Chapter 1: I've Got to Go Through Puberty Again?
Ichigo Ren, the only daughter of Gyokuen Ren and Hakutoku the current empress and emperor of the Kou empire, was at her wits end. Ichigo had found herself meeting many challenges throughout her life: being reborn, remembering her former life as the daughter of a shinigami and quincy with enough strength to destroy the entirety of Japan in one blow, and having to deal with the complete and utter incompetence of nobles and the other political figures that spent their time in the imperial palace.
When she gained enough cognitive thoughts where she could remember her previous life it was more than a little disconcerting to find herself in the body of a toddler. She was still unsure exactly how she had arrived in this medieval-like world full of Dungeons, magicians, and a world that seemed well on its way to killing itself on the battlefield. The last thing Ichigo remembered was being in the Soul King's dimension; her limbs had moved on their own and bifurcated the Soul King. After there was a roaring in her ears and a flash of light. Then it felt like she was kept in a strange state of semi-lucidity before she woke up as a child again.
Her mother Gyokuen, (and wasn't that strange, having a mother), had told her a story on her third birthday that the sky had celebrated her birth along with their kingdom with a meteor shower. It means that a "singularity" was born. That she was destined for great things. Ichigo honestly didn't know how to feel about that. Having her destiny decided for her was something she always abhorred, she far preferred to think she made her own destiny with her hands. Had Ichigo been born as a magi, she would have seen a singular black rukh floating around her before disappearing.
Ichigo was a rambunctious child in the eyes of the nobility who visited the imperial palace. Where her half-sisters were spending all their time learning the ways of the court and how to act as demanding of their stations as a princess, she was following behind her eldest cousin Kouen. When he was training in the art of the sword she would be there beside him attempting to copy his techniques and katas. In Ichigo's previous life she never really had the time to learn proper stances, she made up her own style while on the battlefield. Sometimes things worked and she managed to defeat her enemies, and sometimes she was lucky to have Orihime in her life with her ability to reject wounds. After Kouen finished with his assigned drills assigned to him by the instructor he would spar with Ichigo.
While Ichigo had the knowledge of her previous and fought foes far stronger than her, there was a rather large gap between now and then. First being she no longer had any spiritual power, instead it was changed to a form of energy she learned was called Magoi. The second was that she was three years old. Kouen on the other hand was already ten and had the beginnings of what looked like the perfect muscular structure between power and speed. In comparison her muscles were so weak it wasn't even funny. She wielded a short sword which felt like the greatest claymore and her stamina was practically non-existent. However, regardless of any self conceived shortcomings Ichigo thought she had, Kouen patiently practiced with her almost every day. The only difference in Kouen's eyes was when they had completely exhausted each other and he would read stories of another world called Alma Torran. Kouen spoke of both he and his father's dream of unifying the world under one banner and establishing peace like King Solomon.
Ichigo had briefly wondered if Alma Torran was another name for her world having known of a King Solomon in her history lessons, but events in the history books in the library Ichigo had forced Kouen to read to her clearly shattered that hope. Ichigo had unfortunately found that the written language was very different to her own despite the language to be Japanese.
—0—
As the seasons came and went Ichigo had the delightful experience of learning from her mother during the days where Kouen was too busy or she was forced into lessons. As part of her lessons as the crown princess, it was required that she also learn the language of Torran. A necessity should she ever wish to enter a dungeon which admittedly was something her family cautioned her from attempting. Ichigo never listened to authority if it wasn't in her best interests or a danger to her family though, so she decided to ignore the advice. Ichigo had every intention on conquering
Her mother Gyokuen was what many people would call a "yamato nadeshiko" in her previous life. She was a loving, beautiful, always elegant and poised, and perhaps most impressively to Ichigo, kept a polite tongue in the face of disgusting, self-entitled morons and used her wit to humiliate those that disrespected her or her family. Ichigo learned how to act "befitting of a crown princess" but spewing niceties to someone undeserving of her respect was just a hassle.
