Draconis: Humn...how do I follow up that last chapter...
Miyuki: By bombing completely?
Draconis: Shaddap.
Miyuki: No...I don't like where you're planning on pointing this arc.
Draconis: Well, I'm sorry to hear that, but I feel like it's needed.
Dragon of the Elements
Chapter 91
Concerning Revelation.
Draconis: Begin!
(start)
Light peered onto Kenshin's face the next day. "..." His eyes refocused to the light as he rose up and looked around. They landed on a man with short light green hair, wearing a dark gray suit and a white jacket with black shoulders. "...!" Kenshin immediately reached for Kuroi Jigoku at the sight of this man, clashing it against the man's nodachi.
"Relax I'm...!"
"Kurt...fucking Godel." Kenshin said with a scowl. "I thought you were taken out with the rest of the Ala Rubra."
"No, I wasn't, now calm down I-"
"Calm down?" Kenshin said with a snarl. "Ever since I left that hellhole, you kept trying to recruit me to your private army. An army that served the Confederacy."
"Ghh..." Kurt grunted as Kenshin got out of bed and started pushing him back.
"You came after me and my sister multiple times...so tell me again why I SHOULDN'T be turning you into a cadaver?" Kenshin said as the tip of Kuroi Jigoku's blade pressed against Kurt's chest. "You're one of the few Senators I missed that day...I will rectify that now!"
"Kenshin stop!"
"? !" Kenshin turned to find Will standing in the door way. "Will? What are you saying? He's been hunting me since I left Megalo!"
"Only because I wanted to offer you a shelter!" Kurt said.
"?" Kenshin turned to him with narrowed eyes.
"He's also the only other Senator other than Ricardo that made an effort to keep you alive when you were trapped in Megalo." Will said.
"..." Kenshin lowered Kuroi Jigoku. "Explain."
"..." Kurt took a breath, sheathing his own sword. "Ever since you hit Megalo...Ricardo and I worked to try and free you, but we never had the support. By the time we got into office the Consul at the time had them all wrapped around his finger and the Praetor had started to fall ill." He said.
"Then why the pursuits?" Kenshin asked.
"They were supposed to be nonviolent, but some rebels to my cause had been slipped in everytime." Kurt said.
"You always used to say that everyone other than the populace of the Confederacy was an enemy. Hellas, Ariadne, even the Senate. What happened?" Kenshin said.
"...I had my mind changed by Negi Springfield." Kurt said.
"..." Kenshin's eyes twitched at this. "..." He exhaled and sheathed his blade. "You better be telling the truth..."
"I am..." Kurt closed his eyes. "...Lady Arika would be ashamed of me if I continued on that path."
"..." Kenshin closed his eyes. "So what are you doing here? Kinsou's a short distance, but still you are the Governor General of Ostia. The defacto king of Vespertatia."
"William called me." Kurt said. "He said you were here."
"..." Kenshin glanced at the doctor. "He's the help I mentioned." Will said.
"Yes. If you want to get to Hellas. I know where an Imperial Super Dreadnaught will be making their pass close by soon." Kurt said. "It's a half day's travel." Kurt said.
"I'm sensing a but." Kenshin said.
"It's by vehicle." Will said.
"I see." Kenshin said. "Well..." He pulled out his map and handed Kurt a pen. "Draw where this impromptu rendezvous point is."
Kurt took hold of the map and drew and 'S' on the map and handed it back to Kenshin. "There."
"Hrm...you let Hellas patrol that close to Ostia?" Kenshin said,
"Is that a problem?" Kurt said. "It's a trustworthy man."
"No." Kenshin said. "What vehicle are we taking to get there."
"I actually have that covered. If an airship leaves here it will look suspicious so, you can have my motorbike." Will said. "It's a double seater with a sidecar."
"You're sure?" Kenshin said as Will tossed him the keys. "I mean if things go wrong you might not get this back."
"Oh don't worry about it. I make enough Drachma that I'm pretty much set." Will said with a smile.
"Yeah but still...half a day's a little generous don't you think?" Kenshin asked.
"It's a pretty fast motorbike." Will said.
(break)
"So we're using this to get to a pick up point?" Alma said as she looked at the motorbike in front of them.
"Yes." Kenshin said. "Uhhh...hm...Rossweisse do you know how to work this thing?"
"Don't you?" Rossweisse asked.
"Yeah, but I'm a little under equipped to do so." Kenshin said holding his hand above his head.
"Oh...right." Rossweisse nodded seeing the sealed dual breed devil only coming up to just above her chest. "Well we don't have any helmets for this thing."
"Just be careful then." Kenshin said climbing into the side car after handing Rossweisse the keys.
"So I sit behind Rossy then?" Alma said after Rossweisse got on.
"Yes." Kenshin said. "Also, Will...Kurt took off before I could ask, but what is this 'Bright Flash' incident I keep hearing about?"
"A little while back all the gateports emitted a bright flash that over took the entire world. No one knows what caused it." Will said.
"I see..." Kenshin said. "Alright Rossweisse we're headed west so fire it up and lets get moving."
"Right." Rossweisse said turning the key in the ignition.
"Remember to use the gas cans I gave you!" Will said.
"We will, thanks!" Kenshin said as they drove off.
As they drove, they ended up on a slope overlooking a large, but destroyed village. "..." Kenshin look out at it.
"What is it Kenshin-Chan?" Alma asked.
"Nothing, it's just...this village is where my parents grew up." Kenshin said. "My father had a similar childhood like mine."
"Oh." Alma said. "What happened?"
"From what I remember Dad snapped one day and destroyed the place." Kenshin said. "Guess you can only push a guy so far. He wandered the world with Mom for a while before running into the Ala Rubra."
"Where they would soon meet their masters who were really just Kenshin and Yukari after they had been sent back in time." Rossweisse said.
"Sent back in time?" Alma said with an arched brow.
"I never told you?" Kenshin asked.
"If you did I don't remember." Alma said.
"Yeah, my descendant, or granddaughter from the future rather came back in time to try and reveal magic to the world, in the meantime she gave me one of her time machines. Forbesii used the Tsurugi No Kami to cause it to activate, sending Yukari and I back in time." Kenshin said.
"Sounds annoying." Alma said.
"Yup." Kenshin drawled.
More hours past and they arrived in a field. "Hm?" Kenshin looked up.
"What's that?" Alma said.
"The thing picking us up I'd imagine." Rossweisse noted.
"It's a Imperial Hellas Superdreadnaught." Kenshin said. "One of the flagships of the Hellas military."
"Why's one out here on routine patrol?" Rossweisse asked.
"It's accompanied by smaller ships of regressive class in the following order. Airborne Motherships, Cruisers which focus on speed to flank the enemy and attack weak points, Destroyers, who mainly do the attacking alongside the Dreadnaughts, air submarines which are basically bombers and air assault ships, which despite the name, compared to the rest are more scout ships than anything that attack the ground infantry."
"And you took on this kind of thing back then?" Rossweisse said.
"Yeah. Yukari and I even totaled one of the Super Dreadnaughts together...while Rakan blew one to hell singlehandedly." He finished with a sweatdrop.
"Wait...you fought against these people, the same ones picking us up?" Rossweisse said.
"Yeah?" Kenshin said.
"Even after what they did to you?" Rossweisse asked.
"Oh." Kenshin said. "I know what you're thinking Rossweisse, but I was in the past, those people weren't responsible for anything that had happened to me yet, and even then. It was the side my parents were fighting on, and Yukari and I ended up being responsible for their training. If we didn't, the future would have changed or we may not have been born at all."
"I see." Rossweisse said.
"Thought I have to ask. Why am I getting picked up by one of the leaders of the Nine Divisions?" Kenshin said with a sweatdrop.
"Nine Divisions?" Rossweisse and Alma asked.
"Yeah, they're sorted by skill. Assault, Covert Ops, Tracking, Intelligence, Aerial, Naval, Medical and Special Ops." Kenshin said. "The last one is the Royal Guard. There was an Interrogation Division, but it was absorbed by the Intelligence Division."
"Don't you think that's kind of a bad thing to have them sorted by skill?" Rossweisse asked.
