Brick - Last time on Green Maiden.

Rose - These hands are rated E for EVERYONE!

Buttercup - I am the youngest one here, WTF?

Blossom - LOL, I ship it.

Blare - Can you all keep it down? I'm trying to angst while telling you guys about a problem without losing my angst.

Butch - It's a wonderful day in the neighborhood. Can you say neighborhood?

Brick- And now back to Green Maiden.

Quick note. This chapter is going to be 80% fluff because 20% of it is spent talking about a creepy pedophile who you will hate in this story, but he is vital to this story for drama reasons. If you're still not comfortable with that, let me help you out. When you see the phrase "The villagers would duck their heads..." Skip to the line divider. After that is exclusive Butch and Buttercup bonding. Other than that, continue.

A Day of Games

The next day, she had enough. Buttercup was not meant to lay in bed and sleep all day. She needed to move and she will move even if Bubbles comes back and ties her down afterward. Buttercup gingerly wrapped up her still raw wounds and got dressed. She picked up her sword and left for breakfast. And was met with mixed reactions.

"For the love of-! Buttercup, go back to bed."

"Yay! Big Sister is feeling better! We can play again, right?"

"No. One, you have lessons and you are not getting out of them this time. Two, Buttercup. Bed. Now."

"I thought you wanted to wait until after the wedding," she cheered mentally when Butch's face erupted in a bright red.

"That's not what I meant and you know it!" Buttercup grinned evilly before sitting down. "BUTTERCUP."

"Butch."

"Bed."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Stop being childish and go to bed."

"I've been in bed and now I need to move or risk going insane."

"I thought I drove you insane."

"You do, don't worry. Besides, me walking is not gonna kill me."

"It almost did two days ago."

"I think that was more because I jumped out the window-"

"YOU WHAT!?" Butch couldn't take much more of this. His heart was already pounding. "When did that happen?!" He frantically thought back to that day, trying to pinpoint when this psychotic girl jumped out of her window and why he didn't notice this.

"It was while Blossom and Bell were trying to feed you your own horns." That explains it. He was a bit preoccupied then.

"Here's a crazy idea. Let's not jump out of windows while you're injured... In fact, let's not jump out of windows, period." Buttercup shrugged.

"I don't know, there may be another occasion that calls for me to launch myself out of the window. I mean, who am I to defy fate in that?"

"I can't take this. I think I need a drink."

"Butch, it's only morning."

"If you're going to be planning on jumping out of windows all day, then I definitely need a drink." Black smiled as she watched Butch and Buttercup argue over her being out of bed and her apparent love of jumping out of windows. It was much lighter than before and she could see Buttercup struggling not to laugh at Butch as he threatened to chain her down in a windowless room if she didn't stop jumping out of windows.

Butch was also trying hard not to laugh, "this is serious! What would the other shoguns say if I let you jump out of windows?"

"You just don't understand the joy that is me jumping out of a window. It gives me immense pleasure."

"You've been hanging around Black too much. You're starting to act like her." Black gasped while Tar chortled.

"You traitor," she hissed, "and don't bring me into this! I have wings at least!" Buttercup laughed as the dragon girl stuck her tongue out at Butch. Breakfast was much better out of bed.

The villagers would duck their heads and hurry away when he came near and he liked it that way. Such weak minded people were not always welcomed in his presence. He was a powerful man, who wanted... No, deserved only the best. He tolerated only the best food, clothing, and supplies. He took no hand offs, he did not accept anything less than perfection. Ever since he was young, Jinnoya Matsuo only received the best of the best.

Education.

Food.

Friends.

And he had been engaged to the best girl.

Arashi Rinko was the village beauty, with bright green eyes and hair the color of obesidon. She was strong, but with the grace of a deer. She had admirers lined up for her hand, but she would take none of them. As the youngest of four daughters, it was Rinko who was deemed the most lovely, even if her temper was legendary. At sixteen, her beauty was undeniable.

He was sixteen years her senior, but Matsuo had decided that she was his.

But Rinko defied him and the wishes of her family by rejecting him.

Regardless of her naïve wishes, they were engaged. He was pleased, believing that she would someday see the benefits of submitting to him and becoming his wife.

But she dishonored him and their families instead. Rinko ran away and found work in the house of a middle class samurai, who became equally enthralled by her (even praising her temperament) as Matsuo had. He proposed to her, in the same year that Matsuo had, a mere six months after she had run away.

Unlike Matsuo, Rinko accepted his proposal and married him within the spring before birthing him a child months later.

When her location had been discovered and it was reported that she was married with a daughter, Jinnoya Matsuo was enraged and jealous. How dare she defy him and to choose a lower class samurai over him? She dishonored him by rejecting his passion and her family by not going through with the wedding. He had wanted to go there and burn down that village in retribution.