Perhaps the only points of argument Ichigo had with her mother was on how she showed her displeasure. Gyokuen showed her how to rip apart a man's ego with a few backhanded compliments whilst not damaging her own character. It turned into a game between the two while they were sequestered in her bedchambers where Ichigo would try to insult her mother acting as various generals and nobles within the palace (the Left and Right Generals being her favorite to insult. The stone-faced bastards reminded Ichigo or Byakuya before Rukia's attempted execution). Seeing the warm light in her mother's eyes whenever she provided a proper challenge was addicting. While Ichigo would never forget her former life with Masaki, she still loved her new mother. There was a different dynamic because of class structure and culture, but there was no changing the fact that Ichigo would do anything for her mother. In turn, Ichigo had her trust returned to her whenever someone tried to manipulate her actions and Gyokuen would verbally skin them alive.
Ichigo snickered remembering one particular lord who thought it was a good idea to criticize Ichigo's "unladylike behavior by dirtying herself while sparing" in front of her mother on her eleventh birthday. The none-too-subtle wink her mother offered her as the lord fled the party huffing in anger with his head bowed in shame with his ears burning was just icing on the cake in her opinion.
It was just Ichigo's luck rearing its head during the winter months after she turned eleven when she once again was practicing with Kouen when the alarm bell rang in the palace. Her family's quarters were set ablaze. Ichigo ran with the crowd to the scene to see if her family was safe with Kouen on her heels. It was a nightmarish scene that Ichigo stumbled upon. The fire was being held at bay by the only resident magician available who was puffing from the effort in quelling the blaze, lest it spread further and ignite the rest of the palace. Clashes of metal on metal could be heard along with screams of pain and dull thuds.
"Hakuren! Hakuyuu! Hakuryuu! Father!" Ichigo screamed into the blaze. "Are you there!" The palace wing was suddenly quiet with the exception of crackling wood before she heard one last quiet shout of, "Run!" before she saw the small figure of her brother running through the flames.
"Hakuryuu," Ichigo said, the knot of worry slightly lessening seeing the six year old.
"Sister!" Hakuryuu cried, relieved upon finally seeing she was safe. A fresh burn covering half of his face. The wound was a puffy red-pink.
"Healer! We need a healer over here!" Ichigo shouted, delicately cradling her younger sibling's face. She gulped in pain at how useless she felt at this moment. No powers to heal like Orihime, no monstrous strength to kill the invaders who she heard fighting in the blaze. She was just a girl with some skill in magoi manipulation and above average sword skills. Nothing that could aid the tearful gaze of her brother as the tear ducts in his left eye burned away, the tears only capable of spilling out of one eye.
It was then and there that Ichigo swore she would make herself stronger. She would go to those dungeons that her siblings had warned her about. No matter the risk. She had slacked off enough in her new life. She would retake her mantle as the protector for Hakuryuu.
Hakuryuu sniffled in her ear a sentence that had her blood freezing, "They're gone. Hakuyuu, Hakuren, and father." Ichigo jerked back at the words. Surely they escaped out another way? They were strong. Ichigo let the healers take him away in her shock as she approached the now burnt out wing. She only idly noted the magician collapsed on his side, dry heaving in exhaustion from the strain of controlling such a blaze.
Ichigo walked through the burnt doorway with single minded determination to quell her thumping heart as the blood rushed in her ears, ignoring or rather not hearing the protests of the guards and servants, in her pursuit of finding her family. Bodies were scattered through the wing, some cut in pieces in the fight, others stuck under collapsing rubble, and the most unfortunate were curled into a ball. When fire sears your nerve endings your muscles clench to protect yourself resulting in the fetal position. Once the flame burns all of the nerves on your skin you are cooked alive only capable of feeling the flame deeper beneath the skin despite the fact that your skin could be melting from the malicious heat. Ichigo couldn't think of many worse ways to go.
