I don't own anything. All characters and all rights belong to Ichiei Ishibumi*
M for mature topics. No children allowed. *
The Broken Boosted Gear
By Try Another Time
Tap, tap, tap.
The sound of a pencil tapping on a table was heard throughout the whole room. She was alone and before her a small diary lay empty.
"What should I write?" She asks herself. The diary was hers to do as she pleased but she wasn't sure what she should write on it. "Why did I even ask him for this in the first place?"
The diary was something she asked for and now she didn't know what to use it for. She started to scratch her head while trying to come up with ideas for writing. Her reptilian tail continues to swing behind her from one side to the other for several moments until it froze in place.
"Deep breaths Tosca. Let's give this a try." She takes the pencil and approaches the first pages of the diary.
My name is Tosca. I'm 8 years and for a long time, I was an orphan that was trapped inside an institute. I never meet my human parents and have no information on them either. I was just another orphan in Europe who was left alone at the doors of an orphanage as a baby. Around the age of 4, I was taken into an institute alongside many other orphans for a project that was trying to make heroes that were capable of using a holy sword. Inside the institute, we were pair off with a partner and in my case my partner was Isaiah. He was a small blonde child with bluish-grey eyes. He wasn't the strongest physically when compared to most of the other orphans but he had guts and determination. Isaiah was my roommate, my partner and since we were paired off, we began to share almost all of our time with each other.
Sword practice, playtime, meals, and even those moments in which we were at our lowest we were there for each other. He was there to listen to anything I had to say and he had my back at all times.
But life at the institute was a farse and not too long ago the lie came out of the closet. Not that long ago the adults in charge of the institute tried to kill us and they almost succeeded if it wasn't by the actions of the older orphans and the intervention of a group that was unknown to us. That day we were poisoned and most of us almost died but we were saved by them.
That day, Isaiah and I lost our humanity after falling into the underground water currents below the institute. I watched as Isaiah was dragged away by the currents. I couldn't reach him and I was then dragged into the depths. I tried to catch him, to rescue him but my own strength wasn't enough.
I escaped the currents by a miracle and found myself enveloped by the darkness of a cave. I tried to find a way out but my body was injured and under the effects of the poison. I fell to the floor and started to lose consciousness. It was cold, and I couldn't keep my eyes open but after a few moments, I felt the arms of someone around me. That person was warm and he is the reason why I'm alive today.
He took my humanity away to save me from death and as result, he made me into a dragon that shares his blood. He is the Welsh Dragon and throughout the last six days, I have been learning about him and the other inhabitants of the house in which I now live.
Tiamat is one of the dragons that live in this place. She is the owner of the house and the mate of the Welsh Dragon. She is someone that acts very friendly towards me. She is teaching me how to control and use these draconic powers while also telling me about her past. She is the person I'm the closest with at the moment and I wish to learn more about her.
Kuroka is another of the inhabitants of the house. She is older than me and she has a sister as well. She is calm but also a bit too carefree. When she is not training, she is either calmly listening to music, watching TV, or sleeping. I don't know how but she transforms into a cat which makes Tiamat's remarks about her being the house pet more believable. Nonetheless, she is a big sister that enjoys her free time and tries to help wherever is necessary. She is a fun person to be around.
Raynare is the maid of the house. She knows how to cook many different types of food. She claims that she learned from her teacher but her skills are far too impressive. She also seems to fear rolled newspapers for some reason. She is very smart and the few questions I have asked regarding Grigori and the state of the other orphans have been answered by her. I respect her and I learned not to make her mad unless I want to hear millions of obscenities coming out of her mouth. She is someone that I shouldn't make angry.
Asia is a former nun and she does have the aura of a saint. She is the girl closest to my age and an easily approachable person. We have talked about our pasts and to my surprise were similar in a few points. The fact that she is a descendant of a previous boosted gear wielder surprise me. She seems mature for her age and I wouldn't blame her for being that way. It seems that she is training to become stronger and be capable of joining the others in the missions they take on. I wish her the best with her training.
Rael, Gabriel… is the same being no matter the name. Gabriel is one of the seraphs and meeting her was a surprising event but living with her is a different thing. She is normal or that is what I want to think when it comes to a floating lady that radiates holy energy. She trains Asia and keeps a close eye on Issei's actions. Her words seemed sincere and she apologized to me for being unable to do more for all of those orphans involved in the holy sword project. She is a reasonable being and her sense of justice seems to be in the right place but all that goodwill doesn't take away from her curiosity. She asks many questions and it gets a bit too intrusive in a few cases.
