I lived, b*h. Sorry about the impromptu haitus, but I found myself without inspiration to write. But after looking through newly acquired research material-
Brick - (busts in) RESEARCH MATERIAL!? YOU SPENT THE ENTIRE TIME WATCHING STRONG GIRL BONG-SOON, SOLOMON'S PERJURY, AND GARGOYLES! AND DON'T THINK I DIDN'T KNOW THAT YOU WERE TALKING WITH QUEEN-OF-DOLLZ ABOUT CO-OPING FOR A GARGOYLES FANFICTION, DESPITE THE FACT THAT SHE NEEDS TO UPDATE NIGHT SPEED!
Queen-of-DollZ - (off screen) BUGGER OFF, I'M TRYING!
Brick - Just get to reading! Research materials, my tail.
I almost forgot to mention. This chapter is dedicated to DaringDinkyDo for her WONDERFUL FAN ART OF TAR (Y'aLL SHOULD CHECK OUT HER DEVIANTART PAGE. THERE'S A LINK ON HER PROFILE, SHE CAPTURED TAR PERFECTLY! EEEEE I LOVE FAN ART) and reinpianist for figuring out what the third piece of the pearl was and actually mentioning it in her review!
The Change of Tides
He sat on the cool, marble floor, swept with salt. Some of it was from the sea, the place of his birth...beautiful, but dark. Sometimes cool, but also chilling. The rest was there because of all the tears shed in this very home. Some were tears of joy, some of fear, and the rest pain. All needed in their time, but only a select few were welcomed. He stared morosely at the small, wooden ship that floated teathered to the arching walkway, that rose from the tides in his cave lair.
It was a small ship, probably a child's favorite toy. Within it, a lone candle burned, ever present.
Boomer stared at it, eyes dark from painful memories and loss. A pair of feet clacked against the floors and suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around his. "Boomer," a soft voice whispered. Bubbles laid her cheek against his arm, staring at the boat with eyes similar to his.
"...It will be time again soon..."
"...Yes..."
"...Do you sometimes...do you still hear him?"
"Every night before I sleep...every morning when I wake...with every breath I take, I hear and feel him still."
"...There was nothing you could have done..."
"You say this, but-"
"It's not your fault," he snapped. The growl in his tone reverberated against the dripping walls. He let out a sigh, hot steam exiting his mouth as his body instinctually heated up from his concealed anger. Not at Bubbles, never her..."...she's at fault...once this issue with Butch and Buttercup subsides and the threat of an invasion is over...I'll approach Brick-"
"Boomer."
"-and request to go to war with her kind."
"Boomer, that won't..." He turned from Bubbles and stalked away. Bubbles watched sadly as he disappeared into the nearest corridor, carved from sea stone and corral. She looked back to the boat, tears brimming her eyes. "...that will not ease our pain..."
Blare waited at the entrance to his mountain home, howling winds roaring as they blew. His massive form was unmoving, grey and bulky like a stone. Against the whitening mountain range, he looked like another boulder. Bell was tucked away, where he liked her, snuggled in their warm bed as she dreamt of jewels and battle. At any other given morning, he would be beside her, arms wrapped around her as he slumbered on until his body demanded food.
But not today.
As he stared over the dark horizon, stars steadily disappearing into the light, he snorted. He could smell the rotting flesh here, could taste their putrid breath. Soon, his darling Ella would sense them to and rise to confront them.
Thankfully, the dull creatures had not breached the barrier again. The mirror was fully repaired and its power pulsed through the air. He only hoped it stayed that way, if only to give them more time to prepare.
"It's rare for you to call me to your territory on such short notice," Blare didn't turn to face Butch as he landed. The Cave dragon simply stared ahead as Butch lumbered over to sit beside him, his deep black scales were a stark contrast to the territory that was already winter. He peered at Blare, who still didn't move. "What has you so riled up that you'd invite me to your territory? The last time I came, you threatened to snap off my horns."
"Pfft...Bell didn't like your current wife then. I was not about to listen to her roar about her stench."
"Miya was a nice girl."
"She was a prostitute."
"A nice one."
Blare fought the urge to roll his eyes as he finally faced Butch. "You can sense them best here...I'm afraid my territory will be the first breached." Butch didn't deny it.
