[AN: Welcome to the first official chapter of season 3. Before we get started here's some announcements. The title will probably change, since the focus is no longer demons, this story will need a more universal title, vote and leave suggestions at the end of the chapter. Also, here's a few pictures of Satoru's Zanpakuto spirit.]
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The barrier rippled around me as I stepped into it. Not through it, no. I stepped in the barrier itself and the whole thing shimmered around me like a translucent blanket.
Then I heard it, hoofbeats and shouting, growing closer. I smiled when I saw a centaur emerge with a small contingency of campers. Chiron had a bow with an arrow already ready. The campers had an assortment of weapons from swords, spears, and bows. They had bronze armour and shields.
Chiron stopped and visibly relaxed a little when he saw that it wasn't a monster.
I waved casually, "Yo…"
"Who are you?" He asked warily.
I hummed, "Just a visitor. You can call me Satoru."
English felt weird, I realised that I haven't spoken the language in nearly twenty years. I was mildly relieved that I still remembered how to speak it.
The legendary hero trainer glanced at me, then the barrier that was shimmering around me, then to my family behind me standing not too far from the barrier.
"That shouldn't be possible…" He muttered.
"Hmm? The barrier? I don't know… is it supposed to keep me out?" I stepped forward, finally crossing the threshold.
Faint gasps came from the campers who raised their weapons as if I was going to attack them. Chiron clopped forward.
"You feel like a demigod, yet… not."
"I don't think I'm a demigod, it never came up."
Just then my blade vibrated and a red glow flashed around me. There were more gasps from the campers and Chiron faltered.
I looked up, above my head hovered a holographic image of a Japanese styled spear that was on fire.
"Huh, will you look at that..."
"A visitor from another pantheon…" Chiron spoke softly, "welcome, Satoru, son of The Mother."
The centaur's expression shifted first to shock, then to reverence. I paused for a moment thinking about what he just said. His tail flicked nervously as he waited for my response.
There were many Shinto gods and now, apparently one of them was my mother, or I guess 'The Mother' was my mother… whoever that was.
"What?!" Several shouts of surprise came from my kids.
Mitsuri just giggled, "Of course you'd be the son of a goddess Darling."
"I swear I didn't know." I laughed sheepishly.
'Sure Mitsuri and I got blessed… but I never confirmed that it was actually the Kami that did it… it could have been ROB for all I knew… wait, he never did say anything about the immortality blessing.'
Chiron nodded his head, "Many of the gods don't claim their children, we have many demigods in this camp that haven't received their divine parents acknowledgement in this camp."
I frowned, I always hated the fact that a majority of the demigods in the world died before they even found out which deity birthed them.
"Right then… can we talk elsewhere? My family and I had a long journey and I only came to check this place out."
Chiron nodded, "Very well, I'll take you to meet our director, Mr. D… and we can discuss some temporary lodging for your visit."
The sky rumbled over us and I smirked. Turning to Mitsuri and the kids I waved them forward. Ai dashed forward first, followed by Akira and the twins. Mitsuri calmly stepped through the barrier too and took my hand.
Chiron dismissed the campers with a few choice words, keeping my new status and identity secret. Some of them glanced my way, still wary but not as on edge as before. I heard a few of them whispering to each other, asking if 'Ares changed his godly symbol'.
I turned to Chiron, "Well then, shall we?"
[Scene Break]
Chiron led the way to the Big House, the largest building next to Zeus' cabin in the camp. There sitting on the porch was a fat surfer looking man in a Hawaiian shirt sipping a can of Diet Coke.
Along the way, the camp 'councillors' had taken Mitsuri and the kids for a tour around the camp. I could hear Ai charming the Aphrodite kids while Himari had somehow impressed the Ares kids. Hikari was silently watching everything and Akira was talking to the Hermes kids.
"Your family, they seem… rather unique." Chiron said tactfully, as if afraid to annoy me.
To be fair, if I found out that a random visitor was actually the son of a primordial goddess, I would have been pretty wary too.
I was still trying to wrap my head around that.
'The son of a random Japanese goddess, but how? I'm sure I came from… wait, my name, why can't I remember my name from before all of this started.'
Despite my internal panic at suddenly drawing a blank on my old name I kept a calm demeanour. I smiled at Chiron's statement about my wife and kids.
"That's one way to put it. They're good kids though… when they're not ripping holes in the fabric of reality."
He gave me a side eye, clearly still trying to figure out what I was. Something I myself was now trying to figure out.
When all of this started I felt like I could remember my name. Though now that I think about it, I had never actually thought or said it out loud before I introduced myself as 'Satoru' to Shinobu all those years ago.
I needed answers, though I had a feeling that it would just leave me with more questions. Getting those answers was a whole different matter altogether.
'How would one even go about getting answers from a goddess of the Shinto pantheon?'
When we reached the Big House, the smell finally hit me. Grapes and a woody scent that could only belong to the Greek god posing as a typical camp director.
Dionysus.
His half lidded eyes snapped open when he saw me. His tone was disinterested, he addressed Chiron. "Chiron," he took a sip from his can of coke, "why does it feel like someone dragged a nuke into my camp?"
Chiron bowed slightly, "Lord Dionysus, this is the son of a foreign goddess, he's visiting."
The gods' eyes flicked over to me lazily, taking in the white hair and the way I was dressed. "Visitors," he scoffed, "you let some foreign godspawn waltz through my barrier? What part of 'keep the camp safe' was unclear my dear centaur?"
I gave him a raised eyebrow. I just met him and I already hated him for some reason. My finger twitched, itching to unleash my Domain and shred the fat god into ribbons.
"What are you looking at boy? Bow… you're standing before a god. What? Did the backwater hole you crawled out of not teach respect?" Dionysus drawled.