"Ask the guy picking us up." Kenshin said. "I don't have enough time to explain."
"Alright." Rossweisse said as the Super Dreadnaught landed. It's front hatch opened and a group of men lead by a humanoid black panther dressed in a black vest and combat pants in stepped out.
"Hm?" The leader's eyes widened a bit in surprise. "Kenshin, is that you?"
"...?" Kenshin blinked. "We met?"
"Oh, right. You've only ever seen me in my human form. One second." He said as his form pulsed before it was a replaced by a dark skinned man with neck length black hair and yellow eyes.
"!" Kenshin pointed at him in realization. "Somo! Man it's been awhile!"
"Hahahaha, that it has." The now named Somo approached Kenshin before getting him in a headlock. "So you're look awful...young today." He said ruffling Kenshin's hair.
"Tch!" Kenshin slipped the headlock and trapped Somo's arm behind him. "This is a vessel, my actual body's been sealed." He said with a smirk.
Somo flipped forward, flinging Kenshin off him. "I see." He said.
"Uhm...Kenshin-Chan, who is this?" Alma said.
"Oh." Somo turned to her and Rossweisse. "Somo Arashi, General or Leader of the Special Operations Division of the Imperium Helladis."
"Excuse me." Rossweisse said. "I have a question."
"What is it ma'am?" Somo asked.
"Don't you think it's kind of bad to have groups that specialize in one thing acting as your military?" Rossweisse said.
"Oh, Oh nononono." Somo waved his hand. "The Nine Divisions are more training facilities and groups. We test up and coming soldiers on their aptitudes and put them in the right division for them. A soldier can go to as many of the divisions as he or she likes. The aptitude tests show them what they're good at and what they're not so good at and should focus on. In wartime, they all combine into the armed forces and are led by the Empress."
"So you put them in the division they're worst in to start?" Alma asked.
"No, what they're best at so they can specialize in that first, then they branch out. It can be a long process." Somo said. "For example I have other specialties in Tracking, Medical and I'm in the Royal Guard."
"Speaking of, how is the Royal Tomboy doing?" Kenshin asked. "Tertium said she's Empress now."
"Yeah. Lord Daiken and Lady Noka stepped down shortly after Hottan and the Cosmo Entelecheia fell." Somo said. "Honestly I thought Lord Daiken was getting too old for it anyway. It showed whenever I spoke with him."
"No kidding. It showed before Hottan whammied him the first time." Kenshin said.
"Yes. Anyway lets get a move on. It's going to take a day to get to the capitol." Somo said.
"Can't we just warp there?" Kenshin asked.
"Warp Drives are still busted." Somo said.
"Lame..." Kenshin said as they all entered the ship.
(break)
Back in the Underworld.
Lucifer's Castle.
"I have to say, we got in here rather quickly." Granberia said.
"Yes, I figured Onii-Sama might be busy but I guess not." Rias said.
"Kenshin is not only a head on the council, but also a member of Sirzechs-Sama's peerage. Either way him getting taken is urgent." Sairaorg said. "It's probably not that he's busy, it's more that he can't put this off.
"I just hope we can make this quick." Sona said. "This will be the third time we've taken an 'extracurricular trip' to another world. I don't know how much longer I can keep making that excuse."
"Well Kenshin's probably already hoofed it to Hellas so we should already know where he is." Yukari said.
"Yeah, but will they let him in?" Saji asked.
"They should. He once served as a personal retainer to the Emperor himself." Hikari said.
"Huh, so I wasn't the even the second royal he served." Alice said.
"That and they did basically exonerate him before we left the first time." Sona said.
"What's this world like?" Seekvaira asked.
"Not sure." Issei said. "We didn't see a whole lot of it when we there, and what we did see was horribly ruined."
"I see." Seekvaira nodded.
They arrived at the doors to Sirzech's audience chambers and were allowed in by the guards. "Huh?" Issei said.
"Yasaka-Sama?" Miyuki said seeing the Leader of the Kyoto Youkai.
"What brings you here Yasaka?" Alice asked.
"Business, sadly. I wanted to ask for a research team to take a look at something in Kyoto for me." Yasaka said. "It appeared recently and my people can't make heads or tails of it."
"What is it?" Azazel asked.
Yasaka reached behind one of her hair ornaments and pulled out a scroll. She unrolled it to expose the picture of a large mansion. "This manor appeared late at night from out of nowhere...along with this altar behind it in the nearby lake." Yasaka said pulling the scroll down further to expose a picture of a walkway leading to a large, ritual like altar.
"? !" Yukari's, Miyuki's, Hikari's, Evangeline's, Chachamaru's Kazumi's, Sextum's and Tertium's eyes all widened.
"What is it?" Yasaka said, seeing the looks of surprise.
"W-Wai...that's the...that's the mansion that used to belong to the Konoe clan, who shared close ties with the Aoyama." Evangeline said.
"Why is Konoka's family home here? !" Kazumi said.
"Are you certain we aren't looking at some sort of illusion?" Chachamaru asked.
"No, I even sent some of my people into it, it's real, but completely empty as in no one is there." Yasaka said shaking her head.
"What's the big deal guys?" Tamamo asked.
"That mansion and the altar behind it are supposed to be in our home dimension." Hikari said. "It's not supposed to be here."
"W-What's more that altar contained...well used to contain the Ryomen Sukuna no Kami. She used to be Onii-Chan's summoned demon alongside Sheena before he vanished, no one knows what happened to her." Miyuki said.
"We don't either." Tamamo said. "She didn't come back with Shin Tatsu when the Revolution started."
"There's also something else about that altar." Yukari said with a furrowed brow. "It's also a gateport to Mundus Magicus."
"Gateport?" Akeno asked.
"Waypoints scattered all over the world. Twelve in total that lead to various places in Mundus Magicus. Though there were eleven that were functioning." Hikari said. "There was one in the Academy city Mahora that led to Old Ostia."
"Huh, that seems to match up with a report that I received from the Grigori not long ago." Raynare said.
"When were you gonna tell me?" Azazel asked.
"We were so busy I didn't have time, sorry." Raynare said shaking her head. "It says that the mana around Stonehenge in Wales has spiked and stayed spiked. Barakiel has already asked to dispatch some researchers."
"There's no need." Yukari said.
"Why isn't there?" Seekvaira asked.
"Because Stonehenge is another of the gateport points." Miyuki said. "Though it'd be a waste of time to go there, we'll be as far from Onii-Chan as we could get if we went there."
"Why?" Sairaorg asked.
"Because the warp point in Stonehenge lands you at the gateport in Megelomesembria." Tertium said.
A somber mood fell over Rias and Kenshin's peerages as well as Sona. "Yes, we won't find him there." Sona said.
"Where does the one in Kyoto lead?" Yasaka asked.
"Coincidentally right where Kenshin's probably headed." Evangeline said. "It lands you in the capitol of the Hellas Empire."
"Huh, that sounds convenient." Seekvaira said.
"It is, but we still have to find his true body so that kind of eliminates the convenience." Tamamo said. "All it means is a quick reunion with Kenshin, Alma and Rossweisse."
"Right, so I assume you all want to go." Sirzechs said. "Well, I apologize, but I can't. Not all of you."
"If it's all the same to you Sirzechs-Sama, I was planning on leaving my peerage here." Sairaorg said.
"Same." Seekvaira said.
"Oh? Is that right? Well that changes things then, but are you sure you're ready to leave? It's only been two days." Sirzechs said. "Some of you are still recovering."
"It's fine Sirzechs-Sama. Sometimes you don't have the luxury of being able to rest completely." Saji said.
"I'm fine." Issei said.
"Same here." Miyuki said.
"I've got a bone to pick with that Ialda bitch." Yukari said.
"Alright." Sirzechs said. "Peerages of Rias Gremory, Sona Sitri and Kenshin Kuroshi, as well as Sairaorg Bael, Seekvaira Agares and Ravel Phenex. You are hereby charged with the task of bringing my Pawn, the Lord of the Kuroshi Clan, Kenshin Kuroshi back to the Underworld unsealed along with his traveling party."
"Yes!" Everyone except Tertium, Azazel, Sextum and Raynare all said.
