*One year later.
A year had passed since Sister had been mated and moved to the Hayate Territory with her mate. She had tried to convince Father and Mother in vain to name Izo the leader of Alaric, but she was fought back down. Mukuro had not wanted him to inherit, so he could not inherit. Yet Brother was named to inherit should something happen to Sister before she had a child.
It was odd to have Sister out of the castle, but still see her in school. Sometimes Takashi tagged along with her on days she said he could not handle the separation. It was so odd to only see her half the time, like part of his life was voided out.
After graduating from school, Izo felt at a loss as to what to do with his life afterwards. The plan was university in the Human World, to go for engineering at the same university Mother had gotten her engineering degree at part time while the twins were in kindergarten, but it did not seem to fit right with him. Like he was just going through the motion and doing what was expected of him, rather than pursuing what he wanted to do.
He was unsure what he wanted to do, but he wanted to fight, wanted to train. The demon part of him demanded it, but the quietness of human life kept it suppressed. He wanted to feed it and waiting for the next demon king's steward seemed improbable.
Two weeks before he was due to go to university, an unexpected and surprising guest arrived at the Alaric Castle. Izo had been out training with Father when the both of them sensed the lone demon approaching.
When the demon came into view, Father only half relaxed at the sight of him. "Touya," Father whispered the name of the demon in front of him. "What brings you here?"
Ice Master's eyes landed on Izo, making Izo resist the urge to shrink down. Rather he stood up straighter as if being challenged by him. Izo studied the stranger, light blue eyes, light blue hair, teal bangs. He also wore the clothing of a shinobu demon. They were said to once be proud warriors, expert in their fields of combat. Years and years ago, there were hundreds of masters, yet they had dwindled down to a handful when Mother became a spirit detective. Now Izo was staring at the one of the last three. The other two master had been trained by Ice Master. All the other had either left the order, either dying or just quitting. One of them, the former wind master, was the last to quit. When Father talked about that one, he scowled and looked guilty. Mother grew hushed said very few words on the matter.
Yet neither of them had had much to say about this demon before, beyond he was an ice master. Izo felt a raw kinship bubble up between the two of them before either one of them had even spoken to each other.
Ice Master finally spoke, breaking Izo out of his thoughts. "I'm here to speak with you. And your mate. And your son." He nodded over to Izo while speaking with Father. "Especially your son."
Izo felt tension worm its way through his chest, a kind of anticipation that told him something major was about to happen. He was unsure if he should run from it or run to it.
Father led Izo and this Ice Master into the castle to find Mother so the four of them could speak. While Izo did pay attention to the words spoken, he paid most attention to the tension in the room between Mother and Father and this Ice Master. There was a story there, buried years ago.
Ice Master wanted to take Izo on as an apprentice shinobu ninja, much to Izo and his parents surprise. Ice Master was the last of the shinobu, but determined not to let the order be abandoned or die out. He needed a new apprentice to train up. Then train another and another to ensure the shinobu order was strong enough that when he passed away, it would stand firm.
Ice Master had already trained up two apprentices that he turned into masters themselves. One was an ice demon, and the other a wind demon. They were out there in the world on their own know training their own apprentices. So now Ice Master wanted to take on his third apprentice, someone known to be strong from strong stock. He had considered taking on both Sister and Izo since seeing them fight in the Demon King Tournament, more Izo than Sister, but also needed to wait to take on his third apprentice after the last one was finished training.
Now it had been a month since the second apprentice turned master took on his own apprentice, so Ice Master was free to pursue Izo and offer him the role as his new apprentice.
"... even given the history between your parents and the last wind master," Ice Master finished, addressing Izo. Izo frowned at that, another hint at a story he wanted to know. "Would you be interested in taking on the role as my apprentice?"
Izo sat there, sitting up straighter, and intentionally staying silent. He looked directly at Ice Master, but watched Mother and Father out of the corner of his eye. Ice Master stared right back at him, frozen and confident that Izo would say yes. Mother looked uncomfortable and ready to squirm. Father was studying Ice Master and Izo in time with Izo himself.
Izo finally spoke, requesting, "let me consider it and tell you in three days time."
"As you wish," Ice Master agreed patiently.