A/N: This story is dedicated to my brother who managed to pull me out of my three year-long writer's block and got me interested in writing again. Special mention also to my tia abuela who provided me with the perfect inspiring/mind-numbing week in Madrid during which I wrote this entire story on notebook in fountain pen.

A massive thank you goes to my amazing beta, Nori (StupidityNowOffersWisdom on FFN). She was great with putting up with my overly-flowery and poetic language. You can find her here (please remove the spaces):
 www . fanfiction u/2404662/

Before you review, I would like you to know that this story is based completely on my own personal head-canon generated after watching the PV. Please do not message me about my "incorrect" interpretation. To each his own.

The story is based on the English cover of Synchronicity which can be found at the following link (please remove the spaces):
 www . youtube watch?v=Y_8Zs0KO3wI

Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to Vocaloid nor am I in any way responsible for the cover I have linked above. Those belong to their respective owners and artists. I am merely the author of the following words.

~Tales of Synchronicity~

According to the legends of the Divas, the village of Akemia was where it had all begun. Once upon a time many centuries ago, a young girl was wandering outside the woods bordering the village. The light of midday shone through the canopies, illuminating her green hair and eyes. It also revealed bluish bruises around her face and arms—"battle scars", as she called them. A boy two years her senior gave her those bruises earlier that day when she had ran into him on the street. He threw nasty words like "wretch" and "unholy"; the words had hurt her, but they were not unfamiliar. She had gotten accustomed to such vocabulary in her short nine years of life.

In truth, no one had ever treated her kindly. When she was little, people had begun to notice her strange behaviour. She would talk to wild animals, having conversations that only she could understand. She had been born with an unusual power: creature-speak. Their language was not just a jumble of chirps and growls to her. She heard their words clear as her own thoughts. Folk treated her like a freak, spiting and cursing her existence. Her parents threw her out. When the hostility of the villagers grew unbearable, this girl escaped into the forest for a short time. She investigated every nook and crevice, her insatiable curiosity fuelling her little adventure.

This time, however, her curiosity had her taking off in a blind sprint because soon she found herself in an unfamiliar clearing. When she came back to her senses, the direction home had been swept from her mind. Taking in her surroundings, she found herself adjacent a sheer rock face dropping down into the mouth of a cavern. She craved to know where it led.

The cave was damp and dark, but it was not as cold as it should have been. The air was warm and smoky, as if someone was burning a fire inside. Yet there was no sound of people—only a low rumbling noise echoed off the rocky walls. Venturing further, it wasn't long before the girl was met with a figure she didn't quite understand.

Whatever it was, it was massive— easily twice the size of the parson's chapel. Its thick, scaly legs were bent under an expanse of leathery wings. Foot-long spikes trailed down its spine to the tip of its tail. The scales were an iridescent grey-green colour from what the girl could make out in the low light. Finally, its head: a picture from nightmares with sharp spines, and nostrils which leaked black smoke with every breath. She had heard of such a creature from the boys who bullied her: shouts about how dragons would come and gobble her up with their powerful jaws. At least they had the anatomy correct...

Terrified but intrigued, she approached the dragon. With a sudden inhale of breath, the beast raised its head and opened one golden eye. The slitted pupil was focused directly on her small form, scrutinizing every aspect of the girl.

'Are you here to kill me, young one? The town could not have sent a worse assassin, it spoke, but to her no noises left its mouth. Instead, its thoughts seemed to flow straight into her mind.

Fear gripped the girl, but she was determined to respond. How often does one meet a real-life dragon? "…kill you?"

'Is that not your purpose?'

"No."

'Then why have you come?'

That had stopped her. No one had ever questioned her like this before. Folk tended to keep away from her or spit foul language in her direction. How should she answer? She came on a whim, running away from her village? That kind of pathetic answer wasn't good enough for a dragon. Silence lingered in the cave, so much so that the pause was almost tangible. The girl thought hard before once again facing her interrogator.

"Curiosity."

At this, the dragon let out an amused snort, its nostrils sending out another puff of black smoke.

'Do you know what I am, young one?'

"A dragon." As the word rolled off her tongue, there was rightness to it. It fit. All sorts of connotations came to mind: ancient, powerful, merciless, savage, dangerous.

This seemed to amuse it. 'And what do your parents tell you about dragons?'

"Dragons are vicious, ruthless, and cruel creatures that eat children. At least, that's what the boys in my village say."

The dragon let out a low growl, its eyes narrowing. 'What utter nonsense. There is no point for dragons to pursue human children for sustenance. They are too well-guarded, leave a bad taste, and their village is almost sure to retaliate.'

The girl's curiosity only increased. "How do you know? Is that what happened to you?" When the words left her, she regretted them. There was scorn in the dragon's eyes.

'You think I eat human children?' It approached her, extending its neck until the tip of its nose was mere inches from hers. 'Does that terrify you, young one?'

It did. It totally and utterly froze her with panic, but somehow she found control of her voice long enough to answer. "…no."

The dragon blew smoke from its nostrils once more, sending the girl into a coughing fit. 'You have a dangerous sense of curiosity, young one. It will get you hurt someday. Now, run along.'

It turned around and retreated deeper in the cave. Its tail swung around and pushed the girl firmly towards the entrance.

Instead of running, she tiptoed around the tail and ran her hand tentatively on the dragon's wings. The rough scales scratched at her palms, but it was somehow soothing to her. She continued to stroke them and the dragon paid her no mind until under the pitch black darkness of the cave, her hand reached a deep gash at the base of its wing. The dragon let out an all-might roar and tried weakly to move its wings as if to push the girl away, but it could only manage a small twitch before pain once again shot up its body. It thrashed about, its tail knocking down the walls of the cave. Rocks fell from the ceiling, only narrowly avoiding her. A shard of rock broke off a falling boulder and whizzed past her head, barely grazing her. Blood trickled down the side of her face.

