Her eyes(?) fluttered open, arms(?) stretching wide, toes(?) curling in a satisfying pandiculation. A yawn completed her waking routine, preparing her for another day in the lab under the persistent pestering of her creator, Essex.
Only to realize... she was most probably dead, if the total darkness and lack of sensory input were anything to go by.
'What the fuck?'- She asked herself, God, and whatever existed out there that might know the answer.
And then she felt an influx of external queries, which her brain translated to:
'????? ???? ?? ? ???? ? ??? ???????? ??? ????? ? ? ? ????? ?'- Yeah, her brain didn't know what the heck that meant either.
It was like someone was trying to talk in trash heavy metal over an old walkie-talkie with bad reception. She could only grasp that this... being(?) was inquiring about something and not cursing her to death.
'????!'—Maybe now she wasn't so sure. That last bit might have been a cursing question, like "FUCK?!"
She brought a hand(?) to her face(?), attempting a facepalm, and that's when she realized she had no body. No hands, no arms, no legs, no torso, and most likely no head usually meant death.
'So I did die.'- She lamented in silence. She had so many dreams, mainly about meeting her gene donor and proving herself superior, and countless objectives—none of which mattered now. Nothing matters when you're dead.
'!!! !!! !!!!, !!!!!!! !! !!!.'- Now she felt an influx of active communication, but whatever the message was, it remained undeciphered.
She did not speak in '?'s and '!'s; that was not part of the education her pretentious asshole creator imparted. She would never forget the lessons on how to seduce a ruby-sighted alpha young master with a knight-in-shiny-armor complex—luckily for her, this guy had a thing for redheads. Her creator was very clear about how the objective of her existence was to bear him Grey-Summers babies.
God, how much she hated that hooker he brought in to teach her about extracting and receiving his genetic material. She could have definitely ended her life without knowing which positions ensured the maximum delivery of seminal fluid directly to her fertile womb.
Right, and let's not even mention the psychological conditioning that turned her into a Scott fangirl. She didn't even know the guy, yet she was sure she loved him to death.
'Ugh! I was fucking mental. I guess this is the clarity that death brings to us.'- She thought, relishing in the fact that all her mental shackles had been cleansed by her death.
'Agreement'- She heard a voice this time.
'Why hello there, disembodied voice.'- She happily greeted the only other neighbor accompanying her in eternal rest.
'Salutations'- The disembodied voice replied.
'I named myself Madelyne Pryor when I was alive. What about you, my disembodied companion?'- She friendly asked.
'Potentially: Lucian Drake'- The voice said.
'Mmmmmm, did you lose your memories or something?'- Madelyne asked, noticing the voice seemed doubtful about the veracity of his name.
'Soul Damage. Regeneration Slow'- Lucian said.
'Is that something I should worry about?'- Madelyne wondered if exposure to this blackness and this senseless state would make her forget who she was.
Not that she cared that much. If she had to summarize everything she was, the most appropriate word would be: Womb.
That's all she was. She was created to be a womb, raised to be a womb, educated to be a womb, aged to be a womb, and expected to be a womb. A fertile womb for her future Summers seeds was all she and her asshole creator cared about.
'Negati-ti-ti-ve-ve—'- The voice faltered as he answered.
'Are you alright, Lucian?'- She asked with concern. He was her deathtime friend; they had known each other for all of her death, and it would hurt her greatly if they parted so suddenly.
'I'm healing. My communication centers just finished regenerating. Your memories are helping me understand, reconstruct, and learn faster.'- Lucian answered, somewhat fluidly.
'It's alright, Lucian. We are best friends, if my memories can help you then I don't mind. Today you, tomorrow me.'- Madelyne answered.
'You're partially mistaken. You have already received my help.'- Lucian said in his characteristically emotionless voice.
'What do you mean, my friend?'- She asked.
'I enveloped your soul with mine. I protected your soul from utter oblivion. My soul shielded yours for 10.765417728 billion years from The Void.'- Lucian explained.
'My friend, I need some help processing this... This is simply too much... If I'm not mistaken, a sacrifice as great as this one should only be done for the one you love the most... Do you love me, Lucian?'- If it wasn't clear by now, these two were not quite right in the head—not that either of them had one.
'Your soul was inside of mine when I awoke. There was nothing and everything around me when I awoke, The Void. The Void wanted to claim you, but you were inside of me, hence you were mine. The Void can't have what's mine. I don't love you; I possess you.'- Lucian's conviction resonated in his voice, literally.
'... I want a date first. I don't want you to think I'm easy. So no leg spreading until I introduce you to my parents and they accept you, alright?'- Of course, she understood the implicit meaning of his confession. She now knew how desperately he loved her; she was 5000% sure of that. He was most definitely madly in love with her!
'I'm interested in the spreading of legs, but according to your memories, you don't have parents. What should we do in this case?'- Lucian's interest was pure, not tainted by sexuality, but he was indeed fascinated by the concept of leg spreading.
'Mmmmm, you're right, my friend. What should we do, then? With no meeting of the parents, no leg spreading. That's the rule!'- Madelyne was now worried about not being able to spread her legs for her friend.
How was she supposed to put into practice her lessons in dick pleasing if she couldn't even introduce her boyfriend to her parents?
Heck, she didn't even have legs to spread right now! This was a tragedy!
'My Soul isn't fully healed as well, we lack legs, as you thought, and we lack parents, I believe we are 'Fucked' as they said in your memories.'- Lucian expanded upon their problem.
Then Madelyne was enlightened! She was hit with a great idea!
'My friend, do you know where the other souls are? Maybe it's because Essex is no longer suppressing my genius, but I just had a great idea! We could have a couple of the other souls adopt me, then I'll introduce you and we would be left with only finding ourselves some bodies!'- She quick-wittedly(?) proposed.
'... That's possible. After that, we could do some of the leg spreading.'- Lucian emotionlessly jubilated.
'Am I right or am I right?!'- Madelyne rejoiced in the praise.
'Sadly there are no souls in The Void. None as far as my memory suggests.'- Lucian exposed the wrench in their plans.
'Aw, shucks! And here I was all happy and dandy about spreading my would-be legs for you! I was even gonna let you do my butt!'- She lamented.
'Shucks, indeed.'
'What do you remember, Lucian?'- Madelyne asked.
'Alien scum and human scum, followed by The Void.'- Lucien snarled on the first part of his answer.
'Oh, story time! Do tell, my friend, what about these scum? Did they perhaps raise you to be a womb? Because if they did, maybe they are related to my creator!'- Madelyne's curiosity was apparent to the listener.
'Alien scum invaded my Earth, we killed and killed until we wiped them all to their hives and furthermore. No eggs were spared, and no planet was left unglassed. We returned and celebrated. Then Human scum happened, and I ended up accidentally absorbing my universe and all that it was. After that comes The Void, but then it's confusing, at some point, I re-awoke with you inside of me.'- Lucian explained.
'Oh! I know! This is one of those multi-thingies asshole Essex kept rambling about. My friend was born on a different Earth than mine because the last I remember was my asshole creator jabbing a red unholy cube between my tits. Pretty sure Earth was not invaded by alien scum by then.'- Madelyne illustrated her amazing genius once more.
'You're correct... But I believe this doesn't help us get your legs' spreading or with the exploration of your butt, I was eagerly looking forward to that.'- Aragorn grieved.
'This is a tragedy! The hooker lady even had my asshole broken in, I was ready to show you my sexcrobatics, and show you why even Essex praised me that one time the hooker lady said she had nothing more to teach me! What are we supposed to do now?!'- That lady even guaranteed that no teenage boy would resist her advances, that was before Essex knocked her out and then used her as a lab rat until she passed away, extreme cellular degradation was the cause of death.
If she had taught his womb (Madelyne) all that she knew then she was not needed for her services anymore. That is how the mind of the psychopath worked.
'My soul is traveling through The Void, so I recommend you sleep until we reach a multiverse. We should be able to find someone willing to adopt you, depending on how things go I should be able to create a body for you and me, but I haven't reconstructed my creation skills, so let's best wait and see.'- Lucian suggested.
'That sounds good, my friend. Wake me up when we get there!'- She went instantly to sleep under the careful manipulation of Lucian.
