Draconis: Alright, time to ascend the peak.
Kenshin: "..."
Sairaorg: So you're the Thousand Master.
Nagi: I am...who are you?
Sairaorg: Sairaorg Bael, heir of the Bael clan and potential Satan replacement.
Nagi: (Smirks) Hahahahahaha! You're interesting!"
Draconis: Welp...
Dragon of the Elements.
Chapter 94
Memories of the Past
Draconis: Start
(Start)
Kenshin, who had changed into his normal clothes approached the bridge with Rias . Theodora turned to him. "So...I heard you took an 'L'" Theodora said with a grin.
"Yeah Yeah, yuck it up ya tomboy." Kenshin said.
"Eh, maybe later." Theodora shrugged.
"So how close are we to Olympus Mons?" Kenshin asked.
"Actually if you just wanted to hoof it to Riot Peak now, we could drop you off here." Somo said.
"Hm...no. Let's get a little closer. The peak is still a ways away." Kenshin said.
"Also, I hope you don't mind, but I was helping those two train for their fight against you." Somo said.
"Huh, I thought I recognized some of those stances." Kenshin said. "It's fine."
"So how close do you want us to get you?" Theodora asked.
"Huh..." Kenshin stroked his chin in thought. "Give me another hour, I want to squeeze in one more day of training in the resort." Kenshin said.
"OK." Theodora and Somo said.
"..." Kenshin paused as he walked toward the resort. "Theo."
"Yeah?" Theodora said.
"...Thank you." Kenshin said.
"Hm?" Theodora said.
"Thank you...for everything you and your family did for me." Kenshin said. "It was such a huge risk, but...even though my paranoia demanded you didn't...it...means a lot."
"..." Theodora smiled. "If we had to decide on it again, Dad, Mom and I would make the same choice every time."
"Hmn." Kenshin nodded and walked out of the room.
Rias followed after him, while Somo turned to Theodora. "You know...you could have taken that opportunity to at least kiss him." Somo said.
"..." Theodora closed her eyes with a smile. "...I know, but...seeing as he has a legitimate home now...I don't want to even try to tie him down to here."
"Maybe,but that doesn't mean you can't be a little selfish. So he won't be back that often. You should at least let him know how much of your lingering sentiments are still there." Somo said with a smile. (1 )
Meanwhile Kenshin and Rias had reentered the Resort. Rias turned to Kenshin and clapped her hands together with a smile, her right eye closed. "I'm going to go train by myself if it's all the same to you."
"Ok." Kenshin said, smiling as the two shared a kiss before parting. Kenshin hopped down into the forest. But it wasn't long into his focus in training that his mind began to be flooded with doubt.
"Kh..." Kenshin closed his eyes as he tried to meditate. "Rias...wasn't the only one that was hurt by my reckless actions..." He said gritting his teeth. "Akeno, she's been in love with me since before the Alliance was formed. She's always cared about me." Kenshin muttered to himself. "Then there's Xenovia...she...wants me to give her a child, but a only a fool wouldn't see that there's something there..." He said. "Then there's Koneko...she might be unable to have a child right now, like she wants, but she obviously adores me."
He stood back up, unable to meditate as his conflict grew. "Sona...an incredibly smart and gifted woman...a beauty to boot, she could have anyone she wanted, but she chose me." His eyes squeezed shut further. "Tamamo...she's one of the Six Ancestors, the creators of Demonkind, alongside Alipheese the First, yet...even I can tell she wants me as a lover and Ravel...It's obvious she wants to be with me, after our tryst after the attack on Kuoh."
"Alice...she's having my children...she could have picked anyone, but she chose me...she even said she adored me several times during those three days." Kenshin said. "Then...there's Miyuki...she's always adored me...and yet...almost every time...I've...always..." He said as he rose his arm to wipe his eyes. "...Is it really me that they like...or their ideas of me...and how many times can I fuck up like this before they just get sick of me...I just don't want that to happen."
"Ufufufu..."
"? !" Kenshin heard a familiar laughing and turned to find Akeno. "Akeno?"
"Hello." Akeno said. "Hey Kenshin-kun, watch this."
"!" Kenshin was surprised that Akeno suddenly disappeared and reappeared in several spots. "W-Wow." Kenshin said. "That's pretty impressive." He said with a smile, crossing his arms. "You managed to master that in less time than I did. I needed a couple of months."
"Really? That's good to know...but...your thoughts are only true in the mind of an ever worrying man." Akeno said.
"? !" Kenshin turned toward Akeno, whom was accompanied by Koneko who was wearing her pure white yukata that cut off at the hips He face planted. "...Oh my god...how much of that did you hear?" He asked.
"Everything, clearly." Koneko said in her usual candor, giving a thumbs up.
"..." Kenshin looked down at the ground with a glowering look. "Have I really not been thinking of all your feelings then?" He asked.
Akeno smiled and walked up to Kenshin with Koneko. "Yes. You also haven't been thinking of Xenovia's, Yukari's. Serafall-Sama's, Sona's, Tamamo-San's, Ravel's, Rossweisse's, the Spirits', Alice-Sama's, Miyuki's or Evangeline-San's as well as Koneko or me." Akeno said.
"But at the same time..." Kenshin looked up to see Sona smiling down at him. "Maybe we haven't taken the time to understand you either."
"Understand me?" Kenshin said.
"Yes." Akeno said rubbing up against him from behind, pulling off his black jacket.
"A-Akeno?" Kenshin said.
"We realized something." He glanced over, seeing Ravel to his right.
"How important to all of us you are." Sona said.
"And how we must heal you." He glanced over seeing Tamamo in her true form.
"We shall now drain away the misery in your heart." Akeno said taking his left index finger into his mouth.
"A-Akeno? !" Kenshin said. He felt a weight on his lap and looked over at Koneko who was now seated on him.
"Kenshin-Senpai, please hold me." Koneko said.
"Wh-Wha?" Kenshin said.
"I'm asking you to please hug me right now, I'm going to perform senjutsu healing arts on you, you did say you wouldn't learn them for my sake." Koneko said.
"A...Akeno...Koneko?" Kenshin said with wide eyes.
"Kenshin-Sama..." He looked to his left seeing Ravel grab his hand and press it against her chest. "I will join as well." She said, eyes closed, smiling widely.
"R...Ravel?" Kenshin said.
"Sometimes when you looked at all of us while we were here, your eyes looked scared." Akeno said. "I...I didn't understand it at first, but I think I do now..." Akeno said with a smile.
"I think only people who went through it would understand." Koneko said.
"Kenshin, the ghosts of your past haunt you even now, don't they?" Sona asked.
"!" Kenshin's eyes went wide again.
"Let us help you..." Ravel said.
"I was...so young." Kenshin said, as he bowed his head "I always wondered...if I had done something to deserve it if I had longed for my father's presence too much, if I was too much of a crybaby. I thought for four long years that I was being punished for something, but then I always remembered they were torturing me because of my father. I always kind of resented him for that." Kenshin's eyes narrowed. "After I left...I was so afraid to trust again because...I thought more things I cherished would be taken from me, but at the same time I never wanted to experience that loneliness again...!" His eyes widened as Tamamo came up to him and wrapped her arms around him. His eyes narrowed again. "I just don't want to lose what I have now."
"Kenshin-Sama..." Ravel said with her eyes closed. "I...I want to be with you forever."
"!" Kenshin turned his tear stricken eyes to Ravel. "Ravel?"
"I have no qualms about saying this, I yearn for you...you're the most dependable man I know." Ravel said with a wide smile. "I want to be with you, from the bottom of my heart and it's impossible for any of us to come to hate you." She said.
"Kenshin." Tamamo said. "Have a little faith, a little courage that everything will turn out OK." She said with a smile of her own. "At the very least Makai adores you, and would accept you as it's King even now. When we were leaving. Numerous demons, young and old were asking to meet you to meet the hero who saved their lives."
"!" Kenshin's eyes widened.
"Kenshin...you underestimate just how much you helped Makai. It wasn't just defeating Forbesii, it was more than that, so much more. You showed them that they could do so much more if they set aside their own differences and worked together. They united behind you and Alice, not just Alice herself. When Alice told you that Makai sees you as it's king in all but title, it wasn't just her saying something...it was the truth." Undine's words from over two weeks ago rang in his mind.
"..." Kenshin bowed his head, only to be lifted up by Sona.