He could feel the basilisks strongest here, pounding against the force that kept them confined to the other half of the world. His body ached to fight them, to defend his friend's territory and mate.
But he dared not. To do so would shatter the barrier for the basilisks and plunge their world into a bloody massacre.
A vision of Buttercup, lying in a pool of her own blood with three gashes across her side crossed his vision, causing him to snarl. No matter how angry he was at her, Butch would never do something that might cause that again.
"Does Bell-"
"Who do you think brought it to my attention? Bell detestes these things."
"AAAARRGH! SUCH A REVOLTING SMELL! DIE, YOU ROTTING PIECE OF WORM SCUM!"
Blare turned back to the horizon, "for years, we sat by, wondering when it would come. The barrier stood for a thousand years, but it is finite...I'm afraid that it will soon be time for war." Butch looked upon the sky as the sun rose, forcing the soulless creatures back to their dark holes once again.
Finally, his instincts were at peace.
"I woke up today, wondering if I will get to marry my stubborn fiancee...now I'm wondering if I will get to marry her before a war." Blare chuckled.
"If you thought marriage to your loved one is easy, then you learned nothing from the previous twelve."
Buttercup sat up from her work, hands caked in mud and dirt. Since Blossom was adament about her not leaving, she had been more or less confined to the area around the house. Can't believe it's been a week already, she mused as she surveyed her work.
The first few days had been dedicated to Blossom answering questions about dragon pearls and Buttercup telling her about her family.
Supposedly, her sword was one of only things that can harm a dragon, besides steel seeped in a strange herbal water Buttercup had never heard of, - "It's called Holy Water, Buttercup. Humans create it in this place they call churches, it's like a big shrine...only they only worship one god there, supposedly. I never understood that triangle thing myself...Anyway, swords washed in holy water can damage us." - and, if used properly, can even emulate the same powers of a dragon.
Her fan, apparently, allowed for her to see through illusions and protect her from poisonous gases, plus it might even allow her to use the wind in an attack. All of this, of course, was stipulation...but, to think that she held power akin to a dragon was, in a world, exciting.
It was no secret that dragons, or any monster, were powerful. Even Black, a baby dragon, had strength men dreamt of. Dragons just seemed to have powers that were synonymous with creation and destruction.
The longer she stayed with Blossom, the more apparent that power seemed. Air seemed warmer when Blossom was near and she almost glowed in the night. Grass and flowers bloomed and grew where she walked outside. The stars seemed to circle around her and she could read the skies like words on a scroll. Her touch was electrifying in a way and she seemed to instantly know one's thoughts just by looking at them.
Buttercup also felt her own emotions so much more when Blossom spoke. When she was angry, a twinge of fear rose in Buttercup's gut. When she was sad, vengeance took Buttercup's heart. And her smile was like that of an approving mother, pride would swell in her soul.
Perhaps it was just Blossom's demeanor?
Buttercup believed that all Celestial Dragons caused such things. After all, the sun causes things to grow and die. And who wouldn't want the approval of the moon?
"Having fun out here," speak of the Devil. Blossom walkwalked down the stony path and gave her a teasing grin, "you're like a small hatchling, playing in the dirt."
"You mean gardening?" Buttercup raised her hands, dirt beneath her nails. Blossom shrugged.
"I was never allowed to garden. My family refused to allow such a past time."
"Say, you've been asking a lot about mine, but what of yours?" Besides her ancestor, Teruko, Blossom hadn't uttered a word about her family. Did she have siblings...? Cousins?
Blossom blinked and gave her a bored look, "you and Butch have more in common than you realize...you really must work on tactfulness."
"Ah...well, my sister, Rose, said that all the time too."
"...I haven't spoken to my family since I married Brick." Buttercup blinked.
"No...really?" Blossom nodded and sat down beside her, inspecting the flower buds she was planting.
"My father doesn't like Brick at all. Some of the territory he controls was once ny father's...and...he also killed my father's best friend." Buttercup was starting to wonder if murder was a reoccuring theme in draconic culture.
Bell killed her sister.
Butch killed his wife.
And now Brick killed his father-in-law's best friend.
