Child Of God

Her ship was sailing along in the New World, completely unconcerned for the raging waves around it. On the deck of this large vessel stood Hina and the rest of the Marine crew who server her when she played the role of an Admiral of the Navy.

"Lady Merlin's magic is truly awe-inspiring. It's such a privilege to see it in action again." Hina said as she stood with the rest of the crew and watched how the furious waves bounced off the invisible barrier around the ship.

"For the last time, Hina. We are all in the service of the goddesses. If you keep praising their power out loud all the time, you're only going to end up taking away any of the awe-inspiring emotions they bring forth. If you want to revel in Lady Merlin's magic, do it silently inside your head."

"Shut up, Michael. Just because you don't appreciate what we're given here doesn't mean I'm not. If Lady Maleficent asked me to go and fight Kaido, who I can't win against, I would still do it, no doubt. You see, Michael, that's what a loyal servant does." She hissed at him through her teeth as she imagined how it would be to strangle him.

"I feel the same. We all do, so we just ask that you tone it down with the crazy devotion. You're coming off more creepy and unstable than loyal and dependable right now. You don't want them to discard you, right?"

"Of course not, what a stupid question."

"Then tone it down with the crazy. You know Lady Maleficent hates annoying things, and what is the most annoying thing she knows?" He asked with a smirk on his lips.

"Hmph, I get your point. Now, shut up so I can go back to silently worship my goddess." She said semi-serious, semi-sarcastically.

"You do that." He shook his head at her antics. "I am gonna go and inform Lady Maleficent that we are about to arrive at HQ. I believe they are still asleep. Unless you want to do that?"

"Screw you! You know I'm still not allowed to approach their cabin." She started sulking even more, especially since Michael didn't exactly have anything she could constantly tease him about. He was a modest servant, never saying or doing the wrong thing, the complete opposite of her.

"Don't forget I was also given the duty of taking care of the girls." His smirk grew wider.

"You should know when to stop teasing. I still have a very sharp sword, and I'm not afraid to use it."

Michael dismissed the threat and walked away while chuckling. "If you wanna survive long enough to see Diana and Grail grow up, you should get a habit of not annoying Lady Maleficent. Or you might find yourself headless at the bottom of this ocean."

While the crew took care of the ship, Maleficent and Merlin were inside their cabin, behind a locked door snuggling in bed. Whenever Maleficent used this ship, she rarely left her cabin. Especially now that she had Merlin and her two daughters.

The two goddesses were laying in bed spooning, with Maleficent being the big spoon, for obvious reasons.

They were both eyeing Diana and Grail that slept on the Queen-sized bed with them. This was when a knock came from the door and Michael's voice drifted through the crack and woke them up to reality.

"Lady Maleficent, we will be arriving shortly."

Maleficent sighed, knowing that for the next few hours she was gonna have to play the part of the playful and mischievous Marine Admiral.

"Where are you going?" Merlin asked playfully as Maleficent reluctantly rolled her body out of bed. "I'm gonna go tease that boy Sengoku. Getting him riled up always puts me in a better mood." She sat down next to the girls on the bed and stroke their cheek carefully.

"And here I thought you didn't care about our daughters. Look at you, acting the part of the loving mother." Merlin sat up on the bed as the sheet covering her c.h.e.s.t fell down and exposed her big and perky b.r.e.a.s.ts, which Maleficent enjoyed the view off.

She turned her gaze away from Merlin's b.r.e.a.s.ts and looked at the girls. "Nothing like that. I was just thinking that despite their heritage, and them being babies, my skin is still smoother than theirs." She smiled adorably, completely nullifying the ego in the statement.

"Dear lord, I have my work cut out for me, don't I." Merlin stretched and yawned as she got off the bed. "You know, you, me and the girls should go on a vacation sometime. Spend some quality time together so you can see the wonders that are our daughters." She went to open the door to Michael, still in the nude.

She opened the door and met Michael with a smile. "Hi, love. How long until we arrive?"

"Fifteen minutes, Lady Merlin!" He said, completely undisturbed that she stood there fully nude. This was a daily occurrence on this ship. Both Merlin and Maleficent often walked around n.a.k.e.d. They weren't embarrassed about it, and they knew their bodies were about as beautiful as the female form could get.

"Okay, thank you, love. We'll be out in a second." She closed the door in his face after flashing a smile. When the door closed, the sound from outside disappeared thanks to the barrier around the cabin.

"About that vacation, were you serious?" Maleficent wrapped her hands around Merlin from behind and rested her head on her lover's shoulder.

