AN Merry Christmas!
"Some of these tried to hunt Ddraig?" Issei asked skeptically.
Granted, he had never seen Ddraig with a living body, but he still felt like he had a good idea of how big and powerful Ddraig relatively had to be in his prime.
With that in mind, he found the idea of this "Dark Young" he was looking at being a threat to a Heavenly Dragon…very ridiculous.
It was about the size of a dog. It had cloven legs like a goat. Two large, stumpy ones in front with another six or eight smaller ones behind though. There was no head, not even a neck. Instead, the top of it was covered in tentacles, each at least as tall as the rest of its body. The main body was covered in mouths all over, with jagged sharp teeth and drooling green goo.
"Yes, but those fawns of mine were much bigger and stronger. This one here? He's still little," Shub explained with a smile, holding up the Dark Young like an adorable pet or child.
"He's a young Young, eh?" Issei asked with a grin. He could feel the little guy "looking" at him, in its own way while in Shub's embrace. "How old is the little guy then?"
"About three days," Shub answered proudly.
Issei's eyes bugged at that, looking at Shub's stomach in shock. "Three days?! I mean, I knew you could get pregnant whenever you wanted, but...that fast?"
"Well, technically I'm eternally pregnant. I just give birth whenever I think it's time for more of my followers to become my children," Shub explained carefully, running a hand through the tentacles of the Dark Young.
Cultists, spawnlings…reincarnating one into another. There was going to be a lot for Issei to work out down the line.
"Do they...remember their old lives?" Issei asked curiously.
Shub hummed as she placed the Young down, allowing it to run around and explore. They were in a forest and Issei somehow doubted a forest animal would be much match for even a little Dark Young. "That's a complicated question. In general, their mortal life is like a dream. And sometimes, those dreams are nightmares that fade away. Sometimes they were wonderful dreams that they hold on to. Some are hazy, and some are clear as day. And some go back and forth at different parts of the dream," she said with a fond smile as she watched after her tentacled fawn.
Issei couldn't help returning the gesture. "...Why no eyes though?"
"Hm? Oh, the first planet I had them on didn't have any sunlight," Shub answered idly. "That was back before I had cultists- before any of us did, really. So I didn't really plan on taking them to other worlds. Still, they manage well enough."
Issei nodded absently. "Hey, umm? Not sure how to broach this delicately, but-"
"You wish to ask about Yog and I, Kungur?" Shub asked neutrally.
"Yes and no?" he answered, rubbing the back of his neck. "That's obviously a sore topic. I just wanted to know if you'll be fine since, you know, Yog comes around a lot?"
"We won't cause any problems for you or Aza, Issei," Shub assured, looking off at nothing, or maybe everything.
"Shub, that's not what I meant," Issei said with a sigh. "I'm worried about it being a problem for you. Or her. Both of you, really."
Shub smiled again, but just a little bit. "You are sweet as always, Issei. But things should be fine."
Issei stopped at that, something nagging at the back of his head. "...Shub?"
"Yes?" she asked with a head tilt, and she now seemed to be gazing through him.
"Is there any way to learn about...my past lives?" Issei asked carefully.
Shub blinked and Issei swore the trees rearranged themselves when she did. "Why?"
"Because I've apparently been an idiot who turned Aza down over and over again? And, well, I'm hoping I can see just why the heck she fell in love with me enough to keep trying," Issei answered with an uncertain look.
"Issei, it isn't a bad thing you weren't ready to accept Aza in the past," Shub assured. "But even if I could, I'm not sure it would be my place to show or tell you."
"Why?" Issei countered, a bit annoyed. It was his past lives after all.
"Because even if you don't remember it yet, that was a journey you and Aza shared. We saw it happen, but it is the story of your soul and Aza's love," Shub answered warmly. "Have you tried asking Aza?"
Issei became silent. He hadn't, not really.
Shub frowned softly. "I...shouldn't ask this either, but I think you need to hear it yourself. Why do you love Aza, Issei?"
Issei crossed his arms and looked up at the sky. "At first, I just thought it was because she actually cared about me. She saw something in me worth giving a damn about. But every time we're together, it's..."