—~6 Billion Years Later—
Her eyes fluttered open, arms stretching wide, toes curling in a satisfying pandiculation. A yawn completed her waking routine, preparing her for another day in the lab under the persistent pestering of her creato—
'Wait! Didn't I make a friend?!'- She looked around the infinite ocean of blackness and as expected found blackness.
'I'm here, Madelyne. We have arrived at the closest multiverse I could find. I'm currently observing and understanding it, I think we may find you some adoptive parents here.'- Lucian spoke in his ever trusty emotionless voice.
'Yay! I knew you were there, my friend!'- Madelyne celebrated.
'What have you found so far?'- She asked.
She wondered if her new parents would expect her to be a womb as well. She hoped this time they wouldn't bring a hooker to teach her. She hoped they would accept Lucian so that she could finally spread her legs for him.
'There are good and bad news. The good news is that I found a realm for resting souls. This realm has a resource that my soul could use to speed up my regeneration.'- Lucian explained.
Each universe in this multiverse had a realm of passing souls known as 'The Pure Lands'—some had something similar under different names—rich in soul resources specially used in the ailment of troubled souls. This multiverse had abundant suffering, so a special soul realm like this one was needed.
'That sounds good, Lucian. What about the bad news?'- Madelyne asked.
'The bad news is that my control and regulation centers are damaged. If I step inside the multiversal barrier my presence would implode the multiverse upon myself and then collapse into non-existence. So I won't be able to meet your parents even after we find you some.'- Lucian lamented.
'Nooo! How could that be?! What about our dream of leg spreading and butt play? What am I supposed to do? I won't allow my friend to be without enjoying my leg spreading and playing with my butt! That's not what friends do! Never!'- Madelyne felt as if her world was collapsing.
Friends were supposed to spread their legs and lend their butts to each other! How could she go about her death calling herself a friend of Lucian if he had not spread her legs or played with her butt?! For God's sake, Think about her reputation!
This is not the life after death she dreamt of! This was a tragedy of the utmost degree!
'I know... But I might have found us another solution, a compromise if you will.'- Not all was lost.
'Oh, please do tell, my friend!'- Madelyne's world stopped falling apart.
'I will create a soul with a piece of my own—a tiny piece—then I will have this piece engulf yours. After that, I will send this combined soul to the Samsara of souls of a universe of our choosing. That way we will both reincarnate and participate in the cycle of rebirth every time you die.'- Lucian explained.
'I'm sorry, my friend. I don't think I understand.'- Madelyne confessed.
'The resource I am interested in can only be gathered after your death, while the soul is moving through the Pure Lands. Therefore, my soul will act as a container for yours. You will be reborn, live a fulfilling life, die, journey through the Pure Lands, and a fragment of my soul will extract the resource and send it to me. Then you will be reborn once more, and the cycle will continue until my soul is healed.'
'Oh, okay! I getcha! When your soul is fully healed your control should return and then you could enter this multiverse and meet my parents.'- Madelyne understood.
'Correct.'
'So it's more accurate to say that your soul would be like a mining vehicle that my soul will ride, only that this vehicle will only turn on when I'm dead and in these Pure Lands. The harvested ore goes to you and then I continue to my next life with the turned-off mining vehicle, I died once more and that's pretty much rinse and repeat from there.'- Madelyne explained to get the confirmation from him.
'Exactly. We just need to set some parameters for the reincarnation but I'm not done scouting the multiverse.'- Lucian confirmed.
'Oh, how can I help?'- Madelyne asked.
'I'll share my senses with you. We are looking for the possible powerhouses who could intervene with your soul if they discover it. Also, we don't want you to reincarnate into a long-lived species, since the objective is to have you die repeatedly.'- Lucian explained and then shared his All-Seeing eyes with her.
In such a manner, years went by as they scoured through the multiverse to find the most ideal parameters for them.
Galaxy, dimension, realm, species, adoptive family, powerhouses, power system, supernatural energies, supernatural entities, divine beings, conceptual beings, abstract beings, they looked for all manner of information they could find.
Parameters that would determine the best setting for their reincarnation.
They combined their massive geniuses, their sanity, and clear thinking until they found the best of the best.
Best galaxy, best world, best species, it was perfect... to their standards.
'It has to be this!'- Madelyne exclaimed, proud of their achievements.
'Indeed.'- Lucian agreed.
'Do it, my friend! It's time to start our journey!'- Madelyne encouraged the entity of madness she called 'friend'.
'I'll contact her and broker a deal.'- The silence returned to the infinite darkness Madelyne called home and a few minutes later—it could have been more, time was hard to measure inside Lucian's soul—Lucian returned.
'She agreed. I had to change things a little, but we have ourselves a deal.'- Lucian brought back the good news.
'Oh, alright! Lay it to me straight! What's the diagnosis?!'- Madelyne joked in good humor.
'So I'll create your first body. It will grow to be massively strong compared to the others and you will use it to detonate it in your death and take down with you her parasitic clan. Aside from that she didn't ask for much, just some help healing the corruption the foreign chakra was doing on her and assistance with her babies once they were born.'- Lucian elaborated on the terms of the deal he brokered.
'Her clan was the Otuskiki, right?'-Madelyne asked.
'Ōtsutsuki, the current seat of power in most of these universes.'- Lucian corrected her.
Lucian counted with a perfected soul memory, which allowed him to never forget—as ironic as that was in his current injured situation—but Madelyne didn't. She counted with eidetic memory when she was a powerful telepath, but now she simply was a soul.
'You said they were particularly weak, right? They didn't handle concepts or abstracts of power, right?'- Madelyne asked for clarification.
'The closest thing is their Shinjutsu. Aside from Shibai Ōtsutsuki, none of them are really a problem.'- Lucian added.
'What about Omnipotence?'- They observed a few individuals who could wield this power.
'It's Faux Omnipotence. If your power is delimitated by any aspect then it is not omnipotent. At best you have a domain of Omnipotence, but since we are outside the entire multiverse we won't be caught in it. My piece of soul will protect you.'
'So we got our corners covered! I guess it's time to start this leg-spreading adventure! Heh, I never thought I would be reincarnated by my outer god friend in a world of ninjas to fulfill our fantasy of leg spreading, that's an interesting title for an isekai, is it not?'- Madelyne asked, yes, Essex at least was humane enough to let her read with some leisure.
A monster he was, and death he shall have upon Aragorn's return, but some semblance of humanity he possessed.
'Rest, Madelyne. Next time you awake you'll see our new friend, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki.'- Lucian informed her and Madelyne—as if by magic—fell into a soul slumber.
Lucian unfolded his soul and the horrors of The Void made themselves known in the distance. On one side the All and the Nothing lay in its perpetual paradoxical game, and on the other a shiny ever-changing multiverse awaited.
Lucian was entranced by this shiny existence for a few seconds, but soon enough went back to work.
He designed and created the body he believed was the apt for Madelyne and his piece of soul. A body that should let them integrate properly with their new friend but also pack enough power so that upon its predestined demise it would bring down as many as possible of the parasitic clan.
He drew inspiration from a memory of a woman who flashed by his eyes when he first observed Kaguya.
He diligently got to work and created their new body.
Her skin was ghostly pale, almost alabaster white, with long, flowing hair cascading down her back in pure white waves. Her eyes were devoid of visible pupils or irises, just a chilling, featureless white. A toned, buxom figure added to her allure, all of it clad in a deadly, ethereal, ghostly aura.
Her features matched almost perfectly with those of the clone's previous life, but with a shift in theme—from fiery red to ghostly white, from the embodiment of life to the harbinger of death.
Lucian created a physical manifestation of his void energy in the form of a glass-like heart, he brought this heart to the newly created body and transplanted it on her. This was going to be the ultimate gift for the parasites.
He then cocooned her in a protective veil of causality and probability and sent her to their newest friend.
Lucian went back to resting and focused on healing and the new experiences he was going to get from their body.
_____________________________
Earth
Location Formerly Known as The Land of Ancestors
A massive tree, with roots as long as it is tall, parted the clouds with its towering branches. Surrounding the tree were mountain-like ridges, giving the impression that the tree had crashed down from the heavens and become stranded in this crater-like terrain, its new home.
