After having returned from his long six month mission from home, Aku was happy to be back with the people he cared about. Having given the news of his exploits in Equestria, the man finally returned to hisnduty as commander and chief of his small yet still growing nation. But nw, it was time for him to go home and rest in his own bed. Something that he had been missing to do for half a y3ear now. Little did he know that this night was going to be a restless one for him. For his actions in Equestria had only pushed the oni that was inside him to greater power.

Aku opened his eyes as he lied on a rippling surface. He was literally lying on water. As he looked around, he noticed that he was in what appear to be the Suicide Forest from back in hisnworld. It was deathly quiet and everything was still for the moment. As Aky slowly got to his feet, he began to notice blue and red fox fires dancing around him rhythmically before starting to form a path for him to follow. Instantly, he thought back to that one dream he had when the oni he met that night ripped off its arm and shoved it in place of the one he had lost.

Hesitantly, he followed the path that the fox fires lead him down, each step making the water below his feet ripple. His eyes continued to shift between the fires and the extremely tall trees that surrounded him as he saw the full moon peeking through the opening of the branches above. As he traveled further into the forest, he noticed a tori gate coming into view, along with a rather large Edo period style castle that sat upon a large flight of steps.

Once Aku crossed the gate’s threshold, he suddenly felt a loss of control of his body as hislegs started moving on their own. Like he was being controlled by something or rather, someone else. As he walked up the first set of stairs, he noticed several heavily armored oni dressed in royal armor who immediately dropped to one knee upon seeing him approach while bowing their heads.

“My lord, welcome back from your long journey. We hope that your endeavors bear fruit with your glorious return.” said what Aku assumed to be the leader of the group. Aku was about to speak before a voice not his own escaped his throat. “Indeed it has, General Niwa. We are growing ever closer to the day that we will rule this land. And bring everlasting peace to the realm of yokai under our rule.”. Alu took notice of all the oni present before him. And he noticed that all of them were rather large, but very attractive females. Muscles and curves in all the right places from what he could tell.

“Excellent. And what of my children? Out in the gardens getting into trouble no doubt?” Niwa laughed softly and shook her head “From what I have heard, my lord. They have kept the trouble to a minimum in your absence. Prince Ito and Princess Nana have been taught very well by their father. You should be proud.”. Aku gave a nod before making his way past the guards, Niwa follow close behind him as he made his way to the throne room.

As he walked through the corridors of the castle, every single oni he walked past bowed to him respectfully with a look of gratitude in their gaze. Where was this dream happening? And why was it so damn vivid? It was as if Aku was living in a totally different world and time that where he was now. And he could feel, smell and see everything around him. This dream felt like no dream at all. And who were all these oni? How did he know all their names?

Aku’s train of thought was broken once he made his way into the throne room of the castle. A beautifully ornate decorated room with deep purple torches on the walls of the room with obsidian spires of which the light of the fires shimmered off of, adding a rather radiant but eerie feel to the room. Soon, Aku now found himself sitting on the black and white throne, looking over at his subjects who now bent one knee before him with absolute loyalty.

“Welcome home, dark emperor. We and the village below the mountain have missed you.” said the oni in unison that kneeled before him. Aku smiled and nodded “They have given me their greetings as I passed through the village on myway here. It makes me so happy to see their smiling faces. Even more so when those smiles are genuine. The last oni emperor who ruled here didn’t care about his subjects. What he failed to realize, is that a ruler is nothing without his or her people.”,

Niwa lifted her head to gaze upon Aku with whom she revered as nearly a god. So much dark power, he could rule through brutality and fear. But, he chose to rule through kindness and compassion with his people. It is no wonder that other yokai come to his kingdom for sanctuary. The village below his castle was full of not just oni, but other yokai from all over who have come to seek a peaceful life, no matter what kind they were.

As Aku was about to start discussing his journey, multiple shadows started crawling across the room at blinding speeds before cloaked humanoid creatures rose up out of the ground in front of him, already presenting themselves on a bent knee in front of him. These were aragami. Aku’s shadowy spirits of vengeance who became his personal royal shinobi of his castle through the mercy he had shown them once as they invaded his lands on the behalf of another yokai king. Now, they served him faithfully and without question.

Aku sits up straight and looks down at the aragami in front who seemed to only speak in whispers, but Aku understood them fully. “Enemies on the outskirts you say? Thank you for letting me know. I want you and the others to capture them and bring them to me at the usual place. Make sure that you disarm them fully. You can rough them up a bit. But, I don’t want them dead…yet.” he said as he stood up and made his way out, grabbing that all too familiar katana from his throne before looking into his reflection. What Aku saw…was himself, but istead of just being partial transformed, his skin was now that full dark grey color, and instead one one horn, he now had two. The only things that were missing was his much larger size and full on oni appearance he would change into when he was angered.

Aku suddenly sat up in his bed with a scream of shock before he started to breathe heavily for a few seconds. He was drenched in sweat and his body was shaking to the point where his could see his hands trembling as he gazed down in front of them. It took him a moment to fully focus in on his hands for a moment. Then his arms. His skin was now that same dark grey he had seen in that reflection in his dream. Aku sat there for a moment before he shot up out of his bed, running to the bathroom mirror in a panic as he now gazed into his reflection now seeing that same one he had seen in his dream.

It seems that his transformation from only being a partial one was now growing even more. At this point, any visible human traits he had were now long gone. His even now even solid glowing dark purple orbs that could put fear into the most fierce warrior. Aku pawed at his face and body as he became visibly worried now. “No..nonononono!!!” he shouted at he began to thrash his head about in his hands before rearing back and punching the mirror, the shattering reflective glass falling to the ground as the sound echoed through his home.

