Cocking an eyebrow he let out a soft hum.
This could have profound consequences.
Or prove utterly inconsequential.
Business as usual in other words.
He's had his fill of 'world shaking' discoveries each and every other week that eventually amount to nothing.
Although, for a change, his useless 'Heir' did bring him something of relative interest, and without him having to hold his hand throughout the process either.
Sadly the fact remained it wasn't truly his 'Heir's doing, nor did they bother to inform the lad out of respect.
No, clearly he was the intended recipient, but still, small vices where one could get them as the saying went.
And speaking of his 'Heir'.
"You did well," he said at the kneeling and squirming disgrace who promptly puffed up and rising, proceeded to bow, offer the usual platitudes and march out of the solar, no doubt already scheming silly little schemes.
Already putting the vainglorious child out of his mind, he leaned back on his throne, glancing at the letter, the contents of which were no doubt already fast on their way to his 'compatriots.'
Fools.
They still didn't realize they continued to exist and play their games at his sufferance.
Thinking him to be ideologically opposed to the young four.
Bah!
As if he cared about 'ideologies'.
For all their faults the Old Satans and the Child that spurned Him understood this most of all.
Power and results are what matters.
Not words.
Not platitudes and beliefs.
No.
Strength to see your beliefs made manifest.
Whether that means the whip or the ambrosia is the wrong focus.
Both, either.
That is, as long as it leads to the prosperity of Devilkind.
So for now, just like his dealings with the inheritors of the seats, he'll wait.
Long his memory may be and he might remember nothing about Saints capable of bringing people, devils, back to life but in the grand scheme of things.
Such power whether in the hand of enemies or his, is not as impressive as it might first appear.
Who builds a house on such shaky foundations, and on marshlands for all he knows.
No. Let the 'Old Satans' make their plays.
Do what they will with the info. He'll neither help nor oppose them, in fact this will be but another test.
Both to find out whether the child is worthy of his attention and which kind.
As well as to set his 'compatriots' against the inheritors of the four and more than likely Church both.
Sadly, he fears he already knows the answer.
The 'Old Satans' will more than likely disappoint him once more.
No matter.
Peace, war.
Only the prosperity of his people matters.
Now strict logic dictated that they had nothing to fear, Butchou's and the sexy blonde standing by Irina's side actions made sure of that.
The interlapping barriers of energy seeming to do their job and holding the rocks and spikes of upturned dirt at bay.
With only the slightest of worrying swaying coming from the trees and branches right up above them.
Issei knew that.
But as the athletic robot woman with thighs to die for clashed with the sexy angel garbed in the provocative dress, each thrust, cut, and parry sending the massive mouth watering boobs jiggling.
With part of Issei's mind wondering if this was the moment where the dress was defeated and heaven's bounty spilled free.
The rest of her, instead felt worried as she stood protectively next to the little cutie.
Surprisingly so.
A part of her, pulsing in tandem with the flow of Holy appearing in bursts and running down lines across A2's limbs, all but demanded she do so.
Not that she needed those new instincts, could it be the first flarings of the fabled 'maternal' ones? Hah! Suck it Aika, she would become an awesome mom!
Nor A2's pointed hints.
Issei's eyes widened and instinct overtook reason as heaven's boo—Gabriel jumped backwards and up, flapping her wings to gain height and avoiding a slice from the growling robot woman.
Gabriel cocked her arm back, making dem titties jiggle, but the swelling of the lighting spear and the wild crackling arcs of light akin to rumbling thunder running up and down took precedence.
The light potent enough to make her eyes sting from even behind the barriers.
Although less than she'd expected Light to sting.
Light…
Memories of sizzling flesh and burning needles running up and down her limb as the cross burned even with Baka red's gauntlet serving as an intermediary overtook her.
With lackadaisical ease, Gabriel swung her arm forward with a dancer's grace.
The spear fell.
A2's nostrils flared as she took a deep stance, one knee forward, colossal blade brought to the side in a two handed grip, the previously coming and going lines of holy flaring bright against her skin.