Ophis is weird and mysterious. The other members of the house try to be careful whenever she is around even if it is for just a second. She is strong and I haven't even seen her fighting but I can tell. She stays mostly inside her room but she will come out for food, a bath or to watch Issei from the corner of the room. Her face is that of a child but everyone has said that she is older than the rest. We haven't exchanged a single word but her eyes have fallen on me more than once. I'm trying to not feel scared of her but it's going to take some time.
Finally, the last inhabitant of this weird home is Issei/Ddraig. The one that saved my life. I'm not really sure what to feel regarding him except for appreciation for saving my life. We share blood and he technically is older than me in a weird way even if he looks like a child but I can't call him father. Is too weird and I'm not confident. We talked about it and he told me to take it easy. He said that he wasn't going to call me daughter unless I allow it. We are still learning from each other and that's good but we are yet to see where the future might take us.
I hope that Isaiah is doing alright while training with Mr. Okita. I miss him.
A knock on the door draws her attention.
"Who is it?" Tosca asks.
"Is me, Tiamat. It's time for us to go." Tiamat replies.
"Right." Tosca closes the diary and walks towards the door. "Let's meet this old man they talk so much about."
A few minutes afterward.
She was frozen. Her body couldn't move due to all the fear.
"Tiamat, I think I just broke her or something." Great Red watches the small child that is standing on top of his palm.
"Old man, she is a child and a former human. I doubt that she expected to be in this kind of situation." Tiamat says. "Tosca wake up and relax. He is not going to eat you."
"But he is so big and strong!" Tosca gulps and tries to stand straight before the mighty dragon.
"Baby, you're going to be alright. Besides we are also big dragons as well so being scared of Great Red because of his size doesn't make sense. One day you're going to get much bigger." Tiamat says.
"Stay calm and do what we told you," Issei says.
Tiamat and Issei smile before they transform back into their dragon forms.
"See?" Tiamat says. "You should also change into your dragon form as we taught you."
Tosca looks at them and her eyes can't look away. "They are also this big? Will I get as big in the future? I have so many questions but they can wait. Deep breaths Tosca. You need to keep it together and show that you can do it." Tosca focuses her mind and imagines herself changing. Her body starts to shine after a few moments and then she changes into her dragon form. Tosca opens her eyes and looks at herself. "I did it."
Tiamat and Issei nod towards her but say nothing as they wait for Great Red's assessment.
"Good for you. Now let me get a closer view of your body." Great Red closes the distance between his head and the small child in his palm. "White scales and green ones as well. Four wings and eyes like those of Ddraig. Your scent also reminds me of him. You're indeed his child but you lack strength. You have a long road in front of you but luck is on your side. Tiamat and Ddraig will train you so you don't need to go around looking for opponents like back in the old days. Shoot a fireball for me."
Tosca nods and focuses her flames into her mouth. A decent size fireball is shot into the void of the dimensional gap. "Is that okay?"
"Yes. For a child your age you have a good basis for a dragon but that doesn't mean you should fight everything that challenges you. You're not your father nor your mother who had a lot of experience under their belts so keep that in mind." Great Red says before he begins to ponder while looking at her.
Tosca blushes after hearing how Great Red called them her parents. "It was bound to happen. I need to get used to it."
"Show me your barrier. Tiamat said that you have one so let's see it."
"I don't have a good control over it."
"No child is born with knowledge. Your parents have their own abilities and I can tell you that each of them took many years to master those abilities. Don't be afraid and do your best."
"Do your best and don't feel about the result," Issei says.
"You can do it." Tiamat joins in.
Tosca says nothing and just closes her eyes. "Come on Tosca. Just focus on a barrier. Imagine a box around yourself. Focus on that image. A box around yourself."
The rest of those present watch closely and await the result.
Greenish energy walls start to form around Tosca. The walls look weak and unstable.
"Good, you can stop now. I saw enough."
Tosca opens her eyes and watched as the walls crumble into nothingness. "I still need practice."
"Tosca, child of Ddraig and Tiamat, I have seen enough. A dragon gets many titles throughout their lives and I'm the one that gives each one their first title. Your first title is going to be The Rising Aegis Dragon. Your shield is weak at the moment but one day is going to be stronger than what it is now. No matter how many times it breaks down, you should always get up and try again. Don't back down and keep your head up. You are a dragon now and your path has just begun." Great Red looks into her eyes. "Welcome into the family."
Tosca listens to the words of the massive dragon in front of her. "A family… it sounds so weird to me." She felt the hand of someone behind her.
