Chapter 19: History Lessons
Here I am, once again.
Before the chapter itself, I would like to talk about a few things regarding several of the reviews I received for the previous one. As some people were able to deduce, the character Zoë from the last omake is indeed Zoë Nightshade. I don't know if you all have noticed, but I have tried to sprinkle a few PJO Easter eggs in here and there in past chapters. Some of you have asked whether or not PJO will be incorporated into this story, and there have been others who have asked if I plan to do a purely Bleach and PJO crossover.
Not to get too many hopes up, but the answer is probably both.
I will indeed be adding elements from the Riordan series into this story in a major way later on, but that will not be for quite some time. On the other hand, I have in fact thought up a few storylines for a Bleach and PJO crossover fic. However, that won't be published until I finish one of my current stories, and that likely won't be for some time.
Or, alternatively, I might do a very short Bleach/PJO fic. I'm just not quite sure yet.
On another topic, I would like to make a rather personal note. I don't usually give shoutouts very often, but I received a particular review for the previous chapter that truly warmed my heart. Thank you very much, MrSunshine744. Your words really made my day.
And yes, Spacecore94.
To answer your question, Ingrid is definitely a viable candidate for the shipping poll, lmfao. However, to be completely honest, I already have a very good outline of who Ichigo will end up being paired with in the end. Personally, I am all for the idea of having a harem fic, but once the number of girls starts growing closer to twenty it gets to be too much. Besides, I don't think Ichigo would be the kind of guy to have so many girls in the first place. That's why I don't really like massive harem stories.
Not all of the girls on the poll will end up with our hero.
Also, fair warning: This chapter begins with A LOT of info. However, it is necessary for the main character to understand the larger world as a whole.
Please enjoy the new chapter.
AlucardsBro OUT!
(The Underworld; Gremory Territory)
A knock at the door roused him from slumber.
Blinking blearily, Ichigo yawned and rolled onto his side. Looking out through the massive windows on the wall to his left, he grumbled petulantly upon noting that the sun still had yet to break the horizon. The knocking continued, and he finally threw the sheets away and dragged himself out of his luxurious king-sized bed. Trudging across the room and towards the door, his hand grasped air several times before finally finding the doorknob.
Stifling another yawn, he pulled the door open to scowl at whoever had decided to wake him up so damn early. However, upon seeing silver eyes and matching hair, his complaints died a swift death at the back of his throat. "Grayfia? Is something wrong?"
His godmother arched a finely-manicured brow. "Not at all. Might I ask why you would assume such a thing?"
"I just… I don't know. It's really early, and I just figured-"
"Ah. Well, to put your worries at ease, I can confidently assure you that there is nothing to concern yourself with. However, you and I did schedule a study session yesterday evening. Given that we have quite a bit of material to cover, I only thought it logical to wake you up at a reasonable hour."
A reasonable hour?
Looking over his shoulder, Ichigo stole a brief glance at the alarm clock positioned on his nightstand. A little bit of him died inside upon nothing that it was barely past four-thirty in the morning. Turning back to Grayfia, he allowed his shoulders to sag. "Can't this wait until a little bit later…?"
To his surprise, the silver-haired woman's eyes sharpened dangerously. "I'm afraid not. There is a multitude of things that I do not tolerate in my house, and academic neglect is one of them. If Millicas can rise this early for his lessons, then so can you. Now please get dressed. I will wait for you at the end of the hall."
Without waiting for him to respond, Grayfia turned and primly walked away.
Even as she disappeared from his line of sight, Ichigo fought to hold in the loud groan that threatened to escape him. Even if he couldn't see her, he was still fairly certain Grayfia would be able to hear him given her supernatural nature. Settling for scowling and rolling his eyes, the orange-head closed his door and trudged over to his closet.
However, he stopped in his tracks upon remote ring that he hadn't actually brought any spare clothes with him from the Living World. That was certainly an inconvenience. He really didn't want to have to change back into the outfit he'd worn the previous day. It needed a good washing, and walking around a stately manor reeking of day-old grime and sweat would likely be considered unsightly. Either way, he still needed a shower.
Pivoting on his heel, Ichigo made for the bathroom.
The doors leading into it parted for him, and revealed the impressive decoration that awaited within. Even after seeing everything last night, Ichigo still found himself impressed with just how fancy a bathroom of all things could be. Even back at Hellsing Manor, his personal restroom was only big enough as was necessary to use. This bathroom, on the other hand, was easily the same size as his living room back in Karakura Town.
Everything was cut from smooth marble, and a large hole was cut hollowed of the material in the center of the room to form the bathtub. Technically speaking, it was big enough to be considered a large jacuzzi. It was eight feet by eight feet in either direction, and possessed a set of steps which allowed him to walk right into the water from floor level.
Shedding his clothing, Ichigo did exactly that.
From what he'd been informed last night by Sirzechs, the warm water was automatically drained at the end of every day, and subsequently refilled once the dirty water had been flushed away. Whoever used the tub could empty it manually whenever they pleased, but the daily process was still utilized just in case someone forgot to clean up after they'd had a bath. Apparently, before the system had been set in motion, a visiting dignitary had once clogged up the drainage system with so much filth that it had taken the janitorial staff a week and a half to clear away all the blockage. Suffice to say, the disgusting man had never been invited back.
Reaching for a bar of soap, Ichigo began the process of scrubbing himself clean.
One thorough washing later, and he finally felt confident enough to get out of the water.
Grabbing two towels from the nearby rack, he wrapped one around his waist and used the other to actually dry off his body. If he had been back home, he wouldn't have bothered with the second towel. However, given his current lodging arrangements, he didn't trust Yoruichi to not try and sneak a peek.
Exiting the bathroom, he surveyed the room to locate his roommate. To his surprise, she was still in her feline form. She was also still asleep, and seemed to have wormed her way up into a fortress of pillows while he'd been in the bath. All he could see was her black little face and a few stray whiskers.
Deciding not to wake her, Ichigo turned towards his closet to ponder over his clothing situation. However, he froze upon noticing a bright yellow sticky note on the closet door. Cautiously approaching, he quickly looked around the room another time. The note had not been there before he'd gone into the bathroom. Either he was going crazy, or someone had managed to enter his room and sneak past Yoruichi to place it there.
Creepy.
Creepy but impressive.
Pulling the note off the door, he brought it closer to read.
Ichigo,
I hope you don't mind, but we took the liberty of giving you a few pairs of clothes to wear while you're down here. I completely forgot to allow you time to bring some of your own clothing. Sorry about that, lol.
-SL
'SL' obviously stood for Sirzechs Lucifer.
Aside from that, the writing style matched the red-haired Devil's speech pattern almost perfectly. Ichigo definitely appreciated his godfather's thoughtfulness, but one thing still slightly unnerved him. How in the hell had Sirzechs guessed his measurements…?
Hesitantly, the orange-head opened the closet. As the note had said, the space was now fully stocked with multiple shirts, jackets, pants, and other accessories. Pulling out a plain grey button-down shirt, Ichigo's discomfort increased as he noted that it was indeed a perfect fit. Had Sirzechs sent someone to take his measurements while he'd been asleep? Oh God… he really hoped this was all thanks to some kind of magic.
