Chapter 7

I just wanted a glass of water.

That's it.

Making sure Malenia was still sound asleep, I gently climbed out of bed and carefully tiptoed out of the room.

Peeking out the door, I checked for anyone and anything that would cause me trouble before entering the dark hallway. I made sure to stay close to the wall, a habit I had picked up during my last life as a child as to not bump into anything in the dark. Thankfully, my dog wasn't here to trip over, so I didn't need to fear stepping on her in my quest for liquid refreshment.

Making it to the kitchen was a walk in the park, the hardest part being finding where the light switch was. Next, I immediately saught out the fridge to where I found the refreshment lying in waiting.

The feeling of cold liquid going down my throat was an instant relief. Drinking water in the middle of the night was always a different kind of pleasure. It was always as if my body was tasting water for the first time, and it could only be satisfied by consuming an entire gallon. Of course, it was a bitch having that feeling of needing to go to the restroom the next morning, but 'the greatest pleasures are only nearly separated from disgust' and all that.

Satisfied, I threw away the now empty bottle of water and began my trek back to the awaiting arms of my consort.

I was only halfway to the room when a very stereotypical horror movie cliche happened.

*CRACKLE*

Lightning struck, briefly illuminating the hall and enhancing the shadows of literally everything.

If I were being honest, it was a little unsettling.

That sound, the flash, and the way the shadows danced had my anxiety levels suddenly shooting up as I realized just how dark it got in this mansion. I was not afraid of the dark, but I suddenly had the urge to get to my room as soon as possible.

Almost instinctively, I checked my pockets for my cell phone. Of course, they were empty, not just because I forgot to bring it with me, but because I didn't own one. What a time to remember I did not own a cell phone.

Opting to return back to the safety of my room as quickly as possible, I continued clinging to the wall while increasing my pace.

*CREEEEEEEEEEEK*

A second sound echoed through the corridor, one no-sane victim in a horror movie ever wanted to hear.

I could feel my body stiffen and my ass clench at the squealing of a door that had never seen WD-40, much less heard of it. It eerily reverberated through the hall, turning this once manageable situation into the equivalent of being a potential play in John Kramer's sick games.

That same thought had me remembering the very important fact that I was basically wanted by nearly every supernatural faction in this new world. If my cheeks weren't clenched before, then they definitely were now.

'Th-there's no one there, Miquella~. It was all just your imagination~.' I tried convincing myself, attempting to calm my rapidly beating heart as my legs mechanically made their way back to the safety. 'There is no monster behind you. There is no killer standing at the end of the hall. You will get back to your room safely, and will sleep happily in the bosom of your hot Amazonian wife until-'

*CREEEEEEK*

The feeling of impending doom had me pausing midstride, my feet practically nailed in place. The creeking of wood in a mansion that looked as if it had been built yesterday was dubious on its own, but when it was coming from right behind you, it was easy to miss the details.

Goosebumps appeared on every inch of exposed skin, and a chill ran down my spine. The hair on the back of my neck stood up as though someone or something was right behind me, watching. Listening. Waiting.

I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry despite the water I'd just downed moments ago. My mind raced, trying to make sense of the sound.

It's just the house settling. It's just an old floorboard. Nothing more. Just go back to bed.

But my instincts screamed otherwise.

I tightened my fists, forcing my breath to stay quiet and steady. There was no way I was turning around. Every horror movie survival instinct told me that doing so would seal my fate. Still, if I didn't look, whatever was there would get closer, would—

No! Don't think about it! Just move!

With every ounce of courage I could muster, I forced my legs to move again.

"One step. Two step. Three step. Four. Step right up, get on the floor." I sang to distract myself as I drew closer to my room. Just a few more and I'd be back in my room, back in safety, back to Malenia. Her presence alone was enough to chase away nightmares, real or imagined. I needed to get back to her and-

*CRACKLE*

*BOOM*

Lightning briefly lit up the hallway once again, and I froze at my shadow.

If there was one thing I came to terms with in this world, it was that I was no longer what you could consider 'tall'. At the minimum, I stood at 5"3, a fact that was only so because I counted the inches of hair in my measurements.

