I'd like to apologize to those of you who read it, about the heavily rushed and sloppy chapter that was the former Chapter 13. I read something very disheartening and it made me lose focus of how I originally wanted the chapter to be.
I read a review and i have no clue how i got 6 years in my head when it was 4 years of bleach's time, but one year in Danmachi's time.
Again, I apologize, numbers never really weren't my strong suit lol
Take.2.
()()()()()()()(Ghost of Sparta's abode, Orarian territory.)()()()()()()()
Inside the cave Acero was in yesterday, The home of the final remnant of Sparta.
Deeper inside, two figures were seen between a small fire sharing a drink, and both looked to be old comrades.
"Hmph...You're sure of this?" Kratos, Forgotten god of War asked, reading a scroll of Lambskin.
Kratos looked over the scroll once again, and set it down to his side. Standing up, he walked to the far corner of his home and beckoned his companion to walk with him.
"I am a dream walker. I only write prophecies and guide their fate when they're true. You know of this." The figure answered as they walked.
"Very well. I will take this to the fools in that city." the god said after nodding, and strapped his gold encrusted axe to his side, and put on his armor complete with a cloak.
The figure walked next to him and eyed the two hellish looking blades that were hung side by side with a golden shield above them, to their right was a full armory of weapons of Greek make, and an un-rotten severed head with snakes for hair that had a stone blindfold over her eyes.
"What next?" The figure asked curiously.
"I am content to watch it all burn to the ground from afar, but the people in that city do not know any better. They cannot be blamed for greed not originating from them." Kratos said, as he turned to meet the being's eyes.
"Good..." The figure said as they removed their hood.
It seemed to be a being of formless dark blue light, with the cosmos as it's skin, ever shifting as it moved. Only blue and dark blue stars, and Nebulas comprised it's visage.
There stood the only remaining cosmic being in Genkai who descended long ago with Ouranos. Known only as The Blue Shard. Not much else about these beings are known, except their extraordinary powers and that when they write prophecies, fate follows in accordance.
The writers of law and order, and chaos and discord. Not unlike the fates of greece, but also different in every other way. They were hunted to extinction by ancient and also extinct god Familias of Genkai for their bodies of pure cosmos to power dungeon creation.
It took five hundred to create the Dungeon of Orario.
"I have to ask, Old friend. And forgive me if I am blunt, but why must you help those who've only hunted your kind?" Kratos asked, eyeing the being cautiously.
"I have a duty. Given to me by the King of Souls." Said the being, as their eyes dimmed.
Kratos nodded, and then motioned for the being to follow him back to their seats.
He rolled back up the discarded piece of lambskin, and tucked it into his leather gauntlet.
"Commendable, truly." Kratos said, lifting the vessel of Lemnian wine to the table.
"Let us drink once more. It has been ages." Kratos said, sitting down in his seat.
"I agree. I've developed a taste for Lemnian wine, and this dingy cave is the only place to find it." The Cosmic being smiled.
The god of war poured the drink into a goat horn mug, and drank from the container itself.
"In all the centuries we've known each-other, I still haven't revealed to you my name, have I?" The being said, bringing the alcoholic beverage to their lips.
Kratos drank some large gulps, and re-sealed the container.
"No. But you do not have to if you wish." Kratos said, looking at the peaceful and clear mountaintops outside his cave.
"I have no name, but I've come to like being called 'The Blue Shard', for I am merely a shard of my body's image." The being said.
Kratos assumed that they meant they are a shard of the Cosmos itself, for their body is a moving depiction of the Cosmos.
"Very well." Kratos said, appreciating the fact nonetheless. He breathed out calmly, knowing that these days of peaceful drinking are numbered.
As is the case when they wrote a prophecy detailing the gruesome deaths of the Zeus and Hera familias, that were discarded due to the god's collective hubris.
"I've had my fill." The being said, and smiled.
"As have I." Kratos said, stowing away the container of Wine into the small hole he'd dug to hide the thing in the first place.
In the last thousand years, that container of Lemnian wine had only been taken out of it's place whenever The Blue Shard visited, and when Acero departed on his journey.
"I must depart, You know what happens when a Cosmic entity lingers on Genkai for too long." The being said, sighing and standing up while donning their hood once more.
"Hm. Very well. Until next time, Old friend." Kratos said, donning his own hood.
The Being opened a rip in space before them, and stepped into it. "Be well, Kratos. Next I see you, It would be best if it were not in Tenkai." The being said, Pointing at Kratos as the rip in space closed.
With that, Kratos killed the flame that cooked his meal, and departed.
()()()()()()()(Orario, Babel tower)()()()()()()()()
Ouranos had called a meeting with every deity in the city to discuss what happened to their biggest source of revenue: Hephaestus, and the 4 wars that had been announced the night after it was discovered her presence had disappeared.
Since her departure, No divine-class gear had been made. Her orders, Discarded and unfinished. Worse yet, She took her divine weapon with her.
Nearly ALL of the gods and goddesses present were pissed off. Their familias needed that gear as soon as it could be made.
...However, There was no smithing deity to smith that gear. In-fact, there was NO smithing deity remaining in the city, The others had left with Ares.