But then the report described her daughter, Buttercup. A beautiful six year old girl who was almost exactly like her mother.

Eyes the color of the purest jade.

Hair like fresh, black ink.

A temper as fiery as a dragon's.

Jinnoya saw it as a chance to finally have Rinko in a way. Her daughter would restore both their families' honor by marrying him. So what if he was then in his thirties? She wouldn't have a choice. So, he waited an extra year to prepare everything before hiring a gang of bandits to kill her parents and deliver Buttercup to him to be his ward and, later, his bride.

(A/N: If you wish to dry heave, need to take a deep breathe, or find some holy water to clean your eyes, now is the time to do so.)

They never returned.

Jinnoya was enraged, but not out of hope. That lowly samurai had a brother with two daughters of his own. He surely would want to secure her future and what was a better match than himself? However, regardless of what was promised, Tennoji Keichii refused over and over to give him Buttercup's hand.

And he couldn't kill him, for he was one of the best swordsmiths in the area. Many shoguns and samurais went to him for weaponry. Many of whom did not like Jinnoya Matsuo.

So said man sat in his palace, bored and bitter, half listening to the reports of his generals. He had been trying for months to arrange a way to get her to his palace. If she was physically there, he could marry her without her uncle's consent. However, attempting to kidnap proved futile, as Buttercup was every bit her mother's daughter and would seriously injure all who tried.

Seriously, Jinnoya thought, who allows a girl to learn how to use a sword?

He tried getting to know her routine so that he could meet her himself, spontaneously, and sweep her off her feet with promises of wealth and luxury.

No success, as Buttercup was every bit her father's daughter (apparently). She catered to no set schedule. One morning, she'll be up at dawn training and the next will find her in bed. "...Oya...? My lord?" His attendant's voice pulled him from his thoughts. He glared at the man, who flinched. Jinnoya was a large, older man who had commanded armies with an iron fist. He was infamous for being cruel to those who displeased him. His hair was peppered with grey and his eyes were dark. His attendant's voice quivered as he spoke, "we have another report on the girl you inquired about. The village has sacrificed her to a dragon that has been plaguing them for generations."

Rage boiled in Jinnoya, "sacrificed her to a dragon!? Who authorized this? That girl was to be my wife, the man who put her to death shall join her!" The attendant looked at the report.

"It seems it was a split decision instigated by Shirogane Itsuki, a very wealthy merchant." Jinnoya growled. If Buttercup was dead, then he'd never be mollified for the actions of Rinko. Still, at least he knew who to take it out on.

"Bring Shirogane here. I wish to make my displeasure known." The attendant nodded and bowed before excusing himself. The Shirogane family would face his wrath or he wouldn't be able to call himself a man.

"Ugh, I don't wanna!"

"Too bad, Black."

"Big Sister, don't make me!"

"Sorry, Black, but I'm siding with Butch. You have to learn these things."

"Thank you! Now go or no dessert tonight!" Black trudged off with Tar walking beside her as her tutors stood waiting. Buttercup snickered as Butch let out a long suffering sigh. "Hatchlings."

"The longer I'm here, the more similarities I see between dragon's and humans," Butch looked at her. She did seem a bit more cheery than before. Perhaps it was because the wedding wasn't hanging over her head constantly. He cocked his head to the side.

"Really?" She nodded, "how so?"

"Well, human siblings argue as much as you two do. And Black wanting to slack off her studies is exactly what I used to do as a child." Butch grinned.

"I'm sure your teachers were thrilled."

"Oh, they adored me. So much so that they kept me longer just to spend more time with me."

"I'm sure," they laughed before silence befell them. The table had been cleared and with Black gone...they really had no reason to be there. "...Have you explored the rest of my palace?"

"Err... No, I kinda wanted to be careful after last time." He rubbed his neck, uncomfortable as he recalled what happened. He was still ashamed at himself for trying to burn her. Butch gave her a timid smile.

"Well, I'll walk you around then. You can ask all the questions you like and we'll avoid any places you're not allowed."

"There are more places?"

"Well, you're welcome in my room, but I don't think you want to go in there before the wedding." The look on his face grew lecherous, "you might not be the same when you leave."

"What are you... YOU PERVERT!" she punched his shoulder, face bright red, as he cackled. Revenge for earlier. Buttercup huffed and crossed her arms, "fine. That sounds like a good idea. But only if you stop saying things like that." Butch chuckled and stood, helping her up before they made their way to the door.

"Oh, alright. I'll stop..." There was silence before he began again, "although-"

"No. NO. I have a feeling you are going to say something perverted and I don't want to hear it."

