"How many times do I have to tell you!? You don't think!! I think, you kill!! It's a simple fucking concept!"

-Odin, God of War Ragnarok. 

"The simplest concepts are the easiest to follow at times, but at a certain point they are also the worst, for they force you to follow a simple path instead of blooming into potential. So my God of Thunder, yes, I do intend for you to be my enforcer. But do not let that role constrict you. If you feel you must advise me, advise me. If you have a disagreement, then disagree aloud for my ears to hear.  You are not my servant, you are my partner. That is what a utopia between those who draw on strength and not politics looks like. So join me Thor, of your own volition, not because I saved your life, not because you owe me, but because you want to."

- Sephirah to Thor 

"My Lord, I take it you are done with your bath. " 

Hanzo looked up from his book as he looked at the screen doors leading to his personal quarters and saw Ushiwakamaru's shadow kneeling behind them. 

He smiled slightly and stepped over to open the door. "Yeah I'm done, is the food almost ready?"

"The chefs have almost finished with preparations." said Ushi as she stepped inside, wearing a nice looking white and blue floral kimono, her hair down now, so that it's full immense length was made known like a shimmering black curtain.

"So is there a reason you're here?" Hanzo asked, raising an eyebrow. 

Ushi leaned and and kissed Hanzo quietly on the lips before leaning back. "Oh, just a whim My Lord.."

"Jeez, ya really know how to get a guy's motor running." said Hanzo, looking away with slight embarrassment. 

Ushi pouted at Hanzo. "Hmph, just hold me for a bit won't you?"

"Fine fine.. c'mere."

Hanzo shut the door behind them as he sat down on a nearby mat and Ushi sat next to him, leaning into his arms and sighing with content. 

"My Lord, there is something on your mind isn't there?" Ushi whispered. 

"You could always tell." Hanzo mumbled. 

"The ghosts of those you killed haunt your dreams every night I know." said Ushi. "However even then I didn't see your emotions so flared up, or your movements filled with so much nervous tension."

"You Tengu students and your damn insight.."

"Nothing to do with that my Lord, we've just been together long enough for me to know." said Ushi. 

"I suppose that's true." said Hanzo. "We can't hide anything from each other anymore I suppose. I guess it's those two kids.."

"The water girl.. and the Benimaru look-a-like?" Ushi said. "If you want my opinion.. they seem rather good natured. And they seem to care about your well being genuinely."

"Exactly. Why do they care?" Hanzo muttered. "I've barely known them for a day. And they are from alternate worlds."

"Maybe this Kevin person that Tennyson-san mentioned truly was a good friend to him." said Ushi.

"It can't be simply that." said Hanzo. "There's something more to it. And to be honest, I can't help but feel a bit of familiarity with em."

Ushi nodded. "I see, in that case I think the solution is obvious my Lord.."

"Eh?" Hanzo grunted.

"Get to know them, spend some time with them." said Ushi. "Till they tell you the truth."

Hanzo raised an eyebrow. "Ya sure?"

"My Lord, you know that I studied under the greatest Omnyoji mage of all time yes?" said Ushi. "So ask me.. if I saw any unusual spells on their persons that intrigued me."

"Uh, well you could just tell-."

"Ask.. Me." 

Hanzo rolled his eyes. "Fine, did you see any weird spells on em?"

Ushi smiled. "Aside from that Gojo-san's weird yokai-like power..  Ben Tennyson's device, the one on his wrist was fitted with a talisman spell.. of what kind I cannot be sure, but I was able to trace the original spell caster."

"Well?" Hanzo grunted. "Don't leave me in suspense. Who casted it?"

"You." said Ushi quietly.

There was a pause.

"Holy shit." Hanzo said.

****************************

"Say Ben, which one do you think I should pick?"

"HAAAAAAHHH!!?" Ben nearly fell over, brick red as Erice peeked into his room, her shoulders bare, her hair wet, holding out two kimonos in one hand. 

"What the heck's up with you?" Erice muttered. 

"You're naked aren't you!?" Ben stammered. 