Amongst the bickering crowds of Deities, One stood out as the most upset and angered.
Freya. The beauty was currently clenching her teeth with such force that if a mortal were to do the same, their teeth would explode out of their mouths.
Ottar was standing a couple feet to her left, and wisely so. She'd probably rip him into shreds if he spoke to her right now.
'That goddamned thieving slut, where did you run off to? Why didn't Apollo kill you yet? What happened to his assassins?!' The Queen of the valkyries thought.
She'd been in total fury since Ichigo and Hephaestus's marriage had been announced, This was the final straw..
Ishtar hadn't been any better, she'd completely abandoned the prospect of acquiring Bell she was so angry of what Hephaestus had done.
Hestia had sat near the entrance, so if anything happened she could run, and Bell had been posted with the entirety of his their Familia in case something were to happen.
"SILENCE!" Ouranos boomed out, standing above the crowd by use of divine power.
The bickering crowd stopped speaking and payed their furious attention to the elder god.
"Squabbling like children will get us nowhere. Calm yourselves...Or are you not the deities I thought you all to be." At this, Some got insulted, but most listened regardless. Ouranos was the founder of Orario, It was a blessing he'd dealt with their hubris and ego at the same time for so long.
"Don't assume yourself to be our better, since you came to Gekai first." Sol, Elder god of light and stars spoke out with annoyance.
"I am not forcing you, our your Familia to be here, Sol. Leave at your earliest convenience." Ouranos said, his eyes brightening with power, and Sol scoffed as she looked away.
Ouranos breathed out, and heat waves could be seen from his mouth.
"I called you all here not so you can cry about some armor, I called you here to tell you, GODS of all, to calm yourselves. You are acting with the emotions of Man, not the Divine! Explain the sudden and unexplained warfare between FOUR FAMILIAS!" Ouranos said, looking between the four involved parties, who shyed from his gaze.
"I declared war on Ceres because of her captain assaulted mine in the middle of broad daylight, in the middle of everyone. And she went a step further to say that my captain deserved it." Sol said, snapping her gaze back to Ouranos, who nodded. It was a valid reason.
"Are you sure it wasnt because her familia has a larger stockpile of Hephaestus made items than you do?" Set spoke out.
Ouranos's veins popped out with greatly veiled anger.
Seeing this devolving further, a man with a beard and long hair stepped forward.
"Our first priority should be to find Lady Hephaestus, and bring her home. It would solve the war issue instantly. But, perhaps she's no longer in Genkai?" Perseus, Demigod of seas spoke out from behind the throne of his father, Poseidon, god of the Seas who he descended unto Genkai with.
"That's true, She is no longer in this realm. I unleashed my power to find her, She is not in Ares's territory, nor is she in Nemesis's territory. Orario is without a smithing deity, the sooner you all accept that fact, we can move to find her." Ouranos said, pinching the bridge of his nose, but then he gained a look of minor relief.
"But, she at-least left her familia, master smiths; One and all." Ouranos said, hoping they listened and gained a small measure of peace from this fact.
"But Lord Ouranos, Hephaestus's works are second to none. Some mortal smiths wont live up to the sheer experience Hephaestus had. And what of The god of Death, Ichigo? Without his familia's detailed exploration maps, We're back to being blind in the dungeon!" an aztec god countered.
"And? Are your familias so weak that they need such high leveled equipment to survive the barest reaches of the dungeon? If so, then what in Gekai have you all been doing thus far?" Ani, Egyptian goddess of festivals retorted with a shake of her finger.
This sparked outrage, and insults flew back and forth because of egos of gods no better than men.
Ouranos, seeing this going nowhere at lightspeed began to release his Divine aura.
Before anything could come of it, the entrance echoed a loud resounding
*CRRREEAAAAKKK*
The large thousand Pound/Kilo stone doors that had been sealed with divine magic that prevented unauthorized entrance and eavesdropping opened to reveal a Pale white tattooed ghostly man, who's bloodlust was very apparent.
"Who are you?" Fujin, god of the Wind spoke, his words brought a gentle breeze towards the intruder.
Freya, at the sight of the man lost sight of her meagre rage and paled. As did every other greek and norse god present.
Hestia's skin crawled as she looked at the man, for unknown reasons.
"I've come to deliver a Prophecy." The man spoke out, and tossed a scroll made of sheepskin at Ouranos with ease.
Catching it, Ouranos looked it over to see any sign of deception. His eyes looked towards the ghost
"How DARE you throw ANYTHING at lord Ouranos!?" Ceres yelled with outrage at the complete disrespect she'd witnessed. "Apologize unknown Intruder!" She demanded, drawing a scythe from thin air.
At this, orange/red flames danced among the man's wrists shortly before disappearing. "Watch your tongue, farmer, You have no authority over me, nor do you have the strength to make me do as you please. I am the Ghost of Sparta, though you all have no recollection of what that entails." The man said, revealing his rather ornate axe of Nordic origin.
At the sight of the weapon that seemed to sing for frost, nearly every Greek/Norse god snapped their eyes at Ceres, and at once some began to try and quell the clueless goddess's rage, though, none of them knew why.