It was a body lying against the wall that captured her attention. As she went to touch it her arm was blocked by the back of a servant who insisted on doing the deed himself. It was only once the servant turned him over did Ichigo realize who it was.
"Hakuren?" Ichigo whispered. She approached the body in disbelief ignoring the protests from the manservant to get a closer look. The scorched crown and necklace still hanging around him Ichigo asked her mother to buy for his last birthday was the proof she needed to collapse next to her brother. She pressed her forehead into his chest, staining herself crimson-red hair and fair skin with soot as she knelt beside her brother.
"Hakuren!" Ichigo howled, sobbing into his cooling body. She saw Kouen's arms embrace her stomach, but couldn't feel them or his chest pressing in from behind. She felt like she took a dunk in the arctic ocean. Her breathing was ragged and she couldn't think. She couldn't move.
"Come on," Kouen tugged her away from her elder sibling despite her protests.
"No! NO! Hakuren!" Ichigo weakly jerked in his arms from being dragged away as servants covered him beneath a sheet. They stayed in the vicinity surrounded by guards in the fear of another assassination attempt, judging by the bodies and wounds. It wasn't much later when two more ash covered bodies were carried out of the smoldering foundation. Her father and her other elder sibling. Three. Three dead family members in one day. Ichigo's echoing shout chilled everyone still in the palace as she saw her family for the last time. When she found out who was responsible she would kill them all!
—0—
The royal procession following the emperor's death and available heirs left the palace in a state of panic before her uncle stepped up to the throne. He had showed up the following night with the offer of adopting her and her younger brother into his family as his children to keep their titles as royalty. It disgusted Ichigo. She would trade her title a thousand times over to bring back her family. It was like this life was a mockery. A complete reversal to her previous one where she lost her mother and lived with her father and two siblings. Now she lost a father and two siblings while she still had a mother.
She hadn't seen Gyokuen except for a brief moment in the courtyard. Her eyes were different, lacking the warmth as she looked at the destruction. She was trailed by a couple men in robes covering all of their features acting as her guards. Her cold eyes looked at the guards in the courtyard with contempt as she idly said, "You failed in upholding your one duty, the protection of the royal family. Assassins and traitors infiltrated your ranks. My family's deaths are on you. An investigation will be carried out to see if there are any rebels hidden among you." She left for an intact wing of the palace leaving chaos from her parting comment, the guards fearing for their positions and lives. Her mother only stopped briefly to offer a small smile before she stuck her head high in the air, confidence overflowing her being and went to speak to her uncle.
That night Hakuryuu clung desperately to her side fearing he would wake up to find her gone. Ichigo enveloped him in a hug, her dress acting like a cocoon separating him from reality. She scrambled for something to say to assuage his fears, but there was nothing that came to mind. He looked like he had something to say to her but in the end he just buried his head deeper into her dress. As she gazed down at the fresh bandages wrapped around Hakuryuu's head Ichigo thought back to what she did for Karin and Yuzu after Masaki died. Ichigo began to sing in a soft murmur that barely reached the chamber's door. It was breathless and painful but Ichigo sang a song of remembrance, of loss, and reuniting once again with those departed. It was only once Hakuryuu's eyes finally closed did Ichigo at last let her tears fall.
Three days later Ichigo spent her time alone in a private training yard going through katas, anything to temporarily remove the feeling of guilt that cloaked her, that she could have done something to hold off the assassins and help her brothers escape. The palace had been a hive of activity as a witch hunt led by her mother's supporters were investigating all of the guards and staff. Evidence had been found in just about every branch of the military and serving staff. Some were taken to the dungeons to be interrogated and the rest were just executed.