After putting on a pair of jeans and a decent jacket, Ichigo walked over to the nightstand and snatched up his phone. Shoving the device into his pocket, he turned to finally exit the room. Closing the door behind him gently so as not to wake Yoruichi, he turned right down the hallway in what he assumed was the correct direction. After a moment, his guess was proven correct, and Grayfia turned to appraise him.
"I see that you found the note."
"Yeah, I did. Say… how did you guys figure out what size I wore?"
"Oh, that? A simple spell was all that was needed to approximately estimate the proper clothing to obtain for you. I trust that it is all to your liking?"
Breathing out a sigh of relief, Ichigo nodded.
Seemingly pleased, Grayfia turned to walk further down the hall. Raising a single finger, she silently motioned for him to follow. With a shrug, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and did as instructed.
They walked for several minutes in complete silence. Ichigo did his best to memorize the labyrinth of halls and rooms as they moved through the house, which Grayfia was able to navigate without any trouble whatsoever. Due to her perfect familiarity with everything around them, part of him wondered how long she'd lived here. From what he'd managed to piece together from the dinner conversation last night, Lucifer Manor had been constructed not long after Sirzechs and Grayfia had gotten married. A short time after that, Sirzechs had then been promoted to the rank of Satan.
That still begged the question of how long ago all of these events had taken place.
He was curious to know, but Ichigo still figured it would be rude to just outright ask. After all, even though Grayfia was of a nigh immortal species, she was still a woman. If there was anything Ichigo had learned during his time training with Yoruichi, it was that it was never okay to ask a woman about her age.
Shrugging it off, he forced the train of thought to the back of his mind. If his upcoming history lesson was going to be anything like what he expected, then he would likely receive the answer to his question without even needing to ask.
After several more minutes of walking, they finally reached a pair of elaborately decorated wooden doors. The doors themselves were quite large, and multiple carvings and runes littered their gilded surfaces. Gently, Grayfia pushed them open and continued into the space that lay beyond. It appeared to be some kind of sitting room; large windows took up the far wall, and on the perpendicular wall a rather impressive fireplace took up residence.
From where he was standing, Ichigo could also see a decently-sized bookshelf positioned next to a grand piano. Above that, there were four large portraits hanging on the wall in a straight line. Three of the individuals in said portraits were immediately recognizable.
In one, Rias was depicted in a bright red dress that matched her hair.
In the next, Sirzechs was shown in his elaborate ceremonial armor.
And then, Zeoticus was shown standing tall and proud in his own formal attire. The shoulder armor he wore in his portrait was not as intricate as that of his son's, but it was still very impressive nonetheless.
As Ichigo allowed his gaze to drift to the fourth and final portrait, he found himself taken aback by the eyes of the mysterious woman in the painting. Like the previous three Gremorys, her hair was a vibrant shade of red, and her irises were a piercing greenish-blue. Surprisingly, though, her sclera was midnight black, and her pearly smile made a chill run down Ichigo's spine.
"Who is that?"
Grayfia followed his gaze, and cleared her throat upon realizing what he was referring to. "That would be the Lady Libidine Gremory. She is Lord Zeoticus' mother, and was the founding member of the family. In fact, she was one of the original Devils cast out of Heaven by God for siding with the original Lucifer."
Ichigo's widened at that little tidbit.
Sirzechs' grandmother was one of the original forsaken, huh?
"Will I meet her?" he asked.
Grayfia shifted in obvious discomfort, and the action did not escape his notice. "That is highly unlikely. Currently, Her Ladyship is in the middle of a deep slumber that she will not wake from for several more centuries. When she went to sleep, it was still the Victorian Era in the World of the Living."
"Are you alright?"
"Yes, I am well. Simply put… Lady Libidine is a somewhat difficult topic to discuss. Whenever she awakens, she always insists upon traveling to the Living World to see what has changed in her absence. With any other Devil, such a thing wouldn't be such an issue. However, Her Ladyship can be… troublesome."
"How do you mean?"
"Due to the fact that she sleeps for such long intervals, she has yet to accept that the world cannot be the same as it once was. Back in the apex of her day, Lady Libidine was allowed to do whatever she pleased with absolutely no consequence. However, following the Devil Civil War, new laws were put into effect that limit such behavior. It has become difficult to keep Lady Libidine under control since then."
Ichigo frowned. "Can't Sirzechs just tell her to stop?"
"Ichigo… Her Ladyship could defeat my husband with one hand tied behind her back. Out of all of the pureblooded Devils currently living today, she is undeniably one of the strongest."
That definitely came as a shock.
Sirzechs' Demonic Power was unlike anything he had ever felt before, and Ichigo had concluded that the only two individuals who would likely be able to take him down without an issue were Sosuke Aizen and Captain Commander Yamamoto. However, to hear that there was a being out there who could defeat his godfather so easily was honestly a very terrifying thing to wrap his head around.
"Never mind all that, though." Grayfia's sudden declaration caught him by surprise, and he blinked several times to force himself out of his pondering. "I do believe that you came here to learn, correct? If that is indeed the case, please take a seat on the couch."
Doing as instructed, Ichigo watched as his godmother gracefully positioned herself in the comfortable-looking chair directly across from him. "Where do we start?"
Grayfia's lips quirked up into a small smile. "Well, given that you will undoubtedly become part of our world on a much larger scale as time goes on, I suppose it would only be right to give you a more concrete outline of the multiple Factions. After all, due to your particular nature, you are bound to attract all kinds of attention from outside both the Underworld and Soul Society."
"I guess that makes sense."
"Excellent. I informed you of quite a bit of this yesterday, but we shall continue with the history of the Biblical Faction. As you have already learned, the Biblical Faction as a whole is comprised of three main groups, which have all been engaged in constant conflicts with each other since the Great War. Can you please tell me what these three groups are?"
"Devils, Fallen Angels, and Pure Angels."
"Very good," Grayfia praised sincerely. "You are quite correct. At the beginning of our history, the God of the Bible created all of us with the intent of having us watch over humanity. However, as I mentioned before, there were four Angels who decided that they were better off ruling over humanity instead of protecting it. These four individuals were Lucifer, Leviathan, Asmodeus and Beelzebub, who would each eventually become the original Four Great Satans of the Underworld. Do you understand everything thus far?"
Ichigo nodded wordlessly. It was a lot of information to take in at once, but it wasn't that hard to comprehend. After all, it was nothing compared to the lesson Rukia had given him on the history of Soul Society.
"Excellent. As I have mentioned, the original Four Satans were under the impression that they should be allowed to dominate over humanity due to the fact that they were superior. Of course, their Creator disagreed, and cast them from Heaven and down into Hell, where they founded the Underworld. Gradually, they were followed by those who supported their cause. Once enough Devils had been banished from Heaven, they formed the first army of the Underworld and waged war against God and his remaining forces."
"What about the Fallen Angels?"
"As I mentioned last night, the Fallen are former Angels that participated in sinful behavior and were subsequently cast out of Heaven as punishment. For example, if a pure Angel were to sleep with a human, then they would be deemed blasphemous by God and exiled from Fifth Heaven, which is where most Angels reside. As you can likely assume, most Fallen Angels did not appreciate being shunned from their home. In their opinion, it was unfair that humans were allowed to indulge themselves in ways Angels were not. So, they joined the war against both Heaven and the Underworld."
"Who won?"
"No one."
"What? There had to be a winner."