"Listen." Ouranos said, and every deity in the room turned an annoyed ear towards their elder.
"It is rather grave. An old issue has arisen and it would behoove you all to put your petty quarreling aside, for the One Eyed Black Dragon rises once more." Ouranos said, with a grim face.
If the Ghost of Sparta caused the Greek and Norse deities to collectively shit themselves, The rest followed suit with this piece of news.
"W-Who...Who was the Oracle who produced this Prophecy?" Loki asked while warily eyeing the newcomer.
The ghost turned and looked to see the entire Orarian Pantheon staring back at him.
"You aren't worthy of their name." was the pale white man's response.
Ouranos, for the first time was scared. For the details written in this scroll would be enough to make the average citizen seize up in terror, especially from such an apparent source. He'd received all of their prophetic pieces from this source, and each time they never got the name of the Oracle who wrote it.
It seemed, that this was that same Oracle, the one who foretold the destruction of the Zeus and Hera familias, the war that followed when Ares left Orario, the Subjugation of the Leviathan and the losses that came of that and many others.
Ceres sat down in silent resignation. Her offended demeanor evaporated as did her anger, it was replaced with cold dread, one that her fellow deities mimicked.
"So...What now? We if we didn't need Hephaestus then, we really do now. As it stands, Our only hopes lie with Ottar, Ais and that newcomer Bell." Loki said, a hand covering her face.
"Hmph" The Ghost grunted out and left the chambers.
Ouranos put down the scroll on his throne's armrest, and breathed out a heavy sigh. "What HAVE you all been doing until now?...No matter." The elder god spoke out, and then he continued.
"Find them. The use of Divine powers related to scouting, scrying, seers, and omniscience is permitted, it is now a matter of time and death." Ouranos said, and that was all it took.
Every related Deity in the room wasted no time in unshackling their divine auras, and powers. Then a plethora of Colors exploded from the council chambers, and panic ensued once more.
They weren't even in Tenkai it seemed. Even if they were, it would still be useless, Deities cannot be brought back to Genkai once they 'Die'.
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()(Karakura)()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
Warm air blew through Karakura Town, and the smell of peace carried itself through the town.
That peaceful air however, grew colder second by second as shadows grew closer.
"Are you sure of this?" Hephaestus asked her husband, as he smiled in response.
"It'll be alright, They're most definitely going to be happy to see you." Ichigo said, as he knocked on the front door.
"Coming!" a sweet voice called out from deeper within the clinic.
Hephaestus cradled her swollen stomach with care, a habit she developed whenever she got nervous.
The light pitter pattering of footsteps drew closer and closer until finally the door swung open to reveal a young woman with shoulder length dirty blonde hair.
She took in the sight of the taller Soul Reaper, and the fiery haired woman to his left, before her eyes blurred with tears.
"OooooNii-saaaaaaaaan!" Yuzu Kurosaki, the cheeriest of the three cried out as she tackled him in a hug.
Hephaestus smiled at the scene and didn't take note of the tears that escaped Ichigo's eyes as well.
Deeper inside, a glass dropped and spilled orange juice on the wooden floor.
"Ichigo? I-Is that...Ichigo?" Another teenager with long jet black hair tied back stuttered out behind Isshin Kurosaki, who faked a surprised face.
She was clearly trying to save face in the presence of Hephaestus, but couldn't control the tears that rolled down her cheeks nevertheless.
"It's good to see you too, but let's go inside and I'll tell you what happened." Ichigo said, already wiping his eyes.
Yuzu stayed latched to his torso, and Hephaestus giggled behind a hand.
The three entered the house, and finished their crying session. Hephaestus said nothing, in respect to her husband and her sister in-laws...And it would have been awkward to interrupt a long overdue reunion.
Sitting on the bigger couch, Ichigo was center with Hephaestus leaning on his right shoulder and Yuzu to his left. Karin had cleaned her mess and returned to sit on the recliner, one that Ichigo hadn't seen before.
"SO! Ichigo! What do you feel like eating?" Yuzu asked.
There it was. Those magic words that made Ichigo's mouth water.
"...Curry." Was all Ichigo had to say before Yuzu practically leapt off of the couch and began preparing dinner with a smile.
"Nice. It always tastes better when she's happy." Karin said, leaning back, and locking eyes with Hephaestus. "Who is she?" Karin bluntly asked.
Hephaestus looked at Ichigo, who just smiled back.
The smithing god smiled, and straightened out her clothing before saying "My name's Hephaestus, I'm Ichigo's wife."
"! Whaaaat? When was the wedding?" Karin said, Yuzu poked her head out from the kitchen making a face that looked like (*0*)
"Well, It happened not too long ago." Hephaestus said with a little guilt.
"Yeah, We really didn't have any way of contacting you guys anyways or else you both would have been the first ones there." Ichigo said, reassuring his sisters.
Karin's face gained a look of understanding.
Isshin had been forced to tell the twins about what happened to Ichigo and where he went. It was a hard fought battle to gain information, lots of groundings, sneaking out to talk to Urahara, until finally both defeated their first hollow together. It was a small one, but Isshin decided that secrecy wasn't important if it meant arming his daughters with the knowledge they needed to keep themselves and eachother safe.