"Raynare, this will be a good dry run for you, you go with them." Azazel said. "I have to stay back here."
"Yes." Raynare said with a nod.
"I'll come with too...in a way." Everyone looked up as Sun Wukong jumped down from the rafters. "Just because you'll all be going to another world is no excuse to slip on your training." He held his hand out and a sheet of paper appeared. "Pump some energy into this and I'll send along some Shikigamis."
"Thanks." Issei said accepting the paper.
"Alright, well if you are all ready to leave. I'll teleport us to Kyoto." Yasaka said.
"Teleport us anyway, we'll prepare there." Tamamo said.
"Alice-Sama, will you be coming along too?" Yasaka asked.
"Yes." Alice said.
Yasaka nodded and a large teleportation circle, teleporting the group to Kyoto, or more specifically her home. "Take a day to get ready and let me know when you're ready to leave tomorrow."
"Right. Thanks Yasaka-Sama." Issei said.
"Of course." Yasaka said with a smile.
"Alright I guess we have a day in Kyoto, go sightseeing or something, we don't really have much to do as far as prep goes." Yukari said.
"I supposed I'll look around this inverse Kyoto." Tertium said.
"Hey Rias, you've been here before why don't you show me around?" Sairaorg asked. "Help take your mind off things."
"OK." Rias nodded.
"I haven't been here yet myself." Koneko said following after them.
"H-Hey wait up!" Gasper said following behind her with Valerie.
"S-Slow down Gasper!" Valerie said.
"Haa...I guess I'll go keep an eye on them." Evangeline said.
"I'll just stay here." Tamamo said.
"Do you have a spare room? I could start making some Phoenix Tears." Ravel said.
"Of course, follow my servant here." Yasaka said as a tengu walked past her and toward Ravel.
"I'd rather just recover some more." Yukari said walking away.
"Here I'll come with." Miyuki said.
"Well, let's have a look around then." Hikari said following after her daughters.
"I'll look for a place to train." Granberia said.
"I'll move around the area, we weren't here very long last time." Erubetie said. "I'd like to see the sights."
"I'll join Granberia-San." Kiba said.
"There's some things we didn't get to see last time we were here, let's go." Irina said.
"OK." Asia said.
"Alright." Xenovia said.
Everyone split up, leaving Issei, Seekvaira and Raynare alone with Yasaka. "You were here before yes?" Seekvaira said with a smile. "Why don't you show me around?" She said grabbing Issei's left hand.
"O-OK." Issei said. "!" He felt his right bicep being sandwiched between a pair of breasts and turned to see Raynare smiling at him.
"You're not going to leave me out, are you Issei?" She asked.
"N-No, O-Of course n-not!" Issei said with a blush.
"..." Seekvaira glared at the fallen angel.
Issei, feeling a fight about to break out grabbed both their hands and walked forward. Seekvaira and Raynare glared at each other, but said nothing more. Yasaka shook her head smiling at them as they proceeded through her home. "Well...is there anywhere you two would like to go?" He asked.
"I've never been here before." Seekvaira said.
"I have, but not very many places." Raynare said.
"I could give you another tour if you like."
"Eh?" Issei looked ahead to see a young blonde woman, about his height with nine fluffy tails, wearing a white and red miko outfit. She looked a him with a smile.
"Another?" Issei said looking at the woman curiously.
"Mmrrn..." She puffed her cheeks out. "Don't you recognize me?"
"!" Issei blinked. "Wait, Kunou-San?"
The young woman's expression brightened. "That didn't take long!" She lunged forward and embraced him.
"A-Aahhahahaha..." Issei laughed with a sweatdrop while Seekvaira and Raynare both glared at the fox girl.
"So you're here to investigate the house and altar that appeared?" Kunou asked looking at Issei.
"More than that. We already know what it is, and Kenshin's somewhere behind it. He got taken from us and back to his home world." Issei said.
"Oh no." Kunou said with a concerned look. "I hope he's alright."
"Kenshin knows how to handle himself." Issei grinned. "So, this is that 'true form' thing you wanted to show me before?"
"Yes." Kunou nodded.
"You even have more tails." Issei noted.
"Yes, my actual number is nine tails." Kunou said.
"Wouldn't that make you nine hundred years old?" Raynare asked.
"Not exactly." Kunou said. "For some kitsune that is the case because of low power, but not for my mother and I. Mom had all nine of her tails pretty early on from what she told me and she even told me I was born with nine. Which surprised me and everyone else."
"I see." Issei said.
"Yes, you can either wait nine hundred to one thousand years for your tails or gain power to acquire them." Kunou said as they began to walk. "That said, there is another reason why I ran around in that other form other than my Mom just liking it and thinking it was cute."
"Why is that?" Seekvaira asked.
"It's because I couldn't control my power very well when I was younger." Kunou said. "So with Tamamo-Sama's help they sealed a good deal of it away."
"So you were born with a lot of power?" Issei asked.
"Yeah." Kunou nodded. "After I met you, Mom thought it'd be a good idea to personally teach me to handle more of my power, though I wasn't ready to help when the Revolution was going on."
"Aah don't worry about it." Issei said. "We handled it."
"Anyway." Kunou said as they arrived at the gate between the Kyoto Youkai sector and the actual Kyoto. She snapped her fingers and her fox tails and ears vanished and an amulet appeared around her neck. "Let's go." She said with a smile.
The group of four walked out into Kyoto. "So, um Kunou." Issei said. "If you're a nine tailed fox like your mother and Tamamo-San, why were you so scared of her?" He whispered.
"Like I said my power was sealed early on." Kunou said. "Even now it's partially sealed still. Even then. Lady Tamamo is in a league of her own when it comes to power. Mom always said that at her best the only one who could contend with Lady Tamamo is Amaterasu-Sama. Hell that fan Lady Tamamo has originally belonged to Amaterasu-Sama. She won it from her."
"Eh? What did she do to win it?" Raynare asked.
"Um...I'm not exactly sure, but I think Mom told me once that it was...a tofu eating contest." Kunou said.
Issei, Seekvaira and Raynare all sweatdropped. "A...Tofu eating contest?" Seekvaira said.
"Y-Yes..." Kunou said with a nervous smile. "Apparently they got into an argument over who could eat the most thin fried tofu. Lady Tamamo bet her kimono and Amaterasu-Sama bet her fan."
"Wait, if Tamamo lost wouldn't she be nude after that?" Raynare asked.
"From what Mom said, that was the sort of things they liked to mess around with doing." Kunou said. "They often liked messing with each other, but they were pretty close as well. If Lady Tamamo lost she'd have to parade around Amaterasu's home naked until she got home."
"Seems kind of lopsided." Seekvaira said.
"Eh, Amaterasu-Sama, according to Mom anyway has had some lopsided bets against her too." Kunou said.
The group of four walked around Kyoto, Kunou pointing out all the landmark spots and giving a brief explanation on them mainly for Raynare and Seekvaira as Issei had already been here previously. The sun was setting by the time they were finished and had stopped off and gotten something to eat. "Huh, I didn't realize that the noble here was an otaku." Raynare said seeing Seekvaira looking over several mech figurines she had purchased during the tour.
"Oh shut up." Seekvaira glowered. "At least I didn't spend half an hour in a damned lingerie store only to not buy anything."
"Hey, they didn't have anything in my size." Raynare said with a coy smirk, propping up her chest with her arm.
Seekvaira rolled her eyes. "You're not that much bigger than I am, and maybe you could also stand to lose some weight."
"What was that?" Raynare said with a scowl, her right fist twitching.
"You heard me." Seekvaira said.
"Really, this coming from the stuffy Ojou-Sama?" Raynare said.
"..." Issei glowered the two. "So this is how Kenshin would feel whenever Chief and Akeno-San would argue." He thought. "Ahem..." He cleared his throat.
"?" The two looked over at him.
"That's quite enough you two. I'm not going to sit here and listen to you two argue." Issei said. "Especially not in front of Kunou-Chan."
The two women shirked back. "S-Sorry." They said.
"So how did you like the tour?" Kunou asked the two.
