15 Chapter 13

Things sure aren't going my way lately, huh?

Turns out, Inari had already left, which left only Uzume here to gather what I needed before deciding fully on what to do next.

What sucks, or rather isn't, is that the moment I mentioned wanting to watch that video of me, Uzume herself quickly told me how to get on the Supernatural forum it's on, then ran off to go get what I told her.

How she seemed very enthusiastic to get work done for once was extremely suspicious, but I only really understood why she ran off until I watched the video.

And, let me tell you, seeing the moment from the outside looking in? When I went full violent mode and started playing with the big dragon?

Fucking hell, I wish I could remember that time clearly!

The video cuts out just after I put the dragon to the torch, not showing the moment I turn and try to turn Sitri into an ash stain on the ground.

Thankfully. I'll have to thank Inari for that next time I see her.

Still, though.

I sit on my couch, leaning forward as I glare at my phone, holding the video paused at the clearest moment I can see myself in it.

Specifically, it's the moment where I stand before the dragon after cutting its head in two, laughing.

I frown, dragging a finger across the screen over my digital self's hair.

Which is highlighted purple in this berserker state of mine.

A very familiar purple, might I add.

Fucking dammit Uzume.

I get the feeling that this is what caused her to leave so quickly, huh?

Leaning back onto my couch, I loudly groan into the currently empty house, tossing my phone onto the cushion next to me.

That information I told her to collect for me better be damn well good.

Supposedly, she is some sort of liaison between the Heavenly and Earthly Kami and the World. If she doesn't know what I want to know off the top of her head, she should know a place to gather it.

It's all Japan specific stuff, anyway, so I don't think it'll be too hard.

My big ask was for contact details and statuses on the Five Principal Clans, the Great Yokai Factions, and the Imperial Family or their Bureau of Onmoyō.

But alongside that, I wanted details and names of the various smaller exorcist families and clans, the beast tamers, the artifact-holding families, the smaller yokai communities and such scattered throughout my home.

Honestly, all that extra stuff is to sate my curiosity more than a need to know, but I figure it would be nice regardless.

And as for the Kami? Well, I figure Uzume should be able to answer anything I ask about them, both Earthly and Heavenly.

Right?

I stare blankly at the ceiling above me, the deafening silence outside of my thoughts the answer to that.

I click my tongue in distaste.

Well, at least my horniness is gone? At least until Kuroka gets back, that is. Or Uzume.

What to do while I wait then? What to do…

A pile of dead bodies flash into my mind's eye.

I still.

Then let out an aggravated huff.

Fine. Fuck it. Let's get this over with, then.

Am I at fault for what the Fallen did here?

No. That's my first response. Why? Because I don't puppet their actions.

But, at the same time, thinking about it more, with my knowledge of the canon, I could have straight up killed them once school started.

But I had a plan, to wait out Diodora, then murder him and the Fallen all at once.

Then fuck off from Kuoh, maybe visit Kyoto, and work from there.

I had no idea canon changed, not until the month ended and Asia never showed!

I assumed! I saw the Fallen, flying about, but I just assumed they were doing random Fallen things!

Like that fedora-wearing fuck! He went out looking for strays in canon, right?

But here, if I had to bet? They were out kidnapping and mutilating people's souls!

And for what, huh!? For fucking what!?

I hissed out a breath I didn't know I was holding, and slowly laid down on my couch, covering my eyes with an arm.

But…you know?

I can't help but think.

If I had just murdered the Fallen the moment I got here, maybe not all, but likely a good chunk of people would still be alive.

How many people died when they forced Issei to go Juggernaut Drive? There's no way that district was clear of people…

I don't even know how many people were in that pile I found.

Hell, that could have been the only pile I found, because they either hid or cleaned up any other bodies before!

I was so close, so fucking close to disaster, and I was never even aware!

And so many people are dead regardless.

And their friends, all their families…

Like, Genshirou! Doesn't he have little siblings? Twelve and under little brothers and sisters?

Fuucckk…

I…need to find them…before I leave this town.

I don't know why, or what I'd even do…make sure they're set for the rest of their lives without their big brother there? Maybe make sure the rest of their family doesn't get broken up and separated?

I don't know. Just…something.

And Asia…

Thinking back on it, I could maybe wrap my head around Raynare and her gang doing equally dumb shit like before, but Asia?

