Sup everyone, Quicker update than normal so I hope you all enjoy.
Again thank you to Aroneden for proofreading
1
1
1
It was an odd assortment of people who met under the starlight sky that night in Kouh; under the shadow of the old church devils and exorcists met not to do battle, but to fight a greater foe. Now Ichigo had no doubt this sort of thing had happened before because a thousand years was a long time. Not often of course, and perhaps never because of the efforts of a fifteen year old boy.
Nonetheless he was privately amazed, perhaps that should not have been the case; he had worked with Hollows, Vizards, Arrancar, Shinigami even the shinigami version Hell itself. But most often it had never been through his own work, his own initiative. Most of the time those groups came to him, it was perhaps why this idea had never occurred to him. Though to be fair it had occurred to no one else save Issei Hyoudou, that boy had looked at the problem, all the red tape, all the history and simply gone over it.
It made him glad in a way, to see that he was still his own person, that he was not tuning the boy into some sort of clone of himself. He would never want nor wish that on anyone, his main goal was to make his family stronger and see if he could at least aim the boy's perversions away from people who did not want to be part of them. Momo and Ruruka were helping in that regard, in fact that seemed to be enjoying it. Saji had never given much thought to how they made themselves look but Issei was more than happy to tell them so. Hell if either showed a bit of cleavage they could have him wrapped around their thumb. Not that the boy seemed to mind in the slightest; perhaps when this affair was over they could go on their (not date) and see how that went.
"Yen for your thoughts" Tsubasa said.
His two rooks were on either side of him nobody was touching but they didn't need to, tonight would be a night of violence and in their own way they all prepared. Kiba stood to one side looking odd… Reya was on the other side of the group her back turned to him, even if her anger had dimmed somewhat she still seethed in rage at the knight. Her words must have had some effect because his eyes, his stance, they all lacked the vicious self destructive hatred of last night.
The knight stole a few glances at the Bishop here and there, his look even more odd on his handsome face. Confusion, uncertainty, trepidation and…. Respect. Somehow her words had reached him, reached him in a way Rias had not; in the rest of them had not… well except for Issei. Perhaps it was the tag team aspect, Issei had broken his guard with his willingness to help, and Reya had shattered it by doing something so out of character it demanded thought as to why he had caused such a response.
Couple that the fact that she had still come to help him despite being enraged… well the Knight had a lot to think about; And that, Ichigo felt was a good thing he himself had a lot to think about and had been thinking about this past day. Such as the undeniably poignant fact that he could stand to learn a few lessons from Issei about how to deal with family
"It seems you all made it." Xenovia walked out of the church with Irina in tow, said girl looked a little distracted. A hint of her cheery self muted, perhaps that was how she dealt with combat "Come on in we need to get you all dressed."
"In what?" Ichigo asked.
"The uniform of the exorcist."
"Why?"
Xenovia rolled her eyes "To disguise you"
"How is that going to do anything, hell wearing that will make us more obvious."
The girls shrugged "Well if you do not want to wear it then you can stay behind" Ichigo rolled his eyes but since the others did not seem to mind really and Kiba would take whatever route got him there faster he let it go.
They were taken into the church and an instant sense of ease fell over him, in the opposite way it seemed to affect the other devils in the group. There was power here, old and faded but never gone; just standing in it he could feel that power flowing to him and through him. It did not stay in his body and taking it away from this place felt wrong but it was a pleasant sensation nonetheless. "Room on the right" Irina pointed "You boys can change in there, and you girls get the left.
"I'll keep watch until everyone gets dressed" Tsubasa said to which Xenovia paused and gave a little smile along with a nod of respect. Ichigo had been about to say something similar a precaution he doubted his teammates in the Rias peerage would have thought off.
He put a hand on her shoulder as he moved passed "Thank you" the rook just smiled and leaned back in what looked like a relaxed stance. Nothing could have been further from the truth but it did not look threatening. He doubted it would fool Xenovia but at least the girl would know they made the effort.
He, Issei and Kiba walked into the room and found about a dozen spare exorcist garbs in different sizes. Ichigo grabbed three that looked like they might fit and the other boy's did the same.
"Kurosaki" He glanced lover at Kiba who was eyeing him and Issei "Why are you doing this? Beyond what has been said already you could stop me if you wanted to, surely Bouchou would want that."
"Rias wants us to be safe" he corrected "I understand what you are going through, I would be a hypocrite to try and stop you. Therefore I will help you, it's the only way I can protect you."
Kiba looked away from him down to the clothing he was supposed to put on. "So every one of you is doing this because I could get myself hurt?"
"That is the price of having a family who loves you, or in Reya's case someone who simply loves you. You lose the right to only affect yourself the moment you let others into your life. The moment you took Buchou's hand you were no longer alone." The knights fingers so quick and assured seemed clumsy in that moment with his head bowed. Issei gave him a worried look but kept quiet as they let the knight sort through his feelings.
On that sobering note they left the room and after a few minutes they had all assembled together. Xenovia nodded at them before glancing at Issei "Since you are helping us it seems only right that I tell you the white dragon is active." Now to the rest of them the words meant nothing but it clearly struck something in Issei.
