Kenshin: Hm? (Sees Draconis walking in) Aren't you supposed to be writing the-
Draconis: I am, but I hit a real life wall that just saps my energy for lemons right now.
Yukari: What's up? What's going on?
Draconis: My father's in the hospital at the time of me writing this.
Kenshin & Yukari: Ooohh... (wincing sympathetically)
Miyuki: Oh...man that's rough.
Draconis: Yeah...his own health problems have come up. I wont go into much detail, but he's doing alright for a damn near senior citizen with dementia.
Gorou: Dementia...oh boy...I'm sorry to hear that.
Draconis: Ahh, thanks Mr Hyoudou, funny that you're here, we're actually starting with the next scene in the Light Novel after Ouryuu's and Bova's introductions. It's your scene...also Volume 22 is an exposition heavy volume and the neccessary character building for Marina and Reina isn't helping, but I'm already in for a penny not that I regret it.
Dragon of the Elements.
Chapter 139
Fishing and Memoria.
Draconis: Begin!
(start)
The members of the Hyoudou Household were all brought to a beach. Kenshin let out a sigh. "What's up?" He glanced over at Issei who had spoken.
"Oh? Nothing. Would you believe I haven't really been to beaches or island resorts much before Kuoh?" Kenshin asked.
"I find that hard to believe, wasn't one of Rikudou's leaders a navel specialist?" Issei asked.
"Well, Yeah Scott was a navel specialist and a water dragonfolk, or humanoid water dragon, that's why he was bald save for a fin on his head, but its not like we went in from beaches." Kenshin answered. He watched as Negi, Ku Fei, Miyuki, Kaede and Asuna, to which Xenovia and Irina joined having the same idea among themselves all planned a contest to catch the most fish. He couldn't help smiling fondly.
From behind a familiar face draped a rather muscled arm over him. "Hey Kenshin, why don't we have a contest ourselves?"
"Whoa? ! Sairaorg-San? !" Issei said.
"See you got my invite." Kenshin said
"Yeah, I offered everyone, but only Kuisha wanted to come." Sairaorg said pulling back. He wore a white half jacket and black trunks.
"Really? Not even Furcas and Crocell?" Kenshin asked. "I mean Sabnock, Bune and Gandoma. The former would be getting doted on for seeming childish or girly while the other two are a dragon and an humanoid titan. Even then, in Bune's human form he'd be getting glances that he should check himself into the hospital."
"Hahahaha!" Sairaorg chuckled. "Honestly they actually just volunteered to keep Magdaran company." Sairaorg laughed.
"How is Rasai doing? I ain't seen him since I woke up in the hospital." Kenshin asked.
"He's alright. Keeping busy I suppose. He also asked me to ask you if you've accepted Lord Ajuka's requests. Not sure what he meant by that, should only be the one." Sairaorg said with a shrug.
"Tell him I did." Kenshin said with a sweatdrop. "Really Rasai? You couldn't just tell him that I'm becoming a Satan."
"Awesome, look forward to squarin' up with you in the tournament." Sairaorg said.
"Wouldn't miss it...unless the brackets say otherwise." Kenshin said.
"Eh, we could always meet in the prelims, but whatever." Sairaorg said taking out a fishing rod and bidding Kenshin and Issei adieu.
"Did...Magdaran-San not-" Issei was cut off.
"I don't believe he did,no." Kenshin finished.
"Hey, what are you two doing over there Issei, Kenshin! Come on and cast your lines out!" Gorou shouted toward the two.
"We're comin'!" Kenshin shouted back.
"He's acting in such high spirits like a kid." Issei sweatdropped with a smile.
"Well can you blame him?" Kenshin said as the two threw their lines out. "He did think you were dead for the better part of the year Issei."
"Tell me when you get hungry, we prepared snacks." Miki called out, Hikari was behind her setting everything out and waved.
"Thanks Aunt Miki!" Kenshin said.
Yukari approached the two and cast her line out. "Gotta say, it's been awhile since we've done this." She said.
"True." Kenshin said.
"You two never went fishing often, even in the past?" Issei asked.
"No, on the run too much." Yukari answered.
"Yeah." Kenshin said.
"Did Rossy really go out there with a harpoon?" The three turned to see Alma Elma walking up behind them. She wore a white off the shoulder thin shirt and short shorts.
"I guess..." Issei said.
"To each their own." Kenshin and Yukari both sweatdropped.
"I suppose." Alma Elma shrugged before moving behind Kenshin and wrapping her arms around his neck, whispering into his ear. "Remember Kenshin-Chan...next time those Incubus instincts kick in, come see me...~ I just HAVE to see if what Yukari-Chan told me was true."
"Keep my secret and you still got a deal." Kenshin whispered back.
"Alright...we can't really have the Regent of Heaven falling from sheer embarrassment I suppose. It's different for her type of angels." Alma whispered again, kissing Kenshin on the cheek before getting up and skipping off.
"Well that is how it was done back then,before nets and fishing lines." Undine said, referring to Rossweisse.
"Yeah, but I still can't see me doing that...I would get too frustrated." Kenshin thought.
"Not even now?" Undine asked.
"Isn't it kind of your thing to be against violence and killing in the water?" Kenshin thought.
"As long as overfishing isn't happening, I don't mind, it's just nature taking its course." Undine said.
"I suppose. Maybe someday I'll give it a try, but not now." Kenshin thought. "...Or is this just your way of saying you want me inside you?"
"Pfft!" Undine sputtered before giggling. "OK you cheese connoisseur that's enough."
"Come on, you know you like it when I make waves." Kenshin joked.
"OK...that one was just painful." Undine groaned. "No more puns."
"Heheheh." Kenshin snickered.
"You and Undine bantering?" Yukari asked.
"Yeah...how'd you know?" Kenshin asked.
"Well after...y'know. I feel more in tune with the spirits." Yukari said. "She's right that pun was painful."
"Whatever." Kenshin closed his eyes with a smile.
"All that said...I'm surprised you guys actually showed up." Issei said turning his head, seeing Vali and his team showing up.
"Well, we had some time to kill and your father did invite me." Vali shrugged. "I just figured I'd bring Bikou and Arthur as well. Kuroka and Le Fay were already here...and seems they've already formed a group with the former's little sister and her friends."
"No fish for Onee-Sama." Koneko said, seeing Kuroka not even attempting to fish.
"I've never actually been fishing before." Ravel said, spinning the reel around in excitement.
"Heheheh." Kenshin chuckled a bit.
"Ufufufu, I'll just cheer Gasper on." Valerie said, a happy smile on her face, wearing a straw hat.
"Keep hold on that straw hat." Yukari joked idly. "A rubber man might confuse it for his!"
"And you call me an anime nerd!" Kenshin laughed.
Le Fay seemed troubled as Arthur approached her. "Is everything alright Le Fay?" He asked.
"I-I don't think I can get the bait onto the hook." Le Fay said.
"Kenshin could you watch my fishing rod?" Issei asked, walking over to them.
"Yeah Yeah, but I think Arthur's got it." Kenshin said.
"It can't be helped, I'll do it for you, but a witch shouldn't be afraid of an insect." Arthur said with a smile, patting her on the head.
