A Fun Request.

------------(Yasaka's-POV)------------

Something changed about Ichigo after the incident with the maniacs. He seemed a lot more calmer, less hurried, like he had shed something. He started to smile more. Ever since he came here, he had been acting like he was cornered, always vigilant, looking for something or the other. The only time he relaxed was when he was either with me or with Kunou, otherwise he would remain on his guard. He would either be frowning or scowling or try to maintain a neutral face, though he wasn't very good at it. I'm pretty sure me and elder Gen are the only people who know his full story. He might have told Azazel a few things but I doubt he told that crow everything.

He was far more approachable now that he smiled more and I wanted to know why. He had been a bit leery about accepting more physical form of affection, but that changed as well. He even started to return some of it. Especially Kunou, he started to let her ride on his shoulders, which she definitely enjoyed. What happened for him to... settle down so much? I tried to be a bit vague about it but either he didn't understand or he was playing with me and knowing his recent change in attitude, he was most certainly playing with me. So I decided to ask him directly.

"Ichigo, what happened to you?" I asked him, while we were having dinner. He looked at me and hummed. Just before I got too impatient, he answered.

"I guess I realized something." He said with a shrug and started to smile.

"Yes, I can see that. I want to know what you realised." Now I am sure he is playing with me.

"I realized that I don't need to be so serious, so cautious and try to be so overly smart. It doesn't suit me. I will do what I want, help whoever I like and punch any asshole I don't." He said with a smile. That smile, it felt like he had found the answer to life, but.

"Ichigo, that's the common view in this... side of the world. Any one who cares too much about little things doesn't usually stay sane for long. Why do you think so many of the more powerful are so eccentric?" I answered him with laugh. While most were tied down with different duties to follow that view, it was indeed a very common view. It was one of the biggest reason Dragons were so envied. Not only were they powerful, they lived by their own rules. If they didn't like someone, they would be very clear about it. They didn't care about things like the pride of the other side, or giving face and stuff like that, as long as it was something they wanted to do, they would do it.

To be honest, imagining Ichigo living like a free and unfettered dragon was... an appealing thought. It brought an unconscious smile on my face. I didn't want him to tie himself down to a specific place... or a person, no matter how much I didn't like it. It would act like a collar, limiting him. Nonetheless, picturing him slapping a few people I really didn't like was amusing. With Ichigo here in Kyoto, it got rid of a lot of worries, especially someone attacking us. I could handle most of them myself but there were a few that worried me, now I could put that worry to rest as well.

------------(Ichigo's-POV)------------

After that little epiphany, the days went by even quicker. Just spending time with people I liked and going out whenever I felt like it, helping whoever I felt like helping, was fun. I was having fun. Some might say that I'm being whimsical, but I liked doing this, so sucks to be them. I also knew that the only reason I could be so... picky, I guess, was because of my strength and it gave me a new found appreciation of power, besides the ability to protect what's mine, that is. That would always be the my first reason, if I ever looked for more power. It didn't seem like I would have to, but you can never be too sure.

I also met up with Azazel again. Gave him a good beating, felt amazing. He came to tell me about some 'fun' stuff happening here in Japan. Apparently, the Red Dragon Emperor had been found and according to Azazel, he was a funny little brat. I already knew that the White Dragon Emperor was either working for or with Azazel, so he had even more reason to be invested in this discovery.

The one who found Ddraig was also not simple. It was a devil, she had already reincarnated the Red Dragon as her pawn, most importantly though, was the fact that she was the younger sister of the current Lucifer. Someone who was publicly known as a siscon. It did seem to be a very interesting mixture of strange characters. Anyone who could gain the interest of Azazel had to be interesting. Azazel was someone who I could truly say was whimsical. He only did things and interacted with people that he found fun and interesting.

For now though, that group was keeping their shenanigans to their little town, but that wouldn't last for long. Not only because of the Red Dragon, but also because of who found him.

And staying true to that, Azazel showed up a few months or so later with a huge smile. The Red Dragon group had gotten themselves into some personal trouble. I didn't understand the full story but basically, Lucifer's little sister, heiress apparent of the Gremory House of the Devils had an arranged marriage she didn't like. The marriage partner showed up, made fun of her and her little peerage which led to a scuffle, which finally led to a rating game. What was a rating game? I didn't know, Azazel tried to explain, but he was so giddy that I didn't understand a thing. Though Rossweisse was nice enough to give me a brief description.

A game between two devils and their peerages, held similarly to a chess game, where if you defeat the king, you win. Followed by a brief and concise history of its origin, courtesy of Rossweisse.