"...I love you as well Kenshin." Sona smiled. "You may not be the smartest man around, but...no one else considers his loved ones' opinions as much as you do...well when it comes to it."
"Yes...same here." Akeno said petting his cheek.
"Me too." Koneko said getting in close with a smile on her face. "We won't let you worry about what happened in the past anymore." Koneko said.
"Koneko?" Kenshin said.
"That's right. I will ensure myself that you don't have to, if I can." Akeno giggled.
"So have more confidence." Sona said.
"Yes. Everyone desires to become closer to you Kenshin-Sama. Not just us." Ravel said with a smile.
"...Ravel..." Kenshin said.
"Rias-Sama, Xenovia, Yukari, Miyuki, Hikari, Rossweisse, Miyuki, Alice-Sama,..." Ravel said. "Even the Spirits, even Kiba and Gasper care about you very much! Do...Do you distrust us even now Kenshin-Sama?"
"..." Kenshin closed his eyes and smiled. "No...Not at all..." He looked away as he wrapped his arms around Akeno, Koneko, Sona, Ravel and Tamamo. "Thank you...thank all of you..." He said.
"..." Akeno, Koneko, Sona, Tamamo and Ravel all smiled. "Yes. I want to be with you forever, Kenshin-Sama!" Ravel said pressing his hand against her cheek.
"Ara! I also want to be with Kenshin-kun forever." Akeno said.
"Me too, I will always follow you, Kenshin-Senpai." Koneko siad.
"..." Tamamo smiled at him. "...please don't take any offense to this, but...you're kinda like the version of Ragnarok I always wanted." She said looking away.
"Eh..heheh, I don't know how I feel about that." Kenshin said. "But...I get it, you liked Ragnarok, thought he was an idiot sure, much like I am, but he was with Alipheese."
"Mmh." Tamamo nodded.
Kenshin looked up at Sona, who smiled at him with a blush. "...I...I won't bother trying to fight it...I...want to be with you." She said.
A figure suddenly cut through the forest. "A-Aaaaaahhhh? !"
"H-Huh? !" Kenshin said seeing Xenovia stare at them in stark shock.
"Miyuki! Come here quickly!" Xenovia said.
"Huh?" Miyuki said walking up behind her.
"These things happen so suddenly you always have to be prepared." Xenovia said as she strode up to them.. "Come on! Your Onii-Chan is going to be stolen!"
"H-Huh? !" Miyuki said with wide eyes.
"Actually I will be the one doing the taking!" Xenovia said with a determined look.
"W-Wha? O-Onii-Chan's going to be taken...s-so I have to act now!" Miyuki said leaping forward and uncasing her wings.
"W-What the? !" Kenshin said with wide eyes. "D-Don't you think you're progressing this a little too quickly!"
"Kenshin-Sama is together with me!" Ravel said.
"Oh why not Ravel? Just a bit." Xenovia said.
"That's right, let's do this fairly Xenovia, Ravel!" Miyuki said.
"My my, but isn't beating everyone else to the punch more thrilling?" Akeno asked. "Right, Koneko-Chan?"
"There is also the saying 'first come first served'" Koneko said cracking her knuckles.
"Tch, I won't be forgotten about just because I'm rarely apart of your group." Sona shouts diving into the fray as everyone battled over Kenshin.
"Yeah, I think I'm gonna just sit over here." Tamamo said.
"You know...I think I understand things about women, but then I'm proven wrong." Kenshin thought. "But...Thank you...Akeno, Koneko, Sona, Tamamo, Ravel, Xenovia, Miyuki." He thought.
"..." He opened his eyes. "...Ahh screw it. This training day is for you all." Kenshin said as he got up.
"You don't mind?" Akeno asked.
"Nah. You saw how improved I was earlier." Kenshin said with a grin as everyone split up and got dressed. "Alright, because your training requires more attention, I'll get to you last, OK Akeno."
"Mou...OK." Akeno said with a cute pout.
Kenshin approached Xenovia. "...I am a little surprised though...I thought a few of you would want to smack me." He said.
(crack!)
Xenovia smacked the broadside of Durandal over Kenshin's head. "Will that suffice?" Xenovia asked with a smile.
"Ow...but yeah." Kenshin said as he got back up. "I was thinking...why don't I teach you the Cursed Sword Techniques." Kenshin said.
"Really?" Xenovia said with stars in her eyes. "I keep asking Granberia-San, but she keeps saying no."
"Probably because she's too busy with her own training. She's always trying to improve after all." Kenshin said with a grin. "Alright." He handed her a bokken and took out one for himself. "When you get the stances down I'd like you to work Durandal's aura over them, with it, these attacks could be devastating."
"OK." Xenovia nodded.
"Alright, first." Kenshin moved his bokken to his side as if it were a sheathed sword. "Thunder Thrust!" He said pulling his bokken out and thrusting it powerfully forward.
(crack!)
The tree in front of Kenshin cracked just a bit. "Ooohhh? !" Xenovia gasped in awe.
"Heheheh." Kenshin snickered.
"You did that with just the thrust?" Xenovia asked.
"Yup." Kenshin said. "With training, you will too. In the meantime I want you to work on these as well." He held his sword in a sheathed position again, but slashed it outward as if in an iai pose again. "Demon Decapitation!"
"!" Xenovia watched as the tree Kenshin cracked earlier toppled over completely.
"Shit...I might have used Serene Demon Sword reflexively." Kenshin said.
"No, you're fine. If you used Serene Demon Sword, at least ten of those trees would have fell." Tamamo said with a smile.
"Oh, I see." Kenshin said. "Alright, just slash it out powerfully like that."
"OK." Xenovia nodded.
"With Durandal you should be able to do much more than that." Kenshin said.
"Alright." Xenovia nodded.
"Alright, next is this." Kenshin jumped off a nearby tree and slashed his sword down powerfully. "Demon Skull Beheading!" He said cratering the ground with his slash.
"Nice." Xenovia said with a laugh. "Was that with just the force of your slash too?" She asked.
"Yup." Kenshin said. "The last move is a technique based on the Ninefold Rakshasa. He said slashing slowly at the space in front of him. "It's five slashes, all forming the shape of a star. It's called Death Sword Chaos Star. Practice them on your own time."
"I will, thanks." Xenovia said with a smile.
"Alright." He turned to Tamamo and Ravel. "Uh..hmm...I don't think there's a whole lot I can do to help either of you. Ravel you don't seem like you're interested in fighting and Tamamo your power problem is a conditioning issue. Something you can only work on yourself."
"I don't like to, but I will if I have to." Ravel said with a shrug.
"Well we still have yet to settle our arrangement from the last Rating Game." Tamamo said with a subtle lick of the lips.
"O-Oh, R-Right." Kenshin said with a sheepish look. "Sorry, been so busy it slipped my mind." Tamamo nodded with a giggle
"Well Kenshin-Sama, I wouldn't want to take up too much of your training time, so let's do this sometime later." Ravel said.
"Ok." Kenshin said.
"Hey Kenshin, let's do the training exercise that we did in Makai." Sona said.
"Hm?" Kenshin said. "Well...OK." Kenshin said as he used terrakinesis to create a mound of mud pebbles in his hand. "Everyone stand to the side." He said.
Everyone moved to the side as Kenshin walked a wide circle around Sona who had her eyes closed with a calm smile on her face. About a minute in he lobbed a pebble at her. She dodged it. "?" Kenshin kept walking with a curious look.
A few minutes passed and Kenshin only had one pebble in his hand, having not managed to peg the Sitri heiress even once. "Hrm..." Kenshin narrowed his eyes. "Balance Break." He said.
"Balance Breaker! Elemental Overdrive!"
He waited until he was behind her before throwing the last pebble at her back. "!" His eyes widened slightly as Sona quickly turned around and caught it in her hand.
"One time." Sona said with a smile.
"Indeed... though it hardly counts" Kenshin said dropping out of Elemental Overdrive. "You've really gotten better." He said with a smile. "I'm impressed."
"Well, I practiced everyday, having Saji shoot his Absorption Line at me." Sona said.
"I see." Kenshin nodded. "Your progress is astounding, I'm proud of you."
"..." Sona blushed at the praise, but laughed. "Well, I have to keep up with you and Rias somehow."
"Well you're doing great." Kenshin said.