Grayfia shook her head. "No, I assure you that there was no clear victor. The Fallen Angels lost so many soldiers that they were eventually forced to pull their forces from the war before it concluded. Several decades later, Heaven and Hell had also suffered incomprehensible losses. In fact, even God Himself fell victim to the bloodshed."
"God is dead?!" Ichigo exclaimed, mouth falling open in shock. With the way the Iscariot Organization operated, he had come to assume that they must have at least had some connection to the big man in Heaven. To hear that such a thing was not the case, and that the Christian God was actually dead was almost unbelievable.
"Indeed," his godmother confirmed. "Currently, Michael the Archangel is the commander of Heaven. He works alongside Gabriel, and they have both done their best to keep the news of God's death from spreading to humanity."
"Why? What reason is there to hide something like that?"
"Faith is a powerful thing, Ichigo. Christianity is one of the most dominant religions on the planet, and allowing the faithful to learn of God's death would throw the world out of balance. It might not make sense to you right now, but that balance is not something that we can afford to upset. Additionally, if any other Faction were to learn of God's demise, then they would likely attempt to wage war."
"And Heaven is in no position to go to war again…"
"Precisely. After the Great War, several centuries passed, and eventually an uprising within the Devil community led to our own Civil War. Essentially, there were many individuals who did not like the way things were being run by the original Great Satans, and an attempt was made to overthrow them. The attempt succeeded after a long and bloody conflict, and the original Satans were killed. My husband, along with three of his compatriots, were selected to replace them."
"And who are the other Satans? Are they each as powerful as Sirzechs?"
"Not quite," Grayfia replied. "Aside from Lord Lucifer, the remaining Satans are Serafall Leviathan, Ajuka Beelzebub, and Falbium Asmodeus. When they were promoted to the rank of Satan, they were each required to take on the surname of their predecessors. Think of it as a symbol of authority; when the next Four are selected, then they too will have to adopt the name of the position they fill."
"I think I understand. They were also forced to cut familial ties, right?"
"In a manner of speaking. Sirzechs is completely able to interact with the rest of the Gremory clan as he pleases, but he is not allowed to be aided by their power or influence. If he did so, it would be a sign of a weak leader."
Ichigo hummed, nodding to himself as he processed the information. The Underworld's hierarchal system was actually kind of similar to Soul Society's, in a way. If a Soul Reaper was ever promoted to the rank of Captain, then they were forbidden from using their family name to spread their authority or influence. Similarly, their family was not allowed to claim dominion over their neighbors just because they had a family member in the Gotei Thirteen.
Still, that didn't stop certain families from obtaining more fame and notoriety.
Returning his attention to Grayfia, Ichigo leaned back against the couch and crossed his right leg over the other. "What about the other Factions? You mentioned that we'd be talking about them."
"So I did," the silver-eyed woman smiled. "To be frank, there are so many Factions that we could likely spend all day talking about them. However, I think it would be best for you to learn about them all gradually. I take it that you are already familiar with the Shinto Faction, yes?"
He nodded in affirmation.
"That will certainly save us some time. In that case, I think we should begin with the Greco-Roman Pantheon."
Sirzechs hated paperwork.
He hated it with a burning passion.
Looking through it all on a daily basis usually ended up taking a majority of his time. Personally, he would have preferred to spend such time with his family. However, his position demanded a certain level of responsibility, and it was only right of him to do his very best to fulfill his required duties.
However, the letters that currently occupied the surface of his desk sincerely made him want to jump out of the nearest window. "It's only been seven and a half hours! How did the news get out so quickly?!"
"I can only assume through one of your servants," Zeoticus replied, sitting in the chair on the other side of the desk. With a bit of irritation, Sirzechs noted that his father had apparently helped himself to his personal collection of Olympian Wine. The brand was a particularly hard one to get ahold of, considering it was only fermented in the temple of Dionysus. "Gossip is a very powerful thing, my son. You would do well to never underestimate it."
"Granted, but this is still ridiculous. Three marriage proposals! Three! In seven hours!"
"Some people will stop at nothing to climb the metaphorical ladder. Given that young Ichigo has officially been declared a member of the Gremory clan, it makes sense that other families would be desperate to jump at a chance to tie themselves to us. In any case, he is also your godson, which makes him even more of a prize"
Sirzechs curled his lip in irritation as he read back through the formal letters. They were each addressed to him by people who he couldn't even remember. Sure, he had probably met them once at a formal gathering, but he had most assuredly zoned out at some point in the conversation.
One letter was from the Lautreamont family, one from the Von Zerbst family, and one from Morimoto family.
"Do these girls have any parents that are truly important?"
Zeoticus hummed, setting his glass of wine down on a coaster. "Well, I know that Veronica Lautreamont is currently training to become a Captain in the army. Her father, William, is regarded as one of the most tactically brilliant men in the Underworld. You met him at the Blood Moon Ball, remember?"
"Oh yeah… what about the other two?"
"Kirche Von Zerbst has not done anything of real significance, but her family is well known for raising fire salamanders. Reina Morimoto has not done anything noteworthy either, but her family was fortunate enough to have built their estate on top of a rather large deposit of mithril. They are the largest supplier in the Underworld."
Sirzechs sighed, and allowed the papers to fall from his grasp. They fluttered to the table, and he reached up to gingerly massage his temples. The proposals would go ignored, of course, but he would still have to come up with some sort of response to them. As much as he wanted to simply ignore the situation, doing so would be unacceptable behavior for a Satan. It was true that his position granted him quite a bit of power, but he was still upheld to certain standards.
Arranged marriages, as much as he hated them, were still in practice simply because the council had deemed them necessary. In their eyes, ensuring the continued purity of ancient bloodlines was an absolute necessity. Even today, pureblooded Devils were still largely encouraged against marrying and reproducing with their reincarnated kin.
But that fact aroused a question…
Ichigo wasn't even a Devil yet. However, he had already received three proposals with more likely on their way. There were only two possible explanations. Either the news of Ichigo's current humanity hadn't reached the public, or they simply didn't care and were more interested in getting their daughters to breed with such an exceptionally powerful individual.
The first option was likely the case.
Even though Ichigo was a very powerful warrior, that likely wouldn't be enough for any pureblooded tightwads to want to marry him off to their children. Still, this undoubtedly wouldn't be the end of the issue. The council was bound to have heard of the boy's arrival by now as well, and there was no doubt in Sirzechs' mind that the old farts would be on his back sooner or later.
Releasing a heavy sigh, he looked up to meet his father's eye. "While we are on the topic of marriage…"
"I know what you are going to say," Zeoticus interrupted, raising a hand. "However, the decision is final. Even with all your power, not even you can break such an important contract."
"Riser Phenex is a pig, father. You've seen the way he treats his Peerage, and I'll be damned before I allow him to treat my baby sister in such a deplorable fashion!"
"Do you think this was an easy decision for me to make?" Zeoticus asked, eyes hardening in challenge. "Do you think I want my only daughter to be treated like some sort of prized trophy? If it were possible, I would kill the little rat bastard myself and put the whole situation to bed. Unfortunately, things cannot always play out the way we want them to. The Phenex family is very influential, and the benefits from our union with them are estimated to be incredibly substantial for both parties."
Sirzechs snarled, but was forced to concede that his father made a good point.
He had been lucky in the fact that he had been able to marry the woman he loved.
