Dragon of the Elements

by Draconis678

After observing him fighting against the Demon King of his world, Lucifer Sirzechs brings a demon by the name of Kenshin to Kuoh where he soon passes out from his injuries, he is reincarnated as a Devil by Rias who reincarnated the soul he just took in. How will this new twist affect the world around him, and did his family have history in this world? He would soon find out.

143. Archives of Zetta

Draconis: Well, I've already got ten pages written.

Yukari: Drac, are you OK?

Draconis: Yeah Yukari I'm fine.

Miyuki: Well..it's just..

Draconis: I know. Writing has always been how I deal with stuff. I'm fine. I'm still hurting but I'll be fine.

Yukari: So..how is the flashback gonna go anyway.

Draconis: Well other than anything to do with Alferious, or Alpha. It'll actually be pretty tame. I won't say much else.

Dragon of the Elements.

Chapter 143

Archives of Zetta.

Draconis: Begin!

(Previously)

"Seems we'll be able to hear Kenshin's thoughts, as well as Mirai or Yondai-San's, Ryuujin's and Mother's commentary." Negi said.

With that Negi played the next memory.

(start)

The scenery settled and it showed the group of three walking through a city at night. "Reina, stay close." Kazuhiko said.

"Here, take my hand." Kenshin said holding his hand out to the child.

"O-OK, th-thanks Uncky Kazu, Mr Ken Ken..." Reina said.

"Kazuhiko, keep your eyes peeled. I need to check something real quick." Kenshin said.

"What's up?" Kazuhiko asked.

"It's just I took another job in addition to this one and both destinations lead to this city. I was wondering if I'm gonna have to go looking for someone after I drop you two off at the Frenchman's Widow." Kenshin said.

"A-Are you gonna leave as soon as we get there Mr Ken Ken?" Reina asked looking up at him with a lonely expression.

Kenshin looked down and smiled at her. "I'll stay around as long as you need me to, OK?"

"Un." Reina closed her eyes smiling back.

"Now then..." Kenshin said opening his communicator and going to the job he had taken from Angeal. "Huh? There's been a location update." Kenshin thought. "Hmmm...well...how bout that."

"Seems both jobs are at the Widow." Mirai said.

"That's...hella convenient..." Ryuujin said with narrowed eyes.

"Too convenient in fact. Kenshin keep your wits about you." Arika said.

"Right. Something about this doesn't smell right." Kenshin thought.

"Looks like both my jobs lead me to the Frenchman's Widow." Kenshin said.

"What's a widow?" Reina asked with a curious look.

"Ack..." Kenshin and Kazuhiko both winced. "Eerrr..." Kenshin said.

"Well it this case...its a woman who has lost her husband." Kazuhiko said.

"Oh...so like Mama then..." Reina said.

"..." Kenshin glanced at Kazuhiko who whispered. "I only wish the bastard were dead."

"For a nominal fee I could make it happen." Kenshin whispered back. Kazuhiko shook his head in amusement.

Soon the group of three come up to a well decorated restaurant/tavern. A sign on the front reading 'The Frenchman's Widow.' "We're here." Kazuhiko said.

"I've been here before, I knew where we were headed." Kenshin said. "Aptly named too. The owner did actually lose her husband to the grave and the guy was French." Kenshin said. "Uh...something Allard."

"Adrien." The three look over seeing a woman of japanese descent with long purple hair, well combed and cared for, wearing a strapped black dress with a slit going up the front to mid thigh. "Kazuhiko Midoriya...you have some explaining to do." She said.

"Y-Yurie, look he's just who the Rikudou Organization sent." Kazuhiko said while sweating bullets. "Please don't whip out the semi auto on me."

"Haa...fine." The now named Yurie said. "If you weren't bringing my granddaughter here I'd beat you." She turned to Kenshin. "Zettai Sesshoumaru. Please tell me this isn't a social call."

"Come on." Kenshin said with a sigh. "It wasn't that bad."

"Not that bad?! We spent weeks cleaning the stench out of here! Your men cannot hold their liquor!" Yurie said pointing the gun under Kenshin's chin getting in his face

"At least you're aiming at the right spot this time Mrs. Allard." Kenshin said in disinterest.

"I retook the surname Shisui thank you very much." Yurie said.

"As for the clean up. Woman we footed the bill every step of the way, but had to be up out of there because the Megalo Knights started snooping around!" Kenshin said. "Not my fault you went third rate with the help!"

"..." Yurie glared into Kenshin's eyes who glared back. Then the two sighed. "This is stupid." They said. "OK, I admit I didn't hire the suggested help." Yurie said putting her gun away.

"And we could have left some men and women behind to help clean up after themselves, only the leaders present needed to be up out of there for sure.." Kenshin said. "Water under the bridge?"

"Sure..." Yurie sighed again before looking down. "Oh? Is this her?"

"U-Uhm...Hello...M-My name's R-Reina." Reina said shyly, hiding behind Kenshin's leg.

"Reina, this woman is your grandmother." Kazuhiko said.

"Eh?" Reina looked up at Yurie .

"Would you like to come in? Your mother's working right now, but I'll make sure you're not bothered." Yurie said with a smile.

"O-OK...can...can I have a sundae then?" Reina asked.

"Of course." Yurie's smile widened as she took Reina's hand. She stood up and looked at Kenshin. "So you didn't answer my question.

"I'm here for work actually. Just me this time." Kenshin said.

"Oh? What about the cute red head you're always with?" Yurie asked.

"Hahaha. She might have something to say about that. She hates it when people call her cute." Kenshin laughed.

"Oh maybe because it's not the right person." Yurie said.

"Aaah, anyway the requester actually only requested a one person job, a young man specifically." Kenshin said changing the subject. "The details say she's here."

"Oh, I do seem to remember someone asking your organization for protection services. Just please keep the confrontations to a minimum." Yurie said.

"Lead the way then. I could use a few drinks to unwind." Kenshin said.

"In front of a child?" Yurie scolded.

"...I never said they had to be alcoholic." Kenshin said with narrowed eyes.

"Well, you've usually kept a lid on yourself. So just behave around Reina." Yurie said. "Still no booze."

The three were led to a booth and Kenshin took out a few toys. "Here Rei Rei." Kenshin said with a smile.

"Hehehehe." Reina started playing with the stuffed animal first. A small white cat.

"Ah...Ack..." Kenshin sighed digging around in his pockets and seals. "Did I really leave those identity concealing glasses at home...or does Yukari have them...whatever."

"So, who is it you're looking for anyway?" Yurie asked.

"Well my friend here has a thing for purplettes." Kenshin said with a teasing grin, glancing at Kazuhiko.

"W-Wha?!" Kazuhiko was completely caught off guard by the comment.

"Hm?" Yurie glanced at Kazuhiko. "Well, I'm flattered, but I am in my early forties."

"And still attractive as hell he says. He was mentioning it to me the whole way here when Rei Rei was asleep how he had a thing for older women." Kenshin chided.

"Zetta shut up, are you trying to get me kicked out of here?!" Kazuhiko said. "Besides I'm married!" He said holding up his right hand, a gold band on his ring finger.

"Oh...sorry man." Kenshin said. "Sorry Madome Yurie. Also, who cares how old you are, if you want to date, date. If you want to remain faithful to Adrien for awhile longer, then fine do that. The whole 'I'm too old' excuse at your age is lame." Kenshin said. He then looks over seeing an elderly pair dancing the night away. "I rest my case, cause I don't see rings on any of their fingers."

"Hahahaha, you're cute I'll give you that, but my husband passed recently, so the wound is still somewhat fresh." Yurie said.

"Ah, then my condoloences." Kenshin said. "The Rikudous have been here often enough you'd think one of us would know that."

"Your assault specialist does." Yurie said. Kenshin nodded, figuring she was referring to Rantou, the eldest among them. "Now again, who are you looking for? Maybe they're working tonight."

"She'll answer to Angeal. Tell her the help she asked for from the Rikudou Organization is here." Kenshin said.

"Alright, give me a moment." Yurie nodded.

Kenshin and Kazuhiko watched as Yurie walked to the back, but where as the former was patiently waiting. The latter was taking a drink with a small grin on his face. Kenshin noticed this and called him on it. "What's that look for?" Kenshin asked.

"You'll see." Kazuhiko said.

The memory paused just so Marina could sigh. "I fucking knew he neglected to tell Kenshin that I was the one asking on both jobs on purpose!"

"I think he was about to, then Onii-Chan started messing with him." Miyuki said with a sweatdrop.

The memory resumed and a familiar figure stepped out of the back, wearing a flashy red dress with slits going to just past the knees, but gave plenty of legroom regardless. She had flowing blonde hair that curled a bit toward the ends, and red near pupiless eyes with a thin silver circle marking off where they were.

"..." Kenshin looked up at her, but didn't say anything. "...Well...I knew Angeal was young, but I didn't think she'd be close to my age. She's...attractive to say the least." Kenshin thought.

"H-Hello...Zettai Sesshoumaru." She said.

"Please...uh..just Zetta." Kenshin said, feeling his face heat up a bit.

"Here you go Reina." Yurie said placing a sundae in front of Reina.

"W-Wait don't give her that much sugar she'll...never go to sleep..." The young woman said slumping her shoulders with a smile. "Oh well...we did just get reunited. Kazu could you sit next to him. Rei Rei scooch over."

"OK Mama." Reina said with a smile. As soon as the woman sat down Reina glomped her immediately. "He-Hey now, I'm happy to see you too Rei Rei, but I'm working right now." She said.

"Actually Marina. If you want take the rest of the night off." Yurie said covering her mouth, laughing softly.

"You're sure?" Marina asked.

"Come on, what kind of grandmother would I be if I didn't give my daughter time to catch up with her own child." Yurie said waving her off. "Someone was asking for an extra shift anyway." She walked to the back.

"So...your name's Marina." Kenshin said.

"Y-Yes..." Marina bowed her head. "Thank you for bringing my daughter back to me. If there's anything I can do to repay you, name it."

"He-Hey hey hey, enough of that." Kenshin said waving his hands with an uneasy smile. "So, I would also be right in assuming you're also Rikudou's white hacker?"

"Yes, I am also Angeal." Marina nodded. "I...had heard you were on sabbatical. Zetta. So why'd you cut it short?"