"Yeah, so, nothing you haven't seen." Erice said. "Plus we're like siblings if you consider our relationship. Big Sisters run around naked into their brothers's rooms all the time in some cultures."

"I mean I won't deny you're like a sister to me, but I mean.. still like.. you shouldn't do it all casual like.. And wait a minute we're the same age!!"

I'm older by a month." Erice said. 

"That's not much of a difference!"

"It's enough of one to me." Erice fully shoved the screen door of their connecting rooms open and leaned against the doorway holding out a kimono in each hand. "So just tell me which one I should pick already."

"Ahhhh!" Ben went redder as he stared at Erice in full nudity. "Y-you're way too shameless about this you know!"

"Blame my damn super powers, I've gotten used to being half naked in public.." Erice grumbled.  "You should've seen me the first time I got my powers. I kept trying to hide in a trench coat every time I transformed, people thought I was a water controlling Matrix character. Anyways, like I said, you're my little bro, so I feel comfy with it, deal with that."

"Okay okay!" Ben said. "Jeez, this is like the third time.. okay so.. uh.. the pink one.."

Erice's face went the same color. "Oh.. uh.. wasn't sure you'd pick the girlier one.."

"I mean I know it's not your norm, but I thought it'd be nice once in a while." said Ben as Erice slipped the kimono on and began wrapping the belt. 

Erice smiled slightly. "Eheheh, I guess.. you're right.  Say, I know dinner is coming in soon ,but.. do you wanna talk about Hanzo?

Ben sighed. He tugged on the sleeve of the kimono that the bath house staff had provided him with and then flopped down on the floor as Erice did the same next to him, her wet strawberry scented hair splayed out slightly over the left side of his face. 

"So.. Sephirah, if you even trust her, says you should look for some ingredient we added during the time I got your memories back." Erice muttered.  "What do you think that is?"

"The power of friendship?" Ben asked. 

"That is both cringey and too obvious." said Erice. 

"I mean does it HAVE to be not obvious?" Ben asked. 

"Fair point, but trust me I wasn't throwing out nakama vibes at you when I was begging you to remember." Erice said.  "Is there anything you can remember about when you began to remember?

"Well I guess.." Ben screwed up his face hard as he tried his best to think back to the moment Erice came to his world. "Well I guess something like a vivid memory came into my head."

"A vivid memory?"

"Yeah, remember when we first met? When Hanzo cut me open on that bridge?" Ben said. 

Erice frowned. "I.. uh.. try not to remember that to be honest. I was such a shithead to you for using you as bait."

"No worries, it was the Radiant War. Anyways.. I remembered this one part, where you were looking down at me and crying, telling me to hold on before I blacked out."

Erice's face went slightly pink then she blinked and sighed. "Y-yeah, that actually did happen as I was trying to heal you."

"Yeah, I remembered that at that moment, I really just wanted to help you out.  I didn't care from what it was, but I wanted to save you." said Ben. "The moment I remembered that part, everything came flooding back. Cause.. when you tugged on my arm that day begging me to wait when I was about to go off with Kevin and Gwen..  that's when that memory just clicked."

Erice raised an eyebrow. "So.. wait.. does that mean we need to make Hanzo feel like he needs to save us?"

Ben raised a finger. "Uh.. I mean.. it can't be that simple can it?"

"I mean when you think about it the spell Hanzo used was pretty simple." said Erice with a shrug."

Ben frowned. "I wouldn't call draining a bunch of my blood simple."

"I mean usually the spell's functionality is simple." said Erice. "I don't know much about magic in this world I'll admit. But from my experience, usually when a magic spell has a simple function with an added feature, the added feature isn't all that complicated either.. it's for convenience.. buuuuut then again."

Erice glared at the ceiling sourly. "If that Dick Wizard is the one who made it.. there's no telling."

"You mean Merlin? Why is he a dick wizard?" Ben asked. 

"You don't wanna know." said Erice.  "Just know that when I say dick I mean it in quite a literal sense."

