Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Ikki sighs. His memories of Vice may be back, but Vice himself wasn’t. And things were...exhausting. Even at the dreadfully slow pace of 1 session a month, the strain of George’s attempts were catching up to him. This was what, session 8? 10 maybe.

10 months since Vice disappeared again with no trace.

It stung. And yet, as Ikki was strapped in, all he wanted to do was relax, to let his guard down, to, proverbially, let his hair down. Not like he had enough hair to do that but...

He yawned, falling quickly into sleep.

And in the world of memories, he drifted. Soon enough, he saw Vice. Or, Ikki’s memory of vice. But this time, this time was different.

“Hello Hello, my dear I~cchan! And how’s my girliepop doin’?” said Vice, dressed in a traditional kimono, with a pattern of purple lavender flowers and blue hydrangeas on a black backing. The obi was white, with the happy family logo dead center in red. In his hands, and covering his mouth, was a simple black fan with the same red logo, with plain brown wood. His hair was covering by an immaculate black haired wig, with a neatly done bun replete with red hair sticks.

“Vice? Wait, what do you me-,” Ikki paused. Why was his voice so...high?

“Oh what a silly, silly cutie you are! How could you forget! And where's ya kimono? Gotta look presentable for the customers.”

“T-then I’d have to wear a hakamashita! Right?”

“Nooope! You wouldn’t fit into one with those melons dear.”

Ikki gulped, and slowly pivoted his head down. Sure enough, Ikki was wearing what looked like a larger version of his sister’s pajamas, with a sizable chest filling it out. That was...Nope. Couldn’t think about those, not at all! Had to think about getting Vice o-

Vice gripped her by the shoulders in a warm hug, “Now now, what have i said about burying things? Is no good! Not! At! All! A girl as purty as ya shouldn’t worry about much. I think ya need help gettin’ in da kimono, and oooo the obi, deffo the obi!”

“But I’m a boy. This makes no sense.” Ikki was many things. Forgetful and nosy as hell, sure. Cute? No. No way he was cute!

“Yes, it does. While there’s one son in this family, only the daughters are old enough to be working right now. See, there's Sakura and Sora working in the front, your adorbs lil’ sisters.”

Sure enough, there was Sakura along with a vaguely Igarashi looking woman. The obi matched between the three, but the kimono patterns were different. Sakura’s had wave patterns and pale gold cobras on a navy backing, whilst the mystery girl, Sora apparently, was wearing a pattern of white crows on a silver gray kimono.

“And as the biggest sis, you gotta set a good example for ‘em, don’tcha? And be there for ‘em!”

Ikki’s brain sizzled. ‘Well, yes I do have to be a role model and reliable and yes the best way to do that for sisters is to the best sister i can but am I good enough to be a sister? Scratch that, I’m a boy, boys can’t be sisters! But...wait. If the second sister is Sora, then what happened to Daiji?’

“What happened to Dai-”

Vice bonked Ikki on the head with the fan.

“Oy Oy! We do NOT call people the wrong name! Her name is Sora and she works very hard to be a gal. So do you! Now Icchan, let's get you in the kimono! As your in charge today, you get to wear this obi!”

Vice pulled out a white obi with the happy family logo.

“But wouldn't mama wear that?”

“And make you dear ol’ mom work while she’s nursing lil’ Koshiro? And another on the way?”

“I uh. Shouldn't we be-”

“Customers are waiting! C’mon girliepop, hop to it!”

“What the heck does that even mean? Why are you making women into lollipops??”

“We’ll make ya cute as a button, kitten!”

“Hey Hey Hey, that’s new. A lot more activity than previous sessions and... Oh My God! Ikki’s chest is glowing! Must be some dreams, huh?”

Ikki, or ichika-chan as Vice told hi- er. Told Her. Yes. Ichika used she & her and for now Ikki was Ichika. Anything to help coax Vice out of her. Er. Him? Anyway. Ichika was a beat red mess right now, welcoming guests right alongside her apparent wife Vice. Er. Vicky, to customers. Goodness was this confusing.