"Oh, I enjoyed it, thank you for taking the time to show us around." Seekvaira said smiling at her.
"Hmn, yeah I have to agree. You're pretty knowledgeable about the place." Raynare said.
"Well of course. I do live here after all." Kunou said puffing her chest out pridefully.
"Still why was there a statue in Ragnarok Kuroshi's image?" Raynare said.
"That was the founder of Archduke Kenshin's clan?" Seekvaira asked.
"Yes. It was originally in Yamatai, but mother asked Lady Tamamo if she could display the statue in Kyoto. She didn't have any problems with it, so we had it moved here." Kunou said.
"Yeah, but isn't it kind of odd that a statue of a legendary dragon youkai is displayed here?" Seekvaira asked.
"Well he resembles a samurai enough." Kunou said.
"I guess." Issei said. "Hm...I wonder if Kenshin or Yukari know of any spots in this Imperial Capitol we're going to? I could take those two out on separate dates." Issei thought.
Meanwhile, Sairaorg and Rias were at a separate diner, but Rias couldn't help letting out a sigh. "Hm? What is it Rias?" Sairaorg said.
"Huh? Oh...nothing..." Rias said.
"Yeah...right." Sairaorg said, not believing her for a second.
"It's just, I'm worried about him alright, about Rossweisse and Alma too." Rias said.
"Hm? Why?" Sairaorg said. "Kenshin can handle himself."
"It's not that I'm worried about. You weren't with us last time we went there, but...there's something about Mundus Magicus that just puts Kenshin on edge." Rias said.
"I guess I get where you're coming from, I asked him a bit about his homeworld in our last spar and he immediately changed the subject." Sairaorg said.
"It's not something he likes talking about. 'The past should stay in the past' he'd say." Rias said.
"Yes, but his past makes him who he is, it's not like he can just turn a blind eye to it." Sairaorg said.
"It's not that he does that, it's just he feels his focus is better served on the present and future." Rias said.
"I suppose." Sairaorg said.
"By the way, you know your father tried to have Magdaran kill him right?" Rias asked.
"I wasn't immediately aware, but he did get quite a dressing down by Lord Zekram." Sairaorg said. "He's basically been commanded to start grooming Magdaran as his successor."
"I see." Rias said.
"Magdaran wouldn't have been able to do it anyway. Fighting an opponent such as Kenshin or I suits Magdaran badly." Sairaorg said. "He needs support to distract either of us."
"You have a point, he is more of a wizard type." Rias said.
"Rias-San." A third voice said.
"?" Rias looked over only to widen her eyes in shock. "G-Gabriel-Sama? !"
"Huh? What's one of the Archangels of Heaven doing here?" Sairaorg asked.
Sure enough, the blonde, seemingly innocent archangel of Heaven was standing a short distance away in her pure white robes. "Yes, I hear you are all headed to find the Dragon of the Elements, Kenshin. I would like to come with."
"E-Eh? But why?" Rias asked.
"It will be a brief visit, I wish to check on the status of my father's blade." Gabriel said.
"Kenshin has the Tsurugi No Kami with him?" Rias asked.
"He was requested by Michael to keep it safe. I hardly think leaving it at the Sekiryuutei's home all the time would be leaving it in a safe spot." Gabriel said.
"But why?" Sairaorg said.
"Father didn't wish to return to Heaven just yet, but we cannot allow the blade to fall into the wrong hands." Gabriel said. "Or even worse, to be destroyed."
"What happens then?" Sairaorg said. "I means I'd imagine something like that would be damn difficult to break."
"You're right about that, but let's just leave it at...it's a terrible situation." Gabriel said. "This isn't the time or place to talk about it."
"Very well. We have no reason to refuse, but does Michael-Sama know you're here?" Rias asked.
"Of course. He's the one who sent me." Gabriel said with a smile.
"Alright, well we leave tomorrow so follow us back to Yasaka-Sama's home." Rias said as she and Sairaorg got up
"Very well, lead the way." Gabriel said.
(break)
With Kenshin
Kenshin was laying in bed of the room Somo had reserved for him. It was night time in his area of Mundus Magicus and most of the ships occupants aside from the night patrol and Somo himself were asleep. Kenshin kept tossing a ball in the air. "The Bright Flash Incident...I wonder what caused it. And why were the gateports specifically the emission points?" He thought out loud. "Oh why am I even thinking about this? The problems of this world aren't my concern anymore."
"Because no matter what you think, this is still your home?" Yuurei suggested.
"Shaddap. I left this world for a reason. I didn't want to come back." Kenshin said.
"Then why did you tell that Tertium dude you'd think about visiting the Empress?" Yuurei asked.
"To move the conversation along. I wasn't actually going to do it." Kenshin said. "It's not like I lied. I just came to an answer in an instant."
"Whatever man, I'm going to sleep." Yuurei. Said.
"That's a first." Kenshin snorted.
Meanwhile Undine watched from within. She felt a warm hand on her shoulder. "Go." Salamander said.
"Salamander?" Undine said.
"Come on Undine! Kenshin-Chan literally saved your home and by extension, you!" Sylph chirped happily.
"..." Gnome pointed at her.
"..." Undine closed her eyes and smiled. "You three are sure you don't mind?"
"Nah! Go ahead Undine, we're all sisters here." Sylph said.
"Yeah, we argue and pick on each other sure, but we care about each other." Salamander said with a smile.
"..." Gnome nodded.
"We'll get ours sometime later." Salamander said. "Undine...don't try to hide it, you might have made your initial contract with him next to last, but you've fallen for him faster than any of us."
"...Thank you, all of you." Undine said. "I'll be sure to support you all when it's your time."
"Kenshin." Undine said.
"Huh?" Kenshin said.
Undine appeared before him in all of her slime mermaid glory. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to bother you." She said.
"Bother?" Kenshin smiled. "You aren't a bother none of the four of you are. My time is your time too."
"Oh my god he's good." Sylph said.
"..." Gnome's legs shuffled a bit.
"Yeah, he really does care about us, he's shown that multiple times before." Salamander smiled.
"What is it?" Kenshin asked, smiling at Undine. "I mean you four don't appear outside in front of me in your true forms very often.
"It's just...I've been remiss...I haven't thanked you properly for what you did at my spring did I?" Undine asked. "I mean there was...you know, but we needed to do that anyway."
"You mean the pollution? That was nothing. I'd do it again." Kenshin said. "I mean I couldn't leave yours and Erubetie's home like that. Issei and I both agreed on this. We were both happy to do it."
"That's...really sweet of you..." Undine said looking Kenshin in the eyes, finding what he said to be sincere.
"Undine?" Kenshin said.
"But...most importantly...you didn't kill Bess either." Undine said.
"Huh? You mean that pink slime woman that Erubetie devoured?" Kenshin said. "The one who was going to poison your spring? Why would you be happy that I didn't? I mean I'm trying to leave the assassin part of my life behind me, but-." Undine spoke up.
"Well, let me explain." Undine said. "Even as your power stood then...you would have been able to kill her without a second thought, because you felt it would have been in protection my home and myself, but aside from that...I'm glad that she wasn't completely killed. I...don't know what I would have done in that case."
"Undine...I..." Kenshin trailed off for a moment. "I had no idea you cared so strongly for her."
"She is like a child to me." Undine said. "No...perhaps that is the wrong word, but I did care very deeply for her, like everyone else in my spring."
"I see, but you make it sound like I had the power to just effortlessly demolish her back then." Kenshin said.
"Demolish is a strong word, but she wouldn't have stood much of a chance against you." Undine said. "Bess still lives within Erubetie, maintaining her individuality as I asked Erubetie to keep her alive...I also don't know if you realize this, but Erubetie herself is subtly changing because of you and the pervert, more the later, but back to my point...I do speak with her every now and again."
"Then..why?" Kenshin asked. "Why would she go so far as to poison the spring? She was thinking of turning your kind over to Forbesii after she killed Erubetie."
"To those looking on from the outside it doesn't make sense, but I think I understand why." Undine said. "In her own, misguided way, she was trying to help. She thought that by forcing us out of reclusion we could have taken over the Noah Region. She wanted to help us, but didn't know how...other than that."
