Chapter 16

Returning home, Ace, Kurumi and Yuki gave a wide birthe to Mio. The girl was still processing the talk with her parents. And the fact they wouldn't be going back with her.

It was a heavy blow for the girl. A true sign that her old life was over now.

But, she didn't regret it. At least her parents were alive now, she wasn't alone. Mio's parents would stay with Urahara for a while to make sure their spirits and bodies were synchronized perfectly, to make sure they wouldn't be turning into hollows.

Deciding to break the mood Ace spoke up.

"So, are you guys ready to make the contract?"

"Humph, isn't it obvious. Doing this contract would help in protecting Mio so it's our obligation." Kurumi said in all seriousness. Ace, wanting to make her relax a bit, poked at her cheek.

"And there you go again, being all serious. Relax a bit, if you are so tense all the time you will get wrinkles by the time you are thirty, which would be a waste of a pretty face."

She glared at Ace for this comment.

"You don't have to worry about my face or anything of the sort. I was sent here for my very first mission and I won't have my first step be ruined because I was being lax."

"Sheesh, you are too serious. Be careful or you might just end up like a certain valkyrie I know. She is in her early twenties and hasn't even held hands with a man yet." Ace said and the girl flushed hearing his words.

Mio, in the back, heard the discussion that proceeded and gave a chuckle. It was like she was seeing a married couple having a fight right in front of her mixed with two kids throwing insults at each other. Seeing this the red haired girl finally relax and smile, lightened the mood.

As for Yuki, she looked at what was happening between Ace and Kurumi with dead cold eyes. Though her expression did look conflicted for a moment or two. However her expression quickly returned to being indifferent.

Suddenly Ace could sense a shift in the air. With his Soul Soul fruit still active he was extremely sensitive to souls and spiritual energy. Thanks to that he could sense the spike of hollow related energy a distance away. He would normally ignore it, after all he had other things that must be taken care of, but the problem was that he knew the direction it was coming from and he didn't not risk it.

"Hey, I gotta go check on something. I will meet you back at the house soon. So you guys can go on ahead without me." Ace said.

"Can we go toget-"

"No." Ace cut Mio off. "I am not sure you are capable of handling it as you are now. Considering you only started to learn how to use your powers, you are to go straight home. Yuki and Kurumi can make sure you are safe until then. Also, these guys will be with you." Ace said as he let Nehan and Hakai jump towards Mio, staying around her in a protective fashion.

Mio nodded her head as Ace left them. Moving quickly towards the place emanating Hollow energy. He jumped to a roof and used Soru to move as fast as possible. Hoping nothing bad would happen.

"What are you doing? Stop it. STOP IT!"

In the distance Ace could see the soul. Two hollows were looking at it as they launched tentacles, capturing said soul.

"Shit." Ace said, quickly changing his Zoan fruit to one more focused on speed and then activating it.

Tori Tori no Mi, Model: Phoenix - Mushi Mushi no Mi, model: Desert Locust

With this new fruit activated, as armor covered the exterior of his body. Ace looked almost like someone cosplaying as a character from the show Tokusatsu. Not that Ace cared about such things, the important thing was the increase of pure leg strength that this form presented.

The power was related to an insect with incredibly developed hind legs. Which, if brought up to human scale, could easily jump over a nine-story building. And that was without considering Ace's own elevated Muscle Density. With it Ace moved so fast that before the hollows could drag that soul away Ace was upon them.

"Parage Shot!" Ace uttered, proceeding to release multiple kicks at the hollows, making them release the soul and ending up cracking their masks, finishing them off.

Seeing his work done Ace was about to turn to the soul when someone shouted.

"Oh my god! There is a mighty ranger on the roof next door. Where is the camera, I need to film it to show to Tatsuki tomorrow!" Came the excited voice of a girl that Ace knew all too well. Wincing, he turned to the soul that was almost dragged to Hueco Mundo just now.

"Sora-san, your sister really is quite a spirited one, huh." Ace said but Sora was too nervous and agitated to be able to talk.