"Oh Shougai's giving me this time back so don't feel bad." Kenshin said. "But there's two matters that led me to being here tonight." Kenshin said taking a sip of the juice Yurie had put in front of him. "One, you've actually warned me off a number of jobs that would have placed me dangerously close to Megalomesembria. I've been wanting to speak with you to ask YOU if there was anything I could do for you as thanks."

"Well, you did just reunite me with my daughter." Marina said petting Reina on the head.

"Which brings me to point two. According to our friend Mr. Midoriya here. Alpha was planning to sell her off." Kenshin said. "That sound like his MO?"

Marina closed her eyes. "Without question."

"Yeah, see. The Mundus Magicus Criminal Underworld which consists of arms dealers, drug traffickers, illegal magic researchers, bounty hunters, ex armed forces personnel with nothing to lose, ex cons looking to make some quick cash among other things and of course the Rikudou Organization. The Intelligence Matrix of the entire magic world...we all have one thing in common, Rei Rei cover your ears tightly."

"Huh. I call her that too." Marina said as Reina nodded and did so, Kazuhiko took her spoon and fed her the sundae.

"We absolutely...under ZERO circumstances...fuck around with the children. Organizations that do get blacklisted and labeled as Shadow Organizations." Kenshin said. "Case in point, you know Dolnegus, the head of the Granicus Grand Market Trading Bureau?"

"Yes." Marina said.

"Because he deals in slave trading, including but not limited to slave labor, forced coliseum participation, rigged fighting,...and the worst of all, human trafficking in the worst senses...everyone and their mother's been trying to put him in a pack for YEARS. Hell I've been trying since I joined when I was ten. That's almost six damn years ago. Can't call myself Absolute Killing Perfection if that bastard's still breathing." Kenshin said. "But even that fat sleaze ball had a family he wouldn't have traded until recently...that puts Alpha in a whole other tier of fucked up because he was doing all that too and screwing over everyone he could. but he tried to sell his, HIS daughter. Oh I'm kicking his ass to Hellas and BACK multiple times when I see him."

Kenshin took a breath and sighed. "Tell Reina it's OK to uncover her ears now."

Marina put her hand on Reina's shoulder. "Sweetie, it's OK, Mr Zetta's done."

"It's OK if she calls me Mr Ken Ken." Kenshin said leaning back in his seat with a smile. "So, what led you to be here Marina-San? I mean other than the father of your child being the biggest pile of crap walking the earth. Not to be rude, how old are you anyway?"

"Nineteen." Marina answered.

"..." Kenshin stared at her, holding his glass in hand before finishing it off. "You're...how old?" Kenshin asked again.

"Nineteen...and Reina's five." Marina said.

"...I see..." Kenshin nodded. "Be right back."

Kenshin walked out of the cabaret. A few minutes passed and the area shook several times, with the sound of someone angrily grunting and yelling. Kenshin walked back in only to get stopped by a passerby. "Yo man who pissed in your-" Kenshin grabbed him by the collar and pulled him face to face.

"Don't...fucking...worry about it." Kenshin snarled.

"Y-Yes!" The man said trying to run out the cabaret when Kenshin kept his hold.

"Will you relax I'm not pissed at you." Kenshin said. "Come in, find a seat and someone will be with you shortly."

"O-OK. Man I feel sorry for the guy who pissed you off."

"Really? Cause I don't." Kenshin said letting him go. Kenshin walked back to his booth and sat down. Yurie came out seemingly to accost Kenshin but he held a finger up. "I'm sorry Yurie, I know this is your side gig while you work as Magistrate during the day, but I just found out Alpha Midas is a whole ass predator."

"I know...I was actually going to ask you what you want to drink. This one night you can have alcohol in your present company. You're usually pretty chilled out...and I know how you feel about that subject." Yurie said. "When she told me I was pretty fucking pissed myself."

"Double shot of Goose and keep it coming with apple juice." Kenshin said. "You hold the right to refuse me at any time and call all the joints in town to not serve me either."

"Appreciated." Yurie said. "I'll go get your drinks brought out and...deep breath, in through the nose, out through the mouth."

"I know how to calm down a racing heart." Kenshin said. Yurie nodded and went to the back.

"Haa..." Kenshin let out a gruff sigh. "I'm gonna say this once, please tell me you're lying and you adopted."

"I wouldn't lie about this." Marina said.

"Haa...hrmhrmhrmhrm!" Kenshin chuckled under his breath angrily. "Where's Yorigami Plague based?"

"Eh?" Marina asked as someone brought Kenshin his drinks. He slammed the shot down and repeated himself.

"Where's Yorigami Plague based? Cause tomorrow I'm blowing that mess sky high." Kenshin said.

"Even if I tell you that, no you're not." Marina said.

Kenshin quirked an eyebrow upward. "Why not?" Kenshin asked.

Marina took out a map of Mundus Magicus and drew a couple of X's on it. She then pushed it toward him. "Notice anything?"

"..." Kenshin glowered. "Of course it's in proximity to Megalo." Kenshin said. "So is this place, but less so, but if you think that's sto-."

"If it weren't I'd say 'go for it' I'll pop popcorn and drink mimosas till I couldn't walk straight and watch from here." Marina said. "But it is...and Kenshin you're too kind of a person for me to want to doom to a peaceless life and put his family at risk on the off chance the Megalo Knights discovered who you really are. So calm down and don't be a crashout, please?"

"Kinda weird that hasn't happened already." Kenshin said.

"Oh, you can thank me for that. I hack the databases of all the transit departments, checkpoints and cities you go to and scrub yours and whomever you happen to be with's identity." Marina said waving him off with a smile.

"..." Kenshin stared at her, his mouth slightly ajar, at a complete loss for words. "Someone's been looking out for me all this time...and it's this...quite frankly really attractive woman." Kenshin thought.

Marina reached over, under his chin and closed Kenshin's mouth with a titter. "A fly would have gotten in sooner or later. Is it that unbelievable that someone who's only affiliated with Rikudou not full on working for them was looking out for you?"

"Aah...uuhm...eer.." Kenshin took another shot and chased it down. "N...No comment." Kenshin said.

"Mhmhmhm." Marina giggled.

The doors to the cabaret swung open. "Alright you all. Get to steppin. We're renting this place out for the night!"

"..." Kenshin narrowed his exposed eye seeing a small crowd of men and women, led by a man with black hair, a designer brand outfit and a cocky smirk on his face. "Oy this fuckin gu-" Kenshin muttered but stopped seeing Marina's and Reina's face.

Both of them looked scared out of their minds. Kenshin glanced at Kazuhiko, seeing an angry, but defeated look. "...Is that him?" Kenshin asked Kazuhiko.

"Yeah." Kazuhiko said.

"Alright then, my next course of action is obvious." Kenshin said getting out of the booth.

"H-Hey, Zetta wai-!" Marina tried to stop him.

"And uh...who might you be, this is a high end cabaret, your pockets gotta be deep if you're renting out the whole damn joint." Kenshin said walking up to the small crowd.

"Shows what you know boy, this here is the leader of the Yorigami Plague organization. The man with the Golden Touch, Alph- what the fuck are you doing?!"

Kenshin yawned as he held a saucer with a donut on it in his left hand while his right held a small dipper bowl, pouring white donut glaze onto the donut. "Oh this? Just an accurate representation of what you're doing to Alpha there, I'm even adding extra because I can feel more of it coming from you, right on to his Long John there buddy."

"Pfft!" Kazuhiko had stop himself from laughing.

"Here ya go buddy." Kenshin said throwing the donut right at the man's face.

"Motherfu-!"

"Calm down." Alpha said. "I recognize that voice. Hello Zettai Sesshoumaru. We spoke on the phone."

"I vaguely remember telling you to blow me." Kenshin pulled out a pinwheel and blew on it. "My answer's not changed."

"Unfortunate...I could make you a very wealthy man." Alpha said with an amused smile.

"Sorry...I'm not for sale...but I've got a bit of personal beef with you, in addition to what I was just told." Kenshin said.

"Oh?" Alpha said.

"See Alpha...at my core I'm a really simple guy. I go into work, go to wherever home is at the time after having collected my check, in turn my job keeps my family's whereabouts secret." Kenshin said. "But I recently put in for a vacation...or a sabbatical if you will. Just wanna enjoy some down time with my family, maybe finally make a move on this cute girl I've had my eye on, but then...there's motherfuckers like you...and the bitches you roll with that pull the bullshit you pull, that I can't even mention because it's just too fuckin vile." Kenshin said.

"Man get the fuck outta here with all th-"

(Slam!)

Kenshin's fist planted the man he threw a glazed donut at into the floor. Kenshin scowled at Alpha with a smirk. "Months and months of almost back to back missions...and you're the reason my vacation got cut short?! Merely a small addition to what you did to Angeal and planned to do to your own fucking daughter, so you better throw them hands up right fucking NOW!"

"..." Alpha glanced at the man planted in the floor before turning to the crowd of patrons who had no doubt either heard Kenshin and Marina talking or the word had spread from those that did. He spotted a familiar head of blonde hair and smirked holding up his hand. "I know when I'm licked Sesshou I'd rather not get into a bar brawl with the likes of you...but I'm really just here to pick up something that belongs to me."

Kenshin narrowed his eye. "Something that belongs to you."

"Marina run." Kazuhiko said under his breath trying to pull her out of the booth and shoo her toward the back.

"Aah, there it is..." Alpha smirked. "Shiiiiiiiooonnnn..."

"!" Marina's body went stock still.

"Come here...and put a knife in this cat boy's back for me."

"..." Wordlessly Marina rushed Kenshin from behind, snatching a knife off one of the tables.

"..." Kenshin turned and jammed two fingers into her mouth, touching the roof. He turned back to Alferious and scowled angrily. "An Absolute Obedience seal...you really are the fucking worst." Kenshin said as a purple aura flowed through his fingertips. "There's only two places that seal can be applied. The forehead and roof of the mouth."

"Aaagh?!" Marina gasped as Kenshin removed his fingers.

"Sorry about that Rina." Kenshin said.

"R-Rina?" Marina said.

"Hn?! Grh! Shion, attack him!" Alpha ordered.

"Fuck off!" Marina shouted. "God I've wanted to say that for so fucking long! FUCK!" She then paused and looked down at herself. "Wait...how was I...?"

"Heh." Kenshin smirked. "While it's tricky to break, if one is strong enough. They can overload the seal and take possession of it for themselves." Kenshin said. "Now then...like I said...throw your fucking hands up."

