Ichigo led them through the corridors of the Guild Hall, hoping his memory of the Chiming Bones’ location was correct. It was one thing to see the endless halls of doorways through a screen and another to walk those halls, each identical to the last. It was a disorienting maze larger than he’d ever dreamed possible.

(How many Guilds made their home here?)

(He’d never been that curious, but seeing it like this, all the hundreds upon hundreds of doors, one after the next…)

(It brought things into perspective.)

At least he’d figured out the trick to the menu: a touch of mental focus and he could see entire screens of information. He seemed to have access to his entire HUD — minus the mini-map, unfortunately, which meant that he could see the Guild Names floating over the doors. It helped orient him, with Guild Names like ‘SKUNK💠DESIGNS’ and ‘Hardcore Ragnarok’ serving as landmarks that he’d been amused by in the past.

The unnatural hallways were creepy without the bustle of players moving to and fro, and between that and the brewing chaos outside his sisters were clinging close and eyeing their surroundings warily. So it was with relief when he finally spotting the door for the Chiming Bones and brought the group over to it.

Except… except staring at the door, identical to every other door on this floor, Ichigo couldn’t bring himself to knock.

Beryl was a kind woman but Ichigo had already seen players turning insular. Would the Chiming Bones Guild fall into the same mindset? Would they refuse his request because he’d already turned down their offer to join them?

(He should have called ahead. Should have assured himself of their welcome first, before dragging everyone here.)

(He didn’t want to impose on anyone.)

(But his sisters…)

“Ichi-nii?” Yuzu asked, leaning into his side and looking between him and the door in question.

Ichigo grimaced and shook off his hesitation, raising his fist to knock on the door. He wouldn’t know unless he tried, and this was a better option than anything else he could think of.

The menu over the door flashed and switched to ‘please wait’. Ichigo breathed a sigh and dropped a hand to rest on Yuzu’s shoulder in reassurance, stamping down his nerves.

It wasn’t long before the door swung open and a familiar face peered out at them. It wasn’t Beryl, but the sight of Michiyo at the door was a relief all its own. The Fox-Tail held no official position in the guild, but he was one of Beryl’s best friends and part of her regular adventuring party. If he was around… maybe things wouldn’t be as bad as Ichigo dreaded.

Michiyo took them in with a concerned expression, his fox-ears slowly flattening into a posture that felt like worry to Ichigo. The man stepped back from the door, fingers flicking through a menu, then gestured for them to enter. “I added those two to the permissions,” he told Ichigo. “Come in, please.”

“Thank you,” Ichigo breathed, relief making his knees weak. He ushered his sisters into the guild house and followed after them, Chad at his side. The sound of the door clicking closed felt like safety, like a barrier against the absurdity of the world outside. Michiyo’s silent presence at their back was also a comfort; Ichigo had been in enough raids with the Chiming Bones to know that Michiyo was a kind, reliable man despite his general reticence. “Is… is Beryl..?”

“She is,” Michiyo reassured him as he stepped around the group and opened another door into the guild’s sitting room. He padded across the room, steps more careful than graceful, and settled in a chair. “Only seven of our guild are missing. They weren’t online last I recall.”

The sitting room was just as Ichigo remembered from the handful of times he’d visited when Elder Tales was a game. The ridiculous Halloween wallpaper and decorative rug looked even more ridiculous in person — there would never be anything stately about partying skeletons, sorry Beryl — but the ring of couches and chairs was inviting.

Ichigo took the couch across from Michiyo, sitting in the center so his sisters could sit on either side of him without needing to ask. He glanced over as Chad sat down on Yuzu’s other side, wondering how his friend was handling things so far.

Chad met his look with a steady gaze, hands clasped together and body still in that way Ichigo knew meant his friend was uncomfortable but still able to go on.

(Which… was about where Ichigo was.)

(Strange senses niggled at his mind but… it was okay. He could brush it aside for the moment.)

(He could ignore what being Half Alv meant for another few hours.)

He looked back to Michiyo and licked his lips, wondering where to start, what to even say. He’d come to beg aid of the Guild and… and he couldn’t. The words remained trapped in his throat, dying before he could give voice to them.

Ichigo had promised himself all those years ago that he would protect his sisters since Goat-Face wouldn’t. But how could he protect them from an entire world? Theldesia wasn’t Earth, and Michiyo’s swaying tails and fox ears drove that point home even more than Chad’s plate-mail and wolf ears could.

Michiyo watched him calmly, waiting out the silence with the patience he was known for. His nine tails were draped over the arms of the chair, still but for the occasional lazy twitch, and he looked… at ease. Careful steps aside, nothing about Michiyo gave Ichigo any hint that the man was at all uncomfortable in his new body.

(He wasn’t surprised. Michiyo had always struck him as controlled.)

(Even with a raid falling apart around them, Michiyo kept his head.)

(Why would now be any different?)

It was that control, that patience, that finally let Ichigo knock the words free. He cleared his throat, sent one last questioning glance at Chad, then said, “I… I know we turned Beryl down when she offered us a place in the Chiming Bones. And… and I know you’re high level raid guild and not really a place for newbies, but I… I don’t…” Ichigo grimaced as the words died in his throat again and gestured helplessly at his sisters sitting next to him.

Michiyo looked between them, pale green eyes sharp with understanding. “Kuro-san, there is no need to beg. Beryl wasn’t offended by your refusal. None of us were. It happens. And given the… events of late—” a wry smile twisted Michiyo’s expression at the words— “given the events, we are not so prideful as to turn away those who need a home.”

“Too right!” Beryl exclaimed as she strode into the room, arms spreading in a welcoming gesture. “We’re not the Black Swords after all! The level requirement was only there because low level players couldn’t really participate in our Guild Raids until then.” She flopped down in another chair, sprawling sideways with her legs draped over the arm, and examined Karin and Yuzu. “Siblings?”

Ichigo nodded, wrapping an arm around each of his sisters in a comforting gesture. Yuzu was trembling against his side and he could tell that Karin was on the verge of breaking for the first time in years.

(He wanted to hurt whoever had done this to them.)

(But he couldn’t. He couldn’t do anything.)

(He was just as helpless, just as trapped, as they were.)

“That’s fine.” Beryl flicked her menu open and scrolled through it for a moment. “You’ll need to head out to the Guild counter to confirm, just like before, but the Chiming Bones accepts your request to join.” She straightened up a bit, tone turning serious, and said, “Be welcome amongst us and know that there will always be a place here for you all to sleep.”

A Guild Request popped up in Ichigo’s vision and he slumped in relief.

Safety acquired.

Now what?