New Chapter woot woot, thank you to Mattock345 and Aroneden for the proofread, My AO3(An Archive of our own) Account under fanboy913 has new lemons for those that want to read them.
As for the rest of you, enjoy.
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"Buchou, what happened to you?" Issei asked in concern. He was pretty sure Rias had not gone to the beach for a week straight in the night he had not seen her, but she looked really tanned compared to the day before. She had an arm around Akeno, who had the most terrifying look of self-satisfaction that Issei had ever seen, as the Queen helped her King to a bed. Asia was already on her way over, pausing to give Akeno a peck on the lips, before letting her healing power flow out into Rias.
"Nothing important." She replied.
"Please lay down Buchou." Asia asked and once her King had done so she started pressing her hands down into her back, both massaging and sending her healing power into her body.
"Lower," Rias said, and kept saying that until Aisa was massaging her butt, "Better." She sighed.
Akeno, for her part, glided over to a chair and sat down looking like the cat that ate the canary. Issei decided that his sanity was better served not looking at what his King and her Bishop were doing so he focused on Akeno...well focused on her oppai, but he was trying. "How was your date?"
"Oh, it was lovely," the woman said with a demure smile, "Honestly, his sister's cooking is all the others said it was. We had such a lovely time I want to do it again." Behind them Rias grumbled to herself and Issei decided that he really did not need to know...besides, pictures of a girl he knew to be Akeno and a girl who looked suspiciously like Rias was all over the social media.
"So," Issei glanced around, "Anyone know where Sona and her group are at?"
"Inoue felt bad that Sona and Tsubasa had not gotten to see their man in a while so she set them up on a mini date so they could talk. She herself has taken Tatsuki and Serafall to go find the perfect clothing for her date tonight. Your two girls..."
"Momo and Tomoe," Issei corrected, "If anything calling me their man would be more accurate."
"Momo and Tomoe," Akeno continued, "Well they have a plan and I will leave it at that. Though I will say they would enjoy being called your girls, keep that in mind. Tsubaki and Rena are..." She frowned. "I actually don't know what they are doing, but I do know Kiba is taking the day to himself."
From her spot against the wall Xenovia opened her eyes and nodded. Issei frowned at that, she looked so bored and that was no good. From the looks of the other people in the room, it seemed that Asia was fine with hanging around and Akeno and Rias were relaxing as if they had just finished a marathon. That thought drew a little smile to his face, Ichigo was not the only one who could run a marathon, so to speak. "Xenovia," He said, "I'm about to head out to a few cool places I have found, arcades, and stuff like that. Do you want to come with me? Koneko is going."
The blue-haired girl blinked at him, hesitated, then nodded. "I like arcades."
"Good!" Issei grinned in excitement. "Because we can get as many tokens as we want." Sure that was a simple pleasure, built out of the fact that as a child Arcade tokens were a finite resource, but from the smile that had been on Koneko's and now Xenoiva's face he was not the only one who felt that way.
"When are we going?"
"When Koneko gets back, she said she had to go take care of something."
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"I know you're here." Koneko said, the Rook sat on a bench that was a bit too high for her taste and left her legs swinging above the ground. She looked over a lake that had a few delicious-looking fish, two of which she had caught before she set down and held out to her side as if someone was sitting next to her.
"You have gotten better." Her Sister just shimmered into existence a few feet away and walked over to the bench, as she did so the world became darker as the woman formed a barrier over them.
Almost at once, Koneko felt her mark pulse and a flare of concern not her own run through her body, she sent back a calm feeling before that concern could grow.
Kuroka was just about everything Koenko wished she could be in terms of body: tall, busty, curvy, outgoing, confident, but her sense of style could use a little work. And that was coming from a girl wearing a school uniform whose skirt would have belonged more on the set of a porno than a real school.
The black kimono with the red interior was fine, it was exotic, it was sexy in its own way, and her cat ears were several times larger than Koneko's own, but that was fine as well. It was those ridiculous beads. She had a yellow obi which, by itself, was fine but each end held gold beads half the size of Koneko's head. It made the Neko shake her head, roll her eyes and hold out the fish more as Kuroka took it and sat down, biting into her treat at the same time Koneko did.
Koneko rolled the meat in her mouth and with a practiced motion used her tongue to separate the scales and spit them out. The motion without thought was mimicked by her sister in the same manner.
"You're out of the heat." Her Sister said, breaking the silence.
"I am."
"But you're not pregnant."
Koneko shook her head. "We found a way around it."
"As if people from our race have not tried that method before," Kuroka sighed, "It's not like you're the only one with a brain."
"You say that as if it did not work."
Her Sister looked troubled. "It should not have worked, that should not have happened."
It was Koneko's turn to frown as she watched her Sister eat more of her fish. "It worked." She said finally.
"Yes it did, the fact that it did worry me, makes me wonder what the hell you have gotten yourself into."
Koneko let out a breath. "Perhaps you could come and watch for yourself." Koneko hesitated then said. "I know Buchou would protect you if I asked."
From the way her Sister's tail moved, Koneko could see the conflicting emotions her face kept hidden. "What if I said yes, so long as I get to try out your man?" The tone was teasing, trying to distract her with jealousy.
"You would have to seduce him yourself," She replied bluntly. The words made her Sister blink in shock, "Now answer my question."
Kuroka shook her head. "I will not bend to them Koenko, not after what they tried to do to you."
"One person." Koneko corrected.
"You were lucky to find your Buchou, but do you honestly think that he was the only one to take advantage of his Peerage?" Kuroka tapped her head. "I can't be controlled like that anymore and I will never take that chance again." Koneko knew that would be the answer, but still, her shoulders sagged as a pleasant dream of a family reuniting vanished. "I'm sorry, I also have prior engagements." Kuroka hesitated then leaned over and pulled her in close. Koneko did not even stiffen at the familiar embrace, both began to purr at the familiar sensation.
"You need to be really careful Koneko," Her Sister pursed her lips before speaking, "There are events that..."
"Events that what, Kuroka?"
Her sister didn't flinch, but Koneko could feel it in the way her purr ceased as she turned her head to look at a young man walking towards them. His silver hair rustled in the breeze, his dark green V-neck going well with his high collared leather jacket. It hung just above the waistband of his black jeans revealing his pale, athletic form. His hazel eyes were hard and cold and Koneko felt a shiver run through her whole body at the weight of his power.
She felt it when Ichigo realized something was wrong, she was not able to hide her sudden tension and feeling of danger. "Spying on me Vali?" Kuroka asked him to put her body in between the boy and her sister. "I was showering an hour ago, you know you're welcome to join whenever you want."
Vali let out a breath through his nose. "Kuroka," he sounded slightly exasperated, "Time and place." He nodded at Koneko. "What are you doing?"
"Exactly what I told you I would do when I joined you."
"I fail to see how this is protecting your Sister." Koneko bristled at his tone, though her instincts told her to stay quiet.
"I was going to be obtuse."
"The fact that you are having the conversation at all is the problem," Vali sighed and shook his head, "What do you expect me to do with this?"
"Nothing." Kuroka said, all traces of flirtation gone from her voice.
Vail looked her up and down the slightest hint of a smile crossing his face. "There we are, your real voice." Kuroka froze for a moment, the fur on her ears rising. "I ask again, and ask this with the certain knowledge that you cannot stop me, what should I do?"
"Nothing." A new voice said. Koneko had not seen Ichigo arrive and neither had Vali, his main source of power could not be sensed by the magical side of the world and his own Devil power was being suppressed to almost nil. Vali reacted at a speed so fast it could have only been reflex. What was more, his reflex was to attack, blue wings forming in a heartbeat, a body spinning and lashing out even faster than that.