Why didn't she show up!? There's no way I or the Shinto, could have done something that altered that.

Fuck. I just hope wherever she is, that she's okay…

I take a deep, shuddering breath.

I don't want to admit I'm crying right now.

But I am.

Hah. I suppose…I won't say it's all my fault.

I should have known something was up after week three though, with no Asia in sight.

To be fair to myself, canon was always vague on dates, it's why I waited until the start of the next month to act.

But, still. That's no excuse.

I tried being reactive to spoiled information.

It failed. Who'd have thought?

No more being reactive anymore, I told myself that when Juggernaut Drive got unleashed on the town, and I'm reaffirming that now.

I don't believe myself some fairy tale or legendary hero from the old myths and legends that are oh so real here.

A real hero would have saved the day, long before it spiraled out of control.

But…I at least believe in responsibility. I have knowledge, in my head, a basis for what could come in this world.

If I don't use it to help, to at least make the world a better place before I go?

Then I failed.

I failed this time.

I won't a second time.

With a start, I sit back up, taking a deep breath.

Stop pitying yourself, Nori. Control your damn empathy.

It's time to think. Time to be proactive.

Vali is going to respond to what I did, isn't he? The video was very clear, in the description and title, that it was shot in Kuoh.

He'll come searching for me, won't he? Because I killed his 'fated rival'.

I doubt he'll come to kill me, though. He'll probably only come to see what I'm made of.

Maybe he might even get it stuck in his head that I ought to 'fill in' as his fated rival since I killed his actual one?

I give the air a manic grin.

Bring it, Half Devil with a Longinus. My sword will cut through you just as it did your red counterpart!

Now, as for Kokabiel.

His reaction will…likely depend on how the Faction Leaders respond.

But I don't know how the Faction Leaders are taking this, hell, do the Devils or Shinto even know what the Fallen did?

Unlikely, considering any evidence of Grigori activity probably got leveled with the activation of Juggernaut Drive.

So, the best way to get that information, and tell the Devils what's up so they can ram a molten railroad spike up Azazel's dumbass, is…

Koneko. For fairly obvious reasons.

I click my tongue, though, because that conversation I'm very much not looking forward to having.

Still, it needs to happen at some point. Better get it over with faster, the longer I wait, the worse this situation gets.

But first things first!

Inari supposedly left some of her sake behind…

And I could very much go for a drink right now!

~ A New Sun ~

The past day or so since had been more than a little hectic.

Well, not for Koneko and the others, all they had to do was be interviewed by the Leviathan about what happened.

Ever since then? She's just been sitting around in her room in the Gremory Castle as Kuoh gets cleaned, memories and non-supernatural recordings get altered or wiped, and the works.

It was fairly amusing, watching her President and Sitri have their siblings fawn over them relentlessly.

It got even better once the Leviathan saw those posters Kusanagi made for his Magical Girl Club.

Supposedly, according to her President, the Leviathan flipped and not so subtly said she had to be the advisor for the club.

The sheer panic and fear in the picture her President took of Sitri after that was amazing.

…she just wishes Kusanagi could see it right now.

Koneko stilled on her bed, briefly pausing the handheld console she was playing on as the thought passed through her head.

She's been trying hard to not think about him and his, whatever that was, at the end there.

Deep down, a part of her knows it isn't his fault.

It was a slightly desperate time, and he didn't know what would happen to begin with.

But still.

She can't help comparing that state of his to what she was like.

She can almost see it, the way he stood before the dragon, just like she did to her King…

Looking down at her game now, she suddenly finds she doesn't feel like gaming anymore.

Throwing the console to the other side of her bed, she turns and buries her face into her pillow, sighing and trembling slightly.

That woman, Inari Okami, which she still can't fully believe, said he'd summon her again later.

That he'd be fine, and himself.

It's been a little bit, and she hasn't gotten a call from him yet.

She honestly doesn't know how to feel about seeing him again.

Which sucks, because he probably doesn't even know she's upset in the first place!

Or even why.

That's not a conversation she's looking forward to having.

"Hmm?" She hums, suddenly feeling soft vibrations under her pillow.

Ah, her phone.

Pulling it out from under there, she holds it up lazily and opens it up.

