Chapter Text
Niyoko let out a little sigh as she sat on the platform of her favorite Windmill. Looking at the thriving village below. Everything was safe, peaceful. Thriving with Runes thick in the air.
It was… too calm…
Looking up she made a little wish, May I have Interesting Times…
“Heh… as if that would work…” she muttered under her breath. Miracles don’t truly exist here… Just the might of mortals and gods making things happen…
“I wonder what a land of real miracles would be like… One where heroes exist, and save the day…” Laying back she looked at the stars and moon, “No evil dragons though, I don’t wanna fight someone like uncle Wooly… Maybe Samurai? Or Ninja~ Maybe the distant future when Mihoshi Habaki can't hold the world together on Its own and needs help again... A distant time where the gods are different... A tale of chaos and strife... Where the hero wins but changes as the tale unfolds... Wouldn’t that be fun? Like a storybook from the capital…”
Slowly her eyes closed and she slipped into the realm of dreams.
The sound of a baby crying filled the air.
Opening her eyes, she tried to find where little Nakano lay. Not finding the little Hellfire she so often babysat. Instead…
Instead it seemed like she was the one crying. Seeing a woman holding her close. A man crying over in the corner…
“Welcome to the world, little Ichigo,” cooed the woman.
“Our Daughter is so adorable! I can’t handle all this cuteness!” the man cried out dramatically.
Huh…
Was she reborn?
With her memories?
Strange… but…
It was odd…
It’s not an Earth Mate Awakening, as she has her memories intact. All memories intact means her soul must still belong to her and her alone.
“Honey, could you make sure your…friend will stop staring at us?” her mother asked, looking towards the window.
“Huh?” looking around her father didn’t seem to know what her mother meant.
Sighing, her mother pointed out, “Kisuke. He has been watching us from that roof top out there. I don’t want him to watch me feeding Ichigo.”
“oh? Oooooh! Oh oh no! Yes! Yes yes!! I’ll ah… I’ll go do that!” her father squeaked, stuttering over his words as he fell over then got up. Scrambling to close the curtains then rushing out the door.
“That man…” her mother sighed fondly, watching him the entire time. Gently petting her head. “He is a troublesome man… but… but he means well. A bit too well some days… I wonder if he has even noticed what happened when… ah but you wouldn’t understand me would you? I’ll tell you everything… absolutely everything when you’re older Ichigo…”
A butterfly landed on little Ichigo’s nose. Pitch black with just the barest hint of red on the edges of its lower wings. Wings gently flapping. Its antennae twitching. Niyoko… Ichigo? Which should she use? Either way… she had a feeling she was watched by something as vast and powerful as a Dragon.
Before she could hold it back she sneezed. The butterfly taking off quickly only to land on her mother’s head.
“Aww, don’t worry little guy. My daughter won’t hurt you,” her mother cooed, offering a finger to the Butterfly. Moving it away from where the child could see.
As a baby, there was very little Ichigo could really do…
She was used to being busy. Helping sow crops, watering the crops during dry spells, summon gales to collect crops, burning away monsters so they can go back to the World of Beginnings, Heal the earth and enrich the soil, Pray at the shrines and meditate, listen to the people’s needs and helping fulfil their little wishes. There was never a truly empty moment. Never a moment she was unable to work or avoid work as it were.
Now though…
Now she has nothing but time…
And it was frustrating…
Eat, Sleep, Scream…
There was nothing!
Nothing!
Maybe she could just…
Focus…
Meditate…
It would be more bearable…
Slowly she closed her eyes, controlling her breathing…
Just focus internally…
Focus on the beating…
Focus on the energy within…
Sink… Sink deep…
She could feel the warmth of sunlight on her face. Hear the rustling of wind through grass. Not a single bird though…
Opening her eyes, Niyoko saw she was in a field of familiar Yellowish Green grass. Sitting up she saw a river not too far away. A Red and black bridge arching over it. Tori gates stood all over the place standing strong over stone pathways. Thickets of Bamboo and trees painted from green to red in hues. In the distance she spotted a village of yellow windows and dark tiled rooftops. Lanterns strung up illuminating the village.
“Why is Devil’s bluff in the overworld?” she muttered softly, pushing herself onto her feet.
Shocked as she found her body was not the useless little baby she found herself in. Instead, she saw familiar porcelain skin. Deep blue near black hair fell into her sight. Reaching up she was relieved to find the horns curling up from her forehead. Thin hands callused from hours of writing, Farming, dancing, and wrestling practice.
“I’m… I’m me…” she muttered, awed by the chance to be herself.
Only for her moment of contentment to be broken by someone kicking her from behind.
“Who The Hell Are You?” an echoing voice growled.
Turning she was met with a… Man? Teen? Male in stark white. He had long white hair with black horns curling up from his forehead and framing his head. The largest set of horns were behind the ears and pointed up, purple lines along the top half of the horns while the lower half were accented with red. His eyes were golden on black. Some sort of red markings written on the left of his chest and stomach. Arms stark black with crimson claws. An Oni face pauldron on his right shoulder, purple flames sparked within its maw. A kimono hung around his hips, tied with crimson cloth. Large black beads hooked through the crimson belt and hung on his right side. Two white magatama sat in the beaded loops.