Ben blinked for a moment. "H.. huh?"

"Yo!" Gojo's voice came from outside the joined rooms. "You two decent?"

"Yep!" Ben called back as Gojo slid the door open and grinned, wearing a dark purple kimono of his own. 

"Well well, I hope you're all hungry, cause it's time to go down and chow a bit." said Gojo. 

Ben had to admit, it was a tempting spread. 

Sushi, croquettes, Tempura, curry.. the table was filled with any asian delicacy you could think of, even obviously non-japanese ones. 

The dishes obscured the low long table that took up much of the dining room, which was the same as the other rooms in it's decorative paper screen doors and walls, and bamboo matt floors, and cushions used for seating around the table. 

Thor, Malenia and Sephirah were already there. 

And while Thor and Malenia seemed to be wearing their normal day clothes, Sephirah was dressed in her own white kimono, seemingly enjoying the place leisurely as she fiddled with her chopsticks in amusement. 

"Ohhh?" Gojo grinned at the group. "Not going to wear some of the fine silks they provided us? Come now, that's no fun at all!"

"Shut it blindfold.." Thor grunted. "I ain't in to wearin' robes."

"My.. condition, prevents me from removing my helmet, forgive me. I would rather there not be stares." said Malenia. 

"Forgive them, I'm still breaking their icy cold shells to an extent." said Sephirah. 

"I take it that Hanzo has decided to grant your requests if you're still here for dinner." said Gojo. 

"It went quite well actually." said Sephirah with a chuckle. "I think you'll find our requests were.. mutually beneficial. You might even thank me later Gojo Satoru."

"Ahhhh.. now that has me curious." said Gojo. 

The door opened and at that moment, Hanzo came in, alongside Ushi, who was also wearing a kimono with her hair down, looking exceptionally beautiful with such long hair.  

"Alright guys, sit down and feel free to dig in." said Hanzo. "This was donated by the village farmers for your contributions to the effort against the shogun, so don't hesitate."

Ben raised an eyebrow at Sephirah. "Contribution?"

"Like I said, mutual benefits." said Sephirah. "Come now, let us enjoy this meal shall we?"

Ben knew Hanzo wasn't an idiot, but at the same time he couldn't help but feel sort of ominous. 

After everyone got seated, it took Ben a few moments to really get comfortable. That was because he found that his assigned seat had him sitting right across from Thor. 

The massive viking man seemed to stare Ben down at he chuckled a bit with amusement. 

"So.. kid." said Thor. 

"My name's Ben." said Ben. "How about I just call you guy?"

Thor nodded. "Fine.. Ben.. hope you're itching for a rematch.. cause we really never finished that dance of ours. What do you say? Got time in your busy schedule?"

"Sorry, got an important mission that takes up the top of my To Do List." said Ben. 

"So where is our fight on that list? Let me guess, the bottom?" Thor asked. 

"More like not even on the list to begin with." said Ben. 

Thor chuckled. "Face it kid, you know you're burnin' to get back to the way you were in Radiant World. Wasn't it thrillin' to massacre all those people before they blew up that nuke in yer face?"

"Hey." Erice glared at Thor. "Lay off him or I'll start laying some on you."

Thor eyed Erice for a moment. "As if ya did a good job at that when we clashed.."

"I'd advise you not to underestimate Erice." said Gojo. "After all, she never had a chance to truly show off. Though I'd be more worried about somebody else."

"Really? Who?" 

Gojo smiled serenely, but Ben could feel an ominous aura sliding out of him like a beast.

"Yours truly, is that alright?"

Thor eyed Gojo for a bit. "Yeh.. you're interestin'.. I'd be game."

"Now now Thor." Sephirah said. "Come now, this is a peaceful dinner, do not be rude to our hosts or his other guests.

"Tsk.." Thor slid his hammer off the table and nabbed a chicken leg with a bare hand, chomping into it like the viking he was. 

Hanzo came and sat at the head of the table as everyone began taking food and chatting amongst each other, seating him precisely next to Ben. 