"That would have never worked." Kenshin said shaking his head as he looked out the window. "I had a similar idea in the past when Yukari and I were in the distant past...to take over Vespertatia when it looked like Arika's father Victor was losing his mind...but I decided against it...some people accepted us, but the world as a whole still saw us as beings to be feared...and I knew I'd only be proving them right."
"You knew how to help your family..." Undine said cupping his cheek, smiling at him. "But factors out of your control made it impossible."
"Yeah..." Kenshin said.
"Bess, she probably thinks Erubetie...no...that I'm to blame for that hopeless situation." Undine said. "Maybe...she's right."
"..." Kenshin saw the look of deep anguish and regret in the water spirit's eyes. "Undine..." Kenshin said. "It isn't your fault...you protected your spring...your home. You gave a place for the slimes to call home, a safe place to take shelter in." Kenshin said. "What else could you have done?" He asked.
"..." Undine stared at Kenshin, a frown on her face. "That may be true, but as you heard before, Bess wasn't a part of our spring. She lived in a spring in the Natalia region."
"In the Natalia Region?" Kenshin asked."Oh no..." He thought.
Undine saw Kenshin's facial expression shift and closed her eyes. "According to her, San Nati polluted it to the point of it being impossible to survive in." Undine said. "When the surviving slimes had emerged...they were hunted down by the San Nati Royal Guard."
"Tch!" Kenshin growled. "I'm glad that asshole's dead now. That bastard." Kenshin said thinking of the ex ruler.
"Indeed." Undine said. "Bess was the only survivor out of them, as far as I know." Undine said. "I took care of her until she was healthy again, but...I guess even that was a folly. Maybe she planned it from the near beginning so she could take the Slime Queen's Throne." Undine said. "All that said...she seemed fairly happy with us, despite her hatred of male youkai perpetuated and exacerbated by the former Natalia lord. A hatred that I admittedly shared." Undine said. "Until...I met you of course."
"Undine..." Kenshin said with a distant gaze.
"Everything was OK until Erubetie decided to try to gain enough strength to become the new Demon Queen." Undine said. "The main reason Erubetie assimilated all those slime demons was to challenge for the throne when the current queen died or gave up...because we didn't see any end to Forbesii's mad rule...however it never came...even if it did...that fox would have never allowed it anyway."
"Tamamo?" Kenshin asked.
"We aren't as fond of her as you are, Salamander and I anyway." Undine said. "Since the fall of Alipheese the Eighth and the subsequent sealing of Heinrich. She entered herself into the battle for the Demon Queen's throne from the Ninth, all the way up until the current queen. There's a real chance that your former summon Sheena could have been the Demon Queen if not for Tamamo's presence. She calls standing in for fair play and ensuring no one gangs up on one or the other too much, but she really just wanted her mother's descendants on the throne. Another Fateburn would have taken the throne...and nothing would have changed."
"..." Kenshin stared at her.
"To be clear Kenshin, we spirits don't hate the current Queen nor do we really hate Tamamo, we just didn't see any change coming, just more of the same." Undine said. "That is until you arrived in Makai."
"Me?" Kenshin said.
"Kenshin...you underestimate just how much you helped Makai. It wasn't just defeating Forbesii, it was more than that, so much more. You showed them that they could do so much more if they set aside their own differences and worked together. They united behind you and Alice, not just Alice herself. When Alice told you that Makai sees you as it's king in all but title, it wasn't just her saying something...it was the truth." Undine said.
"..." Kenshin went silent for a moment. "OK, we'll get back to this in a bit, but..."
"Can I say one more thing before we get back to our previous conversation?" Undine said. "Erubetie...she had been deep depression since she was young, but...she's growing out of it now that she's among people like that pervert Issei."
"I see." Kenshin nodded before looking over at her. "Even if she did blame you for the plight of your people...that doesn't change the fact that she tried to do to her own people what others had done to her."
"That's the cruel irony of it all, is it not?" Undine asked. "Forbesii and likely this Rizevim character fed Bess a lie and she gave into it. In the end...she became what she hated most and the worst part...is that she did it all with such an dissonant smile on her face." Undine said, trailing off with a miserable expression on her face.
"I...I see..." Kenshin said. "But still...what should we do in the mean time...I mean what should we do if she hasn't changed?" He asked.
"That's just it...I don't know..." Undine said. "I want..so desperately to believe that there's still hope for her, but if she wont listen to reason..." She trailed off.
"I understand." Kenshin said staring hard into her eyes.
"I know that some of Ialda's or even Rizevim's subjects may seem crazy, but I can't help feeling for them a bit...anything seems comparable with rulers as poor as the ones now."
"I don't know if I'd call Alice or the Satans poor rulers." Kenshin said. "Poorly supported if anything."
"I guess..." Undine said. "It still remains that the outsiders are being manipulated by a cruel and evil person." She let out a sigh. "It would be foolish to ask you to spare every person you find...the world would be definitely free of a good handful of the others. But please...remember that other people love them and care about them."
"..." Kenshin went silent.
"To be clear...I don't want your promise that you will never kill another one again...it's unrealistic...but...it's supposed to be a last resort...always..." Undine said.
"Yeah..." Kenshin said. "If none of them refuse to back down...I won't have a choice in the matter." He said.
"I completely understand." Undine said.
"..." Kenshin looked up at the ceiling.
"What?" Undine asked.
"Honestly...it was just so damned easy before." Kenshin said.
"I know." Undine said. "But sometimes...lives need to be taken for others to flourish." Undine said. "The strong and the righteous are obliged to protect the weaker ones...the ones they care about, the ones they love...honestly...you've lived your life by this motto." Undine said. "That is the burden they must bare...if you fail to protect the people who matter most to you...then your strength was for nothing."
"..." Kenshin narrowed his eyes solemnly.
"What you must do to protect them...no one other than you can decide that is you." Undine said. "No one else...not even we spirits."
Kenshin got out of bed and let out a deep sigh. "Honestly...I always felt like I was going to leave the world in a better place than I found it...I've begun to notice though...that it's getting harder and harder to put my personal desires to the side and do what needs to be done. I mean...I grew up around soldiers, people dedicated to the mission at hand...and I learned how to die a long time ago from them."
Kenshin's back was turned toward her, but Undine sensed a presence at Kenshin's door, however she didn't say anything seeing the door slightly cracked.
"...You know...some days when I'm sleeping alone, my mind flashes back to some of those days in Rikudou...the things I did." Kenshin said. "I still hear some of them screaming as I did my work...as I...killed them. Some of them...no older than I was at the time. I mean...I read reports that the bases we attacked were part of a private group made of soldiers with no families, but...is that supposed to make it better?"
"Kenshin..." Undine said.
"I..." Kenshin trailed off, a shiver running through his body. "I...took no pleasure in doing it except for one time...when I gutted the son of a bitch who had my friend Shirota killed...mainly...I was there to hide...nothing more..."
"You also thought...that by doing this...while also keeping your distance from your family...you were keeping them safe." Undine said.
"Dad was growing weaker as the months passed, Mom was still recovering...and...I felt I was the only one who could...even if I was proven wrong by Yukari." Kenshin trailed off.
"I understand." Undine said.
"...I can't stay here...as soon as I get my body back I'm leaving...before the Confederacy finds out I'm here." Kenshin said. "I already know the outcome if they do...and it isn't good...and it's even worse if they find out where I've been."
"And Ialda Baoth?" Undine asked.
"...I'll find a way to deal with her after that. I didn't mean I'd leave immediately." Kenshin said.
"I see." Undine said.
"I know how I'm received down there. It won't change no matter how much I want it to." Kenshin said. "It's not my choice."
"I see." Undine said before pulling him back to his bed, transforming her body into a more solid form.
"..." Kenshin was laid down by Undine who wrapped herself around him. Kenshin wasn't sure if she was using her power to relax him, but he was asleep within moments
Meanwhile the presence walking away from the door looked down at the floor her eyes wide as she processed the information she had just received from her unwitting eavesdrop. Her white hair moving in front of her eyes as she bowed her head.
"Rossweisse-San, what is it?" She looked up seeing the leader of the ship, Somo Arashi in front of her.
