BC- Last time on Green Maiden!
Butch - I gave you one rule! Just one! You've been here two whole days and you've already broken it!
Shhhhh, Butch. You hear that? That's the sound of forgiveness.
Butch - THAT'S THE SOUND OF BUTTERCUP BEING THROWN ACROSS THE WOODS BY A BLOODTHIRSTY MONSTER!
That is what forgiveness sounds like. Screaming, crashing, and then groaning in pain.
BC - And now back to Green Maiden.
Side note: I've put a small list of songs for Green Maiden on my profile. I'll be updating this make shift soundtrack as the story progresses. If you have any suggestions for songs, just put them in with your review or shoot me a PM. I'll listen to it and see if it should go on the list. No one genre specifications but I do ask that you try to stick to appropriate songs as this story is rated T (not that it means much).
The Three Ladies
For days, Buttercup floated in total darkness. No light shown anywhere and the black darkness was so thick, she couldn't even see her hands. It was also cold and quiet, much like Butch's palace.
Butch.
He had come to save her, though, right? That creature would have devoured her if not for him. She remembered him fighting with it, viciously. Had he known it would be there or did he hear her screams and come for her once again? Buttercup didn't know what to think. This would be the second time Butch rescued her from a horrific fate.
"...Waking... Alright?"
"Blood...poison... You... Save..."
"Big... Wake...!"
Muffled voices echoed in her head, the first sounds she had heard in a long time. Try as she might, Buttercup couldn't force herself to wake up. It seems her body was not ready yet.
Four days had passed by the time Buttercup had woken up. Her eyelids were heavy and her throat felt like it was full of sand. She groaned, there was a dull ache in her side. The colors in the world were brighter and, it seemed, that the sounds were louder too. She turned her head to the side to see a dragon, twice the size of an ox, sleeping beside her bed. The dragon's scales were a shiny black and it was sleek, lacking horns or spikes of any kind. It snored softly.
Tar lay on top of its back, fast asleep.
Grunting, Buttercup tried to sit up, but hissed when the pain in her side worsened. The dragon was suddenly wide awake and upon her, "Big Sister, you're awake! You need to lay down!"
Buttercup blinked, "B... Black?!" For some reason, Buttercup forgot that Black was, in fact, a dragon. Albeit, a young dragon, but that meant she could turn into a dragon form. The little dragoness was so happy that she had woken up that she promptly turned back into s human. Buttercup cringed as she watched her transform. If it was uncomfortable for Butch, it must be torture for Black. But she took it like a champ and was soon back at Buttercup's bedside, wailing about how she was so sorry.
"I'm sorry, Big Sister! I'll never be mean like that again! Please don't leave me again!" Buttercup stared at the girl as she sobbed. She hadn't meant to make her feel bad and it wasn't like Buttercup ran off because of Black anyway. Patting, the girl's head gently, Buttercup sighed.
"Black, it's okay, I'm fine. And it's not your fault, anyway. Butch and I... Had a disagreement, but don't worry. I'll be up and about in no time." Black sniffled.
"Oh...uhhh... About that..." It was then that Black told her that Butch had, more or less, confined her to this room. She had not been pleased.
"I'm up for less than an hour and already that no good, rotten bag of scales is being a jerk..." She supposed it was her fault for going to the one place he had told her to stay away from. But still, no one likes to be a prisoner. Black snorted.
"He says it's because you went to the North Tower and you're being punished... But I think it's because he's embarrassed." Buttercup looked at her.
"Embarrassed?" Black's face grew impish. But just as she was about to speak, someone knocked on the door. "Come in?" As soon as she said that, a beautiful girl with hair as golden as the sun walked in. Her hair was in two pigtails that curled down to her bust. She wore a bright blue kimono with crane patterns along the bottom of it. Her eyes were crystal blue. She smiled brightly at them before bopping Black on the nose, holding the tray she had been carrying on one hand.
"Black, I told you not to rile things up while your Big Sister is recovering. We don't need her reopening her stitches." Black whined, rubbing her nose while the girl approached Buttercup. "I'm glad to see you're awake, Lady Tennoji. It was really frightening there for a while." She sat down and began mixing medicine. "How are you feeling?"