Unfortunately, most Devils were not allowed such a luxury. Even his own mother had been contracted to marry his father way back in the day. Thankfully, they'd fallen in love with each other as the decades had gone by, but there were many couples within the Underworld who only treated their marital status as a pure business relationship.
It was sickening, but that was just the way things were.
"What do you have planned for the rest of the day?" Zeoticus suddenly asked.
The attempt to change the topic was obvious, but Sirzechs still found himself slightly grateful for it. Leaning back in his chair, he rotated slightly to look out the windows on his left. "As of right now, it has been requested that I meet with several of the leaders of the other Factions. Zeus has made it abundantly clear that he will be in attendance, but Amaterasu has been surprisingly quiet. Do you suppose she is still angry with me?"
"I would assume she is furious."
Chuckling lightly, Sirzechs watched as a sprite dragon flew by the window. The little creature fluttered in place for a moment, before quickly darting away. How lucky it was, to be able to flap its wings and fly away from its problems. He would give anything right now to be able to avoid the shitstorm he knew was coming.
He had not done anything illegal, but Sirzechs still knew that he would likely be receiving an earful from the other leaders. Hopefully, he would be able to convince them to see reason. If not, then Michael would probably be able to calm everyone down enough so that a civil discussion could be held.
The leader of the Angels had a way with words like that.
Breathing out in resignation, Sirzechs reluctantly turned back to his desk to continue sifting through the mountain of unsigned paperwork.
He really hated politics sometimes.
"Do you think you can repeat all of that back to me?"
Straightening up, Ichigo closed his eyes and attempted to recall all of the information he had just been fed over the past few minutes. "The Greco-Roman Pantheon is currently ruled by the twelve Olympian gods. However, to be more accurate, the Olympians themselves answer to Zeus, who is their current king. Contrary to popular belief, Olympus is no longer located in Greece, but is instead positioned on the very top of the Empire State Building in New York City. Why is that, again…?"
Grayfia shrugged a single shoulder. "I am not entirely sure myself, but I have been told that the Olympian gods have been following the progression of Western Civilization over the centuries. Presently, the United States is one of the most strategically advanced countries in the world. If I had to venture a guess, I would say that is the real reason why Zeus chose it to be the new home for his people."
"That all sounds unnecessarily complicated. I mean, why abandon your homeland all for the sake of keeping up with the times? I thought immortals valued tradition over everything else."
"One cannot hope to understand the inner workings of a god's brain, Ichigo."
"I'm just saying… it all sounds way too convenient. It's like the setup for a young adult novel series, or something."
"I have never thought of it that way before," Grayfia hummed thoughtfully. "Although, I can certainly see your point. But for now, I must insist that we put such things aside in favor of continuing with your studies. What else can you tell me about the Greco-Romans?"
Ichigo huffed, but dropped to topic nonetheless. Folding his arms over his chest, he thought hard about any potential information he was already aware of. "Well, I know that the Olympians are worshipped by both the Romans and the Greeks. But if memory serves, I was taught in school that the two civilizations have always hated each other's guts."
"You are correct," Grayfia nodded pleasantly. "Originally, only the people of Greece worshipped the Olympian gods. However, as the Roman Empire continued to expand its territory into Greece and the other countries neighboring it, the Romans eventually came to adopt the same beliefs. Even so, they referred to the gods by completely different names. For example, whereas the king of the Olympians is called Zeus by the Greeks, he is referred to as Jupiter by the Romans."
"Why call them something different?"
"You must understand that the Romans were a very proud and egotistical people. They did not want to admit to being influenced by the belief system of their enemies, so they claimed that they worshipped gods of a completely different name. Such a thing was rather childish, if you ask me. In any case, the Olympians adapted to these new worshippers by creating completely separate personalities for themselves so they would be able to interact with the Roman people."
"That seems a little unnecessary…" Ichigo commented rather bluntly.
"I agree," his godmother sighed. "However, the Olympians were more than happy to welcome the idea of having new worshippers."
Groaning slightly, Ichigo allowed his head to fall back against the cushions of the couch. Out of every Faction he had learned of thus far, Olympian culture was undoubtedly the most complicated. And that was saying something, since he had worked with Soul Society for such a considerable amount of time. He prayed that he would never have to deal with such a dysfunctional group of immortals…
"Are you hungry?" Grayfia suddenly asked, startling him out of his thoughts. "It has been quite some time since we began your lessons, and you never ate any breakfast. Would you like to take a break and accompany me to the kitchens?"
As if to answer for him, Ichigo's stomach made a loud gurgling sound.
Grinning sheepishly, he reached up to scratch at the back of his neck. "That sounds like a pretty good idea."
Grayfia smiled pleasantly, and gracefully rose to her feet. Ichigo followed her lead, and quickly made to keep up with her as she exited the room. Thankfully, they had already passed the kitchen on their way to the sitting room earlier, so the walk wasn't a very long one. However, as they arrived at their destination, the temperature in the room suddenly plummeted as soon as they entered.
Shivering, Ichigo turned to ask his godmother if there was something wrong with the ventilation system. The question died a quick and ugly death in his throat as he caught sight of the absolutely frigid look on the silver-haired woman's face. Following her line of sight, Ichigo blinked in surprise as he realized that she was glaring at a rather large, orange-haired man who seemed to be in the process of raiding the refrigerator.
The poor fellow hadn't even realized he was no longer alone.
"What exactly do you think you are doing?" Grayfia hissed loudly.
The man yelped, jumped, and bumped the top of his head on the fridge. Biting out a string of curses in a language Ichigo didn't understand, he gingerly rubbed at the new bruise and turned to face them. Upon noticing Grayfia, the giant of a man froze in place like a deer caught in headlights.
"I assure 'ye that this ain't what it looks like…"
"Really?" Grayfia replied sarcastically. Her tone was so icy that it put Sode No Shirayuki to absolute shame. "Well, it appears as though you thought you could sneak in here and whisk away an armful of food while I was preoccupied."
The man glanced down at the steaks and various other meats held in his grasp. "Ah, ye mean all this? Nah, this is just a quick mornin' snack."
Breathing out nasally, Grayfia reached up to pinch the bridge of her nose in obvious frustration. "Ichigo, this is Surtur Second. He is a clone of the original Norse Giant of the same name, and is currently under the employ of my husband."
Ichigo opened his mouth, but his reply was cut off when Surtur dropped all of the food to the floor in apparent shock.
"Wait, you are Ichigo Kurosaki?!" the giant man asked incredulously.
"Uh… yeah."
Without any warning, Surtur bellowed out a laugh and charged forward. Ichigo cried out in shock as he was swiftly lifted off his feet and swung around through the air like a rag doll. "The boss has told us all about ye, laddie! It's good ta finally meet ye in person!"
"I'm gonna barf!" Ichigo exclaimed.
Suddenly, he was dropped back to the ground. Taking a moment to regain his bearings, he was surprised to see that Grayfia had apparently gripped a sensitive nerve on Surtur's left shoulder. The enormous man was completely paralyzed, and his eyes bulged out of their sockets.
"Ow! Damn it, sis! Let me go!"
Grayfia ruthlessly twisted the flesh held between her fingers. Surtur howled in agony and collapsed to the floor in a twitching mass of spiky orange hair and silver armor. Stepping away from the sniveling giant, Grayfia dusted her hands off on her uniform and readopted a plain expression. "I believe we mentioned something about breakfast?"
Ichigo looked back down at Surtur. "But what about-"
"Breakfast."