Seeing this Ace was about to say that he should accept being taken to Soul Society already, But he remembered something, he had asked for something from Kisuke in case his experiment failed, but as it succeeded Ace had no use for the item anymore. But, Sora and his sister could really use it right about now.

"Sora-san, look at me." Ace said while making Sora look at him. His eyes were still swimming every which way, so Ace gave him a few light slaps to make him focus. When Sora focused, Ace spoke. "What happened to you just now, it will keep happening and with greater and greater frequency. It's not safe for you to stay on earth anymore, you must let go and go to Soul Society."

"But if I go, who will take care of my sister? She is all alone, I can't leave her. She will feel lonely." Sora said.

"First, I know for a fact that she will be fine. And second, if you stay here for any longer, it is possible that you would turn into one of those creatures and attack her. You must let go." Ace said, but Sora still looks reluctant. "Tell you what, if you accept to move on, I can let you talk with your sister one last time. Truly talk, not this creepy ass stalker-thing you got going on here."

Hearing that Sora looks conflicted for a moment before nodding resolutely.

So Ace jumped to the said sister's window, with Sora tight behind him.

"Yoh, how you hanging Orihime-chan?" Ace said and Orihime froze.

Up close Ace had to admit, Orihime was something else.

With her waist length burnt orange hair, that looked like the color of sunshine at sunrise. Clear and expressive brown eyes that almost shined with pure innocence and care. A gentle face that could disarm even the most hardened of souls. She also had a thin waist, wide hips, and breasts that were easily E cups. It was no surprise so many boys lusted after her in school.

When Orihime heard the voice she got shocked and spoke.

"Wow, I didn't know you were a superhero, Ace-kun." She said and Ace chuckled as he deactivated his Zoan transformation, returning to normal.

"Nah, don't worry about it. It is not what you are thinking, but we can talk about that later. Anyway, how are you? Did you get in any more strange accidents or anything?"

"Nope, my luck has been getting better. I was only almost hit by a truck-kun 2 times this week." She said cheerfully and Ace sweat dropped hearing her words. She truly has shitty luck.

"Well, I would love to talk with you properly, but I really don't have the time today. But, tell you what. Call me tomorrow or sometime soon, I would love to have a chance to properly talk with you." Ace said.

"That sounds great. Then you can tell me all about your other super hero friends and how you fuse in a giant robot to fight giant alien monsters made out of cotton candy and how you defeat them with the power of love and-"

"Inoue." Ace spoke, stooping her. She looked sheepish as Ace continued. "You really have quite the imagination. Anyway, I am going to give you a gift. I know how much you have gone through since your brother's passing and how you never got over it."

"Don't worry, I am completely fin-"

Before she could finish Ace put a hand on her head and patted her. She froze when she felt his fand and lowered her head letting her hair cover her face so she could hide her expression from him. Of all the boys she knows only he and Ichigo were ever there for her when she needed them, the two helped her whenever she needed and she didn't want to further burden them in any way.

"Hime," Ace said softly while using the nickname he gave to Orihime a long time ago. "you don't need to restrain yourself. Compared to trying to teach you how to cook anything harder than instant food, anything else is easy."

"Mou, you just like to tease me." She said with a pout, showing her face again.

"Yep, I never denied it." Ace said and Orihime giggled. "Anyway, I have to get going, after I leave you just need to put on these glasses. Just remember, this is just so you can have some closure. You cannot make him stay, he must move on before bad things happen."

In response Orihime nodded slowly, not understanding what was talking about.

Seeing her nod, Ace put the glasses he obtained from Urahara, the ones that let someone who isn't spiritually aware see ghosts, in Orihime's hand before leaving. He still had to get back soon, as there was more to be done tonight.

A while later, in Orhime's apartment, sobs could be heard as a spirit and human cried while talking to each other.

///---///

"Everyone is here then. Great, we can start right away." Maria said as he got back home. The loli succubus was standing in the middle of a large magic circle that was quite intricate. She looked at the four people who just entered the house with a large smile on her face.

