What were the Sky Flames?
That was the important question that you tried to find an answer to for weeks, your intuition helped. It really did as it guides you and improved your performance as you could wield much better your flames than before but you were missing something, something essential and primordial the true fuel of the flames born your Will. It was ephemeral bright an existence that belongs and doesn't belong to this world, the Sky that doesn't let itself be shackled by anything but shares its kingdom with others as it let them form part of it. Even now you can feel the bond that you formed with Jack, a strong connection that has only grown stronger with time.
Maybe she could be the clue that you need.
"Jack?" You called and she appear, even with your intuition your body can't catch her absurd speed. "Are you busy?" You asked her after you noticed the bloody knife.
"Yes? Beowulf keeps calling us bad names so we try to stop him." That explains the blood in the knife, Beowulf was the only one that keeps calling her Jacqueline to mess with her. "We could try later for you, isn't that important." Jack decided and honestly, you wanted to just give in your impulses and hug her to give her all the head pats.
You liked that she tries to make time for you, but you really need to do something important first before spoiling her as much as you wanted.
"Have you felt our bond?" You asked her, maybe she would have a clue to help you with your flames.
"...Our bond." Jack thought for a second before she got an idea. "Ah!" With a fist in her palm, the mind of Jack conjured the best answer to what her King asked her.
She then hugged you, you failed into the temptation soon after that. Nobody can blame you when Jack was just the cutest existence ever. So after a bunch of petting, as head pats have been used too much, you had her head in your lap. You can call this a win even if you forgot your original purpose at calling her.
"The connection formed when I made you my knight." You explained a little bit more getting the attention of your Knight. "I feel you, as purple clouds numerous and moving around but always close." You decided to not comment on her other type, it was Jack's choice what wanted to be.
"You are the Sky?" Jack asked curiously, her head moving a little to look at your orange eyes.
"I feel like the Sky." You confirmed if there was something that you knew from the deep of your self it was that your existence was related to it. "A boundless Sky that is where your Clouds belong towards." It was how the things truly were, she was yours.
What was the difference between Jack's flame and your own? Yours were always ready to be called but also could feel that Jack was always there too but hadn't been called until now.
"Do you think that I can do things like you?" Jack asked curiously but no moving from your lap, such adorable Knight.
"We are devils, is in our nature to aim towards what isn't possible." You told her, it was an important lesson otherwise she wouldn't grow as a devil. "You are my precious Knight and the Cloud of my Sky, if anyone could then it's you without a doubt." You trusted her that much and knew that it wouldn't be betrayed.
As you said to her, there was a reaction that your intuition didn't manage to warm you and just saw her eyes got serious a second before everything changed completely...
You saw Jack explode.
Her whole self was covered in purple flames that covered every inch of her body in a shape that is more oblique and somewhat unstable-looking than your own, randomly flickering and spewing particles similar to how smoke disperses. It was intense, it was potent, far stronger than anything that you have managed to do until now.
The Clouds that Overcame everything with Sheer Numbers.
You drank the image of your knight, you wide-eyed stared at the power that she radiated.
The pure raw power that would conquer as made all her capabilities grow into another level.
Through the bond that both of you shared it was easy to see the Clouds in the almost empty sky begin to propagate and expand, their power and devotion was clear it was a moment that the expression of the power that Jack brought forward was acknowledged instantaneously.
The Sky was forced to acknowledge the resolution of the Cloud.
And all too soon, it ended.
But at that moment, she was by far the strongest between us. There was a line that separates them, a line that he can't step beyond, a simple step that he has managed to overcome formed by a line that separates the levels of intensity that they can manage to reach any time but you couldn't until this day see what truly was.
The line is what is called Resolution.
You realize this now, for you it was a game but to her? It was something important, the bond that you shared with her, her desire to protect her very own happiness, her devotion towards you. It was the fuel that ignites her Cloud Flames, this purple fire was Jack, her very existence brought into the world by her own will and nobody could force it out, it was something that she puts beyond herself an emotion so strong that the fire burns inside her very soul, a resolution that belongs only to her and only Jack was capable of bringing it into existence.
Something that you lacked, most of the time that your flames were ignited lacked the resolution that Jack used to bring hers.
But you smiled at his, it was better late than never.
You began to form the sparks and began to recall what would make your own resolution.
Every single one of your mothers... Dad was in the background.