"Hey Onii-Chan." Miyuki said walking up to him. "Can you...teach me that gauntlet trick?" She asked.
"Hm?" Kenshin said. "Oh! That!" He said remembering what he did against Issei. "...Uhm...I'm gonna be straight with you...I got that from a movie." (A/N: Kudos to you if you know which movie and scene in the movie I got that trick from.)
"Well, no matter, can you show me anyway?" Miyuki asked.
"Well, I have to warn you." Kenshin said. "It takes a lot of control over both mana and body to pull off. If I fucked up at any point when I was doing that. I would have torn my arm clean off." Kenshin said. "Trust me, I lost a few arms practicing."
"I understand, it doesn't have to be right now." Miyuki nodded.
"OK." Kenshin said.
"Well, before we work, why don't we have lunch." Akeno said as several bentos appeared in her hands.
Kenshin's stomach growled. He grinned uneasily. "Well...I am kinda hungry."
"Ufufufu." Akeno giggled and handed her bentos out to everyone.
"Wow Akeno, you're really a great cook." Sona said. "Could I...maybe get some tips?" She asked. "I mean only my sister seems to like my cooking."
"Ufufu, sure Kaichou." Akeno giggled. "The first tip is to stop focusing so much on the appearance of the food. The quality of it suffers if you put too much into it's appearance."
"R-Right." Sona said with a smile as a bead of sweat rolled down her left temple.
"Kenshin-Senpai...I..sense a larger amount of mana in you." Koneko said.
"Rheahlly? How show?" Kenshin said with his mouth full.
"Please don't talk with your mouth full Kenshin-Sama." Ravel scolded while Sona nodded in agreement..
Kenshin swallowed the food in his mouth. "What is it?"
"I..I don't know, it just feels like your mana stores grew, but...at the same time, the added mana stores don't feel like yours." Koneko said.
Kenshin arched a brow at this, utterly confused at what Koneko was saying. "Weird." He said.
"Well, also it feels like it's growing just a bit each day." Koneko said.
"I wonder what it is." Kenshin said.
"Also...aside from Tamamo-San, I'm also sensing faint traces of everyone else's presence inside you." Koneko said with narrowed eyes.
"Urk!" Kenshin paused before taking another bit of food.
"Well that's because those women have been mated with." Tamamo said fanning herself casually.
"Gh! Tamamo!" Kenshin snapped.
"..." Koneko turned her eyes toward Ravel. "Even this yakitori girl?"
"Hmhmhm, I win round one white cat." Ravel said puffing out her chest.
"Wait, when did you do it with Kenshin-kun, Miyuki?" Akeno asked.
"Before we came to your world." Miyuki answered dismissively. "Started out as heat checks with a contraception spell applied."
"And you were OK with that?" Sona asked.
"Felt weird at first, but Onee-Chan and I eventually got used to and came to enjoy it." Miyuki said.
"When did you do it?" Akeno asked Sona
"That's none of your damn business and I'll thank you to stay out of my personal affairs." Sona said adjusting her glasses.
"It was when she and Kenshin were alone in the desert in Makai, had to be." Tamamo said with a knowing grin.
"Urk!" Sona froze.
"Arara~ a couple alone together in the desert, possibly at night, how romantic...ufufufu." Akeno said. "Koneko-Chan, don't feel so bad. I haven't had Kenshin-kun to myself either. When I did it, Rias horned in on my fun."
"I haven't either, when I did it Yukari was having one of those 'heat checks' Miyuki mentioned." Xenovia said.
"Mrrrnnn..." Koneko glowered, puffing out her cheek. She glanced at Tamamo. "There's a bit of Kenshin-Senpai's presence in you too, but at the same time it feels different."
"Oh my. You must be sensing Luka then." Tamamo said. "He and I had a fling once when he was hiding the Tsurugi no Kami from Forbesii the first time."
Koneko slumped. "Ara ara, Kenshin-kun you have to do something with her now." Akeno said. "She feels so left out."
"..." Kenshin narrowed his eyes and grabbed Koneko's wrist, flashing away with Shundou. "Are you OK?" He asked after they came out a short distance away.
"I'm fine, just...upset." Koneko said.
"I see." Kenshin said.
"I get everyone else, but why the yakitori before me?" Koneko asked. "I've known you longer." She added with a bit of a pout.
"Well for one it was after the attack on Kuoh. We went out on a date...which reminds me, we haven't done anything like that either." Kenshin said. "Maybe we should sometime...anyway afterward she just went for it."
"..." Koneko's face flushed, but she smiled. "OK." Koneko nodded. "But...-!" Koneko's eyes widened a bit as Kenshin bent down and moved his lips on top of her own. "Mmh?"
"...I promise we'll go out soon, OK?" He said with a smile.
"OK." Koneko said her smile reappearing, followed by something that caught Kenshin off guard. "Ehehehe~" A giggle coupled with a blush.
"Hm..." Kenshin smiled at her. "Like that huh?"
"It felt good." Koneko said.
"Besides, if it makes you feel any better. While her body proportions are better suited for bearing a child, I applied the contraception spell anyway." Kenshin said.
"OK...I know my time will come." Koneko nodded. "I'm gonna go train some more."
"OK." Kenshin said.
Koneko left and Kenshin made his way back to where he was previously and saw only Akeno was there. "Where'd everyone else go?" Kenshin asked.
"Some of their days in here were about up, others wanted to continue training." Akeno said. "So, have you decided what you want to teach me?"
"Hmn..." Kenshin stretched his arms. "I guess I'll teach you my hand to hand styles. I'm not a master, but I'm close. I mean really I won't know if you're a fit until we start." Kenshin said. "First off, change into these." Kenshin said handing her a set of his red clothes that he usually wore outside of Kuoh.
"Kenshin-kun, no offense, but we really need to take you shopping sometime." Akeno said. "If we're not at school you walk around in the same thing."
"..." Kenshin furrowed his brow. "What? I'm comfy in it. I know I need to expand my wardrobe, but this outfit is just the most practical."
"So are Irina's and Xenovia's battlesuits, but you don't see them wearing it all the time." Akeno said with a giggle as she started changing.
"Also I want you to to use this." Kenshin said tossing her a sarashi band. "I lost count of how many bras Negi and Yukari broke practicing martial arts, and your...ahem...girls are bigger than theirs by a decent margin...anyway I'd carry these for them until they got used to the movements."
"Sure. Mind helping me with it?" Akeno said with a wink.
"Down girl." Kenshin reprimanded with a smile as he walked up to her.
"Ufufu." Akeno giggled as she handed him the sarashi.
"Raise your arms straight out at your sides." Kenshin said as he unrolled the bindings and folded it in half. "We'll try it this way and if it's too uncomfortable, there's another way to do it."
"I know." Akeno nodded.
"Alright..." Kenshin said as he got close to her, looking over her shoulder as he started from her right breast and moved left. "Sorry about this." He said cupping her right breast to make sure it stayed in place.
"I'm not complaining." Akeno said. "Though I'm a little surprised, if these are for women like Yukari who measures out at about ninety one centimeters, how do you expect this to fit me?" She asked.
"Well it was originally one I got for Rias when we were training, who's three centimeters under you." Kenshin said.
"Ah, that makes sense." Akeno said with a nod. "Come to think of it Kenshin-kun, how tall are you?"
"Me?" Kenshin asked. "Hmn...I think the last time I was measured I checked in at about one hundred and seventy five centimeters or five feet nine inches." (2 )
"I see." Akeno said. "M-Mmu..." She let out a moan as Kenshin squeezed her a bit as he made his first wrapping. "Oh...that felt nice."
"Hmhm.." Kenshin chuckled a bit, deciding to play with her a bit, leaning in and kissing the nape of her neck, his breathing brushing it.
"Oo...Oooh.." Akeno shivered in content as Kenshin's breath hit the nape of her neck. "Kenshin-kun..." She said with an airy sigh as he still managed to wrap the sarashi around her. "You're teasing me."
"Not so much fun when the shoe's on the other foot is it Akeno-Chan?" Kenshin asked.
"Aahn..." Akeno gasped, but smiled. "I beg to differ. I'm finally getting what I want after all, to feel your hands ravaging my body..."
"..." Kenshin finished wrapping her and turned Akeno around.
"K-Kenshin-kun? !" Akeno said with a surprised, but delighted tone in her voice.