"Yes?" Shub encouraged gently, the Dark Young now by her leg and "watching" the exchange with its own mixture of wonder and curiosity.
"It's not like I've known her forever or anything like how she knows me," Issei said with a sigh, hand through his head. "It's just so...easy to know her, to understand her. She's sweet. She's kind. She doesn't always know what she's doing, but she tries like hell to make it work out no matter what. She does whatever she wants to do while also trying to rule the Universe as best she can. She loves sex just because of the idea of being one with the person she loves. She enjoys it too, obviously, I make sure of that, but still. She's so powerful, but she also is..."afraid" of the Universe in a way. She's bigger and beyond everything. Time and space are so relative for her that it took her eons just to adapt to any other perception of them. And despite how much that overwhelms her sometimes, she learns to manage and cope confidently. She's a Goddess beyond all Goddesses and, at the same time, just a love-struck lady that is worried about screwing up her family and love life, despite the fact "I" should be the one worrying about screwing those up for her."
Issei finished his ramble, surprised by it himself by the end, and realized Shub looked rather pleased. "Like I said, you're always so sweet, Issei."
He smiled sheepishly and glanced to the side. "I'm sure that's not even...half of what there is to her."
"No, it's not. But it's more than most would notice, especially mortals," Shub mused, reaching down to pet the Dark Young. "We Eldritch not only have Blue-Orange mortality, Issei, but Blue-Orange fears. We might be terrified of a cup of water while loving the ocean. We can tremble at the sight of a statue, but a giant troll would barely be noticed by us. The sound of a clarinet sends certain Eldritch running for the hills while an entire orchestra will get no such reaction. The same is true for Aza. She can destroy and remake the universe. And all of reality once terrified her as you said, but she never tried to make it...less terrifying for her. Some fears need to be destroyed or overcome, but others fears are worth living with," she mused, stroking her stomach now.
"That...makes a lot of sense. I mean mortal-sense, not Eldritch-sense," Issei noted curiously.
Shub giggled, looking almost proud now. It was kind of adorable. "Some of my children retain their mortal lives fully, so I've gotten very skilled at explaining Eldritch life to them over the eons."
Issei took a breath. "Thanks. So I guess I need to have a talk with Aza at some point to sort some of this out."
Shub nodded. "Tell me how it goes, please. I've been something of a fan of you two."
Issei blinked, studying her intently, perhaps too intently because he could see the shade of her true form in the background.
Shub tilted her head. "What?"
"Have you been watching me and Aza like we're some romance drama show?" Issei accused.
"Yes? And you are like that, yes," Shub admitted freely.
That was...a thing. "Please don't tell me all of reality is watching us every time we're fucking?" Issei requested in exasperation. He wasn't expecting to be questioning if he had any interest in cosmic exhibitionism today!
"Watching? No. Aware? Very," Shub answered knowingly.
"You know what, I'll take being the eldritch version of the one couple that keeps the neighborhood up all night," Issei said with a chuckle. He knew it probably had more to do with Aza being, well, Aza, and him being a still-ascending god, but that didn't matter to his stroked ego.
Meanwhile
Yog paced a green void and groaned as she felt the future spinning in ways she didn't like. "Shub is definitely staying. Not just on earth, but around Issei and Aza," she said to herself.
Literally.
"You knew this was going to happen," Yad reminded, arms crossed and staring at her Outer counterpart.
Yog rounded on her Elder self with a glare. "No, there was a good chance she stayed in one of the woods associated with her. Not here."
Yad tilted her head. "There are a few forests in Japan with plenty of lost souls she'd be eager to adopt and make into spawnlings."
Yog grunted and resisted the urge to stab something randomly into the timestream. "I hate how calm you are about this."
"I'm the part that wants to address it, you're the part that can't," Yad reminded flatly.
"And as a whole, we've never had an idea of HOW to address this problem, so stop acting like a mortal with an imagined high ground," Yog said pointedly.
"Fine. So, which of ourselves do you want poking around for what this time" Yad asked, hand on her hip.
