I don't own anything. All characters and all rights belong to Ichiei Ishibumi*
M for mature topics. No children allowed. *
The Broken Boosted Gear
By Try Another Time
The night before the departure.
Kuroka and Shirone laid awake on their bed not being able to close their eyes. Tomorrow was going to be the day in which they were going to separate for some unknown amount of time. The boy that had saved them from a dark future had been waiting patiently for his 'maid' to be trained and Grayfia had said that tomorrow was going to be the day in which Raynare would graduate from a pathetic fallen angel and into a perfect maid.
Not their words but those of Grayfia.
"Nee-san, do we really have to separate?" Shirone asked. She was afraid and she couldn't hide it. Even if Rias was someone completely different from her older sister's previous master, she was still afraid. Afraid of not being able to achieve the expectations of a member of Rias's peerage. Afraid of not being strong enough. Afraid of being incapable of not being able to survive without Kuroka.
Kuroka was looking at the ceiling and then turned her face toward her sister. "I don't want to do this but we owe them our collaboration. Issei prevented me from leaving and committing a fatal mistake. He also assured me that he was going to protect me and right now I'm still unable to face all kinds of enemies. I'm still considered a stray devil but by being with him nobody can touch me. Rias is the one that gave you a second life and I had discussed my expectations when it comes to you with her." Kuroka pats her sister's head. "She promised me that she was going to take care of you and I have also given her notes on how I want you to train from now on. So please work with her."
"But you can join the peerage alongside me," Shirone said.
Kuroka shakes her head. "I can't we had discussed this before. I can't join a peerage at least not for now. I can't easily join one after what I had to suffer but you're going to be ok. So please Shirone, grow strong and show me that you can be a strong senpai for the next members that join Rias's peerage. Don't let fear take over and take things one step at a time. Do it for me and for yourself."
She continues to pet her younger sister.
Shirone feels a little bit better after hearing Kuroka's words. "Are you going to be ok with Issei-san? He told you that he didn't ask you to join him because he was in love with you."
Kuroka's face turned red after remembering the aftermath of the kiss. Then she turned mad after remembering the first meeting with Tiamat. The dragoness was always hugging him and kept a close distance from the boy at all times. It looked like she was marking her territory and she was.
"He is mine, little kitty." Those were Tiamat's first words to her and she was livid after hearing them.
"Shirone I'm going to be ok. To tell you the truth I kissed him in the heat of the moment. I really need to think twice before I do something but after seeing Tiamat I can't back away. I felt offended and challenged by her. She had the guts to tell me those things and I won't back away. He is also cute so I won't deny that I might have a small crush on him." Kuroka admits.
Shirone nods. "He is really cute and strong. His eyes also so appealing but he also seems mark by pain." Shirone remembers their first meeting. "Do you think his pain will ever heal?"
Kuroka stays silent. She remembers his words and the things he had talked about. They asked him about his past and he told them the story. "I don't know. His past is something very painful and I don't know if once he gets revenge, he will ever truly heal. You and I still miss our mom but died during an accident. His parents were killed by a traitor of the fallen angels. There is also the fact that he blames himself for their deaths so I can't really say if that pain will ever disappear."
Shirone slowly nods. "Is true. But I don't want him to be sad. I want him to be happy. So, you and I should do our best to help him heal."
"You're staying with Rias," Kuroka says.
"But he said that he also will come to visit so while he is traveling, you'll take care of him and when he is back, we'll do it together." Shirone's eyes shine brightly.
Kuroka laughs a little bit after hearing Shirone and seeing her reaction. "Does my little sister have a small crush on the boy that I kissed before? You know that you're too young for that."
"And you as well. You're eleven and I'm seven neither of us is an adult but there is nothing wrong with having a crush on him. Once we grow up then we can try to win his heart together." Shirone says proudly.
Kuroka smiles at her younger sister's antics. "Let's go to sleep. We can talk about crushes and love at another time."
Shirone nods and they go to sleep after feeling more relieve thanks to their talk.
The next morning.