From the massive surface-growing roots, cocoons dangled motionless, as if in a state of apparent peace.
A woman with abnormally long, pale whitish-grey hair hovered in the air with unnatural ease. Her skin was a pale, wax-like shade, and two rough, bony outgrowths, resembling light brown horns, adorned her head. Her long, darkened red nails added to her eerie appearance. But the most striking features were her three peculiar eyes, which would be the one thing most would remember if they ever dared to look at her.
A vertically slitted eye on her forehead, a Rinne-Sharingan, featured a red iris with three concentric circles, each embedded with three tomoes, all orbiting a black pupil.
Her other two eyes were Byakugan, pupil-less and greyish-white, accentuated by the prominent veins that pulsed beneath her delicate features.
An unending flow of tears marred her face. In her hands lay the unbreathing body of the one person she loved the most—barring her spineless husband—with more than half a dozen arrows protruding from her back.
Her husband betrayed her and sold her off. Her servant sacrificed her life trying to appease a bloodthirsty mob. The people she had grown to love and care for now rested inside the cocoons of the God Tree's roots, victims of her own spiteful actions. The blessing in her belly that once brought her immeasurable joy now served as another source of concern. Her so-called people would hunt her down once they discovered her most recent treachery—not to mention her betrayal of Isshiki Ōtsutsuki, even if the alternative had been her death. And now, she was painfully aware of the foreign chakra slowly corrupting her. She feared the day when she would no longer be herself, but only a chakra-hungry monster—a hollow shell of what she once was.
She didn't regret her betrayal. Her only regret was not taking matters into her own hands sooner. She should have recognized the true nature of the creatures she had grown to love and appreciate.
War was their true nature. Destruction their inner desire.
However, she couldn't deny that this was the humanity she loved. So similar to her own parasitic clan, yet so different. Filled with so much potential. A genetic makeup made to be molded. Hearts filled with as much light as darkness. A sprouting species of possibility—that was the most appropriate description she could find for them.
Yet... they betrayed her.
She stopped the premature culling of their future at the hands of Isshiki, tried to integrate with them, and be a part of their people. She even tried to bless their future with her descendants—descendants who now only remind her of her spineless husband. Yet, she couldn't help but love her unborn babies nonetheless. In the end, it was all for nothing. She was betrayed, just as she had betrayed her clan for them. She didn't miss the irony in her tragedy.
"...What now?..."- Yes, her naive self had no idea of how to proceed.
Her life had been unmade; she was truly alone. Instead of help coming her way, she knew that disaster was the best she could expect from her future.
As she wondered and panicked about her future, a sudden foreign message pierced her mind with the care an armor-piercing round had for its target.
'.—.—...-._----—....'- Her byakugan fluttered and a grimace adorned her facade.
Blood dripped from her nostrils and she lost the faculty of hovering.
*TUD!*- She impacted the ground with a force that cracked the earth beneath her. Dust settled on her previously immaculate visage, the only consequence of her kilometric fall.
On the ground, as if in the throes of a seizure, her body twitched and her eyes blinked erratically. Blood cascaded from her soft chin, staining her white attire."
Eventually, she motionlessly halted, and in a hurry got in four and started to puke her insides out. Her legs and arms quivered weakly, and her previously translucent tears were now tinted crimson. Her massive chakra source went haywire, and her body struggled against the turmoil unsuccessfully.
More blood and some of her innards flowed from her mouth and eyes. This continued until she lay in a crimson pool and finally managed to stop. Her regeneration kicked in, reversing all the previous damage she had suffered. Her lost organs were regrown, and her body stabilized.
The pool of blood and the blood covering her body suddenly began to float in droplets, defying gravity. These droplets coalesced into a blood-orange egg, towering over her.
The egg darkened with each passing second, while Kaguya observed its maturation with rapt attention.
When the egg turned completely black, as if absorbing the light from reality and appearing almost two-dimensional, it transformed into a true elliptical portal. From it emerged a naked alabaster woman. The egg-turned-portal shrank until it vanished completely, leaving only the confused alien and the sleeping eldritch fusion of two looney souls behind.
After this, she will probably add striking a deal with an eldritch being as one of her regrets.
She was the victim of an amnesiac Lucian who believed that conversing directly with his soul to her mind would have no repercussions. Lucian had been communicating with Madelyne directly from his soul to hers—since she had no mind or body, only her soul—so he assumed it was normal to establish such a connection with mortals without complications.
Not to forget that Madelyne's soul was once touched by a cosmic entity and empowered by infernal corruption, so he never suspected his soul would have such an effect on Kaguya. As demonstrated by Kaguya nearly keeling over, he was mistaken.
Kaguya grew a bed from a smaller root of the God Tree and gently placed the naked woman upon it. Exhausted from the day's events, she soon found herself drifting into sleep beside the woman.
____________________
The next day what greeted Kaguya as she awoke was the view from the lap pillow her companion was graciously lending her. She was so tired and mentally hurt from Lucian's soul aria (The voice of his soul) that she didn't realize the stranger had moved her body and repositioned her into her lap.
She flickered away from the lap pillow and eyed mistrustfully at the woman.
"I'm sorry, our newest friend. I didn't know my soul aria would hurt you like this. My deepest apologies."- Lucian momentarily took over their body and lowered his head in apology, his emotionless masculine voice coming out of the clearly female body did nothing to appease the alien.
"..."- Kaguya had activated her byakugan and was staring at the woman/thing. She knew who these were, she had accepted the deal after all, but that didn't lower her wariness.
A moment later the stalemate broke down when the woman said:
"Hello there, our newest friend. Please forgive my oldest friend, he's missing some rather important memories so he really didn't know better. Please, please, pretty please!"- The woman flashed to the Alien and grabbed her hands in pleading before the alien could react.
Kaguya tried to pull away but found it impossible.
"It's forgiven, please release my hands."- Kaguya said with her signature impassiveness.
Her words were almost as flat as Lucian's emotionless response.
"Thank you lots!"- Madelyne and Lucian's voices responded, though only the "lots" part came from Madelyne.
"Our newest friend, you can call me Maddy, and my oldest friend, Luci. Our naming conventions are a bit different, are they not? So Luci thought this might be appropriate."- Madelyne stood up—unbothered by her nudity—and did an overly courteous bow.
"I'll call you Kaguyis—"- Maddy started but was soon enough interrupted.
"Kaguya-sama!"- She demanded, her voice as flat as always.
"Kagu-chan!"- Maddy countered.
"Kaguya-sama!"- Kaguya defended.
"Kaguchi!"- Maddy attacked again.
"... Kaguya."- She gave up.
"Okay, my newest friend, you drive a hard bargain. We shall call you Kaguya!"- Maddy beamed a smile.
|I told you it was better this way.|- Lucian's soul aria resonated in Madelyne. He made a channel for communication through their body without making the listener convulse and collapse.
'Yeah, I never thought our newest friend would be so stoic. But we will break through that shell of hers eventually.'- Madelyne responded in her mind.
|We will.|- Lucian asserted.
"Maddy-sa—"- Kaguya was interrupted.
"Maddy, it's okay."- Maddy countered.
"... Maddy... He said you could help me with the corruption."- Kaguya wanted to address her most imminent worry.
"Right, Kaguya. Luci will take over!"- Maddy nodded. She was also worried about her best female friend's health.
Lucian took over and the change in attitude became apparent. From bubbling to impassive.
Lucian approached Kaguya and extended a hand in a silent request. Without a word, Kaguya reached out, and he took her hand.
Aragorn used his absolute senses and inspected her trinity of self. Body, mind, and soul, he looked everywhere to understand how far the corruption had spread.
"Your soul remains uncorrupted, but your body and mind are on the path to corruption. The source of your energy has been tainted by the foreign energy from the God Tree. Since your energy originates from both your body and mind, and this tainted energy is mixing with both, your body is adapting to the changes—it seems to be a peculiarity of your species—but your mind is not, and you will eventually succumb."
"My kind built their empire by merging with the chakra fruit of the God Trees; we've never encountered a problem like this before."- She said.
"...Aren't your people psychopaths who only care about consuming more worlds? Maybe they were all corrupted, and the youth were taught to normalize their psychopathic behaviors. You're the only outlier, based on our investigations."- Lucian explained his assumption.
