Author's Note: So I've been getting more than a few inquiries on my two Naruto stories. I will clarify things to my best abilities. To wit; I'm just not feeling a Naruto vibe currently. I could put out more chapters but, their quality would just suck. they're not abandoned, just on hiatus until I get my groove back.
Hope You Enjoy
Chapter 3: Descent
"That oughta do it," Ichigo said as he hit the submit button.
Grayfia had proven herself to be quite the efficient worker as she had, through unknown means, managed to switch him over to online courses. Even though it was in the middle of the semester. She really was quite something. Grayfia, or Nee-san as he had come to call her, was beyond helpful in adjusting to his new life within the Underworld.
He had become so immersed with learning to manage his new powers, as well as the intricacies of Devil society, that the one week he was to spend in the Underworld had become three! Three weeks, that were spent in the constant company of Grayfia, MacGregor or Sirzechs. The intimidating maid had been put in charge of his lessons, which had really made Ichigo uncomfortable. Considering how busy the woman was, he felt bad that she had to take time out of her insane schedule to teach him something mundane as the alphabet and how to properly use a spoon.
MacGregor, strange individual that he was, continued to educate him on the manipulation of demonic energy and had given him several simple exercises to help. As Ichigo had become accustomed to them, he had begun to teach Ichigo some of the beginner spells that most magicians use. Most of them were simple things such as how to use the teleportation spell on his own, levitating small objects and using his new found wings to fly about.
Ichigo had found the whole process to be relatively easy. Honestly, why couldn't Urahara had thought up of doing these kinds of things with him during the war with Aizen? It would have made controlling his raging reiatsu so much easier.
A slight chime broke Ichigo out his thoughts and he turned his attention back to his laptop. A small window popped up confirming that his submission had been received and that he would receive an e-mail as proof. Logging off and shutting down his browser, Ichigo's thoughts drifted back to his powers. The change in Zangetsu had been startling. While he knew that his hollow and Zangetsu were one and the same now, he hadn't realized that his powers would do a complete one-eighty.
Sirzechs theorized that, since Hollows are far more closely related to Hell than Shinigami, his powers had reversed. The source of his powers had been, initially, of Shinigami origins laced with Hollow powers. Now, Zangetsu was entirely Hollow with traces of Shinigami powers. He likened it to turning into an arrancar when he use to be a visored. Thank…Lucifer?...he didn't have to deal with having a Hollow hole. That would be one awkward conversation if it ever came up with his family and friends.
Not to mention, Soul Society would probably strap him down to a dissection table. Thankfully, Sirzechs had informed him that an understanding had been reached with Japan's government…the supernatural one, to be precise. Soul Society could no longer touch him without triggering a massive war that they couldn't afford. Especially considering that a good chunk of the captains would side with him.
Ichigo leaned back in his chair and wound both of his hands behind his head. His life had changed so much in just mere three weeks. He had gone from the bleak existence of a college student to a hellfire wielding Devil. He blinked the daze out of his eyes for a moment as realization settled over him. This was like Rukia all over again…someone pops up in his life and flips it entirely upside down into a storybook tale.
Ironically, he was now considered the villain in the fairy tale.
'It definitely has been a strange three weeks,' Ichigo thought wryly.
He had ended up meeting two other peers from Sirzechs peerage. One of whom was Souji Okita. Ichigo had been floored when he was introduced to the former captain of the Shinsengumi's Squad One. A legendary figure from the Meiji era of Japanese history, it seemed the old tales of Souji summoning demons were true after all.
He had spoken with Sirzechs's only knight at great length about each other's personal history. Their conversation had concluded with a spar between the two swordsmen. For Ichigo, it had been an incredible moment. The speeds, that the former Shinsengumi Captain was capable of traveling, rivaled, if not surpassed, what his old teacher, Yoruichi, was capable of.
And then there had been his meeting with one of Sirzechs rooks. The one that was considered the strongest in the Underworld. Surtr Second, the cloned Fire Giant from realm of the Norse. It had been a surreal moment when both had met and realized that the other had orange hair. An odd kinship had been born.
One, that had Mathers commenting on, "Overpowered fire-wielding oranges."
Suffice it to say, he was getting along with his fellow peerage members. All that was left was for him to meet his fellow pawns and the last rook.
A moment of silence passed as Ichigo went over the past few weeks in his head.
Suddenly, he craned his neck towards the door and spoke out neutrally. "You know you don't have to stand out there," He said, causing an 'eep' to drift from the other side of the door. "Feel free to come inside."
The door creaked open and a small mop of red hair peeked from behind the door. Delicate boyish feature morphed into a sheepish expression and familiar sea-green eyes caused him to sit forward. Ichigo blinked in confusion. Had Sirzechs managed to de-age himself somehow?
"Sirzechs?" Ichigo called cautiously.
The young boy looked surprised for a moment before smiling. "Ah, my apologies," He said with a polite bow. "My name is Millicas Gremory, son of Sirzechs Lucifer."
Ichigo's eyebrows rose an inch as surprise flitted across his face. "Really now," Ichigo said as he leaned back his chair once again. "Neither Sirzechs nor Nee-san mentioned a son."