The kimono was nice though. A counter point to Vicky’s, with violets and blue hibiscus on a pastel pink backing. The softer fabric was rather comfortable to be honest and the way it tied felt more...right? She shoved all that to one side when the customers came in, spouting off lines to customers like a machine gun.

“Welcome welcome!”

“Come on in, the water’s nice and hot!”

“Welcome back, lemme stamp that for you.”

“Oh a new face, want us to start a stamp book for you? What’s that you ask? Oh I’m glad you asked!”

“Special discount today for single women, and we’ll throw in a free chocolate milk!”

“Heya Hana, come right in. Oh and your friends too! Oop, I don’t think you qualify as single, sorry!”

“I uh, sure you can come in but I hope your waterproof. Oh both of you are waterproofed, that’s...strange. Any-who, what a cute couple you two make.”

“Hello, oh I think Vicky watches your channel, doesn’t she? Is that right? You want a signature, dear? Oh and she says I embarrass her, ah-ha-ha.”

“Sakuraaaaa stop making goo-goo eyes at Hana and get back on the register.”

“Oh what a lovely couple you two make, how long have you been together? 35 years? My word that’s some commitment you two lovebirds! Oh I hate to ask, but make sure she’s- oh good she is! I uh, that’s a bit too much information, honestly dear. I may be nosy but I’m not that nosy! Ah-ha-ha.”

A light tap on her shoulder brought her out of her nosy and constructed fugue state.

“You alright there, darlin’? Is it too much?” asked Vicky, concern in her eyes.

“Is what too much? Nothing wrong here, noooo ma’am. Absolutely fine, rarin’ to go!”

Vicky sighed and muttered an english word for a fruit, “I was afraida dis. Pineapple.”

The bathhouse faded out of existence, leaving Vice bare of clothes and Ichika back in her- er, his normal spa merchandise clothes.

“Huh? What’s going on?”

“This ain’t ya dream, Ikki. I figured if I got you into the swing of things, you’d be comfortable with it...but it just ain’t workin, is it?”

Ikki’s brain ground together, trying to put together a cohesive thought and direction to that dream. Everyone in that dream was a woman, Daichi her and Vice all choosing to be girls, at that. Her in charge of the bath in a maternal role. It was adding up like 2 plus pumpkin equals red. Which is to say, it felt like nonsense.

“What’s not working?”

“For someone so nosy, you sure are clueless, ain’tcha?”

Ikki’s brain struggled. What on earth did Vice mean?

“Ah-ah-ah! I can see that brain cell churning away! Lemme spell it out, since you ain’t gettin’ it. I didn’t wanna have to do this, but I feel SO BAD keepin you in tha dark. It’s supposed ta be the right thing but uh. I’ve been tryin for years now the subtle way, and it still ain’t workin. Well, nuts to it! Ikki!”

Ikki startled like a deer in headlights.

“Ikki, I wanna be a &^%$”

Ikki blinked a couple times, as if that would help the hiss of static.

“Icchan? Didja hear that I’m a &^%$”

“Come again?”

“Uh. I. Vice. Am. &^%$.”

“Huh?”

Vice growled, “Seriously!? Is ya repression this bad?! Gosh dangit! How on earth do I get around this...”

Ikki slumped to the floor.

“Icchan?”

“Man do I feel useless. Your trying to tell me something dear to your heart, but i can’t hear it at all. I’m sorry, I’m letting you down as as partner.”

Vice dropped to the floor, pulling Ikki into a hug.

“You aren’t a disappointment, my love.”

Ikki teared up. They sat there for a while, bleary eyed in each others embrace. Neither wanting the moment to end. But one of them had too.

“I got an idea.”

“Mmm?”

“Well, ya know how humans contract demons?”

“Yeah?”

“What if I contracted you?”

“Huh? Wouldn’t that just be the same as before?”

“Yes and no? Honestly I’m not sure it’ll do much, but It’s a bit of sentiment we can share.”