All of that aside, the strangest thing was the fact that I was invited to see this rating game, something I had little to no connection to. I had no idea why I was invited but I could guess who would aim for such a thing. I looked at Azazel and said with a light glare.

"Azazel. Why the hell am I invited?"

He looked confused for a moment before he asked me.

"You don't know Ichigo?" He said tilting his head.

"What are you talking about?" Now it was my turn to be confused. He looked somewhat shocked before he looked at Yasaka and said.

"She didn't tell you?" I looked at both of them with narrowed eyes and said with a frown.

"What am I missing?"

"There are rumors going around the supernatural world that you are the guardian of Japan and after you defeated Thor, those rumors gained some actual ground. I didn't know at the time, but over the last few months, those rumors have solidified as facts, well many believe them to be facts." Azazel said with a twitching smile. The bugger was having fun with this.

"...Yasaka.." I looked over to Yasaka, slightly exasperated.

"It wasn't me Ichigo. You have been with me ever since you came back. Did you see me do anything like that." She said with her eyebrows raised.

"That's not what I meant. Who would spread-" Azazel cut me off and said.

"Don't we all have a mutual friend? A grumpy old turtle?"

"Why would he-" This time, I stopped myself. I remember what old Gen said. He told me to protect Yasaka and help her if she needed it. I had accepted, so why? Was this his way of making sure that I would follow the promise? Why would he do such a thing? I shook my head and decided to just ask him next time we meet and put it behind me for now.

"So, what? The devils actually believe that I'm the guardian?" I asked Azazel.

"Meh, you know that old Gen is resourceful and has a lot of connections. I wouldn't be surprised if most actually believed those rumors to be true." He said with a shrug.

"And they invited me to do... what exactly?" I asked with a frown. He looked like he was struggling to hold in his laugh.

"Devils like to feel important... and powerful. I know that because I have dealt with them my whole life. The current Demon Lords are no different, though they hide it a lot better and the fact that they are the strongest of their race. You feel like an important person so they invited you. It might also be because I personally confirmed the rumors about you defeating Thor." Azazel said with a smile.

"So, because I'm powerful and according to rumors, have a position that sounds important, they invited me?" I asked him again, slightly incredulous.

"Yes." He said, now outright laughing.

"There are other reasons of course, a few of them, I know myself, but they are things we will discuss when we are with them." He said after calming down. Looking at him being all shifty like that, I could already guess that this would be somewhat troublesome.

"I swear Azazel, if this is more trouble than its worth, I'll fire-" He cut me off mid sentence and hurriedly said.

"Don't worry Ichigo! The reason is a very good one and the final goal will be extremely worthwhile for a lot of people! It will save a lot of lives!" I looked at him for a while before sighing.

"...And I will only know this reason if I meet with the devils?" He didn't say anything and just smiled.

With that, I had ten days before the game was actually held. It was held in the Underworld of course, the home of the devils and the fallens, a place I hadn't been to as of yet. It would be a lie to say that I wasn't looking forward to it. It sounded like something an extremely bored person would come up with.

Knowing that I would be living a long life and that it might get boring very quickly, I had to find myself a hobby. This time, I would be going to somewhere completely new, so I was hoping that I would find something there. While I could easily find myself spending days just observing Yasaka and playing with Kunou, it did get a bit monotonous. That's why I agreed to all this nonsense. I might actually have another fun fight.

"Ah, I should visit Thor again." I said to myself, thinking of having another fist fight with Thor. That was a lot of fun. The ten days wouldn't take all that long to pass. I was thinking of spending all of them fighting Zangetsu in my inner world. No holding back, a full on battle like we used to have.

Though I was stopped the first day by an irate Yasaka, before I could get fully into the fight, as she dragged me by the ear to a heavily sealed and barricaded room and told me to continue whatever I was doing in there. That's when I remembered that whenever I fought Zangetsu, my body didn't exactly stay still and my spiritual pressure fluctuated a lot. So, my mind made about how my ten days were going to be spent inside a room surrounded by dozens of barriers, updated daily by Rossweisse and Yasaka, fighting Zangetsu. Again, just having some mindless fun. I was able to spend three days uninterrupted before Yasaka asked me to come out because I had a very interesting request from a very intriguing person.

But during the fight, I did understand how to access the final bit of my strength that was being held back by Hell. I think, I could do something similar to the Resurreccion the Espada did, combining with their Zanpakuto to gain a massive boost in their power. But for that, I would have to have access to that final bit of my power, that Hell was holding back. I didn't know the reason why it was doing it, maybe as a payment for its help? Or maybe it's something else entirely. Fact remains that if, or rather 'when' I have that final bit of power back, I now know how to fully utilize it.

