A Nekomata Tale Chapter 17
It was nearly midnight when someone knocked on the door. Goru got out of bed and went to answer the door. Both Shirone and Kuroka also went into the living room and stood guard when he opened the door. Access to the suite was only available to someone with the access cards allowing access to the top floor of the hotel. The only people with those cards were the Hyoudou family, including Shirone, Kuroka and Asia, and the hotel manager and the private maid who only cleaned the suite in the morning. The maintenance staff didn't even have access to the suite without being accompanied by the manager and none of the other staff had access to the suite. Shirone and Kuroka took up defensive positions and they both nodded to Goru who opened the door.
To everyone's surprise, the person at the door was a young woman with blue hair and eyes. Both Shirone and Kuroka could sense that she was a person with great power, but they did not sense any hostility from her. The woman bowed deeply and asked Goru, "Are you the father of Hyoudou Issei?"
Alarmed, Goru answered, "Yes, has something happened to my son?"
"I'm afraid so, he has been severely injured and he has been taken to the hospital, Is the healer Asia Argento here as well?"
Both Asia and Miki had also entered the room, and they were standing behind Shirone and Kuroka. Asia timidly answered "I'm Asia Argento,, what happened to Issei?"
"He was hurt in a training accident." The woman tried to answer but she was cut off by Kuroka, who had transformed into her Nekomata form. Shirone had also transformed and they both stepped between Goru and the woman.
"Cut the bullshit, lady!" Kuroka said interrupting her. "Issei is no ordinary man who can easily be injured and you aren't even human. You better tell us exactly what really happened or you are going to get hurt yourself!"
The woman flushed in momentary anger but it quickly passed. Then she bowed to Goru again. "My name is Tiamat, and I was asked by the Maou Lucifer to train the Sekiryuutei."
She then turned and looked at Kuroka and Shirone, and said, "I am not here to start a fight with Yokai. I am here to take the family of Issei Hyoudou to the hospital, and to bring Asia Argento, who is probably the only one capable of healing him right now. Who are you to challenge me?"
"We are all his family." Shirone said. "Tell us what happened to Issei, and if you aren't our enemy, show us your true form. You came here at night and are telling us something happened to Issei." Then she turned and looked at her sister and said, "We need answers not a fight."
Tiamat nodded and transformed. She stayed the same height but she allowed her true power to show in her aura. "I am the Chaos Karma Dragon and my name, as I said before, is Tiamat. I am the strongest of the five Dragon Kings of this world, but to be more accurate I am the Dragon Queen. The Maou Lucifer along with the Maou Beelzebub asked me to train Issei Hyoudou in his power of the Sekiryuutei. I was given a potion by the Maou Beelzebub, in order to transform Issei into a Dragon who could still retain his human form and to also remove the curse of, and unlock more of the power of the Red Dragon Emperor," Tiamat shook her head in regret. "but the transformation was too powerful… he unlocked too much power and he went berserk. Both his body and mind were damaged. They were both burned by the fire of the transformation. His body can possibly be healed by a potion called Phoenix tears, but his mind?" Tiamat gazed at Asia, "That will call for the Sacred Gear, Twilight Healing which you, Asia Argento possess."
Tiamat turned and faced Kuroka who had taken up a fighting stance, Angrily Tiamat said, "Now, I can take you all to Issei's side and allow Miss Argento to heal Issei, or we can fight. If you chose to fight, you will lose, and I will take Asia by force, because I want Issei to live. In the mean time Issei could possibly die because you are too stupid to understand that I want to help him!"
"Everyone please calm down." Miki said. Then she bowed to Tiamat and said "Please take us all to Issei's side."
Kuroka nodded and relaxed her stance. Then Tiamat created a magic circle and opened the Dragon Gate. Then she said, "This will take us directly to the hospital where Issei was taken. I must warn you, it is not in this world, it is in the underworld, a place you humans might call Hell."
"That's fine we've already been there." Miki responded. "Well at least Kuroka Shirone and I have already been there."
Both Goru and Asia turned and looked at Miki in amazement. "Ob my goodness!" Asia exclaimed. "I don't want to go to Hell!" Asia wasn't frightened of Tiamat, but she was truly terrified of the thought of going to Hell.
Shirone and Miki both took Asia's hand and Kuroka turned and smiled reassuringly. "It is OK Asia, it really isn't the place of the dead. It is just another realm, like Earth." Shirone said.
"But I heard her, she said that she was sent by Lucifer… I don't want to go to Hell!" Asia jerked her hands away and fled to the bedroom, shutting the door behind her.
Tiamat started to say something but Miki held up her hand. "I will go get her." She said and left the room. Miki found Asia hiding under her bed. Miki sat on the floor and said, "It really is OK Asia, I have been to the underworld. I was taken there after our house was destroyed. I met a very nice girl who is about your age. Her name is Rias Gremory and she even goes to the same school that you are going to attend. Her family is rebuilding our house and letting us stay in this hotel. Rias is a Devil and her brother is the Maou Lucifer. He isn't going to hurt you, I promise."