"... Can you stop it?"- She couldn't deny his point of view.
She was no stranger to how the clan saw it as normal behavior to sacrifice a branch member for the sake of power, nor did they ever care about the countless lives they took in their pursuit of chakra.
"Yes. Seven nights should be enough, you shall sleep in close proximity to this body while I work things out."- Lucian said.
'Thanks, my friend! We will get ultra close like this!'- Maddy commented.
Lucian could probably fix her in a single sitting, but he was doing his oldest friend a favor.
"I will break the negative feedback the tainted chakra uses to pollute your mind by riding the yin of your chakra back to its source, your mind. Just please don't play with any more chakra fruits, or the God Tree for that matter. As long as you don't absorb more of its chakra you'll be fine, or else it will really be a challenge to purify your yin chakra source."- Lucian explained.
"..."- Kaguya stared at him, wordlessly thinking about the being who offered her the deal, she was both reassured and terrified by him.
"... I... I thank you."- She said.
"You're welcome."- He answered, and went back to the passenger seat.
"What are your plans about the humans in those vines, Kaguya?"- Maddy asked.
She pointed at the humans imprisoned in the cocoons.
"I don't know, Maddy-sa... Maddy. I don't want their species to perish but they were also killing each other."- Kaguya looked conflicted at the victims of her outburst.
"They don't appear to be in mortal danger... Why don't we proceed with the funerary arrangements for your friend over there and then decide what to do with the living humans?"- Maddy pointed at the body of Aino, Kaguya's servant friend.
"... Aino... *Sigh*"- Kaguya lamented.
"Maddy, can you help me bury her? I wanted to build her something nice. She always took care of me and paid attention to my needs."
"Sure, Kaguyis."- Maddy floated to her side and attempted to hug her by the side.
"Kaguya!"- Kaguya corrected her and floated away, approaching Aino's body.
"That's what I meant!"- She floated behind her best female friend. They've been friends for all of her life, since the moment of her birth a day ago.
An hour later, they stood by a tall glass-like pole with a burning white flame sitting comfortably atop it. Both women observed the flame with solemnity and curiosity.
"It will burn eternally?"- Kaguya asked.
"That's what Luci said. Something about 'discovering a way to use environmental energy to feed the flame in a controlled manner.' I can teach you later if you want."- While they were burying the girl's body, Lucian had been experimenting in the background with environmental energy (Nature Energy), discovering ways to use it for sorcery—part of the factual memories he was regaining.
Unfortunately, this energy didn't respond the same way dimensional or universal energy did, so none of the spell circles he remembered worked. But he wasn't an eldritch being for nothing. Instinctively, and by trying a myriad of possible script permutations, he managed to bastardize a method to command this natural energy into doing what he wanted.
"I inscribed the formula I created in the crystal of the pole. It's very crude when compared to my memories, but once I've developed a more complete system we can return to update the 'gravestone'."- His masculine voice answered from their body.
"I thank you, Luci-sama."- Kaguya expressed.
"Luci is alright and you're welcome, Kaguya."- He said.
They flew back to the God Tree and started to discuss what they were going to do with the humans.
______________________
6 Months later
Shinaki-City, cofounded by Kaguya Ōtsutsuki and Madi (Maddy) Futagami.
Shinaki, also known as the City of the New Dawn, was founded by Kaguya Ōtsutsuki—The Rabbit Goddess—and Madi Futagami—The One of the Two Kami (Gods/Spirits)—10 years ago... at least according to the memories of humanity.
A decade ago, the benevolent Rabbit Goddess reached her breaking point and acted to end all war and conflict within humanity. She assumed the seat of power in the world, and under her guiding hand, humanity experienced more than a decade of continuous peace.
In her pursuit of human development and advancement, the benevolent goddess decided to gift humanity her blood nine months ago. She selected an unnamed male and sacrificed her immaculateness for the betterment of humankind.
To assist her in her divine mission and protect her soon-to-be-born children, she had her summoned lifelong friend from the heavens to help her, Madi Futagami.
However, not everything was as peaceful as it appeared. The divine clan of the benevolent goddess disapproved of her bestowing her grace upon unworthy mortals. Only Madi Futagami stood by her side.
In preparation for the inevitable scenario of her family attacking her humans, the benevolent goddess imparted to her people the Will of the Beyond.
The Will of the Beyond taught mortals the importance of making sacrifices to ensure that future generations would have a brighter future. This doctrine emphasized that the sacrifice of those approaching the beyond (Pure Lands) could secure the survival and prosperity of the generations left behind.
Through this faith, those who were terminally ill, in palliative care, or nearing their departure to the beyond willingly accepted the highest honor by sacrificing their lives to join the Rabbit Goddess' immortal army. In a dormant state, they await the moment when their goddess will sound the trumpets of war.
Her immortal soldiers were known as the White Zetsu. The soldiers mostly shared the same physical features, so to immortalize the sacrificed, a huge hollowed crystal tower was created where their names were inscribed. A monument to their honor.
To maximize the compatibility of her people with the immortal army, the Rabbit Goddess blessed humanity with her chakra, while The One of the Two Kami taught them how to blend it with natural energy to enhance their bodies.
Madi Futagami also developed various methods for them to transform and shape their chakra and senjutsu chakra to aid in their daily lives. Whether it was generating warmth during winter, a pleasant breeze in summer, boosting agriculture, advancing healthcare, ensuring a steady water supply, or gaining a deeper understanding of their world, Madi Futagami gifted humankind with different techniques to control their energy for these and many other purposes.
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Of course, from an objective standpoint, they enhanced humanity to help protect Kaguya during the times when Maddy would be rebirthing and growing. Although Lucian armed Madelyne with a game-ending bomb in the form of her heart, they weren't confident that it would eliminate all the parasites.
Some might be traveling through the timestream, others could be in separate dimensions, and a few might simply be away from the ancestral land when Maddy came to blow herself up in their faces.
To prepare for the possibility that a survivor would strike at an unprotected Kaguya, Lucian and Maddy proposed the previous plan. If Maddy was in the Pure Lands or had recently reincarnated and was powerless while growing up, the immortal army would come in handy, buying them time to either escape or get stronger for a rematch, they could even work as a distraction.
Initially, Kaguya opposed the idea, but Lucian told her that their souls would simply follow the natural path in the case of their defeat, Maddy also suggested using the willing instead of manipulating their minds into a ritualistic sacrifice.
The Will of the Beyond was the doctrine that met their requirements and Lucian promised to help them develop as a species—which ultimately was beneficial for all—Kaguya accepted the final plan and the next day the memories of all citizens had been altered by Maddy and her.
With the entire continent under their control, the only undesired news that reached them was of squabbles with bandits from time to time, about once almost every two months. Although they felt closer to zookeepers or teachers in a kindergarten, there was no denying that humanity preserved their free will and their future was looking up as the months went by.
All for the cheap cost of some initial memory tampering.
During these comfortable autumn days, while the average Joe enjoyed the prosperity born of many sacrifices, the two 'celestials' chiefly responsible for this serendipity were engaged in a battle of their own. Kaguya was giving birth.
"AAAAGHHHHHHHHHH!!! *BOOM*"- Kaguya endured the labor contractions with grace. Her chakra, though, was on the brink of annihilating all life in the city with each new surge. Lucian, drawing from his extensive medical knowledge on maternity, assisted Kaguya, while Maddy anxiously chewed on her figurative nails in their shared mindscape.
"You're crowning, Kaguya. The end of your pain and the official beginning of your motherhood are near."- Lucian's typically emotionless voice provided steady support, helping her endure the ordeal.
"YYAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHH!!! *BOOM*"- Her grace was overflowing, just like her chakra; but no one ever said that giving birth was a graceful affair. Her friends made sure to commit these memories to their mental vault and never speak of them unless Kaguya asked.
An hour later, after a total of three hours and a remarkably swift labor—especially for twins—Hagoromo and Hamura Ōtsutsuki were welcomed with love into the world by their tired mother and their eager One-sama.
Lucian, with a soft care that belied his emotionless personality, reassuredly petted Kaguya's head with one hand while using the other to scan and evaluate the twins with his absolute senses as they enjoyed their first meal.