"..." Kenshin moved in, his lips pressing against the Lightning Priestess'. "Mmmh..."
"Mmmhh!" Akeno moaned as Kenshin backed her against a tree, raising her up against, feeling him holding her up. "Oooh...Kenshin-kun...you're being so..."
"I know..." Kenshin said as their lips parted for a bit. "You've wanted me to do so, right?"
"Ufufufufufu~" Akeno giggled sultrily. "Mhm...I want to feel you take me.." She said.
"Heh." Kenshin said. "The thing is, I don't really know how to do that without hurting someone. I know you like it both ways both being the 'S' and the 'M'"
"Ufufufu~ A little pain is OK in the heat of that moment, just focus on that when you're with me, OK?" Akeno said.
"Yeah." Kenshin said. "But, we should really focus on training for now. There will be time for the fun stuff."
"OK." Akeno said, leaning her head forward, kissing Kenshin on the lips.
"..." Kenshin walked a short distance away. "I'll make it up to all of you, you know?"
"Hm?" Akeno said as she finished changing.
"I know the way I've been acting lately hurt you all." Kenshin said. "I promise that I'll make it up to all of you."
"..." Akeno closed her eyes with a smile. "You're already on the right path." She said embracing him from behind. "Kenshin-kun...I love you...I don't ever want to be without you in this world." She said.
"Hm." Kenshin smiled. "If I have anything to say about it. You never will be."
"Hm..." Akeno moved to his front and wrapped her arms tightly around Kenshin.
"Like I said...I don't want to give up what I have." Kenshin said looking into her eyes.
"You won't have to." Akeno said as she kissed Kenshin again.
"Mmmhh...Akeno..." Kenshin said, moaning into her.
"You've been so good to me..." Akeno said after their lips parted. "I...I want to know you as you are when you don't have to worry so much."
"...Akeno." Kenshin smiled. "Thank you."
"Hmn..." Akeno giggled. "Alright...I think we've wasted enough time, let's train."
(break)
One Day Later
Kenshin and the climbing party were walking along the slope of Olympus Mons with his party. "Whew...this is a long walk." Saji said.
"It's a forgiving slope, but it's peak is three times the height of Mt Everest, from ground to peak." Yukari said. What was she doing her you might ask? Well...
(Mini Flashback )
Kenshin and the climbing party all made way to leap off the deck of the Paru-Sama when Yukari cut them off. "Yukari." Kenshin said.
"Don't say it...don't fuckin' say it." Yukari scowled. "I won't go...I won't leave you alone with you powered down on such a dangerous job."
"...Oh Kenshin, why not let her come?" Sairaorg said clamping his hand down on Kenshin's sealed form's shoulder.
"Yeah, I mean the more the merrier." Saji chuckled.
"I can protect myself and Evangeline will guard Alice, but you don't have a guard, Kenshin." Tamamo said.
"Haa.." Kenshin let out a soft sigh before smiling at Yukari. "I've trusted my back to you for years...what's one more instance huh?"
"Hmn..." Yukari's scowl turned to a relaxed smile. "Thank you."
"I was hoping you'd act as a guide to the others but..." Kenshin was cut off.
"Mom knows enough about the world, she can handle it." Yukari said walking up to him. "Don't ask me to abandon my job at this point."
"Heh...well if you show this amount of resolve...how can I?" Kenshin asked.
"Exactly..." Yukari said kneeling down and embracing Kenshin.
"Mmrrhh...Y-Yukari..." Kenshin said as his face was smothered in her chest. He pushed himself out with an annoyed look. "Please don't do that."
"Heheh, you liked it." Yukari snickered as well as everyone else shared a laugh at his expense.
(mini flashback end)
"The initial climb up the edge was what really would have sucked." Kenshin said. "We are just half way up this thing and the air's getting thin."
"And we're gonna have to fight people here?" Saji said. "Come to think of it, how are we even able to breath normally right now?"
"The mana in your body is reactionary to your condition, The air's thin, the mana isn't so your body takes in the mana around you to keep you breathing normally." Miyuki said. "If and when the mana in this world runs out, the mages would be ejected onto Mars, but wouldn't die immediately as their mana stores would keep them alive as long as possible."
"This of course would result in a painful death as the mana runs lower and lower." Evangeline said.
"How long until it runs dry?" Alice said.
"Nine years." Kenshin, Yukari, Miyuki and Evangeline all answered.
"Huh? !" Tamamo, Alice, Granberia, Alma, Saji and Sairaorg all said.
"That soon?" Saji said.
"That is...quite dire." Sairaorg said. "No wonder you and the Rikudou Organization were trying to prevent war for so long."
"Yes, warring would only suck away more mana." Alice said with a furrowed brow.
"Is there any plans to stop it?" Tamamo asked.
"The world is sustained by offshoots of mana from Earth." Kenshin said. "But in time that won't be enough, eventually the world's population will grow too vast and the mana will run out. The timeline takes that into account. The only two ways is to reduce the population..."
"Population control?" Granberia said. "That...sounds cruel if it's taken to the extreme measure."
"Indeed." Yukari nodded.
"What's the other one?" Alma asked.
"The terraformation of Mars." Evangeline said.
"Honestly Negi had the plan to do that back home, but then Hottan happened." Miyuki said. "Called it Project Blue Mars."
"Yes, with the planet making it's own natural mana, it would sustain Mundus Magicus easily." Kenshin said.
"Hrm...it is possible, but...in only nine years?" Alice asked.
"The process would merely need to be started, it wouldn't have to be completed in that timeframe to where people could hop on a space shuttle and go live there, just get things to flourish." Evangeline said. "We'd just have nudge the right people in the right direction."
"Well, humans have been trying to colonize another planet." Sairaorg said.
"True, but what would happen to us if the secret gets out and magic exists?" Saji asked. "The youkai would be fine, but what about the Devils, Angels and Fallen Angels."
"Saji, the Bright Flash that brought Mundus Magicus to this dimension literally just happened a short while ago. I don't have all the answers." Kenshin said.
"O-OK." Saji said.
Yukari looked over at the horizon. "We should set up camp soon. Sun's getting low."
"Let's just do it now then." Granberia said. "So we have enough time to build a fire and get settled."
"Right." Everyone nodded in agreement.
A few hours later the group sat around a fire. "Haaa...it's been awhile since I've been out camping." Tamamo said sitting back waving herself.
"Why didn't you go when you felt like it?" Alma asked.
"My duties as Kitsune clan head and Queen of Beasts." Tamamo said. "Hey Kenshin, how's that meal coming along?"
"Well, Yukari's helping so..."
"It'll be done in about ten minutes." Yukari said as they cooked the pan of venison together.
"Is there any sides you all want?" Kenshin asked. "Tell us now."
"Um, could we get some green beans or something like that?" Saji asked. "I mean anything from home seems like it'd take forever like this."
"Sure." Kenshin said.
"Hrm...could we double up on the meat, the protein could be helpful during the climb." Granberia said.
"Yeah, just give us a minute." Yukari said as she dropped more venison into the skillet. Granberia nodded.
"I agree with Granberia-San." Sairaorg said.
"Well it's cooking." Kenshin said.
"So, you seem like you had a thing going on there with the Queen, Kenshin." Evangeline said with a small smirk.
"Krh.." Kenshin grunted. "She was my girlfriend before Negi, but I had to break it off for various reasons."
"Really?" Saji said. "That's two monarchs interested in you Kenshin." Saji said.
"Look, it's not like I'm gonna be here often regardless of the result of Issei's plan." Kenshin said. "Alice controls her kingdom, but Theodora might still need an Emperor at her side." Kenshin said. "I'm not gonna be able to be Hellas' Emperor and keep all my other promises. I'd like to believe that Theo understands this."
"Theodora could just rule as a solo monarch, there's nothing wrong with that." Miyuki said.
"Good point." Kenshin said. "But what if they demand an heir?"
"Then who cares where it comes from." Evangeline snorted. "She'd be there to teach the child and if she and the father, in this case being you were on good terms you'd teach it too."
"I'll cross that bridge when I get to it." Kenshin said. "I'm already having two kids that I won't be able to see full time. Wouldn't be surprised if they grew to resent me for it."
"Oh stop that." Alice said slapping his arm with her tail. "I'll make sure they understand the situation as they grow and I'm sure you will too."