"You promise?" Asia asked tearfully.
"Do you think I would let anything bad happen to my dear sweet daughter? I love you Asia."
Asia crawled out from beneath the bed and embraced Miki. "I love you too mom. Lets go and help Issei."
Miki led Asia back into the living room. Everyone was waiting and the Dragon Gate was still open. Kuroka walked over and hugged Asia. Shirone joined her in the hug. "Come on little sister," Kuroka said to Asia, "you need to help the man you love."
"You already knew I love him?" Asia asked.
"Of course, I am a Nekomata… and a woman. I can tell when a woman loves a man. Issei needs your help, so you need to find your courage."
"I really don't know what is going on, but I will do anything to help my son." Goru said. "If that means going to the Underworld, then by all means, let's go."
"This way." Tiamat said and led them all through the Dragon Gate.
Asia was still afraid, but she loved Issei and she also loved Miki Kuroka and Shirone. She also loved Goru, even she didn't really know him that well. That love gave her courage. She took a deep breath and entered the Dragon Gate. It was a bright blue circle glowing in mid air. She watched everyone ahead of her enter and disappear and she followed. There was a bright flash and Asia felt a brief moment of dizziness as she was transported into another dimension. She didn't know what she was going to expect. But after the flash she found herself in the waiting room of a Hospital. She couldn't read the words written over the reception's desk. But she knew what they meant.
Asia could read French, German and English, but she couldn't read Japanese yet. She could speak Japanese, but she didn't really know why. Issei had spoken to her in English when they first met, but she started answering him in Japanese. Spoken languages had always come easy to her, but she never really understood why. One of the attributes of Twilight Healing was the Gift of Tongues, the ability to understand and speak any language. She heard Tiamat speak to the receptionist in a language she didn't understand. The receptionist answered in the same language. Asia listened carefully and suddenly she understood what they were saying.
Tiamat turned and gestured towards Asia and said, "...and this human named Asia Argento, is the wielder of the Sacred Gear, Twilight Healing. You are going to let her and the rest of her family in to see the Sekiryuutei right now!"
"But this is the Intensive Care Unit, only two people are allowed at one time into the ward to see the patient." The receptionist responded.
"Do you know who I am?" Tiamat asked angrily.
"No. What difference does that make? Rules are rules."
"I am the Dragon Tiamat! You are going to let all of us in to see the Sekiryuutei right now. or I am going to eat you. Then I am going to break down that door and go in anyway. Do you understand now, or, are you too stupid to comprehend what I am saying?"
The receptionist turned white and hit a buzzer that opened the barrier that held the ICU door secure. There were very few conditions that Phoenix Tears could not heal immediately, and this hospital was designed to treat them. Tiamat smiled and said, "Thank you for your understanding." in a mocking tone. Then she turned around and said in Japanese, "Come on let's go. Issei is in room 12."
Everyone walked down the corridor and entered the room. Issei was lying on a bed and he was hooked up to a ventilator. He was covered in bandages for his burns. A nurse was speaking to a doctor when they entered. "I have never seen anything like it. He was given three Phoenix tears, but he didn't respond. I have never lost a patient before."
"I haven't seen burns like this before either." The doctor replied. "His burns go all the way to the cellular level. He isn't a Devil. His body can't decide if he is human or a Dragon. His cells keep transitioning between the two species. That is why the Phoenix Tears cannot heal him. All we can do is keep him alive and hope that his cells will settle down on on one species or the other. After that, perhaps the Phoenix Tears will work." The doctor looked up and spoke to everyone. "I'm sorry, we have done everything we could do." Then his voice trailed off helplessly.
Asia looked at Issei and held out her hands. Two small silver rings, one on fingers of each hand began to glow in a green light that spread to her hands. Then the light spread until it covered Issei's entire body. Issei trembled and his vital signs became stronger. His blood pressure increased to normal and his heart rate steadied to a strong beat.
The doctor looked from Asia to Issei and back again to Asia. "Twilight Healing…" he said. "I have heard of it but I have never seen it before." The doctor reached over and turned off the ventilator. Then he started removing Issei's bandages. Instead of the terrible burns Issei's skin was completely normal. When he touched Issei's face he came in contact to Asia's healing aura. It reminded him of the feeling he felt when he was a child being caressed by his mother. His aches and pains of the day melted into renewed strength and vigor. He turned to Asia and asked,"What is your name child?"
"Asia Argento."
"Asia Argento…" The Doctor repeated. "This hospital was created to care for people who could not be cured by Phoenix Tears. We can keep them alive, but there is little more that we can do. Either they recover on their own or they die. Your healing powers far exceed the healing properties of Phoenix Tears."
"What are Phoenix Tears? Asia asked.
Before he could answer, he was interrupted by Miki. She couldn't understand the conversation, so she asked in Japanese, "Is my son going to be OK?"
The doctor smiled with tears in his eyes and answered her in Japanese. "Yes. He is going to live."
"Thank you." Miki said.
"Don't thank me. All I could do was keep him alive until this remarkable young woman healed him."