Irina glanced from her partner to them and her expression took on a note of devil may care defiance "We also did have a discussion with Cardinal Vasco" the way she looked at them made it seem like they should have known the name. "We were not able to convince him to abide by the terms of the truce." Xenovia looked livid as her partner spoke "He is still going after his target, whoever that is."
"Any luck it's that big fallen angel?" Reya asked.
"No, that would make way too much sense" Irina groused.
"Moving on" Xenovia whispered "There are several places which our intelligence has pinged as possible sites for enemy activity."
The way she turned the conversation had him on edge, while it was true whoever this was had defeated Kiba, and done so with ease, the very tone Irina had spoken in was a warning. What he really wanted right now was to get the exorcist alone for a moment so that they could talk. But judging by the glare her partner was still giving her out of the corner of her eye that was not going to happen.
Still surely if it was really that bad, they would get an answer form Sirzech or Serafall. Both had been dispatched letters and neither had answered yet which now that he thought about it was odd in and of itself. With how those two adored their baby sisters even a minor threat like this would have at least got something.
"We are going to split up, if either of us finds anything we will give each other a call, understood?" They nodded "Let's get going then"
They were quite as they moved back into town, Ichigo had to resist rolling his eyes at how out of place they all looked, people actually cleared the streets at catching sight of them. Which was useful on its own but made finding someone harder when they could easily see you coming so like everything in the world a tradeoff.
His spiritual sense was active and ready and that thankfully could go further than they could see. So far there were no one besides humans, nonetheless he swept the area again and found something odd. His knew he had gotten better at sensing but it was like finding a tiny pin needle in a city wide haystack. He followed it down to the boy right next to him and frowned, he had thought the sacred gear Issei possessed had devoured his power. But there was a small bit it seemed to have missed, that small piece of his soul seemed to sense his awareness and it grew, grew by just a bit.
"I'm telling you to be careful" Ichgio almost flinched at the deep voice "You never know when the white dragon is going to attack" Issei's gaze was focused.
"And just who is the white dragon, I mean besides your rival" it was clearly Issei's voice but his mouth had not moved.
"Second Rival" the voice corrected "I have the dead god's boy toy when the White is not here"
"Why do you call him that, who is the Dead God and what does he have to do with Ichigo?"
"That does not matter, all that does is that you are going stronger, you have done well to increase the time you can use my armor."
"Don't forget that I actually am learning how to fight hand to hand"
"I refuse to acknowledge anything that abomination does for you"
"Fragile little butter flower aren't you"
There was no response apparently the voice felt that question was beneath its dignity "Is something wrong?" Koneko asked, she must have noted Issei's distracted gaze.
It took the boy a moment to respond "Hmm? Nothing, I was just wondering where we should go, I mean I don't think walking around like this is going to find them."
"Perhaps they are in a less populated area" Kiba said.
"I know a few of those places" Reya added with a nod.
Kiba paused to confer with her as they exchanged quite words, the girl looked to be trying her hardest to remember she was mad at the knight and not about to squee that their faces were so close. "We should start there" he agreed and pointed "The old Observatory."
1
1
1
There were about a mile away when Ichigo felt it, the presence of a sacred sword; as he focused in on that he found one human soul and one…whatever it was just sensing it felt like running his body though liquid sewage. He had never in his life had he ever come across something so alien. "Nel" he said.
His familiar appeared on his shoulder she yawned "What's up Itsygo?"
"Do you feel that?" at his words the whole party stop moving.
Nel closed her eyes and made a face her small nose wrinkling "That is" her voice was different, older "Disgusting"
"Do you recognize it" she shook her head "Is not a hollow or any variation that I do know" the whole group was starting at them. "Did you notice the barrier?"
"No what barrier?"
"The one with a hole right on the path that leads to it, like they want people to show but only by the front."
It took him a moment but with Nel's guidance his senses adjusted "It seems to be based on the same power that Negación uses. Weaker it can be broken but is large enough to cover a whole building."
"Understood."
"So" Tsubasa said "What are you two talking about?"
"There is someone there" he nodded in the direction of the observatory "One human, and one...I don't know but one of something. There is a holy sword and a barrier that keeps anyone from entering besides the front." Issei took out his phone and sent a text, probably to the Xenovia and Irina.
"However with enough force the barrier can be broken, so here is my idea for a plan. Kiba, Me, Issei and Reya, will enter the front. With Reya to act as support for me, Kiba, and Issei; we will wait for a few minutes first so that Koneko and Tsubasa have time to flank. Given that the two of you are rooks you should have the force to break through the barrier and attack from the rear. Once the other two arrive they will probably just run in and attack so that kind of makes a flank strike even more necessary." he nodded 'Anyone have any objections?"
After a moment of quiet it seemed no one did "Let's get moving then"
So it was with that the advance party waited in place few several long minutes, once the two rooks were in place they received a single thumbs up text message. With that accomplished he nodded at his team "Reya your job is to be on the defensive, protect us I would not be surprised if there are tricks I don't know about.
The wind picked up as Reya slipped off her glasses and put them in a pocket. Small green symbols appeared around her as the wind bent inward around the bishop. She started murmuring in Latin as they ascended the steps.
Ichigo let out a breath and since they had time spoke the truth of his soul. Unnecessary but it felt right, it felt like it was how his power should be awakened.
"I am the Guardian seeking domination and supremacy of the self."
"I am that who rejects the infinite, I am he who denies the dream."