Then she stops and stares, eyes growing increasingly wider as she sees who exactly texted her.

Dumbass: Hey. You up for a summons?

Kusanagi. Who, yes, she has under her phone as Dumbass.

For what felt like several, long, agonizing seconds, she debated on what to say back.

Then she remembered her thoughts from earlier, gave a simple 'K' in response, and gingerly got up to find the Peerage's Summoning Circle.

Since they wouldn't be returning to Kuoh for a little while, her President's parents threw together a room where the Peerage could get their job requests done.

Since it isn't anywhere near the time the Peerage usually operates, Koneko had a relatively easy time getting to said room where the circle is.

She didn't even have to sneak or anything.

Sometimes, she swears, the people here are a tad too nice.

Still loves them all the same, though.

Regardless, she makes it to the circle and fires another quick text telling him to use the summoning slip.

After a beat, said circle begins to light up an ominous red.

Ah. That's just her imagination, right? It's always been that color. Gremory Clan and all that!

With a deep shuddering breath, she closes her eyes as the light overtakes her.

She doesn't dare open them, not until moments later when she's sure the lights are gone, and the floor beneath her feet is completely different than before.

"Heeheehee~! Hiiiiii, my cute little kohai!"

Hold up.

She opens her eyes, any semblance of fear or trepidation violently dying as she beholds Kusangi, lying there on the couch before her half slumped, grinning at her like an idiot with a slight flush on his face.

He sounded giggly, almost slurring his words.

A single sniff, and she can tell why.

Sake.

"Senpai." She begins, with a half-lidded stare of pure contempt. "The fuck."

"Ah ah ah!" Kusanagi holds up his hands, "Hey! I know what you're thinking! But I'm not actually drunk! Ehhh~…" He reaches over, with some difficulty, to a small coffee table next to the couch, and grabs a small tea cup.

He holds it up, to reveal it's basically entirely full of the offending liquid.

"See, see~! I took a sip, a sip!" He whined, before going to slam the cup down.

Then stops dumbly as he realizes the mess he'd make, so sets it down gently.

"I took a sip!" He continues unabated, "And I turned black-out drunk! This stuff is the weakest Inari left behind, and I'm cycling every energy under the sun over here through my body just to remain, well…" He stares up at the ceiling for a second, then he suddenly perks up, "me! Mostly, anyway. Think I'm just slightly more…loose if you know what I mean?"

He looks at her, and hics.

Koneko deadpans at him, "I see absolutely no difference."

"Eh!?" Kusanagi flinches back as if struck, "Koneko-chan! That's kinda mean, you know!?" He pouts, "Besides, I called you up because I heard from a little someone that you were, well." His focus and eyes sharpen slightly as he fixes his gaze upon her, "Not well, at the end of the battle the other day."

She wavers slightly and refuses to meet his gaze with a huff. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Please be drunk and stupid right now, please drunk and stupid right now, please be drunk and stupid right now.

Just as she realizes that thought should probably be more along the lines of just, 'be himself', she finds that he is indeed, not being drunk and stupid.

He's got a fucking death wish!

She suddenly found herself being grabbed and pulled right to him so fast she didn't even know what was happening until all movement stopped.

And she found herself sitting on his lap, with him holding her like some kind of teddy bear.

"Senpai." She hisses out lowly through gritted teeth while trying very hard not to blush or move at all, "The fuck!?"

"Cut the bullshit, the japes, all that Koneko." He replies just as lowly back, right into her ear, making her shiver, "There's a video you know? Of the battle? I saw you there, shaking in your skirt, and Inari told me the same."

She bristles at that.

Video? Who in their right mind would get close enough to record any of that!?

"So, tell me," He stresses, much less lowly, much more genuine, and if her ears don't deceive her, with a hint of…fear? "Are you okay?"

She twitches, slowly looking down as she processes what she's hearing.

"I'm…fine now, Senpai." She decides after a moment, slowly pushing her head into his chest so he can't see the ferocious blush spreading across her face.

"But you weren't then, hmm?" He hums in response, holding her tighter.

She, pointedly, doesn't answer that.

"I noticed that for most of the fight, you were fine," he continues, "it was only near the end, after I had my moment, that you…you know."

She slowly finds herself gripping his robe tighter.

He sighs deeply.