"But…"
"Breakfast."
Finally taking the hint, Ichigo stepped over the unconscious giant and seated himself on one of the barstools positioned in front of the main kitchen counter. Apparently satisfied with his move, Grayfia turned towards the fridge and pulled out a carton of abnormally large eggs. Shifting in his seat, Ichigo spared another glance down at the unconscious man on the floor. "You said that Surtur works for Sirzechs, right? What exactly does he do?"
"He is my husband's Rook," Grayfia replied, cracking one of the eggs into a bowl.
"What do you mean?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"What do you mean by 'Rook'?"
Closing her eyes and flattening her lips, Grayfia released a strange sound that could have only been an indication of increased irritation. "Did Lord Lucifer not inform you of the Evil Pieces?"
"Evil Pieces…?"
"I see… it seems that I will need to have a talk with Sirzechs once he has a moment of free time." Grabbing a whisk and a carton of milk, Grayfia went about furiously stirring the yolk in the bowl. "Conceived by Ajuka Beelzebub centuries ago, the Evil Pieces are a set of fifteen objects that highly resemble the pieces used in a game of chess. They were created in order to assist with the repopulation of the Underworld after the losses suffered during the Great War."
"And how do they do that, exactly?"
"By reincarnating other species into Devils."
He hadn't been expecting that particular answer.
Grayfia must have noticed his surprised expression. After turning on the stove and pouring the contents of the bowl into a skillet, she turned back to face him and leaned her weight against the countertop. "Devils have a horribly low birth rate. It can take a couple several centuries to successfully conceive a single child. One baby is a blessing, while any beyond that are considered miracles. In order to make up for the fact that not many Devil children were being born naturally, Ajuka proposed the creation of the Evil Pieces. In the end, most were in favor of the idea, but those who supported the Old Satan Faction were disgusted by the concept of reincarnating humans and various other races into Devils."
That sounded familiar.
Ichigo couldn't help but be reminded how poorly Central Forty-Six had taken the news that he had become a Substitute Soul Reaper. The old assholes had gone on and on about maintaining purity within the Gotei Thirteen, and that his presence supposedly threatened that ideal. It was irritating how they had never shut up even after he'd saved their bacon numerous times.
"So, when someone is reincarnated, they essentially become an employee? Based on what I know about chess, all of the individual pieces answer to a King."
Grayfia nodded, seemingly pleased with his knowledge. "When an individual is reincarnated into a Devil by a King, they in turn become that King's servant. As I mentioned previously, Surtur is my husband's Rook, and I am actually his Queen."
Ichigo felt rage enter his heart. "You're a slave?"
His godmother's expression grew slightly complicated. "No, I am not. More often than not, most reincarnated Devils become servants by their own free will. Sirzechs asked me to become his Queen, and I accepted. However, I will admit that there are occasional individuals who abuse the Evil Piece system for their own personal gain."
"Can't something be done about that?"
"Not as long as the Devil council declares there is nothing wrong with the practice. Although most servants become such by their own free will, they are still technically servants. And they are legally allowed to be used by their masters however they see fit."
Ichigo's scowl morphed into a full snarl. He clenched his fists so tightly that the bones in his knuckles creaked in protest. Additionally, his Inner Hollow roared and thrashed at the back of his mind, desperate to escape and enact unholy vengeance.
A gentle hand rested against one of his fists, and he looked up to meet Grayfia's remorseful silver gaze. "I assure you that Sirzechs is doing everything he can to ensure that all servants across the Underworld are treated fairly," she said in a calm, soothing voice. "He despises the thought of reincarnated Devils being treated like property, and has approached the council several times in an attempt to make it strictly illegal to abuse them."
"Why haven't they agreed?"
"Unfortunately, although the council agreed that Evil Pieces were necessary to help rebuild our population, they are still majorly made up of members who view pureblooded Devils as superior to their reincarnated brethren. As such, they see no problem with Kings using their servants however they want."
Ichigo went silent, and turned his eyes down towards the countertop.
Grayfia sighed, and moved away to take the scrambled eggs off of the stove.
No matter where he went, it seemed prejudice and corruption would forever be a worldwide presence. It had been present in Soul Society, where Central Forty-Six had neglected to improve the living conditions of those in the Rukon District. It had also existed in Hueco Mundo, where Aizen had blatantly ignored the presence of the intelligent Hollows who were forced to live outside of Las Noches. And here it was again, within the depths of the Underworld. Based on what Grayfia had said, it sounded like reincarnated Devils were largely treated like second-class citizens, despite their entire existence being the only thing that saved the Devil race from extinction.
And nothing was being done about it.
Sighing roughly, Ichigo picked up the fork that was placed in front of him and slowly began to shovel mouthfuls of scrambled eggs down his throat. A glass of orange juice was also set down on the counter, and he made sure to send Grayfia a grateful nod.
She smiled back in turn, though the expression was somewhat brittle.
It sounded cruel, but that simple fact made Ichigo feel slightly better.
It let him know that there were Devils who disagreed with the practice of abusing their servants. With that in mind, the orange-head did his best to force the depressing train of thought out of his mind. Dwelling on such depressing subjects wasn't going to do him any good, especially since he couldn't do anything to change things.
Breathing in deeply, he busied with breakfast.
(Kuoh Town, Japan; One Hour Later)
The Jade Dragon hotel was the epitome of modern architecture.
It had everything guests could ever want, including an indoor bar, workout center, and several heated pools. It was also one of the many mortal business that the Gremory family owned in the Living World. Granted, the hotel didn't bring in as much profit as the rest of their investments in the Underworld, but it was still a very enjoyable place to visit.
It also had a conference room on the very top floor, which was the perfect place to hold a meeting.
Sitting at the very head of the conference table, Sirzechs straightened up and briefly appraised each of his guests. They were all understandably in rather poor moods, but that wasn't really his problem. He was here to talk business, after all. "Thank you all for coming."
At the other end of the table, Zeus slammed an enclosed fist down on the wooden surface in easily apparent anger. Sirzechs sighed as the table cracked under the unnecessary force. It was rather trivial, but the table had been rather expensive, even if only by human standards.
"Lord Zeus, I must ask that you refrain from damaging my property…" he said plainly.
"It's better than what you deserve, Devil!" the king of the Olympian gods bellowed. His greying hair stood on end, and the fabric of his pinstripe suit danced with static. "After the dirty trick you pulled, a broken table should be the least of your concerns."
"Please calm down, Lord Zeus," Michael spoke up in a gentle voice. The current leader of Heaven was seated on Sirzechs' direct left, and was dressed in flowing white robes lined with gold. "To be completely fair, Lord Lucifer has done nothing to break any of our established laws. He waited until the Kurosaki boy was in the territory of the Biblical Faction, and only then did he approach."
"And what is your excuse for not doing the same?" Zeus retorted.
"I planned to, truthfully. However, I am afraid that Sirzechs beat me to it."
"Enough squabbling," Sirzechs stated forcefully, successfully gaining the attention of everyone present. "It won't do us any good to fight amongst ourselves like children. We are here today to talk business, so let us do exactly that. As Michael has said, I have broken no laws; Ichigo came with me to the Underworld of his own free will."
In the chair next to Zeus, Amaterasu scoffed.