There was a sonic boom as Ichigo deflected the attack with his free hand and brought his sword up in a slash so fast Koneko was only able to see the start and end of the attack, Vali however reacted with nearly god-tier speed. Her sister also moved, shoving her back, keeping her body between her and what was happening.
Both men stood only a dozen feet apart, Vail slowly moved a hand up to his chest and glanced at the blood his fingers came away with. The cut across his chest could barely be called an abrasion, he looked up into the glowing blue eyes of her lover, and his expression was… pleased. "You." He said.
Ichigo tilted his katana forward gripping it with both hands in an upward guard, his expression dark and foreboding. "Who are you and what are you doing in my town?"
"Vali," The boy replied, "And I was just coming to pick up my comrade." He glanced over at Kuroka. "She is late and I got worried." The oddest thing about hearing that was he sounded, genuine. And from the way sigh that escaped her sister, it just might have been that.
"If I had known I would get to meet you, I might have worn my good shirt," The boy smiled, "You're half the reason Kokabiel was defeated and one hundred percent of the reason I lost the chance to have some fun that night." Ichigo blinked in confusion.
"He really likes to fight," Kuroka said in explanation, "It's what he is best at and what he has the most fun at, which is why he is about to attack you."
Both Ichigo and Vail moved at the same time, Vali a twisting streak of light, Ichigo a vanishing blur. Kuroka made a sound of exasperation as her barrier expanded to cover the whole lake as huge crashes echoed across the water. Both fighters appeared a dozen yards away Vali looking at his hands which bled from cuts on them. Silver blue light sheathed them and he nodded at his opponent, Ichigo's blade began to burn with crimson darkness a heartbeat before they threw themselves at one another. Blue and black clashed and a shockwave nearly knocked Koneko off her feet and tore at her skirt in a most annoying way. It sent her sister's kimono billowing behind her revealing that she was not wearing any underwear.
The water exploded as a body hit it at high speed, Ichigo standing above looking down, his stance set, red lighting dancing between his horns, his eyes fully yellow now. There was a scream of air as what looked like a lance of light shot out of the water, it twisted and turned at ninety-degree angles moving so fast Koneko could barely track it. Ichigo's sword blurred in a flurry of slashes, something seemed odd about the way he was breathing, even from where she stood Koneko could almost see the air moving around him in time with the breath. Almost two dozen clangs followed as the blue light danced around her lover. His sword moving ever faster, the light becoming more erratic.
It seemed to double in speed as it jerked up over Ichigo then down like a bolt from Heaven, and Ichigo moved slightly, bringing his sword up and twisting it to an angle even as he took a single step to the side. There was a loud ringing sound and the light swept past him, Vali appeared and tried to turn, but Ichigo brought his blade down, the weapon wreathed in crimson black energy. There was a loud sound of impact and Vali crashed into and through several trees, his arms, still covered in defensive magics, looking burnt.
"So this is Bankai," Vail said, sounding not bothered in the least, "I had wondered if it would be enough for me to take seriously." His wings vanished. "But I can't do anything further without making the old man mad at me." Ichigo lowered himself down to the ground moving to stand beside her and watch as Vali approached and nodded at Kuroka. "Time for us to go." He said.
"Right." Kuroka nodded and gave Koneko one last look before her eyes tracked over to Ichigo, the look in them made Koneko sigh, Kuroka just grinned even more at the sound, making sure to meet Ichigo's eyes and lick her lips before she and Vali vanished in a flash of teleportation.
Ichigo stood there for a moment, waiting, then let out a sigh. Crimson darkness flew off his body like ribbons in the wind, and once again he was just Ichigo. Orange hair, brown eyes, just the way she liked him. "Are you ok?" He asked, moving his hand to touch her face and tilt it from side to side as if looking for damage.
Koneko shivered at his touch and nodded, her cat ears poking up without her meaning them too. So of course his hand went to them, sending sparks of pleasure through her whole body as fingers ran through the white fur. "Yes." She breathed.
"Good." He closed his eyes and waited for a few moments. "Those two are not anywhere near here." The eyes opened and he looked down hesitantly then seemed to come to a decision. "What were you doing here?" He asked.
She could have been angry at his prying question, but she doubted he would have asked if it had just been her and her sister. "My sister called me, she wanted to talk and see how I was doing. Told me that the way we dealt with my heat should not have worked." Her lips twitched in a small smile and poked at her abdomen, but the expression fell away. "Then she tried to warn me of something."
Her boyfriend did not look happy at that. "Warn about what?"
Koneko shook her head as his damn hand kept fondling with her ears and it was starting to drive her crazy in the best way possible. Playing with her ears was not a problem in small doses but he just kept going. "I don't know, that boy showed up before she could tell me anything, and," she was purring hard enough to vibrate her whole body, "And I don't know."
Ichigo closed his eyes again and Koneko heard in her head as he used Communication, his thoughts pinging Rias with words of caution, Rias, in turn, pinged her brother, while Ichigo got a hold of Sona and Serafall. Within three minutes every Devil was aware that another Devil had been in town, as well as his name and appearance. Just like that, very quickly and very quietly, defenses were set in motion. But right now all Koneko could focus on was the fingers running through the fur on her ears.
"Ok, we are back to the buddy system!" He announced. "No one under the level of a Super Devil goes anywhere by themselves, Sirzech and Serafall peerages are on alert." He nodded down at her. "Now I have a place I need to get to, but I am going to get you to wherever you need to go first."
"I need," Koneko growled, "I need a few minutes of your time so you can fix what you have just done to me."
"What?" He looked baffled at her, but he must have seen her flushed face and recognized her heavy breathing. "Oh." He blinked. "Here?"
She reached up and grabbed his robe. "Now!" She demanded.
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"Oh there you are Koneko," Issei said and then paused to give her a worried look, "You're limping."
"Hobbling." Koneko said and it sounded like she was trying to go for annoyed, but the satisfied expression on her face kind of ruined it.
"Well, well, well, what happened to you?" Akeno purred. His King and Queen were sitting on the hotel bed relaxing, the TV channel on a quirky game show. But whatever they saw in the way Koneko was waddling seemed to amuse them more.
"I went to the park." The Neko replied, her voice trying to sound cold.
"Oh, was the walk back a pain in the ass?" Akeno asked.
Rias elbowed her Queen and gave Koneko a look of total understanding. Xenovia, from her spot, seemed like him, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. Asia gave Koneko a big smile and whispered something in her ear. Koneko nodded. "Give me a minute Issei and I will be ready to go." The girl crawled onto the bed laying on her belly as Asia put her hands on the girl's butt.
Issei frowned, looking around the room. "Is this a new fad and no one told me?"
Xenovia paused for a moment. "Oh, I get it, you girls have been using your butts for sexual intercourse."
Issei froze for a moment, though to be fair every girl in the room did too, except for Akeno who put her hand over her mouth and giggled like the schoolgirl she was. "Got it in one sweetie."
"Fascinating," Xenovia said, "Does it feel good?"
"For my sanity," Issei interrupted, "And because I really don't need my dreams to be filled with images of you girls and him, I am going to wait right outside the door until you two are ready."
Koneko had her face buried in a pillow, her face red with embarrassment, and gave him a thumbs up. Rias was making a point not to look at anyone and Akeno was answering Xenovia's question with great gusto.
Issei closed the door, looked up and down the hall before pulling out his phone, Momo and Ruruka had sent him pictures and they were of the kind that would help him get what he had just heard out of his head. He made sure to text other thanks for the gift and settled against the wall to wait.