And letting out a roar, her swing met the spear.
"Oh shit!" Irina's hot older friend muttered, moving her hands a pulse of power leaving her.
Irina for her part, let out a flustered squeak. "Sister—"
"BIG SIS!"
But Issei cared not, tackling the frantic Yuha to the ground
Irina's words died in her mouth as with the sound of shattering crystal the spear broke and even with her eyes screwed shut, it was like the sun descended.
"Erm, Miss Issei," the slightly muffled mumble made her blink, "I'm okay. Big Sis…"
Realizing that no, she didn't die for a third time, Issei made to stand, preparing to help the cutie up and then caught sight of Yuha's distracted gaze.
And the tiny blush as his head was halfway buried between her boobs.
A grin most evil spread across her lips, born out of pride fed yet again, courtesy of the proof that yes, she did indeed, have feminine wiles, even if they were not as big as Akeno-senpai's, but also due to the realization that some of her half formed ideas about becoming a proper senpai to Yuha, could in fact work.
But that could wait till later.
She helped Yuha to his feet who let out a relieved breath as he peered past her and—
"Miss?!"
Issei swayed for a moment.
"It's nothing, Yuha-chan," she said with a smile and turned around.
Hah, she must be more tired than she thought, for standing close to Yuha as she did she felt curiously weaker and yet stronger at the same time.
Nothing a bit of rest wouldn't fix, assuming they survived that is.
She gulped as she beheld the devastation.
The two combatants seemed fine, aside from Gabriel looking sheepish and A2, somehow, more pissed off.
Their side of the forest, the part still protected by the barriers at least, still stood.
Although, judging by how Butchou's knees trembled and the hot nun swayed on her feet, oh, Issei wouldn't mind if the nun swayed for her in private but for that to happen the two maniacs squaring off would have to avoid a repeat.
Otherwise everyone would likely share the same fate as the other part of the forest.
"RIAAAAAAAAAAS!"
Ah.
Seems, Sona-Senpai noticed.
Now how to go about escaping the slightly miffed woman a second time?
A2 liked to think of herself as a patient woman.
A woman of restraint.
Of elegance even.
Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, nodded to herself, and…
Gripping her sword tight, roared into a lion's claw.
"Eep!"
Sadly, the feathery pain in her ar—rear, moved to the side.
Not that she expected this to land. Not truly.
Especially not after the firepower the crazy blonde brought to bear a scarce few moments ago.
While not on the level of a goliath's laser, the fact that she even entertained the comparison said enough.
To try and tank such as she'd been before.
Even with Berserk mode would have been risky, if not outright foolish.
And unlike a goliath's laser, A2 somehow suspected the oversized bimbo needed no recharge period to let loose another such devastating lance nor had she been putting her back to it.
Then again, with her human's blessing coursing through her neither had she.
Although she still felt, nay, knew there were depths to that power she'd yet to touch much less tap.
"I can see why you believe your legs to be your best feature," the mutant said, raising an arm, no doubt preparing to conjure another lance. "They seem properly developed, unlike other areas."
Oh that bitch.
A2 grinned for the blonde had fallen for it.
It would seem the mutant had the good grace to recognize her human's excelent taste, but who said she intended to waste half a second digging out her sword.
Gabriel blinked and then almost folded over as A2, using her handle as leverage instead stretched a perfectly proportioned limb into the blonde's stomach.
Graciously giving leave for a closer examination.
How did she like—
"Got you~"
Given the woman's strength, A2 did not expect her to groan in pain, but to smile instead?
Overextended and fallen into the mutant's trap, A2's eyes widened further as the light around the angel's palm coalesced not in a spear but in a mace.
A mace which fell.
Fast!
Letting go of her greatsword's handle, her arm stretched to her sides, closing around the hastily conjured handle of her katana as she performed a quickdraw, the ends of the blade still materializing as blade met mace.
And her vision flared red with warnings, A2 gasping as servos and synth-muscle rendered their all to keep her from the dirt.
"Hehe~ You are open."