"It's okay Ichigo. I already told them what happened, but I figured that if you were to ever come home, you should be the one to explain the rest." Isshin said with a small smile.
Ichigo rolled his eyes at his dad, and looked back at Karin. Yuzu had returned to preparing their food but kept a close ear on the conversation.
"Well..Where do I begin." Ichigo said, and Hephaestus put her hand on Ichigo's and spoke first.
She had explained when Ichigo arrived in Genkai, and how he had immediately been attacked. How he conceded his fight with them even though they all knew it would have ended in total annihilation if he fought seriously.
Ichigo explained that he stopped his fighting because if he didn't, the regular run of the mill humans inside the city would have succumbed to his reiatsu.
She told them of his deeds in Orario, and his honorable actions when starting his Familia, and how he stayed honorable and good with the power of the world bearing against him.
Karin and Yuzu had sat down to listen on the same recliner after Yuzu set the rice to cook, and the base of the curry was simmering.
"He took down the most corrupted god in Orario in a valiantly fought war. He himself didn't fight, but those he personally trained and took into his familia had won the war with the knowledge and strength Ichigo gave them." Hephaestus said.
Yuzu's face was priceless, it was like she was hearing a story about a hero...Except that hero is her brother. It would make anyone's face light up in pride.
Hephaestus went on and told the twins and their father about how Ichigo had survived assassination attempts, and saved others from that same fate, and how he saved people outside of his own familia, and helped when there was need for it, and protected those without protection. Something unheard of from the other gods of Orario.
"Wait, you mentioned 'Other' gods...What do you mean by that?" Karin asked, as Yuzu was listening around the corner.
"...It is as I said, Ichigo is a god. Specifically the god of Death." Ichigo lightly covered his wife's lips but it was too late as Karin's eyes widened.
"N-No way...I knew he was a shinigami...but well...Uh...I'm not surprised? Aren't all shinigami gods of death?" Karin asked curiously. She knew the translation for shinigami is death god.
"Not in that way, Ichigo had become so powerful after the defeat of his foe Aisen, he simply transformed into one when he entered Genkai...Right?" Hephaestus said, after slapping Ichigo's hand away from her.
"uh..Something like that. From what my zanpakuto told me, I turned into one due to the reiatsu of every god in that city being in the air, as well as the worship I received from regular people...It's weird, I kn-...Are you okay?" Ichigo said, and then asked Karin who was simply awestruck.
He looked to the right, into the kitchen to see Yuzu in the same state.
Isshin had bursted out laughing and put a hand on his head.
"My goodness, son. You're full of surprises arent ya." Isshin said, not fully understanding why Ichigo was a deity now, but now that he knew, it didn't surprise him. "But girls, he's still your brother. He hasn't changed in the slightest, just think of it as another transformation he's gone through." Isshin said, shaking the twins from their stupor.
"Oh no the rice!" Yuzu said, seeing the pot about to boil over.
"...Wow..holy hell..." Karin said, looking at Ichigo. "Wait...Hephaestus? As in the Greek god Hephaestus?" Karin asked, Isshin on the verge of laughing again.
"Yes, that is me. Why do you ask?" The smithing god asked with her head turned towards Yuzu, who was setting the table.
"...Nevermind, It's just alot is all." Karin said, not really knowing how to explain her thoughts to her new sister in-law.
Hephaestus was still curious as she looked at Ichigo.
"I dunno" Ichigo said, looking away as he knew the exact reason for Karin's question. He himself discarded his knowledge of the Hephaestus he knew as soon as he learned about the Hephaestus of Orario.
"Anyways. To address the elephant in the room, How far along are you?" Karin said with barely contained excitement.
Hephaestus smiled and said, "should be any time now." and caressed her stomach lovingly.
"Ha! Boy or girl? Nevermind, have you had a baby shower yet?" Karin said, stars appearing in her eyes.
"I do not know, we shall find out soon though...And what's a baby shower?" Hephaestus asked.
Ichigo hadn't expected Karin to be this inquisitive with his wife, but it was welcome. He enjoyed how easily they were getting along, it was a good sight to see.
"Dinner's ready!" Yuzu called out, she somehow prepared curry to godlike quality while listening into a whole conversation. A feat few manage well.
"Well, you'll find out when we throw it, you'll love it." Karin said, standing up off of the recliner.
Ichigo Helped Hephaestus stand and pecked her cheek while Isshin was turned, yuzu squealed in delight at the sight causing Ichigo's face to explode in red.
"Well, it seems you forgot your conduct at home, otherwise you wouldn't be so flustered, am I right dear?" Hephaestus said with a light giggle.
Ichigo walked with his wife slowly, enjoying the atmosphere of his home.
"Yeah, It doesn't really feel like I'm here. Like it's a dream" Ichigo said with a happy smile.
His inner world was practically flourishing with sunlight and cloudless skies, his spirits shared collective breaths of happiness and for the first time in a while, they truly rested.