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"Kaichou, I heard about Tomoe, is she ok?"
They were sitting down on a sidewalk restaurant with large bowls of Ramen, filled with chicken, hard-boiled eggs, vegetables, and lots of other good things. He and Tsubasa had dug in with abandon, while Sona ate at a much more sedate pace.
"I'm keeping an eye on her and we have been talking often these past few days." Sona let out a sigh. "It's not like she is in danger or anything, she is just hurt." Sona closed her fist for a moment. "Believe it or not Onee-Sama has been a huge help."
"I believe it."
"Fuck that Bitch who hurt her." Tsubasa growled. "I've half a mind to pay her a visit."
"Misunderstanding built on misunderstanding," Sona cautioned, though her tone of voice had more than a little heat of its own, "Assumptions can be a powerful asset and a sharp double-edged sword."
"I would ask what I could do for her but," Ichigo shrugged, "I doubt I'm the right person."
"She seemed pretty impressed with Issei." The Rook added, wondering if he slid her up the Kinsey scale a little.
Sona rolled her eyes, but did smile a little. "I have to admit Ichigo, I am quite pleased and sort of mystified at the changes you wrought in him."
"He changed himself, I just showed him a path," He shrugged, "But going back to the subject at hand, is there anything I can do for Tomoe?"
"Take her out to a bar and hit on pretty girls?" Tsubasa offered.
Sona glared at her and shook her head sharply. "You will not do that."
"Set her up with a one-night stand then," Tsubasa said with a snap of her fingers, "Orihime told us about the girl always groping her."
"You will not do that." Sona snapped. "She deserves better than that, and you will stop this line of thought or I will make you." She said in a warning tone. Tsubasa made a show of backing off, but when Sona turned to look at him she mouthed 'Don't threaten me with a good time.'
Ichigo hid a smile and focused on his King. "I think, if you just go and hang out with her, he'll spar with her, she likes to do that. Say nothing about her troubles unless she brings it up and if she does that, listen." She smiled a little. "It will be enough."
Ichigo smiled and looked at Yura. "She is going to be a great teacher."
"That our Kaichou is," The Rook agreed and ruffled Sona's hair, "She is going to change the world."
"Mmmm, stop it." Sona mumbled as her glasses fogged. Tsubasa patted her head a final time before pulling back.
"You two doing ok?"
"I was so proud to be first," The Rook said, "But I have to admit it is annoying to be waiting to go back to normal. I don't mind saying that I really want to just push you down and have my wicked way with you."
"Yura-san!" Sona sounded scandalized.
"Bite me Kaichou you get him tomorrow." The Rook paused. "Well, not just you, your Sister gets him too...how is that going to work by the way?"
Sona went so red that for a moment Ichigo worried she might combust. "That is none of your business!" She squeaked out. Ichigo felt her for her, he wondered if she was deliberately not thinking about how that would work too. After all, it was one thing to say, and another to do...what worried him the most about it was how little it seemed to bother him.
"I will do that," He said, forcing the subject back on course, "Out of everyone I think I have spent the least amount of time with her."
"G-good," Sona choked out, "That is very good."
Tsubasa opened her mouth but seemed to decide against pushing either of them. "I have a question of my own." She waited until they were both looking at her. "When Orihime told us to have lunch with you I was confused. I mean, I was missing you a lot. Or rather the chance to be alone with you. But um..." She looked embarrassed.
"Why?"
"Yes." The Rook replied.
Ichigo smiled. "Orihime is the most empathic person I have ever met. It can be very, very hard not to think of her as a ditzy airhead. But she ranked higher than me at our high school, and there is not a single person there who dislikes her. She is aware of what is going on around her, it's kind of why even with the way Chizeru acts around her we don't really do much. She asked us only to make sure it does not go overboard. She cares, she cares about everyone, it's why I think her power is the way it is. The ability to reject the reality in front of her, a terrifying power, a God-like power." He smiled. "And she uses it to heal, to protect, to cherish. That is not an accident, neither is this."
Tsubasa glanced away. "Damn, now I feel like a bad person."
"Don't," Ichigo reached out to grab her hand and squeeze, "I only know one other person like her and when those two are in the same room it is scary."
"Asia?" Sona asked.
"Asia." Ichigo agreed.
"She is very sweet." Tsubasa agreed.
"Anyway, she did this because she thought we needed it...so," He looked over at Sona, "Anything to add?"
Sona looked down her legs rubbing against one another in nervous energy. "I, um, well, I don't know what my Sister has planned for us. We have dinner at your house and then…" She shrugged. "I don't know."
"Knowing your sister," Tsubasa murmured, "it's going to be something...naughty."
Sona made a sound of mortification. "I know that. But what will she do? The more I think about it the more I worry."
"Worry about what?" Ichigo asked. "Worry you won't like it, or that you will mess it up?"
"A little of the first, more of the second."
"Sona, you would have to work really hard to mess something up so bad, Serafall would be mildly disappointed. Short of telling her that you hate her, I don't think you can hurt her in any way."
"Well," Tsubasa said, "There are a few things, but he is right in that would really have to work for it."
Sona let out a breath squeezing her hands together before forcing herself to relax. "I know that," Her voice was very small, "But I," She shivered, "I want it to be as special as she imagines."
"Then be yourself Sona." Ichigo took one of her hands in his. "I guarantee that she has factored in who you are with whatever she has planned." Sona looked down at the table and gave him a single nod, a small shiver of excitement and nerves running through her body.
"Ok."
"Aww, just kiss already." Tsubasa said, Ichigo leaned over and did just that, before following suit with the Rook as well, drawing more than a few looks at the antics.
"That's better," the Rook said, "Can we talk about something fun now?"
Sona was smiling as she affected an annoyed suspicious tone. "And what fun thing did you have in mind?"
"Well, I was thinking that next time we go at it, I want Ichigo to tie me up and..." Sona lunged across the table and covered the Rooks mouth, but the girl had been loud and they were getting a lot of looks now.
"You, you, you..." Sona sputtered as Tsubasa gave him a wink as she enjoyed her new hobby of needling her King. Ichigo just shook his head and laughed, pausing as he swore he heard someone yell 'Traitor!' in the distance.
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"No fair." Keigo and Chizuru said at the same time.
"He gets all those beauties and my Hime."
"He really does have more girlfriends."
"I want to see that blonde he was with."
Mizuiro rolled his eyes, he was not spying on his friend as he felt no need to do so. It was fun however to listen to these two bemone and whine. He was far more interested in the way his friend was starting to trend on social media. It only made sense, as he was seen at an important party supposed to be for government VIPs only, then at a club with two gorgeous, if sluty, women, followed by various photos of him going into a love hotel with several other girls. One of which looked...young. Now, he knew the girl was only a year younger than his friend. But people on social media had no idea...it was kinda funny.
Ichigo had never been one to mess with social media so it would be interesting to see when he got word of his new status as one of Japan's hottest playboys. A status very much confusing Japan's actual playboys as no one seemed to have any idea who he was. Mizuiro laughed quietly, he would need to press his friend about setting him up with some hot Devil Milfs. This might be great info to trade for it.
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Yuzu made a small sound, as the barest, most distant feeling of pain ran through her. It was not bad, not debilitating, but she still felt weaker than she should.
Still, it was amazing, she could close her eyes and she could feel her Dad, she could feel her Sister, she could even feel her Brother despite the distance. Her time just laying was spent with her mind lost in a completely new sense.
