Chapter 21: The True From Drum
In the Mikado's house, everyone finished eating their supper and went for their usual activities.
Ironchain, in his chibi form was doing the usual stuff, thinking about who his human partner should be in his two choices. He looked at the draws he made between Baku and Kuguru. He lightly smiled, "I made my choice. I think it will go well if we work together," he put the drawing on the ground and let his back and smiled, "Finally I can put this out of the way and be efficient in the chasse against Findar." His smile was gone and he frowned as he added, "Mostly, against that bastard of Gallows. He tried to kill Halberd and Hanako."
Meanwhile, Halberd decided to watch the television and looked at the news. There was nothing really interesting until he gasped surprised.
"-As you can see in this footage, a dragon was fighting a demon," the reporter said nothing as the battle went on. It was just a fraction of it at a certain angle, when they both appeared, "The battle was violent and realistic. We searched for information's about a movie set-up, but we found nothing. It is also clearly not CGI. Later, when they were gone, the damage on the roof remained,-"
Halberd grunted as he realised he was on TV. He watched the fight once again. He heard something and turned around, he saw Drum watching the television.
"This isn't good," Drum commented. He then tapped the back of the Thunder knight dragon, "You are busted."
"I know. I thought nothing was watching us. How did this happen?" Halberd asked.
"The camera isn't showing everything, just the same portion, but I don't see Hanako in there. I guess she wasn't there," Drum replied.
"Camera? What's that?" Halberd asked.
"Gao told me it's how they record those images in television. What you see it's what the camera sees," Drum briefly explained.
"Findar will surely see this," Halberd grunted.
Halberd turned around and walked away nervously.
Drum watched him and said, "You're not the only one who's nervous about something. I have to speak to Gao."
Drum was suddenly hugged behind him and rubbed his left cheek and heard, "Drum-kin! Drum-kin! I am so happy to finally get you."
Drum pushed Axia and yelled, "Stop hugging me Axia!"
"But I'm so happy! I finally did it!" Axia joyfully yelled.
Drum pushed the blue dragon and jumped away, "What are you even talking about?"
"I finished the spellcard I've been working for so long," Axia replied with a smile and walking closer to Drum with his arm opened for another hug.
Drum grumbled before turning around and running away, "Sorry! I have to speak with Gao in private!"
Axia coughed when smoke flew at his face as the red dragon disappeared at the second floor, "He sure run fast when he wants," he chuckled before winking, "But I'll get you one day," he took out his card and looked at it. He checked the card and said, "Too bad. You won't know it before everyone else. I'm sure they'll love to see it tomorrow."
The blue dragon kissed the card and yawned. He walked to the dojo, ready to sleep.
Drum breathed loudly, exhausted after running away from Axia.
"What are you doing here Drum?" Gao asked, taking his eyes off a book he had to read for class.
"Just...running away from Axia," Drum replied. He then realised what he said and added, "No. There's also something else I have to say."
"What is it?" Gao asked curiously.
Drum wanted to say it, but hesitated for a few seconds. He looked down and whispered, "This is going to be harder than I thought," he looked at Gao and said, "It's not going to be easy to say Gao."
Drum walked toward the bed and climb on it. He sat there and looked at Gao. He couldn't say a word. He thought it would have been easier, but the apprehension kept his anything to come out of his mouth.
Gao lightly smiled and told him, "You can take your time Drum."
Drum nodded and replied, "Thanks," he looked at the chamber again and said, "It's something I didn't say to anyone else. I wanted to tell you first."
Gao wondered why he said that and asked, "Why do you have to tell me first?"
Drum hesitated to reply. His tail hit the bed nervously. He looked at Gao and said, "I found out who's the human siding with Findar and...I don't think you're going to like what I found out."
Gao put the book away and wondered who it was. The fact that Drum wanted to speak to him first meant it was something really important.
"I saw the human before we meet. I remembered a lot about him, his smell and his appearance. When I saw him, I was surprised that you knew him," Drum said. He looked at Gao and gathered his courage to say the words.
Gao nodded, but was confused, "I know him? Who is it? I know a lot of students in my school, so I don't see who it is." He thought about it and asked without believing what he was saying, "Is it Baku or Kuguru?"
Drum tail jumped, surprised by the question. Drum replied loudly, "No way! None of them did it! You also know that it's a boy, unless Kuguru is secretly a boy."
"She's definitely a girl," Gao replied.
Drum sighted and decided to tell the true straight away, "I'll get it straight. It's..." he took a while to give the answer. He stopped looking at Gao for a few seconds. He continued hesitating for a while before looking back at the boy and saying, "Tasuku."
Gao said nothing for a few seconds, the time the information entered in his mind. He looked at the dragon silently. He lowered his head and his hair covered his eyes. He then asked, "Are you sure about it?"
Drum couldn't see the eyes of the boy, but the mouth was pointing down. He guessed his partner was displeased by the revelations at best, infuriated at worse, "Yes. I recognised his smell and his appearance," he waited for an answer, but Gao said nothing. He looked at the boy and still couldn't see the eyes. The mouth remained pointed down, "Gao. I'm sorry if you don't like it, but I assure you that I'm not lying. Tasuku is helping Findar."
Gao raised his head and looked at the chibi dragon. Drum was surprised when he didn't see anger toward him, his eyes didn't show he was happy learning about it, "It's not easy to believe it. Tasuku is a really nice kid and a friend."
"You don't know him that much. Although...You helped me when you didn't know me," Drum said, remembering their first meeting.
"Drum," Gao said.
"Yes?" Drum asked.
"I know Tasuku is a good kid. I saw it in his eyes, just like when I saw yours. The way he's looking at me and also the way he's talking. I'm sure he's a really nice kid," he then asked an important question, "Do you think he's willingly helping Findar or that he doesn't know the true?"
Drum looked down and his tail went up and down as he thought about it, "He didn't know Findar the 100th was a fugitive when he helped him. I guess Findar lied to him."
Gao lightly smiled and said, "Good. I know he wouldn't help a criminal."
"Yeah," Drum said with some hesitations in his voice.
"You don't look certain."
Drum gasped and nervously swung his tail before saying, "I don't know him. I can't be certain about it Gao. I cannot take it as certitude."
"I'll talk to Tasuku about it when we are alone tomorrow. Baku and Kuguru should be left out of this when I talk to him," Gao said.
"Be careful when you speak to him. He had spellcards and could use it out of reflex," Drum suggested.
Gao nodded and turned toward his book and continued reading it. Drum watched the boy and let himself lay down on the bed. He smiled when he realised he said it and it didn't turned that bad. He wondered about it and said, "Gao?"
"What is it?"
"Why aren't you infuriated against me or trying to argue about it?"
Gao turned toward Drum and said, "You wanted to talk about this alone and you were hesitating. You knew it could have been painful to me when you said it. You cared about me. If you just have said it just like that, I think I wouldn't believe you."
Drum nodded and replied, "I'm surprised...But thanks. I'm sorry your friend is the one helping Findar."
"You're going to tell the other's tomorrow morning?" Gao asked.
"Yes."
"Can you tell them to wait for me to talk with Tasuku before following him and arresting Findar?"
Drum thought for a while and replied, "I'll ask Halberd to talk about this to The Punisher. I think he'll accept it. If Findar is using Tasuku, maybe you can talk this out of it."
Gao nodded and replied, "Thank you."
"That's for believing in me," Drum replied before lying on the bed and closing his eyes.
AC: This is the end of chapter 21. A short chapter, but I put everything needed.
Chapter 22: Preparation And Day Off.