"Where I'm from…" an evil grin formed on my face, "respect isn't a title, it's something you earn."
Chiron seemingly sensing my rising anger tried to placate, "Lord Dionysus, please… he means no disrespect."
"Oh, I think he means exactly that." The Wine god cut in. He rose slowly, the air rippling with divine power. "Tell me visitor, do you know who you're talking to?"
I picked my ear and flicked it towards him with a bored expression. "Sure… a minor wine god with daddy issues that only got his seat at the table because his older sister gave her seat to him."
The porch went very quiet. Even the sound of birds and insects seemed to die down.
Chiron's expression went rigid, "Satoru…" he used my name for the first time since meeting me.
"What?" I tilted my head, "am I wrong?" I said, feigning innocence.
Dionysus' can of coke crumpled in his hand with a hiss. The air filled with the scent of grapes and as purple mist swirled around him.
He took a step forward, eyes glowing with rage. "You dare mock me in my own domain?"
"Mock? No no, I'm being honest… you should try it sometime, goodness knows you Greeks could use it. It'll be a refreshing change." I scoffed, not even remotely worried at his 'display of power'.
The mist thickened and vines started to emerge from beneath the floor boards. "You're overestimate yourself mortal, how about I rip your wife and kids away from you, it's been a while since I gifted a fresh mortal woman to my father, he'll show her some Greek hospitalit
Chiron stepped in between us, I raised a hand. The calm I felt slowly dropping, a savage grin forming on my face.
"Don't… let him continue, clearly he wants to test me." I said.
Dionysus' power washed over the camp. I remained wholly unaffected. Tattoos swirled to life on my face and arms. My nails sharpened to claws as I tucked my hands into my pockets. All four of my eyes stared unimpressed at Dionysus.
"Cute… your power is pretty nice, great for scaring kids and canon fodder monsters. Here, let me show you a proper show of power."
I unleashed my energy that I had been keeping restrained for years now. It's been a while since I've tapped into my inner King of Curses.
The world buckled. The sky darkened as the very air grew heavy. Shadows twisted beneath my feet, reflecting a field of bones and a ruined shrine. The smell of grapes was overpowered by the metallic scent of blood and death.
The gods mist recoiled as if burned by the aura of sheer malice I released. My energy warped reality around me, campers began screaming in fear. I heard Mitsuri calling my name.
Chiron stumbled backwards, his human half gleamed with sweat as I pushed more of my power outwards until the wood of the porch began to crack. For a moment all that existed for the world around me was pressure, the weight of my energy put through the filter of Sukuna's pure evil.
"I don't care who you are," I didn't need to raise my voice, I could see Dionysus shaking in fear, "threaten me all you want I don't mind… but if you and yours ever think about touching a hair on my family's heads. No god will be spared, be they minor or major. I will bathe myself in ichor and wash away my rage with your divine blood."
Dionysus swallowed hard, "You—
"I don't do warnings twice, go and tell your father with the rest of your little family. You want my respect? Earn it… your shiny seats won't buy mine."
Then just like that, my oppressive aura vanished as if it hadn't just been splitting the wooden boards beneath my feet. I gave Dionysus a cheerful smile.
"So yeah, my name is Satoru, I'll be in your care." I gave him a mocking bow.
The air was tense for a moment. Dionysus quickly glanced at Chiron. "Well," his voice was hoarse, "a lovely guest then… Chiron my good centaur, see to Lord Satoru's every need. Make sure he gets whatever he wants… I expect the camp to be intact when I return."
In a flash of purple light he was gone. I turned to Chiron, my smile widening. Chiron looked at me for a moment before releasing a deep wary sigh. "You're playing a dangerous game Lord Satoru…"
"Please, just Satoru… and I live for this shit Chi-tan." I smirked.
"Then please, just call me Chiron." The ancient centaur sighed.
"Right then, Chi-tan, let's go find my wife and kids. No doubt they felt papa get a little rough with the resident god."
"A little rough?" Chiron muttered, "right this way then, I'll take you to your family then I need to get the campers ready for dinner."
"Fantastic, it's been a while since I've had western food. Say, think Dionysus will be joining us for dinner?" I grinned.
He gave me a look that was equal parts exasperation and reluctant admiration. "No, I don't think he will… though I doubt you mind much."
"Nah, his wine is probably overrated. Let's get going Chi-tan." I waved dismissively.
Chiron snorted despite himself and led the way to the open air dining hall. The tension bled away from the air, the sound of nature returned followed by the idle chatter of campers.
'10/10 for recovery… these kids are adaptable as hell, which says a lot about their upbringings.'
We had hardly taken a few steps away from the big house when reality split behind us.
Chiron stopped dead. I turned.
A woman had appeared. A portal shimmering behind her closed slowly as her gaze drifted over to me. Her long black hair was tied in an intricate knot, her eyes were a bottomless crimson that seemed to hold both life and death in balance.
She wore layered robes of white and deep scarlet embroidered with golden patterns that danced in the light.
Every divine being had a presence, that much I was sure of. Hers was absolute stillness. It wasn't suffocating or oppressive like mine. It was like the quiet between heartbeats, the whisper of a last breath.
Chiron immediately bent as low as his centaur body would let him. "Lady Izanami…" he whispered, awe and fear mingling in his tone.
I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "Figures…"
Her gaze softened, "You've certainly grown… my son. Where are my lovely grandchildren?"
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[AN: Hey Lads, the title to this story no longer fits as demons aren't the main focus anymore. Here's a few names I came up with, vote for your favourite(s) and or suggest some of your own.]
'Nah, I'm Built Different'
'Nah, I'm Just Him'
'Nah, I'd Derail Canon'
[Suggestions Here]