"Yeah Alice, we'll see about that when they get to my age." Kenshin said, at her look he went further. "Look, all I'm saying is it wouldn't surprise me. If they don't, great."
"OK." Alice said with a sigh.
"Hey, I have a question." Sairaorg said.
"Yeah?" Kenshin said.
"If this mountain has a gentle slope, could it be possible that our foes are watching us even now?" Sairaorg asked.
"We're too far out of eye shot. They'd have to leave my seal unguarded to come face us." Kenshin said.
"That could play to our advantage if they decided to do that." Evangeline said.
"They won't though. Nagi might be that dumb, but the rest aren't." Yukari said.
"Speaking of which." Sairaorg said. "Sirzechs-Sama couldn't destroy this Rakan fellow, whom this Nagi Springfield has bested. Yet your rook says she could hang with him. I'm confused."
"I said I could hang with him, I never said I'd be able to win." Miyuki said.
"Sirzechs also wasn't using all his power." Yukari said. "But there's something else."
"Meaning?" Sairaorg asked.
"Jack Rakan was basically a human cheat code." Evangeline said. "An illogical, irrational existence of a man. The only people that could beat him would be people just as crazy strong as him. Like Nagi, Negi, Your Sirzechs Lucifer if he used more of his power and those like him, and of course Kenshin here."
"Wait, what about me?" Tamamo asked.
"You never met him, we could tell you about him all we want, but you wouldn't really know unless you faced him first hand." Yukari said.
"Makes sense, he could've turned out to be a poor opponent for me at the time." Tamamo said.
"Ah, that's disappointing. Sounds like I missed quite the stout opponent." Sairaorg laughed.
"According to Kaichou, he was the one who abducted Leviathan-Sama and told me about how strong he is...I'm kinda glad we missed him." Saji said with a shudder.
"Nagi's worse." Kenshin said. "There's a reason I put him at Satan Class."
"Well we'll worry about that...wait how long is it going to take us to scale this thing anyway?" Alma asked.
"I plan on picking up the pace tomorrow. So I'd say about a day and a half." Kenshin said.
"So time to rest tomorrow, then make the rest of the climb." Granberia said. Kenshin nodded. "Alright then."
"Wait this is a volcano technically right?" Alma said. "What if it erupts?"
"Shield Volcanoes don't erupt like regular volcanoes." Yukari said. "It comes out in small fountains rather than one specific point, making cones of lava."
"The only way an explosive eruption occurs is if water were to find it's way into the vent and create the necessary pressure." Miyuki said.
"And there are safeguards all over the volcano to prevent that." Evangeline said.
"Oh, there's one now." Kenshin said looking off to his left.
"Are we in any trouble?" Saji said seeing the bubbling of lava off in the distance.
"That's why we'll take turns keeping watch." Kenshin said. "Something will be done about it."
"Except Alice." Tamamo added.
"..." Alice rolled her eyes at this, but said nothing.
Dinner was eaten and everyone laid down to sleep. A couple of hours later Sairaorg was woken up by Kenshin. "Hunnh?" Sairaorg said.
"Your shift." Kenshin said.
"Right right." Sairaorg said sitting up, letting out a yawn as Kenshin laid down on the ground. "Hang on, Kenshin a moment before you go to sleep."
"What?" Kenshin asked.
"You seem to know a lot about the foes we are planning to face. Were you close to them?" Sairaorg asked.
"..." Kenshin stared up at the night sky. "With most of them sure. Filius Zect was always an enigma to me."
"Which ones were you close to?" Sairaorg asked.
"The guy your fighting..he was like an uncle to me. He was traveling with my father and I until I was six, when he just vanished. I found out later that he was trying to help Mom get free of Hottan. The other guy that might not show up was with us...Albireo Imma also traveled with us." Kenshin closed his eyes, letting out a sigh.
"Are you sure you're going to be OK with this?" Sairaorg asked. "Fighting people you were so close to?"
"...Ialda brought them back...they must be laid to rest again." Kenshin said. "Their lives must be tied to Ialda's. Once I defeat her, they'd likely return to the afterlife anyway."
"I see." Sairaorg said. "So...when I asked you about your past before you..."
"Yeah...I..finally had a home I could call my own..I just wanted to leave it in the rearview." Kenshin said. "I mean, I'm not asking you about the finer details of your childhood am I?"
"Good point." Sairaorg said. "I'm just asking if your heart is all the way in this."
"It is." Kenshin said. "Just because I gave up on shuttering myself away to protect peace doesn't mean I'm not dedicated to the task at hand. Besides there's no avoiding this even if I wanted to, I need to get my body back. Will it hurt? Most likely, but Ialda Baoth has to be stopped."
"I see, good night. Also, why are you in that form if you don't mind me asking?" Sairaorg said pointing at Kenshin's sealed state. "Don't you think you'd be more intimidating in your true form even without the power?"
"Not against these guys." Kenshin said. "I'm staying in this form so you all don't mistakenly believe I've been unsealed when I haven't."
"I see. Well good night." Sairaorg said.
(Break)
At the same time as the climb.
En Route to Phoenix.
The group stopped off at a large village. "Huh, this place looks like it's just a hamlet in the countryside. Compared to home, feels oddly...refreshing." Issei said.
"Hmn..." Hikari scanned the area. "Odd."
"What is it Hikari?" Rias asked.
"I don't sense any particularly high points of mana here." Hikari said. "Kazumi, send your drones out and look over the area would you please?"
"Sure, what am I looking for?" Kazumi asked.
"Anyone with armor or mages cloaks." Hikari said. "Look for the sigils as well."
"Got it." Kazumi said as they walked, about ten minutes passed and she cast it away. "No, nothing."
"Well this will be a good dry run then." Hikari said.
"So why did we leave a handful of people on the ship?" Bennia asked.
"Well some of them would be kind of seen as eerie or offputting, like Erubetie or Rugal, don't know Kenshin that well like Seekvaira, Raynare and most of Sona's peerage, or still have a bad reputation in the area like Tertium and Sextum. The main reason is that if we have to run it's best to take a small group."
"Right." Sona nodded.
"This is a small group though?" Koneko asked.
"Smaller than the whole group we brought to Mundus Magicus." Hikari said. Koneko nodded.
"So why am I here? Wouldn't I be seen as eerie?" Bennia asked.
"Well you're a fan of Issei's show, that Kenshin's in." Hikari said with a smile.
"Oh right." Bennia said lifting her cloak up. "I do have a few embroideries of Boss Lust Dragon alone."
"But still, if anyone asks what you are, just tell them you're a magician that likes using scythes. If you told them what you really are, it might cause a panic." Hikari whispered. "People will get used to the idea of more supernatural beings than just mages and beastmen in time."
"OK." Bennia nodded.
"Aah, don't worry about it Hikari-San, Even if people knew she was a reaper, she's too cute to come off as threatening." Issei laughed.
"B-Boss Oppai Dragon." Bennia said her expression turning shy, hiding her face behind her reaper mask.
"Well I just don't want to take any chances. This is my son we're talking about here Issei." Hikari said.
"I get it, if people find out we'll just explain to them that she's not here for what they think she is." Issei said.
"Are we ready to go?" Irina asked.
"Yes, if we're going to do this, time is of the essence." Gabriel said.
"Excuse me." They turned to find a young girl walking up to them. "A-Are you Hikari Tsuki, the Crimson Tigress?"
"Hm?" Hikari crouched down. "Why yes I am, what is it?" She said with a comforting smile.
"C-Can I have your autograph? !" She said with an excited look.
"Hahahaha, of course of course." Hikari said taking the paper she held out and signed her name.
"Oh my gosh, I can't believe I'm meeting you in person! The lone female fighter of the legendary Crimson Wings!" She gushed.
"Hmhmhm." Hikari giggled and pet the girl's head. "It was rough no doubt about it. Hard to be a girl amongst all that masculinity, but I wasn't the only female. One of my teachers was a girl. There wasn't much written on her though."
"Oh." She said. "Hey, where's the Crimson Dragon? Your partner."
"He...fell ill and is no longer with us." Hikari said.
"O-Oh! I-I'm so sor-!" The girl was cut off by Hikari petting her head again.
"It's OK. He was in pain, and now he's in a better place." Hikari said with a smile.
"Hey, my parents also say your son fell into a bad place...is he OK?" She asked.
"..." Hikari's smile widened. "He's fine, he's among us, in a better place too."
