Disclaimer: not mine

Chapter 1

Ichigo sat on the cliff edge, staring out at an unfamiliar sea. He'd done it, he'd agreed to leave and now he was a stranger in a strange world. He'd been given a basic world map, some 'gil' and that was it, everything else he had brought with him such as clothing, mementos of friends and family, food, medical supplies, anything he thought may be useful.

He felt a bit guilty; he hadn't had the guts to tell everyone what was going on, he'd left in the night without a word. Only Shunsui knew and he had a collection of letters to pass around once people began wondering where he was. He would not just roll over and die for those cowardly old men, likewise, he did not want to be the cause of another war. Leaving had been the best option for everyone, he just hoped they didn't target the Visored or Arrancar without him there. There was nothing he could do about it now except wish them well.

The trip to this world had been very different and strange, he'd actually been ill when he'd arrived. He'd found himself soaking wet, sprawled on the beach, here at Galdin Quay. He'd spent his time since learning everything he could about Eos. Daemons were a shock, but they didn't bother him, and he figured they could sense his Hollow powers and they made them wary, or maybe remnants of Hell from his trips there to save Yuzu. They made his skin crawl, especially when he could sense the mutilated souls at their core, some human, some animal. They were obviously this worlds version of Hollows, but even worse as there was nothing human left in them. At least they were only a threat at night if you left a well-lit area, well he was capable of providing his own light if necessary and even if he couldn't he was able to fight them off.

The war he'd landed in the middle of was more concerning. Learning about it without raising suspicion was not easy since it was such a long conflict. He knew he was in Lucis, that their enemy was the Empire of Niflheim. The best place for information would be the Capital of either, Insomnia was the closest. Much of Lucis was occupied by the Empire already, ever since some sort of Wall had been drawn back to protect the Capital. It was a very different war to anything he'd seen though it seemed it may soon be ending, Lucis could offer very little resistance anymore, their forces dwindling by the day.

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Ichigo handed over the proof of a successful hunt and accepted his payment for it from Coctura. "Anything new?" he asked as he sat at the counter and she whipped up a serving of white fish in tomato sauce, another thing he was adjusting to, the differences in food. Some things were the same but there were animals used for food he'd never dreamed of. Fish he figured was safe and something he was used to since Yuzu had always enjoyed cooking with it over red meats.

"No new hunts, sorry. Though there is news of the treaty."

"Oh?" he asked before tucking in.

"The Emperor himself arrives in Insomnia tomorrow. To seal the deal, Prince Noctis is to marry the Oracle, Princess Lunafreya. We'll finally have peace," she smiled.

"What's being given up?" He asked and she winced slightly but then sighed.

"All Lucian territories except Insomnia."

"So, we'll soon answer to the Empire," he murmured. Was this what he was meant to intervene in?

"With the number of bases across Lucis, we pretty much do already," her smile this time was resigned.

Ichigo finished his meal and stood up to leave. "See you tomorrow," he waved and left, heading away from the resort to where he'd built himself a home, with the help of some of the locals. No one had asked questions about where he'd come from and when he'd saved some local kids from some Seadevils they had accepted him as a local hunter. Coctura had gotten him signed up with a Hunter named Dave to make it official and he now wore the tags around his neck. He'd been fighting monsters since he was fifteen, these were just a different kind. He no longer wore the uniform of a Shinigami which felt very strange, but black was the colour of the Royal family and his clothing did not fit in, not that it had in the living world back home. It was a good thing he did have some other clothing, and he'd bought more to fit in. He now tended to wear dark pants and jacket and a t-shirt underneath, though he tended to ditch the jacket when not working because the region was rather warm. He'd almost forgotten what enclosed shoes were like but now he wore heavy duty boots and he carried Ossan's blade openly, only Shiro's remained hidden due to its size. He didn't wander too far from Galdin Quay, content to hunt in the area and keep an eye on things, like Dino had told him, you could learn a lot from the people coming and going thanks to the ferry and resort.

