hollow with a heart (re-write)

part 22: new home and rivalry.

Issei was enjoying his vacation, Rias and the others were back home, Sirzechs and Grayfia went back to the underworld to create the unique mountains, Azazel was eventually let go and he rushed back to the Grigori, he started working on tech for the new sport. Ahri was left in Yasaka's care. She had seen Issei's video and was in awe, she saw his creative side, the amazing view, the snowboarding etc.

Ahri: *sigh*...I wish I could be there. I miss him.

Yasaka appears from behind.

Yasaka: worry not my dear, he'll be back. He's only going on vacation.

Ahri: I know.....but the bond is so strong that I can't help it. He's my soulmate...

She played with her tails so distract herself from the thoughts.

Yasaka: be patient Ahri, you'll have your chance. The bond is real and there's an undisputable fact.

Ahri: which is?

Yasaka: once the bond is made, one can only resist the other for so long until they give in... however....

Ahri didn't want to hear anything to contradict that but she let her finish.

Yasaka: Issei may take longer than one can expect due to his broken heart.....

Ahri: and he only has 8 years left because of me..... We're both bound to each other and the first thing I did was basically kill him..... First it was Raynare, then Rias Gremory and now I hurt him too.

Yasaka: Ahri....did you mean to do that?

Ahri: of course not! How could I hurt someone who is my soulmate? Who is hurt too much already......

Yasaka: then don't blame yourself, you weren't in control at the time...

Ahri: but it was my fault, I lost control and turned him into a hollow.....when I turned into one....it was nothing but pain, sorrow, malicious intent and death. In my hollow state.... I end up consuming the life force of powerful brings and among so many powerful people that could stop me.....why did it have to be him? If only we bonded before the fight....

Yasaka: if it was someone else then you would have been dead and Issei would have never met you. Once he accepts the bond, what little time you two would have will be a long period of happiness and bliss.

Ahri: I've lived a long life lady Yasaka, after a while I'll notice that my time with him is about to run out. I did lose those close to me. It won't end well and yet....I still want to be with him...

Yasaka: I have an idea about that, sage magic didn't recover his life force only because the sage user is inexperienced but the hollow consumed it. Perhaps he can master that power and once be does, our experienced sage users may help him recover.

Ahri: is that possible?

Yasaka: we don't know till be try.

Ahri: can I learn sage magic?

Yasaka: let's practice. Maybe you can use the special arts.

Ahri: special arts?

Yasaka turned red and whispered it into Ahri's ear. Her tails curled up and her face went beet red.

Ahri: I.. would have done that either way to be honest..

They laughed a little.

Yasaka: let's get started.

She started to teach Ahri about sage/nature energy, Ahri is a quick learner and picked up the magic in record time. She felt a connection to the energy that Yasaka maintains under Kyoto.