Ichigo both hated and loved her country. It was beautiful and there were so many good people she had met in her ventures into the city and the surrounding towns and villages, but of course there were the black marks. The Kou empire is built on slavery. A slave can only legally be held for five years before being released and they couldn't be abused without the owner facing criminal charges, but she knew damn well that there were "accidents" in paperwork and slaves lived far beyond their forced service and even more that were beaten and the crime went unreported. There was no perfect fix despite the fact that Ichigo despised the legality of the practice.
Unfortunately in her education in the palace Ichigo learned how dependent Kou was on slave labor. If it was abolished not only would the economy crash from goods not being created, but there would be foot shortages when those working the fields left. Without any money the former slaves would be the first to go unless they resorted to stealing which would only cause more problems and further the divide between the caste system. They would have enough and attempt to revolt which would end in failure. They would have the disadvantage in weapons, armor, training, and also no metal weapon users or magicians. It would be a slaughter.
Then there was Kou's insistence on increasing their borders. Conquering the countries surrounding them, Kou had transformed from a small island nation to a massive superpower reaching nearly a quarter of the globe. Knowledge, military might, trade, negotiation, and fear, all were used in their pursuit to unify the empire. Might was right in this world and Ichigo knew it was the dungeon capturers who held the biggest fists.
But she wasn't thinking about the hard truths of her new world as Ichigo's hands tightened their grip as she repeated her last set in katas. Her thoughts were racing and they all led back to the same place. The fire. Each swing burned her arms, her muscles screaming their protest in adding another set to what she'd already done. Her hands boiled there and she felt like she was in the blaze alongside her family. Masked assailants and false guards were beheaded in her mind as she shouted out her pain.
"My, my," her mother's melodious voice wafted behind her. "Now that just won't do." Ichigo turned around to see Gyokuen placing a finger on her cheek beside her mole, her pale blue eyes searching for something in her before her red painted lips upturned into a crooked smirk. "Anger without purpose is wasted, my child. Who is it you are angry at?"
"I'm not angry!" Ichigo rebuffed, going back to her practice. She didn't have time to waste with her mother's games.
"That frown and the shout I heard down the hall says otherwise. Answer me honestly," Gyokuen interrupted Ichigo's swings, her daughter's chin gripped between fingers of steel, "now."
"The people who killed our family!" Ichigo shouted. "Who else?"
"Calm yourself," her mother snapped quietly, her eyebrows narrowed. "You are in a delicate situation. Do not ruin this chance."
"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked quietly, taking a sharp breath to follow her mother's command.
"In return for you and Hakuryuu retaining your status, I have agreed to marry your uncle. I will be an empress once more. All you have to do is keep your head down." Gyokuen trailed her cold fingers across her cheek, tucking her red locks behind her ear to gaze into her daughter's blue grey eyes, a mirror of her own face staring back at her.
"I thought I asked you for the truth, Ichigo. Who are you truly angry at?" The question was rhetorical. Gyokuen smiled at the frown on her daughter, they both knew the answer, but it seemed like Ichigo wanted to pretend she had no idea what she was talking about as she looked away. Well she could indulge her child.
"You aren't angry at a faceless enemy. You saw your father and siblings and wished you could have saved them. Ichigo, there's nothing you could have done. Do you know why?"
Ichigo continued to ignore her.
"Because you're too weak." Ichigo's neck nearly snapped as she turned her burning eyes on her mother.
Gyokuen switched her gaze to look at the sword Ichigo was strangling in her grip. "Would you care to learn how to truly use that blade?" Her mother challenged, the competitive gleam almost reaching what it used to be only more calculative.
"I've never seen you wield a sword mother," Ichigo said, only to receive a smirk.
"I am the best swordswoman in the world," Gyokuen said with a tone of finality. Like it wasn't a boast, she was just stating a fact.
"I look forward to your tutelage," Ichigo bowed her head in respect, missing the gleam in her mother's eyes.