Good, the dragon through to itself, she'll run away and leave me be. It could only imagine her expression of shock and terror.

To its surprise, determination spread across her face. "Stop moving. You're hurt!"

The dragon was taken aback. She was now tearing her dress into strips. It was futile; the entire garment did not have enough cloth to dress its wounds. The determination did not leave her, though, and the cloth she pressed onto its body was already sticking to the blood-soaked scales.

'Why are you doing this?' the dragon questioned.

"Because you look sad," she answered. "You're lonely, aren't you?"

The dragon turned its head questioningly.

"The animals say that my eyes look like that too when I'm lonely." Finally, it understood. This girl was an outcast, rejected by her family and spurned by her village. No wonder she was wandering this far from the mountains by herself.

The girl grasped at the scales, tears beginning to form at the edges of her eyes. "You've been wronged too, haven't you?"

Wronged? What sort of childhood did this girl have? Just how many people had betrayed her trust and harmed her spirit? Under her mask of innocence, however, it could see it: the urge to seek justice… revenge. It laid dormant, yes, but never lost.

The dragon mused at their situation. What a pair they were - the crippled dragon and the village outcast. And yet, the parallels were there.

'Music.'

"…what?" Confusion was plain on the girl's face.

'That is why I was attacked. Many years ago, I used to dwell near Lystra, the musical capital of this realm. Not far from here it lies basking under the sun with its white marble edifices and golden adornments. Singers, pianists, conductors, and composers filled the streets. There was a constant song chiming through the streets and a melody floating in the air.' The dragon paused to look at the girl who had now shifted positions. She knelt beside its tail, eyes wide with interest. 'I was enchanted by the song of this one maiden: a girl some years older than you with blue hair. She lived in an estate on the edge of the village. Every night should would emerge onto the balcony and sing lullabies, although there were no children to be put to bed. Instead, it was if she sang the world to sleep. Many nights I would quietly approach the edge of the forest, straining to hear even the softest note. I wasn't aware of the danger, for that type of thought had long since left me. Instead, my world was completely engulfed in that lovely sound.'

'One night, I flew down to the woods outside of her home. I lay still and silent, listening for her song. The anticipation of that beautiful melody was almost as sweet as the tune itself. However, I hadn't realized that I had gotten too close—too attached to this human. The villagers noticed me and they wasted no time. I was innocent of any crime, but that did not matter to the lot of them. Even the maiden looked at me with terror. I would never hear her voice, nor enjoy her song again. All I wanted was that music…'

'Dragons can live for eternity so long as they are not killed. However, if we are injured, those injuries take time to heal. The sting of their weapons still plagues me to this day. My wings are crippled; I cannot move as easily as I once could. I vow, however, to repay them ten times the pain they dealt to me. One day...'

The dragon trailed off and noticed the droplets falling from the girl's cheeks. She was on the verge of sobbing. "That's such a sad story…" Her choked cries erupted into full wails.

Taken aback, the dragon turned to her. 'You would cry for a dragon's plight? You are truly a strange child, young one.'

She wiped the tears from her face. "My name is Miku Hatsune."

A light shone in the dragon's eyes. 'Indeed it is, young one.'

A hooded figure treaded softly yet quickly over the thick undergrowth. She whizzed past bushes and hopped over tangled roots at great speed. Her satchel bounced at her side, filled to the brim with smoked meats pilfered from the butcher's at the dead of night. Following and invisible path, she avoided all well-worn roads until she reached the mouth of a cave. She stepped inside, removing her hood and revealing long green hair and brilliant green eyes. Several hundred feet deeper into the cavern laid the scaly form of the dragon she had met seven years ago. It lay curled up by a large, shallow pool snoring softly.

The girl grinned as she snuck closer to the dragon. Manoeuvring around its tail as she had done before, she planted her hands on its bent knee and was about to jump into its back before a voice appeared in her mind: 'If you jump, I will roast you.'

Sheepishly, she chuckled and removed her hands. "I thought you were asleep, milord."

'Who could sleep with the smell of wet human filling their home?' Miku cautiously sniffed her soaked hair. 'And another thing: dragons have no concept of nobility and titles. I am no lord.'

She pursed her lips in thought. "But you have the atmosphere of a nobleman. Proud, eloquent, haughty… Also, you've not told me your name, so I need something to call you."

At this, the dragon sighed through its nose, releasing a cloud of smoke. 'If you still insist on calling me by that title, at least say it properly. It is "my Lord".'

Miku grinned at the dragon. "Yes, my Lord." Her gentle smile warmed its heart. During these past seven years, Miku had grown rather beautiful by human standards: long green hair, a slender body, and a face that would put Helen to shame. However, her status made her an easy target for the villagers. This was obvious by her scarred hands, marked by "punishments" given out by jealous or terrified folk. Still, Miku had endured it all wearing her characteristic smiling mask. The dragon could still see that spark of revenge which used to lie sleeping within her, only now it hid just beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment to be unleashed.

'What is the news in the village?' The usual small talk would do to appease her today, it decided.

"That Akaito was bothering me again," Miku began. "He threw stones at me and told me I was 'unholy'."

'You spend your days speaking to an ancient dragon in a cave. Do you feel unholy?'

Miku smiled at it. "No, my Lord; I feel like the most blessed person in the world to have a friend like you."

The dragon gazed softly at the girl. Their tender moment was cut short, however, by the sounds of footsteps over sliding rock. Its head snapped up. Miku looked at him with worried eyes. "Is something the matter, my Lord?"