"Alive, I suppose. My side hurts and my throat is dry, but it's better than being dead. And just call me Buttercup."
"Very true. Oh, and my name is Hamasaki Bubbles." Bubbles gave her another big smile, one that seemed contagious. "This medicine might make you a bit drowsy, but it will help stave off infection."
"I haven't seen you here before... Then again, I have only been here for three days, counting today." Bubbles and Black stared at her as she took the medicine offered to her.
"Big Sister..."
"You have been unconscious for the past four days." Buttercup nearly spat out the medical tea, but Bubbles quickly put her hands over her mouth. She swallowed.
"Four days!?" Bubbles nodded.
"My husband and I got here when Butch brought you back. He said you were injured by a basilisk." Bubbles shivered, "you're lucky to be alive."
"It also looked like you fought it, Big Sister! I was shocked!" Buttercup blinked, trying to think back. Was Black there? She must have noticed her questioning gaze, because Bubbles spoke up.
"Black followed Butch once he ran after you. She's also the one who brought back your sword," she pointed to it as it sat on its stand on the opposite side of the room. "Butch was upset with her since she knows to stay at the palace when basilisks are spotted nearby."
"So I've been grounded until the beginning of next week." Black's pout made Buttercup chuckle, then she yawned. It seemed this medicine was beginning to work.
"You're still luckier than me. I'm grounded until a wedding I never wanted." Bubbles jumped in shock.
"N...never wanted!? But the wedding preparations are top of the line, Butch has spared no expense and-"
"That would be nice if I had agreed to marrying him, but I didn't. I was kidnapped and told that we're getting married at the end of the week...I don't suppose this whole thing has slowed anything down, right?" Black shook her head.
"Everything is just about done, save for a few things like the dress. All in all, now that you're awake, Big Brother will probably have you fitted in an hour." Buttercup suppressed a groan when she caught the cold look on Bubbles' face.
"So... He plans to marry you without any regard to how you feel about it..." Buttercup watched her eyes darken, "he knows how I feel about that..." Bubbles immediately brightened and smiled at her, "not to worry, Buttercup, I'll talk to my... gracious... host about his conduct. I'm sure I can clear this up for you."
Buttercup tried to speak, but found that sleep was quickly regaining its hold on her. Bubbles giggled and ushered Black out.
"Come along, Black, lead me to your brother."
"Lady Bubbles..." Black's final words were the last thing Buttercup heard before falling asleep, "please don't kill my brother."
"GRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHSSSSSS!"
Her eyes flew open, the next day, at the sound of a furious dragon. She didn't think this one was Butch, though, as it was much...shriller sounding.
"RRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRLLL!"
That one was not Butch either.
"YERLP!"
That one was Butch.
Buttercup sat up, noticing that her side still stung, but less so than before. She saw a black mass of frightened scales rush past her window, followed by a strange mix of... Pink and white flames? Blinking, she yelped when Bubbles appeared at her window. "Good morning, Lady - Oops, I mean, Buttercup! I hope we didn't wake you." Bubbles spoke easily, as if the sounds of angry dragons were a normal, everyday occurrence. She had changed into a darker blue kimono, too, with golden accents. Her obi sported a koi fish design. Buttercup struggled up, "Oh no! You should stay in bed!"
"I can't exactly rest with that noise. What's going on anyway?" Bubbles blew a wayward hair out of her face as she crossed her arms.
"Oh, the girls and I are just reminding Butch that he can't force himself onto a woman like that." Buttercup looked out the window to see that Bubbles was standing on top of a dark blue dragon. "Ah, forgive me! I didn't introduce you! This is my husband, Boomer. Boomie, this is Lady Buttercup." The dragon glanced up with his eyes, not daring to move his head for fear of displacing his wife.
"It's an honor to meet you. I'm sorry I didn't come say hello yesterday, but I figured it would be inappropriate." He was very dark blue, borderline black, with electric blue accents. His scales were smoother than Butch's and he had two bright blue horns that started at the end of his jaw and stretched out to sharp points just a few meters above the top of his head. Down his body went four rows of more horns, the first two started at his head, while the third and fourth started at the base of his neck. The two middle rows had thicker, blunter horns while the outer two had sharper thinner horns. Not to mention, he had fins!