"Tch!" Alpha's arm shot out to his side, seemingly about to order his men to attack.

"Ahem..." Yurie cleared her throat walking up to them. She then pointed her gun at Alpha's face. "Alpha, you have ten minutes to march the hell out of my cabaret and the fuck out of my city. I've abided your presence long enough." She scowled.

Kazuhiko walked up behind Marina and cracked his knuckles. "Consider this my resignation. I was only looking for work when you found me awhile back and after I found out about what you were doing I only stayed to help Marina get away from you, I'll find other work you sick freak."

"...Che." Alpha scowled. "Fine, but don't think this is the last you've seen of me Sesshou. You're a marked man now." He turned and corralled his men and women to leave.

"Oh excuse me while I quake in my shoes." Kenshin said flipping him double birds as he left. "I was already a marked man."

"Whew...thank you for that Zetta." Yurie said.

"No problem." Kenshin said before clapping his hands together a few times. "Alright everyone, the trouble's up outta here, back to having a good time eh?!" He said with a smile.

The other patrons shrugged and everyone went back to their own devices. Kenshin, Marina and Kazuhiko went back to their booth, only to see Reina curled into a ball, shaking.

"R-Reina!" Marina said moving in to check on her.

"Please don't let him find me, please don't let him find me...!"

"..." Kenshin reached over and pat Reina comfortingly on the shoulder. "Reina, look up at me."

"..." Reina looked up at Kenshin with tears rolling down her face.

Kenshin smiled at her. "Like I said. I'll stay around as long as you need me to."

"..." Marina looked over at Kenshin, wide eyed.

"...OK...Mr. Ken Ken." Reina nodded, wiping her eyes.

"There we go, now give us a smile." Kenshin grinned.

"U-Un!" Reina smiled

Kenshin and Kazuhiko sat down and Kenshin turned as he felt Marina grab his wrist. "What is it?"

"Thank you." Marina said.

Kenshin shook his head. "Don't worry about it." He said leaning back, sipping another shot and chasing it down. "So...onto lighter matters, why are you working as a hostess?" Kenshin asked.

"Actually I wanted her to work as a waitress seeing as she insisted she work a job to 'earn her keep'" Yurie said making Kenshin look at her. "I rolled my eyes at her at first, saying I didn't need a reason to help out my own daughter, but still she insisted. It's when patrons noticed her positive energy that I begrudingly made her a hostess.

"..." Kenshin batted an eye at Marina, getting a good look at her. "Yeah...I don't think it was her energy they were noticing."

(smack!)

Yurie smacked Kenshin over the head. "Watch it Zetta."

"Just speakin the modest truth Madome." Kenshin said.

"I know what they were really noticing but you don't have to say it." Marina said with narrowed eyes.

"Exactly." Yurie sighed.

"My bad." Kenshin said. "Also, Rina could you open your mouth up."

"E-Eh? Why?" Marina said with a blush.

"I might have had my claws out,ready to skin that jackass alive when I reached in to overload the seal." Kenshin said. "I have to make a motion and make an intended request to order you and I'm not gonna do that."

"Oh..." Marina said sighing a bit before opening her mouth wide.

"Hrmm..." Kenshin looked at the roof of her mouth. "Hm...no, good. You can close now."

"Thank you...having the inside of my mouth looked at so intently is embarrassing." Marina said.

"I've heard that before, but never paid it any mind...is it really?" Kenshin asked.

"Haa...I'm assuming anyone you've asked just got embarrassed or offended...but it's very unflattering...and puts people on the spot when you're not a dentist." Marina said. "I mean, what if you noticed that I slacked off brushing my teeth today. I didn't, but still. On another note, people often expect to get stared at for other reasons...like what people really might have been noticing about me that led me to being a hostess."

Kenshin felt small under her gaze as she explained her reasoning. "Wh-When you put it that way...you have a point. I'm sorry."

"Haa..." Marina sighed before closing her eyes with a smile. "Relax. I wasn't meaning for that to come off as a verbal lashing, and you actually had good reasoning."

"..." Kenshin's face lit up faintly, seeing this expression. He shook it off and nodded.

The memory paused and the scenery faded. "Yeah I can see why he cut it off there." Marina said. "Not much else happened after that. Just idle small talk while Kenshin actually got slammed that night."

"He got drunk in front of a child?" Seekvaira asked.

"Oh he didn't intend to. Someone pulled a prank on him and swapped his last shot with a shot of Everclear. He knew it the moment he slammed the glass down." Marina said. "In his words he said. 'Welp...I'm waking up with a hangover tomorrow.'

"Oh fuck, that is just dirty." Minagi laughed. "I love it!"

"Haa..." Saja sighed. "I'm sorry about her."

"Hey don't apologize for me!" Minagi snapped.

"What was really funny was after last call when he tried leaving only for Rei Rei to remind him he told her he wouldn't leave as long as she needed him. I forget what he retorted with but I put the issue to rest by just smiling at him asking if he was really going to break his word to her. That seemed to get the point across." Marina said.

"What do you know this memory's actually the next day." Negi said raising the orb up again and the scenery came to life of a two bedroom apartment with a couch in the living room, Marina was in the kitchen dressed in a short sleeved yellow shirt with a black apron, and a pair of purple shorts. Her hair was clipped to the side to keep it out of her eyes while Kenshin was knocked out on the couch. Also on the couch, on top of Kenshin, curled up on Kenshin's torso was Reina who was wearing blue pajamas.

"..." Marina glanced over at them and smiled. "I got to say, Reina really warmed up quickly to him. I wonder if she walked in here half asleep and climbed on top of him.

"Hnnn..." Kenshin grunted as his eyes cracked open. "I swear to whatever god is listening that I'm gonna kill the guy who pranked me with Everclear." Kenshin groaned. "This fucking suuuuuccckkks...:

While watching the memory Ilias and Alipheese glanced at each other. "I wonder if we count?" Alipheese asked.

"I mean we are listening right now." Ilias pointed out with an amused smile.

Kenshin tried to get up only to take notice of Reina. "What the...? Why's Reina here?"

"Well she lives here of course." Marina said.

Kenshin froze and slowly turned his head to her. "Uuuhh...you live in a motel?"

Marina sent him an unamused glare. "A motel? Zetta, you're in my apartment. Did you seriously black out last night?"

"...Oh yeaaahhh..." Kenshin said as the memories slowly came back to him. "Uuuggghh..." Kenshin groaned.

"Rei Rei's actually a heavy sleeper so you can just scooch out from under her if you want." Marina said.

"..." Kenshin slid out from underneath the girl and covered her up with the blanket he had been covered up with. He the placed the cat plushie he'd given to her the night before next to her. He then walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table. Marina placed an egg and some spices in front of him on a saucer. "Thank you..." Kenshin said cracking the egg in half, depositing the yolk in one half of the shell before adding the spices and swishing the yolk back and forth between the two halves. "Haa..." With a sigh he tipped the yolk back and swallowed. "Bleeeghh..." Kenshin shivered.

"Just hang tight, breakfast is almost done." Marina said.

"Just to be clear...we didn't...do anything did we?" Kenshin asked holding his head.

"Absolutely not." Marina said.

Kenshin blinked. "...Gee try not to sound so offended by it."

"Well, my daughter is home." Marina said.

"True...sorry." Kenshin said. "My head is pounding."

Marina brought two plates over and set one in front of him. "It's fine. Eat up."

"Mm?" Kenshin bit into the sausage first and blinked. "Wow...this is really good..." Kenshin said as he ate at a subdued, polite pace, there were more eggs, bacon, a couple of pancakes and shredded potatoes on the plate. "Like, REALLY good."

"Thanks. I'm a little confident in my ability to cook." Marina said handing him a cup of water and a pill.

"Wha? I don't need a headache pill." Kenshin said.

"Relax, it's just a vitamin supplement." Marina said. Kenshin nodded and took it. "Whew...thank you, I feel better already." Kenshin said moving to wipe his face on his sleeve when Marina smacked his hand. "W-Wha? What'd I do?" Kenshin asked.

"Use the hand towel next to the plate." Marina scolded.

"...R-Right." Kenshin said.

The two continued to eat. "What about Reina?" Kenshin said gesturing to his plate.

"I'll wake her up in a bit." Marina said. "She's probably had a long few days, let her rest."

Kenshin nodded. "Well, camping out under the stars is fine for me, but yeah a child like her needs the comfort of a home."

"Yes." Marina said with a smile. "But what about your comfort of a home?"

"...Huh?" Kenshin arched his brow.

"I mean you said yourself last night. You're on the grind more often than not." Marina said. "You secured a home for your family, but not yourself."

"..." Kenshin prodded the eggs with his fork a bit. "I can't afford to be in one place for long."

"Did you forget that I've been scrubbing your whereabouts from the places you've been?" Marina asked.

"Why though?" Kenshin asked.

"..." It was Marina's turn to be silent for a moment. "Zetta, promise me you won't get upset."

"..." Kenshin looked at her curiously. "OK...why?"

"...I have access to your personal files." Marina said.

"!" Kenshin had to stop himself from shouting. "You...You what...?" He said through gritted teeth.

"Yeah..." Marina said. "But there is a good reason for it."

"And what's that?" Kenshin asked with a frustrated glare.

"Do you remember when you almost crashed out on the other leaders of Rikudou a couple of years back?" Marina asked.

"...Vaguely." Kenshin said.

"And then later you started receiving texts and phone calls from an anonymous source using a voice masker." Marina said.

"I asked Vesper about that after the first text. He said I had been assigned a therapist." Kenshin said with an arched brow. "A therapist? Me? There's not a shrink qualified enough to deal with this hot mess."

"Oh my god is that what they called me?" Marina groaned.

"...Huh?" Kenshin arched his brow.

"When they explained it to me, they just told me to talk to you as someone you could vent to, someone who might know a little bit about what you're going through." Marina said. "Why would a hot mess like me play therapist to anyone."

"..." Kenshin stared at her before his head bowed forward.

"Zetta?" Marina said, a little worried.

"Pff..." Kenshin held back a snort, but could not help the laugh that slipped out of his mouth. "OK, wow...I am trying so hard not to wake Rei Rei up right now, but that. Is. Hilarious." Kenshin snickered.

"Hilarious?" Marina said. "You're not mad?"