'Did anyone follow you here, young one?'

She shook her head. "No one. I took a route through the heart of the forest to get here. I avoided all roads. Not one soul in that village knows these woods as well as I do."

It was obvious to the dragon that her efforts to conceal her path hadn't been enough. Torches became visible from the mouth of the cave, but they were only there for a moment before it was once again dark.

"They're gone. I'll wait a while longer before I return to the village so I don't run into them. I'm already in enough trouble as it is with them finding out I spend my days wandering the woods. Don't worry. I won't let them discover you." She stood up and dusted off her dress. Her rambling continued while she fastened her hood and started for the mouth of the cave. "I'll leave the meat here for you. I brought you some venison I, err, 'liberated' from the butcher. Stingy bastard raised the prince again, and there was no way for me to afford it, so I thought I'd just—"

'Miku.' The dragon warned. Said girl stopped in her tracks. Her "lord" had never called her by name before. 'I don't believe it is a good idea for you to return to the village.'

Silence fell over the cave. She let out a nervous chuckle to break the tension. "Please don't worry, my Lord. I can handle myself. Besides, no one has found you yet and they never will." Her eyes burned with determination. "I will protect you."

'Stay here, young one. Something bad is about to happen. I don't want you harmed.'

The dragon had never showed this much affection for her before. Miku felt happy, but it also felt off. She could take care of herself and the villagers couldn't do anything worse to her than they already had, so there was absolutely no reason for the dragon to worry. "I will return tomorrow evening. I promise."

With one last smile, she left the cave.

"You saw her, didn't you?!" An 18 year-old Akaito roared. "She was talking to a dragon! She called it 'my Lord'! If that's not enough proof that she's an unholy witch, then your brain has gone soft!"

He was raging at the mayor, Master Saltzer. The parson was the only one left in their village of Akemia who didn't believe that Miku was anything other than a teenage girl who drew a bad lot in life. Saltzer had the final decision when it came to punishing criminals, and the heresy that Akaito was accusing Miku of was a major crime. "My boy, stop tormenting this poor girl. She has gone through many hardships and is bearing them well, just as the Lord wants from her."

"But our Lord isn't a fire-breathing monster—hers is!"

"You were obviously hearing things. Do not trouble me any longer with these stories, or you will be cleaning the stables from top to bottom."

Akaito was taken aback. Why did he believe him? "But—"

"Out of my sight," Saltzer demanded. He turned heel and ran as fast as he could.

When he was sure the mayor couldn't see him, Akaito stopped. He continued mumbling under his breath, "Stupid witch girl. I hate her. I wish she'd never been born in this village."

"I agree with you, Master Akaito," said a voice from the shadows.

Akaito turned on his heel and saw a man walk out of the alleyway. His plain black vestment and wide-brimmed black hat made it plain as day who he was. "Good morning, Father Kurugi."

Father Kurugi was the village parson. He was a man with a straight-and-very-narrow mind set and manipulated the pious villagers through his sermons. A well-worn and dog-eared Bible was his ever present companion. Kurugi hated many things: children's laughter, spring days, but most of all he hated anything unnatural. That girl, Miku Hatsune, was the epitome of unnatural. Not only did she possess the ability to understand creature-speak, but she talked to them. In public. How awful.

"I noticed your contempt for that Hatsune girl. What has she done this time?"

Smirking, Akaito told him everything. How he had found her talking to a dragon, how she had slandered the village, and especially how she had addressed the dragon as a lord. Exaggerations and outright lies poured from his lips as naturally as breathing. It was almost like he sustained himself on such untruths.

The parson's eyes went wide and his grin even wider. "I see. Well, we shall have to deal with her then, won't we?"

"The mayor refuses to do anything about her," Akaito whined.

Kurugi patted him on the head. "Leave everything to me, boy. I have enough sway with the villagers. Miku Hatsune will never bother us again."

Two continued down the main road, exchanging hushed whispers of plans. They passed the butcher who had enough problems with the girl for she always found a way to steal bits of meat from under his nose. Next was the baker, who cursed the girl for creeping off with the stale ends of the loaves he baked. The people of the village definitely had enough grievances to convict the wench.

When the two passed the marketplace, a curious shop stopped the parson in his tracks. It was more a stand than a shop, set-up by a travelling peddler passing through the town on his way to Lystra. His wares looked foreign in nature: packs of spices, sticks of incense, and odd pieces of clothing. Resting on a pillow in the centre of the table was the most curious piece of all: a porcelain grey mask. The ends were flared up into spikes and the nose bridge met in a point at the tip. It appeared animalistic, but there were no extra embellishments. The beauty and elegance of the thing came from its shape, not what was put over it.

The mask summoned memories of the girl in Kurugi's mind. This mask was truly worthy of her and her animalistic nature, but both were also comparable in beauty. No one in the village knew of the parson's secret yearning. After all, he was a man as well, and the Hatsune girl was a woman ripe for the taking. He allowed himself a brief moment to think about her in ways that would make his apprentice red with embarrassment: how her lips would taste, how that beautiful green hair would feel wrapped around his fingers, how those slender legs would feel wrapped around his waist…

He shook his head to clear such thoughts. No! These are not my own ideas. That witch is poisoning my mind, he decided. No man as pure as he was could ever be tainted with such images of a witch. He looked the vender in the eyes. "You and your wares are not welcome in this village. Get out." The peddler merely gaped at him in shock, but Kurugi had already moved in, his apprentice chasing after his heels. Still, in the corner of his eye, the parson couldn't help but linger on the mask for a moment longer.