An odd twinge crossed the boys face yet he quickly schooled his expression back into a mask of politeness. "My parents are very busy people," Millicas said, though Ichigo caught the slight gloom in his tone.
A brief flash of sympathy stirred through Ichigo as memories of a dead mother and an absent father climbed through his mind. Deciding to change the subject for the boy's own benefit, Ichigo asked, "Is there any particular reason you're standing outside my door?"
Instantly, Millicas's cheeks were dusted with a light pink and Ichigo had to hold in a light chuckle. "I…uh, ahem," Millicas coughed into his hand. "I was curious to meet Otou-sama's new pawn piece. It isn't every day that a Satan brings a new piece into their fold." He then gained a wide smile, one Ichigo could tell was genuine. "And I wanted to welcome you to the family."
Ichigo let out the chuckle he had held in as he stood up and walked over to Sirzech's young son. He held out his hand and the boy shook it with an even wider smile. "Name's Ichigo Kurosaki. Why don't you come inside?"
Millicas nodded eagerly and quickly walked into Ichigo's room. He sat down on one of the many sofas provided by Grayfia. Ichigo noted with amusement that, for all his polite mannerism, Millicas gazed about his room with a childish wonder. The young boy's mother had all of Ichigo's personal items moved from his apartment to his new room in Sirzechs's personal manor.
A brief smile drifted across Ichigo's lips as Millicas's gaze stopped with awe at the sight of his guitar. Undoubtedly, a child of Millicas's mannerisms has never seen a guitar in real life before. "So, what can I do for you," Ichigo said as he sat down.
"Ah," A nervous expression crossed his face. "I was wondering if I could ask a few things."
"Go ahead." Ichigo nodded, amusement growing by the moment.
"Really?!" The young boy's face lighting up with glee. "Are you really from Japan? Were you really a reaper of souls? What do souls look like? What kind of powers do you have?"
Ichigo began to laugh as Millicas fired off question after question. "Slow down there kid!" Shifting in his chair so that he could get comfortable, Ichigo said," Let's go one at a time, how about it?"
Despite the blush of mortification, Millicas nodded his head eagerly. "Well, yeah, I'm Japanese. Born and raised there for the last nineteen or so years."
"That's so amazing!" Millicas had stars in his eyes. "I've always wanted to go to Japan. Souji makes it sound like a wonderful place and Rias Onee-sama says it is the best place in the Human World!"
A moment of confusion passed Ichigo before he asked, "You call your aunt Onee-sama?"
Millicas nodded. "Well, she is closer in age to me than to Otou-sama."
Ichigo hummed in understanding. With a sister several centuries younger than him, it was no surprise that Sirzechs treated her no different than his own young son. That is to say, as childishly as possible. "How old are you, exactly?"
"I'm nine years old!" Millicas said proudly.
Ichigo offered an indulgent smile and gave an affirmative nod. "Nine huh…I remember those days," He muttered gaining a distant look in his eyes. "So why is it that this the first time we've met? You don't live here?"
"I do," the boy said shaking his head. "But I was staying over at my grandparents' house."
"Ah," Ichigo said absentmindedly. "I see."
"So were you really the Grim Reaper?"
Ichigo fell out of past thoughts at the expectant look of admiration on Millicas's face. "Well, I guess but, we referred to ourselves as Shinigami."
"Eh?" Surprise took hold of the youth's face, only to be replaced with a wild look of wonder. "There are more of you."
A smile briefed Ichigo's lips even as a pang of melancholy hit his heart. He was reminded too much of Karin and Yuzu when they were at that age. Pushing aside the painful sense of nostalgia, Ichigo began explaining the fundamentals of the afterlife, or at least how it works in Japan. For the next hour or so, Ichigo regaled Millicas with tales of Soul Society and Hueco Mundo.
The two of them fell into a comfortable flow, one that Ichigo found was both alien yet welcome to him. 'I guess this is what it feels like to have a little brother.'
Once Ichigo had explained most of the basics to Millicas, his questions changed to more personal ones. Eventually, his gaze returned to the guitar. "Do you play?" He asked with near unrestrained excitement.
"It's why I have one," Ichigo said, eyes shining with mirth.
"Can you show me?" At this point, Millicas was nearly jumping up and down in his seat and Ichigo knew that he would feel quite guilty if he said no to all that expectancy.
"Sure."
Sirzechs let out a tired sigh as he rose out of the magic circle. It had been another long day at the office. Surely, if the Humans knew what a cumbersome job being the Devil was, he'd probably no longer be feared and reviled across the globe. If anything, he'd garner their sympathy.
"Welcome home, milord."
He turned to see one of his many maids bowing to him. The fact that Grayfia wasn't here to greet him meant that she was caught up with something at the main manse. He let out another tired sigh.
"May I be of assistance, master?"
"No no," he said tiredly. "It's nothing."
"Shall I draw up a bath then, master?" she asked.
"Please do, but first," He said while straining the crick in his neck. "Is Ichigo available? I'd like to speak with him."
"Lord Ichigo is within his chambers, entertaining the young master."
That surprised him.
His brow raised in question, "Millicas? He's here?"
"Yes, master."