The world of dragons was much harsher than she ever thought. Blossom caught her stare and laughed humorlessly. "I know what you're thinking, but we are not so savage as to kill without any feeling...Bell didn't eat for weeks when she killed Beau and still has nightmares...I know Butch still cries on the eve of Reina's death...ah, humans are lucky...you still have the drive to strive for morality...we dragons do not..." Blossom leaned back, staring up.
"...What happened?"
"Me, I suppose." Blossom didn't look at her. Her eyes were dim as if she was remembering something painful.
"You corrupted me with hate! You're not a lovely rose, you're a beautiful weed!"
"...I seem to cause hatred in those I love..." She stayed silent for a moment before continuing. "Did Butch ever tell you of the War of Tears?"
She had never heard of it. "No."
"Hmmm...he must not have had the time. Years ago, the monster world was ruled under a patriarchic system. Males seemed to rule everything. They could have as many mates as they pleased and did little more than go out to fight and mate and conquer territory. We females were left managing territories, hunting and securing food, raising young, and defending our territories. It also wasn't uncommon for a female to be chased out by her mate to make room for his newer, younger mate."
"Honestly, it sounds similar to humans."
"I imagine it was...one day, a powerful queen of the Chinese Dragons came home to find her mate with two young females, no older than one hundred and fifty, and she flew into a rage. She did something no one had done before."
"What? Did she kill him?"
"No, but she might as well have. She mauled him so brutally that no one jumped in to stop her. Then she chased him out of his own territory, declaring it and every one of his territories hers."
"...She could do that?"
"She maintained them. By right, the dragon that maintains and protects the territories owns them. That's why you'll probably see Butch leave a lot...Anyway, then she went to the current Queen of Dragons, my grandmother Empress Dosinoko, and demanded to know why her sex was left as slaves to the males. She pointed out how we, the females, raised and fed the children while they ran about, making trouble. She demanded to know why they demanded loyalty when they were out with other females. She reminded each female of times when their own fathers chased out their mothers to make room for a new mistress. Years of repressed anger and pain finally surfaced and the females began to turn on the males."
Buttercup stared, listening intently. "Daughters against fathers, mothers against sons. It was pure chaos. Soon, the males found themselves being chased out. Kitsune, dragons, merfolk, giants, every monster race had females demanding change and males refusing to go along with it. Soon, they divided. Empress Dosinoko led the charge and rallied my mother and aunts against the males of the family...
My father, of course, was fighting for the other side when he met a dragon named Fujimoto and they became extremely close. He was there when the war finally ended and when my father courted my mother. He was also there for my birth...my father adored him like a brother and...one day...he told my mother that Fujimoto had expressed interest in courting me when I came of age."
"Eh!? But you dragons age once every ten years, so how old was-"
"He was four hundred when I was one hundred and fifty."
"Ew."
"Yes. Anyway, my father constantly pushed me to spend time with him...it was irksome. My mother encouraged me to at least think about it, but many males were still of the 'you mate who you're told to mate' mindset. I lost count of how many times I snarled at him to leave me be...anyway, when I was getting to be one hundred and seventy, a young dragon began taking over my father's territories. My father went many times to drive him out, but he was always beaten...badly. Soon, that dragon elevated himself up to the status of Emperor and at only one hundred and eighty years old. My father was furious, but there was little he could do. The new Dragon Emperor was stronger, faster, and younger.
One day, he invited my family and Fujimoto to his new palace to celebrate his first year as Emperor. That was the day I met Brick."
The autumn air was chilly, but pleasant. She had been flying beneath her mother for some time now. Her soft pink scales glowed in the dimming sunlight as her mother's matching scales glittered. Her father flew ahead, grumbling about having to see this new "emperor" despite the fact that he had stolen his territory. Blossom rolled her eyes. Her father had been moody ever since this new male was crowned Emperor. "Darling, don't think too hard on it. I'm sure he's calmed down and you can discuss this diplomatically soon." Her mother, Amanomusu, crooned.
Her mother was much more levelheaded than her father and could be kinder as well. Blossom hoped to emulate her.
"It won't happen! This bratty new emperor won't even see me! Only if I come to challange him to a fight, does he come! He's blood thirsty! Vicious! You'll see, he'll lead us all to ruin!"
Fujimoto, a large grey dragon, flew quietly beside him. Blossom ignored the looks he continuously threw her way. "All young males are like that, Calcifer. He'll mellow out with time. Soon, he'll be too busy maintaining his reign to start fights."