"What's wrong with it anyway." Issei asked.
"It's just...wriggly and..." Le Fay was cut off by Issei chuckling softly.
"Don't worry about it, I had the same problem in the past." Issei said. "Just try your best to ignore it, if nothing else we'll help you."
"T-Thanks Onii-Sama, Oppai Dragon." Le Fay said with a grateful smile.
"Haa...thanks." Arthur said with a smile of his own.
During such a scene Bikou walked up to Fenrir who was laying on the beach with Miyuki sitting next to him. "Well, going fishing in such a big group isn't bad, why don't you dive into the sea and catch us some fish as well."
Fenrir responded by biting him.
"Owwwww! You fuckin' bit me you damn wolf! Your fangs aren't a simple joke damn it!" Bikou gripped.
"You deserve every bit of that." Miyuki taunted while petting Fenrir behind the ears. The wolf seemed to respond positively to this and even laid it's head in Miyuki's lap. "Awww...don't listen to him, you do whatever you want OK Fen Fen."
"Yip." Fenrir barked softly, but positively as he continued to nudge his head against her hand.
"Hmhmhm~" Miyuki giggled.
"Hey Valiiiii! Kenshin's imouto's gonna steal Fenrir!" Bikou said.
"No she's not. For a neko youkai she's actually quite good with dogs." Vali said in disinterest. "Fenrir obviously likes her."
"Yeah, Miyuki has always been able to make friends, that's nothing new." Yukari said with a warm smile.
"Hrm..." Kenshin stroked his chin in thought.
"What's up?" Vali asked.
"..." Kenshin focused and four separate auras split from his own. It was revealed to the be the Yonseirei and Yukari pointed at Salamander and snapped her fingers. She was suddenly covered in a one piece swimsuit that matched her tanned skin tone.
"How the hell?" Salamander asked.
"It's not actually clothes, it's an illusion." Kenshin explained. "Stretch your arms...legs...er...various appendages..." Kenshin said.
"OK, I've always wanted to try going for a swim!" Sylph said diving toward the ocean.
"Eh...I'll keep an eye on her." Undine said following after Sylph.
"Alright." Salamander said turning to Gnome who sat down and started moving sand with her hands. "Making a sandcastle?"
"..." Gnome nodded.
"Alright, I'll join you." Salamander said sitting next to Gnome.
"..." Gnome nodded with her eyes closed, but a small smile on her face.
"Speaking of which, didn't you invite Alipheese and her daughters?" Yukari asked.
"They politely turned me down. Saying that they wanted to settle in...but.."
"Kenshin." The two turned to see Black Alice, or Mary walking up to them, wearing a one piece with blue on the top and white on the bottom. "Could you bring out Heinrich for a bit?"
"One second." Kenshin said throwing out a substitution stencil and making a clone of himself. He then got up, his eyes flashing to purple.
"Alright Mary, come on." Heinrich said as Yukari cast an illusion on him, to swap his and Kenshin's appearances, though Heinrich wore was Kenshin was wearing.
"Hey Kenshin, where ya goin'" Gorou asked as the two started walking away.
"Over here Uncle." Kenshin said through his clone. "Remember how my eyes shifted back when Issei was in the hospital? That guy is controlling my real body right now to be with his...girlfriend...wife...huh...what do we call Heinrich and Mary?"
"You can go ahead and call me his wife if you want." Mary said with a smile.
"!" Heinrich's eyes went wide with a smile and a dark blush. "I-I mean...I...I did have a ring and everything..."
"Huh?" Mary turned to him, her own face immediately starting to go red. "W-Wait, so when you said you were out shopping that one day and outright refused to tell me what you got..."
"I was ring shopping. I even borrowed one of those skin tight gloves of yours so I'd have an easier time talking to the jeweler." Heinrich said, looking up at the sky, trying not to face her.
"...Heinrich..." Mary closed her eyes smiling widely and wrapped her arms around his left arm, cuddling up against him as they walked away.
"Those two are actually legitimately cute together." Issei said sitting back next to Kenshin and taking his fishing rod back.
"Yeah, Heinrich actually was sharing a few of his memories with me. Mary apparently got out of the Castle and shirked her duties off on her sister Dinah by calling herself Alicetroemeria."
"Really? It just sounds like she smashed her name and the title of Alipheese or Alice together...come to think of it...is Alice even...well...Alice's real name?" Yukari asked.
"I asked...apparently Mary and her sister just deviated from the norm. Alice is Alice's name." Kenshin said.
"Speaking of which, it's been roughly a month since Agreas...have you spoken with Alice-Sama since then?" Issei asked.
"..." Kenshin went silent, giving a thousand yard stare to the ocean.
"Kenshin?" Issei and Yukari both said. He suddenly vanished. "Huh?"
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" The two saw Kenshin chasing down Heinrich.
"Huh? ! What's up Kenshin, we're kind of in the middle of something." Heinrich said, being held in Mary's arms, the former Demon Queen too enamoured by kissing and nipping at Heinrich's neck to care. Her swimsuit heavily disheveled.
"Lemme just get something out of one of my seals...Perfect!" Kenshin took out the charm Alice had given him. "Happy shagging!" He said running away from them.
"That was weird." Heinrich said.
"Less talking, more grabbing." Mary said pulling him into another kiss.
Kenshin found a spot to be alone at and put the charm to his head. "Alice, if you're there please pick up...and please don't be mad at me."
"...Huh?" At Maouzyou, Alice saw the charm she had sitting next to her light up. "Kenshin...?" She said, putting down a plate of food. "Kenshin, are you there?"
"Yes! Aaah...umm..." Kenshin started to sweat. "Fuck...how do I play this? ! How do I make up for basically ghosting her for a month? !"
"If you're calling for a check in. Don't worry. I've tried contacting you only to get that Spirit of Destruction character inside you this past month." Alice said, smiling on the other end.
"Aah...?" Kenshin paused. "Yuurei?" He thought.
"What? Not only did Lady Alipheese ask me to, my sweet serpentine dream." Yuurei let out an airy sigh. "But we're friends right?"
"Dude! You're the fuckin' man for this! Thank you!" Kenshin thought, breathing a sigh of relief.
"Were you that worried?" Alice said, letting out a soft, teasing laugh.
"H-Honestly...ye-yeah.." Kenshin said. "I-I've been out of the hospital for quite sometime...I-I'm sorry."
"Hmhm. It's OK Kenshin, really." Alice said. "You've probably never been laid up for as long as you were, you were focused on healing. Like I said...I want you to be in Neris and Luka's lives. So obviously I want you to take care of yourself."
"And I will be, I swear I will be." Kenshin said.
"On...that particular subject." Alice said.
"What's up?" Kenshin asked.
"It's...coming up on nine months for me over here." Alice said.
"Nine mon-!" Kenshin's eyes widened. "O..Oh...Oh! R-Right..."
"I've gotten the clear from the Taiyoukai Council that they will handle things while I'm gone, but...I want to spend the remaining time with you." Alice said. "I just need to take care of a couple of things."