Miku returned to the village without incident. No one had looked at her twice, just as it had always been. There's nothing to worry about, Miku thought. The villagers aren't smart enough to notice something directly in front of them. Her thoughts drifted back to the words she would receive when she returned to the cave safe and sound.

How long had she spent with her Lord Dragon? When they had met, she was a young girl of nine years abandoned by her family. She'd lived running from shelter to shelter, searching for scraps and avoiding the glares of the townsfolk. Why did they hate her so much?

A part of her had always thought it was jealousy. Her understanding of creature-speak meant that all of nature's secrets could be hers. She knew exactly what leaves to brew into tea to cure any illness. The sweetest water and juiciest fruits were within her grasp; she need only ask politely and the animals would show her the way. Even the location of potential rough gem and silver mines could be hers, yet none of these interested her. The beauty of her power was the bonds she could form with creatures.

Most importantly, she thanked all the gods that they'd brought her to her Lord. It was as if she'd found this brilliant spark in her world of ugly shadows. Their happiness, though simple and modest, was incomparable to anything else she'd experienced.

Sunset was approaching quickly, signalling to Miku it was time to depart. She snatched up her satchel and made her way under the gates of the village to avoid detection. The guards of Akemia were hardly the most alert, so sneaking out was unnecessary. Still, it was better to stay safe, especially when she had her Lord's safety to think about.

The last rays of light disappeared over the horizon when she arrived at the cavern. "My Lord!" she called out. "I've returned!" She all but skipped inside, depositing her satchel onto the ground and plopping herself onto a boulder. "I promised I would come back."

The dragon turned to her with relief in its eyes. 'So you did, young one.' She grinned at it while rummaging through her bag. Her sudden paused confused it. 'Is something wrong, young one?'

She knocked on her head. "I'm such an airhead. I've forgotten the food I promised you." She got back to her feet and closed her bag. In that moment, the dragon could hear the same sound as yesterday, only multiplied twenty times, footsteps and sliding rocks, only now it was accompanied by the crackle of torches.

'Young one, do not leave this cave,' the dragon commanded.

"Again?" Miku asked in exasperation. "Haven't I already proved that I can handle myself out there? There's nothing to worry about." The dragon was about to retaliate, but she'd already disappeared out of the cave.

The next few minutes would change the fate of the realm forever.

Shouts of rage erupted from outside the cave. The dragon shakily got to its feet, the wounds from years ago flaring up once again. Its knees buckled under the stress and gave way. Collapsing, it let out a loud whine. 'Young one! Are you alright? Speak to me!'

Its heart sunk when it was answered with a high-pitched, blood-curdling scream.

Outside the cave, Miku knelt on the ground held up only by the guards who grasped her arms. She was convulsing in pain, smoke drifting from her eyes. The world was completely black now. Above her, the parson smirked with accomplishment.

"How fitting," the parson began, "that your sight would be taken by fire. This is divine intervention. No longer will you tarnish our village with your unholy power." His words were answered only with hysteric cries from the girl.

"Father." Miku recognized Akaito's voice. "What do we do now? We cannot bring her back to the village with us." He tried to sound brave, but there was no doubt that he was terrified looking at the crippled girl in front of him. He didn't expect the parson to go so far.

The parson gripped Miku's chin between his fingers, lifting her face to meet his. "I have an idea that will make the witch very happy. She can die by the hand of her 'Lord' whom she loves so dearly." Gesturing to the guards to lift her up, she was put on her feet. The parson rummaged through a sack until his hand brushed porcelain. "I have one last parting gift for you, witch."

On her face, he placed a grey mask.

"Throw her back into the cave. Then, blow up the entrance so that neither of them can escape," the parson commanded.

The guards nodded and carried the girl's limp body to the mouth of the cavern. They unceremoniously tossed her form into the darkness. She rolled further into the black, the craggy rock floor cutting at her arms and legs.

The dragon saw her lying on the ground, mask still attached. 'Young one! Are you hurt?' In the low light of the cave, it could only make out a trickle of blood that flowed from under her mask.

They'd blinded her. It let out a roar of anger. How dare those humans hurt her! She was innocent!

Dynamite charges were set at the mouth of the cave and the mob stepped back into the forest. Only the parson, guards, and Akaito were left to witness what would surely be the end of the village's dark secret.

"Detonate."

The explosion that followed racked the entire mountain. Boulders split off the rock face and fell over the entrance, closing it forever. Inside, the ceiling was crumbling over them. The dragon had extended its wing to shield Miku's body from the falling debris. 'Young one, can you hear me?' It was no use; she wasn't answering. Could she be dead?

It was too much. Red clouded the dragon's vision. It began striking at the cave walls with its tail, its wings— any part of its body. It had to find a way out. Blind fury made the dragon throw its entire body against the side of the cavern, trying desperately to break through the rock. At this point, the entrance was indistinguishable from the rest of the cave wall and there was no way to know which way to go.

The dragon didn't stop, though. It continued to blitz at the walls, its wounds reopening and blood pouring down its sides. Soon its vision began to blur, its energy depleting. 'No! We won't die here!'

Cracks formed in the walls, splitting the boulders in meter-long cracks. One more barrage, and the rocks crumbled away to reveal an enormous clearing further into the mountain. In this space, the air was sweeter and the dragon could hear the trickling of water. It must have been carved out by flowing steams higher in the mountain.

At least, that's what it thought before the sight reached it. The clearing did not look like it had been carved out by water at all. Instead, it looks like it was formed by hands. The walls opened up at the top of a natural rock staircase, winding down the cave wall. The stairs ended at a smooth rock platform in the centre of the hall flanked by four crystal pillars emerging from a pool. The water glowered with a blue brilliance.