Squaring of against the mutant gorilla A2 managed but a startled gasp as within Gabriel's other arm light gathered far faster than before and a tiny, if not at all weak spear of light flew.
Smacking straight into A2 and immediately shattering against the silver-blue energy bequeathed to her by her human.
But the explosion's energy was still enough to send her tumbling back with a cry.
Unlike a bog standard human, A2 was of sturdier stock.
So while this might not have harmed her physicaly.
Not truly.
Ending up in a hole of her own making, head and torso halfway buried into the dirt but worst of all, ass and legs pointing at the sky?
A2 liked to think of herself as a patient woman.
Right now she felt anything but.
Ignoring the warnings in the corners of her vision she bypassed the restrictions.
[Berserk Mode: activated]
The mound of dirt around her exploded as she blurred towards the surprised mutant.
Priestess of Amaterasu, Ruler of the Youkai, the Kitsune…
Many and more were her tittles but at the end of the day, in Yasaka's own opinion all of them were in some way shape or form, wrong, or at least not entirely accurate.
Aside from 'Mom', that one she bore with pride and elation beyond any other.
But no, with the exception of that particular one, the tittle that best described her was one of her own making.
Namely, 'the naive idiot who thought the position a privilege and accepted it in the first place wondering why her mother went into retirement cackling.'
Yes, it might have been inspired by some of the more amusing artistic creations of the mortals, but she was a centuries old fox, she could spend her free time as she wished dammit!
The fact that Kunou said Yasaka's voice was her favorite lulaby didn't hurt either.
Though some of the ideas the mortals came up were so silly.
She sighed as she signed yet another paper, glaring at the offending piece with a huff and leaning back to catch her breath, before blinking her eyes.
No, it wasn't just her idea, the stack of papers seemed just as tall as before, or nearly.
Oh what she wouldn't give for a break…
The sound or feet running on tatami made her perk and sit straight.
Surreptitiously also checking that yes, the girls didn't escape from her yukata again like last time.
"My lady!" the voice of one of her newest guards, a bright eyed tengu was followed by the appearance of said youth as he hastily slid the wooden door open, imediately offering a deep bow. "Apologies for the presumption, but I come bearing grave news."
With but a flex of her will, chakra coursed through her veins, pushing back weariness and exhaustion.
"What is it, an attack?"
"N-no my lady, nothing of the sort. B-but…"
Well, that at least eased part of her worries. "Speak." She bade him stand.
"Y-you have a…" the poor man licked his lips as he nervously glanced left and right, seeking an escape.
But why, she wasn't like her mother, or worse, some of her esteemed ancestors.
She didn't give off such an aura, did she?
The guard swallowed. "…a guest, you have a guest my lady."
That made even less sense!
She opened her mouth and then she heard it.
That laugh.
The guard flinched.
Oh.
That explained things.
Yasaka pinched her nose.
"We offer thine thanks for the haste thou displayeth in conveying the matter to us," she said, slipping into the speech befitting such an honored visitor…
…and hopefully the type that would annoy her the quickest and see her out of her Amaterasu blessed locks the fastest.
"Pray, inform her radiance that we shall—" she froze.
"My lady?"
What begun as a slight trickle, turned into a flood of power. Power insistently battering against her head, or rather her soul.
The message undeniable.
"Fuck me…"
"W-what? My lady?!"
Standing up, Yasaka shook her head, "No time, our Goddess, has urgent need of me, I'll see to our guest later."
"The goddess…"
"Yes," she said as she made for a smaller door to the room's right, the one leading to the small private shrine meant for emergencies such as this. "I trust you can…amuse her for a few minutes, yes."
"Lady Yasaka, please wait!"
But she didn't, sliding close the door behind her, the poor tengu already out of her thoughts.
Besides, they could manage.
Probably.
Heart hammering, nervousness gnawing at the edges of her consciousness, she cycled energy through her body in a similar manner to mortals focusing on their breathing while she checked her hair, her yukata. Everything.
And entirely too soon for her liking, she reached the door to the shrine, entered, and made her way to the pedestal in the middle and the reflective bright mirror on it.
