As Aku stared at his grandmother who had just emerged from the portal, a sense of warmth and nostalgia washed over his body, that warm fuzzy feeling running up his spine as he remembered the days of his early childhood when he went to go and stay with his grandparents. Up in the mountains away from all the city noise in a big house surrounded by large okay and pine trees. His fondest memories of those being during the winter. He and his grandfather would enjoy watching the light falling of the snow as they sat under the kotatsu with the holiday tv special in the background. All while his grandmother was either in the kitchen making his favorite meals or she was sitting with them and just talking and smiling atn Aku. It was something that he truly missed, even more so as the memories came flooding back.

Aku took a step closer to the old woman as a tear streamed down his face. His grandmother was especially close to. Not only because she would spoil him every now and then, but because of how she cared for him as well. She loved him just as much as his own mother did. And she spurred him on to stand up for himself as well, where his own mother didn’t like it when he got in fights. But when her mother told his grandmother about all the scraps he had gotten into in and out of school, she couldn’t be any more proud of her grandson.

Aku went on into a full sprint towards his grandmother and wrapped his arms around her in a big hug, nearly knocking the old woman over, but she took the hug happily and wrapped her own arms around his waist. After all, he was much taller than her at this point. “Oooh, sweet child. It is good to see you again as well…you have grown into such a handsome young man!” she said as she pulled him down slightly before gently cupping her hands upon his cheeks to get a closer look at his face. He takes right hand and gently squeezes her wrist in response”I never thought I’d see you until I passed on myself, gran-gran. ANd I would have never thought that you’d become part of the yokai ranks. What…..what about grandpa?”

“He is up in heaven, Aku. After all, he was human, just as you were.” Aku blinked a few times before it hit him immediately “You mean…you are a yokai as well?”. The old woman nodded before speaking again “I am a tsurara-onna. Your grandfather and I are one of those one in a million human-yokai couples that existed in legend. How we met is a long story, but that is for another time. I see that the yokai in your blood has awakened in you.”. Aku stood back up straight and looked at his oni arm. Then back to his grandmother “If you are an ice woman, then why am I an oni?” he asked before turning his attention back to her.

She walks over to a bench that’s nearby and pats the spot next to her as she leans her cane on the side. Aku nods and catches a full view of the two amazonian females that accompanied his grandmother through the portal. Both were female oni. One blue and the other red each with one black horn and long,straight white hair that went down to their lower back, clad in armor that barely held their curves in. They gazed back at Aku with narrowed eyes and mischievous smiles. Aku couldn’t tell if they wanted to eat him or take him to their chambers. Maybe boith.

Aku sat next to his grandmother and placed a hand on his knee in a comforting manner “Your mothers didn’t inherit my blood. But, it seems that the gift was passed on to you. Not only that, but you carry the Akabane onmyo abilities with you as well. I have no idea why you were brought to this world, Aku. But it seems that destiny has given the yokai a new chance at living peaceful lives. As the human world grows even more and more crowded, we yokai are starting to vanish. But, with your help, we now have a gateway into this world. This big, expansive world. With many mountains and forest to make our homes in. And enough so that we won’t interfere with the lives of the sentient beings here. All thanks to you my sweet grandson.”. She said as she reached up and gently patted his right cheek. “To show you my gratitude, you are more than welcome to come through the portal anytime to come visit. You have an extended family who are dying to meet you.”

“As for the reason why you are an oni. Well, when a human with yokai blood is born, the soul of a newborn yokai is placed in a human shell. Though, it seems that your human soul and oni soul were compatible from the start. WHich explains your massive appetite and while you never gained a single pound overweight. And from what I am gathering from your heart and mind, you have been in and out of a bunch of turmoil in your life here. That only sped up the process more of the two souls belding together.”

Aku listened intently as his grandmother explained everything to him. His yokai blood, and the blood of his ancestor known as the ‘Necro Dragon’. And how she had hoped he’d never have to experience all this and live a completely normal life. But, it seems that wasn’t in the card for the young man. After they had finished talking, the woman reached into her purse and suddenly pulled out a long object wrapped up in black and white silk. “I had hoped to never have to pass this on to you, Aku. But, the bloodline demands it..” she said as she pulled the ribbon off that was binding the material before it rolled off the black wooden sheath, revealing the same black and white steel blade that his ancestor used all those many, many years ago. Aku hesitated as he slowly brought his hand towards the sword. Something was screaming in his mind “If you take this sword, there is no going back….” and it kept repeating the same words over and over. He pulled away for a moment before grabbing the sword and placing it at his side. His grandmother smiled softly before she got up with her cane. “Ah, before I go. There is a special spell I need to teach you. One that I am sure you will need here in this world…”

–A Day Later–

As the creatures of Kazoku went about their day, a cloaked hulking figure emerged from one of the alleyways close to the wall with a hood over his head. As he stepped out, he stumbled for a moment before regaining his balance and made his way into the crowded streets. The creature stood at ten feet tall with a single spiral curled slate gray horn from his forehead, an equine muzzle of the same color being the only thing that poked out from his hood. As he walked along, he noticed that others would look at him, but only for a moment. He assumed that they only looked at him because of his sheer size. As he looked like just an oversized pony, After all, he had two whole feet on Celestia herself.