The dragon sighed in relief; this was not the end. It turned its head and gently shifted Miku's body until she was draped over its snout. The smell of her blood assailed the dragon, but it gritted its teeth against the stench. With as much effort as it could muster, it began to drag its body down the stairs towards the centre of the hall. Blood continued to pour form its body, staining each step. Its vision was blackening at the edges; it wasn't long before it would lose consciousness.

With what remaining force the dragon had left, it hefted its body onto the platform and lowered its snout into the water. Miku floated in the blue glow, the blood washing off of her body. The sight of her limp form swaying in the water was the last thing the dragon saw before darkness overtook it.

Father Kurugi was all but skipping on return from the forest. Finally, he was rid of that girl once and for all! Her devious, unholy, evil magic would never threaten him again! He couldn't help the smile that graced his face at the thought of her limp corpse being burned to a crisp by the dragon. It served her right, that witch.

At his side, his apprentice Akaito looked absolutely green. The sight of the parson torching the girl's eyes must have been too much for him to handle. Her screams and the smell of burning flesh was enough to make anyone sick. Still, it was necessary for him to see. The life of a parson was not all sermons; there was dangerous and dirty work involved. All forms of occult magic must be expunged, and the business of ridding the world of heretics was never pretty.

Soon he would learn. Akaito was now eighteen, a man. In no time he would begin his official parson training. Kurugi smirked. The boy would become a fine parson, having been taught by the best in the realm. Who knows, maybe the boy's success would only further his own.

However, if it did, there was no way Kurugi would allow him to supplant his teacher. There were measures that needed to be taken. The boy must be sent away as soon as possible. He must be convinced that Akemia is not the place for him. He would not stand for competition. The parson's connections in Lystra should suffice to keep the boy away long enough for him to forget his ties to the village.

He placed his hand on the boy's head. "Is something the matter, boy? You don't seem happy."

Akaito looked at his teacher with a conflicted expression. "Not at all, father! I am happy that we were able to remove another source of evil from this world. That witch deserved it. It's just…" He trailed off, breaking eye contact with his teacher.

"…just?" The parson questioned.

"The image of her when we came out of the forest… when the guards grabbed her, she was crying. She was shouting into the cave, trying to warn the dragon of us. It was as if she wasn't at all concerned for her own fate."

Kurugi was confused. Why did any of this matter? "She was probably confident that she could escape us with that black magic of hers. Don't concern yourself with it anymore."

Akaito continued to look downcast. "But when we burned her, she kept crying. Under her breath, I thought she had finally given up and repented. She was praying. She kept repeating: 'my Lord… my Lord'."

Did the boy pity her? The parson would not stand for it. He stopped the boy and turned Akaito to face him. "Look at me, boy." He did. "She was nothing but pure evil. Ever since her birth, nothing good has come to Akemia. All the proof you need is the fact that her one and only friend in life was a dragon. Both of them were creatures of black magic. Unnatural, unholy beings. I never want you to speak her name again. Are we understood?"

Akaito opened his mouth to protest. "But father, I still don't understand—"

"There is nothing to understand! She was our enemy, and we destroyed her! Listen here, boy. If you learn anything from me, it is this: remove any obstacles that are in your path by any means necessary. The Lord will be pleased with your actions and he will reward you." The parson turned and left him on the path, disgusted by the weakness his apprenticed showed.

Akaito looked deeply at the dusty path, trying to glean the answers he so desperately wanted. They revealed nothing to him.

When the dragon woke, it saw Miku awake and trying to manoeuvre the cave without her sight. Her cuts were healed, but she still wore the mask which was adhered to her face with dried blood. She gripped its leg and tried to take a step forward, but that was as far as she went. It witnessed her fall over and over again, its heart sinking with every cry of pain she let out. It could help her, but a price had to be paid. 'Would you like to see again, young one?'

She lowered her head. There was no telling where her Lord was, so she spoke to the ground. "What is there left to see? The villagers tried to kill me… I can never return. It is no home to me anymore."

It approached her. She tried to get up and walk again, but almost immediately lost her balance. Before she could hit the ground, the dragon caught her with its snout. 'There is still justice to be done. I could restore you sight, but at a cost. You will become tied to me for eternity, never aging.' It lowered its head to let her sit down. 'I will give you my power. You will no longer be human. From you, I will only request that you become my voice and harden your heart against their kind. Attachment to humans will only serve to hurt you in the end.'

Miku reached out her hand and stroked the dragon's snout. A rush of emotion swept through her and tears sprung to her eyes. Her Lord was trying to save her and give her new purpose. It wanted her to share in its path. No longer would she be an outcast. It was all she had left. She wrapped her arms around it and pressed her face against the warm scales. "I live for you, my Lord."

Eight years had passed since the day Miku had given up her humanity. She had agreed to the dragon's conditions, and in exchange her eyes were healed. They were now golden like her Lord's with grey-green scales where the scars from her burn once were. Aside from that, her physical appearance had not changed at all; she still had the look of a sixteen year-old girl.

In that time, she learned to see through dragon eyes and shift from its vision to her own. They had a mental link that extended beyond words to include feelings and thoughts. The dragon could open its mind to Miku and hers was laid open for her Lord to see. It took many months to get used to the feeling of another entity in her head, but with it came renewed trust and confidence.

Miku had never left the mountain since then. She had named the hall the "inner sanctuary" because there she felt the safest she'd ever been. After some months, she began to explore the many hidden side passages, some winding for over a mile before opening again into another room. It was during one of these adventures that she discovered a room that had an oculus in the roof, leading outside of the mountain.

"My Lord! I've found a way out of the mountain!" She ran through a passage adjacent to the inner sanctuary until it ended in a rectangular hall—her Lord's lair. Sheer rock walls covered three sides with a glowing crystal wall opposite the passage. The dragon was curled up in a sleeping position when Miku found it. "My Lord! Wake up!"