"Not anymore." Kenshin continued snickering. "You can't make that shit up. So you've been the person I've been venting to the past couple of years. I'm still irritated that Vesper leaked my personal file, cause he told me that shit was confidential, but at least your actions came from a good place and that would explain the sudden drop offs."

"..." Marina started giggled a bit. "It is all a little funny when you put it that way."

"Also." Kenshin said as they finished their food. "Don't worry about compensating us for anything. Rikudou I mean. I'm sure everyone there would agree to pro bono this job."

"You're sure?" Marina asked.

"Don't you remember? Last night I said we don't condone what Alpha was doing. For us to accept payment, after knowing what he's done to you. It would leave a stain on our collective consciences." Kenshin said as he got up and took the dishes.

"What are you doing?" Marina asked turning toward Kenshin in her seat as he walked toward the sink.

"You cooked. I'll clean up." Kenshin said.

"..." Marina blinked, processing what he had said to her. She got up and approached him. "You're awfully well mannered with others, just not when it pertains to yourself."

"Yeah, that's what having the Crimson Pair for parents will do for ya." Kenshin chuckled. "Well the first part anyway"

"Huh...I didn't think about that, you really are the offspring of two heroes." Marina said. "At first I thought the legal name was just an odd coincidence."

"Haha. That's one hell of a coincidence not gonna lie." Kenshin laughed.

"So then...would you care if I called you Ken Ken then?" Marina asked with a smile.

"...!" Kenshin turned his attention back to the dishes, but the faint flush on his face was unmistakable.

"Well?" Marina asked.

"D...Do whatever you want." Kenshin said.

"Hehe, you're blushing." Marina teased.

"Shut it, I am not!" Kenshin said.

The dishes didn't take that long to finish and Kenshin dried his hands. Marina looked in the cabinets only to curse. "Right, I was supposed to go shopping today. Good thing I made a list."

"Hand it here." Kenshin said.

"Wha? Ken Ken, I can't ask you to do the shopping for me." Marina said.

"Look, you still have to wake Reina up for breakfast anyway. You know how to rouse her from her sleep. I don't." Kenshin said. "If she asks where I am just tell her the truth. You have me running errands and I'll be right back."

"Haa..." Marina sighed in acceptance. "Alright. Here." Marina said taking a list off her fridge and handing it to him.

"I thank you." Kenshin said, but paused, staring at her for a bit.

"W-What?" Marina said, this time feeling put on the spot, her face flushing a bit.

"I-I'm sorry, but this has been bugging me since last night. Is that silver circle in your iris supposed to mark off your pupils?" Kenshin asked. "Also why are your pupils red?"

"I-I have no idea." Marina said, feeling a little defensive.

"Right Right, rude of me to ask...but what I really wanted to say is...it honestly looks positively radiant." Kenshin said with a smile.

"!" Marina's face flared as she pushed him toward the door. "D-Don't you go putting the moves on me. I'm too old for you."

"Not really. In this world I'm recognized as a full adult. Why else you think I was getting liquor last night?" Kenshin asked with his exposed eye closed, a nonchalant grin on his face. "You're literally only like three and a half years to four years older than me."

"D-Don't care, just get out of here." Marina said shoving him out the door.

"Tcheheheh." Kenshin chuckled as he walked down the street.

"Kenshin, that was great." Mirai said, an amused tone in his voice.

"Right?!" Ryuujin laughed.

"While I agree with the logic behind the tease. I don't really agree with the intent." Arika said.

"What? I was just havin' fun." Kenshin thought.

Kenshin lit up a smoke as he proceeded down the street. "Ahem..."

"Huh?" Kenshin looked around.

"Ahem...down here." Kenshin looked down seeing a black cat walking next to him. He paused and took the smoke out from between his lips and stared at it, wondering if Daniel had given him weed laced with shroom dust. "I'm not a hallucination, I'm merely possessing an animal." The cat said.

"Ok good. For a second there I thought I was legitimately losing it or this blunt was laced cause I know I'm not in Makai." Kenshin said making the youkai present watching the memory laugh. "Can I help you?"

"Perhaps." The cat said. "I'm looking for a man."

"...You sound like one too...but hey..I don't judge." Kenshin said.

"Not in that sense, I'm happily married." The cat deadpanned. "I'm looking for a man named Alferious Mammon."

"Never heard of him." Kenshin said.

"Obviously. He's in hiding." The cat said. "I only bring this up to you because your surname bares significance in my world Kuro-"

"Shh! Shh! Shh! Don't go casually droppin my name out here, I have anonymity to keep in tact and shit." Kenshin said with a panicked look.

"...My apologies. As for my name, please call me ..Cifer." The cat said.

"Cifer?" Kenshin asked.

"No. My name is...Cifer...echs" The cat repeated.

"Cifer Echs?" Kenshin asked.

"...Just Cifer." Cifer said with a sigh. "Seems my possession is distorting because of the vast distance between our worlds."

"Yet you just spit that whole ass sentence." Kenshin said.

"I had to use mana and great concentration to make that happen." Cifer said. "This conversation alone is giving me a headache and I'm strapped for time as it is."

"OK..." Kenshin said. "So...what did this Alferious Mammon do?"

"A lot of heinous acts that I really don't have time to go over. Just know that I'm trying to bring him back to my world to face justice." Cifer said.

"...I see." Kenshin nodded. "Well Cifer. I can't make any promises that I'll find the guy, but I'll keep my eyes and ears close to the ground, but if I do find him, we'll discuss payment at that point.."

"Thank you, It is appreciated and do not worry I don't expect you to work without compensation." Cifer said. "Have to cut this short before the possession breaks. The cat will stay close by."

"Right, see ya around." Kenshin said.

The memory stopped there and Rias crossed her arms under her chest with a curious look. "Was that my brother?"

"It did sound like the cat was trying to say Lucifer Sirzechs." Sona said.

"Sirzechs-Sama had an arrangement going with Kenshin even back then?" Issei wondered.

"..." Yukari looked over at Marina. "So...you and Kenshin had met in the past, why the voice masking though?"

"I was voice masking him so no one would put two and two together, but there wasn't any getting around it being two way." Marina said.

"Oh...right." Yukari said with a nod but had a question. "Wait, where's Reina right now?"

"Oh, Sage is watching them." Forbesii said. "Both Reina and Lord Sirzechs' son."

"Grayfia will be back sometime tonight. When she heard we had been attacked she almost rushed over then and there, but we told her Kenshin had handled it." Zeoticus said.

"Man we can't be getting caught slipping like that though." Miyuki said. "We got lucky that Onii-Chan was able to handle it, but who knows what else might happen in the future."

"Agreed." Everyone nodded.

"Also, uhm...Miss Ilias." Konoka said making the Primordial of Light look over at her curiously. "How is Miss Lucifina doing? She still seemed tired."

"Oh. Um..her mana levels are stable, but for actual condition..." Ilias said.

"I can answer that." Promestein said. "Lucifina's body has been on the verge of death for quite a long time. We can restore her mana, but it still needs time to regulate...that said."

Micaela let out a sigh before smiling. "Don't be surprised if she wakes up and immediately wants to fight Kenshin."

"Oh I forgot about that. She was honestly as bad as Ragnarok with fighting sometimes." Tamamo said.

"Honestly, he'd probably be up for that." Yukari said with an amused laugh.

Negi looked at the orb. "Well, let's get on to the next one."

(break)

Meanwhile.

With Kenshin and Ophis.

"So, what brings you here?" Void Infinity asked Kenshin. "With my former source at that."

"Former?" Kenshin asked.

"Now that you're here I suppose I can peel back the curtain back a bit." Void Infinity said. "Remember how it was said that Ragnarok cleaved off part of Ophis' soul and consumed it, only to have to expel it before his fated confrontation with Yama that led to his demise?"

"...That still doesn't explain how she's your former source." Kenshin said.

"I'm still just a sliver, but the power is all there." Void Infinity said. "Every time I have to reattach to her or him...whichever... only to get cleaved off again."

"They're right." Ophis said. "Though I'm not sure what they mean with the second part."

Void Infinity smiled faintly. "Now answer my question. What brings you here?"

"Did you really make the same deal with The Almighty?" Kenshin said. "If so, HOW?"

"Ah, looking underneath my deception." Void Infinity said. "It's true however, both times. The false hood is the unspoken implication that I made the deal with Yahweh under the name of Ophis. She, I and that Lilith out there are all one in the same, born from Infinity and the Void of Nothingness. Thus...I am Void Infinity."

"How many pieces?" Kenshin asked.

"Why don't you wait till his daughter keys you into Zebel? Lovely place by the way." Void Infinity said.

"Fine. What I really wanted to ask is...are you going to go right back to tempting me to sell you my Being again." Kenshin asked.

The faint smile disappeared as Void Infinity closed their eyes. "No."

"No? Seems unlike you, since you were doing it the entire time since you offered me the deal." Kenshin said.

"..." Void Infinity opened his eyes to gaze at Kenshin. "Because it is not yet time for you to make any more payments."

"I won't be making anymore payments period." Kenshin scoffed.

"Never stopped you before." Void Infinity said.

"And what the hell's that supposed to mean?!" Kenshin shouted.

"When I threw you that bone and gave you the way to save your sisters. That wasn't the first time we had met." Void Infinity said.

"..." Kenshin scowled. "You're not making any sense."

"If you use that lump of greymatter in your skull for a moment, you find it actually does." Void Infinity said. "Or better yet. Look in a mirror and take a good long look at your left eye."

"..." Kenshin narrowed his eyes. "My left eye? Wait..." Kenshin's eyes slowly widened.

"I see it's starting to come together." Void Infinity said. "Your pal and former enemy Mirai, or Yondai was from another dimension and universe entirely. Yet his home too was swallowed by the Corruption."

"!" Kenshin looked at Void Infinity in shock. "He fought Trihexa?! Why did he never-"

"The Corruption comes in many faces. You've seen this yourself. Though I will concede that Trihexa is by far the Corruption's strongest face..He likely didn't mention anything because he could no longer remember it. Likely a memory wipe from Yama...but there is one person who does remember...his student."

"His student? Yama's? Wait..." Kenshin narrowed his eyes in thought. "Surely you don't mean Mirai's-."

"Yes, steeped in the same loving relationship you have with the her of this dimension. Godai." Void Infinity said.

"Yukari did mention that Godai had gone quiet when I disappeared..." Kenshin said.