Hephaestus hadn't tasted anything nearly as good as this in Orario, not even at the Banquets Of The gods she attended frequently. She wondered for a second if Yuzu was some sort of Deity who commanded the aspect of taste and food, but dismissed the thought when she remembered she is in another realm, one where gods and deities have been absent for some time.
Retreating to Ichigo's room, Hephaestus caressed her stomach once more as she sat on his bed.
"Anyways, you can take a nap if you wanna. I have to go talk to my dad." Ichigo said, his armor clacking with his movement.
"Ichigo." Hephaestus said, sighing with a smile.
"Yeah?" Ichigo said, turning back.
Hephaestus leaned back with her two hands supporting her torso behind her.
"I love you, and your family" The goddess said with a genuine smile.
"~" Ichigo blushed and said "I love you too, I'm sure they already love you, I mean, Yuzu's cooking was unusually great today, and that's saying something."
"Its probably because you haven't had it in a year, dumbass" Zangetsu said, finding this moment to be appropriate to chime in.
'Oi, I'm not talking to you.' Ichigo said mentally.
Hephaestus blushed and nodded, it seems she's tired after all. She's rather sincere when she's tired.
"Alright, I'll be back in a while. Call me if you need anything." Ichigo said with a smile and closed the door.
Hephaestus felt strangely at home, way more so than she had in Orario surrounded with people who revered her.
Looking around Ichigo's room, it seems it was recently dusted for a room that hasnt been touched in 4 years.
Standing up, she breathed out a happy sigh and looked over her husband's things, and noticed a string instrument below the window, a closet that had a folded futon, a desk with books of all types, all written in a language she now knew as japanese. Kisuke had given her a pill that allowed her to read this language, how? She didn't know. The man apparently came up with it in two hours. She didn't believe it, but it was supposedly true, so she didn't question it.
'What kind of literature is Ichigo in?' she thought, as she read over a couple books that read 'Shakespeare' and a couple more titled '10th grade science, math, history, english, and other topics. What interested her however was the History book. She wondered what kind of history this world had to tell, and this book had it. If it didn't it's size betrayed it's content.
Opening it to it's index, what caught her eyes were the world wars section. There wasn't much in the World War 2 part on Japan's involvement, but there was much on lands called Germany, United States, Great Britain, Russia, and Canada. It was a terrible war she read, it was astonishing how powerless humanity can cause destruction the likes only a level 7 is able to bring. It saddened her, but then the section titled 'Mythology' stuck out with a neon colored piece of paper, and she flipped to it.
"Norse mythology?" She read aloud, now she was really interested.
Perusing the information she realized her feet hurt, so she took it back to Ichigo's bed and sat down.
Stifling laughter, she read that Loki was apparently a man, and Thor was Her brother. Oh would she throw this in her face somehow.
Freya. She apparently was the queen of Valkyries in this world, beings who brought the souls of warriors who died in battle to Valhalla.
'Pretentious witch. She's too conceited for such an honorable role.' Hephaestus thought with a breath from out of her nose.
She burst out laughing, uncontrollably so when she read that Loki was apparently a man, and shapeshifted into a horse, then got impregnated by a horse to give Odin his own personal horse or something of the like. Something she'd rub in her face whenever she went back to Orario.
Once she calmed herself down, she flipped some more pages and came across the Greek part.
She was very excited to see what this world had on her own pantheon.
'Zeus was Hestia's brother in this world? How...scary. That man was truly a pervert.' She said, chuckling at how her friend would react to this information, and at the memory of her giving Zeus a black eye for peeping on her and the female gods in the bath houses of Orario.
'Hold on, Zeus was indeed a infidelity ridden man, but surely all of these gods are not his children as well, there's no way! In tenkai they're fully fledged gods...And the titans...who are they? they aren't anywhere in Tenkai.' She thought, her eye scanning the information carefully.
But...then Hephaestus had read a page titled, 'Hephaestus, god of the Forge.'
"Son, of Zeus and Hera? Son? OF Zeus? Hera?" She read, her face, neck and chest exploding in red. How embarrasing! Now she no longer had any ground to stand on if she were to present this book to Orario.
Sure Hephaestus was a bit of a tomboy growing up, where all of the other goddesses loved the delicacy of flowers, of silk, and of music and the like, but she was immersed in fire, ash, the slag of molten metal, her hammers and anvils, her creations and her beloved forge. It was her passion, and her way. That is of unsound logic, to assume she was a man, and to write her in such a dirty way in a possibly mass produced book that wasn't unique simply enraged her. She was born lame? Cast out of olympus twice? What in the hell was this author thinking! There was even a section that stated she was married to Aphrodite. APHRODITE! The mere thought of her being written as married to another deity- one as unfaithful as her, was an insult. Plain and simple.
She could hear it now 'OooOOOoo Hephaestus, how ya doing man, hows the wife? The ole ball 'n chain?'
strangely the voice that appeared in her imagination was Loki's. Very embarrasing.
'Thrice damned Hera...Scamming my smiths, and haggling like they were mere shopkeeps selling food at a stall in the street! AGH!' Hephaestus was furious, her divine aura flaring a bit, turning the places of the book she was holding black due to the temperature, but she remembered where she was. She was in her Husband's home. Surrounded by beings that cherished her for being her.