"I was." She gave Maleficent's cheek a kiss. "Do you feel like going away for a while?"

"What if I said I feel like getting away right now, would you follow along?" Maleficent traced her finger over Merlin's b.r.e.a.s.t, getting a slight chuckle from the magician. "Of course. We are two pieces of the same pie. Where you go, I go. I don't feel like I can be away from you for long." Merlin turned around so they were facing each other.

"That's my charm working its magic. I'm just that lovable."

"Then let's go now. We take Diana and Grail and go somewhere. Pick a random place and take a few days away from everything. Just you, me and the girls." Merlin snapped her fingers and materialized clothes on them. Maleficent got a white v-neck that proudly displayed her physics-defying c.h.e.s.t. White jeans and a white overcoat.

"Now why would you do that?" Maleficent chopped Merlin on the head lightly. "I enjoyed the previous view a lot more." Merlin wore a tight turtle neck sweater with even tighter jeans if that was possible. And, of course, she also got that purple overcoat she loved so much. Her shirt and jeans were black.

"I wish we could go right now. I'm feeling up for some adventure."

"I would have to agree. Adventure is always fun." Maleficent snapped her fingers and a portal opened up in the middle of the room.

"Hm, What about Hina or Michael. They would experience a full-on panic attack if you suddenly disappeared."

"Not at all. I've done this many times. They are used to it. Whenever you're ready, we'll go." She walked over to the girls and started stroking their cheeks again.

"I'm learning new exciting things about you every day. I wouldn't have thought you could be this spontaneous." Merlin smirked to herself. "Maybe that's me being naive. You are the goddess of existence, emotions were probably born with you."

"No, they were not. Emotions are a concept dad created. I can recognize and experience the basic ones. Like anger, I know anger well. The love emotion I don't know very well. I don't even know if I love you, I just know I feel this need to be near you. I'm not quite sure what that is all about."

"I am not sure if I should be offended or flattered by the wording of that. But again, I also am not an expert on emotions." Merlin walked towards Maleficent as she swayed her h.i.p.s back and forth in an overly exaggerated manner. "We never addressed our meeting, but don't you at least find it a little strange of how we reacted when we met?" She sat down next to Maleficent.

"Well, yes I do. It felt like instincts almost. My body moved because it was supposed to. I had an idea of why that is, but I can't tell if it's true or not."

"I'll just throw a wild guess out there. Is it because of your lineage or that father of yours?" Merlin chose not to tell Maleficent about how much this bothered her. She had never in her life done anything like this before. She knew herself and suddenly making out with random women for no apparent reason was not her. But, no matter what conclusion she came to, one thing never changed. Her feelings about Maleficent never wavered. Ever since they met, no matter how weird she found her behaviour at the time, she didn't have any ill-will against Maleficent. In actual truth, she couldn't stand not being around her.

" My dad mentioned in passing before that he couldn't wait for the day where I met my destined one." She felt Merlin grasp her hand. "At the time, I had no understanding of such things. I didn't feel emotions the mortal way, so I thought for the longest time that he referred to an enemy I was destined to fight. Maybe he was referring to you, Merlin." Maleficent kissed her boundlessly beautiful lover to reassure her of any doubt. Just like Merlin, she couldn't put a finger on her emotions and what they all represented. But, she knew she would never leave Merlin, and if that was because of destiny or fate, she didn't care.

"Let's say we are together because of shared destiny. Now, say we did not have that when we met. Do you think we would feel for each other as we feel now?" Merlin asked in curiosity. She wasn't angry or disappointed in anything regarding Maleficent. As stated, everything felt right between them, like everything was as it always was planned out to be. And, she had no d.e.s.i.r.e to mettle in that feeling. She couldn't bear losing Maleficent, or her touch as it brought endless joy to her.

"Again, I don't think I am qualified enough to answer that. But, what I do know is this. I would rip the heart out anyone who touched you. And I wouldn't dare imagine anyone touching me as you touch me. That privilege and honour lie only with you."

"That is both the sweetest and most brutal thing I've heard in some time. Maybe that is why we match together so well, for I would skin the man or woman who dared try and lay a hand on your body."

"That's because I am the sweetest and most brutal person you will ever meet." She showed a quick and smug smile. "A nigh perfect combination if I say so myself."

Merlin just smiled and nodded to her. "If you say so then it must be so."

"Have you decided if you want to go yet? I don't really care about being an Admiral at this point, so should we see what fun vacation spots exist out there in the multiverse?"

"I could travel, sure," Merlin said as she stared down at the girls.

"Should we bring the girls then?"