Sirzechs's brow furrowed. Neither Grayfia nor his mother mentioned that his son would be dropping by and, for that matter, who was currently supervising him? Not only that but, he was certainly confident in the fact that Millicas should be having his lessons with his personal tutors. Just what was his son doing here?
"….."
Ah, who cares! He gets to see his son after so long! And Ichigo's with him so everything should be fine.
"You said that they're in Ichigo's room?" He asked, somewhat, sharply.
"Yes, milord," she said, quickly bowing.
Sirzechs lips parted in a wide smile and with preternatural speed, he dashed off in the direction of Ichigo's room. As he arrived in the corridor he had given to Ichigo, Sirzechs idly noted that he left skid marks in the carpet as he came to a stop. Not that he really cared.
Walking down the corridor, Sirzechs could hear the sound of a guitar rising out of the ajar door to Ichigo's personal quarters. The grim sounds of doom from the distortion filled Sirzechs with a sense of warmth that invigorated his weary self. He felt the stress accumulated throughout the day simply melt away.
Suddenly the guitar picked up and he could hear the doomsy low wail of the Prince of Darkness himself. Sirzechs was in the door frame in a second and looked wide eyed at the sight before him. Ichigo's laptop was playing one his all-time favorites while his youngest servant fingers fretted away with one hand while the other gingerly touched a pick to guitar strings.
His newest pawn was a fucking musician…with actual taste in music! Oh hell yes! He hit the jackpot with Ichigo Kurosaki! Screw Amaterasu, the Elders and Serafall with all their complaints! He'd go to war if it meant keeping this kid.
An abrupt clapping and childish laugh brought him back to Hell. His eyes darted to the other side of the room and Sirzechs clutched his chest as his heart throbbed painfully. The Prince of Lies felt tears well up as his soft sea-green eyes misted over. He was Lucifer…he wasn't supposed to get emotional but this…this!
It was too much for his black, shriveled up heart.
His son, his pride and joy, was slowly rocking his head to the heavy doom and gloom of Ichigo's guitar. Tears finally spilled over and he sniffled as a great sense of accomplishment settled over him. Unholy shit! Where was his bloody camera?! He needed to get a picture of this. 'Wait a minute! My phone has a camera!'
He pulled out his cell from his voluminous robes and the moment he flicked the screen on, it gave him a message: Battery is critically low. Please place on charge.
Then the screen went black.
'GAH!...Damn you to the deepest pits of Me!'
"Otou-sama?" Ichigo's playing stopped and Sirzechs looked up from his dead phone to see a crimson missile heading towards him at terminal velocity. "Ohfff," he flinched as Millicas's impact nailed him right in the diaphragm. "Otou-sama!" his son cried happily. "When did you arrive?"
"Oh I've been watching for a while," Sirzechs said through a strained smile as he patted his son's identical crimson locks.
"You should have said some-" Sirzechs looked up as Ichigo stopped halfway through his sentence. He was surprised to see the teen was scrutinizing him. "Are you…are you crying?"
"Don't be ridiculous," Sirzechs scoffed, immediately vaporizing his tears with his Powers of Destruction.
"So what have you two rascals been up too?" Ichigo scowled at the description but Millicas beamed up at him. "Nii-sama was telling me about the Japanese afterlife!"
Sirzechs looked at his son with curiosity. "Nii-sama?" He asked with interest. Judging by Ichigo's expression, he was just as surprised as him at the epithet. "Yes," his young son bobbed his head up and down eagerly. "And then, Ichigo nii-sama showed me how he played guitar! He's really good Otou-sama!"
"So I've heard," Sirzechs said as he kneeled down and picked up his son, much to the boy's childish delight. "You never told me you played Ichigo-kun." He said, turning to face the young devil.
Ichigo merely shrugged. "It never came up. So how was today? Uneventful as ever?"
"You have no idea," Sirzechs sighed. Just the mere thought of the office brought a wave of fatigue over him. "Dealing with politicians is bad. Dealing with Devils who are politicians is even worse."
"Are they really that bad, Otou-sama?" Millicas asked, his face scrunching up in an absolute adorable way.
Not really knowing how to explain the convolutions of politics to his nine year old son, Sirzechs simply said, "Imagine people who hide their real face and keep on running their own rat race."
Judging by the wrinkling of his nose, Millicas became even more confused. "I don't understand."
"Lucky you," Sirzechs whispered too quietly for his son to hear.
"Now, enough talk of boring, stuffy old men!" Sirzechs exclaimed before giving his son a knowing look. "How about we listen to some music?"
Millicas looked like the Apocalypse had come early. "Really, Otou-sama?"
"Of course," Sirzechs smiled as he put Millicas down.
'Now,' Sirzechs tapped his chin. 'Where did I leave my guitar?'
Grayfia had no idea what had gotten into her son. He was always her darling little boy. Obeying every word to the letter. Never giving her trouble, always doing as he was told and giving her the smug satisfaction that her son was better than every other devil of his generation. So what, in the name of her husband, had convinced him to run away and skip out on his lessons?
Having had the entirety of the Gremory Palace checked over resulted in the conclusion that Millicas was nowhere within the confines of the property. After giving his handlers a proper thrashing, she ran a mental list of places that he would have run off to and the only place she could logically assume would be his father's personal manse. Having moved out after becoming Lucifer, Sirzechs had the mansion built just for the two of them after they had married.
