo and banished her spirit. In the aftermath of the battle, High Priestess Yasaka and Hidemoto spoke to Nurarihyon of Hagoromo's crimes, of her revivals over the centuries and her plan to birth a monster called Nue. Hidemoto believed the birth of Nue would end life in Japan as the knew it.
Hidemoto, Yasaka, and Nurarihyon decided to form an lliance to prevent the birth from coming to pass. Hidemoto Keikain brought the Five Principal Clans into the folds of the alliance. High Priestess Yasaka would cleanse Kyoto of Hagoromo's taint. Nurarihyon spoke to the Yokai clans and divided themselves into four factions. Nurarihyon laid claim to Edo and the East. Yasaka assumed the rulership of Kyoto and the West. In a divergence from tradition, the Yokai of the North chose to appoint their leader through a centennial election process and a ritual to empower the chosen leader. The Yokai of the South gathered on the island of Onigashima for the battle between all, with the last yokai standing becoming the leader of the Southern Yokai. After a month-long battle where the competitors used every possible trick and fought to their last, the last one standing was the granddaughter of the infamous Shuten-Douji. She took his name and became the leader of the South.
The leaders of the factions and clans would finally meet at the Keikain House in Kyoto where the details of the alliance were ratified by all. The Four Yokai Factions would continue to inflict fear upon the humans while ensuring their members did not stray from the alliance. The Five Principal Clans would slay Yokai that went too far and ensure the spiritual health of the nation. The Keikain House would act as the mediators to prevent either side from stepping on too many toes. The alliance was controversial with many voicing their disapproval of joining hands with their possible enemies. Ultimately, the desire to keep their home safe won out. The first meeting of the alliance ended when Shuten-Douji brought out a cask of liquor to make their oath.
After suffering a near lethal hangover that lasted for a month, the alliance took their first and last unanimous decision: Shuten-Douji was never allowed to pick the drinks again.
(Flashback End)
'I'm still scared to let her pick the drinks,' Nurarihyon thought as he returned to the present to find the whole clan bowing before a copy of his younger self. Or rather, Rikuo in his Yokai form. 'It must've gotten bad while I was reminiscing. Damn, I really am too old to keep this up.' The old Yokai thought in bitter acceptance.
"Enough of this pointless arguing," Rikuo declared firmly. "Whether or not these rumors from Kyoto hold any weight, I'm more concerned with all these new urban legends that are popping up around town and the people that are going missing. Torii and Maki have already informed us of the odd Yokai sightings and 'Fear' readings. Go out and investigate these first and be on your guard. Kurotabo told me how similar this is to how the 'Hundred Tales' Clan operated, and I refuse to let our clan's greatest enemy come back to threaten the peace our clan created."
"Sir!" The group called out before filing out of the room to perform their various tasks.
"Is it always going to be like this grandfather?" Rikuo asked as the two Nurarihyon left the room to gaze out to the courtyard. The estate of the Nura clan was as traditional a setting as you could get. A quiet pond, a well kept plum tree and lawn, but it had none of the calm that the scene would imply. It wasn't just Kyoto that was on edge. It felt like the whole of the nation was about to break out into a battle that would turn the country into a Hell scape.
"You've been practicing and honing your strength for years, Rikuo," the elderly Yokai offered while pulling out and lighting his own pipe. "Be grateful that Yasaka's Inugami gave you that time four years ago."
"Defeated Hagoromo's whole clan by himself before we even arrived. I'm still annoyed that I only just learned about the rules of Kyoto back then."
"That's on you for wishing to shun your Yokai heritage," Nurarihyon scolded before a figure appeared in his courtyard. A female Shinigami with brown eyes and hair tied in a ponytail. "Your friends didn't shy away when Misaomaru offered to help awaken their spiritual power. Hey Kana! Here to try to win over my boy? It's either you or our dear Tsurara that's giving me that great-grandchild!" The elderly yokai jovially declared, getting a deep blush from the girl while his grandson reverted back to his human form as a sputtering mess.
"No, Lord Nurarihyon," Kana said, quickly composing herself while Rikuo was still in shock. "We've received a message from the secured line back at the bureau. You're being summoned to Kyoto."