Issei didn't know what to say after seeing Raynare. Her French maid costume looked great on her but her face was killing the whole appeal of the image one would have of a maid.
"Raynare is ready to follow your orders, Welsh-sama," Raynare said with an angry face. She was trying to smile but she was still burning with rage after being forced to endure Grayfia's training regime.
"Please stop forcing yourself to smile and you can drop the formalities. I'm sorry. I know we took the joke too far but I needed to know that Grayfia could train you and assured me that you won't betray me. I can't just trust a fallen angel that easily after learning that one was the cause for my parent's deaths." Issei explains.
Raynare is fuming but after hearing his explanation she calms down. "I understand, Welsh-sama."
"Formalities?"
"This is the best I can do and blame my teacher for this change. She has grinded me to a pulp and I don't know how to shut it off. Anyways, I understand your insecurities. The alcoholic asshole-sama (Azazel) choose me because he trusts me and I also asked Grayfia for something extra to prove my determination to follow you as an ally." Raynare shows her breast and a small red circle is visible on her left breast. "This is a slave mark. Is set up to activate if I ever try to do something against you."
"How and when did you do that?" Issei asks.
"Remember the blood vial that she asked you to fill last night? We used that to form the seal. It was my own recommendation and my teacher accepted to do it for the sake of the mission. Is not something that is commonly used but certain people still used it." Raynare explains as she covers her breast.
"Can it be removed? I didn't ask for something this drastic." Issei says.
"Only you can but I ask that you don't. I was given this mission and I accepted although I wasn't really into it. I saw what you can do and know that if you wished you could have erased the whole based with one single attack. I thank you for not killing our leader and not hurting our home. Until you wish otherwise, please allowed me to follow you Welsh-sama." She bends the knee as a sign of respect.
Issei looks surprised at her commitment. "Please stand up. I can accept the Welsh-sama but you don't need to do all of this. Shemhazai asked to take care of you and as long as you don't betray me, I'm going to be fine. So, relax and say what you want to say. I don't care about your bad mouth or that explosive character of yours and I will try to get you any books we can find during our trips."
Raynare's eyes turned on like lights on a Christmas tree. "I will follow you to the end of the cosmos if you do that for me."
"Are you that into books?"
"Yes. I love reading. Novels, history books, fantasy books, the more words the better." Raynare says. Her eyes were shining so much.
"Why did you fell from heaven?"
"Prohibit books such as love novels, cursed grimoires, and other materials."
Issei couldn't believe it. "When we get back to Japan, I will buy you a collection of love novels so please stay away from any type of cursed books. I don't want to deal with a sealed monster or an ancient curse."
"Not even a little bit?"
"No. Unless is completely necessary I prohibit that you touch or open any cursed books. Understood?"
"Your orders are my commands, Welsh-sama." She slaps herself in anger after realizing that she was talking like a maid once more.
"Grayfia really make you into a maid."
"She did. I never knew that a newspaper could become the most painful experience I could ever felt." She shivers after remembering the first day of training.
"Well, they are waiting for us. It's time for us to depart." Issei says before he approaches the door alongside Raynare.
Outside of the Gremory house.
Now that the trio was together, they just had to say goodbye to the Gremory family at least for now.
"Please take care. The house in Kuoh will be ready in two weeks so by the time you come back it's going to be ready for you to take the keys. If we found Kokabiel or get any information we'll let you know." Sirzechs says.
"Got it. Thanks again for everything." Issei says.
Grayfia then approaches Issei. "I have trained her for everything but do let me know if she makes any mistakes." She looks at Raynare and she shakes in fear.
"I will. Thanks for your help." He then approaches her ear. "Be careful with your pregnancy. Rias is going to be very happy when she learns about it."
Grayfia nods and tries to stay calm as she returns to her husband's side. They hadn't told anyone about her pregnancy but Issei knew somehow. She wanted to ask him but she was working and didn't want anyone else to know.
He smiles as he sees her grabbing Sirzechs hand without anyone noticing.
Rias' parents are next but they just said a few words. Then are Rias and Shirone.