"I shall become the Blade, before which fate and reason die."
"And I shall take you to the heights of our shining future."
"Engage, Zangetsu"
His body shimmered in blue light that moved over his skin like a wave leaving behind black cloth, the marked skin, the single horn and a glowing yellow eye. The familiar, powerful weight of Zangetsu settled into his back. "That's better." he whispered now free that ridiculous exorcist outfit. Reya did not seem to care but Kiba did the same casting the clothing off to the side. Nel did as she always did and clung to his back like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Issei also tossed off his costume and manifested both of his gauntlets. "Ok" he murmured "Let's go attack something with an instant kill, should be fun."
"Just remember your training" Ichigo replied "Don't get hit."
"I am fully aware of that"
Nel spoke up "We are here"
Nothing attacked them the instant they arrived but there was a perfectly visible threat. It stood on top of the observatory, leaking pure spiritual rot the likes of which he truly never experienced. Its appearance however did not match the sensation. It stood about six feet tall its entire body covered in some modern interpretation of full plate. Silver bright with sacred runes etched all over its metal. The armor had odd looking joints, bulbous ball like protrusions seemingly designed to allow full range of motion. Across the visor was a red line and wings had been embroidered into the metal. But most importantly across its back was a holy sword.
They were in its vision but nothing of its form moved "Well, well, well, I did not think coming here would result in a reunion." With an appropriate dramatic walk a figure walked onto the roof. He was short, a bit on the rotund side with frizzy grey hair a white priest's outfit complete with an odd white head covering "I had wondered if you succeeded in your escape Kiba-kun"
A silence fell over the area as the Knights eyes with wide in pure hate "Valpar Galilei".
"I had heard that one escaped but that given the temperature, the state of weakness you had to be in and the blizzard I assumed you died." he smiled "It seems I was right, though I must say I am happy to see you well."
"I'll kill you" Kiba whispered.
"You will try young man, and when you fail I will get a chance to see what moderate light affinity does when it is transmuted into a devil form." He put his finger to his chin "Does it help or hinder?"
Kiba vanished in blue of speed, simply appearing next to the Bishop his dark blade howling for blood and crashing into a sudden corona of shimmering light. At the same moment the armored one grasped his blade and vanished from sight, however it could not hide its spiritual stench. Closing his eyes and syncing with Zangetsu he used the flash step to appear at Kiba's back.
In the darkness that was his world now he saw a sickly green flame and a blade of pure radiance. He blocked the blow and met the creature strength to strength, it almost pushed him back, deadlocked it gave way and unleashed a powerful slash that Ichigo was forced to block again rather than have it hit Kiba. From the sound of it the boy had tried to break the shield again and was not paying any attention to the world around him.
Ichigo let go of the blade with one hand balling it into a fist causing a flare of blue veins as he struck out and impacted the creature. It was rocked back a few feet off balance "It's visible now" Reya yelled.
Ichigo opened his eyes to see that the create currently had an issue with a wind spell pinning a host of small debris, leaves and sticks pinned to is form. It was at that moment he realised she had not been speaking to him, a blast of green energy that burned through the concrete of the building slammed into it. Fully visible now it had turned into the blast and knelt with the blade before it like a shield against the blast.
It might have worked but Issei was not alone "Getsuga Tenshou" he snarled and brought his own blade down. The two blasts collided and… mixed, became stronger, a turquoise orb swallowed most of the monster. Ichigo had to turn grab Kiba, feel his back get singed and flash step them away a heartbeat before they got caught up in the explosion. Most of the building vanished, Valpar was flung away still protected by his barrier to rebound off the magical dome and back onto the ground.
The old man let out a wheezing laugh as he rolled onto his belly, Kiba tore himself from Ichigo's grip was on the man like a carrion bird; twin swords of darkness raining down slashes like a blender. Once again his focus so absolute that he did not see a figure burst from the dust and shoulder ram him hard enough to send him though a tree and crashing into another. Gold sparks danced along the scorched armor as a good half of the sacred runes looked blackened and burned out.
"Well you lot seem to have a lot more power than was reported." The former priest said with a sigh of pain. "Golem kill" his words were cut off as the barrier dome shattered and two figures fell from the sky, both Koneko and Tsubasa's right arms were glowing, Koneko's a twisted set of blue vines ending in a rose, Tsubasa's arm looked had patterned blue lines like him but hers were in some pattern that made it look like it was covered in glowing scales. On her fist the lines freemed to form two rows of stylized teeth, both girls were targeting the old man that was clear. The armored one turned and that was when Ichigo and Issei moved, he flash stepped in front of it and brought his blade around in a spinning chop forcing it to block, it vanished with the power of its sacred blade but had no time to move. Issei moved with speed he did not possess, the wind itself pushing him onward, speeding him, and removing as much friction in the space before him as Reya could manage.
His glowing green arm slammed into the invisible creatures back denting the armor and making it visible again, the dragon hand came up and grasped the blade hand. The ground shattered behind them as both Rooks slammed into Valpar. There was a sound of pain as the dust cleared and the light around the man flickered and died.