"OK." Kenshin said smiling on his end of the call. "God...it feels like only a few months ago I was whippin' Forbesii's ass and winning you your kingdom back...Now that it's actually really upon us...part of me is still shocked that...this is it. I'm actually gonna be a father, that we're gonna be parents."
"I know. It's honestly jarring how fast time flies...and when I heard about your fight with that Beast...my heart sunk at the thought of what you might be going through..." Alice said. "Are you OK, Kenshin?"
"Yeah..." Kenshin said. "It's gonna take me a bit longer, but I'll be OK."
"I'm glad..." Alice said. "Since I can't just wrap myself around you right now...say it."
"..." Kenshin closed his eyes. "I love you Alice."
"...I love you too Kenshin. I'll see you later." Alice said.
Kenshin took the charm off his forehead and sighed with a smile. "It's really almost here..." He turned to walk back to where Issei and Yukari were when the seal on his forehead lit up. "!" His eyes widened a bit before dying down. "...Heh..." Kenshin smiled. "I still don't know what's being kept from me, but I know those were good memories...it makes me feel...confident in my ability to be a father."
"Hm?" Yukari turned her head seeing Kenshin walk back up to her and Issei and sit down. "Get everything situated?"
"Yeah, turns out Yuurei was filling Alice in on what's going on while I was laid up and recovering." Kenshin said.
"Well that's good." Issei said.
"Also she's coming back by to stay for a while." Kenshin said.
"Why's that?" Yukari said.
"Nine months." Kenshin said.
"Nin-OH!" Issei gasped. "W-Whoa! It's already been that long for her. Shit...I guess it has with the time difference between here and Makai. Oh my god...you're gonna be a Dad soon Kenshin..."
"It is a little jarring..." Yukari said.
"Yeah...but I feel good about this...I really do." Kenshin said, smiling toward the ocean.
"Hmn. That's good." Yukari said with a smile.
"Congrats ahead of time Kenshin." Vali said. "On another note. It's almost time for your high class devil ceremony huh Issei?"
"Right, that is coming up, what are your plans for it Issei?" Yukari asked.
"I've already cleared it with Kenshin and Xenovia, but I'm gonna take a day off school. It can't be helped, but it's the only day that suits everyone. I'm actually really nervous about it. They're saying that many people will come, there will also be television cameras. I'm still shocked that it's even happening."
"Well, if what I'm hearing around the grapevine is right, you'll have a friend in a high place." Vali said with a small chuckle.
Kenshin slapped his hand on Issei's back. "Come on Issei, how's this any different from us performing for the show?"
"It's only natural. You are one of the heroes who saved the Underworld several times over. It's not strange for not just the Underworld, but also for other forces to pay attention to you. There's really nothing to be nervous about, the ceremony itself will end in the blink of an eye. Then you will recceive a document that looks like this." Vali hands Issei a scroll. Kenshin peeks over Issei's shoulder to see.
"Eeehh? ! When did you become Ultimate Class? ! That's on the same level as Kenshin!" Issei said.
"Truthfully I had turned it down in the past, but then they told me it was Azazel's wish, so I relented. Fuu...I will never understand that man Ajuka Beelzebub's intentions." Vali said. "After all it's not like I'm going to stop being active in the Underworld."
"Haahh...hahaha..." Issei laughed a bit.
"What, you can't believe it?" Kenshin asked.
"Neither can I really." Vali said.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kenshin asked looking over at the two of them. "Have you two forgotten all the shit we've done over the past year? Our soul bound situation at the start aside Issei, we saw the Three Great Factions sign their armistice in person, survived our own respective Juggernaut Drives. Beat the piss out of Loki and Fenrir not even six months in. You all help me take down Ialda the first time when it was her in Hottan's body. We fought back Cao Cao, performed admirably during the Youth Devils Tournament. Issei, you got promoted to Mid class Devil status. Then unfortunately we both died Issei, but we ran it back with new bodies made by the power of Ophis and Great Red.
Kenshin paused for a moment. "I went and became Vice Commander of the Youkai Revolution. Came back and Issei we both spanked the Jabberwocky, you beat Cao Cao, Vali you crushed Pluto, the Ultimate Class Reaper. And that's STILL just the six month mark. We all go and win the civil war in Makai and get our names minted as heroes there. Then came the Quipploth battles. We stood our ground against Grendel and were on hand to make sure the destruction of the country of vampires wasn't a full scale genocide. We were there when Agreas got hijacked, I got sent back to Mundus Magicus AGAIN. This time by Ialda wearing Negi's body as her own. We save her, beat Ialda's ass back to the Impure World. Come back to beat back an assault on Heaven by Quipploth, you accepted the challenge from the Church's Swordsmen while I accepted the Dark Goddess' challenge in the Makai Deadlands no sooner than the year had turned. Then we beat Rizevim's ass, Vali, you finally got your getback on his ass."
"Hell the fuck yeah I did." Vali chuckled.
"We then went two for three against Azi Dahaka, Apophis and Trihexa. The only loss being mine." Kenshin said.
"And don't get it twisted Kenshin, it was a respectable loss in any case." Yukari said shrugging her shoulders. "Like I told you, you left everything you had on the battlefield that day. Trihexa is just a monster none of us were ready for."
"Thank you, Yukari." Kenshin said. "So you guys are kiiinnddaa missing me with this 'I can't believe it' stuff. You both deserve to be here and so do I, in fact I put that on all of DxD as a group. For better or worse we earned this."
"Nonetheless. I suppose he's right. You won't find any other examples of this many history changing events occurred in just one year. Everyone, you, your friends, family and myself are living in an incredible era. For that reason, I could say that it would only be natural for our ratings to keep going up seeing as we survived this far. That's why you're getting a promotion, though I also understand if this is making your head spin because it's all happened in such a short amount of time." Vali said.
"I guess they have a point...I really haven't done anything like a mid class devil would do. Come to think of it, did I even really fulfill my role as a low class devil properly?" Issei thought. "But...I guess since I'm being promoted to a High Class Devil due to the reviews of others, I gotta be doing something right by em...at least that's how I'd like to think...still" Issei couldn't help chuckling.
"Heheheh, the way you two are talking kinda sounds like Azazel-Sensei." Issei said.
"Well, I was a teacher before we met Issei." Kenshin said.
"Is that right?" Vali said with a smile.
"By the way." Kenshin, Vali and Issei all say at the same time.
"One at a time you three." Yukari drawled with a smile.
"You go first." Issei said to Vali, Kenshin in turn waved him off as if to give him the floor.
"You're going to participate right?" Vali asked Issei and Kenshin.
"Already sent my acceptance to Ajuka." Kenshin said.
"Oh, sounds fun, can't wait." Yukari grinned.
"Well obviously the smoke demon over here is." Issei said, making Kenshin laugh.
"The Smoke Demon?" Kenshin said.
"Hmm...who knows...you're obviously going to...I mean you're as bad as Kenshin in the fight-o-holic department." Issei said.
"Well, it would be a lie if I say I'm not hyped for it." Vali mused. "If I meet either one of your teams then there's nothing more I can ask for." Vali said. "I heard they even added a special rule called 'Reduction'(1 ) in which if a Devil who signed himself up as King, or a piece that wishes to participate while their king abstains. They can reduce their piece value to the minimum as long as it doesn't go over the maximum of sixteen."