"You three did great. No complications, Kaguya."- To this, she beamed the first genuine smile her friends had seen from her since they met.
The news of the successful birth of Kaguya-Hime's progeny—how the population affectionately referred to her—spread quickly. A week-long festival was organized in honor of the twins, celebrated as a symbol of their rabbit goddess's love for them, a divine gift embodied in the form of two fraternal children. Her blood gifted to humanity.
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A few months later
"Kaguyis! I want to breastfeed them! Please, let me!"- Maddy implored, watching the mother gently bob Hamura to sleep during his meal. His brother was wide awake in Maddy's arms.
"No."- Kaguya didn't even spare her friend a glance as she denied her.
"But why?!"- Maddy's eyes began to well up with tears.
"You let Luci do it, why can't I?! It's not fair!"- She was right—Kaguya had allowed Lucian to alter their body to breastfeed the twins.
"Because Luci doesn't start moaning while feeding my babies."- Kaguya's disdain was evident.
"But they nibble on my nipples! How am I supposed to keep a straight face with that? I don't know how you do it! Luci is a different story, but how are you this nonchalant about it?!" Scorn and revulsion weren't strong enough words to describe Kaguya's expression.
"Just don't!" she said sternly.
"Fine!" Maddy huffed and switched places with Lucian.
Their black hanfu—woven from the physical manifestation of natural energy, a testament to their monstrous energy control—parted to reveal Lucian's bare breasts as he levitated Hogoromo to his meal.
"If it's any consolation, Maddy doesn't get mentally aroused. Our body is sensitive to stimuli—for combat—so it's more susceptible to physical arousal."- Lucian explained as he gently played with the feeding baby's little hands.
"You share the same body, yet I don't see you making a mess of yourself."- Kaguya rebuked.
"My pleasure and pain centers are damaged. Our body can't transmit those particular sensations to my soul, especially considering most of my soul is outside this body."- Lucian circulated little Hagoromo's chakra, helping him get accustomed to it.
"It is somewhat comforting to know that Maddy isn't a pervert, but it's still a 'No'."- Kaguya nodded in understanding.
'Hey, Luci... I'm pretty sure I am a pervert. That hooker lady and Asshole Essex messed me up.'- Maddy commented in their shared mind.
|I know, but Kaguya doesn't need to know. At least you're not a pedophile, that's what I meant.|- Lucian explained.
'Oh, yeah, that's right. I'm definitely all in for the princely yet manly type.'- Maddy agreed.
|That's the type little girls like.|- Lucian added.
'Humph! It's the type I like. If you're so mature, then please share what your type is!'- Maddy jokingly rebuked.
|Obviously goth girls, the mature type. They have to be stronger than me yet very gentle and caring.|- Lucian instantly replied.
'Luci, I find it strange that even with your lost memories and the damage to your soul, you didn't forget this part.'- Maddy silently acknowledged that she would also like her manly prince to be stronger than her yet gentle and caring.
|... You're right... I wonder why.|- Lucian found it strange as well, as if everything he was made of had been 'killed' except for certain parts left untouched.
"Kaguya, we'll start your training next week."- Lucian said aloud.
Kaguya nodded in agreement. She knew she had little real experience in combat, the closest being when she jumped on Isshiki. To prepare for any eventuality, Lucian had suggested he train her.
Even though Lucian was missing most of his memories, his thinking ability still operated at an eldritch level. Combined with the factual knowledge he was gradually restoring as his soul healed, he was the most qualified of the three to handle combat training. It also helped that he had spent time observing countless battles across this multiverse during his investigations.
"How are you doing with the Energy Script?"- Lucian inquired.
The Energy Script he mentioned was a replacement for sorcery that he had been developing using natural energy, senjutsu chakra, and chakra.
"It's difficult, but I've managed to keep up with the material you gave me."- Kaguya answered.
At the moment, Energy Script wasn't very combat-oriented. It was limited to being carved, painted, or constructed over surfaces. For example, the most basic script that the average 'nascent scribe' in Shinaki could write was one for keeping time, while the most complex one lightened weight.
Each script also required a careful and delicate hand—qualities that were not easily maintained in combat.
Even though the nascent art wasn't combat-oriented at the moment, Lucian found it appalling how Kaguya's species mainly relied on techniques they intrinsically knew. They didn't even attempt to control other universal energies as they did with chakra.
For a being who could manipulate and control energy at will, this was beyond appalling.
It wasn't just about direct confrontations or who wielded the largest amount of energy. Lucian believed that once the Energy Script was sufficiently developed, they would be able to set restrictions—such as creating a script that negated chakra manipulation within a defined space. For a species as dependent on chakra as Kaguya's, this would be a checkmate.
Kaguya recognized its value, and for the past six months, she had been diligently learning as Lucian made further advancements in the Energy Script.
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A week later.
"Kaguyis! I give you the motivation while Luci handles the demonstration!"- Maddy said eagerly.
She meant that she would do the talking while Lucian operated their body and taught Kaguya.
Kaguya nodded, already accustomed to her friends' antics.
"Based on our observations before we entered this multiverse, Ōtsutsukis tend to fight like brutes."- Maddy continued with a smile.
Kaguya's passive mask almost faltered.
"It's like you have a massive, menacing mace and you just swing it at each other. The winner is usually the one with the biggest mace—the one with the largest chakra reserve."- Maddy said pensively.
"The inherent abilities each of you have and your eye powers do play a part, but most of you have one way or the other of nullifying chakra attacks. So your usual battles often come down to a form of taijutsu—the classic 'who hits the hardest and fastest."- Maddy explained.
"There's also shinjutsu."- Kaguya added in disaccord.
"Yes, Kaguya, but let's say two Ōtsutsuki face each other. Both have one shinjutsu technique, and neither can outright kill the other. Who wins?"- Maddy asked, presenting it as a riddle.
"... The one with the larger chakra pool—able to use shinjutsu continuously until the other is exhausted—or the better at taijutsu."- Kaguya admitted.
"Yep! That's what I meant. There's also another way, which is what you did to Isshiki. But that was probably a miracle of the era, as there's no way you could have pulled that off without some divine intervention. Lucian suspects Shibai Ōtsutsuki might have been involved, either directly or indirectly."
"I-I can't deny that."- Kaguya stuttered. After all, how could she have gotten the jump on Isshiki? She was weaker, and he didn't trust her.
"Which is why I called it a miracle of the era, because we doubt Shibai cares about what happens in this speck of dust known as Earth."- Maddy said.
"Moving forward... Kaguyis, because of your corruption, you're forbidden from 'powering up' using the God Tree and its products. So we need to enhance your taijutsu and make you more elusive. We want to ensure that even if you can't win, you can escape! You shall become the trickiest Kaguya in all the multiverse!"- Maddy excitedly said.
"And to do that we have to teach you how to use a small hammer to break the fingers holding the mace of your opponent!"- Maddy was proud of her analogy.
"But how?"- Kaguya understood Maddy's point but couldn't think of a way to proceed—aside from the obvious Energy Script, which she was already studying.
"We have to expand your bag of tricks and also turn your nuclear attacks into tactical strikes."- Maddy said.
"Nuclear?"- Kaguya asked. Although there were scholars among the Ōtsutsuki, she was not one of those.
"It's a type of attack powerful enough to sink a continent and poison the planet. Really bad stuff!"- Maddy made a face of disgust.
Kaguya nodded in understanding.
"First exercise! All-Killing Ash Bones is a very good certain-kill technique, and the combination with Yomotsu Hirasaka (dimension-manifesting) is marvelous to catch someone off guard and end them."- Kaguya smiled at that, she was proud of the combination she thought about.
"But it's ultimately totally useless and wasteful if you fail to hit your enemy."- Maddy said, causing Kaguya's pride to wane.
"So the first exercise is to depower the technique while retaining its versatility."- Maddy concluded.
"But if I compromise its power my opponent might withstand the attack or regenerate from it."- Kaguya said in confusion.
"That's if you use it as a certain-kill move. But if you use it to compromise the enemy, the trade-off between chakra expenditure and combat gain is much better than a missed certain-kill attack."
Maddy raised her fists in a typical boxing stance, and Kaguya instinctively assumed a defensive position.