Sera-nee, Baldy, Acchan, and Sirzechs always were nice and funny.
Grayfia, being the responsible one that keeps Sirzechs from being a complete moron most of the time.
So-chan, eating sweets together, playing weird games, and trying all those things that Okita showed you all from his nation.
Jack, their meeting as both played all the day, enjoying without care of anything else and the moment that she became your Knight.
Your Familia.
A Blaze of pure strength to protect born of this realization, an intense soft orange flame that danced in the wind. And with your new resolution, your mind was filled with potential for more even if the true nature of your flames does escape you there wasn't doubts that you could do so much more with this and a new idea came to the front of your mind as you understood the intensity and how much you could push your flames without tiring you out so much.
It was weaker than Jack's. This was a half-baked resolve for something that you couldn't truly grasp completely for yourself, someday it would change and you will make sure for it as your very intuition was just at the first step just like your flames, it will grow with time and someday be capable of truly grasp what it means to be a Sky.
But for today?
"Jack, I have an idea!" You declared with a smile on your face, what use is to have power if you aren't going to have fun with that?
Your loyal minion rises up from your lap at those words, a smile on her face preparing herself to follow you no matter where in this world and the next.
"Hug me, I think that I found a fun way to use my flames." And she was already doing that, very good at being proactive!
And you smile as you put your palms down expelling your flames until you two break through a cloud and admired the world from the top of the Sky. An experience that was beyond you as your wings were just too underdeveloped and your mana reserves too tiny to reach this altitude but now? Thanks to your flames you could truly see the true expression of the sky as everything else while you just keep using your flames to hover.
"It's so pretty." Jack expressed her feelings as she was hypnotized by the landscape.
"Let's see what more we can see." You told her before beginning to practice your flying skills.
The two of you spend the day flying around using your hands as jet thrusters, your flames were beyond your wings in giving the feeling that the sky belong to you and by far faster to the point that both of you feel the wind parting in front of you and the landscape melted on singular images of weird colors or blurs of things... probably burned a few trees before you got high enough, so high and free the two of you were just screaming like lunatics and trying to move faster from your part moving to where Jack pointed towards something and you both crashed against a bird going crazy in the sky and deep into a lake.
Maybe you would have heard the warning of Jack and your intuition if you weren't going that fast.
Getting to the surface again wasn't hard and once done... Jack used you as a motorboat until the shore of the lake, after a few seconds of silence before splashing water one to another like it was one of those shared baths that you two had, once again having fun like nothing important happened.
You both laughed, you both had the time of your lives.
Once again your lives were better by just having each other, no single moment was dull or boring thanks to it.
"We should go back home." Jack said while getting out of the water before stopping completely, your intuition was telling you that she needed time and comfort.
You move towards her, your flames helping you to move and embrace her, it wouldn't hurt her they never would hurt Jack. It dried her clothes and yours from the water, but Jack didn't notice she was still lost inside her mind.
"Jack? Something happened?" You asked her, her head moved and face that turned a little red.
"Nothing!" She responded a bit too fast for Jack. "Mommies will be worried if we return too late!" Well isn't like you didn't have something that you wanted to hide like your modified set of Yugioh cards.
"Well, hug me again this time we need to go back home." You told her, after all it would be faster flying than walking around.
This time you took your time to go back home, even if your intuition could guide you, you knew better and understood that Jack needed time to think and that was by far more important than any danger of ending grounded. She was more important than anything other thing and isn't like they wouldn't be together while it happened, Jack separated herself from your shoulder and looked at your face before hugging you harder than before, hiding her face in your shoulder.
"Thank you, Kane." Her voice was softer than what was normal but you didn't comment about it.
The travel back was silent, but you had the feeling that Jack and you became closer.
Jack's smiles had been different.
And it was beautiful. Different from what they had been before, now it was more 'whole' than before and her happiness was far sincerer. Something changed, your intuition tells you that but you honestly couldn't what figure what made it happen and only understand that she was, without doubt, happier for it. From one moment to another she pauses and gives one of those new smiles of hers and moved her arm, something that she has made you feel your face warm as your intuition keeps picking something else that makes your chest feel warm and happy... if only Sirzechs didn't keep giving you knowingly looks while meeting on the halls.
How did your brother look so smug he was walking on four legs while Grayfia had him with a dog collar? Another proof that Grayfia was the true ruler of the Underworld.