"So that's what he meant!" Kenshin said. "Ajuka had me confused when he said he'd be sending the paperwork for it. I thought I just had to sign up my peerage in full."
"Yes, but with the caveat that their power will be restrained by lowering." Vali said. "I'm guessing that Cao Cao, Sairaorg Bael over there and Dulio are thinking along the same lines. I even hear that gentle Tobio Ikuse is planning to register as a King."
"Right...I need to start my hook up plan for Suzaku." Kenshin thought.
"Even so...I'm sure you have your own set of circumstances. Your body doesn't belong only to you now." Vali said.
"...You know...you've kinda changed...a bit ago you would have told me to jump in, right?" Issei asked.
"Yeah, it's like that incensed standoffish aura of yours is gone now." Miyuki said as she approached the four.
"You know, you're right..." Yukari said.
"Vali..." Kenshin smiled coyly. "Did you and a certain Knight of mine hook up while I was healing."
"That's none of your business and I'll thank you to stay out of my personal affairs." Vali huffed. "Also, I smoked you guys in fishing." He said pulling his line back as a rather large fish was pulled from the ocean.
"Heheheheh." Kenshin chuckled. "I ain't hearin' a no." He thought.
Vali let out a sigh. "Anyway, I also received an invitation to your ceremony. I'll come if I'm in a mood. I'll see you all later."
Issei turned to Kenshin. "Is no line sacred to you?" He glowered.
"I was just teasing. I wasn't gonna press it any further." Kenshin said.
"So what do you think?" Issei asked.
"It's entirely up to you Issei, I'm not gonna try and influence your decision." Kenshin said. "I don't even know what the prize for winning the whole thing is. I just want to fight without getting Devilkind in major shit, if I have to square up against you, so be it. Wouldn't be the first time."
"Well, if I do compete and we do link up as opponents. Do me a favor and don't hold back." Issei said with a grin.
"Shit I might not have the chance to hold back with how crazy your rise has been." Kenshin snickered. "But sure, I owe you that at least." He raised his fist and bumped it against Issei's.
"Hey, Kenshin...I've heard about some of the girls talking about a couple of people you knew in the past...a.."
"Aaauuuhh! I-Issei, could we talk over here for a moment!" Without warning Yukari grabbed Issei's arm and dragged him off.
"W-Watch my rod Kenshin!" Issei shouted.
"Huh?" Kenshin blinked.
"...Whew..." Yukari, feeling they had gotten sufficiently far enough away from Kenshin stopped dragging Issei and walked a few steps away before turning to him. "Look, I'm sorry, but we don't need Kenshin spiraling again."
"Kenshin, spiraling? What do you mean?" Issei said.
"Look, I'll tell you, but this STAYS between us. The only ones you can talk to about this other than me are Negi, Miyuki, Mom and Rias." Yukari said.
"...OK..." Issei said.
Yukari explained everything she, Negi, Rias, and Miyuki had found out from Hikari and how Kenshin had reacted. "That's why he broke that bento...just bringing their names up incited intense aggression in Alferious's case. And sent him into a deep spiral of despair when Mom brought up the names Marina and Reina Shisui."
"..." Issei could only stare at Yukari wide eyed, his mouth hanging open. "K...Kenshin...had a kid?"
"An adopted daughter..." Yukari said with her eyes closed. "Yes."
"And...her birth father...killed her and her mother?" Issei said.
"...Yes...seeing as this is the first I'm hearing about him...and the fact that Alferious met his end on Mundus Magicus...Ajuka was willing to bet everything that Kenshin was the one to kill him." Yukari said.
"Th-Th-Then, how is he...still...HIM? !" Issei shouted. "Something like that, it woulda completely fucked him in the head!"
"Before...she fully passed on...Marina begged Kenshin to forget all about her and her daughter. That seal on his forehead is a control seal...that's served its purpose and can no longer be used. I checked it myself. No one can access it anymore...I could...break it...but.." Yukari looked down at the sand with a miserable expression.
"You'd...instantly be putting everything back onto him...the peace he had with them, how happy he probably was when that little Reina girl started calling him Papa...when Marina called him her hero...and...the pain of losing them both in the same night." Issei said looking over at Kenshin. "He probably also loved Marina too."
"Yes..." Yukari said.
"Krh..." Issei growled. "His aspect as a Primordial is Life...well when is 'Life' gonna stop kicking him right in the dick?"
"I don't know...but until we figure this out...please don't say anything." Yukari said.
"Yeah..." Issei said with a sigh. "Don't worry, the secret's safe with me Yukari, but...if I might ask...how did this come about? We've all brought up Rikudou at one point or another, hell Yukari, YOU'VE been the most guilty of this outside of Kenshin himself."
"The seal didn't start going off until Miyuki had brought up her past attempts to get Kenshin and by extension myself to retire from Rikudou." Yukari said. "Why that tipped it off is weird to me, except there is one thing..."
"What?" Issei asked.
"The other night before Kenshin and I did...well y'know." Yukari said. "He told me that the thoughts of his battle with Trihexa would visit him and the vision of the beast would visit him, trying to break his will."
"...It was shocking...I've...never really seen Kenshin fucked up that badly before." Issei said.
"But that we have an answer for so don't worry that much is taken care of, turns out having someone...or a lot of someones to cuddle with prevents the thoughts from happening. I mean his one fear in life is solitude, like it can be quiet, but he hates being alone." Yukari said.
"Well, he's got plenty for that." Issei said with a light hearted chuckle.
"Hehehe, right." Yukari laughed softly.
"So you think it's just mental weariness and pressing the right buttons, or wrong buttons rather without knowing it?" Issei asked.
"I can only infer that." Yukari shrugged.
"Maybe I could patch Kenshin through to that shrink I was seeing." Ddraig said through Issei's left hand
"As funny as that would be to see him react. I think he just needs to take time and relax. Do somethings that make him happy, y'know." Yukari said.
"You know, I kinda feel like he spreads himself too thin at times." Issei said.
"He does...he one hundred percent does. He's always been the helpful, nice guy, simply because being alone is basically hell for him." Yukari said. "And I've seen it...some of the missions Rikudou sent him on by himself. When he came back...he looked...so fucking drained, sometimes he'd sleep for days on end, his record back then was three days straight."
"Doesn't he have like people to talk to, like connected to his soul, even back then?" Issei asked.
"Mirai was basically someone that was essentially him from an alternate timeline. Shin Tatsu was dealing with his own misery and Ryuujin back then was a fucking asshole, I'll give you Arika, Negi's mother, the woman who Hottan sealed inside him, but just communicating with someone, in what is essentially a phone call...isn't the same as having something physical or upfront." Yukari explained. "That's why I always pushed so hard to go with him. I was worried to death that he wouldn't come back."
"He also said something to me recently...about wanting at least one or two places where he doesn't have to put up a front." Issei said.