"You got your first title! My baby girl got her first title." Tiamat grabs the small body of Tosca before she starts to hug her and shake her around.
"Tia, I'm getting dizzy over here." Tosca tried to stop the older dragoness but it wasn't possible.
Issei laughs for a few moments before his eyes meet those of Great Red. They have stopped talking to each other in person since Ophis came into the picture. Even now the fear of saying something that might anger her was still present so they moved their conversations into the realm of dreams. A place in which his true intentions could be said without the possibility of repercussions. "I know old man."
Great Red nods and starts to move away from the group. His eyes focus on an area behind the trio. "We can't see you and it is almost impossible to feel you but I can tell that you're there. Ophis, I hope that his plan works or we're going to have to find another way of stopping you." The massive dragon starts to depart into the depths of the dimensional gap.
"Thanks, Old man! We'll see you later." Tiamat screams.
Great Red roars in a happy tone before he continues his path.
The trio watches as the massive behemoth disappears into the void.
"Where is he going?" Tosca asks.
"Nobody knows. The dimensional gap is a mystery. We only know this, if you try to follow him into the depths you will either die due to the conditions in that area, he will kill for trespassing or you will disappear to never be seen again. Only Great Red knows what exists in that area." Tiamat explains. "Well, is time for us to return home. We need to celebrate this." Tiamat then creates a rift in front of them. "Let's go."
Her excitement was obvious and neither of the other two wanted to stop her. Neither could they deny the fact that her positive attitude was influencing them.
"Let's hope that this doesn't end badly," Issei told himself.
It was time for celebration, and Tiamat would make sure that everyone joins in the fun even if it meant a lot of cleaning afterward.
Chaos Residence, 5:15 AM.
The house was a mess after the celebration. Empty bottles of alcohol, soda cans, and empty food plates were found throughout the whole living room and the kitchen.
Kuroka was sleeping peacefully in one of the couches while she held an empty bottle of wine in her left hand.
Raynare lays asleep on the floor next to Kuroka. The scent of alcohol surrounded her as well.
Tosca was sleeping on top of the living room table. Her tail was acting as some sort of body pillow for her.
Rael was sitting in a chair while holding a glass of wine in her right hand. "A long night of alcohol and food. I'm amazed at the stamina of some of them."
"I'm more amazed at the fact that you're still up and not even a little bit drunk after such a long night." Issei walks into the living room.
"I'm a seraph and drinking supernatural alcohol is something common within our society. Holy wine is good but in excess, it can lead to bad results. I have learned how to control how much I drink as well. It didn't affect you either even with your appearance so we are in the same boat. Only us as survivors after a long night of celebration." Rael puts the glass on the table before she looks at him. "Did you get them to their rooms?"
"I did. Asia was really tired after so many soda cans and food. She was easier to take care of than Tia. A drunk dragon is much worse than what you think. She tried to make me get in the bed with her but I was able to calm her down. She even gave me a small bite before I left as a gift." Issei continues to walk until he reaches the table. "She looks so peaceful like this." Issei then starts to pick her. "A table is not a bed Tosca. Let's get you back to your bed."
Tosca twitches for a second after feeling the hands of someone on her body. Her nose detects the scent of Issei and this causes her to relax.
"That's good. Keep sleeping and leave the rest to me." Once she is in his arms Issei walks towards the next body. "Kuroka…. I shouldn't have let you get some of that wine. You're not ready for alcohol yet." The extra set of arms appears and these lift Kuroka's sleeping form with a lot of care.
Kuroka purrs while being held in his arms.
"Definitely, a house cat. Our cute kitty cat." Issei smiles before he turns around and begins to walk towards the next room.
"Wait for me." Rael starts to float and begins to follow him. "I never asked you about it but what are you feeling at this moment? You're eight and you just became a parent. It is not something common in this age for someone so young to become a parent."
"I'm not human anymore but I can't say that is not something that is affecting me in some way. Having a child means having another life to take care of or at least that is how I see it. I have been feeling many things since Tosca came out of the egg. Happiness due to seeing her alive and well. Worry because I don't know if I'm going to be the best parental figure for her. I also feel anxious due to not knowing if I can do a good job as my parents did."
Rael pays close attention to his words. "Are you regretting saving her?"
"No. I saved her life and I feel proud about it. I'm just worried about what's going to happen in the future. Can I take care of her and make sure she doesn't follow my past mistakes? I don't know what happens in the future but I hope that Tosca doesn't end up like my past self. I want her to follow a path that is guided by reason like Tiamat has done for a long time and not one driven by superficial desires like me."