Appearing at the mansion via summoning circle, she was immediately greeted by one of the staff. "Good afternoon Madame," The goat-headed butler received. "May I be of assistance?"
Instinctively running her eye over the butler, checking his uniform and making sure that everything was in proper order, she asked, "Have you seen Millicas?" Her ire at having to search for him in the first place served to do away with her maid persona. She was in full Queen Mode as of that moment.
"The Young Master is currently engaged with the Prince and Lord Ichigo." The butler replied with a bow. While she wasn't surprised to find her husband involved in this affair, the mentioning of her new charge gave her pause.
"Ichigo-kun?" She asked, raising a delicate eyebrow.
"Yes, Madame," The demon butler never looking up from the ground. "The Young Master, Millicas, sent for a servant to guide him to Lord Ichigo's chambers upon his immediate arrival."
Millicas came to see Ichigo? Well that was a surprise. She vaguely remembered Millicas making inquiries about his father's newest piece. Still, she found it disconcerting that Millicas would simply sneak off without telling anyone. Had he simply asked, she would have introduced her son to the newly reincarnated devil. In fact, she would have done so gladly. Ichigo was a hard working young man who took his studies seriously. Not only would he be a good influence on Millicas but, he would also provide some much needed company. Poor Millicas had few that he could call friends due to his station.
She also knew that it would be a good thing for Ichigo to have someone to anchor him in a more delicate manner. Surrounded by the monsters of Sirzechs's peerage, Ichigo would quickly degrade and lose any and all functionality for proper civilization. Unholy Four knew, that the rest of her fellow servants were utterly inept at anything outside of battle. She would roll over dead before allowing a young man of Ichigo's caliber to fall into decadence.
Breaking herself away from her thoughts, she looked back down at the butler. "He is still with Ichigo-kun, then?"
"Yes, Madame. The Prince joined them not but fifteen minutes ago."
This meant her son had spent fifteen minutes, unsupervised, with his father.
'…'
Who knows the amount of damage her lovable idiot of a husband had managed to inflict?
"Very well then, you may go," She said dismissively while traversing down the corridor. Her lithe form flickered through the unnatural lighting of the Underworld until she arrived at the portion of mansion that was gifted to Ichigo as his personal residence.
The moment she entered the vaunted hall, a brief frown marred her mouth as she took notice of black scorch marks across the luxurious carpet. Grayfia rolled her eyes. The damage had Sirzechs written all over it.
Loud noises of dark grooves assaulted her ears and exasperation crept into her veins. Grayfia knew she wouldn't like what she would soon be witness to. Stepping under the threshold of Ichigo's room, her eyes twitched in annoyance at the sight before her.
Ichigo sat in his leather chair at his desk, a sleek black guitar on his leg and an indulgent smirk on his face. The warmth and genuine sincerity in his eyes briefly distracted her from her ire and made her content in knowing that the young man in her care was properly adjusting. She was honestly worried about the youngest of the peerage, as she could tell that he held on to some impressive burdens of his own. Seeing him like this, brought forth the same affection she usually felt every time Millicas exceeded the expectations of his tutors.
However, the moment she turned her eyes to man next to Ichigo, her annoyance renewed itself with incensed vigor. The sight of her husband, her centuries old husband, fooling around on a guitar when he had other more important matters to deal with, was…vexing to say the least.
Then there was the fact that her son was looking up at the childish man with something akin to hero worship. And that guitar…she was positive she threw it out decades ago. Grayfia pinched the bridge of her nose. 'This won't do,' she thought dourly. 'This won't do at all.'
Grayfia held out her hand in the direction of Sirzechs. At the gathering of demonic power, both Ichigo and Sirzechs went on edge and promptly whirled around towards her. Shame neither of them could do anything as a massive chunk of ice smashed into Sirzechs and sent him crashing through the window. Grayfia smirked vindictively as she heard her husband scream girlishly as he fell down four stories.
Now that was music to her ears.
"N-Nee-san…" She schooled her features but she knew her eyes were shining in dark fulfilment. Ichigo swallowed hard in the face of her façade.
Good…give her a few more months and Grayfia would have him suitably educated. Then, once he was a proper gentlemen, she could see about finding the boy a nice girl to set him up with. Leaving a young man of their race to his own devices for long periods of time was only asking for disaster.
"Okaa-sama!"
She turned towards her wayward child who was about to throw himself at her however, a single glance froze him in place. "Millicas," she began coolly. "You skipped your lessons."
instantly, regret formed on her child's face and he cast a downward gaze. "I'm sorry," he mumbled.
"If you wanted to meet with Ichigo-kun," she continued. "You only need have asked. Someone would have accompanied you. After your lessons would have concluded."
She did not enjoy the tears forming in her son's eyes nor did she take comfort in knowing she was the cause of them. However, both Sirzechs and Grayfia had a lot of enemies. For Millicas to go unaccompanied anywhere, it was well beyond the realm of dangerous. At least until he grew into his powers and was properly able defend himself they would have to keep him under constant surveillance.