"One of those would obviously have to be the house. Since Gorou and Miki know about everything now, we don't have to lie to them." Yukari said. "Just about everywhere else other than the Academy he has to do that...though he hasn't been to Makai recently and I mean in Makai's public eye. Hrm, that's something to think about. Anyway thanks for telling me this, but lets get back to Kenshin before he wonders what's taking us so long to get back."
"Right."
(Break)
Meanwhile.
City of Souls.
Marina and Reina were wandering through the metropolis of the damned. "Gee you think he'd put something up for a kid to be a kid at, but...no." Marina drawled.
"Yama doesn't understand family, children or parenthood."
"? !" Marina and Reina both turned to see Taimu looking up at the sky. "You, other than Ragnarok, you're like the only other person here who looks like they have any good sense at all." Marina said.
"Uuwaaa..." Reina looked up at Taimu with stars in her eyes. "You're pretty lady..."
"..." Taimu smiled down at Reina faintly. "Why thank you."
"So why are you working for Yama?" Marina asked.
"You confuse working for him with being under forced servitude Marina Shisui, Daughter of Yurie Shisui and Adrien Allard." Taimu said in disinterest.
"...A-Ahh..." Marina stood, caught completely off guard, her mouth hanging open. "H-How...did you..?"
"I am the Goddess of Time." Taimu said.
"I-I see..." Marina said
"Does that mean you're like really old?" Reina asked.
"Hmhmhm. Time's passing means nothing to me child. I can choose the way I look." Taimu said with a soft laugh.
"I-I'm sorry about her, you know how kids don't have a filter." Marina said, ignoring the annoyed glare Reina was giving her. "She's only recently turned six befor-"
"Eight." Taimu corrected. "In return for the amount of time it's been for Kenshin, since he last saw you two, since he disappeared from Mundus Magicus as well as the time spent before Ialda Baoth's interdimensional warping spell... two years passed, so I aged Reina up two years when Yama brought you back. Though some of the time was due to me. I was rewinding his internal clock when he vanished from Mundus Magicus. I would have done the same for you Marina, but I figured you'd want to enjoy all of your youth. For young Reina she has the benefit of being Half Devil."
"I...see...I thought Reina was taller!" Marina said.
"Backpay Birthdays!" Reina cheered.
"Ah...ahahahaha. Also...thank you for not aging me up." Marina laughed. "Wait..." She paused. "You said Kenshin's been GONE from Mundus Magicus?"
"Yes...and Rikudou fell. Both it and your ex husbands Yorigami Plague organizations are defunct." Taimu said
"H-Holy sh-ah um..." Marina covered her mouth. "That's...wow..."
"Yes...tell me...would you two like to see what Kenshin's been up to since you two passed?" Taimu asked.
"You can do that? !" Reina gasped. "Yesyesyes! I wanna see what Papa's doing!"
"Eeemm...sure..." Marina said glancing away with a guilt ridden expression.
"..." Taimu snapped her fingers freezing Reina in time. "This might not mean much coming from me Marina...but I think you made the right choice."
"? !" Marina turned to Taimu in shock.
"Don't worry your daughter cannot hear us right now, but looking at how Kenshin reacted to losing you two...I can confidently say that." Taimu said.
"Why?" Marina asked.
"Why do you think Yorigami Plague went defunct?" Taimu asked.
"Wait...nononono...you can't be telling me..." Marina said her eyes going wide. "He killed them all...?"
"...Yes." Taimu said.
"..." Marina exhaled a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "I-I mean...it was more of the Magic World's shadow organization BS on display except for Kazuhiko Midoriya. A young man in his late twenties who helped me with supplies for Reina when she was a baby...but...he actually wiped them all out himself?"
"Yes." Taimu said. "However he did not kill Midoriya-San."
"..." Marina bowed her head. "All...after I convinced him to retire too..."
"..." Taimu turned away. "He wouldn't be the person he is today, if he had been allowed to keep that weight on his heart. It would have crushed him."
"Yeah..." Marina said.
Taimu raised her hand. "That's enough. We should be going." She snapped her fingers and Reina unfroze, none the wiser as they kept walking. They were soon out of the City of Souls and came up to a river bend. "Yama controls the Divine Realms. Though if you want to leave the City of Souls I strongly recommend going no further than this. Mother's angels aren't exactly...in the mood for strangers. This is my river. The River of Time if you will."
"Are those...flames dancing on the surface. All those tiny lights?" Marina asked.
"Uuuwaaaa~! So pretty!" Reina said, completely taken in by the dancing flickering flames.
"Yes. Each flame represents a life, flowing down stream from the beginning of life, to the City of Souls...the end of life." Taimu said. "Most are processed to their rightful places in the Pure and Impure worlds. The places you two and Alferious Mammon were at previously, respectively." Taimu brought up a magic glyph and started typing away at it. "There he is."
Marina watched as a flame plucked itself from the River of Time, further away from the City of Souls and shot toward Taimu's hand. "He still has that long?"
"Life spans vary from being to being, but youkai of Kenshin's caliber are almost assured a long life span, spanning centuries, or even millenia. However even then Kenshin himself is a special case being a Primordial, originally I wouldn't be able to view it...but he doesn't know how to rescind the ability from his end."
"A Priorial?" Reina mispronouced.
Taimu glanced at the child. "How adorable..." She thought absentmindedly. "A Primordial." She corrected. "One of the eight avatars of aspects that represent the fabric of existence itself. There is Reality and Dreams. Being and Nothingness, Light and Dark and Life and Death."
"Well...I can pretty well guess which one Kenshin is..." Marina said, her eyes narrowed solemnly.
"Incorrect." Taimu said.
"Hm?" Marina looked over at her.
"Kenshin is not the Primordial of Death. I can see how his life from the time you knew him would lead you to believe that...but no, it's actually quite the opposite." Taimu said. "Kenshin is the Primordial of Life, Yama and someone else actually share the title of Primordial of Death." She threw out the flame and it burst and became a screen. "I assume you would like to start with the first major event after he lost you two, but before we begin. Young Reina. Because of certain things. Kenshin does not remember either of you right now. So please don't be hurt if you never see him mention you."
"...OK..." Reina said, a dispirited look on her face.
"I'm sorry..." Marina whispered to herself.
"OK...because there is a child watching..I'll skip certain events." Taimu said.
"OK, but I watched his time in that academy city, Mahora." Marina said. "I was turned on to it when his Dad came to the Pure World."
"Paw Paw never told us what happened to him." Reina said.
"With good reason." Taimu said. "Even in the time you knew Ryuushin...a poison was slowly drawing him closer to his end. What was truly tragic...was the night he passed...he had become possessed and the spirit that possessed him put his wife Hikari to sleep and would have gone on to kill his children...if not for Kenshin fighting him tooth and nail."
"..." Marina stared at Taimu in disbelief.
"Papa...fought with his Papa?" Reina asked, a similar expression on her face.
"He succumbed to the poison after Kenshin banished the spirit." Taimu said. "Kenshin did not cause his death."
"Whew..." Marina said. "Rei Rei, what Big Sis Taimu means is that Papa got rid of a bad person, making Paw Paw do bad things, but then Paw Paw's sickness made him say good bye to Papa."
"O...OK..." Reina said.