Fins that connected the two outer horns and finds between the claws of his feet. His tail even stretched out to resemble a flat paddle with sharp spikes. "You're a sea dragon!"
"Why yes, I am. You might stop by my territory after your wedding...if there is one, anyway."
"Butch is pretty stubborn about marrying me."
"Well, Blossom and Bell are pretty stubborn about skinning him." Boomer used a claw to point ahead and Buttercup saw exactly what was making that noise. She couldn't help it, she laughed.
Butch stood in her draconic form, large as ever. He was, however on his hind legs, backed up against part of the palace, with a look of pure terror as two dragons cornered him while they snarled. The two were about half his size, too. He tried to growl, but the two dragons faked a lung at him, turning that growl into a scared yelp.
Two other dragons stood beside Boomer, watching with bemused/pitied expressions.
"YOU DARE TAKE AN INNOCENT GIRL AGAINST HER WILL AND THEN HAVE THE GALL TO FORCE HER TO MARRY YOU A WEEK LATER! I SHALL HAVE YOUR SCALES!" The pink dragon was very pretty. She had scales the color of cherry blossoms and eyes the color of rose quartz crystals. Her horns were similar to a deer's antlers, but they were pale white with gems hanging on golden silk draped around them. Her claws were also a pristine white and her wings were stretched out, allowing the sun to glitter across her scales. Her tail flicked angrily, curled around what looked to be a gigantic pearl. She was gorgeous, but Butch stared at her like she had ascended from Hell.
"AND IN THAT SORRY EXCUSE OF A WEDDING KIMONO!? NO BRIDE WOULD BE CAUGHT DEAD IN SUCH DRUDGERY! IT'S AN INSULT, AN ACT OF DISHONOR! I'LL SEAR YOUR HIDE!" The second dragon was just as lovely as the first. But her scales were as white as pearls and her horns were obesidon black. They curled like a ram and were thicker than the pink one's. Black spikes portrayed from her back and her wings were out as well, though lower than the pink dragon's, not to mention smaller. Her tail was also holding a pearl. Her claws were thinner, but sharper too.
Buttercup looked over at Bubbles, who looked on uninterested. "Who are they?"
"The pink one is Blossom, the dragon empress. The white one is Bell, mate to Blare. Blare is the grey dragon over there. The red one is Brick, the dragon emperor." Brick was large, like Butch, but less bulky. He also seemed to have a larger wingspan. His horns were black, like Bell's. However, he had four on his head, one on each side, and black claws on his paws and wing tips. He also had two rows of spikes going along his spine. He watched with a bored expression before shaking his head when Butch looked at him desperately.
"I can't save you."
Blare was equally as large, but lower to the ground. He was also spikier and had heavier armor, but his wings were the same size as Bell's. His neck was short and the armoured plating on his head made it look like his eyes were set in a glare. His claws were larger too and his tail was flat like Boomer's, but with sharper spikes. Blare sighed when Butch looked to him for help.
"You will be dearly missed."
Butch yelped when Bell swiped at his face. "DON'T LOOK AT THEM! NO ONE CAN SAVE YOU THIS TIME! AFTER THE LAST FIVE GEISHAS, I HAVE HAD IT WITH YOUR IGNORANCE!"
"Okay, the geishas were bad, I will admit-"
"BAD!? BAD, HE SAYS! DO I NEED TO REMIND YOU ABOUT THE NIGHT OF THE FLYING OBIS?!"
"Alright, they were horrible, but-"
"And the whole incident with that ox?"
"They were a mistake I get it! But-"
"And now you're trying to force an innocent girl into marrying you! What was so wrong with my cousin, at least she liked you!"
"Bell, she's twice my age in dragon years."
"Oh, don't even act like you're getting any younger! Males, you get a little older and suddenly you're out like yesterday's onigiri!"
"If marrying a human worked for Boomer, it can work for me... Eventually."