With a snarl of effort, cloaking his blade with the power of the moon fang Ichigo brought his weapon down on the arm Issei had pinned. The metal heated scarlet, a dozen more runes sparked out, then thirty as the thing glowed gold and in a squeal of twisting metal its arm twisted around and grabbed onto Issei's sacred Gear. Its body contorted into a horrific shape not at all human looking anymore and Issei went flying as it hurled him into the sky. About fifty feet up the boy summoned his wings but that was all the time Ichigo had as he parried a blade aimed at his feet, the arm holding it now having three sixty motion.
"Halt" A weak voice cried.
The monster stopped moving and simply drooped; Ichigo took a cautious step back and glanced behind him keeping the monster in the corner of his eye. Koneko looked like she had very nearly twisted the man's arm off. Ichigo shook his head "Clever girl"
"I know right" Tsubasa said.
Kiba was slowly pulling himself from the tree, including pulling his body off a jagged splinter that had impaled his back. The knight hardly seemed to notice, the blood dribbled down his side but being a devil it was not nearly as bad as it looked. Two flashes of black landed as the exorcists finally arrived "What in God's name is that?" Irina said looking slightly ill.
Ichigo could not blame her, right now it looked about half as bad soul, the thing had not moved in inch since it had been told to stop.
"W-well now that would be golomancy" Valpar said cradling his right arm, he did not move more than that because Tsubasa had his head in a vice grip. The girl herself did not look like she could bring herself to just pop the man's head like a grape but he could not see that and must have assumed she was more than willing.
"Had a lot of spare parts after the holy sword experiments could not let all that light affinity flesh go to waste." Kiba stopped moving his face turning absolutely pale looking at the mangled creature. "Oh of course it does look unseemly, do fix that" he said. Metal squealed and twisted back into shape, the armor looking almost fresh despite the burn marks. Another thirty of the runes had turned black leaving not all that many glowing gold. "Took a lot of work grafting individual parts with high light affinity, then bonding it to armor, spending the money for the enchantments." the man sighed, "All in all not worth it in the end, it barely has enough light affinity to hold Excalibur Transparency, sure it can use its ability but it cant bring out its full power. To be quite honest, this was my backup plan since that moran Freed got himself caught by the church. That wicked snake is probably spilling his guts by now" somehow the old man managed to sound kind as he just talked into the air clearly loving the sound of his own voice.
"Monster" Issei whispered, Reya looked on the verge of throwing up, and Nel was quite her gaze locked on the man. It might save them all trouble if he let the arrancar just eat the vile man's soul.
Kiba moved next to the armored figure "You" he whispered, "You just chopped them up for parts?"
"What else was I supposed to do, I mean I could have gotten rid of them but you would never have had the chance to see again."
"Enough" Xenovia whispered.
Tsubasa and Koneko stepped back as the exorcist drew forth her Excalibur and pointed it his throat "Valpar Gaspari In the name of the holy church you are charged with innumerable crimes against humanity, the theft of sacred artifacts and the desecration of the Church's holy name. Tell us where the other blades are and you might just avoid execution."
Even Ichigo almost didn't see what happened next, a strangled cry from the knight an arm and a blade moving as if light itself. Kiba's glare was absolutely insane his eyes blood red and the wordless howl he gave was something for a forgotten eon.
The dark blade's tip pierced the man's eye and seemed set on punching through his head, it was when a light flared, as all the rest of the runes on the Golem's body expended. When the light cleared there was a single human eyeball skewered on the tip of the blade. There was a crashing sound as something in the woods ran headlong through the underbrush. Xenovia spared Kiba a single glare before barking orders at Irina. Both girls leapt after it, Kiba growled like a maddened beast and made to jump in after them, Ichigo caught him by the back of his shirt and yanked him off his feet "No" he said voice cold as Ice.
The knight whirled on him not able to from words "If you're not going to expand the least amount of effort to keep yourself alive, then fuck being a hypocrite."
"Did you even hear" the voice was sharp drawn from the boy's throat like blood from a wound "Do even get what he did to them."
"I did" he replied.
Kiba's sword came up in a slashing motion, Ichigo shattered it with an almost contemptuous backhand "Really?" he asked, "You would raise your blade at us."
"Shut up" Kiba's power shifted "I have to Kill him" he breathed "kill him, Kill him, I have to kill him"
"No you are going to die if you try, calm down then we will all go"
"I" something broke "DONT CARE!"
Devil power roared in time with that howl a wave of red light somehow corrupted, dark, vile, "Yutto!" Reya looked panicked "Don't"
A horn erupted from the center of the boy's forehead pointing straight up, the red power seemed to seep into the Knight's skin, tuning it the color of blood, his hair seemed to fade to an almost platinum color. "No" Koneko whimpered and fell to her knees. The knight was being consumed by his own power, gaining more in exchange for everything, Kiba Yutto was becoming a true stray. Two new sets of red eyes opened above the knights own, his shoulder distended as a third arm started to emerge.
"Kill, Kill, KILLL!" it howled.
Twin circles flared behind them all as Sona, Tsubaki, Orihime, Rias, Akeno and Asia arrived into this horrorscape. "No, no, no" Rias looked stunned, horrified and Sona herself looked no less so. Things had just gone from bad to worse, Ichigo could almost see the future taking shape, them having to put down the knight before he hurt anyone, the pain, the heartbreak, the agony, he could see that future clear as day and… he rejected that and drew on his power.