That was the good part, the odd part was the sleeping, last night had been so odd. Even after she had been moved to her Dad's bed her next dream had been so vivid. She had been hanging by a chain, dangling over a pool of lava, the chain was cut and she fell towards it. Before she could crash into the murderous fire there had been a roar, a rush of movement, and a powerful familiar arm wrapping around her. There had been a glimpse of her brother's face before everything faded.
The rush of emotions that hit her at that moment, the fast beating of her heart, the flush of heat that ran across her whole body. It was so intense she had almost woken up.
What followed was an odd disconnected experience, she watched her Brother turn into a monster, watched him be saved and her body removed from that place. She watched him and had the feeling that something else was watching too, studying, trying to understand what was happening. It was looking at her as well, for she was in its grasp. She did not know why she could only watch her Brother's distress at her unresponsive body.
The presence watched, considered, and she got the sense she was in the presence of something vast, something old. Its attention turned to her and it felt like her life was being shifted through and judged. Though it seemed to care very little about her in particular, its focus was on her memories of Ichigo.
Whatever It found, it seemed to make it act, a little out of what might have been fear, but more so because her Brother was what it needed.
Her chest glowed with heat as a chain began to form, some of it built of her own essence, some from the entity, but most of it was made up of her Brother. Her body sucking in the power he radiated, remaking the part of her Soul that had been burned away by the power of Hell.
Now she was awake, awake and she could sense her Father, her Sister standing guard. Her skill did not allow her mind to move very far beyond where they stood. Stood in the air glowing with power and heat. She felt her brother's power within Karin, it was a small part of her compared to the rest. But her Soul, now that she could focus on it, there was so much of her that was made up of her Brother. Most of it actually, some of it was the entity and the smallest fragment was her. Was the Soul she had been born with...her Brother's power was slowly leeching the power of the entity out of her taking it into itself.
She felt a blaze of heat on her abdomen and from that fire came strength. Banishing the weakness of her body for a brief moment before it faded and the weakness returned. But not as strong as it had been.
She felt that in a few hours she would be up and things would be better.
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Aizen sat and pondered what he should do, so far he had been able to keep Yuzu safe, but that power she had manifested...He had no idea how, no idea why, save for the idea that powerful desire was a factor. Yuzu Kurosaki was made up of her own Soul, her brother's reishi, and the power of Hell.
It was hard to overstate just how damaged her Soul was. It had been cut to ribbons and partially rendered. In all truth, she should not be alive, or at the very least she should not have been able to function. While rare, a damaged Soul made the host listless, unable to muster the desire to do anything, and essentially they would waste away.
However she was not a normal person, she had a Brother for whom reality seemed to bend. Her Brother's reishi made up the majority of her being, something that one should not be able to do in the first place, but that sentence had been applied to Kurosaki so many times it had lost all meaning.
The boy literally spawned power within others, power that Aizen had once assumed came from the Hougyoku being in the area. Now he knew better, now he understood. So with that in mind, his power was acting as his Sister's Soul for the most part. That had to have some effects on the person, but he was in no position to find out what.
Hell was an interesting topic, he knew more than most about it. Currently, in the age of the Soul Society and even back during the Kingdom of Soul, its purpose had been the same. Souls claimed by Soul Society eventually returned to the mortal world. Well, returned after the necessary resources were extracted for the continued function of Soul Society.
It was a give and take relationship, Souls were protected and allowed to return to the mortal coil and in return they allowed Soul Society to continue.
When Souls reincarnated they kept bits and pieces of who they had been before. The strongest emotions, feelings, desires, clung to the Soul and influenced the next person born with it. That could be a good thing, it could be a bad thing. For those with Souls judged evil by the Zanpakuto, Souls who would bring harm to the cycle, they were sent to Hell. Within that pace, the air, the beings, the ground, everything within that place ground away at the soul, rendering it into its component parts. From that new, Pure Souls were forged and returned to the cycle.
However Hell itself was older than Soul Society and Aizen had no idea what it had been before that, or how, or perhaps who, had changed the place to be part of the cycle.
He shook his head, moving his mind back to Yuzu. Her various natures had harmonized somehow, turning to a weaker, but still potent power that was terrifyingly close to the real Hougyokou. The thing had materialized in her Soul very recently and was reacting to her desires. She wanted to be strong so it was making her strong...Aizen knew very well how painful that was. Furthermore, it was drawing on the power of Hell to guide the process. Aizen doubted very much that Yuzu Kurosaki was human anymore, that her internal structure looked anything close to what it should have been.
That was all well and good, but his best guess as to the consequences would be that Yuzu would become a creature of that place, unable to exist in the mortal world without killing the mortals around her and attracting every Hollow within miles. That was another odd feature of Hell, it had some connection with Hollows, but again no one knew what it was.
Soul Society would be forced to act against her and that would be bad for everyone involved, even him, since his eventual goals required Kurosaki to be alive. A death war with Soul Society was no sure thing...though that was for both sides.
The more this girl desired to gain power the more she would change, Aizen was nearing his limit on what he could do from his position. Thankfully he had a brain and knew how to use it, to think around problems rather than go through them.
There was one important fact that was working in his favor, Yuzu had been marked and that mark, it had an intelligence of its own.
Yet another oddity spawned from Ichigo Kurosaki, it was able to understand what was going on within its host. To know what was necessary, a form of knowledge he was not familiar with. That being said, it only seemed to realize the danger after he did.
To do so as he channeled his power into her, suppressing her Lesser Hougyoku, the mark had started to absorb the thing. Piece by slow piece, it was miraculous it could even do that at all, but the process was slow. Too slow for Aizen, so something had to change and it had to involve that one spot of hope.
So he would have to take a risk, this girl's strongest desire was to become stronger, but she was a thinking being and there had to be other strong desires. Aizen, reaching down within himself, focusing, his Hogyoku had only answered him once since that fateful fight with Kurosaki. It was a fact that made sense given that when it came to himself, his desires were conflicted. But he was counting on the fact that he could make it answer for someone else.
It was why he had been able to reach the girl in the first place, her power was a lesser version of the real thing, but they both existed on the same wavelength. A trickle of power responded to him, enough to let him cast the dice. He stopped suppressing Yuzu's lesser Hougyoku entirely and focused his efforts and the power of his true Hogyouku onto suppressing that desire.
The effort of his part lessened at once, and his real body sagged in his chair, now all that was left to do was to keep watch and see what her second strongest desire was and hope it was not as dangerous to reality.
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Ichigo Kurosaki felt a chill for a moment, like someone was walking over his grave, though he could not place why.
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Xenovia did not get why people found stepping on flashing arrows so fun to watch. The rhythm aspect was at least fun to do, even if she was moving to the beat of something called 'The Hamster Song'.
Issei was cheering and Koneko was tapping her feet, looking like she wanted to pounce on the dancing hamster on the tv screen.
But the mix of two dozen teens and kids watching her move was...kind of exciting. It was also really easy, rhythm, reflex, and coordination. If you had all of those then this game was simple.
The day up to this point had been fun as well, Akeno-Sama had been more than happy to explain the sexual activities they had been up to. Exacting details, of how they did it, why it felt good, and an offer to show her how to do it if she wanted. Xenovia nodded, pursing her lips in thought before agreeing that it would be a fun activity. After all, she was no longer part of the Church, so sex was no longer off the table.
The idea seemed fun, she even had some vague ideas of siring a child. The women she had seen in her many missions for the Church, so many with children they put before themselves. So many they had looked at with love and fulfillment. A romantic view of starting a family perhaps, but it did seem appealing. It helped that there were three powerful options in that department, a swordsman of equal power, the red dragon, and the enigma that was Ichigo Kurosaki. Choices, choices, and all of them were attractive in their own ways.