That shadow that was cast along the ground in that brief lightning strike was not mine.

It was. Not. Mine.

It was at least twice my size and width, with nothing discernible other than its very human arms. If there was any doubt that someone was behind me before, this all but confirmed it.

And if that didn't, the voice definitely did.

"My, you are truly more fascinating to see in person." The voice was smooth yet unsettling, carrying a strange cadence that made the hairs on my arms bristle. It was the kind of voice that always seemed to be analyzing you or the situation, particularly like that of a mad scientist. "The way you walk, your mannerisms, and even drink water. All of it is very much unlike Miquella. Soul Fractures truly are fascinating."

It was talking to me, and though its words made no sense, my fight or flight instinct was definitely not interested in either.

As ashamed as I was to admit it, I was frozen. My mind was racing with a thousand different thoughts and scenarios, each more terrifying than the last. The memory of yesterday's encounter with those devils appeared at the forefront of my mind, and I suddenly felt the feeling of being very weak again.

Fighting the instinct to flee, I slowly craned my head up, knowing that whatever was behind me was right over my shoulders.

At first, there were only two glints floating in the darkness. The lightning struck once more, illuminating the hallway just enough to show the face of a very, very handsome man behind glasses. His brown hair was short and curly, and he wore a simple white lab coat that hid a black shirt underneath. His eyes were the most intriguing thing about him, though. They were a deep brown, almost glowing, and I couldn't help but stare into them. If I wasn't so shell-shocked, I would point out the anime-science of his glasses still illuminating despite there being no real light in the hall.

"If it is OK with you, do you mind if I run some tests? It's not everyday that I get to study the aftermath of a Soul Fracture." The man asked, his expression the same one a doctor would wear when speaking to a patient.

That question was enough to break me out of my spell and, thankfully, react with action. In a move I nailed into my nieces and nephews, I reeled back an arm.

Now, this was no ordinary elbow. For the last few days, I have been experimenting on the black flames I had produced during my excursion with Malenia. There are two things I learned in that time.

One: it was not just cool looking fire. The Black Flame of the Elden Ring game held lore. It is said that Queen Marika herself banished a whole cult do to the fact they obtained incantations capable of slang gods. Though Malenia never knew how such power came about, the main symbol of their faith were flames of black.

Two: I could I increase the flames intensity and velocity. 'What so you mean by that' you may ask? Quite simple really. It means that not only could I increase the heat of the flames, but I could also increase how fast or slow it flowed just like a flamethrower. So much in fact that using just a fingertip was like having a water pressurized flamethrower that could cut through wood. The only downside to this was it had the adverse effect of pushing me along with the pressurized flamethrower, which made it one hell of a double-edged sword.

However, If Luffy could make the best out of his frankly lame devil fruit at the beginning, then I could find uses for a spell that was too powerful for my own frail body. That use was now, and by God did I use it. The incantation shot my elbow back so hard that I felt as if my shoulder would pop out of place.

In truth, I did not expect it to work, nor did I expect him to crumble so easily. But he did, which presented a problem I was unprepared for. Before I could even scream 'stranger danger' his arms latched around me, and I felt his weight press into me. It presented the problem in the form of taking me down to the ground with him, my arms tangled in his. Shortly after, I quickly realized that I couldn't breathe.

Now, I Don't know if you've ever been sat on by someone significantly bigger than you, but having your chest compressed to the ground while your face was covered by cloth created the dilemma of being suffocated.

I tried my best to scoot out of his grass, I really did. Unfortunately, as the vessel has proved time and time again, it wasn't made for fighting. Within a minute, there were black spots in my vision, and not too long after, I blanked out for the second time that week...

Damn. This. BODY!

(•∆•)

The next morning...

"I see. I suppose my hypothesis was correct then." The newest member of the house spoke, a smile present on his face as he casually took a sip of his coffee. "When a soul fragment is created, the consciousness of the original is merged with another, sharing their memories and personality. As far as the universe is concerned, the two souls are now one. Theoretically, Master Miquella should currently be going through, as the humans say, an identity crisis, yet he's fit as a fiddle. Fascinating."

"So, what does that mean exactly?" Vergil inquired from his post on the wall.