1
Watching on his comfortable chair quite a safe distance away the Fallen Angel known to all as Kokabiel, Cadre of the Gregory, lord of war and battle, sat and watched the events unfold. Unlike his brethren his body had not taken on an aspect of beauty, for he had not fallen for such low pleasure as the simple flesh. His skin was pale, his hair long and dark, his eyes a blood red from sclera to pupil. His ears were set back into long sharp angles, his body thin yet strong, he wore a robe of black with a flared neck and gold shoulder coverings. Many a time as of late he had been mistaken for Vlad Dracul which perhaps made some sense. Kokabiel cared little for that however, he only wished for this peace to end, for the blood to flow as it had always been meant too. It almost did not matter from whence it came, only that it did.
Right now however the way in which his toy had been handled so easily was unexpected. From what he had been told the peerages in this city, while both relatives of the current Maou of hell, they were peaceful weak even the addition of a sacred gear like the red dragon emperor was not all that much of a concern.
Or at least it should not have been, but looking at all of them now his war honed senses told him something was wrong. Most were stronger than reported; the two siblings of the Maou both seemed to be hiding power and a great deal of it. He could not tell how much only that it was there, the rooks had displayed powers that he had never seen before, and they had a former soul reaper. It must have almost been fifteen hundred years since he had last seen one of their kind.
He still bore the scar from a fight with a woman of all people the greatest sword user of her whole race, he still had dreams about that fight and in all these years that women and only one other had come the closest to arousing his desire for more than just battle. But the great severing had put an end to that and more the better for it, the last thing he wanted was his mind tied up in things as unimportant as sex.
He had been under the impression that Soul Reapers were on the list of things that could not be turned into devil's but perhaps that was because no one could find them anymore. Still this was good as far as he was concerned, things were becoming a lot more interesting. So much so in fact that it seemed like the proper place to call in a few...friends.
"That is quite the wicked smile you have master"
So happy was he that Kokabiel was not even annoyed at hearing the doddering old fool speak, there was a bloody bandage over his eye and that golem of his held him in its arms like a fat baby. "I was thinking, it has been a while since" he frowned "What is that mortal saying" he snapped his fingers a few times "Ah, since I got the band back together" he shook his head "I wonder how many of my host will still answer the call" his grin became manic "How about we find out."
"Kokabiel" He glanced at two little girls with big swords below them one was shouting at him "For your"
"Yes yes crimes aginst everyone and their mother" he said waving a hand "I was listening when you gave that speech to old Valper here" he let out a board sigh "Fine first I will retrieve your Excalibur's then perhaps you two will be kind enough to deliver a message, since you seem to be willing to work with the devils here." on that note the Cadre descended upon his victims, it was almost cute that they did not seem to know that was what they were yet.
1
Kiba was not gone, not yet, he could feel that, he had been in a moment like this before, when a beloved friend possessed by a hollow, erased from everyone's memories save his had faced him atop a mountain of white.
Ichigo did not say anything as he pointed his Blade at the Knight, the thing that Kiba was becoming roared and a twisted blade of thorns appeared in its hand as it leapt for him "Stop Kiba" Issei was in full armor his hands locked around the sword arm "This is not you, please don't do this."
The monster howled and two blades appeared in its other hands, but that second had been enough, Reya screamed, Tsubaski had her hand on her mouth in horror, Rias was in tears, and Ichigo's blade had pieced though Kiba's heart. With an effort of will he poured his power into the boy. There was a flash of white and for a moment in that white Ichigo thought he saw a humanoid shape, something made of pure radiance. He felt a hand on his shoulder, a gentle push and then he was standing in a different place, not only that a very confused unarmored Issei was at his side as well.
"Uh what?"
Ichigo looked around, they stood in a world, a flat plane stretching out in all directions, blades stood out of the soil like flowers, they were all different colors, different shapes, some half formed, some over formed, some useless, some useful, above them in the cloudless sky a sun that looked like it was having the light strangled out of it by some vast dark shadow burned weakly.
"Where are we?"
When Ichigo spoke he knew the answer, knew it with a certainty that had nothing to do with the dead god inside him "Kiba Yutto's inner world" Perhaps the influx of his power had made one, it could even be temporary for all he knew.
"Is that?" Issei pointed "Kiba" he took off and Ichigo followed close behind having spotted the Knight at the same time. They had to avoid the blades but even with that hardly any time seemed to pass. Kiba was not that far away nor even hidden, the boy was on his knees a girl standing in front of him, above him. She looked younger than he, with pale white hair tired in a braid; she wore a hospital gown with a red cross emblazoned on the front. Her eyes though, they were the same eyes the creature Kiba was becoming had and she was speaking. "We saved you and you could not even do us the courtesy of avenging that? We died for you Kiba, we saved you so that you when we could have chosen anyone else. Anyone else would have been better for this." Kiba trembled at her words and behind her a gathering shadow, an amorphous thing of stretching limbs and writhing mutation.
"You could not save us, you cannot avenge us, all you did was forget us, you found a new family to take you in, and now you are abandoning them too. As is you way, you parasite, you take and take and take form all those around you and give nothing in return."
"Kiba!" Issei reached him his fist flashing as he punched the girl square in the face, the image shattered and flew back into the darkness, and the force flinched away drawing back, becoming smaller more defensive.