Honestly, the first day she had woken up as a Devil, she had stood up, looked at herself, and asked. "What do I do?" Her whole life had been run by the Church. Where to go, what to do, where your blade was needed...and now she was free to do what she wanted. Well, within reason, so what did she want?
Here and now, dancing her heart out for a song that seemed to be made purely for jokes. Running the past two days over in her head...right now she wanted to make amends. Amends for how she had treated Asia, to...to be friends with her. Whatever happened after that, well, that would be her choice would it not?
The music stopped and she danced her name onto the highest score and stepped off to cheers as she looked between Issei and Koneko. "Well?" She asked. "Did I do good?"
"Wow," Issei laughed, "You were so bad at the arcade shooter, but I can't even get on the scoreboard in games like this."
"Not bad." Koneko said, her eyes never leaving the cartoon hamster until the screen went black. There was a small growling sound of disappointment.
"The shooter game was odd, but fun, can we try the cockpit flying game next?"
"Sure," Issei said, "Akeno just called and said she was on the way with Asia, apparently our little healer wants to try out a trampoline place near here. If it is alright with you two, I think it would be fun."
"What do you do there?" Xenovia asked.
"It's a big place where trampolines are put on the floors and walls, and you bounce around." He said it with a childish excitement she found kind of cute. "So let's get you a chance to fly and then head over that way." He paused looking towards Koneko. "Do you want to?" The diminutive Rook nodded and Issei put his fist in the air. "Hell yes, let's get going."
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"Are you sure you want this?" Beli asked
"Mmm." Was the response of her boy toy.
"As you wish." She had made sure no less than two members of the Peerage were going to be with Serafall while she took some time for romance. Though not many people would consider beating their lover senseless in an attempt to push him towards greater power to be romantic. Fewer would be the ones their lovers asked to do so.
"Have you given any thought to what I told you?"
Chad nodded, his lips tilting up ever so slightly in that perfect grin of his. "I don't think my Abuelo would approve."
"Perhaps, but did your Abuelo know what a Devil really was?"
"No."
And she would leave it at that, Chad was a man who knew when to take things slow and when to act with prejudice. Such as now, they stood in a rather abandoned area of southern China. Far from civilization, and for the most part out of the way of satellite imagery. They both dropped large bundles of equipment, everything one would need for a night out.
Neither needed to say anything, as a tent came up, a fire pit was dug, and a dozen other small, but important, little tasks to make a comfortable place to camp. Both had done this before and both would do it again. "Alright." Beli made sure that the first aid kit was full. Chad had not wanted the help of a healer. Said it made things less real for him.
Chad nodded and stripped off his shirt leaving his large powerfully built chest bare to the cool air. There was nothing about him that was for show only, no abs, not even really all that much definition save for his arms. Chad was built like a tank, slabs of powerful muscle across this chest and back highlighted by light scatterings of brown hair. Legs and arms corded with real power, born of genetics and hard work.
His own spiritual power gathered like liquid onto both his arms, morphing them into their weaponized shapes. His right arm morphing into a shield, the majority of it black with crimson lines, at the center of which were crimson teeth. Despite the fact they did not move there was something unsettlingly alive about them. Across his left arm, the power coalesced into white armor-like skin with a red stripe running along the arm ending in a long spike emerging from his shoulder.
Beli licked her lips at the sight, her ancient blood pulsing with excitement. Of the many things, she was grateful to Serafall for, reintroducing her to humanity ranked near the top. She simply stood there and watched as he began to stretch, his powerful body flexing with the motions. "You know, if you're going to do this in those jeans and nothing else, I'm going to do this with something sexy on too."
Chad grunted. "Getting beaten up by a woman in sexy clothing." He pondered the words for a whole minute as he stretched. "Could be a fetish." He said at last.
Beli smiled and let her magic run over her, invisible hands running over her hair, as she shaped and willed new clothing into existence. She made it slow, like a magical girl transformation. Serafall-sama was a fan of cosplay and she had suggested this for her. Her long blond hair twisting into pigtails, not anywhere near as long as the character she was copying but as her King had said, perfection was not the point of cosplay. Her clothing reformed into a tight green leotard, stretched tight over her chest, the part covering her butt barely covering more than a thong would. For good measure, she shifted parts of the skin on her legs to look like stripes of green paint.
She looked far curvier and less fit than the character she was cosplaying but that made her more distracting, she was sure of it. Chad certainly stared for a while, as she modeled herself...no, not modeled, as she stretched, yes that was the word. She stretched her long legs, did a few squats with her back to him. The normal stuff mortals did in their odd mating rituals.
"I have played that game," Chad said, "Excellent choice given your figure."
"Charmer."
He simply nodded and rolled his neck. "I am ready."
Beli rolled her own neck before nodding. "Ready."
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Chad covered the distance between them, the primordial caveman that was his libido falling to the back of his mind. He twisted his upper body using his right arm as the shield it was meant to be and pulled his white arm close to his chest, like a metaphorical sword.
She did not move, she just watched him, she had told him that she would not coddle him. That she would toy with him as she did with any opponent so outclassed by her power as to be funny. It would be painful, it might even be humiliating, but she would be who she was.
That was something Chad was ok with. He was outclassed, sure, but his greatest growth happened when he was fighting someone stronger.
He slammed into her hard enough to break a steel wall. He himself was a hefty guy, solid, powerful, and it did not matter in the slightest. She caught his rush with one hand, hell, not even that, she had stopped him with her fingertips. Her body had not moved back a millimeter, her amused expression had not shifted.
Chad twisted his shield up and unleashed a punch at her center mass. Her hand flicked out in an almost negligent motion. Flicking his arm as one might a fly, knocking it off course and him off balance. A sharp shove had him stumbling back, hard. It took almost a second to get his feet under him. Time she granted him, but the moment he did she was in front of him bringing her hand down on smooth karate chop.
He got his shield up and intercepted the blow. There was an almighty crack and the ground cobwebbed under him, his whole body seized up in sudden bone cracking pain. It was followed by a blow to his chest that had his world flashing white and he was tumbling over the ground coming to a boneless stop only because friction was a thing.
Chad just lay there, his body screaming at him that whatever he was doing he needed to stop. He ignored it and waited as the feeling of fire started to spread through his body, it hurt, but it told him he could move.
So he pushed himself up looking over at the sexy creature watching him. "How long?" He asked.
"Sixty seconds, that arm of yours is tougher than the rest of you."
"It is a shield."
Chad moved in a burst of static, body twisting into a brutal punch, but as he appeared next to her, the woman had her arm outstretched in his direction. She…flicked him, the tip of her finger slamming into his chest like the world's strongest gut punch. There was an actual sonic boom from the motion and once again he was tumbling. Though she had not hit him as hard as last time, he managed to land on his hands and knees, breath coming in great gasps. His vision was blurry, but he could make out a figure approaching at a sedate yet metronomic pace.
His body was starting to really understand how outmatched he was. He could feel the fear rising, his heart beating the desire to flee. But that had happened many times and Chad stood back up, letting that very human part of him fall away. He let out a breath and it steamed in the warm air, an odd thing really.
He could feel hunger seem to flow out of his arms and he embraced it. His vision cleared and he hurled himself forward, what followed was the oddest feeling of his life. She let him attack, blocking, dodging, her sinful body swaying in a way that should have put her off balance.