"It means that either there is an unknown factor I'm missing or that the consciousness merged so well that not even he knows which he is. My guess is the latter, seeing as he exhibits behaviors of both Miquella and another—the latter more so. We should have the Miquella we all know and love once his brain fully acclimates to his body." The new guy said, adjusting his glasses and making them shine in a very anime way.

"So it is only temporary." Edelgard said, followed by a sigh of relief.

"Well, yes and no. As I said, his consciousness is currently being shared between two different beings. He will most certainly heal, but as for which Miquella we are stuck with permanently, that is out of our hands."

"...How interestingly dreadful." The silver-haired Devil said, a smile present despite his words.

They continued on for a while, discussing my condition as if I weren't listening to the whole thing.

Oh? Am I leaving out details? Well, ask, and you shall fucking receive!

Sosuke Aizen. That Sosuke Aizen was the final member of this strange little family. And oh, how they've massacred my boy.

After being knocked out for the second time that week, we were found only minutes later. The commotion we had made was somehow enough to alert everyone else in the manner despite the storm going on outside (I just chalked it up to anime logic once again). I wish I could say how they found us wasn't compromising, but I couldn't because that dick of a hunter seemed to love recording me at my worst!

In fact, he was all too eager to show me pictures.

Somehow, some way, I was able to knocked the man out with the people's elbow to the groin, and I'm doing so, causing him to fall on top of me and knocking me out as well. The picture that was taken was that of Aizen on top of me, ass up, and foaming from the mouth. Meanwhile, I was under him, eyes rolled into the back of my head, and lying prone.

I wanted to die from the humiliation.

I woke up once again on the living room couch. Looking around, I found everyone present, minus Ruby. And in the center was the tactical genius himself, sitting at the futon and casually sipping coffee as if his creepy as wasn't the main cause for my condition.

The moment I saw him, I leaped from my seat and found protection in the form of my consort's legs, hiding behind them and peaking out as if I were a reindeer on a particular pirate captain's ship.

Of all the anime/video game characters 'Aizen' could have come from, this was absolutely the worst one. A mind like his was far too sharp and convoluted for an adult who could barely read on a sixth grade level. His plans had plans, so much in fact that he could convince you that you figured out his plan, only for you to realize that knowing his plan was his plan all along, and now you fell into his other plan that he had planned. He was the type of villain that had contingency plans for his plans in case it failed, and a contingency plan for those contingencies.

My brain nearly short-circuited just putting that onto paper!

Then there was his acting and uncanny ability to manipulate others. Dude could get robbed at gunpoint and somehow convince the robber that it was actually him HIM that was being robbed. Dude could play Leonardo DiCaprio better than Leonardo DiCaprio so convincingly that huge question if Leonardo DiCaprio was actually Leonardo DiCaprio. Dude could sleep with your girl, get her pregnant, convince you that YOU were the problem, and then manipulate you into paying for HIS child support. THIS is the kind of evil we were dealing with here!

All that, and I haven't even mentioned his busted ass sword! We could be under his Genjutsu right now and not even know it!

Why God? WHY him?

"What do you think, dearest Miquella?" I blinked at the realization I was being spoken to before looking up to find Malenia looking down at me. We stayed like that for a moment before I returned my suspicious gaze back onto the megalomaniac in front of us. I had an answer to the question even if I didn't know what it was.

"He's guilty." I declared.

Unfortunately, the bastard only found it amusing—a smile present as he took another sip of his coffee.

"Now, now, there's no need for that. I can assure you, whatever you believe I've done, it was most certainly necessary." He reassured, which only has the adverse effect of building my anxiety. "But we are not talking about my trial. We are discussing our next step now that you are clearly of sound mind."

I mused over his words for a moment, picking apart their importance before a question mark appeared over my head.

"What is he going on about?" I looked up to ask the only person in the room I had full trust in.

"He means our next target." Malenia answered, confusing me further as I hadn't exactly been paying attention during my monologue to the readers.

Thankfully, the snake was all too eager to enlighten me. "Currently, within the school Edelgard and I reside are two shard bearers. We were set to have you transfer in as a student just before your little 'accident'."