"Tosca" Kiba whispered a trembling hand held up, the knight looked week, drained or everything "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" The girl reformed in the darkness red eyes glowing but said nothing
"That is not her you know" Ichigo said "With very few exceptions the only things that can exist here are aspects of yourself."
"I left them to die" Kiba said as if not hearing anything, both of them could see what he remembered. Watch as he ran, poisoned, weak, pushed on by his family, and then they saw the slight change as the darkness flared around them. The eyes of the children turned hateful, accusing. Demands of vengeance seemed to follow him in the white storm of snow, names of a traitor thrown in as if the darkness could not decide if it wanted Kiba to be seen as a coward who ran or an avenger who failed and had gone for both.
"I got to be happy" memories ones the boy's had been a part of and ones they had not flashed by, but in each the darkness invaded with the accusing shades of murdered children. "And when I had the chance I failed" The saw him stabbing the archbishop, in this memory he seemed to hesitate, no reason for it, a clear addition but it was why he had failed or so the darkness said.
"I ran from Kaichou, I spat in her face at all she offered." more memories "I don't deserve"
"You don't deserve to live" the girl said with a grin, "The only right thing you can do is give your body to me, that I might take my own vengeance."
"Kiba!" Issei howled and tried to slap him but his hand passed right though, he whirled on the darkness but it retreated further.
Ichigo focused on what was happening, where they were, why they were, he did not think the one who had pushed them here would have done so for nothing. He watched as Kiba moved through more corrupted memories where he had failed, were he had been evil, where he had been a monster, so many memories ...memories.
He focused on his soul, on his inner world, he was part shinigami, the only ones who had an inner world, and even this one here was born of his power. He drew out his memories, memories the darkness that was Kiba's out of control devil power could not touch. He saw the knight flinch as a memory of a fog filled night appeared.
A small happy boy, running to save a girl who did not exist anymore, a monster from the dark, a mother's sacrifice, her red blood on the green grass, the boy begging the cold world not to have this be so. "I still in some way's blame myself for this" he said.
As he and Issei could hear his thoughts inside of his memories so too could the knight here them "There was nothing I could have done at the time, nothing that would have changed what happened. Yet my sisters had to grow with without their mother, because she gave her life protecting me. I know what it is like to carry the will of others who gave of themselves so that you could go on."
Issei was looking at him, then at Kiba, "In time I was the subject of an attack" this new memory was newer, clear, they saw his mother holding him aloft by the throat. "That attack used my regrets, by worst dreams and nightmares, turning them into power and attacking my very soul. Of course I had the luxury of having the one who had attacked me explain what he had done." They watched him overcome the attack with his power and embrace his mother, Ichigo was quite as he listed to the words he had spoken on that day.
"Mom, everyone's fine, Karin and Yuzu, dad is still his usual self" there was a pause "I'm getting by and I have to go, everyone is waiting." they watched as he got to do the one thing he had always wished even if it was just a figment "Mom, I'm sorry I could not protect you back then" and then he said the other thing "Thank you for protecting me" then a strange thing happened, the thing that still made him wonder to this day, the figment looked up and smiled.
"I don't think I will ever truly forgive myself all the way, but I did not have to. It had made me what I am today, it drives me, it teaches me, it makes me hold tight to those I have even across all time and space."
"Traitor, murderer, useless" the darkness howled but the knights eyes were locked on the memory.
The scene shifted as they went though scenes they had seen before, the ones the darkness had altered though these were from Issei's prospective "I can't match either of you in the pain you have, but I can show what I know is the truth" Issei laughed "I told myself I hated you because you got all the girls but that was talk, we all admired you. And that feeling has only grown, you've helped me Kiba, you have helped all of us. Do you think there is no reason why we are ready to fight even the holy swords with you? Do you really think there is no reason that your family saved you. They did that because loved you, even I can see that, even I know that, that is something I share with both of you, I have a family who loves me, and I love them.
The knight began to weep "Love? You are not worthy of love, you can't give it back, you have nothing to offer, you are nothing,." the darkness howled
Ichigo forced the scene to shift; this was their memory of the beach as they all had fun, Kiba speaking in quite tones with Reya, sliding with Tsubaki, playing ball, in all of them he was smiling. "If my mom could come back I know she would tell me not to feel guilty, to live my life. I think that your family would do the same, all the ones who protect you, you owe to them not just vengeance but to live your life as they would have wanted.
The screen shifted to one from Issei's perspective this memory of Kiba training Issei for the rating game with Raiser "And I'm willing to bet they want you to live just as much as we do, to be happy just as much as we want you to be happy.
Ichigo shifted it back, to one where he was watching his mother hold his baby sisters "The choice to do that, to make the greatest sacrifice you could for them and live, that is yours alone to make. This is not the end, not unless you let it."
"NOOOOOO!" the figment Kiba had called Tosca leapt out of the shadow "He is mine"
A blade shot from the ground impaling it, Kiba looked up and they were once again in his inner world "Thank you for letting me see her face again" he whispered.
The figment shifted to the monstrous Kiba snarled its hate reaching for them with its claws before he shattered like glass. The darkness behind him froze as if time itself had stopped around it, the knight stood up; a glowing blue light shining through his shirt and Ichigo winced at the knowledge that Kiba had just gained his mark.
"Thank you both" he said
"Oh good can you hear us now" Issei asked.