(Unknown Dimension: Hero Faction Hideout)
Cao Cao paced about an empty hallway. Irritation and impatience masking his features as he could only stand by and wait. Impotently, like a group of frightened rats, while reports came of the group from Kuoh training themselves. It wouldn't matter in the end, none of them had the power to oppose the True Longinus in his possession. Or... that's what he thought. His fist suddenly shot out and broke through the wall on his left as he remembered what had happened just a few hours ago, gritting his teeth in frustration.
They watched the Kuoh Squad leave the hotel and meet up with the young Kitsune princess for the sightseeing of the day. They were all seemingly unaware but to more experienced eyes, they were on their guard. At least two of the group were acting as lookouts at any time and all of them were prepared to fight at a moment's notice.
He wanted to show off just how powerless they were by comparison. To just show up and snatch away the fox kit as easily as it would be to pluck a ripe fruit off the vine. Then Dr, Granz showed up.
Just remembering what happened made his blood boil, but it was clear that he couldn't fight back. He took another deep breath and barged his way through the door at the end of the hallway. It led to an expansive basement that saw an extreme and hasty remodel to look like something from a mad scientist's lab. An apt comparison, considering what the 'good doctor' was doing.
"Dr. Granz, how much longer?" Cao Cao asked, trying to sound polite and respectful through his clenched teeth. He kept his eyes on the man at the end of the lab, sitting in front of a strange monitor that seemed partially organic with a frame made of a white substance that resembled melted wax. Behind him, trapped in a glass tube filled with a clear blue liquid, was the body of Yasaka. Still unconscious with various wires and patches connected to her naked form.
"Do not try to rush me Cao Cao. I will let you know when I'm done," the man before him said. He was the same pink haired and slender man that unleashed the raging monster that was Yammy upon the Soul Society, known in the Khaos Brigade as the mysterious Dr. Granz. "Or do I need to remind you of the value of patience and proper timing?"
Cao didn't need reminding. When the morning came and he finally decided to make a preemptive move, Dr. Granz appeared and told him that it was too soon. Cao disagreed. Then, the next thing he knew, Granz took the form of some kind of twisted Angel with gray fleshy butterfly wings with a column of eyes on both while his lower half became a mass of purple tentacles. Before Cao could question it, Granz vanished from his sight and caught him inside one of the wings. Next thing Cao knew, he was covered in slime and there was a small doll version of himself in the doctor's hands.
He learned very quickly that whatever Granz did to the doll was reflected onto Cao himself. From the sense of pressure on certain parts of his body to the blatant display of his right wrist's tendons being severed when Granz pulled out a blue needle from the doll and snapped it in half. After that was a simple instruction; wait until told otherwise or you'll suffer.
"Apologies sir," Cao said, still clenching his teeth while trying to think of the best way to placate the mysterious scientist. "I'm just eager to fight these monsters, but I can hold off until we can confirm Abe no Seimei's resurrection."
He tried looking for Japan's greatest recorded spell caster, but at best he could only find a clan called the Gokadoin House. They were a very guarded group and only recently agreed to help in the coming 'Cleanse'. "I still want to battle Ichigo Kurosaki for myself."
"Trust me when I say this Cao Cao. Even without his arms, you'd be lucky to even breathe if he wanted to kill you," the man said with absolute certainty in his voice, a slight pause in his typing before he resumed at a faster pace. "Now stop bothering me. Implanting one altered soul into this gem is already difficult enough and so much hinges on Ichigo not noticing what's been done." He waved a hand, indicating the dismissal of the master of the strongest Sacred Gear.
"Go make yourself useful and get a report from Tesla about his progress on the armor."
Cao left the room, walked down the hallway to the furthest wall, and punched another hole into it with a roar of frustration. He was on a humiliating leash and none of his fellow heroes either couldn't or wouldn't help him. The two that had the best chance at doing so were Georg, their best magic user, and Tesla, who was too distracted with creating the finest mechanized armor for when they revived Seimei.
The high of their victory upon kidnapping Yasaka was thoroughly faded and he was being treated like a mangy cur. He vowed to get his payback in blood.
(With the Kuoh Group)
Once everyone was awake and moving. They went to the secluded area around the Butterfly's Rest to perform their morning warm ups in before the day started. Especially when they'll get to their next bout of hellish training. There wasn't much difference in the way they did this routine, but something was off to the majority of the ORC members when it came to Issei. Too many things about him were different. There was something in his mannerisms or words that did not seem normal.