"I assure you, you won't." Her ominous words said, the empress retreated to retrieve a sword of her own, her royal pink and white kimono billowing in non-existent wind. Ichigo was slightly reminded of Urahara as she looked at her mother's back. Her intelligent eyes that tore apart every word and movement while concocting a dozen plans to pounce the moment weakness was exposed. Ichigo shifted into the starting stance she learned alongside Kouen and his instructor. She felt a shiver down her spine as she looked at her mother's face. It lacked all emotion except for cruel delight. Gyokuen waved her hand and Ichigo briefly spotted a glowing barrier surrounding the training ground before it vanished, but probably still there. "Was it hiding them from view?" she thought.
"I won't go easy on you, my daughter. Try not to die." Well if that wasn't just like Hat 'n' clogs Ichigo didn't know who was. She dashed forwards and Ichigo did all she could to dodge the slash aimed for her neck, skidding on her knee she spun to catch the return blow and was flung backwards. Ichigo grit her teeth and stood up in time to deflect the strengthened uppercut. Ichigo channeled her magoi into her limbs and matched her mother's next swing, the ground cracking beneath their feet.
Gyokuen laughed in delight at how quickly Ichigo was matching her. Unchanged or refined magoi can't deal much damage to an opponent on its own, but it is excellent for reinforcing their attacks, just adding a little extra oomph. She increased her speed and nearly pierced Ichigo's cheek before her daughter ducked and countered with a slash to her ribs. Ichigo missed this feeling. Kouen didn't treat her like glass in their spars, wanting to help her improve, but he never tried to actually hurt her. The rush that she felt where even one mistake could lead to her death exploded within her. The white rukh flowed through her being as her delight showed across her face, the rukh matching her excitement.
Ichigo lost a few red strands as she switched her stance away from what she learned in this life to the one previously. Ichigo's next slash impacted against her mother's sword guard as she pressed into her with all the available strength she had. Muscles developed over the last eight years in the pursuit of reaching her further strength one day. But it was all for naught, Gyokuen twisted her torso and reached an arm to grip her own and Ichigo was flipped over her mother's shoulder and hit the ground with a crash.
Despite the pain in her head and spine, Ichigo rolled out of the way as a sword pierced the earth next to her throat. Ichigo almost gulped but remembered the words of Old Man Zangetsu when they first met. "Retreat and you will age, hesitate and you die." Ichigo had too much to do in this new life to die now. She was no longer fighting her mother, she was fighting the obstacle between weakness and her future. It didn't matter how strong her mother was, she was going to win. Not just because she wanted to but because she had to! If she ever wanted to protect Hakuryuu and her other half-siblings she needed to get stronger.
As the fight progressed Ichigo noticed how much easier it was getting in seeing her mother's swings. Gyokuen's blade was a blur of silver that Ichigo could barely keep up with. It was only a feeling she had that seemed to guide her movements, like she knew the path she had to take but kept slipping off the trail. Her stubbornness reared its head though and Ichigo refused to go down without at least getting a cut in.
Her blade sparked on their next clash and let out a creaking sound. Ichigo was unable to glance at her sword whilst in the midst of combat, but knew there were cracks running down the blade. The continuous blows proved too much on such a weak blade. It was an inevitable outcome that one of their blades would break in such an exchange. But her mother was far superior in coating her blade in her magoi and there wasn't even a scratch on her sword's edge despite hammering away with everything she had in her. Ichigo reckoned her blade could survive one final exchange before shattering.
Ichigo took the time to breathe in a ragged gasp from the intensity of the fight and waited for Gyokuen to make the next move. She didn't disappoint, nearly vanishing in a burst of speed, Ichigo only reacting on instinct as she jerked her torso to the right receiving a cut along her ribcage and bringing up her blade to rest a hair's breadth away from her mothers throat. Gyokuen's eyes only widened minutely before closing them as she let out a benevolent smile as if she hadn't just been acting like she was trying to kill her.