“Alright, I agree.”

“Jeeez Icchan, I didn’t even tell ya the contract yet ya goober!”

“I trust you.”

“That’s a problem!”

The pair laughed together for a while, until they stood up together, holding both hands together.

“Alrighty. Here goes.”

Ikki nodded.

“I want you to be honest about who you are, and for us to stand together.”

Ikki smiled, “That’s it? That shouldn’t be too hard.”

“Oh honey. It sure will. Do you accept?”

Ikki just smiled and nodded, the dream fading out.

“One last thing dear. These were never your dreams, they were mine. I love you dearly, Icchan.”

Chapter Text

Ikki blinked the sleep from her eyes and sat up. Her? Wasn’t she a her? Huh? She?? Why couldn’t she call herself her. She was a her. She was a woman. Huh. She was a Woman. Dangit why could she think of herself as a man. Wait, that one worked. Why did that one work? She was a woman, wasn’t she? Wait. No. This was giving her a migraine.

George untied her from the table and removed the straps

“Good Morning, and good news. Whatever you did, I think Vice has reformed. Much more stable, too. But it’ll be a while before he’s ready to come out of you. How are you feeling?”

“A bit weird, but as good a girl can. Er. Except for that. I can’t remember details, but. I think me and Vice made a contract? But it was reversed.”

“A reversed contract? Interesting. So, theoretically, any negative effects should be on Vice?”

“Well, i guess? But for some reason, all its doing is refusing to let me say I’m a girl. A girl. A g-i-rl. A Woman! Dangit! I’m not a man! I’m not a guy! No wait no, I’m a wo-m-an. Gosh darn it!”

George looked at Ikki much like how one would look at a puzzle, then smirked.

“You know, that might be for the best. That would explain a lot. Vice is a very smart demon.”

“Explain?”

“Ikki, have you heard of *&^%$@><!@# people?”

“What people?”

George cocked his head, “ What? *&^%$@><!@#.”

“Come again?”

“People who *&^%$@><!@#*&:3^%$@><!@#”

“How are you doing that with your mouth?”

George sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“What’s wrong with me?”

“Nothing nothing, I’m just trying to think...hmm I wonder actually…I wonder if its an audio based thing...”

George went over to his brief case, digging through it and displaced various items, including the Juuga Driver just sort of chunked over his shoulder.

“No, No No. Ah! Yes!”

George pulled out a small and crinkled pamphlet, handing it to Ikki.

“Can you read this? It’s kanji, so you should be able to.”

Ikki read the title to herself.

‘Transgender people and you: a guide to understanding gender and changing genders.’

“@#$%^^&*:3?”

“YES! So you can say-”

“How did I say that with my mouth??”
“Oh No!”

“… never mind that, I...didn’t think this was a thing you could do? A girl like me certainly couldn’t? Er. Dangit you know what I mean. Why are you showing this to me again?”

“Oh my God!” George exclaimed, before grabbing a pad of paper, “Perhaps this will help you understand what I’m saying.”

George scribbled out a sentence. Ikki read the sentence. She read the sentence again. And again. And again. And once more for good measure.

‘I, George Karazaki, think that you, “Ikki” Igarashi, are a transgender woman, meaning that while you have a boy’s body, you have a girl’s heart; You are a woman and you desire & deserve to be treated that way.”

“That’s crazy. I could never...no way. I mean, I’d think I’d know by now if... and besides I’m a woman’s woman. Er. Dangit, you know what I mean. This makes no sense!”

George slammed his head into the desk, repeatedly.

“You...okay there?”

On the fifth slam, George raised his head, “Grab the pamphlet. We’re going to head home and have an honest discussion with your mom.”

Ikki cocked her head, “Why her?”

“Just...come on. Grab the pamphlet I’ll drive you.”