I didn't even know of I would ever require that much power. Against Thor, one of the top ten, I didn't even use Zangetsu, let alone my hollow mask. I highly doubted that I would ever need so much power. I stopped thinking about that before sighing.

"Hah, I just jinxed myself. Again." I said to myself, holding my head. Zangetsu's laugher wasn't helping.

But, yes, all of that aside, the request was from someone named Rias Gremory, who if I remember correctly, is the little sister of Lucifer and a contender in the rating game I've been invited to. The request was strange and interesting enough that I decided to go see her.

------------(General-POV)------------

On the other side of the spectrum, Rias was not having nearly as much fun. She had just found two amazing members to add to her little family, but they would require time to fully mature. Time she thought she had and then she didn't. She still couldn't believe it. The Red Dragon Emperor was her pawn. Yes, he was a bit perverted and a bit loud and a bit obnoxious and a few other things, but in the end he was a good boy. The bishop they found due to him was also amazing. She was a bundle of sweetness. Petite, cute, naive, soft-spoken and overall fluffy. Her other members were also amazing and cute in their own rights. She loved them all, but it seems she loved them a bit too much.

Just like how she was spoiled and wasn't told to do anything, she did the same with her peerage. She didn't help them get over their issues or help them get stronger. Every single one of her peerage member had some sort of emotional baggage or scar. Akeno and her issue with her father. Yuuto and his issue with the Holy Swords and the Church. Koneko and her sister. Gasper with his uncontrollable powers and his social anxiety. Asia and her too forgiving nature. Finally, Issei and his- um, well, he had a few issues.

Long story short, her negligence was coming to bite her back and it could certainly prove fatal. And to think that all she wanted was a choice. Riser was just- ugh, so bad. His flippant attitude, his arrogance, his extravagance, his face, his voice, everything was nauseating! Where was her brother when she needed him most!

Hah. But she couldn't exactly keep relying on her brother whenever things didn't go her way. She had to find a way out of this on her own power. That is when she remembered some rumors floating around the Japanese super side, rumors about a guardian who was also a sort of mercenary bounty hunter? Someone who was willing to take on requests for the proper reward. In terms of reward, she had little to give, but that might not be the case for long, so she tried looking into it. It took her three days to know where he was and send him a request. It basically said to train them for a week in exchange for a trip to the familiar forest.

It had been a few hours since she sent that and there was no response.

------------(Ichigo's-POV)------------

I showed up in the quaint little town known as Kuoh. A simple place known only for its Kuoh Academy, an institution that gained massive support for a complete overhaul a few years ago. No need to guess who did that and why it happened. I was interested in meeting this little group that Azazel thought was funny. I made my way to the academy with the letter in hand. It was the weekends, so only a few clubs should be in campus and that was right. When I reached the gates, there were a few people standing there.

I didn't know who I was supposed to meet so I just held up the letter in my hand. All of them looked at the letter and nodded towards me. A beautiful yet strict looking, bespectacled, short black haired girl came towards me and slightly bowed.

"Ichigo Kurosaki-san, my name is Sona Sitri, the student council President. Please allow me to welcome you into Kuoh Academy."

Hmm, I don't think my attitude towards life will fit with this one. We might not be able to get along. Behind her was another glasses wearing girl with longer hair and mismatched eyes. She introduced herself as Tsubaki Shinra. There were two others, a boy and another girl, who also cane forward and introduced themselves.

The boy was Yuuto Kiba, who I could only describe as a pretty boy, with blonde hair and blue eyes and a slightly feminine face. The final girl was a small one named Koneko Tojo. She reminded me a bit of Kunou for some reason even though they looked to be completely opposite. If I didn't know they were all devils, I would have felt it when I got closer. They felt a bit similar to hollows but far less aggressive, in a sense. Well Sitri felt that way. The other three were like an extreme example of people like Chad, a human with hollow like abilities. They were like hollows with human like qualities. Strange bunch all together.

I twisted the letter in my hand and said with a raised eyebrow.

"Well? I was supposed to meet a Rias Gremory, but I don't see her."

"Please follow us to the student council room. We will discuss the details of the letter inside. Rias is also there." Sitri said to me while bowing slightly.

"Lead the way." I was back in a high school again but as a completely different person and a very interesting reason. I didn't know if it was Azazel's influence on me, but I felt my lips twitching upward in an involuntary smile as the next few days would prove to be fun.