"Well done. I am quite impressed. You have a lot of potential. However, there's just one thing I left out earlier." She opened her eyes and they resembled a cat eyeing a mouse the moment before it pounces. "When I said I wouldn't go easy on you, I lied." Before Ichigo could process her mother's words her entire vision went black as her mother simultaneously disarmed her and struck her in the side of the head with her pommel. Ichigo collapsed like a sack of potatoes onto the training ground as silence reigned. "Gyokuen" waved a hand and a half dozen people dressed in dark robes and hidden faces gathered behind her.
"My daughter has proven to be a most worthy heir. The potential her body holds is even greater than my current vessel. Begin the preparations for my next host. When her body ripens I will be an equal for even that traitor David."
"Yes, Lady Arba," The followers bowed before departing back to their headquarters leaving Arba to look down at her sprawled daughter.
Throughout the fight Arba watched as the rukh fluttered uncertainty around Ichigo. It was like the rukh couldn't decide if it loved or feared her. A connection of light and dark, both with and against the flow of fate. Her daughter certainly lived up to her title as a singularity. Her daughter was unknowingly reacting in the best available fate. If nine out of the time her sword would have cut off Ichigo's wrist, she would move in just the right way to avoid it. Arba had resorted to using her control over the black rukh to reverse the flow of the world and still her daughter was able to escape with mere scratches. Arba flicked a finger enveloping Ichigo with a healing spell. She took the time to observe her daughter's body more closely.
Her body's muscles were much stronger than normal humans despite retaining her delicate looks. Her body was only just starting to blossom as she neared the age of twelve, but Arba could tell she would develop a body similar to her own. Though given her father's height, it was possible she would have several inches on her in the future.
She would have to start training her daughter in better controlling her magoi though, she could see the rukh haphazardly rushing out of her limbs in waves with every attempt at reinforcement. Efficiency is oftentimes more devastating than power. However she had never seen a person born with so much magoi. While magi are loved by the rukh and can use the world's supply of energy, they still have their own supply they can pull from, and even they have to train to reach the amount she was fortunate to be born with.
A laugh bubbled out of her throat. She would be her strongest child yet. The one who would fulfill her dreams and revive her god. A burst of pleasure shivered down her spine. After nearly three thousand years of waiting, of transferring from one host to the next, from descendant to descendant, of working behind the scenes causing chaos to produce more black rukh and solidify Al-Thaman's grip on the world, the moment was at last approaching.
"If I didn't know any better I would believe our God sent you to me. You are perfect." Arba cradled her host body's daughter against her chest. "In another life I think I actually would have loved to have you as a daughter." She carried Ichigo in her arms through the palace to her bedchambers and almost lovingly removed the hair framing her face. Ichigo turned her head into the hand as her eyes flickered open before the weight dragged them back down as she whispered out, "Mother."
"Mama's here, my little strawberry," Arba crooned Gyokuen's nickname for her daughter that was only ever used in the intimacy of their rooms. "I won't let anyone or anything take you away from me." At least until Arba got what she needed. The return of their God and the destruction of Solomon's world.
—0—
Ichigo groaned awake with a splitting headache. It felt like a semi-truck decided to crash on her head and then a blue whale decided to flop on top of her for good measure. She struggled for a moment to remember why she was hurting so much. Did she go out drinking? The taste in her mouth said no. Ichigo raised a hand to brush some of her red locks out of her eyes and felt a stabbing pain next to her ear. Wincing she finally remembered the ass kicking her mother dished out the night before. Her mother had toyed with her the entire fight making her believe she had a chance at winning only for her mother to rip the rug out from under her feet.
Ichigo crashed back into her pillows and let out a moan. Starting today she'd double- no triple the amount of swings and speed of her blows. She would even bare the teachings with that fat, useless, greasy haired, misogynistic, brown-nosing asshole of a court wizard if it meant she could get stronger so she wouldn't be beaten so handily next time. She had been working on only physical improvements the last couple so she had been skipping on her magical education. It was high time she rectified that. With a plan before her, Ichigo lurched out of bed and placed her bare feet on the freezing floor just in time for her door to burst open with her three handmaidens striding in with a gold and red ceremonial dress.