Kiba did not answer or even seem to see them standing right next to him, "My body is almost fully transformed, all that flesh and mutation is real now… what do I do?" he shook his head "If it was a sword I could do something with all the extra metal..hmmm" at last he seemed to look around "I know all these swords, each one of them is something Imagined but most I never made." he frowned at the darkness then turned his eyes to the sky " It took a moment to see what he was looking at but Ichigo realized about the same time Issei did that it was not a sky of molten orange it was a chest of an impossibly big creature, as if noticing that changed perspective it became smaller so that they could see the whole upper body, two massive powerfuly muscled arms, a single eye set into the center of a bald head looking right at Kiba.
"Brontes" the knight said that name meant nothing to the two boy's listening but the figure in the sky reacted as if he had been slapped. Slowly it began to shrink is body pulled inward revealing a black starry sky behind it. It took almost a full minute before it stood before the Knight towering over him by a good thirty feet still. When it spoke its voice was as much of a surprise as his body, it was soft gentle, completely at odds with its molten bright skin "Well this is first"
Kiba bowed politely "It a pleasure to meet, he who forged the lightning"
"Polite too, most would have assumed my name matched what I am now."
"Sword birth?"
"For you yes, over time I have been called Spear Birth, Bow Birth, Gun Birth, and many others, the gear I became was named Birth by the White God, who honored me by stating my creations were no meer forging but that my creations had life."
A flash of Kiba's anger reunited at the mention of the White God but it was gone in a moment "He honored you?"
"I no longer wished to be asked or told, or forced to make the weapons of the gods, to make them bigger and better weapons of destruction. I asked him to become this, to bear witness and make real the endlessly inventive imaginations of mortals. Of course at the time mortals could not become devils but you still do fine young man."
"I thank you for your kind words Master Brontes" Kiba glanced at the frozen darkness "I humbly ask for your help, if any you can offer. My body is not in the best shape and I know not what to do"
"You wish to reforge it as if a sword?"
"Can that be done?"
The Cyclops of Greek myth pondered the question "In many cases no, but we are currently held in shadow" his one eye glanced at Ichigo then back to the knight "So there is time" he turned his serious gaze to the knight "I am allowed more leeway with what I can do because I asked for this, by joining my hands to yours I can do this however you will lose Sword Birth."
Kiba looked stunned and then confused "Now that you know the truth it is within the realm of possibility for you to find a way to use me to create that which I do not wish. So I will help you and then I leave, or you could keep you new body sure it is quite horrifying but it is stronger and faster, you will not be insane for you are no longer in danger of losing your soul."
The knight let out a sigh "The worst part is they would accept me as I look, they might not like the look but they would accept me. I would be a burden; I would be a weakness, called a stray because I look the part. It would hurt whatever Buchou would do for the rest of her life and she would still keep me." he look up "You have been with me for so long that the thought of losing you would be like the loss of hand" he looked down that them still frail and weak form coming so close to being consumed. He breathed and his eyes locked on the Cyclops "But perhaps that is what I need, to leave behind part of myself, my rage, my hate." he nodded "I need to reforge them and myself." he let out a breath "So please reforge me"
"Well said blade-smith" the creature whispered as it seemed to melt into molten slag and flow forward, into and around the Knight a third eye opened on Kiba's head his body glowed like molten steel "To reforge a body we forge a blade" the voice that came out was both that of Brontes and Kiba Yutto. They put their hands close as if holding a ball "The metal" they said
The frozen darkness shattered and flowed to them, twisting into a shape no larger than a marble to hover between the hands. That was when the blades began to fly, ripped up from the earth a storm of metal, a world of swords "Every idea a truth, every weapon a small secret" the blades began to hurtle into the space between the molten hands each one became a single drop of metal to wrap around the dark core. "Every imagined dream a reality of its own" So many weapons flew, so many ideas, dreams, thoughts, that Kiba had once had imagined, every one of them helping him onward. "What is the body if not something to forge? We forge it by our actions, words and deeds, why ever not should my Birth forge it too?" The air howled as every blade that struck the darkness bought the sound of a hammer strike, Kiba's molten body seemed to react and respond to each blow like the very sound had stuck him. "A body that can make war, but it needs to be more." the double voice was so odd and disconcerting you could not help but here every word like it was hammered into your skull.
"The touch to caress and create, the smell to appreciate, the ears to hear the sounds of the world. The mind to experience the emotions, the soul to shine his resilience to the world." There was a loud breath "These weapons are part of me and I of them, they are of myself as much as my flesh and blood. By flesh and blood I forge them, by flesh and blood they forge me."
The last of the blades entered the now basketball sized ball of black molten steel. "A parting gift you who are the first to speak unto me. A new weapon for your new life, a gear of my own creation, a metal gear, for a knight of the sword" with his bear hands the knight shaped the metal. A smooth length of steel forty inches in length, with a hand and a half hilt. The metal cooled into dark steel with a core that glowed like angel light. Slowly the Molten Kiba reached into his chest and withdrew Ichigo's mark "The soul of the weapon so that it might grow attain its true form" The lightest of finger strokes etched the mark shaping it into greek letters and pressing them into the weapon the knight held the blade aloft "To the first Metal Gear I give the name Twilight the blade that leads to dawn. To this body we have forged I name it as worthy as the children of the gods. "
Only once voice spoke then, the voice of the Brontes "Goodbye Kiba Yutto, make of your life what you will for few get as many chances as you"
The world vanished in a blaze of bright flame, the real world snapped back into focus, Issei fell back not used to the feeling of a soul returning to a body. With gentle care Ichigo slid Zangetsu out of the Knights body. The pulsing blue light faded and Kiba Yutto was seen again, on his hands and knees breathing out in great gasps, a dark metal longsword with a core of light lay on the ground beside him. He was taller now; his body somehow more youthful, his skin had a healthy glow, his hair had grown out a bit.