"Likely because she feared the worst. That you didn't make it and had died to the Forbesii of the era of the Schismatic War in Mundus Magicus." Void Infinity said. "See, the you of this dimension was supposed to initiate Rikudou's Clean Slate protocol, lose to Negi Springfield who had resolved to not only save Mundus Magicus as well as find her father, but to clear your name as well, thus canceling the need for the Clean Slate."

"..." Kenshin closed his eyes. "She would have been hard pressed, but seeing how things have turned out. It wasn't impossible, just highly improbable."

Void Infinity went on. "Meanwhile, while she's doing that. You were supposed to go to Makai. Fuse with your half soul Luka, who would be a lot more amicable to the idea, Meet Alipheese Fateburn the Sixteenth shortly thereafter, resolve various issues around Makai, pass the Yonseirei's trials, beat the Grand Cardinals who were still loyal to Forbesii at the time out of subjugation and fully kick off and later win the Youkai Revolution. During this time, you would also develop a deep connection to the Demon Queen Alice XVI which you consummate by..."

"Having children?" Kenshin said.

"No, by marrying her and becoming the Seventeenth Demon King." Void Infinity said. "No sense keeping this from you now, damage already done."

"You talk as if my future was already predetermined. I've made a living off denying predetermined futures." Kenshin said.

"Not predetermined, merely the most likely. What path we might be following is the least likely...because of it's sheer chaotic unpredictability." Void Infinity said. "I'm not going to tempt you, because I have a vested interest in seeing how you walk down this path...but might I tell you how close you came to seeing this path to fruition? The one I just described a bit ago?"

"No...if it's not relevant to what's going on and I've averted it's occurrence then it doesn't matter." Kenshin said.

Void Infinity cracked a dull smile. "That sounds like something you'd say. Still though...a path were you become King of Makai is nice is it not? I mean you're on good terms with Taiyoukai Council of Makai."

"Yeah it does, don't get me wrong, but you realize it also gives Alice all the leeway in the world to wring me till I'm dry like she did when I got her pregnant...ALOT more often." Kenshin said with an amused smile. "In addition to everyone else. Because I assume I'd still have Negi, Yukari, Miyuki, Kono-Chan, Secchan, Iris and Atsuki and the Four Spirits as well. Then there's the fact that Alma Elma, Granberia, and Erubetie would probably all want pieces of me too because I did not hear you mention the Underworld ONCE so I'm led to believe that I never go to Kuoh and Issei still somehow survives, but never meets Erubetie and Granberia never meets Vali." Kenshin said.

"Hahahahaha." Void Infinity laughed. "Well as one added note, that path didn't have you arriving to the Underworld until recently, but you arrived WAY ahead of schedule. With a much more stable Youkai Faction. Makai never feels the necessity to involve itself with the Mythical Alliance beyond Kyoto, up until the attack on the Underworld and the later founding of DxD where you take an interest in the Heavenly Dragons. Your presence being necessitated by your wife, Tamamo and even the Dark Goddess who you, yourself freed. However as a side effect any of the women you had attracted to you in the Underworld would go to become enamoured with either of the Two Heavenly Dragons."

"Yeah, I kinda figured, but I'm here now, anyway I got all my questions answered for now and I imagine you're probably sleepy, you always seemed so tired whenever we talked in the past. Come on Ophis." Kenshin said.

"Take care of those two." Void Infinity said as Kenshin and Ophis turned and started walking out.

"Pardon?" Kenshin said.

"The red eyed woman and her daughter." Void Infinity clarified. "When I took your Being of Pain that night...I also inherited the pain you felt that night."

"..." Kenshin closed his eyes. "I see."

"Also, contrary to what you might be thinking. I am only here to help you." Void Infinity said.

Kenshin snapped his fingers and Void Infinity changed into a male version of what Ophis looked like. "Then wear a different image. I'm a little tired of people running around wearing my face."

"Heheheh...very well." Void Infinity said as they went to float in midair and fell asleep.

Kenshin and Ophis left and Ophis turned to Kenshin. "I didn't want to mention this because in the end it was irrelevant...but that's why it was so easy and quick to make your body when Great Red and I were reconstructing yours and Issei's bodies. You already had them inside your soul."

Kenshin smiled. "It's OK. I don't mind really, but I do wonder...how big a scale are we dealing with when it comes to the Corruption?"

"I do not know." Ophis said. "However...there is one thing.."

"What's that?" Kenshin asked.

"The Primordials...their origins are steeped in chaos." Ophis said. "Ever since I saw your soul surrounded by the Elements, by Life itself. I started thinking more and more about it. Life taking personal form, death becoming more than a concept through the Gods of Death and it's Primordial. Light and Dark taking physical form. Something being born from nothing, Dreams and Reality taking physical shape. The only one I can't pin down is the Primordial of Being other than Being merely being an Idea...but I feel like HE existed even before that."

"Hrm...some of us less so than others...I'm sorry, but I can't see you being chaotic...and I don't even really know Zen, the Primordial of Reality like that. Kenshin said. "But I mean look at each potential Primordial of Life. Our origins are mired in chaos. Ragnarok was an outcast because of a power he couldn't control before meeting Alipheese who was born in and from Darkness. Heinrich was a whole human before his fated encounter with Mary Fateburn, the infamous, yet tragic Black Alice. Shin fought alongside Alice's mother in a previous Youkai Rebellion and I don't think I have to go over Dad and I."

"Yes..." Ophis nodded.

"It does give me a lot to think about...thanks Ophis." Kenshin said as they walked back to the white expanse only to see a dome. "Huh, they must be in the middle of a memory. Wonder which one it is."

"Mmn..." Ophis nodded. "Eh?" She said seeing Kenshin phasing in and out.

"Who's trying to pull me out of here? Agh, be right back." Kenshin said disappearing.

Kenshin came to, and saw the angelic woman he had just saved with Draco's help. "Lucifina?" Kenshin said with an arched brow.

"Come with me." Lucifina said.

Kenshin got up and followed after her. "Aren't you still tired?"

"Mm, I adjust quicker than Prommy thinks." Lucifina said as they walked through the Gremory mansion's garden.

Kenshin glanced at her. She was currently wearing a white dress with a black bodice and a blue half jacket of sorts with white fur lining. "Well, whatever you say. I'd still take it easy for a bit."

"I have no intention of over exerting myself right now...contrary to what my sisters and Mother might be thinking." Lucifina said.

"Hm?" Kenshin said. "And that would be?"

"They probably think I'm going to hop right out of bed and try to fight you." Lucifina said.

"..." Kenshin blinked curiously. "Well, another one to pencil in for a fight." He shrugged.

"Hm?" Lucifina glanced curiously at him.

"What?" Kenshin said.

"Nothing." Lucifina said with an peaceful, yet amused smile. "Still might I ask you something?"

"Shoot." Kenshin said.

"Why do the Dragons of the Elements seem to emulate my techniques?" Lucifina asked. "Flash Kill, Heavenly Demon Revival, Ninefold Rakshasa, they're all sword play techniques I invented."

"I mean, they're great battle techniques." Kenshin said.

"It just always seemed odd to me that youkai would use them though." Lucifina said. "Considering back in the Divine Wars, or the Great Youkai Conflict we were at odds."

"Well really it's only Ragnarok who taught my sisters and I. Heinrich doesn't really count because he only learned them after fighting me." Kenshin said.

"Well, as the inventor. I will say you have mastered the techniques." Lucifina said. "But why do you not use the Daystar technique?"

"I can only pull that off with the Tsurugi no Kami and using it is inadvisable right now." Kenshin said. "I did use it as inspiration for my workaround on Ragnarok's Inferno Pulse."

"Mm..." Lucifina said, stroking her chin in thought.

"Now may I ask you something?" Kenshin asked.

"Hm?" Lucifina glanced at him questioningly.

"Why'd you fight Yama?" Kenshin asked.

"Ah..." Lucifina paused, narrowing her eyes looking at the ground forlornly. "I can only assume you mean during the Great Youkai Conflict..." She let out a sigh looking ahead. "We just met and...that's a personal issue for me."

Kenshin was unoffended and even smiled at her. "If you don't want to talk about it right now, I get it. We all got our personal stuff, but if you ever want to, I'll hear you out."

"Hmn." Lucifina nodded and brushed her hair from her eyes smiling. "Thank you."

Kenshin and Lucifina continued their walk when Kenshin paused. "Ah, wait." Kenshin reached into his seals and pulled out Angel Halo. "Do you want this back?"

"...What the hell happened to it?" Lucifina asked with narrowed eyes. "That is NOT the Angel Halo I remember forging."

"..." Kenshin tossed a mirror behind him and caught it with his tail. "Heinrich." Kenshin said as the mirror reflected his face.

"When I charged the Divine Realms after Mary's or Alipheese the Eighth's death. I was looking to kill Yama, but Ilias' choirs kept barring my path...I stopped counting after six hundred." Heinrich said. "Then Ilias struck me down."

"So their holy mana shaped into these melted looking angels over my blade?" Lucifina said. "Well...it's strange, but whatever I guess."

"Huh?" Kenshin and Heinrich both said.

"What?" Lucifina asked.

"That's...odd coming from the Second Angel Ilias ever created." Heinrich said.

"No kidding." Kenshin said. "Considering who you are, I figured you'd be pissed."

"Well, they're the ones who couldn't see the truth." Lucifina said. "I mean I imagine you were calling Yama out by name, right?"

"I mean, yeah." Heinrich said.

"Then they did it to themselves. Am I saddened for their fates? Sure, but if cooler heads had prevailed. Heinrich you'd probably have gotten to Yama, but probably still would have perished."

"Yeah probably." Heinrich said. "Bastard is tricky."

"Hmm..." Lucifina donned a thoughtful expression.

"Wha?" Kenshin asked.

"Nothing...it's just your mana nature...it feels so...chaotic." Lucifina said. "Almost like it doesn't even know what it wants to be."

"Wait, you mean like my innate nature?" Kenshin asked.

"I can also tell that this was not always the case." Lucifina said.

"Well..." Kenshin went to say.

"No I heard enough about your resurrection from Yama and Ragnarok. Your body's physiology isn't the reason." Lucifina said. "Hmm..."

"Weird." Kenshin said as they arrived back in front of the Gremory mansion.

"Well, it can be figured out later." Lucifina said.

"Alright, well they're expecting me to still be in there, so if you want to keep enjoying the scenery go for it." Kenshin said.