Ikki shrugged and headed out to George’s car. It was a short drive, but too much time to think. So she didn’t. Can’t get hurt by thoughts if you aren’t thinking, after all. Especially not thinking about the whole gender thing. Couldn’t think about the weird shiver she got every time she heard her and girl and...nope! Not thinking about any of that! Just had to zone out, like normal. Numb herself to the dull ache of her body. No thoughts head em- Ow! It felt like someone flicked her in the forehead. What the heck was that?? Maybe if she tried to zone out harder it would go away? She furrowed her brow, staring into the distance, ending up with a killer migraine.

“You okay there, Onsen-Girl? Thinking about gender?”

“Trying not to, but every time I try to zone out like normal, I get head pain.”

George hummed and flipped on his bluetooth, with some j-pop band playing. Then it caught up to Ikki.

“Onsen-Girl?? Seriously??”

“Well, it’s only fair since I call your little sister Karate-Girl.”

“Hmmph.”

George blinked a bit, looking at Ikki before steering his eyes back to the road.

“What??”

George grinned, “Oh, nothing.”

That left Ikki stewing in wondering just what Vice had done to her until they pulled in.

Yukimi Igarashi greeted them as they entered, both hands on her stomach and…

“Mama?”

“Yes Ikki?”

“Why is your demon holding Koshiro? And why is your demon uh.”

“Out?” Yukii smiled innocently as her demon floated, with the baby cradled on the lower portion of the statue. One of the smallest wing segments was out of place, with its tip in the mouth of Koushiro.

“Yeah, because last I remember it could level a city!”

“Jeez, and make a poor pregnant mother carry a second child in her arms? What else was I supposed to do?”

Ikki’s eyebrow twitched while George smile manically at the imposing demon.

Ikki counted on her fingers, “Baby Bjorn, Baby sling, Stroller, cradle, rocking chair, literally anything else! And you aren’t pregnant last I thought? When on earth did that happen??”

“Sweet Ikki, you worry too much.”

Ikki’s eyebrow twitched again, “That demon can level Tokyo. Hell, it could level all of Japan if it wanted!”

“Yes, but it can even nurse! Oh what a burden that is off of me! Anyway! I assume one adult for Mr. Karizaki over there?”

Ikki floundered at that statement, but George picked up pace.

George shook his head, “Actually, maybe later. But for now, we’ve had a breakthrough in reviving Vice.”

“Oh wonderful! Where is h-e?” Yukimi said, hastily swapping from a feminine pronoun to masculine. What did she, George, and just about everyone that wasn’t Ikki know?

“Not quite ready, it appears. But the result is that Vice has contracted Ikki. With some. Interesting results. Tell me, how did that catchphrase of yours go? ‘The neediest guy in Japan!’”

“No no no, it’s ‘The Nosiest Woman in Japan!’ Wait. Dangit. You tricked me Mr. Karizaki. Its Woman not Man. Darnit. I’m a woman same as- oh gosh darn it!”

Yukimi grinned, before the smile faded as George explained his thoughts, “So. Apparently their contract stipulated that Ikki cannot refer to herself with masculine terms.”

Yukimi sighed, “Yeah, it was about time someone resorted to drastic measures. Welcome to the sisterhood, my dear daughter.”

“Wait wait wait no! I’m not a girl! I’m uh. Well, what’s the guy version of a Boku girl?”

Yukimi’s hands left her stomach, shaking as they changed direction from moving up to her face to clasping on Ikki’s chubby cheeks.

“You take after me in so many ways, but you really do have your father’s self awareness. Which is to say, none. Tell me, dear, why couldn’t you be a woman?”

“I just can’t! It’s not for me! I’d make a terrible man. Wait. No. The other thing.”

The external door slammed open, Daichi rushing in through the curtain alongside Kagero...who were in matching sundresses. One white, one black. They even had matching sunhats, with silver bows. Both were out of breath and grinning ear to ear. Ikki and George did a double take, while Yukimi’s wide smile returned.

“Mama! I figured something out about myse...did we interrupt something??”

Yukimi didn’t miss a beat, she walked on up the two pair, grabbing one of each of their hands, “Not at all dears! So, what did you work out?”

“Well...it goes like this...”