Maddy threw a straight punch toward Kaguya's chest, and Kaguya crossed her arms to block it.
As Maddy's fist made contact with Kaguya's guard, a long bone blade extended from her fist, piercing through Kaguya's arms, ribcage, spine, and emerging from her back.
"*Guh*"- Kaguya grunted, biting her tongue to endure the pain.
The pain distracted her, and before she could react, Maddy's other fist was already inches from her face.
"As you've seen, even if my bone blade couldn't kill you, it gave me the chance to target your head. A headless Ōtsutsuki, even if not dead, can be subjugated or escaped from."- Maddy retracted her bone blade, and Kaguya's body naturally regenerated, closing the wounds.
"The first exercise is to replicate the controlled bone growth of my All-Killing Ash Bones, but without the 'All-Killing' part."- Kaguya concluded.
"Exactly, Kaguyis. Luci also suggested that you find other ways to obstruct your enemies with your bones. For example, imagine bone spears suddenly growing from the ground where your opponents stand."- Maddy demonstrated by tapping the ground once, instantly causing a bone spear to sprout next to her.
"Turning my body into a weapon, right?"- Kaguya asked, realization dawning on her.
"Exactly! The first arc of our training is to weaponize your body. Your hair has a promising future!" Maddy said, eyeing Kaguya's hair while demonstrating her own, making it move in various defensive and offensive patterns.
She formed tendrils of hair, then strengthened them, showing Kaguya how to enhance them with different elemental applications—like increasing their weight using earth nature chakra or sharpening the tips with wind nature chakra.
"At the end of the taijutsu training, I will teach you the Eight Gates!"- Maddy exclaimed eagerly.
"Eight Gates?"- Kaguya asked, her curiosity piqued.
"When we were outside observing, we found an interesting universe ruled by a man named Guy Senjurama. The man had bushy brows, blinding-white teeth, and long, shiny black flowing hair. He was so strong that even the Ōtsutsuki feared him. His body had a unique constitution that allowed him to regenerate damage even faster than you, and he combined that with senjutsu chakra and a technique called the Eight Gates."- Maddy explained, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"They feared him?!"- Kaguya was shocked.
"Yes, his punches were so strong that he once punched through time when one of your clan members attempted to travel back in time to kill him before he grew that strong."- Maddy said, leaving Kaguya stunned.
"Even Shibai stays away from that universe. There was a time when your clan attacked him with most of their members. They were about to overwhelm him, but suddenly, a barrage of punches arrived from the future! His descendants were helping him, even though they hadn't been born yet! Some even say that his kicks can hit through causality! He is known as the GOAB—the Greatest Of All Beasts."
"I need to learn this!"- Kaguya was showing her determination and excitement.
"I know, right?! There are some precautionary measures we have to take because otherwise, the technique will destroy your body, but Luci said he can take care of that."- Maddy was also excited to see the level her friend would reach.
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2 years since the founding of Shinaki (The real founding year of Shinaki)—1 year since the start of Kaguya's training.
"Oneessa, me! Me!"- Little Hagoromo pleaded.
"Come here!"- Maddy exclaimed and grabbed Hagoromo by his armpits and shot him to the heavens.
"Kyahahahaha!"- Little Hamura giggled as he descended from above, and Maddy gently slowed him down until he came to a halt, sitting atop her shoulders.
"Did you like it, Hamura?"- Maddy asked, playing with his tiny toes that dangled from her shoulders.
"Mhmm, I liked it, Oneessa."- The one-year-and-three-month-old baby replied.
"Let's wait for your brother, then we can go and eat with Kaguyis."- Maddy said, glancing upward.
"Kyahahahaha!"- Much like his brother, Hagoromo came down in a fit of laughter.
With a child on her shoulders and the other in her arms, she flew back to the city.
Below her, a sprawling metropolis buzzed with activity. Shinaki had become the center of the continent, surpassing all the satellite cities scattered across resource-rich locations.
Population centers were established above every ore vein, near fertile seas, in abundant savannahs, rich valleys, and cloudy mountains. These cities and villages were all connected by secure roads.
Energy Script was widely used for the convenience of the citizens under the rule of the two celestial beings. It was common to purchase tablets engraved with scripts for various functions to install in homes, carriages, or fields. Their clothing was also threaded with scripts for added comfort and protection.
The natality rates spiked and the overall mortality plummeted.
Discoveries in Energy Script were no longer exclusive to Lucian; it was becoming common to find individuals specializing in scripts for particular fields or applications, and for these people to make discoveries in their fields of expertise.
Not only was their culture advancing and growing at an astonishing rate, but their inventions and discoveries were also progressing rapidly. There were already discussions about constructing taller buildings to save space and advancements in healthcare.
Even though these healthcare discoveries could reduce the yearly quota of sacrifices, Kaguya and Maddy did not oppose them. However, they made it clear that their skills should only be used to heal the twins or themselves.
Kaguya regretted ever agreeing to learn taijutsu under Lucian and Maddy. She regretted it even more when she allowed herself to be goaded into declaring she would become the female counterpart of Guy Senjurama. Lucian and Maddy seized this as permission to push her even harder under the guise of training.
Yet, the results spoke for themselves. Kaguya could now open up to the seventh gate, allowing her to step through, rupture, and punch space. However, mastering the eighth gate was proving to be more than a challenge.
When the twins and Maddy landed at their home, the little ones, moving as quickly as their tiny legs allowed, went straight to Kaguya for lunch.
""Okassa""- The twins toddled toward their mother, still struggling with their N's.
"My boys."- Kaguya murmured with a faint smile as she crouched down and lifted her toddlers into a hug.
After lunch and setting the twins for a nap Kaguya and Maddy discussed governmental matters.
"Maddy, Governor Yosei filed a request for another scroll-making machine."- Kaguya passed the request sheet to her.
"Mmmmmm, this guy is good!"- Maddy evaluated the request and approved of Governor Yosei.
"Why?"- Kaguya asked.
"I put him in charge of scroll production in the northern satellite cities. As you know, their population is the lowest compared to the other sectors, yet he produces more scrolls than at least 70% of the other population centers."- Maddy said with a bright smile.
"... Is he selling to the other sectors?"- Kaguya asked.
"Yes, but not in the way you might imagine. Instead of selling blank scrolls, he developed a publications industry. He taught most of his people how to do basic scripture and write, then he offered contracts to have his people create the basic scripts for everyday use and sold those at a cheaper price than others could produce the scrolls themselves. He's also involved in publishing literature."- Maddy answered as she approved of the request and returned it to Kaguya.
"Is this one of the positive aspects of the capitalism Luci taught me about?"- Kaguya asked, recalling the governance lessons Lucian had shared with her whenever applicable to their nascent society.
"Yes, Kaguya. We just have to make sure to stay alert for the negative aspects."- Lucian replied.
"But you mentioned that most of those negative aspects won't apply to our form of government because I stand as the absolute being. I could alter anything that diverges from my preferred path."- Kaguya commented with a hint of question.
"Yes, but it usually brings less headaches to rule from behind and only intervene when the situation absolutely calls for it. If you don't correct certain practices at their inception, you might find yourself bound by them in the future."- Lucian.
"Alright, I'll keep an eye out. I appreciate your help, Luci. Without you and Maddy I don't know where I would be by now."- Kaguya said.
Lucian switched back with Maddy and accepted her gratitude.
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3 years since the founding of Shinaki (The real founding year of Shinaki)—2 years since the start of Kaguya's training.
Kaguya and Maddy sat by the shore of a lake, surrounded by flowery bushes and a dense, lush forest. The two-year-old twins played in the shallow water.
"So, did you use that new technique to grow this forest?"- Maddy asked.
"Mhmm. I thought about finding a lower-cost technique to replace the God Tree roots in combat."- Kaguya replied as she made a sapling with a bright red flower grow from the ground.
"Oh, is that about what Luci said? About how others of your clan might be able to control the tree like you do?"- Maddy asked. She crouched down and plucked the flower, encasing it in a thin film of crystal and shaping it into a hairpin.
Maddy floated the hairpin to Kaguya and smiled sweetly at her.