"Anyway. I'll start with when he popped up in Kuoh Town then." Taimu said as the scene in question appeared on the screen. "During this time. Kenshin took in the soul of a young man named Issei Hyoudou, who unknown to both at the time was the current host of the Sekiryuutei or Red Dragon Emperor."
"...I have no idea what that is." Marina said, her eyes becoming white dots, smiling nervously.
"Ditto." Reina said mirroring her mother's expression.
"However, due to battles he was in previously Kenshin himself thought it was the end of the line for himself. So he decided to give Issei who's body disintegrated a body to bury."
"Right Right.." Marina said.
"It was so cool when he threw that Dragon God by the tail!" Reina gushed.
"Hmhmhm, yes. It was indeed 'cool' but most of all, impressive." Taimu laughed softly. "However, as fate would have it. Kenshin's nearly dead self was happened along by a young devil of noble birth. Her name was Rias Gremory."
"Wow..." Reina said with stars in her eyes.
Marina blinked. "She's...beautiful."
"What happened then was that Rias would reincarnate Issei's soul into a Devil and a lucky turn of events...maybe she planned it, I have no clue...but the reincarnation brought Kenshin back to health as well and turned him into a Devil himself." Taimu said. "One thing was for sure. She did NOT have the power to reincarnate Kenshin outright. Kenshin, even as it stood back then, was already pretty much in the top ten of strongest beings in Mundus Magicus. It went Ialda Baoth at first, Nagi Springfield and Ryuushin Kuroshi in his prime tied for second, Jack Rakan at fourth and Kenshin at fifth.
"I knew he had to be somewhere in the top ten, but the top five? Damn." Marina said with a whistle.
"Keep in mind I'm not counting those who hadn't been on Mundus Magicus for an extended period of time, such as Eishun Konoe or Albireo Imma. Both had prior engagements on Earth in that dimension or Kenshin's rank would be lower, but those like Takahata Takamichi or Kurt Godel, Kenshin out powered them, they just had better technique capabilities than he did."
"Is...that petite girl basically carrying Kenshin single handedly?" Marina said with a sweatdrop as the scene showed Rias call Koneko down to gather the unconscious Kenshin. "He weighed like a good one hundred and ninety pounds back then and that's muscle weight...and he's unconscious so dead or sandbag weight plays a factor."
"If you think that's funny, watch this." Taimu said as the scene switched to when Kenshin had beaten Raiser just as Koneko threw him toward Rias. "As it turned out Kenshin's family ended up having a marriage contract with Rias' Gremory family. So when another man came barking up her tree with the same and was shown to not respect her needs and desires. Kenshin parlayed his marriage contract as a way to get the devil known as Raiser Phenex to annul his if he lost to Kenshin in battle."
"Oh, so then he annulled his own afterward too?" Marina asked.
"Mm...No. See...Kenshin and Rias got on quite well. So they decided to give dating a shot...and they're still engaged to this day almost a year later." Taimu said. "I think it's safe to assume that Kenshin fully intends to marry her."
"...O...Oh..." Marina said, a feeling of gloom washing over her.
"Mama?" Reina said.
"Aaah..." Marina waved her daughter off with a smile. "Wh...What am I getting depressed over? What Ken Ken and I had for two months was just us both being smitten with each other...besides I told myself after Alferious, no more relationships for me and besides that I wouldn't have felt right going after Kenshin like Alferious went after me."
Taimu stared at Marina. "She has no idea...or does she just not remember it clearly...those two months were much more than just being smitten...she said she convinced Kenshin to retire from Rikudou...does she not realize how big that was for him back then?" Taimu thought before clearing her throat. "Ahem...well Marina...let me let you see for yourself."
"..." Marina and Reina watched all the way until Kenshin had come back from death as the Vice Commander of the Youkai Revolution to ask for help from the Supernatural Alliance. "Papa...has...a lot of girls who like him..." Reina said.
"No kidding!" Marina said, flabbergasted. "I mean Negi Springfield and his two sisters and childhood friends I could understand, but now he let it get that big? ! Holy crap!"
"I figured you'd react like that." Taimu said with an amused smile. "Kenshin is the Last Son of the Kuroshi Dragons, or at least he WAS until Ragnarok was brought back to life. Kenshin plans to rebuild the clans as one, so something like this, while he walked backwards into it...wasn't unwelcome."
"Yeah, but isn't he already spoken for?" Marina asked.
"I am." The three turned to see Ragnarok approaching. "And I have no interest in forming one of these harems when my lover is insatiable enough as it is...if Kenshin truly plans to bring me back into the fold on his side of things...I'm in for a good few years in a coil." Ragnarok mused.
"Ragnarok, what are you-" Taimu said.
"He wants these two watched over." Ragnarok said. "Also." He took out a tray and handed it to Reina. "Have a piece of cake. Unlike Kenshin I'm actually a good cook."
"Mm!" Reina swooned a bit after taking a bite.
"That...seems unlike him." Taimu said.
"Trust me, I feel the same way, but when he starts talking about that child. It's like those corruption marks fade away from him. He even apologized for sneaking me to kill me in the Divine Wars, only to forget it when the marks came back." Ragnarok said. "It's honestly weird."
"Well, will you be watching with us then?" Taimu asked.
"Sure. I was curious as to exactly how Kenshin came to sire a couple of soon to be born heirs to the Fateburn line anyway." Ragnarok said.
"HE'S HAVING KIDS? !" Marina shouted in shock.
"Little brothers or sisters!" Reina cheered.
"How wild was he getting since we passed?" Marina asked. "I mean...I'm the one who made him forget but my god..." She thought.
"Can I ask you two something though?" Ragnarok said. Marina and Reina looked at Ragnarok questioningly. "Which one of you did Kenshin meet first?"
"Oh! Oh! Papa brought me to Mama!" Reina said waving her left hand in the air excitedly.
"...How did you even...?" Ragnarok said.
"It was a friend of mine named Kazuhiko." Marina said. "He arranged for Reina's request to arrive at Rikudou and tried to pay money out of his own pocket to have the job forwarded to Kenshin who was the strongest single person they had.. I had tried to take Reina away with me when I abandoned Yorigami Plague, but we were attacked and separated and Reina wound up back with Alferious while I barely made it to the town that at the time I didn't know was being run by my mother Yurie."
"Big Bro Kazu dropped me off with Papa." Reina said.
"According to Kenshin, Kazuhiko looked like he'd been rushing things...then when Kenshin found out Reina was the one actually asking for the job. Kenshin threw the money back at him." Marina said.
"I woulda done the same in his shoes." Ragnarok said. "I'm not taking payment for getting a child out of a very shady situation. Can I just ask you something Miss Shisui?"
"What's up?" Marina said with a curious look.
"Why'd you call Kenshin a crashout? I only know what that is because Yama described it pretty well, but it's a pretty negative connotation of someone." Ragnarok said.
"Oh...ahh..well I felt like my life was in danger at the jump so I had to give them something, so I went with something I felt was pretty obvious." Marina said with a sigh. "I wanted to give them nothing, but Kenshin was the type of person who would never argue about when his end came. If he got revived OK. As long as he went out protecting what or who he held dear. He'd be satisfied. I mean he literally said that against that older devil bastard."