"Yes, but I courted Bubbles before whisking her away to marry me."
"Hush, Boomer." Buttercup wasn't sure which thing made her happier; the fact that Bubbles was human, which meant she wasn't alone in this whole ordeal, or the fact that two of the dragons didn't appreciate him kidnapping her and that none of his male dragon friends were helping him out.
Butch glared at him before Blossom rose up on her hind legs and snapped at him, grabbing his attention as she clamped down on one of his horns. She then forced him to the ground and pressed her claw against his throat...in the snap of ten seconds, Butch was yelling and trying to get away while Blossom hissed in a display of dominance. "I've had it with your idiocy! I'm going to rip out your horns for this!"
"Leave some for me! I'm still angry about the last girl and I clearly did not make my anger known!"
Butch's wailed pitifully. Buttercup couldn't help, but feel for him... And he did save her life... Twice. Sighing, she climbed through the window and jumped onto Boomer's head. Bubbles yelped in surprise, "Buttercup, you should get back to bed!"
"I will... Once I save that moron from those two." She lowered herself onto one of Boomer's horns, "could you get me down there?"
"Of course, hold on." Standing up, he walked (stomped) over to the struggling male and violently angry females. He lowered his head and Buttercup cleared her throat.
"Excuse me! Over here, please!" The two dragonesses looked at her, Butch's horn still in Blossom's mouth. "Hello. As hilarious as it is to see Butch with his tail between his legs-"
"HEY!"
"-I'd really like it if you didn't kill him. It would take forever to get his body buried."
"Wow, Joji, you really do care."
"...On second thought, kill him. Slowly."
"OH GOD, NO!"
"I like you. You're hilarious."
"Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Blossom, Empress of the Eastern Dragons. This is Bell, my lady-in-waiting."
"I'm Buttercup, Butch's-"
"Fiancee."
"Prisoner."
"Agree to disagree."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize that it was custom to confine your fiance to her room. My mistake."
"You didn't? It's right after that custom where you go into the place you were specifically told not to go in. I must have forgotten to mention that. My mistake."
"I think you may have been caught up in the whole traditional kidnapping your fiancee and forcing her to marry you part. No worries."
"Are you still on that?"
"And I will stay on it until the day you die."
"What if you die before me?"
"I won't."
"You're so sure?"
"I'll stay alive to remind you, out of pure spite."
"So loving."
"Aren't I?"
"Butch, remember how I said that this would end badly like the last ten times?" Brick approached, "I take it back. This is the most entertaining thing I've seen in two centuries." Boomer lowered his head and Bubbles helped Buttercup get down. Soon, she stood, not in the midst of dragons, but seven people.
Boomer had been revealed to be a bit shorter than Brick and Butch. Blare was around his height, though. Boomer had sunny golden hair and deep sea blue eyes. He wore a kimono similar to Butch's in dark blue with sailor knots on his obi and depictions of silver waves on his haori. He gave Buttercup a friendly smile as Bubbles snuggled up to him, squealing about how she loved his true form, but his human form is easier to hug.
Blare was beside him and wore a dark samurai kimono with matching armour. His was switched in black and grey with silver accents. He also had his helmet secured to his belt. His hair was tied in a short ponytail with bangs and it was silver like the moon. He had dark, stormy grey eyes and a neutral expression. He handed Buttercup a bag, "we brought a gift to celebrate your upcoming wedding... Perhaps we were premature in our actions." It was full of gemstones.
"No, of course not. Thank you for the gift."
"I hope you like it. Humans don't build hoards like we do, but we wanted to lend a hand in that," Bell was as pretty as a human as she was a dragon. Her hair fell to the back of her legs in a silvery white wave. Her skin was smooth and it was the color of snow. Her lips were a soft pink and she had long grey eyelashes. Her kimono also matched Blare's, but it was a pristine white. It was also short sleeved and the design reminded Buttercup of Himeko's clothing. Her obi also sported a lotus design. She absentmindedly threw her pearl up and down in her hand.
"I really appreciate it, Lady Bell."
"Please, I'd prefer it if you called me Bell. Even if Butch is a complete idiot to bring you here like this, I want to be friends."
