chapter 315

Chapter 315:

– Layla –

Everything had been wrapped up nicely in the world of Bleach.

[Sure it did...]

Okay, that wasn’t true…

I had basically decided to just run away from all responsibility and deal with it all later.

After defeating Yhwach, I used some power to drastically amplify my voice and declared that all fighting from this point on was over and that the surviving Quincy and Shinigami would get along… or else. Unsurprisingly, the fact that I could summon a gigantic purple angel that one-shot Yhwach pretty much made them all compliant, and the fighting stopped then and there.

Unohana wanted to stay in the Soul Society for a few more weeks to heal everyone after the fighting, but after that, she requested I come back and get her.

…

I stepped out of a portal into Kyoto. The sun was setting, bathing Yasaka’s palace in a warm orange light, and the cicadas were chirping all around. The atmosphere was peaceful.

Yasaka was sitting on her back porch, sipping tea with that serene expression she always wore. Kunou was in the yard, practicing some magic.

Ten-chan’s eyes lit up the moment she spotted Kunou. She bolted across the yard to introduce herself as my daughter and asked if they were sisters now?

Kunou, who looked a couple of years older, immediately puffed out her chest and declared herself the big sister! Ten-chan seemed more than okay with that, and soon the two of them were running around, laughing and playing as if they’d known each other forever.

Yasaka smiled fondly at the sight. “Ara… when did you pop out another one, Layla?” she teased, setting her teacup down.

“It’s a long story,” I replied with a grin as I walked over to her. I took a seat on the porch right next to her, so close that our legs were touching.

“I'm sure it is,” Yasaka said, her voice soft and teasing. She leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on my cheek. The simple contact sent a flush of heat to my face, and I turned my head slightly to face her.

That one kiss seemed to embolden her, and soon, more kisses followed. Yasaka’s arms slid around my back as she pulled me closer, her lips trailing along my jawline until she captured my mouth with her own. My heart raced as I kissed her back, losing myself in the moment. Her soft moans filled the air, sending a shiver down my spine. It was only when her lips parted from mine, leaving us both breathless, that we remembered where we were.

We glanced toward the yard, relieved to see that Ten-chan and Kunou were still engrossed in their attempts to catch beetles and hadn’t noticed our very heated make-out session. Yasaka’s arms remained around me, and she gently tugged me down until my head was resting on her plush thighs.

“I’d very much like to hear all about how you acquired another precious daughter,” Yasaka said as she began stroking my hair with a tenderness that made my chest ache.

I let out a soft, contented hum, the tension in my body melting away under her gentle touch.

“It all started when I noticed that my sword was sick…”

…

I finished my explanation of everything that had happened in the other universe. Yasaka had been listening intently the entire time, her fingers never stopping their rhythmic motions as they combed through my hair. Her touch was soothing, almost hypnotic, and it made recounting the craziness of my latest adventure feel less exhausting.

“That’s quite the tale,” Yasaka said softly, her amber eyes fixed on me.

“It sure was,” I replied with a sigh, though a small smile tugged at my lips. “Some places I go can get pretty crazy.”

“Momma, look at this!” Ten-chan suddenly called out, her voice high with excitement. She came running over, holding a very large rhinoceros beetle in her small hands. She grinned from ear to ear as she showed off her prize.

“Wow, that’s quite the big one you caught there,” Yasaka said with an amused smile. “Are you going to keep it as a pet?”

Ten-chan shook her head quickly. “Nah, I’d probably forget to feed it after a couple days and then it would die.”

Both Yasaka and I sweatdropped at her blunt honesty. Well, at least she knew herself well enough to admit that...

Ten-chan ran back to Kunou, holding up the beetle like a trophy. Kunou pouted as she compared it to the much smaller beetle she’d caught. “Mine isn’t even half as big,” she grumbled.

“They get along very well,” Yasaka remarked.

I would have nodded, but my head was still resting on her lap. “Yeah, that’s why I decided to come here first with her,” I said. “Ten-chan is closer in age to Kunou than her other sisters. Hilga, Sia, and Lia are all only three years old, and while they’re smarter than most kids their age, they probably wouldn’t be very fun for Ten-chan to play with. And then there’s Heather, who’s already eighteen and spends most of her time in college.” I paused for a moment, a small smirk tugging at my lips. “I wonder if she has a boyfriend or girlfriend yet,” I said aloud. “She hasn’t mentioned anything, but I’m probably missing out on some prime teasing material!”

Yasaka chuckled softly. “You’ll find out eventually, I’m sure.”

“Also,” I added, “my newest daughter is technically a Zanpakutō, which kind of makes her Japanese… right? I think?”