"Or he'll continue being a brat and fight his elders." Finally, they arrived. The castle was in her family's former territory in Gunma, right on the border of Niigata. The palace was grand, with waters flowing over the walls into strategically placed wells, creating a manmade waterfall of sorts. Lilies floated undisturbed by the rushing waters and flowers bloomed, despite the cold.
Blossom stared at the statues that had been added to what was once her home. Large marble dragons sat, sitting with their chests puffed with pride as jewel eyes glared at their visitors. The marble path had been cleaned and the trees trimmed.
All in all, at least the new Emperor wasn't letting the grounds deteriorate. They soon changed back to human form and began walking up the steps to the palace. Fujimoto saddled up to her and gave her a sheepish grin. "With all the hurry to get here on time, I never got to properly greet you." Blossom groaned internally.
"There's really no need."
"But still, I don't want you to think I'm ignoring you."
"It never crossed my mind." Blossom wanted to scream at him to bug off, but that would not be ladylike and her parents would scold her.
But, honestly, he was old enough to be her father! Did they really think she'd approve this match?
They finally reached the top of the palace grounds and her father reached forward to knock on the door when it flew open to reveal a young man, close to her age. He had long, deep burgandy hair and bright crimson eyes. His kimono was awash in red, black, white, and gold but he wasn't wearing the usual ceremonial crown. He stood at her father's height and stared at him with a bored expression. "Ahh. Catchy fur, you made it."
"...It's Cal-ci-fer. And yes, thank you for inviting us...your highness."
Buttercup cracked up, "Catchy fur?!"
Blossom nodded, "Brick does not care for my father..."
Blossom resisted the urge to laugh as Brick smirked, letting them know that he knew he was saying his name wrong. He just didn't care. He looked at Fujimoto, "I see you brought a friend."
"Yes, this is Fujimoto, a very valued friend of mine. Soon, I hope to call him a relative as well." All the mirth left Blossom as embarressment took hold.
"Papaaaaa..." She hissed. He looked at her and gave her a far too innocent smile. Amanomusu shook her head and stepped forward, bowing to the Emperor.
"I would also like to express my thanks." The Emperor gave her a smile and bowed.
"Please, it's an hour. You must be the lovely Empress Amanomusu. I have eagerly awaited your arrival." She smiled.
"You're too kind. May I introduce my daughter, Princess Blossom?" The Emperor looked at Blossom, who stepped forward and bowed. Her long hair fell over her shoulders slightly. Brick bowed, a little deeper before speaking.
"It's a pleasure. My name is Brick." Blossom couldn't tear her eyes from Brick. He seemed to exclude an energy that screamed untapped power. It was masculine and fierce, demanding to conquer lands that spanned across the horizons. He threw her a cheeky grin, "I know I'm magnificent, but to be admired so long by a princess? I'm flattered."
"No." Buttercup stared as Blossom groaned.
"He was as insufferable as he is now."
Blossom's face flushed as she glared. She wasn't staring! She was...studying him. A perfectly natural thing to do. They had just met after all. "I'm not...I wasn't..."
"Well, I can hardly blame you. I am quite a catch and very single if you were wondering." Her cheeks were burning as she heard her father growl lowly. Fujimoto grumbled beside her.
Her mother chuckled, "my, my, my. When they say you're a charmer, Emperor, they were not kidding." Brick grinned at Amanomusu, before turning back to her party.
"Well, don't stand on ceremony. The rest of the guests are awaiting you in the reception hall." The doors were pulled open by some invisible force and her parents walked in, followed by a flustered Fujimoto. Blossom made to follow when Brick stood in her way with an impish smile. "My apologies, Princess. I had to guage your reaction to my taunting. I hope I didn't overstep any boundaries."
By his tone, Blossom knew that he didn't feel the least bit sorry. She hissed dangerously at him, "please make it a point to leave me be." With that, she shoved him aside and followed her family...not knowing that she had further peaked his interest.
"I'll spare you the details of that night...long story short, he got on my nerves. Oh yes, everyone loved his party. There was grand food and music and laughter. But he completely disregarded every social rule I had been commanded to follow since birth." Buttercup watched as Blossom ranted and raved about her absolute 'aggravating' husband. "That was also the day I met Butch, Blare, and Boomer. And goodness, those three did not help...by the end of ththat night, I was so angry at their teasing that..."