"Wait a minute," Grayfia turned towards Ichigo as he stood up and set his guitar aside. "I'm partly at fault here, Nee-san. I should have realized that Millicas came here without any permission when he suddenly showed up without anyone with him. If anyone is to blame it's me." His face set with grim determination, Grayfia saw Ichigo in a new light. She fought off a twitch at the corners of her mouth.
'A fine young man indeed.'
"Be that as it may, Ichigo-kun," Grayfia shifted her weight and placed a hand on her hip. "Millicas knows the consequences of travelling alone. It is not safe for him."
Ichigo opened his mouth to protest however, Grayfia cut him off by raising her hand. "However, seeing as how nothing happened and Millicas did immediately find an adult the moment he arrived, I will withhold any punishment."
When her son looked up with a wide smile, all too reminiscent of his father, Grayfia narrowed her eyes and added. "For now."
Her stern warning nevertheless, went widely ignored as her son wrapped his arms around her waist in a tight hug. She let a small smile of exasperated fondness creep onto her lips as she heard his muffled apologies against her uniform.
Allowing herself to indulge fleetingly, Grayfia ran a hand through Millicas hair. Quick enough though, she pried the boy away from her and snapped her fingers. A maid appeared at Ichigo's door and Grayfia said, "Go and eat your lunch Millicas. Afterwards, I will have Enku escort you back to you lessons."
Millicas's expression fell rather swiftly and he shuffled out the door behind the maid, although, not before turning around and bidding farewell. "Good-bye Nii-sama! I had fun! I hope we can talk again!"
Grayfia blinked at the way Millicas addressed Ichigo though, it was hastily replaced with amusement. Ichigo's smile and response of 'Sure' only increased her sense of mirth.
She watched Millicas and the maid until they disappeared down the corridor. She turned back towards Ichigo, her face all business and said, "I apologize if Milicas caused you trouble. He's normally not one to shirk off his studies."
"Children will be children," Ichigo shrugged. "Speaking of which, neither of you told me you had a kid."
"Ah," Grayfia could hear the slight accusation in Ichigo's tone and, truthfully, it felt strange for her to be admonished for a change. "We were so occupied with other things it must have slipped our minds."
Grayfia was surprised when Ichigo's lips tightly thinned into the beginning of a frown. He opened his mouth, as if to say something yet, simply sighed tiredly and ran a hand through his long orange locks. Grayfia blinked a few times before cautiously inquiring, "Is…there something wrong?"
"No, it's nothing," Ichigo shook his head as he walked towards the shattered window and peered over the edge.
"I'll have the window repaired as soon as possible," she immediately said upon realizing that the entirety of the room was now bare to the elements. Though her voice held no inflection of it, she was slightly ashamed at the damage she had done so blatantly.
Taking a moment, she regained her strict bearings and asked sharply, "I'm going to assume that Sirzechs did not inform you of your first task?"
Ichigo crossed his arm with an expectant look. "Task?"
"We have received reports of a human necromancer attempting a powerful summoning." She informed him. "At least three Sinners have been confirmed to being resurrected."
"And I'm supposed to go and send them packing back to pits, right?" Ichigo asked.
Grayfia nodded. "Sirzechs informed me that he had already spoken to you of such occurrences and how it will be your duty to rectify them."
"Yeah," Ichigo said, looking up at the ceiling in recollection. "It was one of the first things he brought up with me when we initially met."
"Very well then," She nodded. "We shall leave after eating lunch, ourselves."
"We?" Ichigo looked at her in surprise.
She permitted a wry curl of her lips as she began to walk out of his room. "Your first demonic incursion into the human world would be well to be supervised. Especially for such a delicate matter. It wouldn't due to have you burn down an entire village."
Ichigo gave her a dry look as he moved to follow her. "I lost control of my powers once, once."
"You burned several acres of land." She stated pointedly.
Ichigo merely sighed in defeat from behind her.
Queen led as Pawn followed and the two made their way down to the dining area to join Millicas. Every now and then however, Grayfia cast a sideways glance at her youngest charge. Eventually, Ichigo noticed and inquired as to why she kept looking at him. Her response?
"You are in need of a haircut."
Ichigo groaned.
Grayfia and Ichigo both stepped out of the crimson circle and proceeded to walk out of the alley they had teleported to. She cast a glance up and down the busy street.
"Where are we?" Ichigo asked from behind her. In response, Grayfia waved her hand towards the skyline. Ichigo followed her gesture until his eyes widened as he beheld the most dominant landmark on the horizon.
"Paris?" He asked while staring at wonder at the Eiffel Tower.
"Indeed," She stated before sensing out their destination. She then gave him an expectant look. At his confused expression, she placed a hand on her hip and narrowed her eyes.
"Right," Ichigo sighed before mechanically repeating. "All Underworld activity in the Paris district is under the direct administration of the Sallos family of the Seventy-Two Pillars."
When she raised an eyebrow, expecting more, Ichigo sighed in exasperation once again. "The Sallos family possess the rank of Great Duke. They are known as pacifists and generally avoid most conflict. They're also known for their production of love potions, aphrodisiacs and…other…promiscuous…things."