"...We have a home and we are happy." Jack began to murmur, the tone triggered something on the back of your mind a mix of danger and something else.
"Jack?" What caused this reaction, your intuition is getting confusing going from [Yes! Yes! Yes!] to [No! No! No!] and back towards [Yes! Yes! Yes!] from a moment to another.
"And was because we meet you that every hue and color that we see shine so brightly." A feet steps were when she acted, she trapped you in her arms.
Her grip strengthened massively, her flames burned with a massive intensity, and her eyes with bright so profound that almost turned into a void of it, the smile was one of the mixed emotions as was happiness as was desperation paired together as she promised something.
"I will never never never never never leave your side." She promises and your intuition tells you that she truly means it, something that you feel through the bond and her flames in the back of your head.
"You are just so cute." You had to head pat your little Knight.
Why are the servants moving away? Jack was just being her cute little self and her bond feels deeper than ever before. It was okay, more Jack for you and if others could see how great she is... then you will be a fool in telling them when you can have her for yourself. You were greedy and that you shared her time with your mothers was already proof of how much you loved them all and it helps that Jack likes them too.
Naturally, the good has to end.
Jack has to continue her lessons and get basic education, you had to prepare for your birthday and it means lots and lots of photos. All those photos for the sake of albums, then have some more photos with Jack and finally the birthday party where you would have to familiarize yourself with many other heirs and suck-ups that want to get closer to your pillar and make sure that you are an easy to manipulate moron like Sirzechs. You were beginning to deal with politics but it was in your blood, the Corruptement of Underworld was basically owned by grampa Zekram who your mothers wouldn't let you call him in any way that isn't on the lines of the honorable ancestor, the old fossil is still somewhat respectable on not knowing when to retire.
It was okay, you just need to play ball.
Meet the guess, talk with them, test waters and see if you can impart culture into those close to your age, see if you can get some information from your talks, and see if you can get deals made. For the heir of a Pillar once they had reached a good enough age a birthday just stop being a thing of fun and became another manner of warfare, only a complete spoiled idiot would just ignore that and act like their actions don't influence their families. Your parents may not have told you, but clues were present and your intuition helped you to understand the true face of devil's politics, it begins early and nobody can't deny that you are a little too prepared for this.
You didn't know much of this song and dance, but this was a good manner of learning be by pure observation or using your intuition you began to take apart the tricks that other children were learning and acquire tools to use against them, most of the time you didn't bother to learn the names and the Pillar physical traits makes a kind of easy to see who is who, using their last name any type of aristocratic pronoun would work perfect to just carry the conversations.
You also managed to spend a long time with So-chan, she was incredibly cute with that blush of hers that you couldn't help but spoil her rotten, truly abusing that it was your party to don't allow her to get away until Sera-nee came to rescue her fellow magical girl, you also 'attacked' Sera-nee abusing everything that you obtained from the Sitri manor but obviously was thanks to the help of Grayfia who showed why she rules Underworld and not your brother Sirzechs as you two managed to get Sera-nee to blush and stutter after you gave Grayfia an opening by asking about the special Wand that was inside her room. You got a head pat from Grayfia after the forces of evil defeated the duo of magical girls.
They were too naive on believing that they could win when you had a Grayfia at your side, much less with you had the power of TWO Grayfias!
You kind of had some fun here, playing them around, being a step or two beyond them, making them admit their plans apparently you should try to get a fiancee in about the next two years as miss Astaroth was here to see if she could because the Phenex hasn't truly made moves for your marriage contract, the current heir of Glacias-Labolas was in similar circumstances of checking you out for his little sister/cousin, he also was quite young just barely on the twenty but kind of weakling, you expected more of baldy's family.
A nice guy, you hope that he fixes that an important part is to not be weak.
Not many things were to be discovered, many were interested in the Power of Destruction of your mother and brother. Your cousin apparently lacked it and there are rumors that Cuck was having difficulties in maintaining the succession line because of it. You lacked it, and admit it too but it doesn't really matter as you were a Gremory first and not a Bael, your mother became part of this pillar of yours by marriage, and apparently most forgot about that, something that you will have to fix before and after you take over as the Head of the Pillar.