"It's best if you go check on the Eldritch sealed on Earth. You know, the ones who are NOT like Cthulhu and would gladly rip the planet's sanity apart if they weren't sealed so heavily," Yog explained.
"I'm you, of course I know. I take it you'll be checking up on those sealed more cosmically to make sure they haven't slipped out more," Yad mused.
"That's the plan," Yog said, wiping a hand through her long hair, loose strands becoming feathers and eggshells as they fell. "We should also...check in on our parents. Making sure they aren't having one of their fights too close to reality again."
Yad squinted with her eyes down into the endless void. "The future has become ever more erratic since the Sultana crowned her Sultan."
"Because Issei is still in flux," Yog said, gazing up at the emerald nothingness. "Our dear Kungur is still finding himself."
"You know it's not just that," Yad said with a snort. "You know as well as I that Issei, regardless of if he was even just an Elder God, would come into many blessings that come with being Azathoth's Beloved. Immunity from time is a given."
Yog frowned.
"One day, he'll know exactly what we do. You're worried that the annoyed respect he has for you will vanish. Or are you worried this will be another disaster like with Shub?" Yad asked evenly.
Yog took a breath and took some satisfaction in reaching out to crush a timeline, ending another universe just as the last living thing would die out in it. "I forgot, you're the part of me that likes to guilt trip me sometimes."
"About that, rarely. About being a pranking slacker? Always," Yad clarified.
Yog smiled at herself. "Come on, we have come Mad Gods to check up on."
Meanwhile
"You wished to speak with me, Satan of Knowledge?"
Ajuka withstood the unease of addressing an Eldritch better than most, even if it was an Outer God. "Thank you for coming, Madam Yi," he addressed, careful not to use the true name of the Dream Witch.
"May I ask why I am not speaking with the Leviathan? Being the Satan of Diplomacy?" Yidrah asked, raising a brow.
He felt something tinge against his mind. A charm of sorts, that would make mortals fall into devotion and worship for this figure. Most devils would be unaffected and not even notice. But Ajuka was too observant to ignore it.
"I'm not trying to enamor you," Yidrah answered bluntly, almost bored. "It is an entirely natural part of my nature. Unless you wish me to take on a less pleasing persona, you will find it very much a constant thing."
Ajuka nodded in acceptance. It wasn't an issue and having the Dream Witch take on a more terrible form would not be a wise option. "Very well. I am here instead of Serafall because we are not here to discuss if and when the...Ark Initiative takes place, but how it might work."
"I see," Yidrah said with a hum. "You wish to discuss how we might go about restoring the Creatures of Earth, and how Devilkind might wish that to be done.."
"In essence, yes," Ajuka accepted.
"I have spoken with the Collector," Yidrah said bluntly. "I have instructed that most of those he took are to be given back. The only ones we will not return are the unwilling and the criminals."
Criminals he understood. Most criminal devils, aka strays, were heading to a death sentence anyway. "Unwilling?" he repeated uncertainly.
"Unwilling to leave," Yidrah answered bluntly.
That was...something that needed to be addressed, but preferably by Serafall. "Very well, how many Devils remain with their...buyers," he said carefully.
"In the end, it will be twenty-one. Thirteen females, eight males," she explained. "I have communicated with the Eldritch in question. All but two are willing to have their Devils participate in any potential repopulation efforts."
Ajuka hummed. "I know it is possible for Eldritch to create life forms, seeding entire worlds. I know little of the process or nature-"
"You wish to know if our power of Genesis has the power to recreate Devilkind and the other supernatural races," Yidrah stated more than asked. "Yes, it can. However, it would require two things. The first is an Eldritch God capable and willing to use Genesis. It is not a power we all possess and not one we can use freely without consequence, however short term they are for us."
"I expected as much," Ajuka acknowledged. The Eldritch were beyond the bounds of normal beings and even Devils, but they still had limitations and consequences that applied to them. "And the second thing?"
"That you trust the Eldritch God in question," Yidrah said with a heavy meaning in the air. "We use the Biblical God's term for a reason, Satan of Knowledge. To use Genesis means all races that come from it are born of that Eldritch's power. They will not be necessarily bound to the Eldritch God, but they will be more positively deposed towards them. And that's assuming you trust them to NOT change any of the races in the process."