"So, Tennyson-san." Hanzo said. "There's a little something I wish to discuss with you, uh.. just you and Tsukiyomi if it's alright. In private. Tonight I plan on goin' for a bit of a walk, care to join me?"

"Sure." Said Ben. 

Hanzo raised an eyebrow. "Awfully trusting aren't you? You know we'll be alone right?"

"You wouldn't hurt me, or anybody else unnecessarily." said Ben quietly. "That's not who you are. They might call you a killer, but that's cause you do what's necessary in the end."

Hanzo blinked for a moment and then grinned. "Alright then. Guess I gotta live up to your impression of me if it's so flattering to begin with. haha.. gotcha, after the dinner then."

As Hanzo began digging into his food, Gojo leaned in across Erice to Ben and whispered. "Hmmm.. interesting."

"What do you mean?"

"Well Hanzo found it odd that you trust him enough to meet alone, but I would argue it odder that an intelligent man like him agrees to meet alone with you." said Gojo.

Ben looked at Gojo with wide eyes as Erice did the same. 

"D-do you think-?"

Gojo shrugged and put a hand to his chin thoughtfully. "Hard to say what I think at this point, just that perhaps Hanzo is intelligent enough to suspect something about you too, something that might play to your advantage of bringing him back." 

"Now.." Hanzo spoke up to the entire table, interrupting Gojo's quiet thought.  "I think we should discuss the big issue here. That big box that the Shogun is Transporting. That's our issue of mutual interest isn't it?"

Gojo looked at Sephirah.

"I told you.. mutually beneficial.. part of our agreement was to help secure the Great Old One that you all came here to secure yourselves. I do believe our abilities are helpful, don't you think?" 

"Yeah.." Gojo said, retaining his smile, though Ben now sensed a deep chill coming from him that was a bit frightening. "But how far can we trust you not to betray us is our issue.. surely you think so too yes?"

Gojo gave Sephirah a goofy shrug as the woman smiled back at Gojo and laughed. 

"Oh yes, You needn't worthy about our interests not aligning.. yet.. "

The ominous auras coming from both Gojo and Sephirah were so pronounced, that as they both chuckled and laughed like cheery grade schoolers discussing toys,  everyone present could sense a couple of growling beasts ready to rip their fangs and claws into each other. 

Even Thor nervously eyed and swilled the sake in his cup as Asuka, Ben, Raijin, Erice, and Repo all began to scoot away nervously, and Malenia appeared to start sinking in the floor, as if preparing to hide under the table. 

Hanzo snapped his fingers, sweating slightly. "Oi oi.. back on topic here. I ain't stupid Satoru-san.. I'm keeping a close eye on our other.. 'allies'.. "

Hanzo glared at Sephirah for a moment. 

Whatever she had offered Hanzo, it was apparent to Ben now that Hanzo still didn't fully trust it, which was a relieving confirmation at the least. 

"Okay, so, I'll leave Ushi to brief everyone on the details." said Hanzo. "Ushi if you would."

"Yes My Lord." Ushi bowed as she stood up. "We have received recent reports on the location of the carriage and cargo that contains the supposed 'Great Old One' that those of the Plumbers have warned us of.  It appears that it is making its final move to Onigashima."

"Final move?" Ben said. 

"They've been moving the cargo in between safe houses for the past few weeks, moving it for miles and miles. Oddly enough no matter how strong the individual, even the asuras under the Shogun's command ain't able to move the damn thing on their own, so they're forced to drag it slowly with Imperial Enchanted Clockwork Horses." said Hanzo.

"Yep, the Great Old One probably has a lot of concentrated mass for it's size." said Asuka. "Even when I attempted to drag it away with EVA Omega, I had a tough time... I couldn't lift it off the ground.. I could only pull it along... though, that's where Repo's ability comes in."

"Yeah, me and Satoru have had time to discuss your team member's particular asset of an ability." said Hanzo. "Repo right? Not a bad power, though that's pretty conditional."

Repo sighed. "I'm both a liability and an asset sometimes, but I do my best, eheh."