"So, this is it." Mio said, looking at the circle. She had heard the details of what would be happening and most of what this Master-Servant contract would entail. She was all in, if it meant more safety. The fact that Maria also said that there was a way for her to get stronger from it also helped.

Mio had multiple seals on her power, they were removed from her previously but she had no idea how to control any of it, or how to use it. She has been trying, but despite having a lot of energy she didn't really know how to use it properly at all. According to Maria this could be due to the fact that Mio spent too long as a normal human, and her power is too large. She would need to properly feel her power and learn how to use it. This process would normally take months, if not years, to complete, but Maria told her that the Master-Servant contract could help solve that.

The contract would help her accelerate the process of controlling her power. Like the 'Bishop' or 'Queen' in the peerage system. Improving her control would allow her to make use of more of her energy. And she wanted to have more control over her power. If she could control her power, what happened with her parents would never happen again. She would never feel so helpless.

"Now, now. Everyone in the circle. We only have a few hours to complete the contract as it can only be done during a full moon." Maria said as she indicated for everyone to come closer and enter the circle.

As everyone got in position, Zest stood to the side looking at what was happening with a bit of longing that she quickly smashed with the professionalism she had grown used to.

"Very well, we will start now. Please say what is it that you want to put as limitations for the contract. If both sides agree with the terms each desire, the ritual mark will appear on the hand of the master. The subordinate must then take a knee and kiss the hand of the Master, completing the contract."

As the four people went into the four corners of the circle, they all stated the terms they discussed before.

Ace had used every single point of his intelligence and of his Strategist skill to make sure that he would not be screwed over whatsoever. The end result for the rules of the contract that everyone agreed to, were as follows:

///---///

- This contract will be in effect for the duration of 6 months;

- The master cannot order the servant into doing anything they do not want to do;

- Each party must agree to keep any and all secrets told confidently by the other party to the best of their abilities. As long as the secrets are not harmful to either party;

- Each party can travel away from the other as long as they give notice and explain the time frame that they will be away;

- The master and the servant must try their best to keep their promises to each other.

///---///

These were as much as Ace could push and the others would agree to. With this Ace would have freedom of movement, the contract would be for a predetermined time, he would not be forced into doing anything he doesn't want to, AND anything he needed to tell Mio would be kept in secret without fear of it being revealed to others.

With this Ace would not be cheated by the Master-Servant contract and if this could allow Ace to grow in strength then all the better for him.

"Very well, let us start." Maria said when everyone nodded their heads. "Soon a magic circle will appear on Mio-sama's right hand for a while. So you all must one by one take a knee and place a kiss on the magic circle before it disappears, indicating the subservience of the Servant in the Master-Servant contract. With that the Master and Servant contract will be established."

That was a minor detail that Yuki, Kurumi and Ace easily nodded their heads at. With Mio looking slightly apprehensive but nodding as well. With everyone understanding the procedure Maria started the chant, initiating the ritual.

A crimson light emerging from the magic circle as energy fluctuations spread from it. The energy was sensed by all of them. It was connecting their souls and pulling on them, working as a bridge amongst them as it happened.

They felt like they were taking a bath in warm water, slowly sinking in as they could feel the souls of each other.

Yuki's soul was like a resolute but beautiful blade with carvings of dancing petals and the beauty of nature. It was peaceful but powerful, a soul that looked as firm as the toughest of mountains and that would not sway in the face of anything.

Kurumi's soul was more like a spear, it gave the impression that it would not deviate from it's path, always going straight forward. It did not waver no matter what happened, the mission was everything. Her and her sister's soul were weapons of war, but both were undeniably beautiful despite that with their similarities and differences clear to be felt.

Then there was Mio. Mio's soul was like the flame of a bonfire, it shined beautifully in a crimson hue with a white light flickering within. It was a soul that would not accept falsehoods or half measures, one that could and would destroy anything and everything if it meant protecting what it wants to protect.