Trailing off towards the end, Grayfia thought it was rather cute how the young man couldn't meet her eyes. "Very good," She said, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "You've been paying attention to your lessons."
Her eyes then flickered to his hands that he was rubbing against one another. "Are they uncomfortable?"
"Huh?" A brief bout of confusion flitted across his features before he followed her gaze to his hands. Ichigo's own line of sight fell onto them and he noted the tribal like tattoos on each wrist. "Their slightly itchy."
"Let me see," she said while holding out her hand. As Ichigo placed his hands in her own, Grayfia traced the markings on his wrist with her index finger. She sent a cool rush of magic within his skin to lessen the irritation.
The markings, were an insulator of sorts. Ichigo still hadn't fully managed to reign in his powers and he was still liable to infect humans with his tremendous demonic presence. Of course they were only temporary. Ichigo's massive reserves would eventually burn right through them if given enough hours.
"Come, let's be off shall we?" She asked. Ichigo nodded his head and shoved his hands into the pockets of jeans and slouched his lean frame forward.
"Ichigo-kun," She said with a hint of censure, causing said young devil to flinch slightly. "Do not slouch."
"As you say, Nee-san." He said idly, straightening his back and blowing his bangs out of his eyes. She was about to chide him on his hair again when she caught sight of a man leering at her as they walked by. She fought the urge to roll her eyes.
'Men,' she thought in irritation.
She had changed out of her maid uniform into a long flowing, sky blue skirt and white blouse. She wasn't about to walk the streets of Paris in a maid outfit. The catcalls were unnecessary to her work, though it seemed that it wouldn't have made much of a difference.
She wound her arm with Ichigo's to dissuade any encouragement of human courting. She was pleased when Ichigo seemed to understand the situation quick enough as he did not raise any questions. Instead, Ichigo fixed the man with a dark glare that sent him scurrying. Grayfia smiled to herself. Perhaps Ichigo didn't need too much work after all. He was a thousand times better than the rest of Sirzechs's peerage based on that small display alone.
Those idiots would have allowed, if not openly encouraged, a man to approach her if only for the entertainment value it would have provided them. Of course, she would have proceeded to thrash all of them including the fool who dared to make a move on her.
"Hey, Nee-san?"
"Yes, Ichigo-kun?" She turned to look up at him, his face still fixed in a shadowed scowl, scaring away both human males and females. She idly wondered if he knew what kind of effect he had on young women.
"Shouldn't we, I don't know, talk to Duke Sallos before we go walking around in his territory?" He asked.
"I am glad to see you thinking along those lines," Grayfia dipped her head in approval. "It is considered incredibly rude to simply flaunt into another's territory without asking permission. However, as it is, it was the Duke himself who requested aid in dealing with the necromancer and I have already spoken with him prior to our arrival."
"Oh."
As they continued to walk at a casual pace towards the necromancer's last known location, Grayfia noticed that Ichigo had suddenly become on edge. "Is everything alright, Ichigo-kun?"
"There's…a feeling in the air." His face twisted in concentration. "Like there's a sense of decay waving around."
Grayfia looked at him in surprise. "I'm impressed, Ichigo-kun. It seems your ability to sense auras has come along quite nicely."
"You mean you feel it too?" He asked in befuddlement.
"As you must have noticed, the sun is set." She pointed out.
"Yeah, so?"
"Paris," she switched into lecturing mode. "Is host to the largest population of Vampires outside of Romania. In the hours of dusk, they awaken. It is them, which you are sensing."
"Vampires?" Ichigo muttered in awe.
"Indeed," Grayfia said. "The catacombs that run beneath the city are filled with the Undead and their ilk. Paris, unfortunately, has always suffered from an infestation of necromancers for this very reason."
"So you're telling me I'm going to be making frequent trips here?" Ichigo asked.
"Not necessarily no," She shook her head. "Few necromancers possess the skill and power needed to reach into the bowels of Hell. Most of today's necromancers can reanimate a corpse at best. To actually bring the soul back requires an in depth knowledge of esoteric magic that takes centuries to accumulate."
Ichigo blinked. "Centuries? As in hundreds of years? I thought you said this guy was human. How did he manage to bring back Sinners if it requires that much time to get to that level?"
Grayfia sighed. "Ultimately, the goal of necromancy, for most anyways, is immortality. Sadly, many human necromancers turn themselves into the Undead as to keep themselves from dying."
A look of revulsion crossed Ichigo's face and upon catching it, Grayfia nodded her head in agreement. "Yes, it's a very disgusting practice. Turn left here."
Grayfia led Ichigo by the arm to the side of an old cobblestone building. Letting go of his arm, Grayfia placed her palm on the stone wall and sent a pulse of magic. The spot beneath her hand glowed a light blue before the stones seemed to fold in on themselves, revealing a long staircase that descended into the underground quarries of Paris.
The staircase was wide enough for the two devils to step downwards simultaneously. After the first few steps, the entrance closed behind them, leaving them in a perpetual abyss. Even their enhanced supernatural vision failing in the complete absence of light. "Hang on," Grayfia heard Ichigo's voice echo from beside her.