Miki and Goru embraced Asia and they both said simultaneously. "Thank you for saving our son's life."
"What about his mind? Tiamat asked in the Devil's language. "Is his mind going to return?"
The gauntlet appeared on Issei's arm and a voice answered in Japanese "YES! My partner has returned, he is only sleeping. With a good night's rest, he will be fine."
"This is your fault Ddraig." Tiamat said angrily. You gave him too much power."
"No I didn't. I was being careful. You underestimated how much power you gave him." I am always careful with my partner."
"Careful?" Tiamat snorted. "You're a power idiot and a coward. You always run away from me and you finally get a decent host, and what do you do? You nearly fucking killed him!"
Ddraig sighed and said "Can we call a truce for now? Issei needs his sleep. "
"Truce? You got yourself killed... and lost my treasure!"
"That wasn't my fault, Albion started it." Ddraig said sullenly.
"Albion started it…" Tiamat said in a mocking tone. "You are both idiots!" Then she pointed at her crotch. "Do you see this Ddraig? You didn't get any and you never will, but when Issei recovers, I'm going to fuck him, and make you watch!"
"Yeah right. The Dragon Queen, more like the Dragon Virgin!" Ddraig replied.
"Fuck off Ddraig!" Tiamat responded, and stormed out of the room.
"What just happened?" Goru asked.
"I don't know, but they sound just like a couple of teenagers that had a nasty breakup." Kuroka smirked.
"That isn't far from the truth." said a new voice.
Everyone turned and saw a tall man with long red hair entered the room. The man was wearing an elaborate black and white robe tinged with gold. He was accompanied by a woman with long gray hair tied up in an elaborate Braid, and she was wearing a beautiful blue and Silver formal Dress. When the nurse and doctor saw the couple, they immediately dropped to one knee and bowed.
"My Lord." The doctor said.
The red haired man walked up to Goru and Miki and held out his hand. "Hello, my name is Sirzechs Lucifer, and this is my wife Grayfia."
Goru reached out and shook Sirzechs hand and bowed slightly. "Nice to meet you Sirzechs, My name is Hyoudou Goru and this is my wife Hyoudou Miki."
Miki shook Sirzechs hand and said, Nice to meet you." Then she looked at Grayfia, "Aren't you the maid I met before at a castle?"
"Please show some respect," the doctor whispered. "You are talking to the King and Queen of the underworld."
Everyone else started to bow but Sirzechs said, "Please. I am not here as a King. I am only here to greet the father and mother of the Sekiryuutei. My actions led to his injuries. I came to both apologize and to invite everyone to my home as honored guests. I also need to apologize for the state that your son is in. His life was endangered, and that is something that I did not foresee."
"What happened to him, exactly?" Goru asked.
"Your son is the Sekiryuutei. He possesses the soul of the Welsh Dragon Y Ddraig Goche. He is the latest in a long line of humans who have carried both the power and the curse of the Sekiryuutei, but of all the possessors of Ddraig, your son is different. He does not seek domination and power for power's sake. He only wishes for peace and to protect everyone he loves. I want him to protect the world, so I asked Tiamat to train him and I also asked her to transform him into a Dragon. She succeeded but the transformation injured and nearly killed him. For that I am truly sorry."
"My son is…" Goru started to say.
"A Dragon. Sirzechs said. "He is no longer a human. He has transcended humanity. Now he is one of the most powerful beings that has ever existed. Issei Hyoudou will become the most powerful Sekiryuutei that has ever lived. He will finally break the curse, and he will be the last Sekiryuutei."
"Why?" Miki asked.
"Because he is now a Dragon. Dragons have a limitless lifespan. Your son isgoing to live forever." Sirzechs responded.
Suddenly Miki slapped Sirzechs. "Even so, you didn't have the right to do that to him. My son endured unimaginable pain. Why did you do that to him?"
The doctor and nurse were both shocked to see that someone dared to strike the Maou, but Sirzechs just bowed his head and said, "Because of the children. I want all children to grow up in a world where there is peace and safety. That is my dream, and I believe that Issei Hyoudou can help me achieve that dream. I believe that your son can bring balance to the world."
"If that is so, perhaps, I shouldn't have slapped you. I apologize." Miki said.
"No need to apologize." Sirzechs replied. "I deserved that. Issei could have died and that would have been my fault."
Many hours later Issei awoke. He was lying naked on his back in a hospital bed, but he wasn't alone. He felt someone snuggled up against him. A naked young woman was lying with him. She was lying sideways with one of her arms around his neck in an embrace. He felt one of her nipples on his chest, one of her legs was crossed over his, and her head was on his shoulder, They were covered by the sheet and blanket, but Issei could see her blonde hair.
The last thing Issei remembered was Tiamat's sudden attack in the sky above the mountain. He remembered horrible unrelenting pain as he was mercilessly bathed in Dragon's flame. Issei lost consciousness being bathed in flames and he awoke in bed with a beautiful girl. "Asia?" He asked.
Asia opened her eyes and smiled. Then she rolled over onto his chest and kissed him passionately "Be gentle with me Issei. This is my first time."