When they met up with Kunou to continue their tour of Shadow Kyoto, Asia kept throwing glances at Issei. Kunou's narration of the places and their history failed to reach her ears. Her attention and concern was on the occasional flinch from Issei. It resembled the flashes of pain she felt during the days she was unable to stop praying to God and causing great pain to herself. Asia wanted to believe Issei would not use prayer to torture himself. She did not even wish to imagine what he might've gone through to resort to prayer.
Irina also noted his odd behavior in a different way. She made sure to press her breasts against his arms or chest any chance she got. She even tried suggesting some rather risque things that she was certain caused her white wings to shimmer black for brief moments. Issei never wavered and was far more invested in spending time with Kiba. The ORC and Student Council members were aware that Issei was trying to move past his old ways, but he still showed an attraction and interest in the more sensual pleasures that the ladies around him could offer. The group understood that whatever Issei went through, it left him with lingering trauma.
What power could be worth that level of trauma? They wouldn't get the answer by the time they reached the last temple of the tour.
Kiyomizu-dera was their new training ground as Kunou led them through the temple grounds to the famous stage that overlooked the hill of colorful trees. A structure of interlocking pillars holding the whole stage together and stable. There they also found a pouting Ophis that immediately walked up to Kunou and pulled her in for a hug along with the four mages from the Gotei standing by the railing of the stage.
"I'm staying to make sure you're okay," the Dragon God told her adoptive sister as she released Kunou, though she still held her hand. It was obvious that the normally stoic and all powerful being was feeling something she wasn't used to, but that was something to address later.
"Thank you Ophis," the fox princess said with a smile before turning back to the Kuoh teens and adopting a more serious expression. "Today's focus for the rest of you is about mobility. Specifically, mid-air combat."
As Kunou told them this, Shirou, Illya, Rin, and Sakura jumped over the stage railing and stood in the air, walking out as if there was a platform beneath them.
"This will be free for all and you can not team up under any circumstances," Shirou said as he turned back to face them, two short Chinese sabers appearing in his hands. "No teachers, no instructions, just us fighting in mid-air. Hit the ground even once and we will double the intensity."
Kunou turned to Issei before holding up a red Knight piece.
"Issei, you have a choice." She said as the chess piece started glowing with a crimson light. "You can either join the rest of your friends in this sparring match of theirs, ignoring the rest of the trials that my father had planned for you, or you can face whatever is within this piece." She told him before tossing the Knight piece over the railing.
"T-taking that saying a little too literally, aren't ya?" Issei asked with a good nature chuckle, trying to hide his fear and hesitation. He did another quiet prayer to God in his mind, ignoring the concerned looks from his comrades and kept his eyes on the chess piece. A small glowing thing that should be so harmless was actually a gateway to what may be a new form of Hell for him to suffer through.
"Issei, you-" Kiba started before Saji placed a hand on his shoulder, their eyes meeting with a silent message being conveyed in Saji's gaze; Don't question their friend's resolve.
Issei sent a glance to the two out of the corner of his eye, silently thanking Kiba and Saji for their concern and understanding. He took another breath and steeled his gaze. "Fine. Let's see what I'm facing now."
The Crimson Dragon threw himself off of the stage and caught the chess piece, vanishing in an instant.
"Issei!" The Asia and Irina shouted as they ran up to see their friend and lover disappear. They turned their glare to Kunou, only to be met with a cool gaze.
"You should move," she warned before they had to dodge a sudden barrage of energy blasts from the airborne Gotei members, finding Xenovia already crossing blades with Shirou. The Devils and Angel got the message and unfurled their wings, flying out to make an aerial dance of battle.
(Omake)
Family Breakfast
Kunou was still trapped in the embrace of most of her brothers and sisters when her tears finally stopped falling. When they did, she looked to find Jared, Rachel, and Ophis were gone. The Dragon God often went off to do whatever she pleased, but it was usually a bad sign when both of the twins vanished.
"Guys! Breakfast is ready!" They heard Jared call out.
Slowly the siblings separated and made their way down to the dining room. The scent of eggs and pancakes soon filled the air, quickly followed by the smell of burning. Which prompted them to rush.
"How did you forget to turn off the heat!?" Rachel shouted as the siblings made it to the room. "You already screwed up the omelet so we had to make scrambled eggs instead. Now you're burning the eggs?"
"I asked you to keep an eye on it while I got the others!" Jared returned as he rejoined his twin. "I thought you wouldn't mess that up since you put too much milk in the mix! It's more like pancake slop than batter!"