"OI! Don't be like that" Raijin grinned, clapping Repo on the back. You're one helluva hero, nobody here doubts that!"

"What's Repo's power?" Ben muttered to Gojo.

"Best you wait till you see it for yourself." said Gojo. "It's hard to explain with words alone. A demonstration will be better. Repo is 40 percent of why the Raijin Riders are the 3rd strongest Team in the Academy with some of the highest mission success rates."

"Well when ya put it that way it's flattering." said Repo. "But with how conditional it is, I'd say it's way too situational for it's own good."

Thor chuckled. "Come on.. as if a skinny kid like that could-."

Thor froze. "Where's my-?"

"Looking for this?" 

Repo grinned as he held up Thor's hammer Mjolnir up in one hand. (GOW Thor's hammer doesn't base itself on worthiness). 

Thor blinked and held out a hand, as if willing the hammer to return to him..

The hammer flew out of Repo's hand, but just as Thor was about to close his fingers around the handle, it flew away and back into Repo's hand.

"Psyche." said Repo with a grin as electricity began to crackle around the hammer.

"Hey.." Thor growled. "Wait a sec.. the lightning don't come from the hammer, it comes from me.. How the hell are you-?"

"I could tell ya and explain it all.. but where's the fun in that?" said Repo as he tossed the hammer up and down in his hand. "Calm down Thunderhead, this thing'll be yours again in about 5 minutes, until then.. hmm I'm tempted to try it on a few things.."

"Repo's name isn't his actual one, he doesn't remember what it is." Asuka murmured in undertone to Ben and Erice.  "We call him that cause his power is called... Repossess."

Ben frowned and gingerly fingered the Omnitrix. He could already guess what kind of power it might be from the name and the fact Repo was now using Thor's hammer as if it had picked him as it's new master.

"No worries Ben ma dude, That Omnitrix of yours is immune to my ability.. I couldn't repossess it even if I came up with the most crazy payment system ever." said Repo with a grin. "Azmuth really is a huge genius you know."

Thor scowled deeply and looked at Sephirah, who merely smirked and shrugged in a "I did warn you" sort of way.

The next few moments (And during that time, the Hammer mysteriously appeared next to Thor again as if it had never left) were taken up by strategy planning and setting up an ambush for the cart that was moving the Eldritch Deity the Shogun was dealing in. 

From what Ben could see, all anybody knew about the deity were some key factors. Number one: It was definitely Great Old One class, meaning it was on par with Cthulhu, but not the likes of the Outer Gods like Cthugha.  He wasn't sure how a Great Old one held up on a scale of Way Big to Ultimate Way Big, but after the Diagon the Destroyer incident from before the Radiant War, he wasn't too eager to mess around with it.

Number two:  Nobunaga was coveting the god as a means to circumvent the prophecy of Tomura, even though the one who was supposed to be the subject of the prophecy, his other self, Benimaru, was dead. 

Number Three: There was something else in that box related to the prophecy, but as far as anybody knew.. nobody was sure how it might contribute..

"It's a Dragon's skull.. a genuine skull of a Ryu." said Hanzo.  "Rumor is, the skeleton was mostly destroyed after it arrived in a strange metal vessel a hundred years ago, crashing into Onigashima's outer wall.  Many found it all, cause though it resembled a dragon it looked different..  The Shogun freaked out and took it into her possession, locking it up in the deepest vault she could find." 

"Sounds.. like some sort of alien to be honest." said Ben. "I mean it wouldn't be the first time I found out a dragon was some sort of alien..."

"Oh yeah, you told me about that thing with the Forever Knights, they were keeping a dragon in their castle for a thousand years trying to kill it, but you found out that the dragon was actually just a peaceful alien map maker." said Erice.

Hanzo blinked. "You know, when you consider the concept of space travel.. that makes sense.."

"Ahhh.. so an alien dragon skeleton.." said Gojo. "That's... illuminating.."

Sephirah narrowed her eyes.. and for a moment Ben felt everyone's eyes on him.