Chad took that all in, the hunger in him lusting for her, lusting for battle, lusting for blood. He had never fully given himself to that, but with this woman, he was allowed. He was alive, he was hard, he was human, he was something else. Light gathered to his shielded arm, the power of his soul made manifest.
Chad unleashed a blast of destructive force at almost point-blank. The blast carved a furrow in the ground until it impacted a rise in the ground and exploded in a shower of dirt and rock. It was big, it was impressive, but he had missed, she used the back of her hand and bumped his arm hard enough to send the attack off course.
But he had expected her to do something and his white arm came forward in a murderous gut punch. Beli twisted her body stepping into him, letting the attack brush along her soft belly, pressing her hip in between his legs. And ramming her shoulder into his chest sending him stumbling, which she capitalized on with a quick forward rush.
Chad felt his instincts scream as her hand came up, fingers tense to flick him again. He let it guide his actions his spiritual power gathered to his chest. When she flicked him there was a ringing sound like steel.
He was still hurled back a dozen feet, still felt white-hot fire flood his veins, but he only landed on his ass and was able to get up within a second. Given that Beli was airborne and about to come down on him with a dropkick that was a good thing. Seeing her suit and how thin it was between her legs, he got quite a view of just about everything. It was flossing her in the most literal sense.
Chad let out a roar and punched, sending out a blast of spiritual power. Beli grinned and brought her foot down to meet the attack. The resulting explosion was much louder, the energy behind her drop kick far exceeding the power of his blast. The raw kinetic energy of the blow crashed into him like a physical wall lifting him off the ground and hurling him back.
Instinct had his power moving to his feet, seeming to dig into the air itself for support. He heard the word "Sonic Boom" as Beli brought both her arms around, her arms flaring with green magic. As her arms crossed a near disk like a blast of energy shot out at him like a bullet. He caught it on his shield arm and oddly enough it was significantly less hard to block that energy than her physical attack.
The power seemed to be dispersed across the shield, unable to bring its full power to bear on a single point. What was more he felt a little invigorated as his shield had devoured some of the energy used...it did have a mouth.
"Hadouken."
"You have got to be..." Chad started to say, but shut up as a ball of power larger than him came flying his way. He just had time to set himself, put the full weight of his body behind his shield arm, and tense before it impacted.
This time he was able to see the energy shedding off and around his shield arm. It burned against his skin where it touched, but left no mark. He could feel power entering his body, and when the attack detonated a good portion of the kinetic power seemed to shed off his shield rather than affect him directly. Still, he was pushed back a dozen yards into the air. His shield arm burned like fire and a glance showed him the teeth on the symbolic mouth had turned a molten orange.
Chad reached for the energy he had absorbed and felt a flood of strength, as I'd the very earth itself was flooding him with power. He moved faster than he ever had before the hunger in him surging to the front of his mind. Beli took a light jump back before his fist impacted the ground she had occupied, shattering a gratifying amount of rock and soil.
His body was still in motion, the energy sending him forward as he unleashed a flurry of punches that would have flipped a tank. The women kept giving way, small movements, a flashing deflect here and there. Her body bounced in all kinds of interesting ways.
Chad growled again summoning the rest of the stolen energy making his white arm glow blue and his black arm glow black. The speed of the punches became blinding, flashes of explosive power flickering off to detonate close to his opponent.
The speed of her movements kept up, increasing with his. Just before his energy boost ran out he leaped into the air gathering that power and his own into the fist of his shield arm. Beli for her part spun in place and knelt, pulling back her pointer finger with her thumb and aiming at him like she had a gun. "El Directo.'' Chad whispered.
"One for all, Air Force." She replied. Chad unleashed the most powerful blast of his life. The sound of it vibrating the air and scattering wildlife for miles. The attack looked like something out of a Dragon Ball Z cartoon.
So it was a bit of a disappointment when it detonated in mid-air, a clear path being blown straight through it by pure, focused kinetic energy. He got his shield on the way, and again it bled a lot of the force from the attack, but Beli had made it far more focused than her others, his arm went numb, blocking it. The next word he heard before his world became pain and he blacked out was. "Shoryuken!"
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Chad blinked awake, his body reporting that it was unbroken for the most part and very much in pain. "Three of your ribs popped back into place while I watched out."
Beli was standing in front of him, in the process of removing her leotard. "You're not going to be standing up for a while so I thought we would take care of that." She made a gesture with her bare foot at his painfully hard crotch, it was only growing more hard as he watched her disrobe.
"Are game attacks all you can do?" He knew it was not the time or place, but he wanted to know.
Beli pulled her legs out of the leotard and he watched in appreciation. "When I stop using copied attacks from all the anime, manga, and video games I have experienced with Serafall-sama you will know I am seriously fighting you."
She turned around and her perfect breasts hung before him, defying gravity with casual ease. His eyes drifted up to her cute innocent face with those ancient eyes. "When that day comes you will see why I was named the King of Land." There was a pause as she waited to see him acknowledge that. "Now, I think the time for talking has passed, we will start again when you are ready and I am satisfied."
A fight with sexy women followed by what promised to be rough sex...oh yes this differently going to become a fetish.
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Serafall looked at her Rook and Knight, both of him looked more than a little nervous. "Soo," she said, "Beli took her boy toy off to go have two days of fun."
"And," Erza said hesitantly, "She left us in charge." The Bishop, a tall girl with bubblegum pink hair winced at that.
"True." The Maou said with a slow nod.
"You need to do your paperwork Serafall-sama." The Bishop whispered, she did a good job of looking like Sakura from Naruto, but her voice would have fit better on Hinata.
"Do I?" The Maou asked, "Are you sure we can't have a party instead?"
Erza pulled out a paper and read over it. "'If you don't then by all the old gods I will march into your date, drag you out and tie you to your chair until you get it done.', signed Beli."
Serafall blinked, tilting her head. "How many responses are on that paper?"
"Forty-two direct responses and twenty generic. The one I used was for when you were trying to intimidate your way out of your work."
"Poo, I'm just playing around." Serafall stuck her tongue out.
"Yes, Serafall Sama that is why I used response 32-a rather than 32-b."
The Maou blinked. "Oh...what was b?" Erza showed her the paper and Serafall flinched. "Wow that is scary."
"I don't know how she would literally drown you in paperwork, but the Queen does sound serious." Erza agreed.
Serafall scrunched up her face in thought, but it was interrupted when Sirzechs spoke to her over the Maou-only link they had.
"Serafall."
The tone and voice brought about an instant change in her demeanor. Gone was the tease, the flirt, the slacker, in her place was the Maou who had helped win a war. A woman who was a Queen of her people in all but name. "What did we find out?"
"It took some digging but, we have confirmed who he is." There was a pause. "Vali Lucifer."
Serafall held her expression neutral "Razevan's half-breed child."
"Clearly not as dead as we thought, given who his grandfather is."
Serafall let out a long sigh. "Those rumors then, about Azazel having a Devil on his staff."
"One with a Longinus, the opposite of my baby Sister's Red Dragon."
"And the older Sister of Rias's Rook. It seems Azazel is being quite progressive in recruitment."
"It would seem," Sirzech replied, "It only took them decades to copy us."
"We cheat by turning those we recruit into Devils," She reminded him, "And we don't know how long he has been doing this."
"True, and what is more it means that he has eyes in the city."
Serafall moved over to her desk. "I also get the feeling goodie twelve wings is around here somewhere."
There was nothing much to say to that, you could not know for sure that the Messenger of God was in the area, her Grace prevented that so long as she was non-hostile. Serafall, however, had a tendency to be right about her self-proclaimed rival's location. "You know the other Maou and I had a bet that you would bed her one day."
