Disclaimer: Vulgar language in this chapter.
"Worthless, absolutely worthless. How dare they throw such a useless kid at me? Morons! On my birthday no less!" Megumi shouted, storming up to the Bar Wrench's Tavern, swiping a dark colored bottle from the window sill. Growling in frustration, she tore the cork out of mouth of the bottle and drank greedily. The warm liquid burned going down her throat, burning her insides from the tongue on down, putting a small yet satisfactory smile on her chapped lips.
"Ah, that's better." She said, wiping her wet mouth with her arm as she continued her stead paced stride. "At least I can rely on the air-headed Ol' Wrench to place a bottle on the window sill during her busy hours." Megumi mumbled to herself, heading in the direction of her own hut, her mind still seeing the terrified child at her feet, her anger growing hotter. "What am I suppose to do with a brat like him?! He's absolutely worthless! How can they expect me to train him while he's still pissing his pants? The only thing he's good for is keeping that brute busy. Now that he's gone, I don't see why we should keep him here! I would be more surprise if he knew how to use a fork!"
"Shut your mouth, girl. You're voice is giving me a headache." A voice snarled, causing Megumi to stop abruptly. Anger froze in her chest, the affects of the alcohol subsiding as she raised her head slightly, realizing she was standing at her front door. An man that appeared to be one of the oldest members of the village stood at the threshold, his clothes, barely, holding onto his body, his hair thinning and his face decorated with scar's and bruises. His black, shark-like eyes staring at her blankly, saliva dripping off his chin.
Oh, that's what I get for not paying attention, Megumi thought to herself, embarrassed. Inhaling slowly, she stood straight and greeted the man at the front door as calmly as her racing heart allowed.
Keep calm, mind your words, sober up just a little bit, she instructed herself.
"Hello, father." She greeted through gritted teeth, bracing herself for her father's verbal abuse. "The night is late. I was not expecting you to be up at this hour."
"All you ever do is talk like a silver tongue witch." He said with such a heavy, grainy voice like he had been screaming for hours. "Such a disgrace like your sister."
Megumi hissed, being compared to her exiled older sister rekindled the anger in her heart as quickly as dropping a torch on oil. Her older sister, Yachiru, was referred to as Mage, revered by her bloodline and iron strong spirit that kept the two Blue Dragon Warrior under her care at bay. Her strength and sword wielding abilities has saved the village a multitude of times, and has attempted to aid in training Megumi during Megumi's childhood . While Megumi was ignored and pushed off to the side unless she was scheduled for training, until recently when she became of age. Once Yachiru was removed from the village, Megumi was placed as the villages Mage and was given the responsibility of training the child.
Then she cleared her throat.
"Now father, please don't be harsh with me. I am a far better improvement than my dear sister." She said in as steady of a voice as she could muster, ensuring to dramatize the word 'sister' with as much venom as she possibly could. "After all, was it not my hypnosis spell that lured her, and then that dreaded beast, out of our village? Thus leaving us with only two magical beings in this village. And besides, I'm only unkempt and speaking with such vulgarity because I'm celebrating. It is my birthday, and I am, officially, the village's Mage. Once I've sobered, I will be able to protect everyone here, I am more useful than that pathetic excuse for a dragon-"
"Silence, bitch!" He hissed, his beady eyes wide and wild as though the dragon warrior appeared behind her, waiting to turn him to stone. "Say his name and he will appear! It won't matter what you do you useless girl! Mage's curse or no, he will turn you to stone and think nothing of it! Our village will forever be cursed with Mages and Dragons, we are damned to be killed by one or the other! Why can't we just kill all of you and be done with it?!"
Kill us all...Mage's curse...Megumi thought to herself with a heavy heart. Is my bloodline a curse? Mother assured me it was a blessing, a gift. In a way, our ancestor did curse us just as that damn first blue dragon did with the poor newborn boys, not to mention any expected parents uncertain if their son will be next. It just seems cruel and unfair. No matter, no sense in thinking such depressing thoughts since no living being can predict the future.
"Father, the boy is under my control. No need to fear." Megumi spoke slowly, lowering her head down in a respectful manner, hiding her dark smile and the sinister light in her eyes. "If I could call him my slave, I would because that is what he will become. He doesn't do anything without my say, he won't speak unless I tell him, he is to not talk to anyone or to leave this village without first consulting me. By the time I begin his training I doubt he will even take a piss without asking me. That bastard will be nothing more than my little puppet. And until then, the village will be under my protection. No one will enter without my knowing, no bandits or slave trader's will dare to set foot onto our land. I will destroy every last one who would dare cross me!"
Dense silence filled the cold night air around them, as though Megumi's words had struck fear into the hearts of the villagers. As though they fear saying anything around her. She risked a glance at her father, his shark-like eyes still wide and his jaw dropping to his collar bone.
Megumi couldn't help but smirk. Not just because she was struggling to contain her sadistic excitement. It was rare that her father became speechless, especially about the dragon warriors. Even though it is not by their choice, her father has always been so full of loathing towards the mystic beings of the village. Megumi remembered, as a child, her father kept his distance from the family, occupying his time with work and drinking with other villagers. Throughout their childhood, Yachiru tried to bond with him. At times, Yachiru would sneak into the bar while he was delusional from the alcohol consumption. When he had too much, he would talk to anyone about anything. Unknowingly to him, afterward the small time spent together, she would share what she had learned with Megumi. However, after a few years of being a third party listener, Megumi decided she didn't want to bond with him. In fact, despite his rapidly declining health, she wanted nothing to do with him. It wasn't until the untimely death of her mother did they start spending time together. To honor her mother, she promised to fulfill her duty as a Mage and keep her father from succumbing to his bad health.
Two jobs that were easier said then done.
"Horseshit." Megumi's attention shot up at him just as he finished the bottle, throwing the bottle at ground by her feet, glass shards landing around her. Megumi's heart began to race, her eyes wide with shock and disbelief. "As though you're going to be any different! Your bitch of a mother chose to raise that brutish animal instead of letting his predecessor take him. And that sister of yours did the exact same thing and got what she deserved, in fact, I dare say exile is more than she deserves. Only a Mage would be stupid enough to think they can raise a monster like she would her own, and expect them to be accepted as a member of this village! If they were smart, they would've allowed nature to take it's course with those beasts, let them vend for their own well-being! Hell, I should've done that with you two! Then, maybe you two wouldn't be such heavy disappointments!"
His words hung heavy in the air, clinging like sharp daggers in her heart, ringing loudly in her ears. Megumi's racing heart felt heavy and broken, tears threatened to trail from her eyes, the alcohol in her body subsided without any affect. She could feel the eyes of other villagers prying on them, waiting for him to say more.
I don't understand...
Why is it never enough...
Without another word, he turned into the hut and closed the curtain behind him.