"I just watched you and Empress Blossom bring him to his knees. We are already friends."
"Oh God, I gave her allies."
"If you had courted her normally, you wouldn't be in this situation. You have no right to complain," Blossom was equally magnificent. Her hair rolled down her back and past her ankles by at least three feet in colors that reminded Buttercup of fall leaves and copper. The silk and gems that once sat on her horns now weaved through her hair and caught the light. Her kimono was worn loose, like Buttercup's, but only enough so that her shoulders were showing. Her obi was tight and decorated in chrysanthemums of every color. It was also a mixture of pink, red, gold, and orange like a sunrise. Her eyes were sharper now and her hair was held back in a partial updo by a cherry blossom styled kanzashi. She put her pearl in a bag tied to her waist. Her lips were also painted pink.
Brick stopped Butch from responding, "do you really want to put yourself in a deeper hole?" Brick was also awe inspiring. He stood with a regal air and piercing red eyes. His hair was long, like Blossom's, but it ended at the small of his back. It was also a darker red, almost like blood. His kimono reminded Buttercup of the human emperor, with deep shades of crimson mixed with black and silver. He also carried his own sword, to Buttercup's surprise. He bowed, not deeply, to her. "Forgive me for not greeting you. I am Brick, Emperor of the Eastern Dragon's and current ruler of the Yokai. You've met my wife, Blossom. Butch is my second in command and General of the East. Blare is my third in command and Prince of the East. Boomer is my fourth in command and Lord of the East."
Buttercup bowed, "I'm Tennoji Buttercup. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"I couldn't help, but notice that you carry an odachi. Are you a warrior?"
"Yes, I'm part of the samurai class. But I don't have a master." Brick smiled at her.
"That's impressive. I'd like to speak with you about that someday. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting a female samurai yet."
"Darling, didn't Black tell you? Buttercup faced a basilisk recently." Blossom smiled at her, "you're incredibly brave. I'd love to have you over for tea once you're recovered." Buttercup smiled. Usually when people found out that she was considered a warrior, she was met with shock and even derision. But, from the looks of it...the dragons thought it was a valued skill for her and they even spoke highly about her fighting that basilisk.
"Well, I still lost. I'd be dead if Butch didn't intervene." Butch looked at her, surprised, before giving her a smile.
"A lesser being wouldn't have been able to move," Blare said. "You, at least, had the sense to defend yourself."
"You are correct in something though. Basilisks are-"
"Perhaps, this isn't a conversation for outside. We should head-" Buttercup felt a sharp pain and crumbled to the ground. "Buttercup!" Butch was by her side in seconds, worry evident on his face. The other dragons huddled around her too, asking if she was alright.
"Back up! Give her air," Blossom commanded, sharply, as Bubbles hurried to Buttercup's side.
"I guess... I overdid it somehow." Butch picked her up, careful of her injuries. Bubbles gently checked the bandages on her torso. Blood was leaking through.
"You've opened your stitches again," she scolded gently. Rose's face flashed in Buttercup's mind. "You've barely been fully conscious for an hour. You need to lay down and heal."
"And because of this, I'd like to bring up what Bubbles mentioned when we got here-"
"Do you mean before or after she sent you and Blossom after me? OW!" Bubbles had cuffed him. Butch held back his snarl. No need for Boomer to get angry.
"ANYWAY, this wedding needs to be postponed until after Buttercup is completely healed."
"How about we just cance-"
"We tried that, but Lord of the Lady Thieves won't have it."
"Lord of the Lady Thieves? Really, Blossom?"
"We've done this ten times, Butch."
"Brick, I thought we were friends."
"ANYWAYS, postpone the wedding."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"YES!"
Buttercup groaned as another sharp pain surged. Butch looked down at her. Her face was sickly pale and she had bags beneath her eyes. A bit of blood was coming out of the corner of her mouth. He had been lucky Bubbles was able to stop the bleeding and that she had brought along her apothecary supplies. She had brought it to help Boomer, as he was prone to getting sick from being on land too long, but if she hadn't been there.
Butch couldn't bury another one of his brides... Not again.