"Oh...u...uh...n-nothing, s-say do you have anything to drink?" Rossweisse said.
"To drink? Kenshin warned me that you were kind of a lightweight, so..." Somo said.
"A-Ah...it's not that I'm a lightweight...I just too drunk too fast." Rossweisse said.
"A lightweight." Somo repeated.
"No! I mean I drink too much too fast!" Rossweisse said.
"He said you got drunk off one dish of sake." Somo said with a glower.
"It belonged to Azazel, an alcoholic himself and it was a large dish. I just want something to relax myself before I go to sleep." Rossweisse said. "Aside from that I hadn't had any alcohol in a year or so."
"OK OK, sheesh. Against my better judgment I'll give you this." Somo said holding his hand out, holding a flask. "It's a brand of imported scotch from Norway I had gotten before the Bright Flash. Just remember to return the flask. Just take it easy on it."
"OK, thank you." Rossweisse said taking the flask and returning to her room. She let out a sigh and took a drink from the flask. "...I had no idea..." She said looking up at the ceiling. "Kenshin...he has been that haunted by what he did in that organization. I want...I want to help him...but how?" She said to herself.
"...You know...some days when I'm sleeping alone, my mind flashes back to some of those days in Rikudou...the things I did." Kenshin said. "I still hear some of them screaming as I did my work...as I...killed them. Some of them...no older than I was at the time."
"Kenshin..." Rossweisse said.
"I..." Kenshin trailed off, a shiver running through his body. "I...took no pleasure in doing it except for one time...when I gutted the son of a bitch who had my friend Shirota killed...mainly...I was there to hide...nothing more..."
"He thought that by removing his existence from their minds, they wouldn't go after him or his family, but to earn his place they had him do things that seem to have scarred him...even if he'd never show it." Rossweisse said.
"...I can't stay here...as soon as I get my body back I'm leaving...before the Confederacy finds out I'm here." Kenshin said. "I already know the outcome if they do...and it isn't good and it's even worse if they find out where I've been."
"..." Rossweisse took another drink from the flask. "It's not fair, why was he forced into such a situation?"
"You're wrong to assume someone like me is a hero." Rossweisse remembered Kenshin saying to Euclid.
"Yes, I've seen the files on you. Kenshin, the merciless assassin of the Six Paths Organization. We all have our own ledgers in life, but yours is so dyed in red it's illegible. The young boy who was made out to be a monster by the world...so that's what he became, or so he'd like everyone there to believe. I wonder what would happen if people here and in Makai found out about the side of you no one knows about?" And she also recalled what Euclid said back to him.
"How much truth is there to what he said to Kenshin?" Rossweisse said. She tipped up the flask only to realize it was empty. "Oh right, this isn't a very big container." She said. "Haa...I better get to sleep." She said
(break)
Next Day
"Uhh, child are you sure you should be smoking so early?" One of soldiers on the ship asked Kenshin as he, Alma and Rossweisse stood in the bridge.
"..." Kenshin stared at him like he was an idiot. "You're kidding right? Didn't Somo tell everyone I was sealed?"
"Oh! Oh my god Kenshin-San my apologies! I didn't recognize you." He said.
"How long have you been in Somo's division...or in the Nine Divisions in general?" Kenshin asked.
"T-Two years." He said with a wince.
"I see, then it makes sense that you were mistaken." Kenshin said. "You've never saw me when I was younger."
"Y-Yes." He said, admonished.
Somo entered the bridge of the ship. "How much longer till Hellas?" Kenshin asked.
"Another couple of hours." Somo said. "Kenshin, you're too young to be smoking." He drawled.
"Kh!" Kenshin let out an annoyed grunt. "Somo you've seen me smoking these before, hell you've even been out drinking with me."
"The drinking's one thing, but I still want to bitchslap Daniel for introducing you to those things." Somo said.
"Why?" Kenshin asked.
"Because I've seen what they did to him. Lazy bastard." Somo said.
"Um...pardon me, but Kenshin-Chan's far from lazy." Alma said. "He's the hardest working person I know. He trains everyday and his regimen is pretty damn exhausting if you're not used to it."
"Really?" Somo said with an interested look. "You still practice what I taught you?" He asked.
"Of course." Kenshin said. "Not everything mind you, but I still practice the core stuff. I just found stuff that was more bracing."
"Like I expected you to." Somo nodded. "Alright, show me one of them, you know the one." He said slipping into a boxer's stance.
"Hang on." Kenshin said as he closed his eyes, using Devil magic to attain his true form sans power. He slipped into the same stance.
"Turn sideways." Somo said. Kenshin nodded and the two mirrored each other.
"What is this?" Rossweisse said. "Kenshin knows boxing too?"
"No, this was mainly to help him learn how to dodge better and for working on stamina. Just because he had a regeneration ability that was out of this world didn't mean it wouldn't eventually exhaust." Somo said. "It's usually done in front of a mirror, but we don't have one right now. So you two understand it, I'll give the explanation."
"..." Kenshin stared at Somo, ready to begin.
"We'll say I'm your reflection." Somo said. "You see this guy staring at you? That's your toughest opponent. Every time you get ready to fight, that's who you're ultimately going against. I believe that in fighting and I do believe that in life. Now...Jaw jab, right." He said.
"!" Kenshin and Somo both threw the same punch, stopping just short of each other's faces. "Gut shot, left." Somo said. "!" They both threw a body shot at each other. "Now, every time you punch that guy what's he doing?"
"The same thing." Kenshin and Alma said.
"That's right, so you either block it, slip it or get out of the way." Somo said.
"Huh, I think I'm getting why using my power came so naturally to you." Undine said.
"When I first taught this to Kenshin, He didn't stop until about six hours later." Somo said as he relaxed his stance. "The gym rat even worked in his martial arts into the practice." He laughed.
Kenshin shrunk back down to his sealed state. "Yeah Yeah. I like to work out." He said with an eyeroll.
"By the way. I just got a call from the capitol earlier. Apparently people are there that know you." Somo said.
"?" Kenshin and Rossweisse arched their brows in confusion. "Wha?" Kenshin said.
"Must be Rias-Chan and the others." Alma said.
"Wait, Kenshin doesn't time pass differently here?" Rossweisse asked.
"Yeah a week here for a day there." Kenshin said. "There's no way they can be here. Just under seven hours should have passed there at this point. Are you sure you're not just referring to Theodora?" Kenshin asked.
"No, because the call I got was from Theodora-Sama herself." Somo said.
"I see..." Kenshin grunted. "It has to be some random mercenary group then...maybe it's Canis Niger."
"Probably, she didn't sa...aaaay..." Somo said as he fell to the floor, unconscious.
"? !" Kenshin, Rossweisse and Alma all look around as the rest of the ship's occupants fall to the floor or against their stations.
"Well that worked." A voice said walking into the bridge.
"? !" Kenshin's eyes widened as he saw three female figures, one with a short body, with long purple hair tied into thick twin tails, wearing a wizard's hat, a white button up shirt and black pants. The second wore a yellow chinese martial artist outfit. She had tan skin and blonde hair while the third had braids of dark green hair, wearing a white labcoat with a maroon vest, a white dress shirt and a maroon skirt.
"Hello, Kenshin-Sensei." The three girls said.
"You..." Kenshin said. "Yue Ayase, Ku Fei, Satomi Hakase." He said.
"Yes." The shortest of the three, Yue said. "It is nice to see you again Sensei."
"That's just because you used to have a crush on him-aru." Ku Fei teased.
"Th-That's beside the point." Yue griped.
"No..." Kenshin said with wide eyes. "I...Ialda revived you too?" Kenshin asked.
"Sadly." Satomi said.
"Yes...she revived everyone except for Chachamaru, Evangeline, Mana and Kazumi." Yue said. "Well those that could fight anyway."
"G...Grrhh..." Kenshin growled.
"Kenshin?" Rossweisse and Alma said.
"That bitch..." Kenshin growled louder. "What gives her the right?"
"So I take it you're not happy to see us-aru?" Ku Fei said.
"Not in this fashion Baka Yellow." Kenshin said.
"Haha, you still remember my old nickname." Ku Fei laughed.