With great effort and using his new blade as a support Kiba forced himself to his feet, there were perhaps a dozen or so small changes to the arms, hands, legs, hips and chest. Like a sculpture maker who just polished off the last imperfections of his masterpiece. "Yutto" Rias whispered.
The knight turned and moved on unsteady feet, one step, then two, then three until he was right in front of the women he called King. Slowly he lowered himself to his knee and held up the black sword in both palms. "I have done so much wrong to you Buchou, you gave me a home and a family. In my arrogance I could not see that, for all I have done to you, for all the pain I have caused to everyone around me I can only off my heart, my apology, my oath that it will never happen again. I offer you my sword and may you strike me down should I ever betray you again."
Rias pushed the blade aside letting it clang on the ground and went to her knees pulling the boy against her chest "No, none of that, no words like that, you mine, you are loved, you are forgiven"
The moment had only a short few heartbeats before Sona nodded and turned her glare on all of them "Now will someone tell me what the hell you people have done?"
1
1
1
So there we have it, Kiba has lost Sword Birth but gained a bitchin body and a nice sword to boot. Both things will have to be explored further, I don't think I have ever seen anyone do this yet on dxd fanfiction so yay me I guess.
Kiba has gained a body that I would draw parallels to with Hercules or Achilles, beyond just a basic stat increase he will have a special power and weakness like the two above did.
What is more he was reforged so that he could live life better, his senses are all increased, his mind shifted to adjust to this new reality. Expect a few changes in the man but we currently have an angel invasion coming so ya… fun time for everyone.
1
1
1
DroptheBoom
The various stages of Ichigo:
Threaten an acquaintance, I'm gonna Bankai you.
Threaten a friend, Vasto Lorde for the win.
Threaten a lover, the Quincy God starts to surface.
Threaten family, Transcendent-Maximum Power: You Are Going To Die And No One Will Stop Me.
Kill any of the aforementioned . . . The Worlds Shall End.
Ooh, Ophis had better watch how she operates or she will get to experience death for the first time in her existence. You have a Shinigami-Hollow-Quincy-Human Hybrid turned Devil with access to the Divine. His transcendent state now is truthfully, unfathomable. If Ichigo got well and truly hacked off he could -and would, if he let Shiro take the wheel- steamroll everything in existence.
Queue evil laugh. I can't wait for the nerf gloves to come off . . .
Lol, pretty funny but I feel the need to point out Ichigo is not on the level of the mid to upper tear gods just yet. And that goes double for Ophis the Dragon god, dont hype him up too high yet. However you are right to say when the gloves come off even more powerful creatures might decide its just not worth it.
1
1
1
Rebbit Chimp
Most people either try to stay very rigid to cannon or throw it all away to make their own version of said characters, so it's nice to see someone willing to try to add depth. Having Ichigo hesitate, while it does seem to be ooc, shows that he is thinking further ahead than his own nose. Understanding that his actions are not his alone anymore in their repercussions while also trying to find ways to help without being proven a hypocrite.
The scene with Sona was well done, a good moment to showcase not only leadership but also trust and respect in a fine balance.
That being said, Xenovia being manipulative and scheming doesn't really fit too well unless you plan to ditch her cannon 'power idiot' persona entirely.
To the first part, yes that is what I was going for, Ichigo has changed in my story to point out a major change his aware of women and attraction and even does his own flirting and teasing. But on a more serious end ya he does want to judge himself as a hypocrite. But as you saw in this chapter he did reach a decision time and he made his choice. That being he cares about the lives of his family above being right.
To the second part, I guess I don't really see Xenovia as sceaming, she did not set all this up and not speaking to the enemy about secrets just seems smart to me. But I might be wrong, I never saw her as a dumbass, just a bit broken on the inside due to the revelation about God. Being single minded in her pursuit to fill that void.
1
1
1
Adalhard.9889
Things are coming together, but I'm wondering why is Ichigo doubting his own actions? Even when Ishida went to Yhwach, while shocked and initially confused, he decided to go for him even if he had to force him (admittedly Sado give him some shock treatment to get him out of his shock, but he still didn't doubt his course of action), still the scene of Ichigo learning about the simplicity of Issei's plan was nice if somewhat a little too passive for Ichigo.
It might seem a little passive for series as written ichigo but this one had changed, has become more, has gained more. Like the comment above gets at, he knows he is an example for others and is having too decided what kind of example he will be. Issei is kind of fresh faced to all this, and at least to my mind has a gift in the early series for just doing things and putting his all into it. Kind of like early Ichigo, but that is just my thoughts on the matter.
1
1
1
Comment of the week.
Razmire
I imagine that 'Who framed Roger Rabbit' wasn't the only movie of Sirzechs that was thrown out when his son was born.
"Honey were did all my sister brother dojions go?"