It lifted its head and let out a yawn. Its eyes opened, causing Miku's vision to momentarily shift; now, she saw herself almost jumping out of her skin in excitement. 'What is it, young one?'

She paused for a moment, trying to focus her mind until she regained her own sight. The image of her Lord slowly came into focus. "I've found a room with a hole in the ceiling that leads outside. We can finally escape this cave!"

The dragon pondered this for a moment. 'How high is the ceiling?'

She paused, trying to remember the layout of the room in her mind. The room had been circular with craggy walls all leading to an enormous hole in the roof. Moonlight spilt into the room and landed on a patch of ferns growing in the centre. It was a beautiful sight; one that Miku had not seen in a few years. She shook her head to focus her thoughts on the scale. "I would say about two hundred feet."

At this, the dragon let out a disappointed sigh. It turned to look at its wings, giving a pathetic little flap. There was no longer any pain, but the dragon was still far from being able to fly once again. 'I'm sorry, young one, but I won't be able to reach it. My wings have yet to heal.'

Miku stepped around its massive body until she was just behind its shoulder blades. She ran a delicate hand across the scars on its wings, trying to soothe it. "It's alright, my Lord. I will wait. We have an eternity together, right?"

'That's correct,' the dragon answered. Technically correct. However, it refused to share with her why it was so enthusiastic about leaving the cavern. Upon estimating, it assumed that the monsters that blinded its Miku would be alive for another fifty years or so—a blink of the eye in the lifespan of an ancient creature. However, within that time, the dragon planned to seek its revenge. 'Give me just a bit longer, young one. I promise I will take you outside of this cavern one day.'

That memory was five years old, and the promised day had finally arrived. Miku pulled on her gloves and reached for the mask, its age now showing in the faded colour. She had worn the mask on and off for years, but only now would it go back to the village where it was made. Placing it over her eyes, she tied it in place and ran to the oculus room where her Lord was waiting for her.

The dragon was standing in the moonlight, wings outstretched and basking in its glow. It only then occurred to Miku that this was the first time she'd seen her Lord in its full glory, no longer burdened by old wounds or confining cave walls. It was amazing to behold—a majestic creature of such brilliance and power. Light bounced of its scales and gave them an ethereal, green shine. Its golden eyes burned with fury and lust for revenge. That look both terrified and excited her in a way that only her Lord could.

"Shall we, my Lord?" She grabbed a hold of its back and swung her leg across until she was straddling its neck. Her staff, made of silver from the cavern and forged with her Lord's fire, hung from a sling across her back.

'I have waited a long time for this night, young one. I hope you enjoy this as much as I will.' Giant, leathery wings began to flap, creating a gust of wind that swept through the entire clearing. Slowly, the ground fell away from them as they took to the skies.

The village of Akemia was where it had all began, according to the legends of the Divas. That place, tucked away in the shadow of the much larger Lystra, gave itself airs because of its location and connection with the city. Its folk boasted the most pious individuals, and indeed their parson was famous throughout the hills. People spoke of how he transfixed his parishioners with her sermons and how he commanded absolute obedience in the name of the Lord.

Perhaps it was because of this haughtiness that the people bore that had doomed them. Some say it was because the villagers killed a girl that the dragon had grown fond of. Till this day, no one knows for sure, but one thing is for certain: the village of Akemia no longer exists. It was burned to ashes one day by the dragon who now rules the realm.

It came undetected during a cloudy night. The people of Akemia had nothing to fear that night, for nothing bad had happened in the village in over eight years. However, their blessed streak had broken and luck run out.

It's said that the first sign the dragon gave the villagers of their impending doom was the wind. It beat its massive wings over the clouds, sending gusts through the village. It was spring in the low-lands and wind was uncommon. The people passed it off as a random occurrence, but they could not say the same for what happened next.

The second sign was the smoke. It opened its jaws wide and exhaled clouds of suffocating gas that floated down to the land. The smell of burning and rotten meat reached the townsfolk. They began to panic when their lungs burned, air leaving them.

The third sign was the roar. No one has ever heard a sound as terrible as the sound of a dragon's roar. It is filled with nothing but death and raw fury. Some folk were paralyzed with fear, some could not control their bodily functions, and others had their souls leave them when they heard that awful sound.

The fourth sign the dragon gave the villagers came in the form of a woman riding on its back. The creature landed outside the main gate and off its back she leapt. According to legend, she was a terrifying and beautiful sight to behold. She was covered in black garment and a grey mask adorned her face. In her hand was a silver staff. The remaining villagers backed away from the dragon, but they were transfixed by the beauty before them. She gave off an aura that was inhuman.

"People of Akemia," the woman spoke. Her voice boomed and commanded attention as if it had done so for centuries, but the figure before them looked no different than a human girl of sixteen. "For past crimes against myself and my Lord Dragon, your city must burn." She pointed her silver staff at the people. "Pray for forgiveness to whatever God you hold dear, for you will soon be meeting Him."

A voice rang out from the crowd. "This is ridiculous! How can you speak of God, you vile creature!"

Father Kurugi stepped out of the crowd. Almost a decade without a threat to his person withered away at his sense of danger and inflated his ego. To him, a dragon and its guardian were nothing to fear against the power the Lord.

"Leave this village at once, vermin!"

The woman gave a small smile at Kurugi's entrance. "How nice to see you again, parson."