Yasaka’s lips curved into an amused smile. “Well, she seems like a lovely little girl, and I’m glad you decided to visit me first out of all the other women in your life after your latest adventure...”

I tilted my head to look up at her, meeting her eyes. “I know we don’t get to spend a lot of time together because we’re both so busy–” I said softly, a small frown tugging at my lips.

Yasaka gently placed a finger on my lips, silencing me. “That’s nobody’s fault but my own,” she said. “I’m the one who tied myself to Japan’s ley lines, after all. Although now that the country has doubled in size again, the ley lines have been completely thrown out of whack.”

“Does that mean you’re not tied to them anymore?” I asked.

She smiled down at me. “That’s correct. Technically, I don’t have to live in Japan anymore if I don’t want to. Although I’m still the queen of the Yokai, so it’s expected that I or one of my descendants will remain here full-time.” She paused, her expression turning thoughtful. “I’ve actually been considering passing that responsibility onto Kunou Alter. She’s more than capable, and it would allow me some freedom to travel.”

I spread out my senses just slightly, searching for Kunou Alter, but I didn’t detect her anywhere in the palace. “Where is Alter?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Yasaka let out a sly, foxy chuckle. “Just like your daughter Heather, it seems she’s developed a bit of an independent streak. She’s moved in with her girlfriend… Isane Hyoudou.”

“Oh, wow…” I muttered, feeling my cheeks heat up slightly. “I didn’t think she’d be into girls... that freaky.”

Yasaka rolled her eyes. “You’re one to talk,” she said with a smirk. “I’m sure Isane has only dreamed about some of the situations I know you’ve gotten up to in the bedroom.”

I giggled, unable to argue that logic. “I suppose I shouldn’t be the one throwing stones.”

…The sun eventually set, marking the end of the day in Japan. We all headed back inside. Yasaka suggested we have dinner together, and I was pleasantly surprised when she decided to personally cook an authentic Japanese meal.

While I wasn’t the biggest fan of any kind of fish, I wasn’t about to say anything. One of my lovers had just gone out of her way to prepare a meal for us, and I wasn’t about to be ungrateful. Besides, Ten-chan seemed to absolutely love it. She devoured everything on her plate with such enthusiasm that it pretty much confirmed my theory that she was at least partially Japanese. Kunou seemed equally delighted, her little tails wagging as she chatted about her favorite dishes with Ten-chan.

After dinner, we spent a couple more hours together, lounging in the cozy warmth of the palace. Kunou insisted on showing Ten-chan her favorite toys, while Yasaka and I sipped tea and quietly enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere. Eventually, it was time for Kunou to head to bed, and that’s when I faced a decision about Ten-chan. The girl was clearly having a lot of fun with her new big sister, and neither of them looked like they wanted to be separated.

Ten-chan was technically my most powerful weapon, but she was also a living, thinking being. I couldn’t just lock her away in my inventory like she was some ordinary object. So, I knelt down and asked her, “Do you want to stay here with Yasaka and Kunou for a while?”

Kunou’s nine tails started wagging furiously as she clasped her hands together. “Please, can she stay, Mommy?” she begged Yasaka.

Ten-chan looked torn while glancing at me. “I do want to meet my other sisters in Asgard,” she admitted, “but I also want to spend more time with Kunou first. We’re already planning a sleepover! And you don't have to worry, you can summon me whenever you want, no matter how far away!”

Yasaka chuckled softly, running a hand through Kunou’s blonde hair. “I’m fine looking after Ten-chan for you,” she said reassuringly to me.

I nodded, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. “Alright, then it’s settled. You can stay here for now, Ten-chan. But before I go…” I trailed off as something occurred to me.

Ten-chan turned to me with a curious look. “What is it, Momma?”

I smiled. “You said I can summon you anytime I want?”

She nodded eagerly. “Uh-huh! I’ll always find you.”

“Really? Let’s test that,” I said, holding out my hand. “Come to me, Tenshi no Sābā.”

Kunou let out a startled gasp as Ten-chan vanished from right next to her. A second later, I felt the familiar grip of my Zanpakutō resting in my hands. I held the blade up, examining it with a mix of awe and relief. This was certainly interesting—and reassuring. It meant that no matter where I went, I wouldn’t ever be truly separated from her. Especially if she could reach me across universes, which I had a strong suspicion she could.

After a moment, I released the blade, letting it transform back into Ten-chan. She reappeared with a bright smile, looking completely unbothered by the quick transition.

“What’s it like being a sword? Does it hurt?” Kunou asked, her voice filled with curiosity.

Ten-chan shook her head. “Nuh-uh! I feel super strong and sharp! None of the bad guys can stand up to me!”

Kunou’s eyes sparkled with admiration. “That’s so cool!"