"Thank you, I will." Lucifina nodded.

(break)

At the same time.

"So this memory is just Kenshin walking through the city again to start." Issei said.

"I guess? I'm obviously not here so I can't comment." Marina said.

"Zetta." The Kenshin in the memory turned to see Yurie approaching him.

"What's up Madome?" Kenshin asked.

"First off, enough of that Madome stuff. I only accepted that from Adrien because he meant to flatter, you're just trying be overly respectful and that's not like you." Yurie said.

"Force of habit." Kenshin sighed with a smile.

"..." Yurie smiled at him. "It's fine I suppose, so you've been here for a week. How are you adjusting?"

"Oh, you know me, it takes me a night to adjust to a new place, but after that? Smooth sailing." Kenshin said. "Rina's actually super nice."

"Rina?" Yurie said.

"Oh. She and Rei Rei call me Ken Ken, so I call Marina, Rina." Kenshin said.

Yurie closed her eyes, her smile widening. "I see. How cute."

"Eh." Kenshin shrugged. "Can't be going hard all the time."

"So what are you doing?" Yurie asked.

"Oh, I'm actually heading to your office actually Magistrate. If I'm gonna be here for awhile. I might as well help Rina bring money in." Kenshin said.

"So you were looking for some oddjobs...well there are places that need help around here, but at night why don't you work at the cabaret?" Yurie asked.

"What like the Emcee?" Kenshin asked. "But isn't the place only a cabaret in name only, it's kind of more of a hostess bar."

"True, we don't have very many music performers but we do have them." Yurie said. "In the meantime you could just act as like the barback or as a bouncer. All I'm saying is it would give you a chance to keep an eye on Marina more closely."

"Hm..." Kenshin stroked his chin in thought. "Well, OK. In the meantime I could just leave a clone to watch over and play with Rei Rei."

"Excellent." Yurie said clapping her hands together with a smile. "Still don't take too many daily jobs, everyone pulls from the job pool at my office that doesn't have steady work. Besides Reina will get lonely if both of you are either asleep or out."

"Thanks for the tip." Kenshin said. The two strolled into a park and sat down at a table.

"...You didn't have to follow me, I usually come to the park to relax during my break." Yurie said as she reached over into a cooler and pulled out two drinks, one of which she handed to Kenshin.

"Eh, Rina and Rei Rei are napping, so I left a clone to watch over them, they'll probably be awake by the time I get back." Kenshin said waving her off.

"Ah." Yurie said. "Well...I guess seeing as you're here...I would like to get something off my chest...something that I only talked about with Marina last month...but I still feel like she let me off the hook too easily."

"What's up?" Kenshin asked.

Watching the memory, Marina stared at her mother's image. "...It's not your fault that bastard Alferious got one over on you and Dad...you two were just desperate...and that made you easy to take advantage of..." She sighed.

"Huh?" Akeno said. "Marina-San, what do you mean by that?"

"You'll see...but please everyone, hold your judgment of my mother until the end." Marina said.

"Well, if you're comfortable divulging this information, go ahead, but is Rina OK with this?" Kenshin asked.

"She doesn't know I'm telling you...but I would rather you either hear it from her or I before you hear it the wrong way from Alpha." Yurie said. "Besides, you'd probably want to know sooner or later because of the job she hired you for...honestly I am glad Rikudou sent you. You're probably the only person who'd understand her."

"..." Kenshin glanced upward. "We'll see...but go ahead."

"When we had Marina, her father Adrien and I were honestly elated...even given how young we both were." Yurie said. "She had her father's hair and attitude, but my kindness and eyes." She said. "But as she grew and began walking. She displayed a rather unusual gift."

"How unusual we talkin' here?" Kenshin asked.

"Well we drove by a desert with her one time and literally watched it turn into a lush green field." Yurie said. "Almost like it was following us. We got out of our vehicle and it stopped and walked for a bit. It seemed to be on Marina's heels, so we walked ahead for a bit, telling her to stay still. Then called her over...it was following her. We were surprised...shocked even, but she was still our daughter. We still loved her in spite of this oddity."

"As you should." Kenshin said with a smile. "Wait...would this desert turned lush green field happen to be called the Midori Kiseki Pasture?"

"Yes." Yurie confirmed. "To prevent her from being alienated at first we kept it secret, but a passing mage told us it was from a severe lack of mana control and even taught her to control it. He said he needed an excuse to gather information in the area anyway but also mentioned he couldn't cover more than the basics."

"What was the name of the mage? I might know them." Kenshin said.

"He didn't give a name, all I remember was that he was a young man with pale hair." Yurie said.

"Ah, damn...oh well...you were saying." Kenshin said.

Yurie nodded. "It wasn't a harmful ability, but she couldn't control it. Everywhere we tried to live we the same thing happened. Overgrowth. The plantlife spiraled out of control. It broke us financially to keep moving, but we didn't care about us, just so long as Marina was healthy and provided for...but soon she took began to succumb around nine years ago...that's when we met the mage and it stopped...but by then when she was ten the damage was done, we were living in extreme poverty"

"Ten years old.." Kenshin said. "I think I know where this is going..."

"...If you see us in a bad light...I completely understand." Yurie said as tears rolled down her face. "It was then Alpha made his move. He..."

"Krh...let me guess. He played himself off as some kind of philanthropist, offering Marina a better life...and even kicked in a massive care package for you and your husband, the catch being that you had to sign Marina over to him and him alone." Kenshin said.

"...Yes...if I could go back in time I'd have strangled myself for being so fucking stupid." Yurie said. "But being at the end of our ropes, we relented, but asked that he give us updates on how she was doing. He said he would...only to conveniently leave that part out of the contract...and the laws being what they are here...we didn't have a leg to stand on."

"And people wonder why I fucking hate ninety five percent of the people who run shit in this world." Kenshin scoffed. "He probably used and abused the ability Marina had to grow any and every profitable plant he could think of after making Marina study it's make and composition and made a killing while all she got was exhaustion." Kenshin said. "Then..."

"Yes..." Yurie said with a heated scowl as she looked down at the table.

"Man what the fuck is wrong with some people..." Kenshin sighed.

"Zetta...no...Kenshin answer one question for me...Alpha has this strange sort of magic about him, that makes it difficult to take him down...if you two came to blows would you win?"

"I'd WHOOP his ASS!" Kenshin exclaimed before letting out a sigh. "S-Sorry, but I just needed to get that yell out."

"Hmhm..." Yurie closed her eyes with a smile. "It's quite alright. I don't blame you. Thank you for hearing me out..."

Kenshin nodded and got to his feet. "I'll ask Marina what she really thinks."

"Please don't. She'll know I-" Kenshin cut Yurie off.

"She has access to my personal file and history. I'll just tell her 'fair's fair.'" Kenshin shrugged.

"Alright..." Yurie nodded. "I have guards stationed all over the city, so I'll be fine here alone."

"OK." Kenshin said turning and walking away. He took out his communicator and called Rikudou. Vesper answered.

"Yeah?" Vesper said.

"Vesper, be straight with me. Did you put me on this job as sort of a tune down." Kenshin asked.

"The thought did cross my mind." Vesper said with a musing tone. "I know that's not why you called, what's up?"

"Did we ever try to investigate the origins of the Midori Kiseki Pasture and the cause of it?" Kenshin asked.

"We did, but it kept happening at infrequent times across the globe, it was impossible to set up a pattern...the only thing we had to go on was that the source was apparently a child. Why do you ask? That was...hell...you were probably still traveling with your Dad and the Thousand Master's group back then."

"Well I found the source behind it...it was Angeal." Kenshin said.

"Angeal?" Vesper said. "Why would a white hacker have an ability like that?"

"I don't know. I plan on asking her." Kenshin said.

"Oh? The job was to protect her for only a little bit. You thinking of make it longer?" Vesper said.

"I'll probably be here until about a week before Negi graduates." Kenshin sighed. "I hate to do it to her, but I can't leave this half done. Her and her daughter need help."

"Well alright...wait daughter?" Vesper asked.

"The job I got from Mr Midoriya was to deliver that five year old girl to Angeal, who's actual name is Marina Shisui." Kenshin said.

"Marina Shisui...hold up..." Vesper opened a laptop on his end and the clicking of keys was heard, followed by a sharp gasp and the creaking of an office chair as Vesper slumped back into it. "Ain't no mother fucking way..."

"What?" Kenshin asked.

"Marina Shisui is also the name of an infamous Black Hacker named Shion and it says right here that she has a daughter that's five and she's only nineteen! You mean to tell me that some sick FUCK got her pregnant at fourteen or thirteen?!"

"Thirteen." Kenshin confirmed. "I'll ask her about the whole Shion thing...but I need a favor."

"Go for it..." Vesper said. "In the meantime...I-I-I need a fucking drink! Also Daniel's coming up off some smoke for me too!"

"I want everything we have on Alpha Midas sent to my laptop, I'll unseal it when I get back inside. Cause guess who the sick fuck is."

"Kenshin." Vesper said. "Are you planning on doing it? You're going to assassinate him?"

"He gives me the chance and I'm dropping his ass." Kenshin said.

"Good, but also, when this job is over, we need to talk." Vesper said.

"Alright." Kenshin said hanging up the communicator. He made his way back to Marina's apartment and entered only to feel an impact around his legs. "Oof."

"Mr Ken Ken, you're back!" Reina said with cheery tone and bright smile.

"Heya kiddo." Kenshin crouched down and patted her head with a smile. "Were you good while I was out? I left while you and Mama were napping."

"Uh huh!" Reina said.

"Don't listen to that, she was a right brat the whole time you were gone. Running around, making messes, coloring on the wall, the whole bit." Marina stated.

"Mrrrrnnn..." Reina glared childishly at her mother, who immediately couldn't take it and started laughing.

"Hahahaha, OK OK Rei Rei I give I give! You were a perfect little angel." Marina said.

"See, even Mama says so." Reina said.

"Well of course. Mama's just got jokes." Kenshin said. "Anyway I found some work to help bring money in, seeing as you won't let me use that" Kenshin said.

That of course being Kenhsin's money from his Rikudou work. "I told you I'd handle things. Why?" Marina said.

"Well I've never been one to freeload Rina." Kenshin waved her off. "I'll be taking odd jobs during the day, but only one a week. I decided that on my way back, at night I'll be at the cabaret with you...and before you say anything..." Kenshin threw out a substitution stencil and activated it.