She removed her mask, revealing the golden eyes beneath. The parson narrowed his eyes in confusion before realization hit him: eight years ago, he'd blinded a witch with green hair outside of a dragon's den. They'd thrown her body into the cave and sealed it shut. It was said that they'd both died. This woman couldn't be the same girl he'd…

"You're not her. I blinded her. I burned her eyes out! I sealed her in a cave! You can't be her!" The parson was becoming hysterical now. She had died!

The woman pointed her staff at the parson. "I guess your Lord isn't as powerful as mine."

In one last act of terror, the dragon set fire to the sky, making the night as bright as any day. The flames rained down on them, setting everything they touched alight. The remaining villagers ran screaming into their houses, but it was no use. The buildings collapsed on themselves, trapping the folk in a fiery cage. It is also said that their screams were indistinguishable from the crackling of the flames that consumed them.

The parson stood there as the flames surrounded him. His kingdom of God had turned into a living Hell, filled with the screams of the damned. All of this death and destruction caused by one little girl…

As he felt the fire lick at his toes, he began to pray. "Oh Lord in heaven…"

Miku closed her eyes, allowing her Lord to enter her mind. When she opened them again, she was sharing her vision with it. They both stared at the parson as he was slowly enveloped.

"Why are you praying, father? The Lord doesn't listen to sinners. He burns them."

The dragon opened its mouth again and the last thing the pastor ever saw was a world of fire.

Akaito, parson-in-training of Akemia, looked at his home from atop the Red Hill. He looked and looked, but the scene would not change. The only visible thing was a circle of fire. No people, no animals, no buildings. Flames and ash.

He had left the village on a trip to neighbouring Lystra as part of his training. The illustrious Father Kurugi had insisted on it. "It will be good for you, boy," the parson had said. "You may even choose to leave Akemia and start a parsonage elsewhere."

Although the parson had said there, there was nowhere else he wanted to be. He had defended his home village ever since he was a young boy from occult things like witches and dragons. His crowning achievement was the burning of that witch Miku Hatsune some eight years back. At least, he thought so.

When Akaito had told this to the Elders in Lystra, they had immediately offered him a position in the largest parsonage in the city. How he couldn't wait to tell his teacher! The next day, he asked for special leave to deliver the news to his village.

They would never receive the news, it seemed. The letter of commendation from the Elders crumpled in Akaito's grip. What had happened here?

His thoughts travelled. His mother, father, brothers, teacher… had they perished within those flames? Would he never see his family again?

So many questions were left unanswered, and he couldn't keep his tears from streaking down his face. The wind picked up, and with it, the letter of commendation flew from his hands towards the village. It stopped just past the gate before the fire consumed it, a small trail of smoke being all that was left of his good news.

Under his breath, Akaito mouthed the words he mindlessly droned every morning and evening. They held new meaning to him now. "Oh Lord in heaven…" He dropped on his knees and prayed.

With nothing left, he turned around and headed back—Lystra was all he had left. Sobs wracked his body the whole way.

Once again in their home, Miku and the dragon were resting in its lair. Miku sat with her back against its belly and her head resting on her knees. Her silver staff lay across her feet in front of her. Thoughts of tonight's attack flooded her mind and images assaulted her. Burning houses, melting flesh, the look on the parson's face when she'd removed her mask.

It had all been so satisfying. She finally had the justice she deserved. Only… why did her heart hurt so much?

More images filled her mind: children hugging their mothers for protection, a boy standing in front of his baby sister to shield her, a man running into his home to save his pregnant wife. They all tugged at her heartstrings. She'd wanted them to feel the pain that they had caused her, but even though it had been their end, none of them had faced it alone…

The dragon looked at her, but she was no longer looking back. Instead, her eyes were downcast. 'What's wrong, young one?'

"It's nothing, it's just…" she felt tears sting at her eyes. There was no way she was going to let her Lord see her cry, especially when they were supposed to be so happy together, so she buried her face in its scales. "I'm a bit lonely..."

The dragon knew this would happen eventually. She was no longer human, but she still had memories of being a human girl. Companionship was crucial for their survival; it was something they needed as much as air or food. The presence of a single dragon would never be enough. What she needed was another human. However, the thought of letting her into another community of humans, especially now when she was no longer one of them, put the dragon on edge. They would reject her just like last time.

Memories of Lystra and Akemia resurfaced. Those wretched humans who attacked him for being a dragon and those who maimed Miku for knowing creature-speak… They deserved to suffer. None of them deserved to be in the presence of its young one.

A fleeting image of a girl with pink curls came to its mind… her beautiful melody echoing through the night.

An idea came: one that would serve both Miku and himself.

'Don't worry, young one. I will make it so that you won't feel lonely anymore.'

Miku wiped her face with the back of her arm. "…Really? How are you going to do that, my Lord?"

Images flashed through her mind of a city on fire, and of a girl with violet hair in the inner sanctuary singing. 'I have a plan.'

Lystra—a sprawling city renowned for its brilliance and its music. Its buildings were made of white marble and decorated with gold domes that shone in the blazing sun. The church bells were always chiming and a melody was always floating through the air. The people sang on the streets, voices accompanied by the sounds of various instruments. It was truly a musical paradise.

And then a day came when it wasn't. A beautiful day such that Lystra had never seen was cut short when a large body blocked the sun's glow. Smoke like a black poison descended from the sky and choked the song out of the folk. The beating of massive wings ripped building off their foundations. A roar like the screams of a hundred dying men penetrated the ears of every person. It was a nightmare come true.

All people below gasped and trembled with fear. On the back of the dragon was a masked woman with long green hair and a silver staff. She looked down at the townsfolk and laughed at their pain.

"Useless humans, so filled with hate for what they do not understand," her voice was filled with scorn. "Let's give them something to truly be afraid of, my Lord."

At that, the dragon opened its mouth and fire rained from the sky.