Ajuka scowled. "As expected, the easiest and most straightforward opposite would carry the most risk."
"What is easy and straightforward for one is strange and nonsense to another," Yidrah retorted, leaning forward. "I have an alternative proposal, one that would guarantee the continuation of your people, not their recreation."
"I'm listening?" Ajuka acknowledged.
"You seem not to comprehend that you have the King of the Eldritch's approval in this project," Yidrah said meaningfully. "Yog cannot guarantee Earth's survival. But it would be child's play for her to if I might suggest, have a relatively small population set to be whisked away in the event of Earth's destruction."
Ajuka's eyebrows rose very high at that. "The Embodiment of Time itself would be willing to help in that way?"
"It is the Kungur's Will that Earth either be preserved or, failing that, restored," Yidrah said, eyes narrowing so slightly. "And the Kungur's will is not something to be disobeyed."
Ajuka said nothing to that. He didn't fathom why the Eldritch treated the former human almost on part with the Eldritch Queen herself, but he didn't dare question it…least of all when it was to his benefit. "May I ask why she hasn't done or suggested that yet?"
"Yog is the Outer God of Time, but that does not mean she steers it at every turn. She allows most things to fall as they will," Yidrah countered. "You will be required to work with her or a proxy of hers."
Ajuka tilted his head in want of understanding.
"You will require something to safely and sanely hold a touch of Yog-Sothoth, a band or something similar, for the ones chosen to repopulate your kind to be safely transported," she explained.
"That would require us to trust you're not trying to corrupt some of our kind into cultists," Ajuka noted without accusation.
"Hence why I said sanely," Yidrah reminded. "If it makes you feel any comfort, know that I would be first in line to stop any potential end to Earth and its relative realms."
"Because most cults here are yours?" Ajuka asked, curious if nothing else.
"No," Yidrah answered flatly. "I simply have no desire to clean up after another extinction event."
That was...startling, but not too surprising. Some said that Yidrah had been on Earth at least as long as Cthulhu had been. So, the idea that she had "cleaned up" after the world nearly ended from an asteroid or anything else, wasn't that unbelievable. It just reminded Ajuka of who and what he was dealing with.
Meanwhile
"Aza, can you please turn my milkshake back?"
"Hmm?" Aza glanced to said concoction. They both had one, but Aza's straw may have fused with her own mouth into some horrid tongue-mouth. Both of their milkshakes may have turned from vanilla with chocolate chips to something purple with black stones that spun in place. "Oh, sorry, Akeno."
The Fallen-Devil hybrid smiled in understanding, sitting on the opposite side of a booth. "It's fine, you've obviously got a lot on your mind. Is that a comfort drink?" she asked, nodding to Aza's own drink.
Aza shook her head. "No, it's just something I and my...well, it's complicated, but she was a dear friend. It was something she enjoyed drinking. You...kind of remind me of her."
Akeno blinked. "I do? In what way?"
"Well..." Aza trailed off thoughtfully. "I had a major cult with this race, who had psychic powers and just about all of them had an interest in...what is that thing called? It's something you like, Akeno. Involves pain and pleasure?"
"Sadomasochism?" Akeno offered, curious yet casual.
"No. Well, that too, but the other thing? You bind them, you torture them but they like it?" Aza tried again.
"...BDSM?" Akeno realized in surprise.
"Yes! That's it! Those four letters!" Aza realized in glee, her pigtails rising to the sky in victory.
Akeno was shameless but she was kind of glad there was some field keeping humans from noticing them too much. But, more importantly? "You have a BDSM cult? With psychic powers?" Akeno asked, interested and more than a little excited.
Aza's enthusiasm died and rotted away before her eyes, glancing to the side as her light brown hair faded to black out of depression and her milkshake turned to mold and dust. "Had."
That one word made Akeno understand. "Oh, Aza. I'm sorry," she said, reaching out to take Aza's hand. She noted that Aza's hand felt like gravel and red. She ignored that, even if she found it interesting to "feel" colors.