I really am being a selfish idiot... He realized.
Buttercup stared at him. She thought he looked hurt before when she told him that she wouldn't marry him. But this look now...
It broke her heart.
"I'm...sorry..." He whispered. He handed her to Boomer before turning away, head down. "...The wedding...is off until she's better... I'm sorry, I... Have to go and make the necessary arrangements...excuse me." Before another word could be said, Butch hurried away. The group was silent before Boomer sighed.
"I had really hoped for a happier occasion." Brick put his hand on Boomer's shoulder.
"Well, we haven't seen each other at the same time in three years. Let's use this time to get to know Lady Tennoji better and to catch up."
"What a good idea. Bubbles, where is Buttercup's room?"
"Follow me, please!"
The rest of the dragons visited with Buttercup as Bubbles had confined her to her bed. And, if she thought she could sneak away, she was definitely mistaken. Sweet as she is, Bubbles is very firm when it came to her orders. So, Buttercup was left with one thing to do.
Watch Boomer, Brick, and Blare argue over the last piece of tea cakes while Blossom sat beside her. Black had wandered in while Buttercup was being stitched back up. She sat on the other side, playing with Tar while they were fighting.
"I'm the Emperor! I have to deal with all of your problems on top of my own responsibilities! I should get the cake!"
"Well, I'm the Prince and I say I should get the cake! After all, I was the one who found out about that uprising with the ogre's!"
"That was ten years ago! I should get the cake! I've had to deal with four times the amount of pirates trying to get to my horde! I need the cake!"
"How about you children let Buttercup decide? We are her guests after all," Bell quipped while Bubbles and Blossom nodded. All the dragons turned to Buttercup, who sighed.
"It is with all my wisdom and power that I bequeath the cake... To Black, she gets the cake!"
"Yes!"
"She's grounded! Butch said she can't have cake."
"Black definitely gets the cake, then!"
"Yes! My cake!" The young dragon scooped it up and hurried back over to Buttercup, sticking her tongue out at the three jealous males. Blossom, Buttercup, Bubbles, and Bell laughed.
Whether it's an Emperor, a Prince, or a Lord... Black will always be Black.
Soon, after her guests had retired, Buttercup was listening to Black talk about what happened while she was sleeping when Butch came in. He was carrying a tray of music soup on rice and oolong tea. "Black, you're supposed to be in bed."
"But it's barely become evening!"
"Well, this is what happens when you break a rule."
"Butch, don't be so hard on her. She was worried... Besides, it's my fault she ran out there and she made sure to get my sword. You don't need to punish her." Butch grunted.
"So, you admit that you were at fault there."
"Yes." He stared.
"...Wait, really? I expected you to yell at me, not...that... "
Buttercup sighed, "regardless of the fact you kidnapped me... You did only give me that one rule and I broke it... I'm sorry." He stared at her before sighing and looking embarrassed. He sat the tray on her lap and sat on the floor beside her futon.
"No, I'm sorry. I overreacted. And... I have been a bit selfish... The girls are right, I should never have taken you against your will."
"So, you're letting me go?"
"Nice try."
"I thought it was worth a shot."
"But beyond marrying me, I won't force you to do anything else. You're already doing much more than my previous... Anyway, you can rest assured that you'll have a say in this relationship...except the whether or not you marry me part."
"Oh no. You were going to say something about your previous wives. What was it?"
"Wait, how do you-"
"I overheard it when Bell and Blossom's were trying to ring your neck." Plus Black had mentioned it five seconds after meeting me, Buttercup thought. Butch sighed.
"It's a... touchy subject. I'll tell you someday." Buttercup narrowed her eyes, but let it drop. She began eating, glancing at the uncharacteristically quiet Black. She had fallen asleep. It seems the events of today tired her out.
"Thank you...for saving me from that thing." Butch smiled.
"You're welcome."
"What was that thing? Bubbles said it was called a-"
"A basilisk," Butch hissed out, smoke coming from his mouth. "A disgusting, degenerative creature with no soul. They poison the air, the grass, everything they touch. You were incredibly lucky to have been alive by the time I got there. In fact, I wanted to ask about that." He looked at her, "how did you survive?"