You moved away when most of the kids began to talk about the Top 10 and their Power Levels, you had the habit of avoid 'Die's fans', 'Rozen's Lovers' and what you have heard from Surt II the 'Pink Simp Squad' or also called PISS. You had standards on what you could tolerate so while things calmed down you began to search for your parents to see how well you did in your first true taste of politics.
But something else caught your attention, something different entered into your senses and your intuition was working on getting you to move into where this new and very important thing was.
You could hear the end of the conversation between one of your moms and another man, a peasant that was weaker than you by a good amount, something interesting as you hadn't tried very hard on getting stronger until recently.
"Three different groups of our men died because of that thing." The man was injured, part of his shoulder was missing. "Many more had limbs taken away and eaten, we only managed to get her on the trap and capture her because we managed to starve it." Starvation? That was just cruel! Everyone should just get a good meal to have their stomach filled.
Mercenaries? You knew that some devils specialized in keeping the dangerous members of our society and hunt Stray Devils and some criminals to get money, it was a profession for those that wanted excitement... only to die very fast because they underestimate how dangerous was the world of the devils. Not all devils, and much less the reincarnate ones reach beyond Low class and become Mid class ones. It was hard, most don't really grow much in power even with contracts for many reasons and lack of effort being the main one, the devils live for so long that most take their time on it and waste years without doing anything.
A complete waste of their new lives in your opinion. What was life if you didn't put your best every day?
Anyway, one of your moms is giving a very big briefcase and paid for it already and so you wanted to see what this was all about. A rare familiar should be an interesting coming age gift, or maybe was a treasure! But you had to admit that not finding it by yourself with the help of Jack or So-chan takes most of the fun.
"Kane-chan!" Your mom number 5, the Greek one called Elena noticed you easily. "Your birthday gift finally came!" As she pointed towards the covered box.
"A gift? Fuck it, these two million and half of Lilins will at least cover most of the losses." With the payment received the man just retired after drinking a Phoenix Tear for a work well done. "Good luck with that monster, we lost many good men and women to put it in that cage." He gave the last warning and teleported away from your turf.
You didn't call about it, your intuition was telling you that the 'gift' was important, you took the cover off and saw what it truly was as your eyes widened.
It was a jail.
The sole being living inside of it was a girl, younger than you were, she had long black hair that ended with a sunset of flame-orange color and pale pink eyes that appear a lighter color around the rims of their irises. Pretty cute if one just sees her from any point of view, but all was thrown away by her expression and actions that showed you that this girl wasn't a frail one and was who killed multiple devils.
She was trying to break the jail with a desperation that was more animal than anything, her eyes were crazed by the sheer need to feed herself, and didn't matter if it was useless to keep trying she continued attacking the bars. Her sealed mouth was dirtied with saliva, her desire to eat something was something that didn't make her doubt to try to attack you if she gets a single chance. This girl was without doubt that 'thing' that killed and devoured a good number of devils a being that just exists for the concept of 'depredation' and would doubt to kill anyone to fill their belly, a monster from any perspective.
The only thing that your intuition keeps telling was how much she really wanted to live.
Pink eyes filled with infinite hunger and eyes of orange filled with boundless greed meet before you turned away from the jail.
The next course of action was simple, you took a plate and began to move through the buffed getting all types of different dishes into the plate all using your intuition to see what should be better for the girl and in the process some other... obstacles keep interrupting you and insulted the girl by saying things 'didn't like it?', some young master crap and cursing you for being picky. But why you should care about people that you have never met? So you didn't care when you decided to shut them up in the most effective way possible.
"Jack, shut them up I am busy." You asked your Knight who began to deal with the ignorant, the power of delegation was something that you learned from Grayfia.
With the plate was filled and almost dropping pieces of food you returned to the jail of the hungry girl.
"Can you move a second?" Your voice was laced with power, your intent was clear, your desire and greed became the fuel alongside the sheer rage inside your mind that was shouting at you to let loose to burn it.
You allowed your flames to exist, the strongest Sky Flames that you had produced until now. So strong that the heat made the young girl give a step back, the savagery, hunger, and hatred replaced by shock, there wasn't fear in her visage just an awareness of a being that saw an unknown that needed to be understood before anything else. Your intuition told you that she would attack until she measures you again like a kitten discovering a new type of prey but was until she understands you and once that happens her aggression would renew once again as her hunger would make her take the chances to live another day.