Aku continued to cry out in anguish at his further changed visage. What will the people he has ruled over think of him now? Will they shun him and push him out of this nation they had worked so hard to build together? AKu quickly threw on some clothes before sneakily makes his way out of his home, slipping past guard making sure not to be seen by them or anyone else. Once he makes his way to the edge of town, he runs off into the direction of the village he had built for the yokai all those months back.

As he ran through the forest, he could feel eyes upon his form. Many, many eyes. It seemed that the yokai who had crossed over into this world were making themselves right at home. But, also seemed to be honoring the deal that was made for them to be here. Perhaps his grandmother would be able to answer his question as to why his form has changed so drastically than how it was..

As he entered the village, he noticed right away that yokai were starting to gather around him slowly. Coming out of the homes and from within the trees before they all started lowering their heads or kneeling in respect for him. Aku’s eyes shifted between them all before he called out to his grandmother, hoping that she would come to him in this time of need. “Gran-Gran, I need you here, please!” he cried out in desperation, remembering a time long ago when he was lost in the woods as a child, hoping she’d come to him now just as she did then.

And appear before him she did. Accompanied by those very same oni she was with when she came to this world those few months ago. As she looked upon her grandson, her face was filled with a conflicting mixture of pride for him, but at the same time with sorrow as she knew he was struggling with this new development. “Aku…my dear sweet grandson…” she said as she hobbled over to him before reaching up to gently cradle his cheeks in her hands. “It seems…that your oni blood has further taken over your human form. At this point, your physical humanity is no more, sweetie.. The sins you have eaten recently have only pushed your yokai nature even more.”.

Aku blinked a few times “What sins? I have done nothing wro-...”. Then it clicked in his frantic mind. The prison. While he sapped both inmates and guards of their magic, he had been eating away at the evil within those very same creatures during his say. And all that evil had to go somewhere. And it went straight to his body, further cursing him to become more and more like a yokai than what he was already. “I am proud of who and what you have become, Aku. But, I also know that this is bringing you heartache. And I can’t bear to see you like this. But the things you are doing to better your subjects, you are sacrificing your humanity to do so.".

His grandmother motions for him to drop down, wrapping his arms around him and stroking his back in a comforting manner just as she did when he was a child when he was in need of a warm hug. “Gran-Gran…what am I going to do…? If they see me like this, I am afraid…they won’t want me as their ruler, let alone friend anymore. I am now past the point of no return..all because I thought I was doing what was right by both myself and them.” Aku wrapped his arms around his grandmother firmly yet gently, gripping the back of her kemono as he did when he was a child.

“I know you are doing what you feel is right, Aku. Despite what you are becoming, you have a kind and noble soul who has unfortunately had to spill the blood of those who have threatened you and the ones you care for. But, being a ruler means you have to make sacrifices for the ones you love. In this case, you are surrendering your humanity to make sure the world is atmpeace for your subjects. Just as the yokai here have learned of your efforts to create a peaceful world, they respect you for it. Just as your subjects do. No matter what form you take.”.

SHe looks up into his eyes as she gently rubs his cheeks with ehr thumbs “So long as you stay true to who you are, the oni on the outside will not change a thing. You are meant to become the dark oni emperor god. But, that does not mean you have to be a cruel and malevolent one. I have been watching you rule over your people way before you left those few months ago. I have never seen subjects so genuinely happy in all my years. And so many who have come from all race and walks of life. Even Buddha himself would be proud of how kind hearted you are when it comes to your people. And yet, you are as fierce and strong as the most feared oni in all of yokai history. I am so very, very proud of you, Aku.”.

SHe released the hug they shared before smiling up at him again “If you parents knew what you fought for in this world, they would be too. And I know the ones who you hold close here to feel the same way. Especially the young lady with the broken horn and the other with the rather shy manner. Those two seem especially smitten with you.”.

Aku thought about it for a moment before he knew who she was talking about “Tempest and Fluttershy…? I haven’t really noticed any signals that they see me as more than just close friends…”. His grandmother paused for a moment before shaking her head and gave that kind of distinct old lady chuckle “Still so so clueless even after all these years. My sweet boy. This only proves that despite all that you have gone through, you haven’t changed one bit.”.

She then took notice at the morning sunlight beginning to peek through the trees. She gently shoos him away with her walking stick at this point “Now then, off you go. Go back home where you are needed and loved, my child.”. Just before she walked away, Aku mentioned his dream to her that he had earlier that night. She simply chuckled again and winked at him”Don’t you think that your dreams may be telling you of something that you are now capable of? Or perhaps showing you a similar future that is to come? Yokai dreams tend to entail that sort of thing. Now, off you go. Your subjects need you!” she said as she playfully thwacked the back of his thighs with her walking stick. “And you better get me some great grandchildren soon, buster!”.

Aku huffed and grumbled on his way back home in embarrassment. Though, if those two really did feel the way his grandmother spoke of. He had a duty as a man to respond in kind. After all, he did really like the both of them. A lot in fact. But, as his grandmother stated. He was absolutely hopeless when it came to matters of the heart. But, he couldn’t worry about that now. It was time for his people to see what he had become. And no matter the outcome, he would strive his best to continue to make his subjects happy

Author's Note

Sorry I haven't written much lately. Been having a hard time finding the motivation to be more active. But, I am trying.

May the darkness grant you peace.