"Sounds to me like he was going through respectable versions of crashing out." Ragnarok said. "He was damn near permanently dead at age 10 and lost half his soul fighting Hottan Ialda to get his mother back, he got it back in blood for his friend Shirota who's alive again as we speak. He got it back in blood for you two eventually and he felt like he was gonna die anyway so he tried to remove Rizevim from the board before he could become a problem."
"Oh yeah! I never said it wasn't!" Marina said waving her hands in front of her. "But let me just put it to you this way. When he found out how old I was when I had Reina. He was fully prepared to go level Yorigami Plague's base of operations to the freakin' ground."
"And that's...bad?" Ragnarok asked. "Alferious is a fuckin freaky ass bastard...in the WORST of ways. Like shit, I think my friend Minagi would snap his neck before ever screwing him and she's the Progenitor of the Succubi and Incubi."
"Well yeah! It was on the border town between Vespertatia and the Confederate border! Those guys have been trying to kill Kenshin for, well..EVER!" Marina said.
"Well not anymore." Taimu said as the memories played through the Youkai Revolution.
"He led a rebellion against a tyrant? Hell yeah!" Ragnarok said with a smirk. "I knew I made the right choice bringing him back! No wonder the current Demon Queen wanted his children. He was the Strongest Youkai of Modern Makai!"
"Well that...and she actually fell for him." Taimu said with a smile, that soon vanished as she paused the scene on the night before Kenshin and his allies would leave Makai. He was in a pub owned by Draco. "...Draco...?"
"..." Ragnarok turned to her, but smiled. "Listen in why don't you?"
"A-Aaah? !" Taimu stepped back, a full on blush on her face. "I-I'm not eavesdropping!"
"No, Baka Toki Megami. I mean go ahead and play this out loud." Ragnarok said.
"..." Taimu took a breath and started doing that.
"Who's the other Neko man?" Reina asked.
"My adoptive brother Draco Tsuki." Ragnarok said. "He was also Taimu's soulmate."
"!" Taimu's eyes went wide as her blush only got darker.
"So, had any thoughts?" Kenshin asked Draco.
"About?" Draco asked.
"Come on, let's make a plan to go the Divine Realms. I mean Ilias isn't there anymore." Kenshin said. "You could get Taimu back man."
"Oh? Is that an offer of assistance?" Draco asked.
"I actually met her before Draco, when I got blasted back in time. Yukari and I made a pit stop at the River of Time...and she even shacked up in my soul while I was back there, when Shin Tatsu and Ryuujin went AWOL. She didn't talk much, but when we talked about past pains...she always seemed so lonely...and eventually I found out about you...but didn't know your name."
"Shit, I musta been doing business in Makai...coulda found her then..." Draco said before letting out a fond, but melancholy sigh. "...I'm not gonna lie man...I fuckin' miss the hell out of Taimu."
"Then let's go get her." Kenshin said.
"I wouldn't know the first place to look for the River of Time at. She always came to visit me, not the other way around..." Draco said. "You said yourself that you and Yukari were brought to her when you were shot back in time."
"Really? Damn..." Kenshin cursed. "So...if you don't mind, how'd it happen?"
"Call it...moments in time...that I wished never ended" Draco said. "She actually looked to be coming out of a fight and appeared in front of me while I was practicing Archery." She froze time to try to get out of the way, but...I could still move and had already knocked the arrow out of the way for her. She said...that I was the first human to ever be able to move inside her time frozen field before passing out."
"So you nursed her back to health?" Kenshin asked.
"Yeah. I even had to keep it secret from Ragnarok." Draco said. "She seemed to be wary about using her time suspension, or Taimu Agata, but...we would always talk about the small things, even some big things and hell, she even taught her time magic to me. Her voice was soft and sweet...her eyes...seemed to stare into the depths of my soul...in a good way...and she was always kind...unless you pissed her off..." Draco chuckled with a sweatdrop. "I still feel the sting of some of those beatin's."
"So...if I got you right...you two just had that vibe...that SYNERGY with each other." Kenshin asked. "Shit...I can respect that. Hell I'm engaged to a girl who does that to me right now. You can't trump that. You can only find it again and again like I somehow did with this group I'm with now."
"No, no you can't." Draco chuckled before looking up. "Haa...Taimu, if you can hear this...I still love you...and I never stopped."
The memory paused. "I...I need a minute." Taimu said snapping her fingers.
"What did she just do?" Marina asked.
"Froze time for herself." Ragnarok answered. "Just knowing Draco still thinks the world of her probably stirred up a lot of emotions."
"..." Reina approached the time frozen Time Goddess.
"...Whew..." Taimu wiped her face after unfreezing herself only to feel a tug on her pants. She looked down at Reina.
"Big Sis Tai Tai...I really...reaaaaalllly hope you get the one you love back." Reina said staring up innocently at Taimu.
"..." Taimu reached over and started petting Reina's head. "I do as well." She said smiling with her eyes closed.
Marina walked up to her and put a hand on Taimu's shoulder. "If he's hanging around Ken Ken, he's likely alright."
"Oh I don't doubt it." Taimu said.
"But wait...when I told Ragnarok there that Megalo's been after Kenshin for...well forever...you said not anymore...do you mean?" Marina said.
"I think I'll let the memories speak for themselves." Taimu said waving her hand.
Marina, Reina and Raganrok all watched as Kenshin and company would go on to protect Kuoh from Euclid and Grendel, receive training from Dana.
"Wait, that's the the Dark Evangel...wait...that adult vampire Evangeline and her are one in the same?" Marina asked.
"Indeed." Taimu said.
They watched as Kenshin and company would go on to protect Auros as well as Kenshin getting zapped back to Mundus Magicus a second time. "So...he couldn't escape even then." Marina said
"Yes...and what's more. He went on to duel against the Thousand Master and win...resulting in his death, though Nagi let himself expire to be free of Ialda's control...then this happened.
"Wh-What? ! Th..that woman put Papa through all that...just to see what would happen? !" Reina said with tears in her eyes.
"THAT BITCH!" Marina seethed.
"I had already been revived at this point, but what followed was possibly one of THE most sadistic asswhoopin's Kenshin ever handed out." Ragnarok said..
"Huh?" Reina and Marina said before watching Round one between Kenshin and Ialda Baoth. "O...Oh my god..." Marina said covering Reina's eyes.
"M-Moooooommm!" Reina whined.
"Don't Moooooommmmm me Reina, you don't need to see this." Marina said. "Wait...did Negi free herself? !"
"Yes, but she almost lost her life again then and there...sending Kenshin further into his anger." Ragnarok said.
"Thank you Ragnarok" Taimu said. "From there...Kenshin's friends helped him come to terms with a lot of his past and paranoias...and together...they defeated Ialda Baoth."
"Yes!" Reina cheered.
"Way to go Ken Ken..." Marina said with a smile.
Taimu then closed the memories out. "The rest can be explained to you later, either by Ragnarok or by Kenshin himself."
"By Kenshin himself...but he shouldn't remember us." Marina said.