"I'm sorry I scared you, my cute little kohai." He mutters dejectedly to her, whilst reaching up to pat her on the head.

Her mask cracks.

"D-Don't…Please…" she mutters right back, brokenly, causing him to flinch and look down at her with what she can feel is concern, "It's not your fault, you couldn't have known! I…I…" she shivers in his arms, struggling to find the words she wants, no, needs to say.

He merely reaches back down, and rubs her back gently, in smooth circular motions.

"It's okay if you don't wanna talk about it, Koneko-chan, you don't need to tell me anything you don't want me to." He mutters gently into her ear.

Then he hums, before adding on, "Although, if you want to talk, but don't want me to remember, I could chug a shot and let it take hold," he chuckles, "then I won't remember a thing! HehEHE!?"

She doesn't dig her fingers into his sides and grabs on far tighter.

She doesn't do all that, with a deadpan stare into his chest, not at all!

And she certainly doesn't have a small smile on her face as she mutters back, "Don't do that, you stupid senpai. You'll die before I can kill you."

"Oi! My tolerance isn't that bad!" He replies, almost sounding offended.

The pin-drop silence she gives after is all the answer he needs, so he slumps back while hugging her.

"Fine." He relents evenly, then after a moment, he asks, "Can you please stop squeezing my sides now?"

"No," she replies simply, "you're like a stress ball that doesn't break. You should hang up your sword and do this full-time."

Instead of jabbing back at her, like she thought he'd do, he just chuckles, and says, "Hmm, alright. Use me anytime you like!"

He winces and whines shortly after she full-on crushes his sides in her grip.

"Stupid. Dumbass. Pervert." She intones like a mantra.

"I'm not into this!" He objects right back.

She huffs, then blinks, realizing all her ensuing stress and panic from before has been washed away.

Belatedly, she also realizes that all of that talk from before was probably on purpose.

Sighing, she shuffles her body closer to him, still refusing to look up at him, however.

"Hmm? Koneko-chan?" He spoke, confused.

Just do it. What's holding you back anymore?

"A long time ago," she suddenly began, as if reading dispassionately from a storybook, "there were two Nekoshou, cat yokai, sisters, one older and one younger, who lived together in the Underworld." she intoned.

"Their life was…fine. It was all the younger one ever knew. And that was fine." She gave a slight, pained, grimace.

"Until suddenly, it wasn't." Her voice picked up slightly, "The elder sister, who had been reincarnated into a Devil by the one they lived with, grew more and more powerful day by day. In magic, in the native yokai arts, and as a Devil." Her breath hitches, despite how hard she's trying not to, "One day, that power got to her head, and the younger sister bore witness as the elder slaughtered her way out of the household, and into the night."

She pauses briefly, then finally looks up slowly, meeting his concerned gaze with a dead one.

Or she wished.

She found herself shaking instead, as tears pricked the corners of her eyes.

"Leaving the little sister behind to be charged for her crimes." She finished, barely getting the words out straight. "They wanted to kill her, but luckily, the Devil King Lucifer had mercy, and took her into his house, where she would meet his little sister, and…well…" She smiles, half-heartedly and broken, quivering slightly.

"You're not dumb enough to not be able to figure out the rest, r-right, Noriaki?" She watched, uncaring as his eyes widened at her finally saying his name, only to gasp slightly as he wrapped her up tightly and pulled her in for a very sudden bear hug.

"So I did push a trauma button then? Fuck," he bit out loathingly, "I'm sorry, Koneko, really!"

"Eh?" She blinks out in a daze, "I already said…"

"Just because I didn't know, doesn't mean I didn't hurt you." he refutes, "I'm gonna feel bad about it regardless. Besides! I did a dumb thing in the first place," he states disparagingly, "trying what I did in the middle of the battlefield like that, seriously!"

Her face flushes, more and more, as he goes on. "Senpai, you really…" she trails off.

Honestly. This man.

How can one man be so bloody stupid?

"It's like, OOF!" He grunts as she cuts him off with a jab straight to his gut.

"Stop saying stuff like that…you pulled through in the end, right?" she refutes right back, "Even if you did nearly torch Sitri."

Honestly, she couldn't tell if that would even be that big a loss if he did.

The only thing she'd worry about is the Leviathan going mental.