"That's good! My parents felt bad for him, said he saved them once."
"Huh?" Hikari said. "He did?"
"Hey little girl." Rossweisse said approaching them. "May we speak with your parents?"
"Sure! They'll be surprised to see that I met someone like Miss Hikari!" The girl said as she led them to a pair of adults. They both had raven black hair matching their daughters, but the father had bluish gray eyes while the mother had green eyes along with her daughter. "Mom, Dad! Look! Look! It's Miss Hikari of the Crimson Wings!"
"Hello." Hikari waved.
"!" They both stared in shock. "H-Hikari Tsuki! Wh-What brings you here?" The mother asked.
"I need to speak with the people of the Confederacy." Hikari said.
"Oh, U...Um. Our daughter wasn't any trouble was she?" The father asked.
"Oh nonono, she just wanted an autograph, she's not any trouble." Hikari said waving them off.
"Yeah!" The daughter said with a pouting look.
"So what are your names?" Akeno asked.
"Oh, I'm Fran, this is my husband Gregory and this is our daughter Jenny." The mother introduced.
"I'm Akeno, this is Rias, Koneko, Rossweisse, Asia, Sona, Irina, Gabriel, Xenovia, Bennia, Issei, Kazumi, Gasper and Valerie." Akeno introduced.
"Nice to meet you." Everyone said.
"So, what brings you here?" Gregory asked.
"Oh! Mom Dad! Miss Hikari says the boy who saved you is doing a lot better!" Jenny said with a wide smile.
"!" Gregory and Fran blinked in confusion. "He is?" Fran said.
"Yes." Hikari said with a smile. "How did you meet my son anyway?"
"Well...we were visiting Gregory's parents in Phoenix when we were attacked by men posing as Megalo Knights. They told us to come with us if we wanted to live...They even pointed one of their weapons at me to bring the point home." Fran said.
"Fran was pregnant with Jenny at the time. I tried to fight them off, but they were too much for me." Gregory said. "Suddenly they all started dropping like flies and standing among them was a young boy...he couldn't have been any older than eleven, but he took them down so fast. I recognized him from the wanted posters."
"I thanked him, but he seemed to ignore it and turned away from us telling us to get moving before they got back up." Fran said.
"I see." Sona said. "You got lucky." She said.
"No doubt, but I did hear something as we were leaving." Gregory said. "Kenshin saying 'I try to give all my enemies this chance. Lay down your weapons and I will spare your lives. You don't have to die today.'"
"Do you think any of them took it?" Gasper asked.
"Well, I went back to the place a few days later...but all I saw was blood on the ground." Gregory said.
"He gave them their chance. It's their own fault for not taking it." Bennia said.
"So, what has he been doing since leaving here?" Fran asked. "I hope it's not more of the same...a young boy like that shouldn't be forced into such a situation."
"Nonono, Kenshin's doing fine." Hikari smiled. "He's found a stable home and people who care about him and his wellbeing."
"Yes, I'm even engaged to him." Rias said with a smile.
"..." Fran wiped her eyes and smiled. "That's wonderful. We read all about what happened to him after the incident...we were shocked that something like that could happen to a child."
"Mom?" Jenny said looking up at her mother.
Fran wrapped her left arm around her daughter. "I'm OK sweetie." She said.
"..." Gregory wrapped his right arm around his wife. "When you see him again...please...tell him thank you for us...we'll always be grateful to him for saving us...I don't care what that piece of shit in the Senate says."
"Dear, not around Jenny." Fran scolded.
"I'm sorry, but that's just what he is." Gregory said. "A piece of human garbage, just like his father."
"Hey, maybe you can help us." Xenovia said. "How many people here think like you two do?"
"Huh?" Fran asked.
"We're traveling the world, trying to show them that they have Kenshin wrong." Issei said. "We could use all the support we can get."
"Well, we told people our story, but most didn't believe us, but I think that's more that they think he hates this nation, so why would he help us?" Gregory said. "I can't really say."
"Well how did they react when you told them, did they like bristle at the thought of it, shirk away like they were scared or scoff in disbelief." Sona asked.
"Well, I don't remember any of the first, some of the second and a lot of the third." Fran said. "Then again we are pretty far from the capitol."
"Yeah I'm pretty sure we're actually closer to Hellas' capitol than we are Megalomesembria." Gregory mused.
"So you don't think we'll experience much negative reaction to talking about Kenshin-San here." Valerie asked.
"If you're here to do what you said you are, they'll come around." Fran smiled.
"Yeah." Gregory grinned.
"But, if you could..." Fran said petting Jenny's head again. "Next time you see him, tell Kenshin three of the people he saved...say thank you...and we're sorry on behalf of our country."
"Well, we're going to be here for a bit. Why not write a letter?" Gabriel said with a smile. "Tell him who you are."
"Yeah. Kenshin might have a good memory, but not even he's going to remember an isolated incident like that." Xenovia said.
"R-Right!" Fran said.
"Well get right on that." Gregory said.
"Just look for us before we leave." Rias said. "Ask for Hikari, Rias, Sona or Issei specifically. We'll make sure it gets to Kenshin's hands."
"Thank you...and...if you don't mind me saying." Fran smiled. "Young Kenshin must be doing well if he managed to gain the affections of such a beautiful lady."
"Ahahahahaha~!" Rias laughed. "I-Indeed!" She said as Akeno, Koneko, Rossweisse, Xenovia and Sona all glared at her.
"Hahahaha..." Asia, Irina, Gabriel, Hikari, Issei, Gasper and Valerie all giggled or laughed.
(Break)
Back on Olympus Mons.
Kenshin was still asleep while Sairaorg kept watch. "Nn..." He grunted in his sleep.
"..." Sairaorg glanced at him as a second presence appeared next to him. "Regulus, are you sure you should come out right now?"
"It's fine." Regulus said in his human form. "I wanted to get some fresh air anyway." He glanced at Kenshin.
"What?" Sairaorg said.
"I wonder what he's dreaming about." Regulus said. "He can play it off saying this has to be done, but each person he fells on his way to stop Ialda Baoth now was a friend of his in the past."
"Still not sharing it." Sairaorg said with a sigh.
"He brought you all with didn't he?" Regulus asked.
"Because he's outnumbered and powered down." Sairaorg said.
"Remember what the vampire said. The worst in his mind may still come." Regulus said. "Until it's certain what will happen. He will still feel trapped between the past and the present. I don't think he's keeping it to himself because he wants to, it's that there's other things that need to be done, so he'd rather focus on them. I mean did you want to talk about your mother's condition when she fell ill while you were growing up?" Regulus asked.
"...Good point. I guess he'll talk about it when he's ready." Sairaorg said.
"Yes." Regulus said.
"Still, why are you sympathizing with him?" Sairaorg asked.
"I don't know. I guess when I look at him...I see a pained soul trying to recover...like I was before I met you." Regulus said.
"..." Sairaorg glanced at Kenshin.
"But..." Kenshin mumbled in his sleep. "I...I wanted to show you...O-OK..."
"Huh?" Sairaorg said.
"He must be dreaming about something he did in the past, considering the wording, it must be even before he suffered." Regulus said.
What was Kenshin dreaming about? Well, lets have a look.
(Flashback) (A/N: I might have started this off saying let's look into his dream, but this is a true flashback)
A young red haired boy with blue eyes wearing a red outfit was practicing sword slashes with a wooden sword.. He couldn't have been any older than five. "Two Hundred! Two Hundred and One! Two Hundred and Two! Two Hundred and Three! Two Hundred and Fo-Oh no!" He said losing grip on his sword, flinging it toward an approaching group of four.
"Hahahaha, jeez kid take it easy." The second tallest of the three men of the group, a man with maroon hair and brown eyes, wearing a beige cloak with a black shirt and pants, he had caught Kenshin's wooden sword.
"Dad, Uncle Nagi, Uncle Albireo, Aunt Arika you're back!" The boy said running up to them.
"Have you been good Kenshin?" Ryuushin said kneeling down, patting his son's head.
"Uh huh, I've just been practicing what you've taught me." Kenshin said with a bright smile.
"OK, but have you at least been spending time with your two little friends?" Arika asked with a short laugh.
"Y-Yeah." Kenshin said with a shy look.
"Hahahaha, I see he still gets shy around you Arika." Albireo laughed.