Materializing her Divine weapon, her glorious hammer, she vowed to pay this author a visit with a smile, and then she'd bash his knees.
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()(With Ichigo and Isshin, backyard.)()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
"I'm being summoned to Seireitei?" Ichigo asked cautiously.
"It seems so. I was just informed." Isshin said, sitting in a chair while the cicadas died down.
Ichigo sighed out, he's already guessing that they're going to ask him about his disappearance and his help with the Quincy.
Isshin seemed to recognize what Ichigo's thinking, and said "Sheesh, lighten up will ya? Apparently it's going to be an award ceremony."
The deity raised his eyebrow in curiosity "Who, the Soul Society? No way. Those uptight oldies? No way." Ichigo said with disbelief.
"Well, you can go see yourself. A certain Lieutenant is gonna come grab ya tomorrow, so be ready. If you're worried about Hephaestus, She'll be fine here. I got a barrier set up anyways, and Kisuke is always not far away." Isshin said, putting his hand on Ichigo's shoulder.
"What if they ask about what I am? Do they know?" Ichigo asked.
"They didn't seem like they did, so it's best that they dont know until absolutely necessary." Isshin said seriously.
Ichigo nodded, and returned his attention to the dusk sky, it's colors corrupted by pollution, but it was beautiful in a nostalgic way.
"Okay." Ichigo said.
"Well, I'm off to bed. You should rest and take off that armor for once. You're home and safe." Isshin said, eying the strangely divine armor around Ichigo.
Ichigo's eyebrow raised again, as he looked down to see he was still indeed in his battle attire, robes and all.
"Oh, sorry, I don't notice anymore." Ichigo said while scratching the back of his head.
His robes, and armor faded and revealed his casual clothing. He had merged with his human body at Kisuke's shop, and it seemed that he wasnt able to separate from it anymore. But he was still able to become unseen by regular people whenever he had his powers active, and visible whenever deactivated.
Truly feeling the air on his body, he breathed out a deeper sigh he didn't realize he was holding.
"There you go. Goodnight son, Good to have you back." Isshin said, truly happy to have his family united again.
"Goodnight dad, Glad to be back." Ichigo said, smiling genuinely.
Staying outside for a while longer, Ichigo decided it was time to go outside once the sky was completely dark.
Dinner was in the fridge, and the house was peacefully quiet as Ichigo walked up the stairs to his room, but found the door open and the light on.
He walked closer to the threshold being completely silent, he listened in to hear Yuzu and Karin sitting next to Hephaestus, as the twins told Hephaestus everything she needed to know about cooking, soccer, boys, school, you name it.
It was a happy sight. One that filled Ichigo with happiness the likes he'd only known when his mom was alive.
Deciding it was time to make his appearance, Ichigo walked in with a yawn.
"Awe, your armor's gone. It looked cool." Karin said, as Yuzu's smile widened.
"Yeah, I wanted to feel the air." Ichigo said, sitting in his office chair across from the three.
Hephaestus's face blushed, this was the second time seeing Ichigo in his casual attire, and it was a treat indeed.
"What's that you're reading?" Ichigo said, pointing to the album on Hephaestus's lap.
"Nothing to read, it's your baby pictures." Karin said with a grin.
"Wait, weren't those in Goat Chin's room?" Ichigo asked mortified, He knew Karin and Yuzu never entered their dad's room, let alone took anything from it. That means...
"Ohhh, I'm gonna punch him." Ichigo said while cracking his knuckles.
Karin and Yuzu laughed, and Hephaestus giggled. It was a heavenly sound, and all feelings of annoyance drained from him.
"Ah...whatever. Anyways, I'm gonna go to sleep, you three can look at that tomorrow, is that okay?" Ichigo asked, yawning again.
"Aw, well it's okay. It is 11 anyways, we have school tomorrow anyways." Yuzu said, closing the photo album after Hephaestus gave it back to her.
The twins hugged and said goodnight to Ichigo and Hephaestus, before leaving the room.
Hephaestus got under the covers her back to the wall, and Ichigo slid in next to her in his pajamas.
"You have a very lovely family." Hephaestus said, hugging onto the mass of heat next to her.
Ichigo felt honored, unlike him, she's been alive for literal eons. To hear her say something that genuine made him feel good.
"Thank you, I'm glad you're part of it." Ichigo said, as Hephaestus took off her eye patch and laid it on the windowsill.
She looked back, and her transparent eye seemed to shimmer in the moonlight, as if that part of her face was made of diamond.
She was truly beautiful in every way imaginable.
She kissed him goodnight and as soon as her head hit his strangely...elongated pillow...she fell asleep with a smile.
This was a different pillow, it was big enough for the both of them.
Say what you want about Isshin, one fact remained: He was very considerate.
()()()()()()(Inner Seireitei)()()()()()()
*BOOM*
The thunderous sound of Head captain Yamamoto cane sounded throughout the captain's meeting hall.
"This Captain's meeting has begun." The old captain said.
"Captain Kurotsuchi, Give your report."
The mad scientist walked two steps forward before turning to face the captains.