Merlin stared in almost disbelief at Maleficent. "Of course we're bringing our daughters. Did you honestly think I would let your insane fanatics babysit them without one of us around?"

"What's wrong with my toys?" She tilted her head slightly.

"Aside from the reason I just stated. They might kill one of the girls just to prove a point. Because they are as I stated, fanatics without any morals of any kind. Michael is maybe the only good one around." Merlin rarely interacted with anyone other than Michael or Hina, but that doesn't mean she does not observe what the others are doing.

"What about little Hina? She has been with me for some time now."

"She's the worst one, you dimwit. There's a reason I forbade her from babysitting the girls. Do you remember what she did the last time she watched them?" Merlin asked, showing a fiery rage deep inside her eyes. If love and kindness existed within her, then the girls received all of it on a daily basis. She had killed multiple marines on this ship for looking at the girls the wrong way.

"Hm, I don't know. What did she do to them? I must have been out at the time."

"She placed Diana on the railing and forgot about her so she fell into the ocean. If Michael wasn't there, and if Diana was a normal baby, she would have died." Merlin looked doubtful, "How can you not remember. You were the one stopping me from killing Hina."

"I did? That doesn't sound like something I'd do." Maleficent had a good, or bad habit, depending on how you were looking at it. She often erased the memories she didn't like. Seeing a pathetic nibbling fool begging for his life, she would delete the memory of such an event. It had become such a habitual thing that she did it unconsciously even when she didn't mean to, which could sometimes lead to situations like this where important moments were erased from her mind.

"Maybe I erased it. I do admit I have a habit of doing such things occasionally." Only it was all the time. She mostly didn't even realise it herself just how much she did it.

"That thing. We should fix that. Someday you're going to delete an important memory. Like the first time the girls walk or stand on their own."

"Is that something to remember? That doesn't sound impressive at all?" Maleficent looked at the girls. "Killing their first human. Now that's a memory worth saving."

"What shall I do with you?!" Merlin said in slight frustration. "The first time your child walks on its own is a huge deal. So I've heard." Merlin admitted in the end.

"Aha, so you don't think it's important either. Why were you so adamant about me not missing it if you don't care?!" Maleficent smiled triumphantly.

"It's not like that. I wouldn't cry myself to sleep if I missed it, but at the same time. I don't want to miss the first time Diana or Grail walk on their own or run or jump. I feel kind of proud just thinking about it now." Merlin admitted with slightly rose-coloured cheeks.

"Maybe I will understand the significance when I see it with my own eyes. For now, it just seems pointless."

"We will have to wait and see, won't we. For now, though, we should pack a lunch, we have some world travelling to do." Merlin smiled, and Maleficent graciously returned that smile.

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

If it wasn't for Ddraig and Albion standing in the way of the prideful lion raging around outside the castle, most of the island would have been destroyed by now. His axe cleaving every tree and rock in half. Even the occasional pirate accidentally found themselves facing his mighty weapon.

"What is with this guy?! Why is he trying to destroy the island? If Father wakes up, we'll get a beating worse than last time." Albion was panic-stricken as he was in his human form deflecting blow after blow from that axe that oozed danger.

"How the f.u.c.k would I know. The big gorilla just suddenly went crazy!" Ddraig dashed around them, trying to find an opening to attack Escanor. "DISTRACT HIM!!"

"WHAT DO YOU THINK I AM DOING!!? THE GUY IS INSANELY STRONG!" Albion was struggling against Escanor's powerful punches, and his rival was screaming at him without mercy.

Tier appeared some distance away with Seilah in tow. "It's something involving Merlin, I bet." Said the former Arrancar and member of Aizen's army.

"What else could make that man berserk like that? Should we go and find Lady Merlin?"

"You can not." Kurama now stood behind them without the two ladies even noticing that he approached. "She and Lady Maleficent left the world just a few minutes ago. Escanor must have feared the worst had happened when Merlin's magical signature disappeared." He stood with his hands cupped behind his back like a military commander. Over the years his appearance had changed in small subtle ways. His hair was wild and untamed and reached down to his shoulders. He had whiskers on his face just like Minato's son would have had if Maleficent had allowed fate to play its role in his world. But by far the most distinct feature about Kurama was his body. He was four meters tall and just one look at his ship cannon-sized arms told you just how much world-destroying power resided within.

"How do we calm him down then?" Tier asked, unconcerned of the destruction Escanor was doing.

"You let those two handle it. Escanor is more powerful than Ddraig and Albion so this will be good for their progress." Kurama suddenly tilted his body to the side and narrowly avoided a heel from piercing his head.