He pauses, briefly, looking down at her with a stunned expression, then he smiles warmly and pats her on the head.

"Still, I'm sorry regardless." He apologizes wistfully, "And it sucks, what happened to your family, too."

She quickly finds herself purring slightly at his touch, before she softly asks aloud, "Then…you won't do that again? That…thing."

He hums, "Ignoring a part of me, won't make it any better, Koneko-chan." he responds easily, "Rather, I'm going to master that power. Make it mine, so that the next time I need it, I'll be in control, not my violent half." He states with conviction.

She blinks, rocking back and forth, forcibly biting down a nasty retort.

She saw him fight that dragon. He was far stronger, far faster, far more deadly than when he was in their spars.

If it's him, then…maybe he could do it?

"I like this senpai," she states aloud, without even really thinking, "he's…a bit of a dumbass, maybe. But he's still kind, he cares when it matters. I…" She eyes him, pleadingly, "don't want that senpai to go away!" she declares, face positively on fire.

And yet, he gives her that same stupidly warm and reassuring smile. "I'll be fine, I got people here, far stronger than me, to knock some sense into me if it comes down to it. I promise." Then he leans forwards and kisses her forehead. "Alright?"

She just stares at him, mouth slightly agape, eyes slightly wide.

Koneko has stopped working.

She stopped working so hard that the transformation magic she used to hold back her yokai features broke.

Her ears and tails suddenly fluttered into existence, causing Noriaki to look at them in wide-eyed surprise.

Which, unfortunately for her, quickly turned into awe.

"Aww!" He exclaimed, snapping her out of her shock, but far too late, as he was already petting her ears, gently and soothingly. "So, cute!"

She purrs, beside herself, trying very hard not to - "Nyyannnn~..."

Damnit!

There's only one way to escape this!

She punches him, as hard as she can, briefly instinctively causing an amber mist to flow around her as she does so.

Her fist collides right into his unguarded side, right into his kidney with a crack in the air.

She blinks, eyes widening into saucers as she realizes she just used ki.

Slowly, fearfully looking up, she saw Noriaki locked ramrod still, his eyes whited out, face pale, his entire body quivering slightly.

Blood slowly trickles down from his mouth.

Before she can say anything, he suddenly grabs her shoulders and holds her quivering body in place as she looks down at her with a nigh proud gleeful smile.

"Good hit, kitten!" He praises, blood still slowly trickling out of his nose.

She found any fear she had quickly vanished, as she looked right back at him blandly.

"Senpai." She began, blandly, "I just punctured your kidney. That's not good." She emphasized just as blandly, somehow.

He snorts at that, "I ain't no pussy, I can take a hit and heal."

She blanches at that, and eyes him incredulously, "I take it all back, senpai. You're purely a dumbass, go die for all I care."

Despite her tirade against him, all he does is continue smiling, "My point is, Koneko-chan, let's say you want someone who can take a hit from you because you're trying to say…I dunno," he hums, "practice a little something," her eyes rapidly widen, and he smiles knowingly, "just know, I'll be right here!"

She stares at him as her tail slowly starts swishing back and forth rapidly.

With a huff, she looks away once more, face completely flushed, "You really are just an idiot…"

He chuckles, undeterred, "And you're just a cute little tsundere, aren't you?" He responds right back.

Her tail twitches.

She's heard her President call her that before. What the hell does that mean?

Regardless, she punches him again, just for safe measure.

And his chuckling doesn't stop, only sputters, as he falls onto the couch on his side, dragging her down with him as he still holds onto her.

"S-Senpai!?" She exclaims as they go down, and she promptly finds herself being cuddled.

"So!" He voiced, ignoring her cries, instead favoring to pet her ears as he moved on, "It's been a little bit since we talked, hasn't it? What's been going on at your guy's end while I've been taking a power nap?" He asks.

Ah, so he's been out this whole time?

Lucky. Even if it's just been really boring for her.

Still, this conversation sounds much better to have than…everything else so far.

Even if she is being cuddled as it happens.

She shuffles slightly closer just before she replies.

"Well…"

~ A New Sun ~

Hours later, I'm once again lying on the couch by myself.

Koneko, after being sufficiently cuddled and telling me how boring it's been since the battle, having left not too long ago.