She bowed.
"My lady, thine priestess awaits to attend thee."
"Yasaka" The voice rumbled, feminine, alluring and blazing. The taste of ash lingering in Yasaka's nostrils as the very room seemed to brighten. "Heed me"
"I hear and obey, my lady," she said with a bow.
Followed by a wince owed to more than Amaterasu's power, the tiniest bit of it, proving almost suffocating.
No, the goddess' words, edict really, once again it seemeth would create a lot more work for Yasaka.
Thankfully, before long, her piece said, the goddess bid her farewell, turning to more important matters no doubt and Yasaka let out a shuddering breath.
Straightened back up.
And begun to relax.
"Kanra~kara~kara~"
Oh no…
Only to tense back up.
Please let her be mistaken.
The sudden, repeated, friendly, and very much improper, slaps on her back disabused her of the notion.
"Ammy's just as prissy as ever eh?" the sheer impropriety, nay, the audacity halted Yasaka in her tracks. Unfortunately. For that's all the opening she needed. "Don't worry your pretty little tails over it Yas, I'll go check it out in your stead."
That on the other hand, was enough to jolt her back to her senses.
"We are gracious of thine courteous offering but find little and less reason to burden you so, oh honored guest—"
Sadly, it was already too little to late.
As she feared.
"Bah! Save those boring games for the dimwits, as I said, I got you!"
She'd already given up the advantage by hesitating.
Nevertheless her duty to Goddess and subjects both demanded she try again.
"We must insist. And we've yet to have an audience with—"
The white-haired woman shuddered. "Oh come on, what did I just say." For a being of her stature. Her power. Her experience, her actions were anything but.
Against such impropriety Yasaka merely set her lips on a thin disapproving line. "Sides, I was bored and visited on a whim. Don't worry your pretty little tails about it, oh, and say hi to Kunou for me!"
"If thou could just—"
"Ah, yes, yes," the woman said with a dismissive gesture, already making for the shrine's exit. "I'll be sure to come back and beat up…train your lazy excuses for tengu once I find out whatever's got Ammy's knockers in a twist. Kanra~kara~kara~"
On the one hand, this won't end well.
On the other, the issue was, or would soon be, handled. In a manner of speaking. And given that a small mountain of paperwork awaited her back in her office…
Yasaka bit back a whimper, her tails drooping at the thought.
Besides, not even she could make whatever the situation was worse.
"…Lady Amaterasu grant me strength."
Oh what a glorious day!
Not only did she find her brother reborn but she was having fun!
For her brother's scowling disciple, shrouded in silver and humming vibration, was both skilled and strong enough to deserve Gabriel's respect.
Parrying a slash, Gabriel twisted her wrist just so, disarming the future woman of one of her many, many weapons, sending it sky high.
Of course the overly dour woman had little hope of wining but the fact she could push Gabriel so far spoke wonders of her prowess.
Coupled with her devotion to her brother, yes, Gabriel nodded while leaning to the side and—
Ooh! Tricky~
Flapping her wings to avoid the woman's slash, Gabriel arced her mace upwards battering the needle like projectiles from the future woman's parried sword.
Brother chose well.
Who knew you could store Holy energy in an item coupled with delayed release and a targeting weave? Truly she—
Gabriel dropped to her knees and fell backwards.
"Eek!"
Not managing to avoid getting one of her wings clipped.
Huffing and standing up, she pouted as two feathers fell from a wing.
The future woman grinned smugly even if she seemed to be breathing heavily.
"You are skilled," she praised even if it smarted to do so. "Its been a few centuries since I last saw a trick like that."
"…thank you," the disciple grunted after a second, tone guarded. "I…suppose the same can be said of you."
"I am honored, but, I have to say…"
"Yes?"
"Even Scathach stuck to throwing a spear with her toes, a greatsword is a bit much don't you think?"
"…I've no idea who that is."
"Truly?" she blinked and then shrugged, conjuring a light spear in her free hand. "Curious."
To wield her mace with two hands would be a bit much for a mere spar after all.