Suddenly, the staircase was illuminated in a dark orange glow as Ichigo held up a single fingertip encased in hellfire. Grayfia noted that, even though it was barely the size of a candle flame, Ichigo's conjured fire brought the temperature up by several degrees. Almost to the point of uncomfortableness. She gained a whole new appreciation for the horrors of hellfire as she swept a thin layer of ice-magic over her skin to keep herself cool.
It took them quite some time to descend all the way to the bottom of the staircase. She estimated that they were at least a hundred meters underground. As soon as they reached the bottom though, the chamber that the staircase led to, was engulfed in a fiery light as torches burst into flame. "Guess my finger isn't needed anymore," Ichigo commented indolently from aside her.
The brief bout of hellfire was put out and both Grayfia and Ichigo took in the sight of large cavernous walls lined with bones and human skulls. "There," Grayfia pointed out a passage underneath an arch of bones.
As Ichigo moved forward, Grayfia put a delicate touch on his shoulder. "A moment, Ichigo-kun."
He frowned at her and asked. "What is it?"
She looked ahead of him and said, "I want you to reach out with your magic to just a few feet to the front of us."
His frowned deepened but she knew he acquiesced when she felt the thrum of his demonic magic wash over her. "Carefully," she chided. "Do not push your magic so forcibly; ease it to where you desire it."
A second passed and Ichigo's eyes lit with surprise. "There's something there," he muttered softly as she nodded encouragingly. His brow furrowed in concentration. "It's almost like…like a wall?"
"Well done," Grayfia smiled gently. "The necromancer has put up a magical ward to trap any who cross it. In a painful manner too, I'd wager."
"How do we break it," determination setting in his eyes.
She shook her head, "In time, when your feel for the mystic develops further, you'll be able to realize that this barrier includes two other enchantments. One to alert the weaver that the trap has been sprung and the other to alert him if it has undone."
"So no powering through?" He asked sweeping his long bangs.
"I'm afraid a more delicate hand is necessary in this situation," she said as her eyes shone in bemusement.
With the practiced eased brought by centuries, Grayfia sent light tendrils of her demonic power to unravel the wards in reverse order. With a satisfied hum, she resumed forward and silently beckoned Ichigo to follow.
For the next hour or so, the pair navigated through the labyrinth of the dead, attempting to find the mage marked for death by the Underworld government. On and on they went, their only company the constant presence of the numerous corpses. Eventually, they stopped when the scent of rotting flesh and sickeningly sweet decay hit them.
Grayfia had to keep her nose from wrinkling as the perverted and infectious magicks in the air attempted to cling to her potent flesh. With a small curl of her lip, she brought up her dark power and pushed the foul energies away. She turned to make sure that Ichigo did the same however, a movement in the shadows of the room caught her attention.
The figure came forward, wobbling and sifting through the murky water that had gathered at the other end of the area. "That, Ichigo-kun," Grayfia pointed with loathing. "Is the result of the most vulgar of magecraft."
Ichigo's face was contorted in a violent twist of disgust and revulsion. It was easily one of the most unsettling sights Grayfia, herself, had seen.
The necromancer's skin had long rotted away, leaving lumps of blackened and purple flesh that clung loosely to yellowed and cracked bones. Spider like fingers, many broken and jagged, clawed over empty sockets and hollow bare teeth. Its voice came warped and gravelly, no doubt its vocal cords had decayed long ago and only some sinister, twisted magic allowed it to still imitate what crude speech it was capable of. "DevILs…SelFisH…gReedY…DEviLS! GIvE uS…tHE...SEcREt!"
Bile rose within the Silver-Haired Queen as she saw maggots drop from the Undead's slackened jaw. "As you can see," Grayfia noted with pure repugnance layering her voice. "It's become completely insane in its single-minded pursuit of immortality.
Ichigo made a noise in the back of his throat and Grayfia wasn't sure if he was agreeing with her or holding down his lunch.
"ARRRRGGGHHH!" The Necromancer let out a roar as it flung its arms up in the air and a noxious miasma spilled forth from its shambling corpse.
The air twisted with a malignant power, a complete anathema to all life within the bounds of Creation. Grayfia noticed with a macabre professional interest, three dark purple magic circles appeared before it.
Her eyes narrowed. 'It's attempting to summon the Sinners it let loose.'
Three skeletons rose forth, covered in a gleaming silver metal and Grayfia immediately recognized them as alchemical homunculi used as necromantic mediums for souls. The homunculi began to fall into spasms as if they were in pain and began to trash about violently as they fell to the floor.
Violent and corrupt magicks permeated the small chamber, centering on the metal skeletons. Dark power coalesced and began to form clusters of tissue and sinew. The skeletons were being coated in flesh as their bodies being made. Layers upon layers of muscle knotted and twisted. As their throats formed, soul tearing screams ripped forth from their convulsing forms.
Grayfia, having fought in the Devil Civil War, had witnessed unspeakable horrors that could have only been brought about by demons that her kind were. However, even after all those traumatizing and scarring years, this scene still made it difficult for her not to flinch away. And beneath her indifferent exterior and behind her disgust marred eyes, she worried that such an extreme experience would be too much for Ichigo so early on.
The screaming gave way to labored, heavy rasps for air and Grayfia saw how pale skin, pink and raw, had now formed over the homunculi. They were completely hairless, not a follicle on their bodies nor their heads. Two of them were male while the third was female.