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Noctis stretched as he got out of the car, looking around. So this was Galdin Quay. He breathed in deep, smelling the salt air which you couldn't really do in Insomnia, due to all the city scents. His back was aching thanks to pushing the Regalia and then going on their first ever hunts. None of his training had prepared him for that kind of fighting, though he was glad they'd found Dave alive and mostly well. He was almost there, juts the ferry trip to go and he would see Luna for the first time since the Imperial attack in Tenebrae. He wasn't entirely sure how he felt about their upcoming marriage. Did he love her like he should a spouse? Not that it mattered, this was a political marriage and a lot of his ancestors had those, if they were lucky love came later, or at least friendship. At least he and Luna were already friends.

"We should check the ferry schedule and see if there is one this afternoon or if we will need to stay the night," Ignis offered.

"You're out of luck then," a voice called, and they turned to see a young man approaching.

Noctis couldn't help staring for a moment at his hair, it feel to the collar of his jacket and it wasn't blonde or red but orange, not a shade he'd ever seen before.

"Pardon?" Ignis called warily and the guy shrugged.

"It's all the talk around here, the ferry's aren't running. The Empire's stopping them from entering or leaving Altissia. Left a lot of people stranded," he answered, leaning against the railing that cut the carpark off from the beach.

"And you are?"

"Ichigo!" a child's voice called, and the stranger turned, scooping the child up to toss in the air, earning a shriek of delight.

"Where are your parents Mary?" he asked as he set her back down on the ground and the girl pouted.

"Working and I wanna swim," she stared up at him with wide eyes and Prompto smothered a laugh even as Ichigo sighed.

"Go get your suite and friends, I'll watch."

"Thank you!" she grinned and ran off.

"I don't suppose you've heard when the ferries will be running again?" Gladio asked and Ichigo shook his head.

"Sorry, good luck," he turned to go but then turned back. "Watch out, there's been some Imperials around, your Highness," he warned before heading for the beach.

"So what do we do now?"

"It seems we shall need to find alternative transport," Ignis offered and Noctis nodded, looking around and then he spotted the fishing dock.

"Since it looks like we'll be here at least a night, I should catch us some dinner."

"Any excuse to fish huh?" Gladio smirked but followed him down to the water as Ignis went to check if the caravan had been rented for the night, which it had been.

"It appears we will be camping at the Haven tonight," Ignis informed them when he joined them, watching the children play in the surf nearby, Ichigo keeping a close eye on them.

"Can't we stay at the hotel?" Prompto asked, he'd seen the stiff way Noctis was moving.

"We don't have unlimited funds," Ignis warned.

"We could take a hunt or two if we need too, it'll take time to find transport, right?" Noctis suggested, he really wanted a proper bed.

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Ignis glanced at the Prince and the way he was moving. "Very well," he agreed. It would hardly be good for Noctis to show up to his own wedding barely able to walk. The repairs to the Regalia had really drained their funds but taking a few easy hunts would pay for a room, they would need one with two beds to fit the four of them. "I shall go book us a room, we will need those fish for dinner still though, we won't have enough to eat at the restaurant," he warned.

He walked past the young man watching the children and nodded in greeting, getting one in return. He walked up onto the dock and down it towards the hotel, it would be interesting to stay in a hotel built over the ocean. A nice experience for one who loved water as much as Noctis. This may be the last time he ever left the city since the Empire would control Lucis, he should get to enjoy himself as much as possible.

He was worried about the treaty…and the possibility it was a trap. He suspected that was why the King wanted the wedding to happen in Altissia, it was the closest you could get to neutral territory, despite technically being Imperial territory. He paused as he saw an oddly dressed man just within the resort, something about him was familiar.

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Ichigo looked towards the resort, something dark slithering across his senses. "Time to get out, it's getting late," he called, and the children obediently left the water. He got up and headed for the resort at a quick walk, seeing one of the men from the Prince's car and a man dressed in far too many layers for the weather standing in front of him. He felt that darkness reach from the man towards the glasses wearing man and he reacted on instinct, a silent Kidō spell, one of the few he could manage, flared into existence between the two, protecting the younger male. Neither could see the barrier, no one in this world seemed at all sensitive to spiritual energy, thankfully, though he did wonder if his presence would change that like it had changed his living friends. He saw the man frown, obviously aware that whatever he'd tried had failed to work and Ichigo walked up behind the younger man, eyeing the older one carefully. "Everything alright?" he asked, and the young man turned to him, appearing a bit ruffled.