"I was Negi's assistant teacher." Kenshin said. "Though I'm still convinced your academic troubles were because you were a transfer student from China."
"Oh, no wonder she's wearing chinese styled clothing." Rossweisse said.
"You three know we can't fight here, so why are you here?" Kenshin asked.
"Correct you are, we're not here to fight." Yue said. "We're checking in on you for Negi Ialda."
"Oh really? Why doesn't that crazy bitch Ialda come and face me herself? It's not like I'm much of a threat in this form." Kenshin drawled. "So how many of you are alive, give me a rundown."
"Basically all the Ala Alba members that died, along with Yuuna, Makie, Misora, Zazie, Natsumi, Ako, The Narutakis and Ayaka." Yue said.
"?" Kenshin arched his brow. "Huh? I get the first several, but Ayaka? She didn't fight."
"Her artifact was essential." Satomi said. "We are forbidden to speak of it, but it's also how we got in here."
"Ah huh..." Kenshin said. "Guess I'll ask Tertium next time I see him. So why aren't you three acting weird? When I spoke to Negi Ialda before, I saw none of the Negi I knew in her acting."
"Negi-Sensei's slowly losing her mana. None of us know why, even Ialda herself is confounded by it." Yue said.
"Wha?" Kenshin said. "You mean Negi's bleeding her mana?"
"No, Ialda Baoth would never allow that to work...it's like she's...sending it somewhere." Satomi said.
"Somewhere? She's transferring her mana?" Rossweisse said.
"That's what we're guessing." Yue said. "It goes down just a bit every day."
"Well that's a thing." Kenshin said with a grunt. "Alright, I have another question. Ialda wants my body, but she first wants to break my spirit...which she will find very difficult to do, but if that's the case, why seal me? She seems pretty confident she could take me."
"Well she's not short on confidence that's for sure-aru." Ku Fei said.
"I'm sorry, but we can't say." Yue said. "She's observing us even now."
"Last question." Kenshin said. "I've been hearing about this 'Bright Flash' incident for the past couple of days. Was Ialda involved and if so, what was it?"
"Ialda was involved with the 'Bright Flash' incident, as were we." Satomi said. "As for what it is...we can't say.
"I see." Kenshin said. "Well if she's watching then I'll send a message. The second I figure out how to rip you out of Negi, I'm coming to gut your ass."
"Well if that's all, we'll be taking our leave." Yue said.
"See ya around Kenshin-Sensei." Satomi waved.
"So long-aru!" Ku Fei said they were all warped out by Yue.
"..." Kenshin let out a sigh. "God damn it..." He walked toward the door. "RRRGH! !" Kenshin punched his fist through it.
"!" Rossweisse and Alma were surprised by the sudden action.
"..." Kenshin breathed slowly to calm himself, before turning back toward them. "Those three girls were all former students of mine, back when I was a teacher at Mahora." He said.
"Really? What did you teach?" Alma asked.
"English Language." Kenshin said. "It was a normal school for the most part. Some students there had magical abilities of varying degrees and honed them there in secret."
"I see..." Rossweisse said.
A screen popped up. "General Arashi, come in! You're about to fly over the landing strip."
"What?" Kenshin said before looking at the radar. "Shit! He's right! Rossweisse, Alma wake everyone up for me." He pressed a button and started speaking. "Kuroshi Tsuki Kenshin here, a spell was cast that put everyone to sleep."
"Hm? Wait is there a pulse of mana anywhere in the ship?"
"?" Kenshin looked around.
"I don't sense anything." Rossweisse said.
"Me neither." Kenshin said. "No there isn't."
"Then it seems the hibernation protocol of the ship has been activated. Usually it just puts half the soldiers to sleep so they'll be well rested for battle, it can be disabled using the General's call sign."
"But Somo's passed out too!" Kenshin said.
"Is anyone with you that can pilot the Super Dreadnaught?"
"I really doubt it." Kenshin said. "Hang on I think I got something." He said digging into one of his seals.
"I'm waiting."
"Ah here it is." Kenshin said flipping through a journal he pulled out. "Callsigns callsigns...S...Ah! Here it is!" Kenshin said before clearing his throat. "Call Sign Sierra, Hotel, India, Echo, Lima, Delta."
"Call sign SHIELD accepted." A voice in the Super Dreadnaught said.
"Hnn?" Somo and the rest of the soldiers started waking up.
"Hey, wake up we're about to pass the landing strip." Rossweisse said shaking one of the pilot's shoulders.
"What happened?" Somo said rubbing his eyes.
"Somehow the hibernation protocol got tripped on you all." Kenshin said.
"Why didn't it affect us?" Rossweisse asked.
"Because it only affects registered members of the Imperial Nine Divisions." Somo said. "That's troubling...Enrico! Striker! Land us before we miss the landing strip! We don't have the fuel to make another pass." He ordered. "Disengage forward thrusters and engage the rear thrusters just to be sure."
"Sir!" Enrico and Striker, the pilots said.
The ship stopped moving forward and began reversing course. "Still we weren't supposed to be here for another two hours." Somo said.
Kenshin, Rossweisse and Alma all shared a glance. "Must have been a time dilation barrier." Rossweisse said.
"Agreed. Ialda's been working with them, it's not too far out of the realm of possibility." Kenshin said.
"Still, just on the ship?" Alma asked.
"Probably on the inside of the ship only." Kenshin said.
"Wha?" Somo said.
"I'll explain later." Kenshin said.
The ship landed and everyone disembarked. "Alright men, take these three to Theodora-Sama." Somo ordered.
"Where are you off to?" Kenshin asked.
"I'm going to see my wife." Somo said.
"Oh? Can I come. It's been awhile since I've seen Sarah." Kenshin said.
"..." Somo stared at him for a moment. "Very well."
"Alright. Rossweisse, Alma. I'll see you at the castle." Kenshin said.
(break)
"I...had no idea." Kenshin said.
"Yes...she went last year." Somo said closing his eyes.
The two stood in front of a headstone with the name Sarah Arashi on the epitaph. "I'm sorry for your loss." Kenshin said.
"She passed peacefully, with little pain...that's all I can ask for." Somo said closing his eyes.
"...How'd it happen?" Kenshin said with a solemn gaze.
"Cancer." Somo said.
"? !" Kenshin's head snapped toward him. "Seriously?"
"Just because we're beastmen doesn't mean we don't suffer from the same ailments and diseases as the humans." Somo said.
"I see..." Kenshin said.
"Tertium had an idea a while ago...and went to see you about it, but a report came in that said you refused to participate. Why?" Somo said. "It might have-"
"No, it wouldn't have." Kenshin said. "I know the idea you're talking about, but Somo...just because my DNA is spliced into someone, that doesn't mean they get what I've got." Kenshin said. "I'm not even a true immortal and my regenerative abilities were honed by years upon years of physical abuse done to my body."
"..." Somo looked over at him
"And just because you're immortal doesn't mean the factors that cause death just magically disappear." Kenshin said.
"..." Somo closed his eyes. "So what you're saying is...if that had been done to here...all I'd be doing is prolonging and making her pain permanent?"
"Yes." Kenshin said with a nod. "I'm sorry Somo, but that's the truth."
"I see..." Somo said.
"...!" Kenshin's eyes widened. "Wait!"
"What?" Somo said turning toward him.
"I-In Makai! We beat the Sixteenth Demon and acquired the means he'd be using to manufacture an army of beings called homunculus." Kenshin said. "He'd even managed to make copies of other demons."
"..." Somo shook his head. "No." He said.
"Wha?" Kenshin said.
"I know where this is going, but I also know how it ends. You could use her DNA to make one of the homunculus bodies right?" Somo said.
"Yeah?" Kenshin said.
"That wouldn't be a fix...that body would be just as prone to cancer development as the original." Somo said.
"Ah..." Kenshin stopped himself from speaking as his eyes widened in realization. "..."
"You get it don't you?" Somo asked.
"Yeah...I guess I didn't think about that." Kenshin said. "But...at the same time we used it to bring back the Queen of the Harpies who had been killed by a sickness herself."