"Who let them in the kitchen?" Kazui asked no one in particular as the twins kept arguing over who ruined Kunou's breakfast first.
"Guys!" The fox called out while they were shouting at each other, getting their attention. "Let's do this together. That's what we do as a family, right?" She asked with a smile, prompting the rest of the siblings to smile and seamlessly start working together to remake the botched breakfast.
If Ichigo healed like Deadpool
"Be honest, we all hate this," Ichigo said as chubby little baby arms sprouted from the burnt stumps of his previous arms. Too short to reach anywhere on him and too small to actually grip anything. Before him, staring at this awkward regeneration, was his wives and Kuroka.
"This is haunting to look at," Orihime said, speaking for the group. "And I'd probably feel reminded about the time I was nursing the kids if I let you grab my boobs with those hands."
"I was just thinking that it was time to feed Celdia from looking at them," Serafall added before walking off to get her daughter.
"I know that I'm eager to have children, but this is a very specific fetish and not one of mine." Kuroka stated, with Ichigo nodding in agreement.
"Yeah. I'll take the constant burning pain over this."
Feline Herbal Problems (Sometime much earlier)
Two black kittens were chasing each other around the Shihoin manor before they noticed Yoruichi in her room. She's in her own cat form, and smiling down at a ball shaped mouse that she placed on her desk. It sits next to a picture frame, before she hopped down from her desk. Yoruichi soon crossed paths with the other kittens and immediately recognized her children.
"Is everything okay?" She asked in her deep masculine tone that was her cat form's voice.
"You play with cat toys mama?" Qin asked, her voice sounding like a young boy's. "Are they more fun in cat form?"
"Well.... they can be," Yoruichi admitted. "Kisuke makes mine in a special way."
"Can we-" Qin started, both unaware of Yuuichi making his way to the desk.
"Absolutely not." Yoruichi immediately stated. "You and... where's Yuuichi?" She asked, finally noticing her son's absence.
"I can taste color!" A young girlish voice came from her room, making Yoruichi's eyes snap open in panic.
"Yuuichi! Get away from that cat toy!" She shouted, immediately flashing to her son... who proceeded to bolt with the toy in his mouth. He immediately ran into the wall. Yoruichi promised herself to be more responsible with her stash of Kisuke's special catnip.
What If Cao Cao Didn't Listen to Granz?
The master of the strongest Longinus growled in frustration as he made thousands of precise thrusts with the mighty spear. However, not once has the blade pierced his foe despite his supposed weakened state. Ichigo, with what seemed to be a casual ease, met each thrust with a kick. Just enough to stop the spear's momentum in his enemy's grip. Then, all of a sudden, Cao could see it in Ichigo's expression. He was bored of defending.
With a fluid-like grace, Ichigo shifted his defending foot to the top of the Longinus's shaft and forced the spear's blade to the ground. The gash in the earth from the resulting strike stretched far and deep, showcasing the spear's divine power. A power that was useless against this opponent as Ichigo leapt off the sacred pole-arm. He spun around in a blur before kicking Cao Cao in the face, following and directing the attack to force the would-be hero to slam against the ground with enough force that he bounced off of it.
'Did you just spin kick him?' Zangetsu asked his wielder as Ichigo started juggling Cao Cao with kicks of such precision that the spear user was hovering in place.
'I know right?' He thought back in mirth. 'I've always wanted to do that!'
'Please don't do it again,' Kyoka Suigetsu asked in aggravation.
'My body, my rules,' Ichigo reminded them as he shot Cao skyward and began circling around him, striking the hero back and forth between himself like a game of catch.
'And Kagutsuchi still has indigestion from the Fires of Creation!' Kyoka yelled back.
'Everything's more on fire than usual!' Zangetsu added just before the sound of puking filled his inner world and his charred stumps ignited in pain.
'Ah. So that's why I'm still hurting.' Ichigo thought before crushing Cao Cao's head beneath his foot.
Protecting Innocence
Kazui was looking up funny things on the internet before coming across an unusual phrase.
"What's Rule 34?" He asked before starting a search. The moment he hit enter, he was suddenly watching a movie with his siblings.
'What just... OH! I love this part!' He thought, his previous actions fading from memory.
Meanwhile, in the Royal Realm of the Soul King, the primordial god himself was taking deep calming breaths.
"That was close," The almighty being said as many apocalyptic futures disappeared from his all seeing sight. "Ichigo always explodes if they learn of that before they get the talk."