"Tiamat is going to be there for her as well so there is a high chance that her presence will let this child to becoming a reasonable dragon," Rael says.
"I hope that she chooses that path," Issei says.
The pair continue to walk until they reach Tosca's room. Once inside, Issei sets Tosca down in the bed.
Tosca reacts to the scent of her bed and quickly settles down with a smile on her face. "Isaiah…."
Issei smiles. "I hope that you two continue to be so close to each other." He puts the sheets on top of Tosca and starts walking away from her bed. "Sweet dreams."
Rael continues to watch in silence as Issei does all of this. "A child in appearance but a man when it comes to his mind. You are a unique case. Accepting the sins of Ddraig as your own is something impressive but you have shown us many things in such a short time. We were lucky, you were the last user of the boosted gear. If any other person had been in your shoes, I doubt that all of this would have happened. Father, I want to keep watching over him and see where he goes. So, please don't let me be separated from his path."
The pair leaves Tosca's room and they start to move on into Kuroka's room. After a few steps, the pair reaches the room of the nekomata.
Issei opens the door. His eyes wander a little bit around the room but they focus back on the bed quickly.
"She has been working a lot," Rael says. "Look at all these magic targets in the walls."
Several white dummy torsos were hanging from the walls. Rael approaches one of the targets and finds several deep cuts around its whole body.
"She has been training. Even if she has a lot of that untapped power, she needs to gain control over it before she can use it with ease. I don't doubt that she is going to become one of the strongest devils around in the future." Issei approaches the bed and starts to put the kitty down on her bed.
"What are your thoughts regarding her? Are you going to let her go if some devil offers her a spot in its peerage?"
Issei puts a sheet on top of Kuroka before he pats her head with a lot of care. "I care for her safety and I hope that she keeps smiling as she does now. I don't know what path she will take in the future but I will support her no matter what. Be it joining a new peerage, staying with us, or choosing to move on her own to another place I'm going to support her. She has endured a lot for her sister's sake, and now she deserves a life in which she can feel happy. I don't have the right to prevent her from leaving if or when that time comes."
"Are you sure? You dragons are known for being very attached to certain things."
Issei shakes his head. "I'm going to make sure that my instincts don't get in the way. She has the right to follow her own path when she no longer needs my protection." Issei pats Kuroka's head once more before he gets up and begins to approach the door.
Rael follows him. "We're going to have to wait and see if that becomes a reality. I doubt that she'll leave your side. You're someone who made a mark on her life if what she has told me is true. Saving her sister's life, offering her a home, and keeping her safe from the few devils that see her as a criminal are more than enough reasons for her to grow attached to you."
Issei shakes his head. "Rias is the one that saved Shirone, the royal faction is no more, the Nebiros clan was taken care of by Sirzechs and I just offered her a home. I'm just a helping hand in her life and that kiss was something that shouldn't have happened." Issei blushes after remembering the occasion.
Rael giggled. "My dear Welsh Dragon, a helping hand means more than what you think. You are leaving marks in many people's lives in ways that you can't even imagine. Even if you aren't trying to be a force of good, your actions are mostly virtuous and I have seen how you have offered a chance to those that have chosen to oppose you. You are worthy of the affection you're gaining." Rael puts her arms around his neck and hugs him. "You're a dragon that has learned from his past sins and I hope to be there to see how many other lives you affect in positive ways."
Issei goes silent. His mind was trying to focus on the conversation they were having but his instincts were being activated by Rael's closeness. His nose catches the scent of the seraph. "Why is it so appealing? Come on Gabriel you should know this already. You are a fruit that tempts others to bite you. I appreciate your words but please don't get close to me." Issei slowly grabs her arms and moves them away from him. "I hear you and I appreciate your words, Rael." He smiles at her but his eyes had a hint of animalistic lust deep inside them.
Rael looks into his eyes and notices something different in them. "What is this? That's new. Maybe if I get closer, I might see more of it."
Issei stops her before she can get any closer. "Personal space, Rael. Remember that." The boy turns around and continues to walk towards the living room.
Rael is left a bit shaken by his actions. "Did I go too far?" The seraph asks herself before she continues ahead. "Issei, I'm sorry if I did something bad."
"Is alright. Just remember to be mindful of personal spaces." Issei tries to avoid eye contact.
"Personal space? Now that I think about it, he usually tries to sit down away from me. He doesn't mind the others so why does he only do that with me? Is this due to my brothers' conditions?" She begins to ponder about it.
The pair continues to walk until they reach the living room.