"They must have had a cure for it ready by then. When Sarah passed, it was her third round with that fucking disease." Somo said, a bitter tone at the end before he let out a sigh. "She just got tired of fighting, tired of the treatments...she just felt it was her time."
"..." Kenshin looked up, seeing the morose expression on Somo's face as his eyes closed.
"Can...can you give me a moment alone?" Somo said.
"Of...Of course." Kenshin said before taking off his jacket and folding it up, placing it at the front of the headstone. "...Thank you Sarah...for all the work you did for my family. I know sewing in those runes must not have been easy." Kenshin said.
"You're just leaving it there?" Somo asked.
"I have plenty more...besides...I want to leave something here." Kenshin said as he turned to walk away, only to spot someone approaching, a young girl with curled black hair, wearing a summer dress, yellow in color. "Um..."
"Oh, Jessica, I'm sorry I forgot to come home after work." Somo said with a smile.
"It's OK Papa." The girl, now named Jessica smiled brightly as she ran up and hugged Somo's leg.
"...Is she...?" Kenshin said.
"Yes...she's mine and Sarah's daughter. Kenshin, meet Jessica Arashi. Jessica, meet Kenshin Tsuki Kuroshi." Somo said.
"Haaa? !" Jessica gasped. "Oh my gosh! You're the hero Kenshin! The guy who beat the LifeMaker!"
"U...Uhhh..." Kenshin said.
"Huh...I thought you'd be bigger." Jessica said.
"Um..." Kenshin siad.
"That's not his real body. It's been taken from him and he had to make that to still be able to move around." Somo said.
"You really think she's gonna-" Kenshin said.
"Oh so this is a second body, like that green haired neesan who was friends with that girl who said she was his lover." Jessica said.
"Yes." Somo nodded. "Smart girl." Somo said patting her on the head.
"Hey Mister Kenshin, can I have your autograph?" Jessica said holding out a piece of paper.
"!" Kenshin blinked in curiosity. "U-Uuuhh...s-sure." Kenshin said taking the piece of paper and signing his name.
"Thanks!" Jessica said leaping forward to embrace Kenshin.
"..." Kenshin paused for a moment before gently embracing her back.
"Alright Jessica run along home now." Somo said patting her on the head. "I'll be home soon."
"OK, bye Papa, bye Mister Kenshin!" Jessica said running off.
Kenshin chuckled. "Cute kid."
"Yes, we thought so too." Somo said.
"Yeah, but you're her parent." Kenshin said.
"Heheheh." Somo chuckled.
"Uh...coincidentally...on that subject." Kenshin said.
"!" Somo blinked at him. "Wait, Kenshin...you're going to be a father?" He said.
"Yeah..." Kenshin said. "Twins."
"I wish you luck." Somo said.
"Thanks." Kenshin said. "Now...I guess I'll be going."
"Just out of curiosity, who's the mother?" Somo asked.
"Eeehh...the Queen of Makai." Kenshin sweatdropped.
"Ooofa..." Somo said. "You've been on the rise since you left. Probably the best thing that happened to you, was leaving."
"Tell me about it." Kenshin said. "Alright, see you later Somo, don't know how long I'll be here, so don't be a stranger."
"Alright." Somo said.
Kenshin walked down the street of Hellas' capitol toward the castle. "..." Kenshin let out a sigh. "Jeez...things really have changed around here huh?" He said.
"Hey Kenshin!" He turned to find someone holding out a bottle of beer. He held out his hand and caught it as it was thrown.
"Thanks...I guess." Kenshin said as he chugged it down.
He arrived in the castle grounds. "...!" Kenshin's eyes widened seeing a lot of familiar faces.
"Kenshin, you're here, thank goodness."
"Kenshin, are you alright, are you hurt?"
"Of course not this is Kenshin we're talking about! Even when sealed he's going to be strong!"
"Senpai, are you alright?"
"Kenshin-San, what's wrong?"
Kenshin was staring at the group that was sent to recover him. "Wait...why are you all here?" Kenshin asked.
"Why? We're here to help you." Issei said.
"Issei-kun, I think he means how are we here" Kiba said.
"Well isn't it obvious, we used the gateport in Kyoto." Sairaorg said.
"? !"
"Kenshin-Chan?" Alma said seeing Kenshin cover his face. The one eye she could see starting to widen.
"Are you OK Kenshin?" Gabriel asked.
(crash!)
The bottle Kenshin was holding fell to the ground, breaking to pieces. Most of the voices around him draining away. "...! !..."
"Kenshin, what's wrong?" Hikari asked.
"Seriously, you look bad right now." Raynare said.
"..." Evangeline stared at Kenshin. "Chachamaru." She whispered.
"Hai Master." Chachamaru said quietly, scanning Kenshin.
"Kenshin, are you OK?" Saji asked.
"I...Is something wrong with us having come from the gateport?" Sona asked.
"Come to think of it, why were we able to come through the gateport?" Seekvaira asked.
"I would gather that it means Mundus Magicus is in the same dimension as your world now." Mana said
"! !" Kenshin took off, running through them.
"Kenshin? !" Rias, Akeno, Sona, Tamamo, Alma, and numerous others shout.
"! !" Kenshin panted as he ducked behind a corner of the castle, getting far enough away from everyone. "Haaa! Haaa! Haaa! Haaa! Haa! Haa!" Kenshin panted, his eyes widening. "Mrrrmmpph! !" Kenshin reached up, covering his mouth as he felt something coming up. "B...Brrrouuuhh! !" Kenshin hunched over, vomiting up his lunch. "Uuuoohhh..." Kenshin stood up, dizzy and stumbling as Rias and the others found him.
"Kenshin? !" Rias said as Kenshin fell over, into her arms.
"..." Kenshin didn't respond, having passed out.
"What's wrong with him? !" Miyuki said.
"Chachamaru." Evangeline said.
"Is it the brain? Is it the heart?" Tamamo asked.
"..." Chachamaru closed her eyes. "It's neither." She said.
"What?" Hikari said.
"If I were to give a diagnosis...I would have to say Kenshin's suffered a severe anxiety attack." Chachamaru said.
"? !" Almost everyone widened their eyes in surprise. The only ones who didn't, were ones that didn't know Kenshin that well. "Him? !" Yukari asked.
"The vitals don't lie." Chachamaru said. "...Kenshin was clearly in a panic."
"You've never seen this before?" Ravel asked Yukari.
"N-No...Kenshin's never had one of these before." Yukari said.
"..." Rossweisse stared down at him sympathetically.
"What is it?" Alice asked, seeing the look on her face.
"I...I don't think I should..." Rossweisse said.
"What is it? What do you know? Rossweisse please help us understand." Miyuki, Yukari and Rias all said.
"What's an anxiety attack?" Granberia asked.
"Um...Granberry..." Alma said pulling Granberia to the side.
"Wha? Oh...wait...it's that? Luka used to have those." Granberia said.
"No kidding." Alma Elma said.
"Look...let's get somewhere private first and I'll tell you." Rossweisse said.
Rias lifted Kenshin up and handed him off to Hikari, who looked down at him in worry. "Kenshin..."
They made their way into the castle where a woman with dark tan skin, flowing blonde hair, dark brown eyes. She wore a white collared, black skintight sleeveless one piece suit that cut off at upper thigh, fastening at the neck and zipped down to her waist, exposing cleavage and midriff.. She had wrapped around her waist with black straps a white dress like ending. Around her neck was a red tattoo like marking. She also had two horns wrapped around her head, that seemed to resemble a crown. "...?" She looked down at Kenshin. "What happened to him?"
"He found us...then when we had mentioned how we got here he kinda spazzed out." Ruruko said.
"Weird." She said.
"Do you have a room we can put him in Theodora?" Hikari asked.
"Of course. You know where the living quarters are, make yourselves at home." The now named Theodora said with a smile. "He and his friends are always welcome here."
Everyone nodded and split up, settling in the Imperial Castle.
(Chapter end)
Draconis: I'm done with the request I said...I'll be able to get chapters out faster I said...
Rias: What's wrong with him?
Issei: I think the grind is getting to him.
Draconis: Anyway, sorry again this is taking awhile to get out.
Draconis678 out