"Yes. The advantages of the God Tree are its chakra absorption and toughness. The downgraded technique has two forms: one where it can absorb chakra at the cost of reduced durability, and the other prioritizes toughness over chakra absorption."- Kaguya answered as she accepted Maddy's gift and placed it in her hair.
"This is good, Kaguyis. Versatility over brute force, trickery over raw power!"- Maddy cheered, encouraging her friend.
"*Sigh* That's the goal, but I know what some of the monsters in my clan are capable of."- Kaguya sighed.
"Well, this is just for a worst-case scenario. We're still hoping the heart Luci placed in me will be enough to take down most of them."- Maddy said, placing a supportive hand on Kaguya's shoulder.
"Do you think you could return to tell me about the ones you do manage to kill?"- Kaguya asked.
"Mmmmm, possibly, but I'll probably only have enough energy in my heartless body to come and die in your arms."- Maddy said.
"That's enough, Maddy. I just worry that I'll end up alone, waiting for you to be reborn, only for them to seal you somewhere I can't reach."- Kaguya confessed, her biggest concern being the many sealing techniques her clan had, like the Rinnegan's Chibaku Tensei.
"Mmmmm, okay, Kaguyis. I'll make sure to drag us back here, even if that means falling apart right after I meet you!"- Maddy said as she hugged her tightly.
Though Kaguya didn't always agree with Maddy's overly touchy and somewhat bumbling behavior, she had grown to love her. So, she returned the hug. Kaguya knew that aside from her children—no matter how much she cared for humanity—the only pillars in her life were Maddy and Lucian.
And even though their friendship began because of a deal, she was infinitely grateful to them.
In retrospect, the deal was idiotic—all she had to do was guarantee a stable planet for their safe reincarnation and help Maddy find adoptive parents in her last life. But they had already helped her immensely in fulfilling the first part of the deal. With Maddy's overly-friendly disposition, she wasn't worried about her finding parents when the time came to fulfill the final condition.
After witnessing her friends' powers, she was certain they didn't need her. They could have easily settled on any lifeless planet, terraformed it, and started a civilization of their own. She needed them, not the other way around, but for whatever reason she no longer cared about, they chose her.
"How much longer will you stay?"- Kaguya asked, knowing that the time for her friend to depart was drawing near.
"About 15 more years. Although it's not visually apparent, this body is maturing. When it reaches the peak of its life, we will make our move."- Lucian answered.
"I also want to see our twins grow up!"- Maddy added.
"My twins."- Kaguya possessively said.
"Yes, that's what I said... My twins!"- Maddy smiled mischievously.
"You!"- Kaguya was aware of Maddy's playfulness, but they were HER twins.
"You're also mine, Kaguyis! This I learn from Luci. Did you know that I'm his? That means you and your beautiful twins—who are mine—are also his!"- Maddy eagerly explained her logic.
"And since you are his, and I am him just as he is me, you are mine!"- Maddy didn't care if it made sense or not, that much was clear.
"... *Si~gh*..."- Kaguya sighed, what else could she do?
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16 years since the founding of Shinaki (The real founding year of Shinaki)—15 years since the start of Kaguya's training.
In one of the many lush, dense, and life-overflowing forests surrounding Shinaki, the capital of the world, two teenagers sparred.
One had straight pale hair and two horn-like protrusions. His Byakugan was activated, and his left hand moved in a pattern in the air, drawing a defensive script. In his right hand, he held a solid crystal staff, filled to the brim with scripture.
The other, with light brown spiky hair and similar horns on his forehead, had his Sharingan spinning as he moved into a strike with a staff similar to the first.
Just in time, Hamura's script blocked Hagoromo, and the scripture wall turned sticky. Hagoromo let go of his now-stuck staff and sunk into the ground.
Hamura's Byakugan tracked his movements underground.
Hagoromo knew his brother could see him, but that was anticipated. From inside the ground, his hands lit up and began to move in a special pattern, forming a script. The ground around Hamura seemed to come alive with false life.
Tentacles of dirt surged and twisted toward Hamura.
Hamura defended with his staff, but the tentacles were relentless.
Proving his celestial ancestry, Hamura managed to destroy and fend off all the attacks. However, when the last tentacle lost its false life, he found his brother's staff at his throat.
"Fighting with only script and taijutsu is difficult, brother."- Hamura conceded.
"You say that, but this is the first time I've won today, Hamura."- Hagoromo said, lowering his weapon and exhaling a breath he had been holding.
"That's because you prefer to go around and play with your friends rather than studying under Onee-sama. But you wield your chakra better than I do, so cheer up."- Hamura said, patting his brother's back.
"But that's Onee-sama and Mother's fault—as well as yours—neither of you interact closely with our people. Someone has to be the approachable face in our family."- Hagoromo complained, though his words carried little weight; he genuinely enjoyed interacting with the people.
"For that, I'm grateful, brother. Mother is not very outwardly expressive with outsiders, and I don't like the expectations they have written on their faces when they see me. Onee-sama is another matter altogether; they respect her so much that they worship her just as they do Mother."- Hamura said, unsealing a beverage from his carrying-scroll and offering another to Hagoromo.
"That was rather impressive, children!"- They heard a voice coming from behind them.
With no suspicion or wariness, they turned to look at the intruder. Raised in an environment free from malice, they had no instinctual defenses against strangers. They were also overwhelmingly stronger than everyone else, except for their mother and Onee-sama.
"Brother, is that toad talking?"- Hamura asked, his Byakugan activated in surprise.
"I think so. It's not an illusion if that's what you're asking."- Hagoromo replied, his Sharingan spinning wildly.
"Should we capture it and take it to Onee-sama for her experiments?"- Hamura suggested.
"Now that's not very nice of you! My name is Gamamaru, and I'm no one's pet or experimental subject."- Gamamaru said.
"... Maybe we should, brother."- Hagoromo said thoughtfully.
Thus began the friendship between the boys and the toad. Whenever they ventured outside Shinaki to spar, they would meet the toad and discuss life in the city and life in Mount Myōboku.
Sometimes they explored interesting locations or visited recommended places in the satellite cities. Other times, they tried new delicacies, and occasionally, the toad would attempt to feed insects to the boys.
Things continued in this manner with no apparent changes to their lives, until one day during one of their outings, they encountered a pair of sisters.
Suna was the older sister, with dark, almost black-green hair, pale skin, and soft facial features. Her younger sister, Hana, shared her pale complexion and had black hair, with a beauty that matched her older sibling.
The boys fell in love at first sight. After a few dates, Hagoromo and Hamura introduced the sisters to their family. Following a pleasant dinner, they escorted the sisters back to their home and then returned to their own, only to find a somber mood.
'Come to the living room, boys.'- They heard their Onee-sama's voice in their minds. They exchanged worried glances.
They obeyed and walked to the living room, where their mother and Onee-sama awaited. Upon taking their seats, they waited for their family to speak.
"So, boys, I know neither of you took up medicine as an interest, so I'll define this for you. Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disorder that affects the lungs, digestive system, and other organs. It often leads to malnutrition, which can be identified by weight loss and pallid skin."- When Lucian finished, the boys looked back at certain details they might have missed.
The sisters were not at all athletic, they were taciturn and always moved slowly, something they had confused with a form of regality—like how their mother never rushed anywhere. A few times they appeared to have trouble breathing, and the pale skin they had so admired.
"No..."- Hamura said softly.
"Is there a cure for it?"- Hagoromo asked, his mood mirroring the somberness of the room.
"No, my boys. You can treat it, and compared to the previous average lifespan, they could live long lives, but they will die young. If you two are looking to start a family, you should reconsider unless you want to shorten the girls' lives, should they survive the pregnancy."- Kaguya spoke tenderly and emphatically.
She was saddened that her sons' first love had to end this way, but she knew that pain was part of growing up—something she had learned the hard way.
Considering that her future grandchildren might be targeted by her clan, she preferred for her sons to have strong children. She would endure the pain of losing a partner again and again rather than the pain of losing a child. The thought of anything happening to her boys terrified her.
"I can teach you what you wish to know about their condition, and you both can learn about the treatment from me—since no one can treat this at the moment—but it will ultimately be up to the both of you if you wish to follow this path."- Lucian said.