– Hela –

Hela sat comfortably in her chair near the crackling fireplace next to Hestia and Frigga. Frigga was seated nearby knitting and Hestia was crouched near the hearth, carefully adding another log to keep the fire strong.

Hela's heiress Hilga, and her two sisters, were nearby on the carpet playing with large blocks, giggling as they worked together to build the tallest tower possible.

Layla’s clone knelt beside them. “That’s very good, girls. You should add that block there, and—”

“Dynamic entry!” The shout rang out as a portal tore open behind the clone, startling everyone. Before anyone could react, a familiar figure shot out of the portal and delivered a sharp kick to the back of the clone’s head! Causing it to pop in a puff of smoke!

The kicker was... none other than Layla herself.

“Ow!” Layla groaned as she landed unceremoniously on the carpet, rubbing the back of her head. “When I got the clone’s memories back, I didn’t think I’d remember the pain too!” she whined. Then her expression brightened into a wide smile as she waved at everyone. “I’m back, girls!”

Hilga blinked in confusion, tilting her head as she looked at her mother. “Momma… why did you kick yourself?”

Layla shrugged nonchalantly. “I thought it would be funny,” she admitted with a sheepish grin.

The three young girls exchanged glances before bursting into laughter. Their high-pitched giggles filled the room as they ran toward Layla and tackled her in a group hug, their tiny arms wrapping around her tightly.

“Welcome back, my love,” Hela said as she rose gracefully from her chair. She crossed the room to where Layla knelt, bending down to join the hug and pressing a soft kiss to Layla’s temple. “I take it your journey was successful?”

Layla nodded enthusiastically, her grin widening. “Yep! And we have a new daughter! You'll meet her later.”

Hela raised an eyebrow at that, folding her arms as curiosity flickered across her face. “Oh? I’m sure there’s quite the story there.”

Layla glanced around the room, taking in the cozy scene before her eyes landed on Frigga and Hestia. “Where are Rias and Sona?” she asked.

“They’re outside the city training with Vali Lucifer,” Hela explained. “The young man has been making significant progress here in Asgard. Our healers have done wonders for his damaged mind, and Sona and Rias felt they needed to sharpen their combat skills.”

“That’s good.” Layla tilted her head. “Has anything else been going on here?” she asked.

Hela smirked slightly. “Don’t you get the memories of your shadow clone when they pop?”

“Uh…” Layla’s face scrunched up in thought as she let go of her daughters. “I think… me popping her violently made it so I didn’t get, like, half her memories.” She sighed dramatically. “Once again… I thought that would’ve been way funnier, but hindsight is 20/20.”

Hela chuckled softly and leaned in to kiss Layla on the cheek. “I suppose it is. You haven’t really missed much. The Nine Realms, other than Midgard, have been relatively peaceful. We haven’t even had to deal with any pirates or raiders lately.”

Frigga looked up from her knitting with a soft smile. “Sometimes boring is good,” she said.

Hestia, who had been quietly tending the fire, suddenly spoke up. “What about the you-know-who stealing the you-know-what?” she pointed out.

Layla’s curious gaze snapped back to Hela, who let out a small cough. “Right… there was that..."

Layla curiously tilted her head at Hela, waiting for her to continue. Hela cleared her throat. “I suspected that once you got your Zanpakutō repaired, you’d want to continue your quest to claim all of the Infinity Stones.”

Layla nodded. “That’s exactly what I was planning on doing.”

“The Space Stone was here in Asgard, and your Ancient One has the Time Stone,” Hela said, watching Layla’s reaction. Layla nodded again, confirming her knowledge. “The only one unaccounted for was the Soul Stone, but you already knew where that one was, right?”

“Uh-huh.” Layla nodded.

Hela hesitated, scratching her cheek awkwardly. “Right, well… I had the Space Stone specially set aside for you to absorb when you returned. The only problem is… it got stolen.” She grimaced slightly before continuing. “By Loki.”

Layla blinked, processing the news, then threw her hands up dramatically. “Oh my God!” she exclaimed. “Of course it was Loki! After everything I did for him too… Why am I not surprised? ”

“In hindsight, it’s not,” Hela admitted, giving Layla a sheepish smile. “The good news is we sort of know where he went. The bad news is that it’s Loki, so that might be a fake trail he set up to slip away from us.”

“Are you leaving again already, momma?” the girls asked Layla sadly. They clearly didn't want her to go after she had just gotten back. Hela could admit she didn't want Layla to leave so soon either which was why she was hesitant to tell her in the first place.

Layla shook her head. “It’s a big universe, but not that big. I’m sure Loki won't be getting too far if I give him a couple days head start before I start chasing after him. For now, I just want to spend time with my girls!”

Hela smiled when Layla plopped herself down on the floor and started playing with them.

XXX