"Ah, I remember my first boyhood crush." Nagi laughed.
"U-Uncle Nagi!" Kenshin whined swinging his wooden sword at Nagi.
"Hahahaha! You'll never hit me like that kid!" Nagi laughed as he dodged each and every sword slash effortlessly. "Ken-Chan has a crush~! Ken-Chan has a crush~!" Nagi teased.
"Aaaaahhh!" Kenshin's slashes kept getting more wild and frantic as he grew more and more embarrassed.
"I had to marry the most immature birdbrain in Mundus Magicus." Arika groaned to herself.
"Well that's Nagi for you." Ryuushin and Albireo said with matching smiles, the former with a bead of sweat rolling down his left temple.
Arika walked over and smacked her husband over the head. "Nagi, that's quite enough. He already has shyness issues as it is, he doesn't need you picking on him." She huffed.
"Clearly he does." Nagi chuckled. "He comes out of his shell more when I do."
"In a negative way you idiot!" Arika snapped.
Seeing as the two were starting to argue Kenshin walked up to his father. "Hey Dad, I want to show you something."
"Oh? What is it so-Ungh...!" Ryuushin grabbed his chest as he started to cough.
"Ryuushin!" Albireo said moving to his side in a second as Ryuushin grabbed the nearby wall for support.
"Huh? Yo Ryuu! You OK? !" Nagi shouted.
"Yeah...I-I'm fine! (cough cough)" Ryuushin kept coughing but tried to catch his breath.
"Ryuushin, you have to lay down." Albireo said.
"...B-But...I wanted to show you..." Kenshin said.
"Kenshin I'm sorry, but your father isn't feeling well right now." Albireo said with a gentle tone.
"I...(cough) I promise I watch it later OK?" Ryuushin said with a strained smile, patting his son's head again.
"O-OK." Kenshin said hanging his head.
"Arika give me a hand with him." Albireo said holding Ryuushin up by one of his arms.
"Right." Arika said.
The three left Nagi and Kenshin alone. "..." Nagi stared at Kenshin who kept hanging his head. "You OK?" He asked walking up to him.
"..." Kenshin didn't say anything.
"..." Nagi narrowed his eyes sympathetically at the small boy. "Poor kid, because Ryuu's constantly on the run, he never can stay in one place very long and put roots down...and because of Ryuu's search for Hikari, Ryuu's constantly gone. Not sticking around for more than a few days at a time."
"..." Kenshin reached up and wiped his eyes. "I guess I'll keep practicing..." He said, all the joy in his voice seemingly sucked out of him.
"Kenshin..." Nagi said walking up to him. "What's wrong? I have a pretty good idea, but it helps to talk about it."
"..." Kenshin let out a sigh. "I...I get why Dad's always gone...he wants to bring Mom back...so I can finally meet her...but...hee..." Kenshin wiped his eyes again as he started to cry. "I hate that he's always gone. Why can't I go with him where he goes?"
"..." Nagi knelt down and set his hand on Kenshin's head. "Hey. Let me tell you something."
"H-Huh?" Kenshin looked up at him, his eyes slightly red from the tears.
"Your Dad feels the same way you do about this. He hates that he has to keep leaving you behind, but he doesn't want to lose you like he lost your mother and your sister." Nagi said.
"Then why even teach me stuff like this?" Kenshin asked. "If he'll never let me try to use it?"
"Kid." Nagi grinned. "You're nowhere near ready for a real fight."
"...Mrrrnnn.." Kenshin narrowed his eyes, puffing out his left cheek.
"Besides, he wants you to be like him you know, a hero." Nagi said.
"If he's a hero, why do we stay away from cities in the Megalo...me...mes...the Megalowhatsit place." Kenshin said.
"Uhh, well Ryuu kinda hates the attention. He likes to be left alone." Nagi said, lying on the spot.
"Hmmn?" Kenshin stared at him for a moment before nodding. "I guess that makes sense."
"Arika maybe teaching him, but thank goodness he's five and don't know any better to know when he's being lied to." Nagi thought with a wry grin.
"Hey Uncle Nagi...you and Aunt Arika have been together since before I was born...why don't you two have a kid?" Kenshin asked.
"Actually we do." Nagi said.
"Huh?" Kenshin said. "Where are they?"
"Wales." Nagi said.
"Whales? They're in a whale? !" Kenshin said with a shocked look.
"Tchahahahahaha!" Nagi threw his head back as he laughed. "Nonono, the country Wales, W-A-L-E-S. It's in Europe."
"O-Oh..." Kenshin said with an embarrassed look.
"Yeah, she's in the village I grew up at in Wales." Nagi said. "I believe she's one year younger than you. Her name's Negi."
"Her name is Spring Onion?" Kenshin asked.
"..." Nagi's brow twitched. "Damn it! I wanted a name that sounded like mine! It doesn't help that to try and hide their relation to us Arika wanted to change her last name to frickin' Silverberg!" He thought. "Spent the better part of two weeks convincing her otherwise."
"Uncle Nagi?" Kenshin asked.
"That maybe one of the meanings for Negi, but no." Nagi grunted.
"Why isn't she here?" Kenshin said.
"Um...well you know how people don't exactly like Arika?" Nagi asked.
"Yeah? They're idiots! Aunt Arika's such a nice person how can people hate her!" Kenshin griped.
"Heheheh, we agree on that at least." Nagi chuckled. "Well, it's for her protection that we left her in my home village. I haven't been there in years before we left her there, so no one would think to look for either of them there."
"O-Oh..." Kenshin said bowing his head a bit.
"..." Nagi blinked curiously for a bit before smiling. "Maybe someday soon we'll go back and you can meet her." Nagi said.
"Huh?" Kenshin looked up at him.
"Yeah, I mean come on. Ryuu, Hikari, Arika and I always wanted our kids to be friends at least." Nagi said.
"At least? We could be something more?" Kenshin said with a curious tilt of his head.
"Heheheh, you'll understand when you're older." Nagi chuckled.
"I want to get it now." Kenshin said.
"Keheheheheheh, so you'll crush on anyone related to Arika huh kid?" Nagi teased.
"Dang it Uncle Nagi!" Kenshin said swinging his small fists against Nagi's chest.
"Hahahaha! Sheesh kid you're getting stronger! Some of these hurt a little bit!" Nagi said. "Just a little bit though!"
"Mrrrrnnn..." Kenshin stopped and started to pout again.
"Hey, since Ryuu's under the weather, why don't you show me what you were going to show him. I'll tell him all about it." Nagi said.
"B-But it was the move he taught me." Kenshin said. "One he made up."
"You mean this?" Nagi said taking his staff and slashing it outward. "Katensho!"
"E-Eeeh? !" Kenshin gaped as the arcing fire blast shot outward and struck the ground as Nagi had jumped upward. "Y-You know it too? !"
"Yeah, Ryuu showed me how to do it, but I didn't like using it because...well he always said he wanted to pass it on to his kids...and I'm obviously not his kid. His best bud sure." Nagi said.
"B-But it's so much better than mine..." Kenshin said crouching down, poking the ground with his wooden sword with a gloomy expression.
"Well...he taught it to me when perfected it, if that means anything." Nagi said with a wincing smile. "That was over ten years ago. Go ahead, show me."
"OK..." Kenshin said holding his sword in position. "...!" Kenshin slashed it upward. "Katensho!"
"Hm? !" Nagi watched as a larger, but slower blast of arcing fire rushed upward and exploded in the air. "Whoa..."
"See? It's way too big and way too slow." Kenshin said as he slumped.
"N-No! Kenshin that's great! The only thing you're messing up on is mana control!" Nagi said grabbing his shoulders. "I know how that feels! I have a ton of mana, it was hard as hell to control when I was around your age!"
"Wh-Wha?" Kenshin said. "But you're supposed to be the Thousand Master aren't you? I thought you knew a thousand spells."
"Eh...I only really know how to use several." Nagi sweatdropped. "The rest I gotta read out of this book." He holds out a small black book.
"So...um...how do I control it, my mana I mean." Kenshin asked.
"Well, learn some spells. You already know how magic works to an extent and how to call on your mana, the more spells you learn, or the more spells you learn or the better you master a spell helps with mana control." Nagi said before looking at his spellbook. "Here." He said tossing it to Kenshin.
"E-Eeh? !" Kenshin fumbled with the book before catching it. "Y-You don't mind?" He asked.