"Aw, you're no fun, Joji."

Butch totally avoided the Northern part of the castle and took her instead to the Eastern side, close to the dungeon, were he stored most of his hoard. "This is only a small percentage, mind you. In fact, this palace is only one of my homes." Buttercup looked up from the porcelain vase he was showing her. Butch had collected many different things over the years. Mountainous piles of gold and jewels and treasures were everywhere. Buttercup couldn't even see the floor in this wing. That also included all the silk and pearls and artwork he had scattered throughout the wing. The entire corridor was filled with it. And he had told her that only he and Black were allowed here... Though, now that Buttercup was going to be his wife, she'd be allowed here as well. Butch was so protective of it that it was blocked off by a door only he, Black, and now Buttercup were capable of opening.

"How many homes do you have?"

"Three in Japan. My largest palace is in India, but I also have aquired smaller territories in Australia and along the Indian coastline."

"India...?"

"It's a very large country, about three days flight if I don't stop. I usually winter there, but that doesn't seem to be possible this year." Butch sat on a pile of silver coins. "That's fine, though. It's been a while since I last spent a winter here, so it'll be fun."

"When's the last time you spent a winter here?"

"...About eighty years ago. That's right, Black had just turned two and she got sick. I spent days just rocking her back and forth because she pitched the biggest fit if I didn't," though he had a whiny tone, Buttercup could see the fondness in his eyes as he recalled Black at that age, "she was so miserable though, I couldn't bare to leave her alone, even if it was just for the winter. And it's not good for baby dragons that young to fly while they're sick. So we spent the whole winter, cooped up in this palace."

"You love her very much, don't you?" Butch looked at her and nodded.

"When I found her, all alone and scared... I just couldn't find it in me to leave her. It was kind of funny, actually. Here I was, a dragon in full form, in the middle of eating some cattle when a little baby dragoness toddles over to me. She climbed right onto my paw and fell asleep. After that, I looked around and found a village celebrating a successful hunt with two shadow dragon's dead at their feet. I knew I had to protect her then." Buttercup's heart clenched as she imagined it. What Black must have seen, how Butch must have felt, it was sweet and painful.

"That's so sad... Does she remember any of it?" Butch shook his head.

"No one remembers anything from that age, dragon or no. She knows she's adopted and that her parents are gone, but that's it. I traded that territory to Bell and Blare in exchange for another in Australia and never went back." Butch sighed, then perked up, "but enough about that. Let's talk about something else." Cocking her head to the side, Buttercup thought. Her fingers absentmindedly shifted the gold coins next to her.

"Okay, tell me about you."

"Me?"

"Yes. I've heard stories about when Black was young. Now it's your turn." Butch chuckled before leaning back.

"I could say I was the most dashing, promising, and courageous dragon ever to walk the earth-" she gagged, "-figured you would do that. According to my father, I was every bit of trouble Black can be on a bad day. And that was on my good days." Buttercup snickered, trying to imagine it, "I drove my parents insane. I climbed the walls, tore apart my clothes, burnt down different parts of their lair on multiple occasions. I was constantly escaping too."

"Escaping?" Butch snickered.

"I found it great fun to run away and hide from my parents while simultaneously causing mischief on the roads and in nearby villages. I chased cattle, attacked caravans -playfully, of course-, and I once set part of the surrounding woods on fire." Buttercup laughed when Butch described it. "My mother says she shed her scales prematurely because of me. My father began tying bells on my wrists and neck and horns just to keep track of me. Much good it did since I always broke them."

"And you give Black such grief! Compared to you, she's an angel!"

"I know, how hypocritical. My parents laugh at me now. They think it's the perfect revenge for all the trouble I caused. Oh, and when I began maturing..." Butch whistled lowly as he laid back, "I gave most of the surrounding yokai nightmares."

"I'm almost afraid to ask."

"Male dragons obsess over fighting and securing territories at one hundred and fifty years old."

"So you were-"

"And I developed early."

"Oh dear God, those poor yokai." Butch laughed.

"My father had to come and drag me home by my tail more times than I care to count." Buttercup broke into laughter as she imagined Butch being carried back by his father like a disobedient puppy. "In fact, it got worse when I met Brick and Blare."

"What were they like?"

"Well, Blare was more into securing territories, but Brick was mainly interested in fighting. That's normal, but Brick is fiercely intelligent. He'd do as much research as possible on a dragon or yokai before engaging them. He'd plan out his fights to the last detail. He has a meticulous system that he would follow. I often found myself following him and Blare did too. Soon, we left our nests together." Butch purred, "we got into a lot of trouble, but Brick took it in stride. Blare then began building his home in Western Japan. I settled here in the North. Brick chose to conquer a large territory in the East and boosted himself up to Dragon Emperor, but by then it was more of a formality."