"AAAH! DO YOU HAVE EYES AT THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD OR SOMETHING?!" Hanc.o.c.k that had failed in yet another sneak attack yelled at her master.

"You breath too loudly. I could hear you from a mile away." He said as he was observing the three-way fight some distance away from them. Albion was starting to lose ground even more now. Escanor's powers grew stronger as noon was quickly approaching. Ddraig had now also been forced to stop dashing around looking for a perfect striking opportunity. Albion couldn't hold off the proud lion on his own so both of them were forced to fight together.

While this was going on, Hanc.o.c.k stared in disbelief up at Kurama. "I wasn't even breathing. I was holding my breath. HOW DID YOU HEAR ME?!"

"And that is your second mistake. holding your breath doesn't erase your presence. When you hold your breath, your heart rate quickens, which I can pick up on, as most of your future enemies might as well. Also, you breathe out all at once just before you attack, and that gives me every piece of information that I need. You don't need to stop breathing, you need to control your breathing. Practice more. No excuses!"

"Ugh, fine! You're heartless, Master."

Seilah sighed out loud as she sympathised with the young woman. "Come Hanc.o.c.k. I shall train you in some great breathing exercises Lord Issac taught me." She helped her up and bowed respectfully to Kurama.

"I don't know if I wanna be taught something that old pervert came up with."

Tier smiled and reassured her. "Issac might be a little twisted, which can be said to all of us. You killed Ddraig's old host in quite the cruel manner if I recall correctly. Don't let his personality get to you. Issac is one of the best, and when he is training someone, that whole perverted facade disappears." Acnologia had told everyone of how Hanc.o.c.k had killed Issei back when she and he travelled together. This had impressed most of them since she and Sabo were thought to be the least cruel among them all, even counting in the Knights.

"Fine, if I am going to beat you someday, I should get stronger anyway." Hanc.o.c.k was staring at Kurama as she said it. She had tried for years to get just one hit in one him, but every attempt she had made ended in failure.

"Good. Go and remove the parasite known as a weakness. The student's performance reflects on the Master. I shall not have my students spreading lies about my strength or authority. Go and make me proud!" His voice boomed out with incredible might, and like a lion with tunnel vision, Escanor assumed latched onto this voice and jumped straight for Kurama.

Ddraig prepared to go after him, but Albion's firm grip held him steady in place. "That idiot might just have killed himself. This is no longer our problem." He was very correct in his assumption as both Tier and Seilah sighed to themselves as they watched the proud and ever-growing man swing his axe against Kurama, hoping to cleave him in two.

Just before the axe could even touch the Nine-tailed Fox, a tentacle rose from the ground, destroying it in the process. It wrapped itself around Escanor's arm and slammed him down on the ground.

Gyuki, aka the Eight-tailed beast. He rose up from the hole in the ground his tentacle made. His brown suit had not a speck of dust on it. He looked at his brother and acknowledged his presence. "I just got back from a little trip outside. Who is this man? I've been longing for a good fight for quite a while."

"Lady Merlin's Knight. How do find this world?"

"Interesting, but I will still return home soon. Worl travel isn't for me." Gyuki felt his danger-sense go through the roof as his tentacle was disintegrated by the miniature sun in Escanor's hand. "Well, that is troublesome." He rushed against Escanor and landed a solid punch on his c.h.e.s.t, sending him crashing through a dozen trees.

"I need to stretch my legs." Gyuki rushes after Escanor, but he had already recovered and Gyuki found himself inches away from the lion's axe. At the last second, he covered his arms in protective magic and faced the attack head-on.

The ground underneath them cracked under the pressure of the clash. And, as they broke the engage, Escanor swung his axe again. Thousands of trades in seconds, trees were obliterated and Gyuki danced around Escanor looking for an opportunity to knock him out.

"My brother is still a little stronger than Escanor, so he should make quick work out of him. That is as long as he doesn't allow noon to come around before defeating that lion. I have an assignment to go on. I am finally allowed to leave this hell." Kurama wore an expression of bliss as he walked back into the castle.

"Are you sure this is alright?" Seilah asked, not concerned for the lives of others, but for waking up the Father of dragons. Acnologia was one of the Primes that required multiple other Primes to take down. Aggravating him just wasn't worth it, no matter what.

"It'll be fine. Stop worrying. You also have a mission, right? You better get to it." Kurama was no longer visible, only his voice was heard in the distance.

"Sure, if I'm not here then I can't be blamed for waking up Acnologia or destroying our base of operations." Seilah showed a smirk as she faded out from reality. This was in fact not magic, just speed. What faded away was her after image.

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End