"Haaaaa!" Reina let out a gasp with stars in her eyes. "Two Mr Ken Kens!"

"Oh, so you could be in both places at once." Marina said.

"Hahahaha, yup." Both Kenshins laughed before turning to one another deadpanning. "Wow that's annoying." The clone Kenshin went to the living room and played games with Reina. The real one approached Marina. "Can I ask you something?"

"What is it?" Marina asked.

"What's the story behind the name Shion?" Kenshin said.

"..." Marina looked down into the sink before she drained the water. "Can this wait?" Marina asked. "Mom's taking a day off from her magistrate duties to babysit Reina next week...and I want to be alone with you if I'm going to divulge that."

"Sure." Kenshin said with a nod.

The memory ended and everyone turned to Marina. "Marina-San..." Negi said.

"Now do you see why I asked you to hold your judgment?" Marina asked.

"Well yeah...but still..." Koneko said.

"As you're going to see in the next memory, she didn't exactly have ZERO misgivings." Everyone looked to see Kenshin and Ophis walking in.

"Kenshin, did you find out what you needed?" Gabriel asked.

"Yes, but it only raises further questions..." Kenshin said with a pondering look. "Then I got pulled out of here for a walk."

"By who?" Ilias asked.

"Lucifina." Kenshin said. "Also she didn't say it, but she wants it known that she's not THAT predictable."

Ilias, Micaela, Promestein, Alipheese, Tamamo, Saja, Hiruko, Kanon, Kanade and Minagi all sweatdropped. "R-Right..." Ilias said with an abashed laugh.

"Afraid she might start plucking your feathers again?" Promestein asked with a chiding smile.

"Hush you..." Ilias glowered.

Kenshin blinked. "Wait wha?"

"D-Don't worry about it." Ilias said.

"Riiiigghhtt..." Yukari said. "Anyway Kenshin, seeing as you're here, you mind taking over the narration?"

"I mean sure...but I don't think it's necessary." Kenshin said. "But, I do have a question." He turned to Ilias and Alipheese, the Six Ancestors and Micaela and Promestein behind them. "Tamamo and to a lesser extent Kanon, I'm a little confused as to your interest in this."

"Well, we could make the excuse that we're curious to your past as fellow Primordials." Alipheese said before shaking her head. "But still...you, like Ragnarok, don't do things without reason."

"We're just looking to understand you better is all." Ilias said.

"Aaaah, Ken-kun, they just want to know more about you." Konoka said with a cheery smile.

"I'm kinda bored and this passes time." Minagi said.

"Well your sister and I are friends." Hiruko shrugs.

"The way you acted with that devil was filled with venom, pettiness and hatred. The former two aren't like you, and we've heard the stories about this Ialda Baoth person." Kanade said.

"Same as Hiruko, but I am a former Demon Queen myself." Saja said. "Someone who put themselves on the line for Makai, why wouldn't I want to know more about them?"

"Wait, really?" Kenshin said.

"Oh right." Alipheese closed her eyes with a smile. "I was far too busy with the general duties of the War and things before that, so while I AM the founding Demon Queen. Saja is actually the second Demon Queen who took care of the duties of ruling."

"Huh." Kenshin crossed his arms with a slightly surprised expression.

"Basically she's a nepo baby." Promestein said.

"PFFT!" Minagi sputtered into a laughing fit.

"You want to come over here and say that!" Saja shouted angrily.

"Uhm..." Miyuki said. "What's wrong with that?"

"I have to agree." Kenshin said. "Clearly Saja, or Alice II here handled her business. Otherwise Makai wouldn't be here right now."

"..." Saja blinked turning to the two of them.

"There's nothing wrong with it. I'm just picking on her." Promestein laughed.

"Huh, thanks you two." Saja said with a smile. "Though for the future. I prefer to just be called by my actual name, rather than the title."

"Right." Kenshin shrugged. "Also...things before, Alipheese?"

"..." Alipheese closed her eyes. "Another time, but very soon given the Shinigami's penchant for reviving the dead, but I will put it like this, Ilias and I weren't ALWAYS at odds."

"Hrmn..." Kenshin nodded and took the memory orb from Negi. "Well, if the mundane goings on of most of these memories don't bother you all I won't comment further. Anyway..." He raised the orb up but before he did. Hiruko noticed something, or rather someone staring at her.

"Excuse me." Hiruko said turning to Ophis. "You've been observing me for awhile now. Since we got back from Makai. It's been bugging me for awhile."

"..." Ophis stared at her. "It's just...there's something about you...that feels akin to the Dimensional Gap."

"Hah?" Hiruko said. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm not sure myself." Ophis said. "It's been awhile since I've been home and not being bothered by Baka Red."

"Eh?" Asuna said.

"Different person and creature Asuna." Kenshin and Yukari both said. "Alipheese, comments?" Kenshin asked.

"I don't have any." Alipheese responded quickly, as if to change the subject. "Aren't we here for something else entirely?"

Kenshin narrowed his eyes a bit, but didn't comment, instead saying. "Right...we've stalled enough." He threw the orb into the air and it disappeared and the scenery shifted again.

Marina and Kenshin were shown sitting in the living room, Marina on the couch while Kenshin said cross legged on the floor. "OK." Kenshin said taking a sip of tea. "Yurie has Rei Rei for the night. We can talk now if you want, though if you still haven't gotten your thoughts in order, we can-"

"No." Marina shook her head. "If anything I've gotten everything in order."

"...Grim.." He said seeing the morose look on her face.

"You'll understand why when I'm done." Marina said.

"OK..." Kenshin said.

"How much do you know about the folk legend of the Yorigami?" Marina asked.

"Hrm...Yorigami...Yorigami...Well there's a plague spirit...and a poverty spirit." Kenshin said.

"That's the basic gist of it." Marina said. "The Plauge Spirit Jo'on and the Poverty Spirit Shion." (1 )

Kenshin narrowed his eyes in thought. "I remember Alpha calling out Shion when he ordered you to attack me."

"I'm sorry about that, I couldn't-" Marina went silent as Kenshin waved his hand dismissively.

"That seal basically suppresses free will." Kenshin said. "Just make the handsign or say the codeword and you've basically got an obedient servant...however. There are restrictions. One, you can't load the seal with more mana than the victim actually has as their mana will be keeping it active. Doing this will very quickly, but painlessly kill them."

"Why did someone make such a seal?" Marina huffed.

"It was meant to be a subjugation seal for criminals, it was meant to be a means of rehabilitation, but it was quickly exposed as a slavery seal because as long as you never vocally issued the 'Final Order' the seal would continue accepting commands." Kenshin said. "Another thing the Mundus Magicus Underworld sneers at is the use of this seal, but this is only the second time I've ever seen it. The first person died before I could study it...and they had it on their forehead." Kenshin's head drooped a bit as he finished.

"Are you OK?" Marina asked, noticing this.

"Huh? Y-Yeah." Kenshin waved her off with his eyes closed smiling.

"..." Marina's eyes narrowed at the bags around his eyes.

"Yeah...a couple of weeks was probably a little long between siestas." Kenshin narrated.

"Two weeks?!" Sona said with wide eyes as the memory paused.

"How in the world do you still look so young? According to more than a few you did this quite often." Alipheese said.

"Like they told you, I eventually just crashed and slept for a couple of days." Kenshin said.

"Dude I was in Rikudou's assassin role before you and I didn't do that shit." Draco shook his head. "Mrm Mrm Mrm..."

"Yeah Yeah..." Kenshin said. "I don't do it any more anyway. Continuing."

"How did you pull it off?" Kanon asked.

"Coffee and energy drinks." Kenshin said. "Besides while we're watching Rina going to call me out on it."

"Yeah I am..." Marina said with an amused smile as the memory resumed.

"You were saying?" Kenshin asked.

"Well, the role of Jo'on was played by Alpha, the careless hoarder of endless riches...and I was left to play Shion...a black hacker who would sweeten people up and get in their heads with tales of an impoverished life while hacking everything they had." Marina said closing her eyes. "Alpha would take all their information and make deals with people, lopsidedly so...knowing what they wanted...and knowing how to screw the people while giving it to them."

"Yeah, sounds like his MO. He's probably screwed over as many people as I have put in the dirt." Kenshin said. "He has his reputation in the Mundus Magicus Underworld...and Rikudou's investigating him to blacklist him and Yorigami Plague. If Kazuhiko cooperates when my contact from our intelligence division gets here it will go faster." Kenshin said.

"He will." Marina said. "He was only still with Yorigami Plague because I pleaded for his help."

"Hmn.." Kenshin nodded.

"I'm no innocent woman Ken Ken." Marina said closing her eyes with a shaking smile. "If...you want to claim the bounty on my head after all this..I won't fight back."

"No." Kenshin said crossing his arms.

"No?" Marina stared at him with a surprised look.

"No." Kenshin repeated. "Rina, you might have done all of that...but clearly you feel remorse...and I asked Vesper to look into you. You went back and tried to fix things...did you not?"

"I did...but for some it was too late.." Marina said. "Some had already turned to crime, heavy drug and alcohol use and even..." She trailed off.

"That may be." Kenshin nodded. "You still tried to take responsibility. I imagine it stopped when Alpha found out you were doing it."

"He never found out about it until after I left, but that's really what led to today. He didn't even seem to care that I had Reina until he realized he could just sell her off. His words not mine." Marina said. "I think if anything he wanted to know what I did with the money."

"So that's where all that money came from. I check the books from time to time and was SO confused when huge sums of money would enter the books. I asked about it, but they always told me not to worry about it and that it was meant for distribution to people who needed it." Kenshin said tapping his fist into his palm. "So you were sending that money to us?"

"With instructions to distribute it to the people who's information I sent them later. If they had passed with no next of kin going either way. I told them to do what they wanted with it as long as it went to charitable causes." Marina said.

"OK, now you see, why would I take someone's bounty in when they're out here trying to do good?" Kenshin said. "You have access to my personal file and couldn't put that together, come on now Rina." He chuckled.

"We-Well!" Marina said. "I forget you're nicer than most bounty hunters."

"Heheh." Kenshin chuckled. "Still though, you have a child. Did her safety factor in?"

"I was already planning to take off with her." Marina said.

"I see...one other thing." Kenshin said. "Have you displayed a peculiar mana ability lately."

"Aah..." Marina paused. "W...Who told you?"