"Pervs.'' She replied feeling a hint of tension ease out of her shoulders. Then an evil smile spread across her face. "Well, now that you mention it, it would be kind of hot to hold her down and watch her face as Ichigo...'' The link cut off and Serafall made an offended sound. "He hung up on me."
Her Rook and Knight had remained quiet, well used to this sort of thing happening with their Maou. "Ok girls, I'll be good and go do my work." She moved her hair back into a ponytail. "I will need a few older reports as well." She listed them off from memory and where you could find them. She was pretty sure she remembered their contents well enough, but it never hurt to be sure.
"Yes, my King." they both said.
Serafall found herself alone and gave herself a second to imagine blowing off work, but the second passed. She would have a break tomorrow in which her dreams would come true or by any god listening, she would cast this world into another ice age.
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"Yuzu." Karin said with worry.
"I'm fine," Yuzu said, "Really, I feel great." It was the truth, she had slept through most of the afternoon and woke up feeling alive. She had taken a shower, did a little housework, and found herself full of energy.
"Look Yuzu, your maid friend is taking care of everything, you can relax."
Yuzu shivered. "That sounds awful, I need to do something," She gave her sister a pleading look, "I won't do much, I'm just going to help."
Karin made a small sound and moved out of her way though she stalked after her like an angry mother hen. Mori-sama was in the kitchen just like her sister said. Nel was clinging to her back, eyes closed and a bit of drool coming out of her mouth. It was adorable and Yuzu took a napkin and wiped the toddler's mouth off.
Mori glanced at her, the woman's huge grey eyes taking her in, her mouth set in a small neutral expression, her short black hair perfect against the black and white of her consecutive maid uniform. She even had the little mob hat which almost made it look like she was wearing a cloth crown. Her no-nonsense lace-up boots set a near metronomic pattern on the floor.
All in all, she was the most mature adult woman Yuzu had ever met. Something about her quiet, intense personality shining through in everything she did. She simply looked at her, nodded, and gestured to some vegetables that needed cutting.
Yuzu felt some relief at the simple recognition, and further relief on seeing a very foreign-looking meal being made, it would never be mistaken for her cooking, something the Maid no doubt realized. Mori was like that, her personality and training making her incredible at reading people.
Yuzu got work, the feeling of just doing something worth her hands made her relaxed. She had been sleeping or resting for almost a full day and at last, she was doing something productive...too bad it was not something reproductive. The naughty thought made the girl smile at her own joke.
"Anything new Sensei?" She asked as the vegetables under her hands started to come apart. She did not remember being this fast or accurate, but it might have just been something she took for granted something she noticed now because she had been forced into almost a whole day of bed rest.
"I work for your brother now." She replied.
Yuzu paused considering that statement. "Aww, you get to be his personal maid, I'm so jealous."
For a heartbeat, Mori smiled and the rare sight lifted Yuzu's heart a bit. "Serafall let me choose my own master."
"You picked the best."
Karin made a quiet sound of annoyance that Yuzu ignored. "You seem to have recovered well." Mori observed. "I was told you had quite the fever."
"Yeah, I have no idea what that was," Yuzu rolled her neck, the motion oddly pleasurable, "But I feel great now, like really good." She hopped in place. "I almost want to go for a run and I have never done that in my life."
Karin was burning a hole in her back, her twin was staring so hard. Then her head snapped to the side as she felt her Father's Soul flare like a bonfire. Karin must have felt it too, in fact, she must have felt it before she did because her head was already turned.
For a moment her father seemed to be surrounded by...hungry darkness that lashed out like a monster from the deepest nightmare.
Her Father's light burned it away with such wrath that it made the breath catch in her throat. Before that, the hungry darkness was no match, even as more of it hurled itself at her Father, trying to move past her Father.
A second, larger light joined him, the power of her Brother eclipsing her Father. There was an element of that hunger within that power, but it burned all the brighter for it. Before him the darkness did not just die, it fled in terror.
The sensation of both diminished, they stood close perhaps talking, but then her Brother vanished and her Dad lowered himself to the roof where he stood watch.
Her Brother reappeared next to a glowing pile of warm power. It radiated kindness, joy, love, empathy, and love. Which was about what Yuzu expected from two people and only one of them was visiting tonight.
Refocusing her efforts she went about making the salad for the meal. Mori was almost done with everything else so she was determined to make this the freshest salad. Perhaps after dinner was over and her brother left she would go for a run. Karin did that all the time and it seemed like a good way to get rid of all this energy.
Yuzu began to hum a little song, today had started badly, but was ending pretty well.
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It felt like a dream, like her every dream was coming true. Sure, she had been to his house before, she had dinner with them, he gave her flowers and chocolate, she hung out with them, everything they were doing right now.
But this was different, he kissed her. Before the door opened. He held her hands and when they walked in he gave her flowers and chocolate and a vase. The Kurosaki family was so accepting, the other girls had told her that Karin was acting as a sort of guard dog. But Ichigo's little sister was nice, sweet even. She knew she liked her, and most of all she trusted her.
The food was wonderful and romantic, with reds and pinks, Mori-san the most perfect servant always where she needed to be with seconds, refills, whatever it was she never had to be asked. Little Nel was so sweet, giving them her blessing before spending the rest of Dinner on Ichigo's head, something she did not mind at all.
The night felt like a blur as they talked, they laughed, they kissed, they watched a movie, and shared the same bowl of popcorn. It was everything she ever wanted and ended far too soon. It felt like she was coming down from a high and it sucked. She came to herself as they walked together away from his house onto the quiet well-lit streets. "What's wrong?" He asked.
Orihime leaned into him her eyes fluttering, looking into the darkness. "I imagined things like this, us walking, holding hands, a date for just the two of us. It's been a fantasy for a long time."
She could not see his expression at that statement, but he did speak. "Why, what did you see in me? I was just some punk taking out my trauma on other punks."
"No," she said gently, "Do you remember how you met Keigo?"
That memory seemed to come from a lifetime ago. The hazy memory of the school bully boys going after someone they saw as weak. He stepped in casting his defiance against the wrong he saw. That fight had nearly got him expelled, and it has gotten him more injured than any point in his memory before he became a Shinigami.
"There were seven of them and you were by yourself."
"That was before I met Chad and before I really knew what I was doing in a fight."
"But you did it anyway," She said, "You fought, they hurt you, but you fought and fought and they were the ones who ran." She blushed. "I saw that, I found out you didn't even know who Keigo was. That was when I started to admire you." His arm tightened around her shoulder. "I watched you for a time, I was kind of scared of you. How you could just be hurt and keep going, you faced everyone with that scowl of yours and dared the world to come at you."
"That is a very romantic way to look at an angry young teen."
"Mh." She agreed as they walked.
"I did wonder about you, it took Keigo to point it out, but eventually I did notice you." She blushed at the words and snuggled against him not saying anything. "Did Tatsuki make you hang with her when I was around?"
She blushed even harder. "Yes."
"I probably should thank her, though she has been avoiding me like the plague."
"She's getting better." Orihime said quickly.
"It's ok, I consider her reaction reasonable," He let out a breath, "Sorry for making you have to tell me how you felt directly."
"No," Inoue shook her head, "It's the proudest moment of my life, one I'm going to tell our children." She seemed to freeze up as those words left her mouth and if he had not been holding her she would have collapsed.
Ichigo turned and swept her up in his arms, smiling at her beat red face and saying nothing.
A small group of women passed them and giggled at the sight as Inoue put her face in her hands. "I..." He slipped a single finger over her lips.
"I'm sure you will."