However, the strangest one was Ace's soul. It was utter chaos, nothing was fixated in place. Up was down, left was right, light was dark, and it was in constant change. However, in the center of it, one could see what looked like a small Ace with a crown in his head, his conqueror's will planted firmly in his very soul and refusing to truly lower his head, instead looking down on the world.

As the magic energy of the ritual continued tendrils of it moved, each soul was touched by it and pulled closer to the one that would be the Master of this ritual.

However, before it could go as planned, something changed.

The conqueror's will inside Ace's soul used the power of the Soul Soul fruit. The Soul Soul fruit was particularly compatible with the conqueror's will, the two working in tandem and reorganizing the ritual.

Maria, on the side, opened her eyes wide as she realized what was going on. She tried to revert it, to stop it, heck she even tried to deactivate the ritual. But nothing worked as the ritual changed.

As the four participants opened their eyes they saw a wide eyed and truly nervous Maria who was looking at Ace in apprehension.

However, after a while, Maria used all of her acting skills to hide how terrified she truly was of the possible results, of the change in the ritual would bring. Instead, smiling broadly she said.

"And thus the ritual is done. Please go right ahead and kiss the master's hand to complete the contract." Maria said before seeing where the magic circle that indicated the master was and sweat started rolling down her back. "O- Oh my? That is strange… Did I make a mistake somewhere?"

Maria tried to play it off, but as the four participants took note of what happened they started getting nervous and they all spoke up in protest. Well, except for Ace that was putting the blame of this whole thing on the system even if, ultimately, the fault was due his own soul.

"Ehm, for now, how about you kiss Ace-san's hand, Mio-sama, Yuki-san, Kurumi-san? You see, the contract will not be quite as intended, but you still will be able to tell each other's position, like originally planned. And you will be able to strengthen yourselves as well, as originally intended." Maria said with fake cheer. In her head she was a mess since, on an intellectual side, she knew Sirzechs would be pissed at her, but her instincts as a Succubus were in ecstasy from this new development.

The moment Maria said that, Mio's face turned bright red.

"Y- You must be joking! Why would I have to become Ace's slave!" uttered the stunned Mio.

"I agree. I refuse to become a slave to some random mercenary, who doesn't have any loyalty to anything beside himself. Who knows what he could do to me and sister." Kurumi said.

Ace, hearing that, took offense at them saying they would become his slaves. That term was wrong on so many levels and he made sure that there were protections for the servants before making the contract. So them acting like he was going to be enslaving them was going overboard.

As for Yuki, she looks straight at Maria, then at Ace, and with firm steps walked towards him. As she stood in front of Ace, she looked up and stared straight into his eyes before whispering.

"This might be for the best."

With that she took a knee, taking his right hand where the symbol was; she kissed it directly, sealing the contract between herself and Ace. Ace saw some message from his system, but he couldn't pay attention to it at the moment as he was too distracted by the beautiful and captivating look in Yuki's eyes.

Kurumi was shocked to see her sister actually accepted such a contract, she was about to speak up when the light of the ritual started to fade.

"Mio-sama, Kurumi-san, hurry up! The magic circle, it is vanishing! We can annul the contract later on if needed, so please kiss it for now!" Maria said in nervousness, one step away from actually forcing them into doing it even if by force.

However, by then it was too late, the magic circle stopped glowing.

"Ah, that will not end up well." Maria said as this happened.

Mio and Kurumi were about to ask what was the issue when it happened.

Pleasure shot up across their entire bodies, their clothes felt like they were rubbing on their sensitive parts enough to get them excited and the sudden change made them unable to even stand properly, both slumped on the floor, shivering without any control.

Ace, seeing this, widened his eyes and turned to Maria.

"Maria, is this a curse or something from the Master-Servant contract."

"Yes. As the contract was made with my powers as succubus, the effect is the increase of arousal and sensitivity. The curse gets stronger when the servant tries to oppose his master in a way beyond what was agreed during the contract, the stronger the feelings of guilt over the actions done against the master as well as the more time spent under the curse the stronger it will become. If it becomes too strong it is even possible that the brain of the servant would fry under the effects of the curse due to the extreme pleasure." As Maria explained this Ace thought that he was a fool.