As he made his way further into the town, he came up to the vendor stalls and looked around. Not even the creatures who he knew personally could recognize him in this form. It would appear that the transformation spell his grandmother had taught him was holding together. That’s right, this hulking unicorn stallion was indeed Aku utilizing an onmyo technique that helped them blend in with their surroundings. ”The only issue with this spell is that you will not be able to use your oni powers unless you want it to break.” Those words from his grandmother rang in his mind as he continued to explore the city in his disguise. Everything was going great until he noticed several samurai and ninja following him from the ground and rooftops at a distance. He chuckled to himself before quickening his pace through the crowded streets, weaving and dancing through the crowd as if he was his normal size. While the ninja were able to keep up, the samurai were falling behind as the crowds got denser.

Suddenly, Aku broke off the crowd and started running down the alleyways, leaping over obstacles and running along walls as he led his soldiers on an unknowing chase. He makes it to the rooftops and runs along them with his ninja chasing behind him and a few of the winged samurai giving chase in the air as well. Aku turned his head and smiled as they called out to him “You need to stop right now!” they ordered. Aku continued to run and leap across roofs like it was nothing. The soldiers wondered how this stranger knew the city so well when they had never even seen him once.

Once Aku leapt from the roof and ran into the central park, he hid behind a large oak tree and changed back into his normal self before exiting out from behind it just in time to see his soldiers entering the park and looking around frantically for the unknown stallion. “Well, you all seem like you are in a bit of a panic huh?” Aku asked with a feigned expression of curiosity. They all stood there confused and lost. They had just seen him run into the park, and now he was just….gone.

“Y-yes, sir. We were in pursuit of an unknown pony. And quite large in size to..now he is just gone. How in the world could someone that large just vanish…?”. Aku just chuckled and shrugged “Perhaps…a group hallucination? Maybe you all need some time off?” He teased as he patted the samurai on the shoulder “Hang in there, guy.” he said before he went on his way. As he walked through the park, he thought up ideas to make his disguise more convincing. And then it hit him hard, a smile forming across his lips as he said three simple numbers “Zero, four, nine.”

Aku now sat at his desk with doctors now sitting in chairs in front of him. Each a different race with notice of medicines, surgery and various other practices of medicine and medical care. All legit of course. He sat there for a moment until the room was cleared of just them before he spoke. He stood up and gave a deep bow. “First off, thank you for agreeing to meet with me about my selfish request. I know you all have patients to deal with and can hope we find time to work on this little project of mine.” They all nod with a smile on their faces, all too happy to help their leader with what he needed.

He came back up from his bow before he began pacing back and forth while he explained “For the next two months, you will be cramming all the knowledge and wisdom of the medical profession you all possess into my head. Of course, you take care of your patients before each lesson. And while you are teaching me, don’t treat me as your ruler, understand? Treat me as a student. I am here to learn. If you gotta whack me in the head with a book for me to understand, do it. And of course, you will all be compensated for your time.”

The training did indeed last quite a while, longer than expected in fact. But, by the time it was over, AKu now had a rather extensive knowledge and handson experience of a general doctor, surgeon and pharmacist under his belt. He even got himself a legit medical license after passing all the tests that his teachers issued him. He was now a fully realized doctor. SOmething he thought he’d never accomplish or need in his life. But, this was needed for the plan he had in mind. And he was going to take a little revenge on Equestria with this plan.

Aku now sat in his living room with both Ironheart and Tempest sitting across from him at his kotatsu table. Snack and tea provided of course. Once he had told them what his plan was and why he was so busy lately, they sat there in complete shock. “So, let me get this straight. You plan on going back to Equestria, disguised as a doctor, get thrown into prison, STAY in said prison for half a year, and then break them all out?!” Asked Tempest in a bewildered tone, completely surprised that Aku would even think of such an idea. “Ah, you are missing the point, Tempest. I am going to get in good with the big bosses of the criminal underworld in Equestria. From what I have gathered by new faces coming in, they’d love to have me on their side. And my ticket in is through the biggest prison they got. Right in the heart of Canterlot.”.

Aku stood up and walked towards his bartop and poured himself a small cup of sake, sipping it down before smiling widely “And to make it even more worth it, I am going to take a little revenge on the royal palace and cause those two bitches a little grief…and get away with it scott free. All while empowering our nation even further. Create chaos in the enemy nation, its people while finding safety in yours.” he said as he then returned to the table and sat down.

“I am considering entrusting Tempest with temporary command of the nation until I return. Unless you think you can handle it for me, Ironheart. I know you just came out of retirement and are enjoying a much less stress free life. Besides, I just need you to be a figurehead, the council can handle everything behind the scenes in my absence. It is more for a formality.” said Aku as his eyes turned to Ironheart who sat there for a moment. He rubs the side of his tea cup as he seems to go deep into thought. “Honestly, kiddo. I am VERY impressed you thought ahead with all this…”

He sat there for a little longer before placing a hand on the table with a smile”Bah, the hell with it. I can handle a few more months playing as leader again. We will just tell the masses that you have gone on an important mission that only you can do. And the best part? It's the actuarial truth.” he said with a light chuckle. AKu smiled and grabbed the bottle of sake and poured a cup for each of them before holding it up “A toast then. To the success of this mission and may it bear fresh juicy fruit in the end.” They clink the cups together and drink down the liquid with a satisfied sigh at the end.

Aku now stood at the entrance of Ponyville. Now in his pony form, dressed in a long black robe with a deep black hood cloak, and to top it all off, a white ceramic plague doctor mask and a black doctor's bag in his right hand. “This place…is full of pestilence. I…am the cure.” he joked to himself before stepping into the small town.

Author's Note

This idea has been rolling around in my head for a couple of weeks, time to put it into action. :3

May the darkness grant you peace.