"Ugh, what the hell? What is it this time? Someone isn't getting married today are they," Ichigo thought. Ichigo was usually given the freedom to dress however she wanted, but on important days her mother chose the day's wardrobe which was usually stiflingly overly complex pieces and layers, expensive on the verge of gaudy but somehow still coming across as tasteful in appearance. Ichigo thought if she hadn't already been suffering from a headache she would've developed one then.
"Princess, your brother Crown Prince Kouen leaves on his military campaign this morning. It is expected for you to be there," said Mai, the eldest of her three handmaidens. Ichigo had gone through over a dozen handmaids in her stint time in the Imperial Palace, most were either infuriating people simpering for her favor in gaining the political ladder or handouts. While Ichigo understood the struggles of living in the lower class after living her previous life in a clinic attending to others, that didn't mean she supported relying on others' efforts when she believed they could accomplish it themselves.
Mai was a breath of fresh air in the palace. She had been assigned to her because her father thought she needed a stronger hand. The mature woman was firm and didn't take shit from anyone. She steamrolled anyone in her way of carrying out her duties and cared about doing a good job while doing so. She also never failed to have a smile on her face as she went about her tasks. However, what firmly had Ichigo's respect was her ability to reign in her other maids.
Sakura was slightly older than Ichigo, at fourteen compared to her eleven, and was bubbly to the extreme even in the early mornings and had the annoying habit of insisting in helping Ichigo in the baths. Her grabby nature reminded Ichigo of Chizuru, no matter how many times they are rejected they both continue in their pursuit of reaching the "holy land" of the female form. Over the last couple months Ichigo had given up on attempting to get her to stop. She figured out if she gave free reign to Sakura she would quickly grow bored at Ichigo not putting up resistance, which proved to be pretty accurate. The teasing smile she gave as she "molested" her princess turned into a pout as Ichigo stared blankly despite her roaming hands. Between Chizuru, Yoruichi, and Rangiku, Ichigo had overcome the hurdle of being bothered by physical teasing. Though Yoruici and Rangiku had taken that as a challenge and shifted their tactics to verbal barbs which had Ichigo's face matching her namesake as a strawberry.
Mai was against such indecent behavior though and sent a swat at Sakura's ass. She squeaked in a mixture of surprise and moan of pleasure that had her covering the flushed cheeks before she stuttered about assisting Matoko, the other handmaiden, in gathering everything Ichigo would need to prepare for the day.
"I swear that girl," Mai groaned, "I would put her over my knee if it would fix her."
"It sounded like she would actually enjoy that," chuckled Ichigo. Mai's glare she leveled at her could melt steel but Ichigo brushed it off with ease. Not only had she seen much more terrifying things in her life, but she also knew Mai was a big teddy bear on the inside. Mai sighed in resignation at her princess's antics and her features softened.
"If you need anything I'll be right here." Mai left Ichigo to bathe in peace as she stepped behind the divider between the bath and the rest of the room allowing Ichigo some privacy to undress. Ichigo let out a quiet moan as she sank into the heavenly warm water. While her mother had fixed her cuts, her muscles had been neglected in the healing process leaving Ichigo a mess of aching limbs. She closed her eyes as she layed in the indented seating of the porcelain walls. She was just tall enough to sit down whilst leaving her chin above the water. As she practiced a meditation exercise of gathering magoi in the area she felt knots of tension she didn't even know she had undo as she soaked in the pool.
She was reminded of how the quincy use the spiritual energy in the air to form their attacks. Except in this case it is less commanding power than it is "asking" the rukh to quicken their efforts in replenishing her reserves. While people produce their own magoi and can refill it naturally over time through eating hearty meals, greater practitioners can learn to absorb magoi to top off their reserves in minutes. Ichigo wasn't nearly at that level yet. She had to dedicate her entire mind to focusing on the feeling of the world around her. Her efficiency was appalling, but after several minutes she didn't feel like she was going to collapse and her muscles felt a bit stronger too.