Ignoring her, the Crimson Satan turned his full attention to the Olympian in the room. "Lord Zeus, your personal desire to have Ichigo join your forces still confuses me. I am the boy's godfather, Amaterasu is his grandmother, and Michael is the leader of the faith his mother followed. What claim do you propose to have?"
The aforementioned man shuffled in his chair, and his expression grew strangely complicated. Folding his arms over his broad chest, Zeus finally heaved out a reluctant sigh. "There has been a prophecy. The Oracle of Delphi has seen a vision of the future, and that future concerns the ultimate destiny of the Kurosaki child…"
That was certainly a surprise.
Everyone in the room exchanged uneasy glances. Even Amaterasu, who had been silently pouting for the duration of the meeting thus far, sat up with far more concern in her eyes than before.
Sirzechs definitely couldn't blame her.
Prophecies were not something to be taken lightly, and if there was one thing he had learned during his tenure as a Satan, it was that they often ended up effecting the entire world. Not to mention that the Oracle of Delphi was considered to be one of the most important entities in the supernatural community, even outside of the Greco-Roman Pantheon. Her foresight allowed them all to prepare for the future, and her visions hardly ever proved to be wrong.
Clearing his throat, Michael leaned forward in his seat. "Do you think you might be able to relay the prophecy to us?"
Zeus nodded gravely, sucking in a deep breath…
"Ancient evils shall rise again
In order to punish their children's sin
With the Reaper's aid, may you quell their wrath
Or set him down a darker path
Brothers three will win the day
Yet on their own, each shall surely stray."
Well…
That certainly wasn't ominous as all hell…
Raising a hand to stroke his chin in careful thought, Sirzechs noticed Michael and Amaterasu do the same. There was an abundance of dormant evils in the world that had the potential to cause trouble one day, so it was somewhat difficult to determine what exactly the Oracle was referring to. However, given her nature and allegiance, it most likely had something to do with either Greece or Rome. Even so, it was abundantly clear who the 'Reaper' was supposed to be…
"Do we have any clue as to who this future enemy will be?" Amaterasu finally spoke up, face contorted with concern. "If this prophecy refers to Our grandson, who is not associated with the Greco-Romans in any way, then surely it will effect multiple Factions."
"I can only assume so," Michael replied, nodding in agreement. "Of course, this has become a new priority. Are we all in agreement that the remaining leaders need to be informed of this?"
No one disagreed.
Tearing his gaze away from the tabletop, Sirzechs glanced across the table to look Zeus in the eye. It was odd to see the usually arrogant and proud Olympian look so troubled, which only spoke of the severity of the situation. "Lord Zeus, do you have any idea what this 'ancient evil' is?"
The thunder god shook his head, clearly frustrated with not knowing such an important answer. "I am afraid not. Olympus has made many enemies over the millennia, and many of them are still living. Attempting to determine which one of them might plan to strike is equivalent to trying to find a single bird in the entire expanse of the sky."
That was unfortunate, but certainly not unexpected.
Biting his tongue, Sirzechs looked back down at the wooden surface of the table. He had never stopped to consider why exactly someone like Zeus might want Ichigo to join his empire, when the man had never even met the boy before. He had only assumed it was due to the god's obsession with obtaining as much power as he possibly could. The truth was much worse, it seemed.
Standing up, the red-haired Devil commanded all of the attention in the room. "This revelation is certainly troubling, and undoubtedly deserves our continued attention. However, I will still not allow Olympus to obtain the rights to Ichigo simply because of a prophecy that might not come true in the immediate future. The boy is my godson, and I made a promise to treat him like family instead of a mere soldier." Sirzechs met the eyes of every individual present. "I refuse to break that promise. He has been used as a pawn far too many times already."
Amaterasu sagged in her seat, while Zeus appeared positively blown away by the declaration.
"You dare to prioritize your own desires over a vision prophesied by the Oracle?! Your selfishness could spell doom for us all!" the grey-haired man thundered furiously, face red with barely restrained anger.
"Do not speak to me about selfishness, Lord Zeus. Your ego is legendary throughout the whole of the supernatural world."
"You dare…"
"However, I give you my solemn oath that I will work in correspondence with your kingdom to keep an eye on the possibility of the Oracle's prophecy coming to fruition. The forces of the Underworld will prepare themselves to fight whatever evil may attempt to threaten the balance that we have all managed to maintain. On that, I give you my word."
Standing up as well, Michael gave a solemn nod. "The armies of Heaven will assist you. We cannot afford to let anything threaten the mortal realm. Without the humans, we would all fade away into obscurity."
Sirzechs smiled in appreciation, and even Zeus appeared to calm down at the offer of outside assistance. All eyes turned to Amaterasu, who was still sitting quietly in her chair.
With a quiet sigh, she rose to her feet as well. Smoothing out her robes, she turned to look Sirzechs in the eye. "We are still not happy with the situation, but We shall agree to assist in monitoring the Earth for the evil that the prophecy spoke of. But mark Our words… We will not give up Our grandson so easily. He will have to return to his homeland sooner or later, and once he is there, he shall once more been in Our jurisdiction."
Not a very subtle challenge…
Nonetheless, the Crimson Satan nodded at her words.
Things had certainly become more complicated, but it seemed that some things just never changed. At least that was one small comfort.
"Right then. In light of this new revelation, I belief that we should adjourn for the day," Sirzechs stated. "I will be sure to contact Azazel to inform him of everything we have discussed. His tactical mind may be able to piece together something the rest of us might have overlooked."
"Agreed," Michael chuckled warmly. "Though I am somewhat hesitant to admit it, that man's intellect was rivaled by none in Heaven when he still resided there with us." With that said, the leader of the Seraphim vanished in a column of blinding light.
Similarly, Zeus quickly disappeared in a flash of lighting, and Sirzechs rolled his eyes at the honestly unnecessary display of power. Still, he bit his tongue and turned to the only remaining individual present in the room aside from himself. It was easily apparent that She wanted to hold a private conversation. "What can I do for you, My Lady?"
Amaterasu maintained a thoroughly unimpressed expression. "Lord Lucifer, We can understand and appreciate why you are so desperate to maintain a lasting relationship with Ichigo. We hold no ill will towards you and your kin, truly, but We simply cannot afford to let you have him. The loss of one grandchild was traumatic enough… We will not lose another."
Sirzechs felt his irritation towards the sun goddess diminish slightly. He was well aware of the story surrounding her previous grandson, and how the boy had fallen to a path of no redemption. Granted, that had been nearly a thousand years ago, but the pain was undoubtedly still quite fresh. A thousand years was a paltry amount of time to a deity, after all. "I understand where you are coming from, My Lady. Even so, that does not give you a right to confine they boy to Japan for the rest of his life. Doing so will only spark further animosity in his heart towards you, and I sincerely doubt you want that."
"Your words ring true…"
"Then allow him to make his own choices. The boy values family quite highly, and I honestly don't think he will hold on to his anger forever. If you allow him to create his own path, then he will likely feel tremendous gratitude."
"If only it were that simple, Lord Lucifer. Do not forget… We allowed our other grandson to do as he pleased. We even granted him the power to change the world, but he only used his gift to spread darkness and oppression."
"Ichigo is not the same person."
"We are aware. But they do share the same blood."
Sirzechs breathed out heavily. "Answer me this, My Lady. Do you honestly think Ichigo will go down the same path? Do you think he will make the same choices?"