"What about Boomer?"

"We met him a few years later. We were still young and had energy and we wondered too close to one of his coasts. Sea dragon's are especially aggressive at a young age, but they calm down after a while. Boomer hadn't...idiot decided to drag me down into the depths for coming too close." Buttercup blinked. From what she had assumed, Butch was the strongest of the group. He noticed her confusion. "I may be stronger than him on land, but the sea is completely Boomer's domain. Once I was in the water, my only options were to get out as soon as possible." Butch shivered, "it was not easy. Blare caught sight of my tail and dragged me ashore. It hurt." He pouted when Buttercup's snorted. "But that also brought Boomer ashore. We thought we were fighting a sea serpent, but he turned out to be a sea dragon. His species usually stick to being farther out at sea and deeper, but he seems to have a preference for coastlines and shores. He has a few deep sea territories, I believe, but I'm not sure."

"So, that was your first time seeing a sea dragon?" Butch nodded.

"Our curiosity overrode our need to fight and Boomer was basically accosted with questions. Once he realized we had no interest in his coast, he became the Boomer you know now. We've been friends ever since. And we gave our families heart attacks once they realized how much trouble we could cause with a sea dragon. On a side note, did you know that kitsune and squids don't get along? Because I didn't."

"What, why... Oh God, do I even want to know?" Buttercup fell back laughing as Butch grinned evilly.

"In my defense...it Was Boomer's idea." Buttercup laughed, "hey, all this talk about my youth has made me think. Let's play a game."

She blinked, "what game?"

"Hmm... You pick one."

"I can't really think of one... How about Tic Tac Toe?"

"Tic Tac Toe...? What is that?" An hour later found the two in his study, Butch staring at the paper in frustrated confusion while Buttercup looked on in triumph next to him. Whether she used X's or O's, Buttercup had won the last thirteen rounds of Tic Tac Toe. Butch had won none. "I have commanded armies. I've taken on Basilisks, other dragons, sea serpents, and Giant Desert Scorpions...and I still cannot figure out how you keep beating me." Buttercup snickered.

"It's simple... I'm just better than you, that's all." He pouted childishly.

"This game is stupid."

"Says the one who lost thirteen times."

"Let's play another round, I'll beat you this time."

"He says the ninth time." Moments later, Butch growled while Buttercup cheered. "I win! Again!"

"Okay, how did you do that?"

"It's all about placement, Butch...plus, you are very easy to read." Butch glared before smirking.

"Am I? What am I thinking now?" From the look on his face, Buttercup knew immediately what he was thinking. She pouted and crossed her arms.

"Pervert."

"You're magic." She crumpled up a discarded sheet of Tic Tac Toe and threw it at him, earning a laugh. The two sighed as they leaned back. "Today was nice," Butch mumbled, "I barely get a day off it seems." She glanced at him. Was Butch always that... good looking? He usually looked irritated or cocky, but now he seemed totally relaxed. His eyes were softer, his shoulders were slumped, and he didn't have a snarl on his face. She smiled.

"That what you get for being a shogun, you trouble maker." Butch rolled his eyes.

"Say what you want. I'm not the one who was jumping out of windows."

"But you were wrestling sea dragons and disturbing kitsune with squids."

"What about squids?" The two turned to see Black enter the room with Tar in her arms. "My lessons are done for the day!"

"Remind me to add more."

"Don't you dare, Big Brother!" Buttercup laughed as Butch teased Black, earning an annoyed pout from his baby sister. It seems the longer she stayed there, the more human Butch seemed.

Okay. God, this chapter was difficult. I really don't like Jinnoya.

Jinnoya - You have poor taste.

Back in the closet, Jinnoya!

Brick - Anyway, didn't you have something you wanted to ask?

Oh, right. Thanks, Brick. I'm having a bit of trouble deciding if I want to time skip to two or three weeks before the wedding. By then, I figure Buttercup will be more or less healed and I have more scenes planned out for during those weeks. But I also want to utilize Buttercup's down time as best I can and I really am trying hard not to rush her and Butch's relationship. Spoiler alert, we will also be paying a visit to the Reds during this time with some major things (both fluff and dramatic) planned then. But, like I said, I don't want to rush to far ahead. So, what would you guys like? Should I:

A. Time skip to when Buttercup's is almost completely healed and the final wedding prep picks back up.

Or

B. Wait a while and add a few more scenes of her recovery time?

No poll this time, just answer in the reviews. I'm gonna take a few days before starting on the next chapter, so no rush.

See you guys later!

Blossom - Oh! And bring strawberry parfaits!

Oh dear God, what have I started?