"Fine now, thank you." Then he flinched as something was tossed his way and Ichigo caught it before he could be hit. He opened his hand to reveal an old coin.

"Consider it your allowance," the man said, and the young man frowned.

"And who is allowing us?"

"A man of no consequence," with that he walked away and Ichigo held the coin out.

"You want it, or should I toss it in the sea?" he couldn't sense anything off about it, so it seemed a harmless trinket.

"I suppose there's no harm in it. Thank you for intervening. I don't believe I introduced myself earlier, Ignis Scientia," he offered his hand and Ichigo shook it.

"Ichigo Kurosaki, nice to meet you. Worked out your ferry problem?"

"No, I came to book a room for the night."

"Good luck with that, there's twice the people that are normally here with the ferry down. Have you tried the caravan?"

"Already rented," Ignis sighed.

Ichigo hesitated, but then figured there was nothing else to do. He'd seen the way the Prince was moving, a night at the Haven would do him no good. "I've got a spare room," he offered. "It'll be close quarters and there aren't enough beds for everyone, but it'll be better than the Haven, especially since its meant to rain tonight."

"That's very generous of you," Ignis sounded suspicious and he shrugged.

"I saw the way he's moving, a night sleeping on hard rock won't do him any good. Best he not limp down the aisle with his bride." He thought they were taking a big risk travelling with the Prince so obviously, they should have done more to disguise him for safety. If Ichigo could recognise him and he'd barely been on Eos for three months then surely everyone who saw would recognise him.

"Ah, we can reimburse you."

"No need, I do well enough off hunting." He glanced at the sky. "The lights don't reach that dock," he warned. "I'll meet you at your car."

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Prompto followed his friends into the small house set back from the beach, along with several others, obviously homes for those who worked around the resort. Ichigo flicked the lights on to reveal a rather spartan room with a small kitchen in the corner.

"There's two bedrooms down the hall plus a bathroom, take your pick. I'll grab what I need for the couch."

"We can't kick you out of your room!" Prompto argued.

"It's fine, there's four of you and two beds. A night on the couch is still more comfortable than a Haven."

Gladio carried the bucket of fish over to the kitchen.

"Do you mind if I prepare the meal?"

"Go ahead. Pans are in the lower cupboards, there's some spices and other food in the uppers. Knock yourself out. I'll grab my shower and then it'll be free for all of you."

"Thanks," Prompto grinned at him and Ichigo nodded, heading off to the bathroom.

"You sure this is safe?" Gladio whispered to Ignis.

"Safe enough," Ignis answered, glancing at the hallway. "Noctis needs a proper rest, we all do. He wears a Hunters tags and that organisation has proven trustworthy in the past. He also stepped in as I was having some trouble with a rather odd man who seemed to know who I was and why we are here, not that it would be hard to work out I suppose."

Prompto moved away and found a photo, it was their host, a few years younger, with two girls and an older man, obviously his Father which likely meant the girls were his siblings. He wondered where they were now, though by the look of the room they lived in a city, which meant Insomnia or Lestallum. So what would have brought Ichigo out here as a Hunter unless…well… The guy was quiet, reserved, but not unfriendly, Prompto didn't think he'd bring them here under false pretences, besides they outnumbered him and had access to magic.

They were soon eating a good meal made with Noct's fish and then he went to the main bedroom with Noctis while Iggy and Gladio took the other.

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Ichigo lay on the couch, feeling the presence of four strangers in the house made it harder for him to fall asleep. In the end, Shiro materialised to keep watch, letting him fall asleep.

Not long after he jerked awake, eyes wide. Nothing was amiss and yet…he met Shiro's golden gaze, they both felt it, danger though not at Galdin. The Treaty maybe?

TBC…