Of course, not before I told her about what I found in the Church, so she could relay that to Sirzechs and Serafall, who would hopefully relay that to my mother.

Then they can both suplex the Grigori while I point and laugh.

I was thinking about just telling my mother directly, like, walking out into the sun and sending a prayer directly to her…

But eh. Don't feel like it. Not even sure that method would work.

Besides, I'm still slightly buzzed, from just a sip!

Still can't get over that.

At least I can kind of cheat by cycling my ki, Holy Spirit Power, and…

I narrow my eyes in thought.

Could I really call my chakra, chakra?

I mean, it acts and works like the Naruto World's Chakra, but I'm seeing a theme with my powers so far.

That being, they seem in some way connected to the world and aren't just there for no reason.

On the one hand, I'm glad because I don't have to make up some bullshit about why I have select powers.

On the other hand? Makes me feel significantly less special.

Regardless of all that, what could my chakra be then?

Hmm…that's some food for thought, isn't it?

With a huff, I hop off the couch onto my feet and take a second to stretch out the kinks cuddling always leaves in your body after.

Uzume still isn't back yet, nor is Kuroka, and although I'd have loved it if Koneko stuck around so we could fight, she had to head back.

My bet is partly because she legitimately had to go, and partly because she just caught feelings and is trying to process them.

Sucks too, because I don't plan on holding anything back during our spars anymore.

I don't think I'll give her 'chakra' just yet, but I do want to try teaching her Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist.

For a Rook, that style would be kind of stupidly broken, wouldn't it?

Beyond that, I also want to push her more and more into getting stronger, so she can body Kokopuffs if he ever does show up.

Hmm. One Punch Kat?

I hum and nod to myself, liking the idea of that.

Ah, and another thing she mentioned before leaving!

Apparently, Rias wants to have a chat with me sometime.

…it's totally because of my eyes, isn't it?

I'm not giving her anything, even if she's an adorable little weeb who's begging for it!

I ain't no bargain sale!

With a huff, I walked back upstairs to my bedroom, where Inari left my sword sitting there waiting for me.

How about, while I wait for everyone to get back, I do some training, yeah?

See if I can't figure out Mist and Flower Breathing and add those to my repertoire.

So, with a happy little hum, I do just that. Grabbing my sword, and within minutes of light walking, I'm out the door once more.

By the time me and Koneko's chat got over with and she had to leave, the sun had passed over the midpoint, and it was now smack dab in the middle of the evening.

I click my tongue in annoyance.

I should have made Koneko lunch or something, that'd have made her stay longer!

Bemoaning that missed opportunity, and vowing to do just that next time I summon her, I continue walking—

I stop, as the barrier around my estate suddenly cracks with a loud thunderous creak.

Slowly, I raise my eyes to the sky, seeing it bathed in spider web cracks.

I narrow my eyes slightly with a half-lidded glare, as a thunderous clap rings out once more and the barrier promptly shatters.

Guess who slowly floats down from the rapidly growing hole of the barrier?

He's not even wearing his armor, he purely just has his wings out.

Messy anime white hair whips in the wind, as the chunni half devil's blue eyes look down upon me, and he smirks with poorly constrained glee.

"There you a—"

"You're paying for the replacement barrier." I interrupt casually.

"I…huh?" He stammers, tilting his head like an idiot.

"You heard me, dumbass." I reiterate. "I said you're paying for the replacement barrier."

"That's…" He frowns, trailing off in sheer confusion.

"Also!" I call out, adding, "Talking isn't a free action."

He blinks at that, "Huh?"

And I'm upon him.

My Mark, my eyes, my touki, my everything is activated at once, and I'm upon him.

Crimson fire erupts around my blade like a volcano as I slash down upon him, the crimson wave slamming down upon him and carrying him away.

Away from my home, and into the plains and forest around it, straight into the ground where he belongs.

I eye my blade quizzically, seeing it flicker with a holy aura, carrying the spark of another power I can't quite describe.

I blink as my phone vibrates in my robe.

Pulling it out, I see a message from my dear black kitty.

Tiddy Kitty: You may wanna stay low for a while, someone's looking for you, nya~! And it won't be pretty if they find you!

I stare at my screen, slowly shifting my gaze to look at the smoking flaming crater outside my estate.

Then I snap a picture and send it to her.