After finishing in the bath Mai shoved her in a chair and started the long process of "dolling" her up. She did wear a pair of earrings she had bought in the market the previous year though. It was made of gold and emeralds shaped into a lightning bolt that nicely contrasted against her red hairs. Ichigo also slipped on the black and red kimono with gusto. If there was one thing she was thankful for, it was that Kou's national colors matched her old (false) bankai coat. Bedecked in the necessary clothes, Ichigo left her room to pick up her only friend outside her maids.
Seisyun Ri was a blue haired boy she had found while exploring the palace one day. He was the son of a commander in the army and he was left on his own until his father could leave the meeting. Ichigo had gotten quickly attached to the younger boy. His gentle nature and upbeat personality was only beaten by her love that he was honest in a den of snakes. They departed for a quick breakfast before joining the rest of her siblings in saying their farewells to Kouen as he left with Judar and Koumai to get his second metal vessel and then continue on with his campaign in the Southeast. The army was staged in rows awaiting the crown prince's order to depart at a moment's notice.
"Don't cause too much trouble Kouha," Ichigo watched as Kouen wrapped him in a hug to give him a soft noogie.
"Oi, my hair! Do you know how long I had to style it this morning?" Kouen laughed as he went on to the rest of the family. A nod was offered to Kougyoku, the set of her six, nearly identical sisters were only spoken to briefly as Kouen didn't really interact with them. Hakuryuu was given some words of encouragement before Kouen stopped before Ichigo. He stared down at Ichigo's hair that was braided into a crown and bun as he enveloped her in a hug.
"When I get back I want to see some improvement in our spars," Kouen jibed.
"Just you wait. I'm going to beat your ass," Ichigo scoffed. With a final nod, Kouen and a silent Koumai mounted their horses and the parade departed the city for the dungeon. Jafar was on a flying carpet next to Kouen already asleep, snoring away with his hands folded behind his head.
As Ichigo retreated back to the palace, she was intercepted by her mother and a rather unsettling looking magician, judging from the staff in his hands.
"Ichigo, in addition to your lessons with me in swordplay, I will be furthering your knowledge in magic. Should I be unable to attend your lessons, Markkio will step in."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness," he greeted with a bow.
"Right," Ichigo deadpanned. His presence felt uncomfortable to Ichigo, like there was something inherently wrong with him. His overly large mustache and stretched smile that looked like it was glued in position didn't dissuade her thoughts either.
The rest of the year passed quickly for Ichigo as she was caught up in her lessons from just after sunrise to after sunset in training both her body and mind in the finer intricacies of manipulating magoi. Ichigo was given a gift on her twelfth birthday from her mother at the end of the year. It was reforged from the metal necklace Ichigo had given her brother Hakuren before his death and transformed into a magic tool. By channeling a bit of magoi into it, the gravity field around her could lessen or increase depending on her need. Ichigo had found it very effective in propelling her along, dramatically increasing her speed. With finer control, she theorized she'd be able to create two separate fields that could act as magnets, either grounding her in place or repulsing her away from attacks she'd otherwise be too slow to dodge.
Armed with both her knowledge and increase in skills Ichigo figured it was high time she joined her family in becoming a dungeon conqueror. That night Ichigo left a note for her mother and departed the palace with a complaining Seisyun Ri at her heels that it was too dangerous for just two people to attempt, much less without a magi. But Ichigo didn't want to rely on the recently returned Judar to assist her throughout the journey. She wanted to prove to herself and to the world that it was her that captured the dungeon. That it was her who was worthy of being a king's candidate. She would become strong or die trying. So without hesitation, after a week of traveling to reach the dungeon, Ichigo pushed her hand against the glowing gate and she and Ri vanished from the world.
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