Blossom flushed bright red, "oh! I think I hear someone calling me, I should-"
"Nice try. What did you do?"
"...I set Brick's hair on fire."
"...What?"
"In my defense, he was really asking for it...my father didn't like him, but he was mortified and the party...ended..." Buttercup burst out laughing.
Imagine. Prim, proper, and elegant Blossom setting an emperor's hair on fire. She imagined a chaotic scene where Brick is frantically trying to put out his hair anand Butch, his devoted friend, is doing his best to help. She saw Boomer spraying water at him haphazardly while Blare slowly slinks away, mortified. She saw Blossom slowly realizing what she's done and shrieking out frantic apologies as she tries to right her wrong.
God, Buttercup wished she had been there to see that.
"So imagine my surprise when Brick sends an invitation to my family to join his court for brunch a week later...and soon, we were constantly meeting each other. We fought endlessly, he seemed to enjoy riling me up to the point where I would challenge him...and, to be honest, I loved it." Her eyes adopted a soft, dreamy glow. "Then he would sneak me out or away from parties just to talk...one night he snuck me away to another palace and I stayed there for three whole days and nights..."
Buttercup had never been so interested in a love story before. She could see that Blossom was remembering a particularly saucy memory before her face was becoming more and more flushed. She shot her a smirk when Blossom finally remembered whom she was speaking with. The two stared before Blossom cleared her throat.
"So, that's when my family realized I was in love with Brick. My father was furious, my mother...not so much...and Fujimoto did his best to divert my attention. Father began rejecting Brick's summons until Brick himself came and threatened to fight him if he continued to disregard his authority. I told him off later, but it did get the message across. Soon Fujimoto and Brick were practically at my beck and call. Gifts and treats were showered upon me...but my decision was long made. One morning after one of our...rendezvous...he asked me to marry him...I'm not aware of what happened after that...
My father was outraged when Brick went to him for his blessing and tried to force me to go home. I refused and stayed with Brick at his palace. Fujimoto...then sent a challenge to Brick..." Her tone was weary, as if reliving the day. "He came home late in the evening, coated in blood. He had such a...blank look on his face...he told me "Fujimoto is dead" and went to his room without another word."
Blossom sighed, "we married a week later. My mother transferred the title of Empress to me and I haven't seen them since." The pain was evident in her eyes. She obviously wished for a chance to be with her family again, but pride would keep her from them.
"Have you...at least tried?" Blossom huffed.
"My father made it clear that, so long as I was Brick's wife, he wanted no part of my life...he's probably had another child to replace me..."
"Replace you? How? You're one of the best people around!" She laughed.
"Thank you...but I haven't given up hope...sooner or later, curiosity will get the better of them. I have hope that I'll at least see Mama again." Blossom smiled, "gosh, we sat out here for so long I nearly forgot to ask how you were."
"Me? I'm fine."
"No, how are you? Since you first came here?" Buttercup blinked and awash of understanding came over her.
She has been hiding in Blossom's "lair" for a week. Butch had decreed that their wedding would be around now. Surely, he would have postponed it due to her escape...
Or cancelled it...
An entire week. She's known about Reina for six days and Butch, supposedly, knows that she's here with Blossom's sovereignty keeping him at bay.
Before, she was frantic to leave and go home or go to Butch but then she'd feel a weight in her stomach at the thought of leaving this newly discovered safe haven.
But, in the end, Butch is Blossom's beloved friend. She even described him to be a brother.
She would obviously want an answer.
"I..." Blossom looked at her, "I...need...I need to face him...don't I?"
"...He's been sitting outside my territory for some time now...he leaves only for brief periods..."
"I should never have run away."
"Running from one's problems solves nothing."
"I'm such an idiot..."
"Don't dwell on the past."
"He must be furious."
"Definately...but the only way to make it better is to face him..."
"...What if...he..."
"Kills you?" Buttercup clenched her fists to the point that her finger nails cut into her palms and her knuckles turned ashen white. Butch will be furious. He'll decide she's not worth it and end her. She wasn't sure what was worse, him losing faith in her or death. "I doubt that will happen. You're so different than Reina."
"How? How am I different? Even Brute said I was so like her."