"No, We do not…" Amaterasu relented with a sigh of her own. It looked like it took quite a bit for Her to admit such a thing, but at least it was a step in the right direction.
"Then give him the courtesy of living his own life," Sirzechs advised gently.
The Lady of the Sun's complicated expression became even more conflicted. In Her heart, it was quite obvious that She loved Ichigo immensely; She was just afraid to completely let him go after what She had already experienced. The goddess choked on sudden tears, and with a wave of Her hand, disappeared back to Takama-Ga-Hara in a bright burst of sunlight.
Shaking his head, Sirzechs snapped his fingers and conjured up a magic circle of his own.
Hopefully, his words had made some kind of meaningful impact.
(Lucifer Manor; One Hour Later)
It seemed he still had a lot to learn.
Ichigo wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of servants and peerages, but Grayfia had assured him that such things were simply a part of everyday life down here in the Underworld. That being the case, he supposed he had no real right as an outsider to be upset with the way Devils upheld their traditions. If Sirzechs was truly doing his best to ensure that all servants were treated fairly, then he would just have to trust his godfather to do the right thing.
The man seemed honest enough, and Ichigo had been given no real reason to doubt his word thus far. Apparently, he would just have to get used to the things he just didn't understand quite yet.
Breathing out, the former Substitute turned his gaze towards the seemingly endless expanse of trees that stretched out before him. Several minutes ago, he'd felt like getting some fresh air, and had excused himself to one of the many secluded balconies within the manor. The cool breeze that now blew across his face certainly helped him to relax, and the sounds of the wildlife echoing up from the forest below only added to the overall peaceful atmosphere.
However, the tranquility was suddenly broken by a muffled buzzing sound. Blinking in surprise, Ichigo fished into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. Flipping the device open, he was shocked to see that he apparently had perfect reception. Who would have thought that the Underworld had such good bars?
Using his thumb to accept the incoming call, Ichigo held the phone up to his ear. "Hello?"
"Hey sexy~"
Well, he certainly hadn't been expecting to hear that right away. "Sayo? Is that you?"
"Of course it's me, you goof. Or should I be worried about anyone else who might be out there calling you 'sexy'?" The reply was accusatory, but Sayo's tone was extremely teasing. It was more than apparent that she wasn't actually upset.
Laughing lightly, Ichigo leaned back in the deck chair he was sitting in. "How are things in Tobioka? Is everyone doing alright?"
"Yeah, we're all doing great. Detective Suzue actually checked out of the hospital several days ago, but she's still on leave from the police force for the time being."
That was definitely understandable.
The poor woman had been through a horrifically traumatic experience, and expecting her to jump right back into the field would have been absolutely ridiculous. Crossing his legs and making himself more comfortable, Ichigo nodded. "That's good to hear. And how is Arashi? Pip didn't mess him up for life, did he?"
"No, Arashi is doing pretty well. He's still pretty pissed off, but he's back in school and is participating in missions again. But let's forget about that for now. I actually wanted to call and see if you'd made any progress with what we'd talked about."
"You mean with Seras?"
"Mhm."
A somewhat guilty pit formed in Ichigo's stomach. He'd had a good opportunity to talk with his partner after they had all returned from their respective missions, but something at the back of his mind had stopped him from approaching her. His subconscious mind was constantly plagued with images of Seras' sweet smile turning into a heartbroken visage as he told her of his current relationship. Of course, he had no idea if things would actually play out that way, but there were very few people in the human world who were comfortable with the idea of sharing romantic partners.
Additionally, he was now completely certain that Seras did in fact have feelings for him.
It pained him to realize how oblivious he'd been to it at first, but the signs were all definitely there. She stood closer than what was strictly necessary, and he had noticed her eyes lingering on him when she evidently thought he wasn't looking. It was strange, in a way, to think of just how much their relationship had developed in the admittedly short time they'd known each other.
It had been… what? Just a few weeks?
Even so, Ichigo felt a connection with Seras unlike anything he had ever experience with anyone else. He supposed it was due to the environment they worked in, where they were the only two relatively normal individuals in the entire Hellsing Organization.
"Ichigo, baby? Ichigo!"
The orange-head blinked, startling out of his thoughts. "Oh, sorry. Um… no, I haven't talked with her yet." Although he couldn't see her face, Ichigo was fairly certain that Sayo was currently rolling her eyes.
"You do know it's gonna have to happen sooner or later, right? You can't just leave the poor girl hanging forever," the bluenette replied.
"I know!" Ichigo said heatedly, tone laced with frustration. "But how do I even begin to approach her with something like this? How the hell do you tell someone who has feelings for you that you want to date them and someone else at the same time?"
"I don't know," Sayo responded. She had every right to be angry with his outburst, but her voice was nothing but soothing and gentle. "It'll just be something you will have to figure out. I know it will be hard, but I have faith that you'll be able to pull it off. No matter what happens, though, the poor girl needs an answer."
She was right.
Raising a hand to massage his forehead, where a headache was beginning to form, Ichigo made a personal vow to confront Seras the very next time he saw her. "You're right… I'm sorry for snapping at you."
"You're forgiven. But as punishment, I demand that you go down on me the next time we have some alone time!"
Ichigo's face went red as a tomato, and he scowled as his girlfriend's rich laughter echoed through the phone. "Very funny…"
"Whoever said I was joking?" she teased. "But seriously, what are you up to at the moment?"
"I'm actually visiting a family member right now. We haven't seen each other for a long time, so I've been spending the past day and a half catching up with him and the rest of his extended family."
"Oh yeah? Sounds fun. Well, if you're doing something as important as that, I won't keep you for too much longer. But try and give me a call every now and then, yeah?"
"Sounds like a plan to me."
"Alrighty then. Bye handsome."
Ichigo smiled. "Bye."
With a final giggle, Sayo ended the call on her end.
Bringing the phone away from his ear, Ichigo looked at the device for several moments before moving to put it back in his pocket. However, before he could do so, the phone made a sound reminiscent of a chiming bell, indicating that he had received a text message. Raising a brow in curiosity, Ichigo pressed the button that would open the attachment.
As soon as he did so, he choked on a lungful of air and nearly dropped the phone.
Eyes as wide as dinner plates, he stared intently at the saucy selfie that Sayo had evidently decided to send him. She was dressed in her nurse uniform, but had pulled down her top with a single hand to expose her generously bountiful breasts. She was also biting her bottom lip salaciously, and her left eye was closed in a flirtatious wink.
Ichigo felt a small trail of blood drip out of his nose…
"Hello, Ichigo-"
Letting out a surprised shriek, the orange-head snapped his phone shut and shoved it back into his pocket with a speed that even Soi-Fon would have been impressed by. Bolting into an upright stance, he turned to look at whoever had managed to sneak up on him. "I wasn't doing anything!"
Sirzechs stared back at him with an utterly perplexed expression. "Uh… you alright there, kiddo?"
"Yep, couldn't be better. Why do you ask? Nothing's wrong. Why would there be anything wrong?!"
The Crimson Satan took a cautious step back. "Okay then… in any case, I just came up to see how you were doing. I don't know if Grayfia already told you, but I've been stuck in meetings for the better half of the day. Have you been settling in well?"
Forcing himself to calm down, Ichigo nodded. "Y-Yeah. Grayfia gave me a bit of a history lesson, and then we had a late breakfast. I also met Surtur Second."