"It's alright. I just...try not to think about it. It didn't happen that long ago for me," Aza said with a sad smile. "My...friend? She was the head priestess of them, among other things. She was kind of like you. Perverted, dedicated, complicated-"
There was a look, and Akeno knew two things. One, Aza was aware of her past and heritage, more or less. Two, Aza had no idea that Akeno's past was in any way a sore subject.
"- and loved to have her fun with others," Aza said, tracing some symbols on the table. Akeno made sure to NOT look at the symbols, lest they do something to her mind. "Not that they complained much."
Akeno giggled. "Well, I'm glad to know you have good tastes in friends, Aza. Second, perhaps, to your taste in men."
"I don't have a taste in men. I only have a taste for Issei," Aza said with a smile, her hair regaining most of its color now.
"Speaking of Issei," Akeno said, deciding to change the subject to something less depressing. "He still hasn't gotten around to calling in that favor I owe him. Have you two...?"
"Yes, I gave him a titjob," Aza answered with a smile, groping her own respectable size. "I made sure this body had them big enough to at least do that."
Akeno hummed. "Is he saving it for a special occasion then? I only ask, because I actually went braless for a while, expecting him to call that in as soon as possible."
"Oh, no. Issei has just been busy a lot. He's been doing more Kungur things lately," Aza answered helpfully.
"You mean Kingly duties?" Akeno asked before smiling mischievously. "Don't suppose there is an eldritch Prima Nocta?"
Aza tilted her head while sipping her mold-ash milkshake.
"Oh, it's this old law humans thought existed, that when someone got married, their local lord could claim the wife and have sex with her the first night," Akeno explained easily.
"Eldritch normally don't have weddings, so no," Aza reminded. "As you know, Issei's been helping with this plan everyone's making to try and restore the earth if it gets destroyed. He's also getting to know some of the other gods and making sure they're all getting along while on Earth. He also trains. And helps the twins settle in. And other things."
Akeno raised both her brows. "And he still has time for romance and fucking?" she asked in surprise.
"I don't think he realizes it, but he's losing his need to sleep at all," Aza noted curiously. "And, you know, Yog and Yad help us make time if we need it."
"I suppose that is a nice benefit to having Time herself as a friend and underling," Akeno mused.
Aza glanced to the side with a curious expression.
"What is it?" Akeno questioned in concern.
"Oh nothing, just realizing Yog is busy for the foreseeable future. Otherwise, I would have noticed her hearing that," Aza answered carelessly.
Akeno deliberately chose not to be bothered by that information. "Still, I'm glad you and Issei are doing well. But don't you have...Sultana things to do too?"
"Hmm?" Aza tilted her head. "Not really. I kind of realized that non-Eldritch would think the Eldritch only listens to Issei because of me if I'm around all the time. So I'm letting him figure out what he wants to do as Kungur. If he needs help, well..."
"You'd break space and time to get there, I know," Akeno said in understanding.
"Maybe I should. It might give Shub and Yog something to break the ice over," Aza said with a sigh. "Akeno? I know I'm not always observant, but I know what you were implying."
Akeno raised an eyebrow.
"You were wondering if I was just letting Issei do all the work now," Aza said neutrally. It wasn't exactly disapproval or disagreement, but it definitely wasn't affirmation. "Tell me, do you think I got the point across? That Issei is King, not just the Queen's lover?"
Akeno realized this was quickly becoming a bad conversation. "I think you made that very clear to Lord Sirzechs and Lady Serafall, and their families," she answered truthfully. "You'll always have someone that doesn't believe it, but you've made the message pretty loud and it is being spread to the higher-ups."
"Hmm, perhaps I should help Issei out a bit more now," Aza said, calm once more before groaning. "I hate time. Even after Yog was born, it is hard for me to understand."
Akeno hummed in sympathy.
End of Chapter
Lot of different things going on at once. Issei has a talk with Shub, Ajuka and Yidrah discuss the future of any "ark" type insurance, Yog and Yad are looking into things, and Aza has some time with Akeno. Loto f things moving a little, but all of them importanti ntheir own way.
Early viewing of chapters 25-26 avaliable on my pat-reon:
p a treon . com (slash) akumakami64