"What?" Ben said. "Okay listen, I know what this looks like, but even if I get to scan that alien there's no way I'm a Tomura okay.. I'm a Tomura-look-alike."

"I agree with the kid, he ain't prophecy material.. " Thor grunted. 

"Why are YOU the one who agrees with me?" Ben grumbled.

"Take it or leave it kid, I don' care one way or the other as long as Sephirah gets what she came for." Thor grunted. 

"Scan..?" Hanzo muttered.

"Ben can transform into aliens he's met if he uses his Omnitrix to scan their DNA.. as long as that dragon's organic bone and not just a fossil, it's possible he could-." Erice shrugged. "Well.. I don't know.. turn into an alien dragon."

"Yeah, except one problem with that deduction." said Thor. "That crest in the prophecy, it's that Tomura Leaf right? Ben Tennyson ain't a Tomura, no matter how much he looks like one."

Sephirah smiled at Thor. "Thank you for your input Thor, that is truly a valuable point. We must remain focused on our main prize. The god itself is far more troubling than the prophecy."

Ben blinked as he noticed Thor seemed to get a little flattered, before resuming his grumpy look, but this time with a more forced attitude."

"Huh.." Ben muttered.

"Shut it." Thor grunted.

"I didn't say anything."

"You were thinkin' something and I don't like it." Thor growled.

And so the meeting resumed..

************

After the meeting and food, Ben shuffled out of the room and waited with Erice on a balcony on the side of the castle that sat in the middle of the village. 

The two of them eyed the moon hanging in the sky.. the blizzard seemingly non-existant in this secret valley.

"Oi.."

Ben and Erice turned to see Hanzo stepping over to them. 

"Those fit you well." said Hanzo. "But we're going on a pretty big walk, ya might wanna change to something more comfortable for moving around outside.."

"Sure." said Ben.

It took a moment to get changed, but after about 20 minutes, Ben was wearing a green winter jacket, black t-shirt, white and green scarf,  and jeans, Erice wearing her short hemmed Motorcycle jacket, cutoff midriff shirt and Skinny jeans. 

"Doesn't that get cold?" Ben asked, looking at Erice's toned stomach. 

"Nah.. Water Fairy Blessing." said Erice. "I can get too hot, but cold is something I'm actually resistant to."

"Yeah when we trained back in Radiant World you always seemed to take on Big Chill pretty well." said Ben. 

"Alright everyone." Hanzo stepped onto the frozen path ahead of the other two, two sheathed swords leaning on his shoulder. "Guess those are the clothes ya wear in your world. Weird lookin'."

Erice smiled and shrugged. "I guess it might be. Feeling some culture shock?"

"Nah.. seems weirdly normal to be honest." said Hanzo.  "Come on.. we're taking the fun way."

"Fun way?" Ben asked. 

Hanzo chuckled and pointed at the path ahead which was leading away from the village and up incredibly steep sheer cliffs. 

Erice whistled. "Maybe I should've worn my jogging gear."

"W-whaaaa?" Ben stammered, his jaw dropping. "Yo-you're kidding."

"No using aliens! Gotta hike like the rest of us!" Erice winked. 

"AWW COME ON!"

Hanzo snorted.

"What?" Erice said. "Something funny?"

"Nah.. just you two get along well." said Hanzo. "Huh.. come on, let's go."

And so the trio began the steep hike. The trail almost turned vertical at times, with Erice and Hanzo, being far more athletic individuals, sometimes having to help pull Ben up some areas. 

However, while Hanzo continued not to break a sweat, even Erice started to look ragged as they continued closer to the top of the sheer cliffs along their tricky twisting path that seemed to backtrack at times.

When they finally reached the peak of the cliffs, the sun was starting to peek over the valley, the light hitting their faces as they looked over the tiny houses and japanese castle in the distance down on the ground.  

Erice's sweat was frozen to her face, but of course, she was ice resistant.. Her hand was on Ben's shoulder, evaporating Ben's sweat into vapor constantly to keep him from having his sweat freeze to him in the same way. 