Orihime was quiet for a long time after that, as step by step, he walked the streets of his home city. Inoue looked so pretty in her yellow sundress, smelled so good he half wanted to ask what shampoo she used.
"I still have nightmares sometimes, me beaten to a pulp, unable to stop you from being taken." With those words came some fresh, badly-needed anger and clarity on just who Aizen was, the fact that the man was using him, and what he had done to those Ichigo called friends.
It was badly needed because he did not know if Aizen could change, the man could fake it, of that he had no doubt. But real change...he understood the man now, in some ways he had understood Aizen the moment they crossed blades, in that final battle.
Loneliness, aching loneliness, desire to use his gifts in a way to make things better. The certainty that he was doing the greatest right, that no one else could understand what he was doing. Why he was doing it and he would not let them stand in his way. He was Aizen, his schemes had laid low near-gods, and then Ichigo had crossed blades, had understood Aizen and rejected him.
What that had done to Aizen, Ichigo was not sure. All he did know was that at the end of that fight Aizen had not truly wanted to win.
Shaking his head, his mouth continued to move, to speak. "Why do people keep trying to take those I love?"
"Because they think it is a weakness," Inoue replied, "Because they can't understand how powerful your love is." She pulled herself up, hands her arms around his neck, and kissed him. "When I first saw you, I thought you were handsome and scary, when I saw you fight I thought you were amazing. But when I saw you love, that was when I fell in love with you."
"Love and hate are the same force going in different directions." Ichigo whispered, his eyes flashing yellow. "And you saw me hate too."
Inoue closed her eyes. "I have and it still scares me. So, at some point, I guess I will have to talk to that part of you, because we have such a long time ahead of us." Her own eyes glowed with a Fey light. "And by everything that is real, I will love all of you, that is my promise to you." That seemed to be the whole day's expenditure of courage for her and she buried her face in his chest.
"I will hold you to that Inoue, so long as you hold me to the same standard." Her apartment door came into sight. He did not say anything because he did not need to. With a whispered effort of Devil power, the door opened and he stepped inside, letting it close behind them.
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Hope you all enjoyed, I know Inoue's date was shorter than the rest but she has been to his house a lot before.
New lemons on my AO3 (An Archive of Our Own) Fanboy913 account if you want to read that.
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Comments of the Week
Zathol
The scene with Yuzu and Aizen was truly interesting. I truly had to wonder if Aizen was honest or not after. I mean Ichigo got some impression of him during his fight and during his time spent with him I have no doubt that there is a bond there despite all the past conflicts.
Would it be to hard to emphasize with Aizen while seeing despite his methods and his cruel acts that he did have good intentions and did in fact feel alone? Like he never truly fit in because he was to different that he had to design a persona to play the part of good captain to everyone? That maybe he saw things different and felt no one could understand him. Maybe not even truly understanding himself.
He manipulated everyone and everything to reach his goals but even himself. Molding himself into the masks to play the parts and while he had others dancing to his tune he also had to dance to it to fit in to reach his goals. It makes you think a bit, did he lose who he was along the way? Did he forget or maybe all the time spent in his persona's and then the fight with Ichigo where he just let everything out that was buried deep within at the height of his perceived evolution and victory.
In Don't Fear Your own world a lot was relieved in passing about Aizen, I am happy people are thinking about what I am doing especially in keeping with what kind of person Aizen is. You seem to have seen a lot of the things I did which makes me happy. I only thing
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Wrathfulx123
So where has Nel been while Ichigo has been home? At Sona's place, they were always together except at school.
Mori is her babysitter
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SomethingAncient
Also, may I ask why Ichigo's voice was so comically bad for singing? This isn't really criticism; I'm just surprised it was that bad and am curious if it was more of a "this would be funny" or a "this makes perfect sense" thing to you.
Kind of both, his voice actor does not seem like much of a singer and I found this funny.
I know Rias is "Ria" this night, but I'd like offer some advice: Leave "Ria" for dialog, because it's characters who are calling her that, and not the narration itself. Since Rias' name is still 'Rias', the narration should keep with that since we know her identity already.
That is a very good point, I will remember that next time.
Lamborghinis, the desirable cars that look great, are all two-seaters. Unless you count their new crossover called the Urus (which is not a car). There have been concept cars (basically one-offs) with 4 seats, but no real production ones. They're also not that rare in Japan, though they still are quite rare.
What might have worked better is an RWB modified Porsche 911, which does have a back seat. RWB is famous for modifying those cars, and 911s with his flare and style are quite desirable and very flashy.
I am not a car man, and I will admit that when I thought of expensive car, that Lamborghini was the first thing that popped into my mind. I think I will just let it be a Urus which is close enough for what I wanted to get across. Thank you for the car knowledge though.
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RabbidChimp
Remember the final arc in Naruto, where they stopped every few episode to give a random person a backstory and it screwed up the flow and made people stop watching? That's what this is feeling like honestly. The parts in Soul Society, Yuzu and her growth, Aizen plotting in the background, Byakuya and his newfound distrust and the death guard, are all the things we want to see. But the dates are taking up to much time and making this boring. Get back to the story already before you start losing readers.
I understand that people can feel like this is dragging, but one thing I would like to say is that I write because I enjoy it, the fact that others enjoy it too is a blessing and I am happy to share it all with you. However, while I will take feed back and I have even changed a few things based on what reviewers tell me. I want to write all these dates, I have fun doing it, It is why I jump the pov around to make sure it is not only this. There are things happening and lots of people have noted that things are coming to head in the background.
So the time for what you want to see will come, but I enjoy my story, the moment I stop doing that is the moment I stop writing it. I do this for the people who read it, I do it for myself, I want to tell my story, I want to see what people say about it, but I have to tell the story I want to tell. And that involves these dates, I don't foresees having to do anything close to this major in the future, until or unless some new girls join (*Spoiler*)
I hope this has answered your question, and has not offended you, I have heard similar things to this review in others and in PM's and I felt this would be a good spot to answer all of them in go.
Thank you for enjoying my story as you told me in your review.
Aside from that, I love this story. Keep up the good work, update soon!
I will do my best to do this, because I love this story too.
Fanboy913
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Zathol
Omake of the Week
Omake - The games we play
"Do you play Go, Yuzu Kurosaki?"
Yuzu blinked as a chair, table, and board popped in front of the strange man. She smiled shyly. "Well, a little."
Sometime later...
Yuzu woke up after what felt like hours and almost at once wished she had not. She realized that if she was feeling this much pain then it must have been a lot worse as she slept. She would have to thank the strange if kind man next time they met.
It was also nice to have someone to play Go with again. For some reason she could never get anyone to play with her anymore. They always became busy with something.
Back with Aizen...
Aizen stared at the board with a small smile. Closing his eyes as his shoulders started to shake before he let out a hearty chuckle. Opening his eyes he looked at the board which showed his defeat. Again. A Kurosaki defeated him.
"Truly the Kurosaki children are most terrifying indeed." To think I would have lost not one game, but 4 games in a row. He could not remember a time he ever lost in a game unless he did so on purpose or when he first tried the game out and started to surpass those more experienced.
He couldn't say he was disappointed though in his loss. The young girl was a delight and it was easy to see why Ichigo adored her so. Once she got over the awkwardness of playing against a person strapped to a chair in her dreams she made for pleasant conversation and challenge.
He smiled as the board, table, and chair vanished as he closed his eyes with a smile. He looked forward to seeing what changes the young Yuzu Kurosaki goes through...and a rematch. He chuckled softly. Truly the Kurosaki family always made life so interesting.
End.