"Last night, Six Reiatsu signatures were picked up from Urahara's shop. Two of which were analyzed and confirmed to be on the same frequency as the Soul King's." The man said with a serious face.
"Impossible!" Captain Komamura said.
Chattering of the possibilities began, and were silenced with another thunderous sound from the head captain.
"Explain." The old man said, His eyes open.
"One of two surveillance bugs I had planted near the shop was disintegrated, I made these bugs out of Sekkisekki stone so they would withstand extreme spiritual pressures if the Quincy attacked...and one Disintegrated. Completely. Not without transmitting the reiatsu readings back to me fortunately."
"Who are they?" Captain Kyoraku asked, and at this, Captain Kurotsuchi smiled.
He brought out a remote, and the lights dimmed with a projector screen materializing on the front doors.
It showed Ichigo in his armor, with Hephaestus wrapped around his arm while they walked.
The air began to distort their image as they came closer, and then the feed cut, indicating that the bug was destroyed.
"Who was that woman?" Captain Hirako asked, as he raised his eyebrow.
"He looks stronger." Kenpachi said, with a grin.
"I've analyzed their reiatsu patterns, it took the best tools I had at the R&D department to even detect these patterns, and both seemed to have traces of the other's reiatsu in their own, and were surrounded in a three meter reiatsu pillar that would have been impossible to breach without disintegrating. How I didn't get any sort of notification of the presence of reiatsu that strong is unknown to me." The scientist spoke out.
"Continue." The head captain said, and Kurotsuchi complied.
Another video feed was shown, and this time it was around the Karakura clinic, Mayuri had moved this bug to trail Ichigo unseen, and sat on a house across from the clinic that was his home.
It showed their interaction with Yuzu, and another figure that followed closely but not exactly behind the both of them, it seemed as if he wasn't trailing them for nefarious reasons, but as a sort of protection detail. The figure had long red hair, and seemed to wear armor underneath the cloak they wore.
"This person's reiatsu was analyzed, and it was strong. Captain class even." Captain Kurotsuchi said.
"Is it a Quincy?" Kenpachi asked, his grin dropping slightly, he's been starved of actual combat since Aizen's defeat.
"No, this reiatsu is...Different than anything we've ever felt before. It doesn't feel human either, but here's the thing. That person isn't a spirit either, I'd very much like to capture this person and find out exactly what it is." Captain Kurotsuchi said in excitement.
"That person doesn't seem to be an enemy of Ichigo's, He may have had poor reiatsu detection abilities, but his battle instinct isn't something to sneeze at either. He would have sensed danger...Maybe. But until we know who that person is, it may not be wise to antagonize them, it might anger Ichigo if it turns out to be an ally." Captain Ukitake said, causing the captains to ponder in thought.
"Ally or not, that person could be a major threat to the World of the Living, who knows the effect of that person's reiatsu has on the world. We cannot afford to let this person go unsupervised." Soi-fon said, as the video feed showed the person in the cloak disappearing lowly across the rooftops of Karakura.
Head captain Yamamoto pondered. Soi-fon had some truth to her statement, as did Ukitake. It was a hard decision.
"Wait!" Rukia said aloud, causing all captains present to look at her.
"Hold your tongue, you're a mere lieutenant, you do not have the authority to speak out of turn! Know your place." Soi-fon told the woman kneeled next to Ukitake.
"Speak." The head captain said, surprising the stealthy captain to his right.
Rukia nodded, and moved in between the row of captains to stand directly before the head captain.
"We can't afford to expend any manpower, if that person is hostile. We need all our strength should the Quincy attack, I ask that I go and speak to Ichigo himself. It should clear up all of the mystery on where he went, why he came back, and maybe if he knew that person in the cloak."
"Hmm." The head captain was neutral.
He was planning to send her to fetch Ichigo today anyways.
"Very well. Go, assess Ichigo and whether or not that figure is a threat, and bring him back with you." The head captain said.
Rukia's face lit up in elation, she was surprised by the head captain's generocity.
"Yes, Head Captain." She said, and then bowed before flash-stepping back to her position near the wall with the other Lieutenants.
"Ichigo has returned. I have already sent word to former captain Shiba in advance. I have recently been in contact with Kisuke Urahara, who had informed me of Ichigo's arrival and he is to be rewarded for his efforts in the war, as well as his key role in the defeat of Aizen. He has proven himself an ally of Soul Society, as well as a friend to most. A human, who saved the afterlife." The head captain spoke out.
"Yes Head Captain." Most other Captains spoke out, happy of the state of things.
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()(Karakura, the next day)()()()()()()()()()()()()
Hephaestus rose from bed groggily, her red hair sticking out every which way. That was the most pleasant sleep she's ever had. Ichigo was missing from his spot, but she didn't mind.
Ichigo entered the room with a smile, and said "Good morning, how'd you sleep?"
"Good my love, how are you?" Hephaestus said with a yawn.
Ichigo moved closer to her and kissed her forehead, gaining a smile from the woman.
"Say, Hephaestus, why don't you go downstairs? Yuzu made some really good muffins this morning." Ichigo said, eyeing the corner.