Gasping for breath, the female took a glance behind her and sneered. "So the freak brought us back. Wonder what shit it'll make us do this time."
"I'm guessing it has something to do with these two," the male on the left said.
The other male wagged its tongue and leered at her while fondling itself. "Now that's one helluva bird. I'd think I'd like to play with her."
Ignoring them, Grayfia said, "Remember Ichigo-kun, you must burn the Sinners with your hellfire if they are to be returned to the Fields of Punishment. If not, we will have to drag them back the long way."
When she didn't get a response, Grayfia turned towards him and was shocked to see Ichigo with his head in in his hand. Concern immediately flooded her eyes. "Ichigo-kun? What's wrong?" She placed a hand on his shoulder and shook him.
"Hah! One of them's already lost it!" The female Sinner wheezed.
"KIiL"
A maniacal light entered the Sinners eyes as a harsh pink light glowed from within their mouths.
"The bitch is mine!"
Grayfia cast a quick glance towards the Sinner before looking at Ichigo once more. What had happened to Ichigo? Why wasn't he responding? While she could effortlessly deal with the Sinners and the necromancer, the whole point of this incursion was for Ichigo to do it.
"There is no escape…"
Grayfia scrutinized Ichigo with fret as she barely made out his whisper. Had the sight of the necromancer and the raising of the dead been too much for the boy? It was then that the acidic smell of Sulfur burned into her nostrils.
Grayfia yelped as she was forced to pull her hand off Ichigo's shoulder as it burned her.
"There is no MERCY!"
The temperature in the underground chamber skyrocketed until the air became scalding and stifling. A suffocating pressure of malevolence and volcanic fury crushed down on all the occupants of the room. The heat generated from her young companion distorted the air and surrounded him in a violent haze.
As Ichigo's hand fell away from his face and as he stood tall, Grayfia was stunned by the change that overcame his features. Visage grim and cruel, Ichigo's irises raged in crimson hellfire.
The shadows in the chamber twisted and arced as if they had come to life and, while she had no idea of what had happened, the three Sinners seemed to have fallen in a state of pure, unadulterated terror.
"No, I'm not going back, I'm not going back" the female Sinner, shook her head frantically. She then shrieked. "NO!"
"Fuck,fuck,fuck,fuck,FUCK! You've got to be shitting me…there's no way I'm heading back there!" The crude male roared.
"Quickly!" The third male shouted. "Kill him!"
She gathered her demonic power as all three Sinners gained a fanatic look in their eyes and rushed at Ichigo however, Ichigo himself deftly raised his arm and thick chains of blackened metal thrust from seemingly nowhere and wrapped the Sinners in unbreakable bonds. All three of them struggled wildly, their synthetic flesh hissing and burning under their fiendish binds.
And then, Ichigo spoke.
Transient.
Beyond life and death.
His voice, bereft of emotion, sent shivers down her spine.
'Merciless,' She thought.
Which Is The Corner That My Chain Does Not Reach?
The female screamed in horror, knowing what Ichigo's words delivered. The men, shook and fought against their bonds, possessed and frantic with all-consuming dread.
Which Is The Heart That My Darkness Does Not Devour?
Her heart pounded painfully in her chest. She could taste sweat on her lips. The throbbing in her temples reinforced by centuries of instinct that screeched at her to flee for the sake of her sanity. Each word, it felt as if some terrible judgment was being passed and Grayfia knew that if those words were directed towards her, her mind would have shattered in sheer terror.
Which Is The World That My Fire Does Not Burn?
Ichigo stood tall amidst a sea of fear and madness. His overwhelming presence crushing everyone else and Grayfia couldn't help but compare his aura to the one her husband summoned to end the civil war that had plagued their kind for centuries.
Unexpectedly, chains dragged forth the necromancer, its decrepit frame broken and limbless as the infernal bindings pieced through its chest. Letting out low guttural growls, it spoke out in some deteriorated language she could not identify.
Ichigo's head tilted, an innocent enough gesture that would have gone unheeded had his eyes not been glinting in a shadow that transcended the evil of her ancestors. His arms spread wide and a bone white substance began to leak from the corner of his eyes and out of his mouth.
Rejoice…For I Am Your Long Sought Eternity
Grayfia's world exploded in hellfire.
Author's Note: I am SERIOUSLY blown away by everyone's support. Thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews. Also, I'd like to thank everyone who sent me a PM for their questions. I've tried to get back to everyone in a timely fashion.
If you have further questions, don't be shy I'm always open to give an explanation or answer.
This chapter was mainly cementing Ichigo's place in the Underworld and opening up a sub-plot within the story. I have to say, writing Grayfia is a real pleasure and, conversely, writing Sirzechs is a pain in the ass. Switching from his serious mode to his child-like persona is quite difficult.
Anyways, the frame for the next chapter has been decided as well as the introduction of the first harem member, drum roll please...Yasaka!
I'll also be introducing Amaterasu and the nature of her interest in Ichigo.
Also, if you caught the Sabbath reference...damn...you're a real hardcore fan.
Hope You Enjoyed!
CE-NEX