The disciple dashed forward and with a flap Gabriel obliged her.
She had a tittle to win after all.
Big Sis was the strongest.
That Yuha knew with all his heart.
And through the brief time they'd been together, A2 had proven said fact again and again.
So, while the blonde lady was pretty, very pretty in fact. And strong to boot.
Big Sis' victory was inevitable.
Or it should have been.
At the start things seemed even, and then, despite his inexperience, Yuha could tell that thing swung back and forth.
For a moment Big Sis seemed to be in great danger and his heart clenched in worry, something trembling within him, but to his relief, Big Sis activated her super special mode that drained her greatly and things seemed to be back on track.
She could win.
She would win!
Only, fate it seems conspired otherwise.
A2's made to parry and counterattack only for her trembling limbs to betray her, locking up as her super special mode faded and even that other power, the one supposedly coming from him flickering.
The pretty blonde lady smiled a smile he didn't like at all as she swung that big scary mace and he wanted to stop her, reach out and change the future, but he couldn't.
"BIG SIS!"
The trembling thingie within him shivered and then snapped.
Light, noise, and more assaulted his senses all at once, overwhelming him or about to do so.
In one of the images, A2 stood victorious.
He reached for the mace.
Gabriel grinned, victory was hers!
Seemingly immune to Holy energies or not, the disciple was most certainly not immune to the more…kinetic properties of properly shaped light.
And by the growing despair in the future woman's eyes as the mace closed in on her exposed flank, she knew it too.
Then her brother's cry reached her and Gabriel hesitated but the tiniest fraction of a second.
No, its not like she planned to seriously harm the woman, merely remind her of the pecking order is all.
Gabriel barely had time to widen her eyes.
"Ara? Daddy?"
Issei thought herself strong.
Granted not as strong as the true monsters in this world but strong nonetheless.
Suffice to say that after today, she planned to train.
Seriously train!
For like a month.
Alright a week.
With rest days spent admiring oppai of course.
But still.
"Can I have their coach's number," she murmured as the fight seemed to draw to a close.
Mechanical cyborg whatever or not, Issei, despite her laziness, knew what exhaustion looked like.
Felt like.
Training for the spicy chicken had taught her that.
Indeed, despite A2's valiant showing she slipped and—
"BIG SIS!"
Eyes widening at the pain in Yuha's voice, she turned only to be buffeted by a wave of power as the cutie glared at the angel.
Did his pupils double?!
The pressure against her very soul climbed higher and then it disappeared.
Gabriel let out a pained cry and Issei whirled her head fast enough to catch a glimpse of the angel's mace exploding and the angel being sent tumbling to the side.
A fact A2 capitalized on, rushing to the groaning woman, the katana's edge almost kissing the downed woman's neck.
But Issei had bigger problems.
For out of the corner of her eye she—
The meanie blonde lost.
Good, good, why did he feel…so…tired…
With a yawn, Yuha swayed and leaned forward towards the soft looking dirt and as his eyes closed soft hands caught him while flapping wings like a bird caressed his ears.
"Well, I'll be. You were right, how the hell did Dad pull this off?"
Big Sis…
?
With a sharp inhale, nearly forlorn of hope, she opened her eyes.
A surprised gasp coming from but a few feet from her throne as the clutter of a half painted shoe clacking against marble filled the space.
"M-mother?! You are awake! I-I mean of course you are, for I expected nothing less and… M-Mother?"
Her daughter's words lay ignored for the moment as eyes of blue blazed, piercing through the mists, not content to wait for the faithful swirls to acquiesce as the still waters churned, time and space became as shreds and she searched, searched, searched.
The weaving's shattering could have been a mistake, a fluke.
But her desperate heart guided her vision until at last.
A soul familiar and new.
Old yet young.
Same yet different.
But at its core, unmistakable.
More the fool her it seems for doubting him and the oath freely given.
The promise would be kept, and the thought filled a heart embraced by cold alone for years without end, with a peculiar, almost forgotten warmth.
"There you are, my love," she whispered.
"M-mother?!"
Why was he so young though?