Buildings, gardens, even humans all caught fire. Their cries and wails created a beautiful cacophony. Lystra—truly the capital of music even while burning, Miku thought. They would not soon forget this night.

The dragon landed in the town square, the surround buildings still ablaze.

The remaining townsfolk began to run when the mysterious woman spoke, "Citizens of Lystra! Your day of reckoning has come."

She pointed her staff in accusation at the townsfolk. "You once wronged my Lord who came only to partake of the music of which you self-absorbed humans continuously boast. No crime had been committed, but you still saw fit to harm him anyway."

The dragon roared in anger at these memories. The folk cowered, but said nothing.

"Now you must be punished. My merciful Lord has decided to spare your pathetic and weak lives for now, but payment must be made. What of the maiden who spurned him? Descendants of her lineage must be sacrificed as Divas and forever sing for my Lord until their last breath. This will be the fate of her line for all eternity."

She removed her mask, revealing reptilian golden eyes surrounded by grey-green scales.

"My Lord, show me your Diva."

Her vision shifted, focusing on a young girl with violet hair. She was crouched behind a pile of wooden barrels. When the dragon woman's gaze fell on her, she let out a cry of terror.

"You," the woman began, "are the next Diva."

She then turned to the villagers. "She is to be prepared and brought to my Lord's lair in the mountains within a fortnight. If not, then your town will be razed to the ground and all of its folk burned to ashes. You will see the end Akemia did."

She had one last look at the Diva. The girl stopped cowering for a moment as she was entranced by the emotion in those golden eyes: rage, betrayal, loneliness, and… pity? How many of those were the dragon's emotions and which were its guardian's?

With one last roar at the lot of them, the dragon began to beat its wings. The gust that followed extinguished the town, saving the remaining villagers for now. The woman jumped onto its back and up they went into the sky. Their silhouette disappeared into the summit of the mountains.

The townsfolk turned to the girl, 14 year-old Avanna. They looked at her with apprehension until someone called out, "Get her!" It was one of the town's elders, the Royal Composer.

"Either she dies, or we all do!" A chorus of voices joined in agreement.

The girl burst into sobs, rushing to her feet and sprinting down the street. The mob followed behind her with torches, shouting for her to stop. Finally, the guards at the main gate grabbed her by the arms. She thrashed, but it was of no avail.

"Please," she begged. "Don't do this."

"It is the will of God, child." Akaito pushed through the crowd. "He has had you borne of the Lapis lineage for a reason. And as always, we must leave things in His hands."

Her eyes grew wide with rage. "Since when did God decide the will of dragons?! Furthermore, I heard that it was your village's foolishness that unleashed the fury of the dragon. The cowards that managed to escape Akemia before it burned to the ground sought protection in Lystra, but you've only brought its fury here! This is your fault!"

The sound of a slap echoed through the plaza. The girl gripped her cheek, her eyes lowered to the ground. "Bind her," Akaito commanded the guards. Their gaze shifted from the parson to Lystra's mayor who only nodded in solemn agreement. Forcing her hands together, they bound her with rope and led her away. She would be held in jail until the town's leaders decided what they would do, but the unspoken consensus was that sacrifice would be necessary.

Miku sighed in exhaustion and laid her staff on the smooth rock floor. Once again in the inner sanctuary of the cavern, she allowed herself to remove both masks: the porcelain one given to her by the Akemians and her own emotional one. She sat with her back against her Lord's belly; her head lolling back to rest on its scales.

"We did it. We exacted revenge on Lystra as you wished."

'You sound unhappy,' the dragon began. 'We should be celebrating.' It sounded almost gleeful. Its tail swung back and forth with joy. 'The pitiful, pathetic humans will never harm us again.'

Miku turned to look into its eyes. She saw herself, doubt and pity etched onto her face. "I just don't understand why we must continue harming them. The Divas haven't done anything to hurt us. That girl… she looked like she hadn't even been born when the townsfolk of Lystra attacked you."

'She's a human; she cannot be innocent!' the dragon snapped. Its eyes narrowed with annoyance. 'It is the humans that are the monsters, not us. They must stay afraid of us. If not, they will only rise and finish us for good! I will never allow them to hurt you again, young one.'

Miku felt the rage radiating from the dragon. This was just like when the villagers had found her outside the cave and had blinded her as punishment. Fifteen years ago, she would have defended the humans because she was one herself. Only now… her humanity had gone long ago. After that, her Lord showed her how much it truly hated their entire race. Every single human deserves to suffer…

She retrieved her staff from the ground. "I shall not question you anymore. You gave me your sight, and I am your voice." She stood and bowed to the dragon. "I will serve you always."

The dragon huffed its approval. "Soon, young one. Once they submit, the humans will never harm us again." It curled its tail around Miku and draped a wing over her.

A tear rolled down her cheek. This was to be her life for the rest of eternity: the guardian of a dragon and overseer of the murder of innocents. She no longer had any heartstrings on which to tug—she cut them long ago. "Yes, my Lord Dragon."

Mistress Kagamine closed the storybook she held on her lap. Beside her, the infant twins Rin and Len slept soundly in their bed. The two grasped for each other in their sleep, searching for the others warmth. They looked so peaceful, lost in the land of dreams far away from the terrible reality of their world. How long would it be before they discovered the same horror and fear that gripped her every day? How many more days of blissful ignorance lay before them?

Around each of their necks were treble amulets she had received from a migrant peddler at the marketplace. They were supposed to be good luck charms, meant to unite the destinies of the two who wore them. He had also given her this book: Tales of Synchronicity.

Kissing both of their heads, she whispered in their ears, "Good night my sweet Len… Rin." She stood and left the room, silently closing the door behind her.