"Oh? Muffins? You needn't say more." Hephaestus said, as she was helped to her feet. Her stomach seemed to be a bit bigger. "Oh, and you are in your armor again." She said.
"Ah, My bad. It's hard to notice." Ichigo said while scratching the back of his head. His wife giggled lightly, as Ichigo brought her some items.
Hephaestus was helped into a pair of slippers, and Ichigo walked her to the door. A shinigami clad Isshin came by to guide her, a serious look on his face.
"Aren't you coming?" Hephaestus asked, seeing Ichigo still in the room.
"Yeah, I'll be with you in a second. I just saw a pest, I'll take care of it." Ichigo said without looking back at her.
"...Okay?" A confused Hephaestus responded as she was guided downstairs.
The door closed, and Ichigo walked back to the center of the room, before opening the window.
He turned around, and opened his closet before jumping back, swords materialized.
"Yo! I'm Asguiaro Ebern. A Quincy." The man said, moving out from atop the unrolled futon. "Got any questions?"
"What the hell are you doing in my room." Ichigo said, his face as reserved as it could be, but his eyes still reflected fury.
"What indeed." Asguiaro said, moving closer.
"You're not a damn Quincy, you're an Arrancar. Why the hell do you have a mask fragment otherwise?" Ichigo said, moving closer as well.
"Why indeed?" Asguiaro responded, seemingly humoured at taunting Ichigo.
"Get out of my house." Ichigo ordered, Sending a pang of fear through the Arrancar's nonexistent heart.
"Why?" The man said, smiling wider.
Ichigo decided that this was enough. In a fluid motion, he grabbed Asguiaro's neck and threw him out of the window and onto the street below.
Leaping out of the window, swords at the ready, Ichigo walked towards his foe.
"Damn, I bet that bitch inside's a real treat. Why else would you have forced the closet door closed with Reiatsu?" Asguiaro laughed out while nursing his neck, relishing the furious look on Ichigo's face.
"Shut up." Ichigo said, his scowl venomous.
"Make me." Asguiarro's smile widened as he formed a weapon from the quincy cross around his wrist. "look familiar?"
A quincy cross?' Ichigo asked, and said "You know, that's just an insult to one of my friends. If he knew a hollow was mimicking a Quincy, he'd go ballistic."
"Mimicking? No, I AM a Quincy!" The abomination shouted, as a large white object formed infront of him with four protruding shafts.
Ichigo flashed forward, and decked the 'Quincy' in his face, sending him and his weapon flying above the town.
As Ichigo flew to his foe, four streams of energy zipped to him in near equal speed, each were swatted upwards by the Larger zangetsu.
The energy vanished, revealing an untouched Ichigo.
"The hell? why don't you use your bankai, it's the only way you'll win." Asguiaro taunted again, Why he was asking for Bankai when his attacks didnt do anything to a Shikai could be chalked up to a lack of choice.
"Nah, I'm good. Are you?" Ichigo asked, sensing...Fear? Since when could he sense fear?
Vollies of energy flew at Ichigo again, pelting every part of Ichigo, but it all felt like a soft massage.
"What the hell is going on!" Asguiaro asked himself, seeing his enemy unphased by his attacks.
"I dont really know either." Ichigo said, swinging his larger sword onto his shoulder.
"Regardless, maybe if I got that woman to ask you to, you'd use Bankai, wouldn't you?" Asguiaro taunted.
Ichigo flashed forward towards Asguiaro with unseen speed, breaking through his spirit weapon and grabbed the hollow's face, and sent him spiralling further up through the skies.
The Death god flash stepped to behind the hollow, thousands of feet in the air.
Asguiaro's face was an amalgamate of Fear, Confusion, and Anger as he felt the place Ichigo's hand went. His mask fragment was fractured, and his hair disheveled.
Ichigo stopped the Hollow's airborne trajectory and held him again by the back of his neck.
Ichigo's shorter sword was wrapped in bandage on his waist, as he held the longer sword against the Hollow's torso, cutting the fabric with every breath of wind that passed by.
"Let go of me!" Asguiaro yelled as he squirmed, but Ichigo was unresponsive.
Asguiaro cranked his neck as far back as he could to see Ichigo's face, and it was a mistake.
Fear flooded his body like a tsunami, for Ichigo's eyes were more hollow than Asguiaro was.
"P-Please let me go?! I'll leave you alone! I won't do anything anymo-" *SNAP*
The hollow's lifeless body now hung limp in Ichigo's grasp.
"It's one thing to threaten me, it's another to threaten my wife." Ichigo spoke out lowly, as he flew downwards with the enemy's corpse in tow.
He flew by his house to see Rukia knocking on the door, and then made a beeline to Kisuke's.
Needless to say, the Quincy/Arrancar's body and equipment was analyzed by Kisuke intensely that night.
OOOF OOOOOOOF OOOOOOOOF i took a longer time to write this. I hope it isn't as messy and rushed as last time huehuehue
I hope you enjoy this! Please give me a review and lemme know how i did :D
Written in part with the advisory of BlueShard20, Check out their So What If I'm A Spider x Bleach story! As well as their Overlord x Bleach story! They're a real good writer! and those be real good stories!