"Yurie, and before you say anything. You have access to my file, which contains my history as well. So fairs fair." Kenshin said.

"I suppose...do you think...the ability's strange?" Marina said.

"Nah, not really." Kenshin said. "Rina, you're talking to a guy who can use the abilities of two gods." Kenshin said as black scales stretched across his right arm before receding as his hair dyed white. Gotta say, I love what you did with the Pasture out west of here." He joked.

"U-Um!" Marina blushed. "W-Well what can I say, I've been doing it since I was a child!" She laughed uneasily.

"Heheheh." Kenshin snickered. "You are too cute sometimes."

"H-Hey! I'm older than you y'know!" Marina said with a comical glare.

"Yeah Yeah, by like four years. Who cares." Kenshin waved her off, before letting out a long, drawn out yawn. His head drooping again.

"Ken Ken...are you sure you're OK?" Marina asked.

"Wha? Yeah I'm fine I tell you." Kenshin said.

"Ken Ken...come to think of it, when I wake up you're there, when I go to sleep you're there. Either you're setting alarms to constantly be awake when I am, and my own sleep schedule is atrocious...or you're not sleeping." Marina said. "It better not be the latter." She said with a cross look.

"..." Kenshin felt him shrinking under her gaze. "U-Uhm...w-well..."

"Ken Ken..." Marina said getting in his face, eyes wide and full of seriousness.

"Wh-What? I don't sleep often when I'm on the clock!" Kenshin said getting out from under her with a nervous look.

"You fuckin crashout." Marina groaned. "Get your ass over to my room and sleep in my bed tonight. I'm not going in to the cabaret tonight."

"Bu-" Kenshin said only to get cut off.

"Don't argue with me, your sister would be all over your ass if she was here." Marina said pointing at him.

"...You're so right..." Kenshin said with a dispirited look.

"God, did you plan on spending the whole time you were here awake?" Marina said, making Kenshin freeze as he walked away. "You were! You totally were fucking going to!" Marina stomped up to him, getting back in his face.

"Alright! Alright! Alright!" Kenshin said moving away. "I'm going! I'm going!"

Before Kenshin could get very far. Marina's phone went off. "Mom?" Marina said seeing the caller ID

"What's Yurie want? Is something wrong with Reina?" Kenshin said.

"Hrm..." Marina answered the call. "Mom? Is everything alright? It's a little late."

"Well trust me I'd avoid it if I could help it, but Reina's running a fever and she keeps asking for you." Yurie said.

"Ohhh...alright tell her I'll be right over." Marina said. "I was about to call you to say I was skipping work tonight because a certain cat boy likes to stay up till he can't anymore."

"Haha, that's fine, just come over as soon as you can." Yurie said. "See you when you get here Marina."

"Bye." Marina said. She turned only to see Kenshin leaning against the wall. "What are you doing? Go lay down."

"I will later, but I heard that entire conversation. Is Reina alright?" Kenshin asked.

"She's running a fever and asking for me." Marina said.

"Well I'll come with. I can't rightly go rest myself with her hacking her lungs up and sweating like crazy." Kenshin said walking by her.

"Ahh..." Marina stared at his back, taken back by the statement, before her eyes narrowed and she smiled. "...Thank you." She whispered.

"Hm?" Kenshin said. "You say something?" Kenshin asked.

"No, um just let me get my shoes and a jacket and we'll head out." Marina said. "A-Ah..this damn thing's wet as hell. I'm gonna kill that fucker that splashed the puddle next to me the other day. He could have drove past it."

"Here." Kenshin said taking off his jacket and draping his jacket on her shoulders.

"Huh?" Marina looked up at him. "Kenshin, it's cold out, take this back."

"I'll be fine don't worry." Kenshin smiled.

"Haa..alright..." Marina said. The two stepped out of the house and Marina locked the door before they started walking down the street. "It shouldn't be too far."

"OK." Kenshin said.

The walk went at a mostly leisurely pace. "Are you sure you're not cold?"

"I'm fine Marina." Kenshin chuckled. "I've always been really warm natured."

"Well, if you say so..." Marina said. "Uhm..Ken Ken. Now that we've got this time alone, there's something I've been meaning to ask you?"

"Hm?" Kenshin said.

"Well, Rikudou wanted to ask, but didn't know how to broach the subject...but how are you feeling after your disappearing act a few weeks ago. All you told them was to keep an eye on your sisters." Marina said.

"..." Kenshin went silent for a moment. "Rina, if it's all the same, I'd rather not talk about it right now."

"Oh...O-OK." Marina said. "But...if you ever want to, let me know OK?"

"...I...I wouldn't even know how to put into words right now." Kenshin said.

"Hey." Kenshin felt his hand getting grabbed and turned to see Marina smiling at him. "It's OK, I'm not trying to pressure you."

"Hmn." Kenshin smiled back. "Thanks, but...before we get to Yurie's. I wanted to ask something..."

"Hm?" Marina said.

"Do you feel like you let your Mom off too easily..." Kenshin asked making Marina turn to him.

"Where's this coming from?" Marina asked.

"Well, she thinks you did is all." Kenshin said.

"Haa...at first...I kinda fuckin' hated them both. Mom and Dad, but...as I grew up, worked under and eventually was forced into having a child by Alpha...I realized that they had gotten screwed over just like the rest of them...so I decided to let it go." Marina said. "Why bring it up if you've moved on right?"

"I guess, but for your mother's own peace of mind, maybe you should just have one last conversation about it." Kenshin suggested.

"I guess." Marina sighed.

The two arrived at Yurie's home and entered after she answered the door. "Shouldn't you be asleep?" Yurie asked Kenshin.

"Like I could sleep knowing what's going on with Reina." Kenshin said.

"OK, she's in the back bedroom." Yurie said. "I'd usually be able to handle this myself, but she really wanted you to come see her Marina."

"It's OK." Marina smiled as she and Kenshin entered the room.

(cough cough)

"Rei Rei." Marina said.

"Eh?" Reina looked over. "Mama? And Mr Ken Ken?"

"Hey Rei Rei." Kenshin waved with a smile. "We heard you were feeling under the weather, so we came to check on ya."

"U-Un..." Reina tried to sit up only to flop back down on the bed. "Nnn..."

Marina and Kenshin came up to the bed. "Oh no, she's burning up." Marina said.

"Her pajamas are soaked with sweat too. This won't do..." Kenshin shook his head. "You stay here and keep her company. I'll go ask Yurie if she has any spares."

"OK." Marina said as Kenshin turned to leave.

"Mama, can Mr Ken Ken stay instead?" Reina asked.

"?" Kenshin and Marina shared a look. "OK..." Kenshin came over and sat next to the bed.

"Di-Did I do something to upset her?" Marina whispered to Kenshin.

"I don't think so." Kenshin whispered back. "Maybe she thinks you'll pick out something better, I dunno." Kenshin said.

"Well OK." Marina said, leaving the room.

"Rei Rei, did Mama do something to make you mad?" Kenshin asked.

"Mm mm.." Reina shook her head, laying her head on the pillow. "Mama didn't make me mad...I just wanna to ask you a...qu-qu...ques-"

"Question?" Kenshin asked.

"Mm." Reina nodded.

"Well what's up?" Kenshin asked.

"Mr Ken Ken...do you like Mama?" Reina asked.

"Huh? Of course I do, she's a nice person." Kenshin said.

"Mm mm..." Reina shook her head. "No...Grandma keeps talking about a person she liked...Ad...Adri-something."

"Oh..." Kenshin narrowed his eyes a bit, knowing where this was headed. "Uhm...well...We've only known each other a couple of weeks. It takes more time than that for me to know how I feel about her like that."

"Oh...but you like Mama just fine? Like a friend thing Grandma and Mama keep trying to get me to make?" Reina asked before coughing a bit.

"Of course." Kenshin smiled.

"Good...cause...I think it'd be fun...if Mr Ken Ken was Papa..." Reina said as she closed her eyes, slipping into sleep.

"Aah..." Kenshin stared at the girl's face wide eyed, fully taken aback. "...Haa..." He closed his eyes with a smile. "Rei Rei girl, that just ain't fair...you can't be catching me off guard like that. I know you're five and don't know any better, but..." He reached over and grabbed her hand. "How am I supposed to respond to thaaatt..." Kenshin slumped forward, his head landing on the mattress. "Zzzz..."

(flashback end)

"Rei Rei actually said to you?" Marina said to Kenshin as the memory ended, the orb landing back in Kenshin's hand.

"Yeah...heheh..." Kenshin chuckled a bit. "Mirai and Ryuujin both picked on me about it the next day, making me growl out a 'Shut. The Fuck. UP" Kenshin said.

"...Haa..." Marina closed her eyes and smiled. "I swear, that girl...she posed the same question to me the next day. That's why I was SO embarrassed when you woke up."

"Wait, you never told them how to wake you up, so did you just crash there for a couple of days?" Yukari asked.

"...well let's just say Reina found my ears cute." Kenshin said with a sweatdropping smile.

"Kenshin." Undine said appearing behind Kenshin, alerting Marina. "That Devil mentioned you had three confrontations with him. Yet a quarter of the time has passed and you haven't seen him."

"Well that's because two of those rounds happened the same night, Round One happened a month in and will be covered very soon...among other things." Kenshin said. "Also, because I know they want to know about it. I actually don't end up divulging anything about the seals on them until after that aforementioned fight."

"Alright." Yukari sighed.

"OK..." Miyuki said.

"Anyway..." Kenshin threw the orb into the air and the scenery began shifting again.

(chapter end)

Draconis: Whew...I get a head start and still take forever.

Kenshin: I seem to notice you incorporating some things.

Draconis: What like Saja's official title and the thing with Hiruko?

Hiruko: Hey yeah..are you playing Paradox?

Draconis: Guilty. Also...you two... (stares at Saja and Alipheese)

Saja: Wh-Wha?

Alipheese: I know what it is (smiles) You weren't prepared for the beating were you?

Draconis: Fuck no I wasn't. More you than Saja.

Kenshin: Curious as to why you chose the Ilias path first.

Draconis: I had a general idea of what the Ancestors were like. So I decided to see the new content with the Archangels first.

Alipheese: Eh, that's fair. So now you're going the other way?

Draconis: Yup. Sorry Ilias.

Ilias: Eh. So you've been enjoying it?

Draconis: Yeah. Anyway, Next time, more flashback arc. See you all then.

Draconis678 out.