Oooooooh...that's what they were talking about...

"Wait, isn't this a little too soon?" I asked somewhat hesitantly. I was in no way, shape, or form ready to deal with the dangers of this world! I literally just learned how to fling spells not 3 days ago, and now I was expected to traverse the outside world? I wasn't ready!

"I see you have concerns." The master manipulator somehow discerned my inner dwellings. "If it is safety that concerns you, then worry not. The school the shard resides in is home to Devils, specifically ones of political importance. Short of a declaration of war, you couldn't be any safer. If that's not enough to ease your worries, Miss Malenia will also be attending with the three of us."

That actually did its job in making me relax just a little. It didn't take away the fact that I still wasn't ready for the outside world, but that at the very least I could be assured that my life wouldn't be in danger.

"But don't the devils hate me? And why are we in a rush? Couldn't we wait a week...maybe even a few months." I weakly argued, the thought of school not exactly welcoming.

"That would be unwise." Vergil spoke this time. "If I've learned anything in my years, it's that shard bearers tend to grow more difficult to obtain as time goes. In this world, they are considered rare among the supernatural and can easily be swiped from our grasp at any given moment. The sooner we act, the less likely they fall into hands that can potentially be out of our reach."

I pursed my lips at that, the knowledge of our potential assets being snatched up by another group giving me pause. It made sense, and there was no way for me to argue against it. If we lost a shard, then I could basically kiss my chances of becoming a God and ascending to something more powerful than my current form goodbye. Damn. It.

"As for the devils, let's say we have an understanding." Aizen re-entered. "As a member of the Gregory, and one of Azazel's top researchers, my word has pull. I may no longer reside in the underworld, but I still have connections. I was able to convince the Four Satans to not seek your head as long as you stay as far away from the underworld as possible. Unfortunately, I cannot say I was as successful for the rest of Devilkin."

...Well, that wasn't at all reassuring. Seems I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. My slow, introverted days were coming to an end...FAAAAAAK!

"Fine," I begrudgingly conceded before adding one last remark. "But I don't give a damn what the plan was before, I am NOT being a student again."

"Funny, the previous you said the same thing." Aizen chuckled in amusement before placing his coffee cup onto the futon. "Well, with that settled, I think it's best we all get back to bed. I'll have your resume done and ready by-"

*SLAM*

All eyes turned to the stack of papers that had just been slammed onto the futon before we all looked up to the maid currently wielding a kendo stick and glaring down at Aizen with righteous fury.

"You have not yet served your time, CYCLOPS." Ruby declared, to which Aizen gave her a flat look behind his flashing spectacles.

"...Surely you jest." He asked, but searching the 15-year-old's eyes told him and everyone else that she was all too serious.

"This is no laughing matter! Everyone and anyone who puts Master's life in danger MUST answer for their crimes! It is the LAW!" Ruby affirmed, the kendo stick smacking against her palm threateningly.

Watching Aizen's flat bespectacle gaze slowly turn from the maid to me as if saying 'you can't be serious' was a source of comedy I didn't see coming. It was even more comical that he actually believed I would save his snake ass from his just desserts.

"He is guilty." I said, pretty much sealing his fate. In my mind, if he was going to use and throw me away anyway, then the least I could do was spite the bastard.

I don't even care if what I was likely watching was an illusion. The fact that I got to watch THE Sosuke Aizen writing sentences as if he were a petulant teen was a treat these eyes desperately needed. To his credit, the 'most likely illusion' finished far faster than Edelgard did, the girl taking at least 12 hours to his 1. Nevertheless, it was a small victory in the one-sided war of wits that would occur later on.

Next stop: Kuoh Academy.

A/N: For anyone who will ask, we are about 3 months away from Canon. I do not know in what season canon started, so I will start at the beginning of the school year in Japan.

Just to let everyone know, there are three others who will join the party. Two are undoubtedly already decided, but I am willing to negotiate if you guys want to see one of these four characters

Velvet Crow (Tales of Berseria)

Karasuba (Sekirei)

Mirajane (Fairy Tail)

Nico Robin (One Piece)

This is subject to change.

As always, thanks for the follows, favs, reviews, and have a DAMN good day!