"Please come back to visit a regularly as possible," Rias asks.
"We'll try but no promises. Remember my words if you want more peerage members you have to look for them. Be sure to be careful with how you choose." Issei says.
"I will and Shirone will be with me to do it." Rias smiles.
Shirone looks at him and her sister. "Take care of her."
"I will. I promise to do it and I don't back down."
Shirone then hugs him which takes him by surprise. "Take care of yourself as well. I don't want you to be in pain forever."
Issei understands what she means. He pats her head and she wiggles her tail as a reaction. "I'll try not to. Be strong."
She releases him and Issei creates a teletransportation circle that has the emblem of Ddraig.
Tiamat was working at the moment and she had said what she needed to say the night before.
With nothing left to say, they depart leaving the home of the Gremorys behind.
Location, Southeast Region of Wales.
The trio reappears near the coast in a deserted area.
"Where are we?" Kuroka asks.
"Wales, specifically the southeast region. Some of my treasure is at the bottom of the ocean in that direction. Do any of you have a problem with swimming?" Issei asks.
"Why don't we just use teletransportation to reach the exact location?" Raynare asks.
"I secured that underwater cave with many runes to prevent anyone from getting to the treasure unless they could swim to that depth. So, magic won't do. Is the place where I hatch from the egg so it's a special place for me." Ddraig takes over.
Kuroka sights. "No way out then. At least we can hold our breaths for long times."
"We do but the pressure will surely be uncomfortable even for us two. Do you really wanna do this?" She looks a Kuroka.
"I wanna see the place and staying here might be risky," Kuroka says as she ties her hair into a ponytail.
"Got it." Raynare activates the spell for the two of them. "Should we do this naked?"
Kuroka blushes. "I don't really wanna do that. We can dry our clothes afterward."
"Then let's go." Ddraig transforms into a smaller version of his dragon self and he jumps into the water.
"Did he just do what I think he did?" Kuroka asks.
"Yes. Get used to it. This is what it means to follow a dragon in his quest for treasure." Raynare says although she is actually fuming in anger.
They wasted no time and jump into the water. After seeing him waiting for them they swim and grab his horns with all of their strength. After feeling their hands on him, Ddraig begins to descend.
He is fast and the girls get no time to enjoy the descend. The pressure begins to increase but thanks to their bodies' physiologies they are able to endure it. They can't see anything and question how Ddraig can even know where he is going.
The descend continues for a few more moments until Ddraig enters a system of tunnels in the ocean floor. He travels through them with ease and within a few moments, they exit the water and enter a cave.
Kuroka and Raynare begin to breathe once more. The place is covered in darkness but Ddraig quickly uses his flames to illuminate the place. The flames spread out through the walls and within seconds the cave is lightened up.
"That was insane," Kuroka says with difficulty.
"Welsh-sama how do you do it?" Raynare asks.
They don't get any answers and then they see why he is not talking.
Gold, diamonds, and many other valuable items are laying in piles within the cave.
"All of this is yours?" Kuroka asks. She can't believe all the riches that she is seeing. Then she sees the remains of a dragon egg. "Is that the one?"
"Yes, and yes. That is the egg from which I hatched. Many centuries ago. Before the modern world began. Even before civilizations. I hatched and only saw darkness surrounding me. Then my flames offered me light and the rest is history. All of these gold and precious gems are the things I collected from my fallen enemies and so. My spoils from war." Ddraig said.
"So, which one would be the oldest between you and Raynare?" Kuroka watched the two members of her team with curiosity.
"He is. By the time I was created by the bible god, Ddraig was already facing his first fights with the other magical beings that roamed the human world before the age of man. Angels used to watch the fights and try to guess who was going to come victorious at the end." Raynare said.
"And he won all of them?" Kuroka asked although she knew the answer.
"Yes. His flames killed everything. No matter the creature or what powers they had. Ddraig always won until he met his match with Albion. He tried to face Great Red once but his challenge was quickly shot down and he got reprimanded by the old dragon god. Some gods were dumb enough to attack him but the results weren't the best for those gods. We watched everything from heaven and it was fun but then it stopped being fun." Raynare said.