"Well... I dodged when it started attacking and-"
"No, before that. Buttercup," confusion overtook her when he finished speaking, "they kill just by looking at you."
"...What?"
"Basilisks are nothing more than mindless killing machines. But they are powerful. They have a special ability to kill almost anything, just by looking at it. Their gaze is able to stop anyone's heart, literally. They also breathe fumes so toxic, I've seen it melt shields. They also have a venomous bite and poison runs rampant in their saliva and blood. Even their claws are poisonous. We have to burn their corpses and purify the air or they will kill the environment around them, even in death." Butch shivered, in both rage and horror. "All in all, the fact that it saw you should have meant your death." He gripped her hand, squeezing it. Buttercup stared at him in shock.
His eyes were red.
Butch had... Cried?
"...Butch..."
"You don't realized how relieved I was that you were alive... When... I heard you scream... I thought you... And then you said my name...and I was so relieved that you were okay..."
"...I saw you fight it... It bit you so many times. It scratched you... If they're so dangerous, how...?" He gave her a watery smile.
"I said they can kill almost anything. Dragons are the natural enemies of basilisks. Watch," he pointed to his eyes and she stared as he blinked without...blinking?
"How...?"
"Dragon's have two sets of eyelids, one is behind the surface of our eyes. It helps us see through most smokes. So we can look into a basilisk's eyes without really looking into them. A basilisk needs to look directly at your eyes in order to kill you. Our bodies automatically counteract that once we sense one of them."
"That's amazing...strange, but amazing. But it still bit and scratched you. And didn't it breath on you too?"
"Yes and all of it hurt. However, my body is always warm enough to ensure I can create flames at any moment. Once I'm bitten or scratched by a basilisk, the temperature in my body rises to neutralize it. Then it leaks back out of the wound. I basically purify myself instinctively."
"And the smoke?"
"I breathe fire from my nostrils. There are two airways inside my nose. One for air and one of fire. Once my body registers that I've breathed in Basilisk smoke, the airway that leads to my heart closes off and I move my head out of the cloud." Buttercup stared at him after he explained how, basically, a dragon was able to counteract a basilisk completely. Butch sighed, "but their bites and scratches still stings horribly and I still get dizzy after breathing in their smoke. They're also as strong as dragons and much more flexible too. It's a combination of speed and strength that defeats them, as well as timing. Dragons have been at war with basilisks for the past one thousand years."
"Oh my God..." Butch nodded.
"I had hoped to avoid this conversation until after the wedding, but..." He sighed, "either way, now you know. That mirror you saw in the North Tower?" Buttercup shivered when she remembered it. That strange mirror that called to her and made her sword vibrate. "It's the only thing protecting us from all out warfare. Basilisks are generally confined to the other side of the world while our side is protected by the power of that mirror. If anything ever happened to it, the basilisks would wage war on our side of the world and the death toll would be astronomical."
So that's why Butch told her to stay away from it. He's trying to prevent a bloodbath by protecting the only thing separating them from the Basilisks. "But, if it keeps them out, then where did that one come from?"
"No wall is impenetrable and only a fool would believe so. We get a few who are able to slip through the barrier, but we all have guards constantly on the look out for them. This will be the second one in the past two years."
"Wow."
"Yes, last year one was able to slip through and surprise Bell. A very stupid decision though, since she had killed it in less than a minute."
"Really?"
"She's a Japanese Diamond Cave Dragon. Her claws can break diamonds."
"Well, then yes. A very stupid decision."
"I told you, basilisks are mindless creatures." They smiled at each other, for the first time. He glanced outside, "it's late, you should rest. Bubbles will skin me herself if I keep you awake."
"I was surprised. She seemed so sweet."
"She's very sweet... Until you make her angry. Then she's very vicious." He picked up Black, who was deep asleep, and then the tray that held the remains of Buttercup's dinner. "Good night, Buttercup."
"Good night, Butch." As he entered, Buttercup's mind whirled with this new information. She felt like she actually understood Butch a little better. Whatever happened to his previous wives seemed to have made him... Hesitant with her. And that mirror, it wasn't just a trinket, but a way to prevent chaos. As she got ready to sleep, one more thought echoed in her mind.