Taimu snapped her fingers freezing time for Reina. "The memory is very recent, but your control seal has been discovered I saw it just a bit ago."
"? !" Marina felt shock rush through her. "W...Wh...what?"
"It happened as just something mundane as Miyuki Tsuki, his little sister reminding him of her own past attempts to get Kenshin to retire from Rikudou." Taimu said.
"But something Yama did made it all the more apparent." Ragnarok said. "He had a false report sent to where Kenshin's based that the Mammon Devil House wants to rejoin the hierarchy. Your ex Alferious managed to put it into Yama's head when the marks of corruption were present on him, but seeing as Kenshin only knew Alferious because of meeting you and little Reina, the emotions, the utter disgust and hatred Kenshin felt for him. Taimu didn't show it to me, but I felt it through the empathetic link I share with him."
"Those 6's?" Marina asked with a scowl.
"Yes. The signify that one is Cursed by the Primordial of Corruption, Trihexa." Ragnarok said. "It's meant to bring out the absolute worst in someone."
"Then...why do they go away whenever he's talking to us?" Marina said.
"I'm not sure..." Taimu said. "Perhaps it is because of Reina's innocence?" Taimu said.
Marina shook her head. "No...I know what you might be thinking, but I'm not putting my daughter in danger to try and cleanse a Death God's soul."
"I wasn't going to suggest that." Taimu said. "For now, stay clear of Alferious."
"Don't need to tell me that." Marina said before a thought came to mind. "Were Reina and I...brought up. I can imagine by who."
"Yes." Taimu said.
"What..." Marina choked slightly on her words as she closed her twitching eyes, her hair shadowing her face. "What did he feel?"
"...Despair." Ragnarok said.
Marina looked up at the sky as tears rolled down her cheeks. "I...I see...just like I thought..." She sobbed quietly until she finally calmed down and wiped her eyes. "Unfreeze Reina please."
Taimu nodded and unfroze Reina. "Come on Rei Rei, let's go see if Pappy Raggy can whip us up something to eat." Marina said.
"Kay~" Reina said, not really looking at her face.
"Aa? Aah...walked right into that one when I gave her that cake." Ragnarok said with a sweatdrop.
"Go on ahead for a moment. Ragnarok, a word." Taimu said.
Marina and Reina shared a look before leaving. "What is it Taimu?" Ragnarok asked.
"Those two cannot stay here. Yama is already unstable as it is. Throwing ping ponging between corrupt and not corrupt is a recipe for disaster that puts them in grave danger." Taimu said.
"Trust me I know what you mean." Ragnarok said. "Plus...if Kenshin's memories of the two do return...it would be best for him to see them as soon as he possibly can...but I can't do anything. Yama told me only to act when Marina requests it of me, until the apparatus on me can be removed I'm at his mercy...but a question comes to mind." Ragnarok said. "You faced a similar conundrum when you and Draco were forced apart...what Marina's going through...would you have done as she has?"
"..." Taimu glanced away, gazing into her river. "I pray I'd make the right choice again...but I do understand why Marina did what she did. Kenshin...never was in a good place back then, it wasn't really until he came to the world you found all those years ago. Those people did wonders for his feeling of self worth."
"Do you know that I found the world completely by accident during a fight Draco and I were having with Yama? Our clans were there too." Ragnarok said with a reminiscent tone.
"I see...so we wait then. Well...go on. They're waiting for you..." Taimu put on a small sly smile to try an alleviate the tension in the air. "Pappy Raggy."
"Oh don't you start or I'll start getting them to call you Taimy Waimy!" Ragnarok snapped.
"Ah hah!" Taimu mock laughed.
However, at the same time Marina stepped in front Reina as a figure walked in front of them. "You..." She growled.
"M-Maammaa..." Reina shivered behind Marina's legs.
"Is that any way to greet your husband and father of your daughter Shion?"
"What do you want Alferious? !" Marina shouted with hatred in her eyes.
"I just wanted to ask if you and Reina enjoyed the show Shion." Alferious said with a callous smirk. "I sure did. Gave me plenty to go at him with."
"Leave...him alone..." Marina said.
"Hahahahaha!" Alferious laughed. "Shion Shion Shion. I keep telling you...Zetta...or Kenshin rather...only helped you two because he felt sorry for you. How could he love someone who helped me cause so much mayhem? How could...he as a killer...love anyone?"
"Stop badmouthing PAPA!" Reina shouted out, glaring defiantly at Alferious.
"Your 'Papa''s right here brat...and it's time you learned some manners." Alferious said approaching Marina and Reina.
"STAY AWAY FROM HER! ! !" Marina screamed as a powerful multicolored aura exploded out of her body.
"Nn?" Alferious stared with narrowed eyes, but smirked as the aura died down to nothing. "See? You've never been able to keep that aura going Marina...and also...who do you think you are...standing against the man who owns you?" Alferious brought his hand back.
(clench!)
"That's quite enough."
"? !" Alferious turned, seeing Ragnarok scowling into his eyes.
"I take back what I said about Minagi not screwing you, she'd just do it for the excuse of being hungry...and wanting to see your dryfished husk afterward before she crushed your skull under her foot." Ragnarok said. "There would BE no pleasure for you.
"Kuroshi...Ragnarok..." Alferious scowled.
Ragnarok released his hand. "Let me catch you trying to put hands on these two again...and Kenshin won't even have the chance to send your vile ass back to the Impure world."
"Tch!" Alferious growled and took off.
"Are you OK?" Ragnarok asked.
"Fine...just..." Marina put a hand to her head. "Tired..."
"...Miss Shisui. How would you like to learn under me?" Ragnarok asked. "At the very least I can teach you to control your mana and use it for reinforcement. I did used to be human once. As for the memories you saw of my scroll teaching Kenshin and his sisters, I knew they could take it. I'll take a much gentler approach with you."
Marina stared at Ragnarok, her ruby red, nearly pupiless eyes blinking. "I mean...sure, but why?"
"The aura you put out, seemed strikingly similar to the aura Kenshin put out when he first assumed the Demigod State." Ragnarok said.
"Ok...but...could I ask a favor in the future?" Marina asked.
"If it is within my power." Ragnarok said.
"Well..." Marina said.
(Chapter end)
Draconis: Shorter than what I'm used to, but I got plans coming up. Specifically around the time of the official graduation of Rias, Sona, Akeno, Tsubaki and the rest of the third years.
Marina: Does it involve the control seal?
Draconis: Yes. Specifically...you and Kenshin are going to meet before it's removed.
Marina: ?$#! W-WHAT? !
Draconis: Needed for a plot point. Anyway, both Marina and her daughter have important roles to play in this story, but I'll reveal them in due time. Now then.
Kenshin: Whoa whoa, what about your Dad.
Draconis: Still doing alright actually. I'm gonna spin back and finish the lemon after I post this. Also, while I plan to keep posting this no matter what. I do enjoy hearing from you all. So if you have something to kind to say, or some constructive thoughts. Feel free. Just check flames at the door.
On a related note Alferious going above and beyond to be a sack of shit will be a thing, I want to write an utterly irredeemable villain and Trihexa's going to be gone for AWHILE
Anyway.
Draconis678 out.