"Yeah, I've copied the book more than once in case it got destroyed." Nagi said holding out an identical book. "You can have that one." Nagi said with a grin.
"Th-Thanks Uncle Nagi." Kenshin said with a shy smile.
"Yeah, I mean I'd be a pretty cruddy uncle if I didn't help out my nephew eh?" Nagi said with a laugh.
The scene froze and a third figure, the present Kenshin walked up next to them. "..." Kenshin glanced at his younger self. "...It gets so much worse for you later before it will ever get better..." He glanced over at Nagi. "...Your daughter's in the position she's in because of me...and I still don't know how to save her..."
(flashback end)
Kenshin woke up and saw Evangeline staring into the fire. "Evangeline?"
"It's my shift, what are you doing up?" Evangeline said.
"...Can't sleep." Kenshin said with his eyes closed as he sat up.
"You were talking in your sleep." Evangeline said.
"..." Kenshin let out a sigh. "I had a dream of the past...when I was five."
"Must have been nice times." Evangeline said.
"Knowing what happens after that...not as much as you think." Kenshin said.
"True..." Evangeline said.
"Haaa..." Kenshin let out a sigh. "I'm not anywhere near a solution to saving Negi yet..." Kenshin said.
"Just wait for Kagurazaka to be unsealed, then figure it out. Having a way to kill Ialda comes first." Evangeline said.
"Yeah..." Kenshin said. "But is it really as easy as you say?"
"What does that mean?" Evangeline asked.
"My family and I, Kazumi, Chachamaru, Mana, Tertium and Sextum don't want Negi to die...but..where do you stand?" Kenshin asked.
"..." Evangeline closed her eyes before letting out a sigh. She got up and approached Kenshin, sitting down next to him. "...Would you believe me if I said I was thinking on that just before you woke up?"
"Yeah." Kenshin said. "Evangeline, you can be a cold hard bitch all you want, but deep down...I know you cared about Negi."
"..." Evangeline let out another, more morose sigh. "That easy to read am I?"
"As easy to read as I am." Kenshin said.
"One period while Negi was fighting Hottan...she caught a nasty case of mana poisoning." Evangeline said.
"Yikes..." Kenshin said.
"She used illusion magic to make sure no one noticed, but...I think Yukari and Miyuki always did, cause they hovered over Negi like a pair of hawks." Evangeline said. "Chachamaru did too, and that's how I found out...at that moment...I finally understood how Kagurazaka felt."
"..." Kenshin stared at her, listening to her tell her story.
"She felt so helpless...she couldn't do anything while Yukari, Miyuki, Hikari, Konoka and I nursed her back to health, but she remembered constantly that Hasegawa, Ayase, Miyazaki died to Hottan and the Evil God Loki to protect her." Evangeline said. "Often times we found her crying in her sleep."
"..." Kenshin looked down at the fire with a somber expression.
"..." Evangeline pointed a knife in his face. "Oi, just because the pervert and the prisoner over there kicked your ass, doesn't give you leeway to cry over every little thing...I'm not letting you cry in my arms." She said.
"Yes Evangeline..." Kenshin said with an amused, but deadpanned expression.
"..." Evangeline put the knife down and wrapped her arms around her hips, her chin on her knees. "Kenshin, are you sure it was a good idea to turn me loose? You were a protector of peace in Rikudou...and I'm an evil wizard. Your compatriots would surely have questioned the decision if they were still alive." Evangeline said with a wry smirk.
"..." Kenshin stared at her.
"If you look at it, Ialda Baoth is the ultimate good." Evangeline said.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kenshin asked.
"She told you she'd kill the world I assume? That's the same bullshit line Hottan fed Negi...she plans on putting the world to sleep under the Cosmo Entelecheia spell like Hottan did...only on a Multiversal scale." Evangeline said. "Hottan never knew about other universes until you vanished after all."
"If that is so...Ialda is still wrong...that wouldn't be true peace, not at all.." Kenshin said shaking his head. "Nothing is solved by merely shelving the problem...my fight with Issei and Saji taught me this and besides...I love the way you are just fine...you're perfect just like this." "
"G-Ghhh..." Evangeline recoiled with a twitching eyebrow and a slight blush
"W-What?" Kenshin said. "I-I just mean your standpoint is great...I mean you started out trying to do good." Kenshin said.
"I know..." Evangeline said with a glower.
"Besides aren't you the one who told Negi to walk the gray path?" Kenshin asked.
"Yes...I suppose I am." Evangeline said. "Also...I won't lie...this form does resemble the Queen of Vespertatia quite a bit, and you did used to have a crush on her." She said with a knowing grin.
"..." Kenshin glowered. "I outgrew that crush." He grunted.
"Hmhmhmhm..." Evangeline laughed to herself. "That's too bad." She said.
"..." Kenshin continued to glower.
"You know...seeing things go like that at Kuoh...kind of remind me of those chaotic, stupid days at Mahora." Evangeline said.
"You ain't kiddin'" Kenshin said with a fond smile.
"You know...looking back on it all, everything was so crazy and ridiculous...I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed myself back then...and continue to enjoy myself now..." Evangeline said. "Maybe...Those days were Nagi's idea of a parting gift to Negi, to me, and to you."
"..." Kenshin stared at her. "Evangeline...did you...give up on Nagi?" Kenshin asked.
"I gave up on him a long time ago." Evangeline said. "After hearing he was happily married...kinda made it clear I wouldn't be happy with him...and you even said I would be." Evangeline said with a wry smile.
"I-I didn't know much after what I have seen." Kenshin said. "Anything after was a hopeful guess."
"..." Evangeline's smile widened. "I know...but...the fact that you care so much..." She said.
"..." Kenshin nodded.
"Besides, being a Primordial...you're now a part of the immortal club now, hell you might even outlive me." Evangeline said. "So couldn't you just forget about all the rest...?" Evangeline asked.
"Evangeline..." Kenshin said wrapping his arms around Evangeline. "Thank you...Thank you so much for caring about us, but..I could never forget about all the people who believed in me...and depended on me." Kenshin said.
"Kenshin..." Evangeline said bowing her head. "Why did you save me that short time ago?"
"Because I didn't want you to lose all the strength you'd built up because of me" Kenshin said. "I wanted you to live on as the Dark Evangel I'd always known."
"..." Evangeline looks up at him with a smile. "That's not what I meant, not the last time we were here...what was a short time chronologically for you...was hundreds of years for me, and I didn't remember any of it until you reminded me."
"Oh." Kenshin said. "I see, I'd do it again every single time" Kenshin said.
"..." Evangeline's head bowed forward. "Baka..."
"Evangeline..." Kenshin said. "Please never change." He said with a smile.
"? !" Evangeline's face began to flush as she stared at him.
"..." Kenshin's face moved forward...his lips connecting with Evangeline's.
"!" Evangeline's eyes widened at the contact, but as quickly as it started...it vanished as Kenshin slid off of her, falling asleep. "...Even after all this time. I never thought...I'd find the world this beautiful." Evangeline said looking up at the sky with a smile.
(chapter end)
Draconis: Address Kenshin's stupidity about recklessly hurting everyone else not named Rias. Check.
Rias: Start the Climb and Issei's plan. Check
Hikari: Meet a family Kenshin saved. Check
Draconis: Flesh out Nagi. Half Check. And for the hell of it, have a fluff scene between Kenshin and Evangeline. Check.
Kenshin: Why'd it take so long. You got the last chapter out pretty fast.
Draconis: I actually have a legitimate excuse this time. I was jotting down ideas for the rest of the arc. Anyway, here's a couple of footnotes.
(1 ) Though Theodora has a thing for Kenshin and Kenshin still has lingering sentiments for her. She will not be added to his harem. I have nothing else for her after this arc and it's not as easy as Alice's position and future plans. To balance this out. I'll have a girl from this world become enamored with Issei as well that must stay in Mundus Magicus like Theodora.
(2 ) There was a scene in Chapter 14 where Kenshin held the Gremory Family Photo Album that Sirzechs sent over out of Rias' reach. This scene doesn't make sense if Kenshin's not taller than Rias who is five eight."
Issei: I have a question. The three Imp girls are with me, but you've hardly done anything with them.
Draconis: I've got plans for them too. It involves Minagi the Succubus Ancestor. Anyway I gotta go, see ya.
Draconis678 out.