"Believe it or not, Buttercup...it's because, deep down, you actually care about him." Buttercup didn't respond. "I'll escort you as far as the border of my territory, he'll be waiting for you there."
He was waiting.
Cloaked in the shadows, in his human form, with sinisterly acidic eyes watching as Blossom landed in her true form. Buttercup could feel his stare before she saw him.
He stepped out of the trees, clad in his normal kimono. Black and Tar were nowhere in sight, obviously.
He wouldn't have the patience for the two children when he's like this.
Blossom stared down at him. The moment was tense before she spoke, "I knew you'd be here."
He didn't respond for a minute, "as you always do."
"How unlike you to at least greet us."
"As you can tell, I'm not in the best of moods." Blossom rolled her eyes.
"I'm fully aware. Keep it up and you'll scare us both off. I haven't given you the permission to cross my border, you know." Butch huffed out smoke, but bowed. Blossom turned her elongated neck and looked at Buttercup, who kept herself out of Butch's view. "Remember," she whispered, "you are not her." Gently, Blossom plucked Buttercup from her back and sat her onto the grass, still a few steps from the border.
Butch's nostrals flared, but he resisted the urge to...do something. He thought he'd be furious once he laid eyes on her again and he was. Oh, he was livid. She ran away again and hid for a week! If he hadn't stormed into Brick's palace, he would have never found her. Butch had every right to be upset.
And she had no right to look so beautiful.
"I apologize, but I should be off. I plan to go home to Brick today and I have shopping to do beforehand. Buttercup," the brunette glanced up, "join me again soon. I loved playing chess with you."
"Ah...sure..." The sunset pink celestial dragon stretched her wings and took back into the skies, quickly becoming a speck in the night sky and Buttercup was left alone with a sizzlingly furious Butch. The two stood in silence.
Buttercup looked everywhere but at him.
Butch stared her down for a moment before turning abruptly, making her eyes snap to him as he walked away. "Let's go."
"...Ah...okay..." She said softly, taking a trembling step towards him. She got closer...
And closer.
And closer.
Butch snatched a hand out and grabbed her arm, quickly engulfing himself in lime green flames as he shifted into a dragon. Buttercup let out a scream, finding herself trapped in his talons as he launched into the air at dizzying speed. She fell back against his claws as the air rushed around her. She gripped her fan, hidden within her kimono, in fear as he tore through the skies.
After seemingly no time, they arrived home and Butch unceremoniously dropped her before turning back. "Hey, watch-"
"SILENCE!" He roared at her, pulling her up and pushing her against the wall. Buttercup shrunk back but he kept her trapt between his arms as his serpentine eyes stared down at her and smoke billowed from his throat like that of a burning village.
Images of houses and families going up in flames tore through Buttercup's mind. She gulped. He hissed at her.
"You have no clue how angry I am right now," he said in a clipped tone. The growl in his throat made her tremble.
"I...think I have an idea." He chuckled humorlessly.
"I've given you all that I can...my home, my wealth, and my heart...yet you still spat in my face."
"Butch, I never meant-" he released a violent roar that caused the nearby birds to take to the air in a frenzy. Horses in the stables panicked as the apex predator made his rage known.
"I said be silent. I don't want to hear a word from you. I...don't even want to see you." He finally stood up, a shadow cast over his eyes as he called for a servant. A hidden maid, frightened beyond belief by her master's mood, scurried up to them. "Take her to her chambers...and make sure she stays there."
"Yes, Master." The maid quietly corraled Buttercup down the corridor as Butvh turned away and stalked off.
"Butch...Butch, wait, I-" but it was too late. He was gone. Buttervup felt her eyelids become moist.
"I'm sorry..."
Blossom - (stares hard at me)
I was soooo tempted to throw in some Red limes in this chapter but I think I'll hold onto those.
Blossom - I hate you.
So this chapter was beyond difficult to write. We now know what happened with Blossom's family, we see our favorite Blues have some emotional turmoil of their own, Butch has Butters back - kinda -, and war is looming. YAY!
All - Whoo hoo.
...So, either the next chapter or the chapter after will FINALLY have THE WEDDING. But it will not be a perfect date. I guaruntee it.
Black - Do I even want to preview the chapter?
BC- Someone please just get me some mint chocolate ice cream...