"Why do I feel so sick?" Raynare was sitting down on the couch. She didn't look like a proper maid at that moment.
"Call it a hangover. It seems that you pushed yourself too far with the demonic wine we got. I told you to not follow Tiamat's example." Issei approaches the fallen angel. "You're taking the day off. I can clean this mess while you and the others sleep."
"But I'm the maid, Welsh-sama," Raynare says.
"Grayfia really made you into a maid physically and mentally. She is someone that we should all fear." Issei smiles before he lifts her. "Raynare, you need a day off and I don't wanna use the slave mark to force you to do it. Let me take care of the house until you feel fine. Grayfia won't know about it."
Raynare grows angry after he mentions her teacher in the ways of the maid. Raynare pinches one of his cheeks. "You're an asshole but I will take the offer. My head is still spinning."
"You need to learn self-control when drinking or find a way of developing a strong resistance to supernatural alcohol," Rael says.
Raynare covers her eyes. "Just take me to my bed. I wanna forget about all of this."
Issei smiles before he starts to walk the same path again. "My poor maid has a weakness to excessive levels of alcohol. I should keep that in mind."
7:48 AM, rooftop.
The living room and the kitchen were clean after they took the time to take care of the mess from the previous night. Everyone except for Rael and him were sleeping so that left the pair to enjoy a quiet morning by themselves.
Issei was holding a cup of coffee. "Nothing is better than a hot cup of coffee in the morning."
"I support that. Humans do have the best coffee in all of the realms." Rael said, taking a sip from her cup. "Such a beautiful morning."
She was floating at a decent distance from him while he sat on a bench. It was an enjoyable moment but Rael had questions and she wanted answers.
She approaches him and takes a seat on the same bench. "Why do you try to sit away from me in most cases?"
Issei doesn't make eye contact and keeps sipping his coffee.
"Issei?"
No answer.
"Ddraig?"
No answer once more.
Rael grows anxious and decides to force him to look at her. She puts the coffee cup away and then she grabs his face. She forces him to look at her. "Welsh Dragon answer me."
Issei says nothing for a few moments but he decides to tell her. "You are a golden apple in my life."
"What?"
"Gabriel, have you ever realized how males see you?"
"Sort of. I know that many men find me attractive."
"Well, that same thing happens to me. I don't know why but your scent, beauty, and your whole aura make you into some sort of golden apple that is tempting me to bite it, to make you mine. I'm keeping my instincts under control but the closer you get to me, the worse they become. I don't know why but this is what happens to me when you get too close. Even then I told myself that I wasn't going to give in. I'm not a slave to my instincts and I won't fall to the temptation. I'm not going to touch you." Issei says.
Rael grows silent. Her eyes notice the same glint of lust in his eyes once more. "I'm tempting him?" Rael blushes and she quickly releases him. She gets up from the bench and walks a few steps away. "How didn't I notice that? All of this time I have been tempting him. Father, what am I doing? I'm making life harder for this poor dragon." She turns around and her eyes meet his. "Those eyes, they have been watching me with the lust that only a dragon could have and yet you never made a move. How much control do you have over yourself?"
"Gabriel, you don't need to feel bad about it. This is something that I need to manage on my own but just be mindful of my personal space. The closer you get to me, the stronger the desire becomes and we both know that we should never cross that line." Issei stands up. "I see you as an important ally so I won't do something that could affect that. I value our current relationship too much." The boy turns around and begins to walk away.
Rael stays frozen in place. Many ideas were going through her mind. The blush on her face wasn't going away either. "He values our relationship but his eyes look at me with lust. They were so captivating and yet so impure. What am I supposed to do? Father give me a signal. I don't know what to do."
It took many hours for Rael to cool down after that interaction. She had learned something new today but there was a long road ahead of her alongside Issei.
But while all of this was happening, Ophis kept observing Issei and his interactions with the rest of the house's inhabitants. "You are interesting, Ddraig. In the end, the wait won't be boring." The small girl then feels the rumbling of her stomach. "You are becoming a problem. I'm your boss and you shouldn't be asking for food so much. Ddraig!"
It was just another day in the chaos residence.
*Notes from the author: And that's another chapter. I'm planning to do more chapters with Tosca's diary as the main subject. I wanna thank all of the new readers and followers of the story for your support. I also want to thank the person that has been helping me with the chapters and the problems they had. I hope that with this new editor the quality of the chapters increases. The next chapter is the start of the rescue mission and it's going to be the introduction of the two new cast members. Don't expect the same situation as in the canon timeline. Until the next time. *