“Who the hell are you, and what did you do with Ichigo?” the strange Oni demanded, pointing an iron club at her.
“Ichigo? What are you talking about?” that’s what the lady in the waking world called her…
“We had everything planned out. Go back in time and FIX things… and Ichigo is nowhere to be seen! Just. Fucking. You! Who are you? What are you doing here? What did you do to our inner world? What did you do to me?” the Oni demanded. Twirling the club in his hand before slamming it down on the ground between himself and Niyoko.
Okay that was a lot of information and… “I don’t know what you’re talking about…” And really, she didn’t… All of this was such a strange turn of events…
“I woke up in the body of a baby in a world not my own. There are Seasons here! Changing seasons! Why are they moving? Seasons are static, in their domains. There's so many strange sounds and sights out there… I never knew technology could be so advanced! More than springs and gears but sparking and humming. Even Uncle Cuilang would be surprised by all of this… I don’t even know how I became a child like this… I was just going to sleep looking at the stars before I came here…” she admitted, all the stress coming to the surface. The discomfort and strangeness of all of this…
If she had an outburst like that in Devil's Bluff she would have been challenged and felled by a strong Oni. Put in her place for having such a steep weakness...
The Oni looked at her with a furrowed brow. Taking a step back, his Club lowered… “You… you really don’t know…? It wasn’t intentional?” he asked, turning the Club to rest the tip on the ground.
“I’ve been wanting to find out how I got here but well… A baby really can’t do anything…” Niyoko admitted, pulling herself back to her feet at last. Brushing out her robes. Looking around she found her beloved mask and put it on. Finding comfort in how the half mask snapped into place around her horns.
“Che… Do you really think… wait… you are serious aren’t you?” he took a few steps closer. Leaning forward to get a better look in the eye. “Clever mask. It hides yer eyes n makes ya look like some kind of Hollow.”
“Oni,” Niyoko corrected, “it makes me look more like an Oni.”
“Oni huh? So the Damned Shop Keeper was right… There are a lot of changes here… The old man is going to be insufferable…” he looked around confused, “wait… where is the old man? OI! THIEF! WHERE THE FUCK DID YOU GO?”
Marching towards the Village. The longer he walked the angrier he seemed. Swinging his Club at a Tori gate as he passed it. Hissing in pain as the vibration went right back up through the bat without even cracking the crimson wood. Hissing as he opted to rest it on his back. It just… stayed there without any rigging to hold it in place…?
Okay not questioning it…
This entire place was accessible through meditation, of course it’s going to be as weird as the World of Beginnings.
Following him, she looked around wondering why this world felt so… comfortable… The only thing she could think of would be a desire for more water… While she didn’t like the warmth, she adored the vast sea sparkling and shining in the Summer Village…
“This is your inner world,” the Oni huffed, glancing to her.
“Hmmm?”
“This whole place. It’s your inner world. S not mine fer sure. I wouldn’t have found this weird village well… Wouldn’t have come up with it myself. Feels like a scarry movie er somethin’ waitin’ ta happen…” the Oni offered, “Mine was a land on its side. Towering skyscrapers with windows reflecting the sky. Was peaceful if well… empty.”
Looking around, Niyoko spotted a Kagura Shrine in the distance. At an intersection that seemed to part the city into quarters. In the far distance she spotted a hill with the shrine she grew up in sitting atop it.
“This all looks like the Autumn village I grew up in… And the buildings like the Underworld… My father… He was the God of Oni,” she sighed softly, looking around, “my elder sister took to the throne last year… I didn’t have the heart to challenge her for it… so… I’ve been learning how to perform the ceremonies my mother raised us with… I didn’t realize it… was still so close to my heart…”
“Ye can’t lie ta yerself here,” the Oni offered, “this world is a reflection of yerself. Whatever you are is shown here. In every blade of grass and every damned building. S just how things work. I cant really figure out what it all means jus yet.” Shrugging lightly as he looked around, “It… won be the worst place to get settled in. At least ye aren’t trying to shove me down n hide what ya are.”
“Why would I…?” Niyoko asked, tilting her head.
“Don worry bout it… jus… make sure ye listen ta me, kay? Were going to be Partners. Ah don have time ta fight you fer control or what’s best for us. There ‘s more important things ta worry bout here. Our future ain’t gonna be easy. I don have the Real Ichigo here, so we gotta change the plans,” he held out an open hand, giving a little smirk.
Looking between him and the hand… Well there was no reason to say no… Gently taking his hand she nodded, “Partners then. I guess you’ll be my Dragon~” Giggling a little to herself. Thinking about how Wooly always stayed close to her mother… Partners in every way… Half of ones soul traded for power. “Just… don’t take my memories please? I’d rather keep those.”
“Dragon huh? Not the worst thing ta be called all things considered~” he hummed, pulling her close abruptly. Grinning with wide too sharp teeth, “Don’t go thinkin ye c’n tame me though. I ain’t gonna roll over n follow yer every order.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to. Partners are equal, aren’t they?” She tilted her head, “I would never demand obedience of someone I work alongside. Please help me and I will do what I can to help you.”
“Good~ Now lets go find that annoying old man.”