He doesn't seem... Too bad anymore.
Ladies and dragons, the other puffs and ruffs are officially here! (Thunderous applause) And what better way to introduce them than to have Butch physically and verbally accosted while Buttercup stands by and watches while laughing.
Butch- REALLY, BUTTERS?
BC- LOL
Not only that, we got to see Butch actually start to feel bad about how he's been treating Buttercup so far and we saw them both apologize for the whole tower incident before I threw in them actually starting to get along somewhat. The relationship will only grow from here and, not to worry, we'll get to the wedding much quicker than before. We found out a little more about that mirror too. We also learned what the thing that attacked Buttercup is. Now, traditionally, Basilisks don't look the way I described but I thought it would be cool to have a creature that seemed to be almost the exact opposite to what a dragon is in this story.
Bubbles- What do you mean?
Glad you asked. (Pulls down a diagram of Basilisks) Basilisks are generally depicted as large lizards that live deep in caves, forests, trenches, and are mostly found in places like parts of India, Africa, and the UK. Mainly in wooded or dark areas. They are often characterized as malicious creatures with gazes that kill, toxic breath, and venomous bites. Usually the best way to combat a basilisk is to show it its own reflection, as then they accidentally kill themselves-
Brick - What idiots.
Ahem.
Brick - Right, sorry. Continue.
Anyway, aside from that, they're really hard to kill. With bites and breathe so deadly, it's amazing how anyone can get close enough to kill them. However, your friends at Zshizshi and Co. were able to think up a good creature to counteract that. (gestures to the dragons like Will Smith gestures to his wife) DRAGONS!
Dragons- Woo-hoo!
BC - What losers.
Dragons- Hey.
Dragons are an amazing fantasy creature because they are basically the apex of apex predators. Aside from the ability to fly or breathe fire (or scalding hot water in Boomer's case, usually), they come with an array of amazing abilities and features. For example, a creature that breathes fire will need to be able to see through smoke with little to no irritation in their eyes.
Crocodiles and alligators (and beavers) can see through water due to having two eyelids, an inner lid and an outer lid. It's been theorized that dragon's would likely have two eyelids as well to help them see in smoke, cloud cover, water, and dense mists. Crocodiles and alligators also have flaps in their bodies that keep water from getting into their lungs. Another handy dragon feature, to prevent smoke (and water) from getting into their lungs.
Reviewer- But wait!
You're alive!?
Reviewer- That explains the gaze and poisonous breathe... But what about the venom from their bites and scratches?
Boomer- Calm down, she'll get there.
Thank you, Boomer. Anyway, most dragon's attack with heated attacks, I.e fire, hot water, etc. In order to generate that kind of power, a dragon's body temperature will have to increase to at least 1,200 - 1,700°C (2192-3062°F) for a weaker dragon flame (which in this story is the equivalent to a propane blow torch).
Blare-DO NOT QUOTE HER. SHE IS NOT A SCIENTIST.
I am not a scientist.
Bell - Do not play with fire.
Do not play with fire. Anyway, the highest temperature a dragon can reach internally is 2,000°C (3,632°F) before needing to expelled that heat or risk internal damage. Basilisk venom boils at 80.1°C, the same temperature at Bezene also known as C6H6, (benzol phenyl hydride, coal naptha)-
Boomer - Do not boil Benzene.
Do not boil Benzene, that is dangerous.
Bubbles- Fan fiction dot Net is not a good place to go experiments.
No. No, it is not. Thankfully, once boiled, the basilisk poison is negated and the dragon's blood vessels push the venom back out of the wound. It still stings, though, badly and the smoke makes them dizzy. Anyway, we'll be seeing more of these basilisks as the story progresses and we'll also learn why Buttercup, a human, survived one.
Black - Next time on Green Maiden, Bell gossips to Buttercup, Blossom and Brick discuss an important issue with Big Brother, and Buttercup learns about one of Big Brother's goofier hobbies. See you next time and bring more tacos.
Black really likes tacos.