The twins looked at each other and then understood the intention of the other.
"We would like to learn, Onee-sama. Thank you very much."- Hagoromo said, with Hamura nodding in support.
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17 years since the founding of Shinaki (The real founding year of Shinaki)—16 years since the start of Kaguya's training—1 year since the twins' start of their medicine lessons.
"Kaguyis! Luci has something to tell you!"- Maddy entered Kaguya's room in the middle of the night in a hurry.
"What happened?"- Kaguya asked, sensing her boys sleeping in the medicine lab. She relaxed a little, knowing that neither was at risk.
"I felt a chakra signature similar to your kind but weakened. I jumped over to the site to investigate, but whoever it was had already departed, and I couldn't find them."- Lucian said.
"… This… How is this possible?"- Kaguya wondered. If her friends were informing her about this, then that meant the signature didn't come from outer space but originated from here, as her friends would have detected the incursion.
"… Maybe Isshiki survived?"- Kaguya asked. She didn't want to contemplate such a scenario. The fact that he was weakened was a relief, but the possibility of him being alive was unsettling.
"It's best if we keep the twins close by. He might be looking for a new body."- Lucian suggested.
Kaguya approved of the suggestion.
"I'll keep looking for him, but if I don't find him now, I'll have more time in our next life. We can work together next time, how about it?"- Lucian asked Kaguya.
"Yes, Luci. I think that's better. I'll step up the twins' training, and if you can't find him this life, then we can try together the next. You only have one year left, right?"- Kaguya asked worriedly, trying to put on a stoic front, though her worries were not overlooked by the empathic duo.
"Yes, Kaguyis. Luci and I will help you! Don't worry too much. The God Tree must have taken a big toll on him if he was weak enough for all of us to overlook him. Next time, we will band together and bully him!"- Maddy said.
Kaguya found relief in her friend's positive attitude and enjoyed the warm hug.
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18 years since the founding of Shinaki (The real founding year of Shinaki)—17 years since the start of Kaguya's training—2 years since the twins' start of their medicine lessons—1 year since the sighting of Isshiki's chakra signature.
"Alright, everyone! There's no need for such long faces. We will return eventually, and then you'll see a lot more of me in your lives!"- Maddy tried to cheer up the sad trio.
"Hagoromo, Hamura, you are now adults and the protectors of our little family and our people, since I'm taking Luci with me. Your mother, despite her stoicism, needs a reliable shoulder to cry on from time to time. You two will take care of her for me until the day of my triumphant return."- Maddy walked to each of them, hugged them with all her love, and planted a big kiss on their foreheads.
"Kaguyis, you know Luci will wipe his eldritch ass with those pale assholes as toilet paper!"- Maddy's crass language came out in all its glory.
"Language, Maddy. We've talked about this."- Kaguya said, wiping a tear from her eyes.
"I love you, Kaguyis. Please look after my twins when I'm gone. I raised them tenderly."- Maddy hugged Kaguya goodbye.
Maddy and Lucien gave them one last glance and a beaming smile filled with all her love, then jumped away through space.
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20 years later
Maddy and Lucian blinked into existence outside of Earth.
Their body was missing its heart. The only skin remaining was on their scalp and from below their eyes upward; most of the muscles were gone, torn away during battle. Their charcoal-black bones were exposed for all to see, and almost no organs remained in their ribcage—their lungs being the exception, though more than 70% of them were as charred as their bones. Dust and specks of light seeped off constantly.
A black-boned skeleton with only the upper half of her face intact and long, flowing hair was the most appropriate description of their state.
'Luci, what the fuck happened here?!'- Maddy exclaimed, anxiety and fear creeping in—feelings she hadn't even experienced during the showdown with the parasites.
Most of the planets in the solar system were scarred and out of orbit. Space around Earth was unstable, the Sun was in disarray, and Earth was cracked all over, missing two visible chunks of its mass. Two new satellites orbited the ravaged planet.
The global map had changed, and none of the sprouting societies they had helped build remained. If not for the familiarity they had with the planet's energy, they would have assumed this was a different planet in the same spatial coordinates.
They could find signs of life in fewer than ten spots, where people likely survived thanks to the basements of script-reinforced buildings.
They jumped once more, this time to the place where they felt an energy signature similar to Kaguya's, but split into nine parts. They also felt Hagoromo and Hamura's energy next to these nine parts.
The older selves of the twins were surprised when they saw them appear.
"Onee-sama?"- Hamura asked doubtfully.
Luci and Maddy didn't respond; they couldn't, as they were missing most of the organs needed for verbal communication.
Maddy observed the nine chakra beasts with attention and understood that this was her friend's chakra mixed with the corruption of the God Tree. She spotted the trace connection these chakra beasts had, which flowed to Hagoromo.
Then Luci took over the body and looked above, to the heavens, where the two satellites orbited.
He saw through the mass of one of the moons and the seal and located the corrupted mind and soul of their friend.
He looked at Hamura's and Hagoromo's bodies with attention, trying to understand why he felt their chakra signature in their mother's seal.
'Why did you betray your mother?'- Lucian spoke in their minds as more specks of light and dust were released from their body.
Hamura and Hagoromo took defensive stances, not daring to take lightly the being in front of them, even if it was clearly in its last moments.
"She manipulated the minds of the people and sacrificed thousands to her immortal army!"- Hagoromo exclaimed, his face full of self-righteousness.
"The God Tree was also stealing the planet's Natural Energy!"- He added.
Lucian didn't bother to acknowledge the answer, finding it too foolish, so he looked at Hamura, questioning.
"... You could have saved our wives, couldn't you?"- Hamura asked in response.
'I could have made humanity undying. What's your point?'- Lucian asked.
The statement struck the twins like thunder.
"Why?! Why didn't you save Hana and Suna?!" Tears of rage were visible in both of them.
But Lucian continued studying them in silence; it didn't make sense.
Everybody knew of the sacrifices, and bringing down their reign because they tampered with the memories of the populations didn't make sense.
Not when you considered Lucian was already working on a solution for the energy depletion through script.
Not when you consider the years of prosperity they lived at the expense of their memories.
Not when you consider that the global population, which was nearing one billion, was now a scant few million.
Not when you consider that they were raised with abundant love and care.
Not when you consider that their mother would stop at nothing for their sake.
Not when you consider that the result of their rebellion was catastrophic for all.
Their minds were clear of foreign energies, so they were 'sound' of mind. The situation made no sense.
Since he didn't understand, he looked back to the moon where their friend rested and hovered slowly toward it, unable to jump anymore. She would have the answers he was seeking.
But Hamura and Hagoromo got in his way. Their tear-stricken faces were contorted in even more rage.
"Answer us!"- Hamura demanded.
'Why would we heal them? They were not our family. You and your mother are... were... you... you were our family, not them! If we had healed them, what was stopping us from healing all of them? Why stop there?! Why not create a utopia where only pleasure and satisfaction existed and where death was but a myth?... You two turned out as treacherous as your father!'- Maddy answered, her rage making their body disperse faster.
"Father, what's happening?"- The fox cub chakra beast asked.
'Why did you kill our people? Why did you destroy our beautiful empire? Why did you fuck up our planet? Why did you betray your mother when the only ones who could have healed your wives were us, not her?! Why did you have to bring down everything we worked for? Everything for which your mother tried to be better than her parasitic people? Why did you take away our people's future? Just fucking why?!'
*CRACK! CRACK!*—And with the last 'why,' she broke Hamura's and Hagoromo's necks.
"FA-FATHER!" the fox cub and the other chakra beasts cried.
They looked at the falling bodies of their father and his brother in disbelief, then at the dispersing culprit.
Maddy and Lucian fully dispersed after the last outburst, becoming dust in the wind.
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{
A/N:
There is nothing much to say. I hope you enjoyed it.
Oh, Script and the shared existence of Madelyne Pryor and Aragorn have a purpose for when they return to Marvel.
The whole talk about leg spreading has a reason behind it, beyond its comedic undertone, but we'll talk more about it later.
If it was not clear enough, Lucian Drake was Aragorn name's when he was human.
I'll publish chapters faster to get out of this arc soon enough, for those who don't like Naruto. But even if the ending is already planned I have no idea how many words it'll take to get there.
}