But your attention was in her prison, it was strong, the craftsmanship was made to last a long time, to be something that would keep her separated from the rest of the world. It was made to resist what would be her best and more as the hunters who got her didn't want any surprises.
You tore it open like it was paper.
The bars, the wards, the seals, and anything else that separated this girl and you. All of it was taken apart by a sweep of your flame-coated hand. Your calm orange eyes turned to wide pink eyes, a difference of strength was made clear in this simple act.
"Hey, eat something." You told her as you took away the bamboo muzzle.
She was just beginning to reach opening her to try to attack but you interrupted her by putting a piece of sushi inside her mouth, her confusion lasted for a few seconds before she gulped the food without munching it opening her mouth again with another roar only to have it blocked by another piece of food, this time a gyoza. But this time the girl began to chew and taste the food, opening her mouth again to 'hiss' you instead of showing true aggression but you still put some meat in her mouth. It wasn't easy, you had to infuse your flames into the utensils so they didn't break because she has a very cold breath.
"You are hungry, so don't hold back and enjoy yourself this is my treat." You told her, your eyes meeting hers and she lowered her. "When you finish this plate then we can truly meet each other." You smiled at her, she was suffering and once she fills her belly a little more they can talk.
It didn't take you by surprise that your dinner ended disappearing into this little black hole in just 30 seconds, your intuition warned you that she was hungry and still was HUNGRY.
"nNezzZUko." Her voice was weird, rough, and dry. Unused to communicate for so long that it was difficult for her to say her own name alongside the lack of food and drink increasing the difficulty. Nonetheless, you liked her voice, she was a very strong person.
"Nezuko? That is a beautiful name, I am Kane." You presented yourself and then gave her a mischief-filled smile. "Let's get out here and fill our bellies, I bet that I could out binge eat you." You could see her fangs and irritation at the joke.
A challenge was laid. And there was something else in her face, as you did a mix of nostalgia and happiness as you both began to eat.
Her body began to be filled out from every piece eaten, she most of the time ignored the vegetables and other things just to consume the meat, the rares ones that you knew that were still a little bloody from the dragon that Beowulf killed for your birthday. The pawn also said that prey the was less a dragon and more a winged lizard because no dragon should plead for mercy, but in the end it didn't matter too much as at least the so-called dragon was tasty.
But if you wanted to compete you had to burn the food in your mouth and left only the bits on the teeth to smirk at Nezuko as you showed up your empty dish just as she showed you her three different clean plates. Once done that you gave her a head pat at the cheeky girl who was showing off, but her manners were lacking and getting her... how was called this Japanese dress? [Haori and kimono] dirty. And it was important to her, even if it was oversized and damaged in some places there wasn't doubts that it was an important set of clothes for her.
"Enjoy your meal more nobody will take it from you." You had to poke her head to make her slow down and make sure that she didn't choke up. "There will always be more for you."
"pPromMiseE?" Better than the previous attempt but she wasn't used to talking again.
"I do, always if in my power I will make sure that you don't suffer starvation ever again." You promised as you called for Jack, she did appear once again before your senses noticed it with Nezuko showing her fangs at your Knight. "And if I can't, then I have Jack to help me on this. A Familia takes care of each other and always cares for all their members." It was the core of any Familia and the golden rule of a Gremory.
You took out your Evil Pieces, you already knew what piece she deserves.
"Will you form part of our Familia?" The offer was laid when you offered your hand.
That was what you offered, no secrets or lies were told. You only offered a home to her, that was your only intent.
And Nezuko took your hand. A new bond will be formed. A new element will be added to the Sky, the strength shared by all the elements was the coexistence and such the Lightning joined.
Trait Gained: Fullmoon Sky: For some reason, it just clicks with you. A monster that plague lands, creatures that fest on others, nightmares that twist the minds of others with fears, abominations against the natural order of the world... All belong to the same Sky as everyone else and you would accept them the same way. Better interactions with Abnormal Mindsets, Terrifying Abilities, Monstrous Traits, etc.
Congrats, Jack realized that she doesn't want her original wish and that path was sealed, otherwise got full yandere juice in your legion for the moment. And Nezuko got triggered in all her needs from protection, a safe place, and food necessities so you are safe at the moment, giving you time to plan how to keep that also took some weaknesses... Also, Riser apparently wants to be like you, thanks to the rolls.