His godfather nodded in evident satisfaction. "That's good to hear. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to give you all the information myself, but my dear wife is a wonderful teacher. I have no doubt that you will be in good hands while experiencing her tutelage. As for Surtur… I hope that big oaf didn't rough you up too much."
The last part was said with a fond chuckle, and Ichigo smiled slightly at the obvious respect Sirzechs held for his Rook. Such a disposition only supported Grayfia's earlier claim that most servants within the Underworld were treated quite well.
It was a truly comforting reassurance.
"Will I meet the rest of your peerage soon?" the orange-head questioned.
Sirzechs nodded, folding his arms across his chest. "I would hope so. Mathers and Souji are both currently on assignment in the World of the Living, and Beowulf is helping to settle a land dispute between to rival noble families. I assume that they will all be back fairly soon, though."
Ichigo's eyes widened in shock. "Wait… Beowulf?! As in-"
"No, no," his godfather chuckled, shaking his head. "Not the Beowulf of legend. He is actually a modern descendant of the ancient hero, but is just as impressive with a sword. The cocky little bastard even managed to give me a scratch once upon a time."
"What piece is he?"
"Beowulf is one of my current Pawns, along with Enku. MacGregor Mathers is my only Bishop, Souji Okita is my only Knight, and the great fish Bahamut is my remaining Rook. I take it that Grayfia informed you that she is my Queen?"
"Yeah."
"And how do you feel about all of this?" Sirzechs inquired, expression neutral. "I can't imagine that a human such as yourself is all too comfortable with the idea of servitude."
Ichigo's brows furrowed, and his crossed his own arms over his chest. It was still a rather complicated matter to wrap him head around completely, but he still decided to give his honest answer. "I can't say that understand it perfectly, but Grayfia told me that most servants are treated fairly by their masters. As long as that's the case, then I guess I'm fine with it."
Sirzechs' guarded mien morphed into a smile, and he nodded appreciatively. "I was hoping you would say something like that. Yes, I can assure you that the majority of Peerages in the Underworld are treated like family. The only real problems we've had with ill treatment come from families who are still somewhat loyal to the Old Satan Faction."
"And you're trying to rectify that?"
"I am. I give you my word."
"Then I trust you," Ichigo replied, smiling slightly as well.
"That's all I ask. Now, what do you say I show you something awesome?"
"What exactly do you define as being awesome?"
Sirzechs grinned roguishly. "How about a vintage guitar collection?"
Ichigo matched the grin with one of his own.
"Lead the way."
And there we go.
Last chapter, I know I said that I would be updating either "Fibers of the Universe" or "The Legend of Earth Land" next, but I guess I've just been in a really strict "Bloodstained Souls" mood as of late. However, if you are a fan of one of those other two stories, then please do not worry. I promise that I will devote the time to working on one of them after uploading this.
As promised, this chapter focusses almost entirely on Ichigo. The next one will return to the main Hellsing storyline, and we will continue to alternate until the highly anticipated climax of the Battle of London. I understand that many of you have been rather anxious to see Ichigo get his powers back, and I would like to sincerely thank you for being so patient with me. However, I can confirm that he will be back in action for the next big fight.
Will Amaterasu restore his Soul Reaper powers?
Will Sirzechs convince him to join the forces of the Underworld?
Will Zeus convince him to join Olympus?
I suppose you'll just have to keep reading to find out!
Additionally, I hope the scene depicting the meeting between the Faction leaders will be received well. I know it kinda came out of nowhere to have Zeus be interested in Ichigo, so I felt it was only right to have a bit of actual logic and context to support that desire. True, Zeus is an egotistical primadonna, but I sincerely doubt he would want to associate with a former Soul Reaper unless it was truly necessary.
We also got to see a bit more of why Amaterasu is so desperate to keep Ichigo within the Shinto Faction. She lost one grandchild long ago, and she doesn't want to lose another. I know that I kind of gave her a bitchy role in that she ordered the removal of Ichigo's memories, but I want to stress that she isn't a bad person. Gods are just used to doing whatever they please without acknowledging the consequences their actions may have on mortals.
I mean, Christ Almighty, just look at the PJO series…
Amaterasu does love Ichigo, but she also doesn't want to lose him.
Well, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. As mentioned above, I will sincerely try to work on one of my other stories next.
AlucardsBro OUT!
Omake
(Six Years Ago; Nantahala, NC)
It was a rather beautiful night.
The moon was full.
Crickets chirped melodiously in the grass.
Fireflies lazily flew through the air.
All in all, it was rather picturesque.
Closing his eyes, Isshin leaned back in his rocking chair and allowed all of the tension in his body to melt away. The kids were already asleep in the cabin, but he wasn't quite ready to call it a night just yet. Something had compelled him to come outside onto the porch and sit for a while, and he certainly wasn't in any kind of mood to argue against such a thing. He was feeling pretty good about himself, after all.
Earlier, he had cooked a delicious steak dinner.
Then, he had settled a debate over which movie to watch by suggesting The Lion King.
Everyone had been happy with the choice, and the family and been able to spend some very enjoyable time together. It had been an extraordinary day, all the way from sunrise until sundown.
This vacation really had turned out to be a wonderful idea.
Giving himself a mental pat on the back, Isshin chuckled and slowly started to rock back and forth in his chair. This continued for several more minutes, with the only noise coming from the insects chirping and fluttering in the surrounding foliage. After a moment, though, a sudden creaking broke the tranquility.
Isshin didn't even have to open his eyes to know that someone else had just sat in the other rocking chair next to him. "What can I do for you, My Lady?"
"I suppose it is good to see that you still know how to show the proper amount of respect." The compliment was delivered reluctantly, and in a tone that spoke of absolutely zero tolerance for unnecessary nonsense.
Grinning, the former Captain cracked open a single eye.
A piercing silver gaze met his own.
So, she had decided to take on the appearance of a twenty-year-old this time?
That was rather rare.
Sitting up, Isshin gave to auburn-haired young woman his complete attention. "Have I done something wrong, Artemis? I give you my word that my family and I are only here to enjoy our vacation."
The Olympian goddess huffed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I am no fool, Isshin Kurosaki. I am here to warn you to not interfere in the activities of me and my Hunters. It cannot be a coincidence that you decided to come here of all places just as we moved into the area."
He raised his hands peacefully. "I assure you that I have no ulterior motives. If I may ask, though… how did you even know we were here?"
"Your children apparently encountered my lieutenant earlier today."
"Ah."
Standing up, Artemis fixed him with an extremely serious expression. "Do you give me your word as a former member of the Gotei Thirteen that you are not here to cause any trouble? As much as it surprises me, you are relatively well-liked within the supernatural community. It would be unfortunate if I were forced to turn you into a wild beast."
Isshin made an x-shaped motion over his heart. "I promise that I won't do anything untoward. However, I would like to know why exactly you're in Nantahala. If there is something in the area that is a threat to my children, then I would like to be made aware."
The moon goddess nodded in understanding. "My Hunt is currently pursuing a rather troublesome manticore, but it should be dealt with by this time tomorrow. No harm will come to your children, I assure you."
"Thank you."
Artemis turned away, and vanished into the night.
Isshin watched her go, before turning his gaze towards the forest. Narrowing his eyes, he made a mental note to erect several protective seals around the cabin. If there was a manticore out there, it would not be getting anywhere near his children.
And if it did, he would make sure the monster regretted it.