Hanzo however, stood ahead of them, smiling, breathing in sharply, fists on his hips as he greeted the morning. "Oh that's good!"

"Goddamnit Hanzo.. if you were always this athletic why didn't you ever join me and Erice jogging!?" Ben stammered. 

"Probably was afraid we couldn't keep pace with him.." Erice muttered, wheezing. "I'm fit but this is just sheer super human.."

"Go with you.. jogging?" Hanzo muttered, looking back at the duo.

Erice and Ben both blinked before taking depressed expressions

Right, of course, for a moment they had forgotten that Hanzo didn't know them right now. 

Hanzo's expression went from confusion to a small unreadable smile. "Hmph.. nevermind that now. Didn't mean to put a damper on this walk for you two. Come on, there's a place I want to show-."

"AHAHAHAHAHAHA!! Well well, if it ain't the damn sword human Hanzo.. and what's this!? The two scary people as well!?"

Hanzo froze in place and then his face took a bloodthirsty glare. "I know that voice. Oi.. Ibaraki, ya know yer big brother's just allied with us right?"

"BOOOFF!!" A shape slammed down into the mountain peak from out of a nearby tree, throwing up clouds of frozen snow..

When the snow cleared however, the figure was nowhere to be seen, as instead an oni-girl shaped hole was on the surface of the huge white out, with a voice yelling out.

"GODDAMN SNOW RUINING MY ENTRANCE!!"

Ibaraki's hands emerged from the hole as she struggled to pull herself straight out, a few tears in her eyes, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. 

"GRRRR!" Ibaraki dusted herself off and then pointed at Hanzo. "You think your dumb ninjas could hold me!? FORGET ABOUT IT!!! I escaped right aw-."

"Didn't Raijin ask Ushi to agree to let Ibaraki go on the condition she didn't blab about the location of this place?" Ben said. 

"Yeah.. Ushi went right ahead and untied her, then gave her a hot meal." said Hanzo. "I guess she just walked right out the front door."

Ibaraki's face went even redder as her fanged jaws dropped open. "Ah... ahhhh... ah.."

"Anyways, I figured if she tried to run for it, she'd eventually end up on this mountain. It's the best way to avoid the blizzard after all." said Hanzo with a shrug. "Oi.. Oni, ya know that the gate near this place is actually heavily guarded right?"

"EEEEH!?" Ibaraki exclaimed, her eyes wide. "Y-you're kidding me!! FINE THEN I'LL FIGHT MY WAY OU-."

Ben stepped forward, as did Erice, and Ibaraki froze and staggered back. "W-W-WAIT!! Hold on!!"

Ibaraki gritted her fangs. "Damnit, I could probably take on one of you.. but both of you at once after you easily took on some of Shuten-senpai's big commanders.. And it was apparent you were holding back."

"Don't underestimate her." said Hanzo. "Like Raijin, Ibaraki's one of the strongest yokai you'll probably ever meet in this province, unlike her older brother she's also a Servant.  Granted she's still young, but she got tutelage from both the strongest Oni in the world and her adopted mother  Minamoto No Raikou of the Genji Generals." 

"Tsk! More like Mom whipped me into shape so hard I wanted to cry.." grunted Ibaraki. "But before I was reborn as a servant, Mom literally cut down us onis like we were just grass to be pruned.. As if she could continue to care for someone like me!! IM GETTING OUT OF HERE AND FINDING MY WAY BACK TO SHUTEN SENPAI EVEN IF IT KILLS ME!!"

"Uhh.. would prefer it not come to that." said Ben, waving up both hands. "Look, Ibaraki right? Can't we just sit down and tal-."

Before Ben could finish trying to negotiate, a sound cut through the air. And it was a sound unlike anything he had ever heard.

"Ufufufufufufu.." A soft sensual laugh rode the wind, and despite how soft and soothing a sound it was, it was heard by all present, as if the source of the laugh was putting her lips right to everyone's ears. 