"Once the rivalry with Albion began things got more serious and it also matched the time in which the age of man began. We were given our titles as heavenly dragons by Great Red during that time and not too long after that we started to be called the Dragon Emperors by the different factions." Ddraig continues to explain.
"The fights on the realm of the dead, I read about those. Why did you choose that place to fight?" Kuroka asked.
"We dragons don't like to fight close to the places in which we rest. The human world was out of limits after our powers became too strong. It was also due to the recommendation of the other dragons such as Vritra before he got sealed. But I think that's enough history lessons for one day." Ddraig said after feeling that he was forgetting his task.
"Wait one more question. Do you know who your parents were? All dragons needed to come from somewhere." Kuroka couldn't stop her curiosity from coming to the surface.
"No idea. Albion, Tiamat, Vritra, and all the other great dragons from legends just hatched from eggs in different parts of the human world. No parents nor guiding if you don't count Great Red. He claims he is not our father or creator and Ophis is out of the question as well but I have the feeling that he is hiding more than what he says he knows." Ddraig says.
"The Bible God didn't do it either. He created humans and many other creatures alongside the other gods but dragons are a whole different cand of worms. Nobody has the full story nor do we try to figure it out. Is an unspoken rule but some things are better left alone and the story behind the birth of Dragons such as Vritra, Tannin, Albion, and even Crom Cruach is part of that." Raynare face shows her sincere feelings.
Many beings had been alive for long periods of time but their worlds still hold secrets that very few knew about.
Kuroka saw all of this as a big conspiracy but she didn't have the guts nor the interest in any research. That was a task that any other being that desire the knowledge that others kept hidden and she wasn't that being. "I won't push the matter any further. What are you going to do with all this treasure?" Kuroka and Raynare jump to the floor and turn around to look at their leader.
Ddraig changes form once more. "I'm going to bring it with me. This is the last time I'm never coming back to this place and I have a use for all this treasure."
Ddraig approaches one of the piles and grabs a few coins. "I never told any of my previous hosts about my treasure nor did I ever thought I would ever come back to this place. Life really takes unexpected turns." He then turns his sight towards one golden sword.
So many of his previous hosts had use swords and other weapons. Each one had become respectable knights, wizards, soldiers, and warriors but each one had fallen victim to the curse of the booster gear. Then an idea forms in his mind.
"I'm going to need your help," Ddraig says.
The girls were drying their clothes with magic before they look at him.
"What's the plan?" Raynare asked.
Ddraig picks up the golden sword. "Get as many weapons as possible. I'm going to create the tribute for them on this place."
Several minutes afterward.
The gold, gems, and other items had been taken into the pocket dimension. The only items left were gold weapons that were stabbed into the floor around the cave. In the back wall, a message had been carved into the wall.
"In the memory of the previous host of the booster gear. Each one of them never asked for the task of being the host of such a troublesome object but they did and die while fighting a cursed cycle of endless death. Most of you never got an actual resting place, many have also been forgotten but I Ddraig, the Welsh Dragon will never forget any of you or the things you had to sacrifice. This is my tribute to every single one of you and the symbol of the end of the cycle."
Their names were carved around the walls and Issei Hyoudou was the last one.
*70 cm Shihounnomadobe- ROTTENGRAFFTY*
The end of an era and the start of a new one.
Kuroka and Raynare watched silently as Ddraig prays for the souls of those that were trapped within himself.
Ddraig, the heavenly dragon was praying for those that fell to the madness of being the host of the booster gear.
It truly was the end of the cycle for the Red Dragon Emperor. For a moment, Raynare and Kuroka saw the shapes of the previous Dragon Emperors coming out from Ddraig's body.
Each one of them lacked eyes but for one moment they looked in peace. It was truly the end of the cycle for them and each of them appreciated the fact that Ddraig had decided to end the rivalry that had dragged them to their fates.
No more hosts, no more rivalry, no new booster gear users, just the end of the legend and the start of a new one.