He should have never agreed to this contract even if it could make his job many times easier AND increase his power, the risks of this contract were clearly far too high.

"But, the magic circle disappeared before the kiss. Doesn't that mean the spell failed?" Ace asked, wondering why the curse activated even though the ritual should have failed considering it wasn't taken to it's final conclusion.

"Yes… however, the magic is already activated by finishing the chant. And not kissing the magic circle means opposing the entire contract they just agreed to."

"And so the curse activated strongly…" Ace concluded correctly, understanding how troublesome this whole thing is.

"You must subdue them, Ace-san. Make them see you as their master, as the one that is above them. Only that will the curse stop. But, considering their state with the curse right now, there is only one suitable way for you to do it." Maria said, her succubus side winning her internal dispute as she gave a seductive smile. "And I bet you know what you must do, you do have a good libido after all."

This was the worst, Ace was quite sure Sirzechs will kill him. Probably flay him alive with a kitchen knife, scoop out his eyes with an ice cream spoon, and THEN kill him (if he is lucky).

"Wh… Whatever, Mmh, just… just help me…" Mio said with heavy breaths, her breasts going up and down, as she looked extremely turned on .

"D-Don't come near me, you beast." Kurumi, however, reacted violently. She was trying to hug herself, trying to get herself together and brace through the curse. But that only served to accentuate her athletic and young beauty as some sweat could be seen on her forehead, making some of her hair stick onto it and giving her an unintentional sexy look.

Ace looked at this and came to an important conclusion.

He would leave worrying about Sirzechs for later, he had better things to do now. And so Ace approached the two beauties on the ground, both looking up to see Ace looking at them with hungry eyes filled with desire.

This would be a night that all of them would remember.

///---///

AN:

So, the contract was made but things are not going EXACTLY as planned.

Now Ace has to make Mio and Kurumi submit to him sexually, what a pickle (... one that I bet most males wouldn't mind to be in).

Anyway, on other matters. Orihime showed up in this chapter, her bubbly personality clearly visible in how she was thought Ace was some sort of superhero due to his Zoan transformation. Her meeting with Sora will have an impact later on as, this time, Sora was not taken to Hueco Mundo. However, him being taken was part of a certain captain's plans (if one is to believe Aizen planned every fight Ichigo had to go through), so how will this affect the story overall? This just might have been a HUGE mistake on Ace's part, but one he won't regret... probably. Possibly. Almost certain.

Well, I guess we will have to wait and see.

Regardless, I am working on the rewrite of previous chapters and am on chapter 9 now, I will post them all together when I am done with them. I will increase the size of the harem, but some girls will go to other guys than Ace, for instance Sona and Tsubaki already have specific pairings in my eyes and pairings that would make more sense overall and that would make the girls happier.

For those that wanted Rias in the harem, good news. She and her peerage will be in it (need to decide if I will change Kiba to a girl, make it where she exchange Kiba for somebody else, keep Kiba as is and just make him go for some girl from somewhere else, kill him during the Excalibur arc, or make him gay and ask Ace to change his gender). I honestly don't care much as Kiba was always a bit of a pointless character after the Excalibur arc for me, the author tried to make him relevant but honestly he is just meh.

Things will NOT be like they were in CANON. For once I intend to stretch things out, no need to hurry everything for a really short time frame so there will be more space between events.

And one last thing, I am debating if I should keep Grayfia as the wife or Sirzechs or just someone forced into becoming a maid in the Gremory state, if we go with the second option she will not be Sirzech's Queen and it is entirely possible for her to be added to Ace's harem BTW. In all honesty their marriage makes little to none political sense in my eyes, we can just have Sirzechs marry a cousin of something from the Bael clan (it would even make more sense considering their alliance and how Zekran Bael wants to control the underworld).

I guess this is all, next chapter will include limes (not outright lemons, but not overly far away either) so let's hope I don't suck at those (first time trying to write them).