"Now now.. I come to rescue little Ibaraki-chan, and what do I find..? Miyamoto Hanzo and two unfamiliar faces, how sweet, it's a little party waiting just for me... oh.. ? Wait, only one of those faces is unfamiliar. That face. My my, isn't THAT a surprise?"

Hanzo's eyes went wide. "You.. Tennyson! Tsukiyomi! Get out of here! Tell Ushi that-.."

"Fwump.."

Ben whirled around to see that Hanzo had fallen into the snow, unconscious mid sentence. "HANZO!? Hey!!"

Ben made to run to Hanzo, but before he could, there was another sound of somebody flopping down into the snow, and Ben saw Erice splayed out in the deep snow.

"Heheheheheheheh." Ibaraki grinned. "Yer in for it now ya idiots! Senpai's gonna run ya through the ground for kidnapping me!!"

Ben stepped back and in a flash of green light, Wildmutt was standing in the snow, growling.

The giant orange alien canine carefully turned his head back and forth, letting his 360 degree senses envelop the area..

There was somebody shifting through the snow.. moving with immense agility and strength, somehow managing to conceal her presence to such a degree that Wildmutt's own senses could barely catch glimpses

"Now now, you're a shape shifter aren't you..?"

The scent of alcohol permeated Wildmutt's powerful senses as the voice continued to speak close by. Soft, alluring, like an ASMR expert on overload. 

"But why stay in that form? I liked your handsome human form better. Don't you think? Don't you think that's best?"

Wildmutt let out a low growl. "Rrr.. Rrrraaaaoooowwwll.."  The scent was overwhelming, it was as if he was becoming drunk on it by the fumes alone. 

Slowly, in that lul, the alien stepped back before a large green light erupted around him, and Ben found himself awkwardly stepping back, his head dizzy.

A soft, feminine hand slid onto Ben's cheek, and began brushing his hair.. 

And a beautiful girl's face met Ben's eyes.  Black hair  cut medium length with straight edges.. golden jewels adorning her bangs which split like a shimmering curtain around her pointed oni horns, which gradually faded from flesh colored to red, though the rest were covered by what appeared to be a black horn coverings.  

Her eyes were bordered with red markings on the edges, much like Raijin's eyes.. and her eyelashes were long and beautiful, Her face smooth, delicate, serene, seductive, her smile alluring in spite of the fangs.. she reminded Ben of Ophelia in plenty of respects.

But unlike Ophelia, there was a wildness there, a thirst that Ophelia never possessed.. 

As Ben looked in the Oni's eyes, her voice seemed to wash straight into his mind.. over his own brain.  "Yesssss.. close your eyes.. just fall straight into my arms.. m'kay?"

Ben gritted his teeth, willing himself to resist. 

'When resisting control by a vampire, it all comes down to the awareness of the fact you are being controlled. If you're aware of it and tell yourself you don't want it, resistance becomes easier, and that can be said for any sort of hypnotic mind control."

Ophelia's voice from back during the Radiant War echoed in Ben's head.

Immediately Ben focused, starting to wrench himself from the mud that was sticking to the inside of his brain thanks to the strange alcohol fumes. 

"I.. won't!!" Ben growled

The oni's eyes widened slightly, and her smile widened a bit as she opened her mouth and chuckled. "Ufufufufufu. Oh my oh my oh myyyy. You definitely aren't boring are you?"

Before Ben could say anymore the woman's slender delicate arms wrapped around his neck like a hug, and then began to squeeze, choking off his air. 

"A.. Aggghh..  ackk.."

The girl pressed her cheek against Ben's own, whispering into Ben's ear as he gradually began to lose consciousness.

"Allow me... to introduce myself.. ahhh.." the girl whispered in her breathy seductive voice. "I am Shuten Douji.. a pleasure to meet your acquaintance.."

Ben's eyes rolled into the back of his head as his vision went black, and his body went limp in Shuten Douji's arms. 

The oni smirked as she cradled Ben's unconscious form in her bare smooth skinned arms, "Now, I have just GOT to see what you're capable of.. hmmmm..?"