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
Fallen angels and members of other factions passed by in front of her as she waited patiently for any news. Hours went by since a group entered the operation room and since then she had remained there without moving from her spot. A small humanoid figure was sleeping on top of her head for some unknown reason.
Her hands trembled at the thought of her dear mate passing away. Her emotions were at their limit as the memories of the first time he died came back to her but she needed to keep it under control. Especially for the child who was resting her face on her thighs.
Tosca had fallen asleep just an hour ago after many hours of waiting for any news.
"Tia?" A voice kept calling out to her.
The true dragon king Tiamat turned to her left and found Raynare alongside Le Fay. The young girl was holding a cup of hot coffee in her hands.
"... This is for you, Tia-nee-san." Le Fay's voice was low and her eyes were red due to all the crying and lack of sleep.
"... Thanks." Tia slowly grabbed the coffee before taking a sip.
"Tia… have there been any news?" Raynare asks.
"None. They went in and have yet to come out. How's the rest of the family?" Tia asks.
"Well, having Elaine around has been very helpful with the kids. She's truly an amazing maid. Gasper is alright for now and he's supporting Valerie but the fact that they saw my lord's fight in that state thanks to Ereshkigal's ability still haunts them. They had never seen him in such a bad state before and the sight of his chest being pierced by a spear didn't help. Asia has gone to sleep after helping with the injured but she's still stressed about my lord's condition. Kuroka is doing alright maybe better than the rest as she believes that he'll be ok no matter how bad it seems. The other kids are in similar situations; all have gone to sleep." Raynare says.
"... We all are worried about him." Tiamat caresses the head of her daughter. She then turns to Le Fay. "Take a seat with me."
"Yes…" Le Fay sits down.
"Have you been able to talk to your dad?"
Le Fay shakes her head. "The person in charge of the surveillance around father said the same thing as before. The royal family has forbidden my entry back into England. They want nothing to do with the Welsh dragon's bride. If I put a foot in the country, my father will have to pay the price. Only Elaine has gained the chance to go back and get our luggage. They have taken over the mansion and now they have guards around him at all moments. It has been just bad news after bad news."
Tiamat grabs her hand. "Is alright. We sort of knew that there was a chance of them doing something like this although they are being incredibly stupid for even trying this. Nonetheless, Le Fay, I know that he didn't want this for you. If he was awake-"
"Is alright Tia-nee-san. I know. This sort of action is just their method to try to cope with the fact that the cat is out of the bag. Having seen the massive fight that took place and what my "groom" is capable of has pushed the royal family against the ropes. They will never lower their head to the alliance nor will they accept the changes that are soon to come. Humanity now knows they are not the center of the universe…. I just feel sad. Father is my family and not being able to see him hurts." Le Fay closes her fist in anger.
"I can understand your feelings. We'll figure something out once we figure out this situation but for now, you know that our home is yours as well. You and Elaine already have rooms that were waiting for you so don't worry about it as much." Tia shows a small smile.
Le Fay buries her face in her chest and cries a little bit.
Being forced to leave your home is one thing but being forbidden from seeing your father is a much harder thing to accept. She was already prepared for when the two years were over but this was far from an expected development.
As Le Fay silently cried, Tia continued to pat her head before turning to Raynare.
"How's the rest of the alliance?"
"Yukime is back with her family so we might see her tomorrow or in a few days. Serafall is managing well although she's as stressed as everyone else with my lord's state. She is managing the affairs of the devils' faction for now while Sirzechs and Falbium have departed to their missions. Falbium has taken as many available troops with him to collect and clean any remains from the enemy's technology. Sirzechs has likely arrived at the headquarters of the Kyoto Youkai's faction. Michael is still resting after the fight against Mitsuya's troops while Uriel and Gabriel have resumed their activities in heaven. Baraqiel-sama is in charge of Grigori for now while Azazel and Shemhazai are in the operation room. Ganesha has said that Shiva continues to rest while his brother is keeping guard around their home like usual. The rest of the troops seemed well but everyone is still tired after the fight. Everyone needs some sleep even you." Raynare says.
"I know but I can't sleep until I know he's okay." As soon as Tia says that, the doors in front of her open up.
Raphael, Shemhazai, Azazel, Ajuka, and Ereshkigal come out alongside a large group of fallen angel nurses.
"We need to talk," Ereshkigal says in a concerned tone.
A few minutes afterward.
The members of the alliance were sitting down in a conference room.
"Are we all ready?" Ereshkigal asks.
"I heard you loud and clear." Sirzechs voice is heard from within a magic circle.
"Us too." Gabriel follows.
"I'll inform father after he wakes up." Ganesha is next.
The other members of the alliance who weren't physically present give similar replies.
"Very well. I'll start. As you know, Ddraig and Issei push their body to the limits in this last fight. They used a lot of power and one particular amazing ability which boosted all of his allies. This gave us an advantage against Mitsuya and his troops. But all power comes with a price, his body received severe recoil damage due to the use of this same ability. This caused several internal injuries and serious damage to many of his organs. This alone wouldn't have been such a big issue as the Phoenix tears repaired most of the damage received. There's also the egg which could have repaired all damage but the big issue was the souls of the Welsh Dragon." Shemhazai explains.
"Souls don't just repair themselves. Once broken, pieces can't be put together under normal conditions and after some time that soul will cease to exist as the cracks continue to spread. The embers of that soul will die out no matter what. This is a fact that affects all souls regardless of race or power. In the case of our favorite crimson dragon, both of his souls were severely damaged. Most likely due to the strain that Ophis power had on them or the transformation they obtained." Raphael takes over before he shows a few images of the souls of the Welsh Dragon.
The two flames seemed much smaller than before. The core of the flames was cracked in several parts.
"We worked hard to stop the damage and tried to repair the souls by using all of our knowledge combined. We practically broke a taboo or two by experimenting with these souls but it was necessary." Ajuka says.
"If it is taboo were not the first ones to do it as a certain dragon who was supposed to die was revived by Asgard force with unknown methods. Fafnir's soul was likely damaged after his fight with the hero Siegfried and I as a goddess of death was going to claim his soul in its last moments before a certain one-eyed God took it for himself. We know that Fenrir lives and that his soul seems fine so we decide to see if we could make a miracle happen. We work hard for more than 10 hours and we can proudly say that we were able to stabilize both souls. The cracks won't spread at least for now." Ereshkigal admits.
One would expect cheers but everyone stayed silent.
"We can see that everyone understands it. Stabilizing a soul doesn't mean that is fixed. We were able to stop the cracks and saved them from the worst possible ending but that doesn't mean they are fine. We can't repair the damage that is already there that easily." Azazel's voice turns deep. "With conventional methods is impossible."
"... We could only come up with two solutions. One is allowing the souls to fuse into one. This was already Ddraig's plan but the process takes time and the souls weren't ready. Now that both have decreased in size and are so weak the process could take place more easily but the chances of success before more cracks appear due to the use of Ophis power is low. In the unlikely chance that it does take place, we theorized that the new soul would be able to endure Ophis's power without any fear of something similar happening again." Shemhazai explains.
"What's the other one?" Le Fay asks.
"... Sacrificing one soul to try to fix the other with the remains," Ereshkigal says. "Is the option with the highest chance of success but at the cost of one soul."
Everyone grows silent. They all turn their eyes to the brides of the dragon.
"No…. No!" Le Fay doesn't say anything. Her hands tremble in fear and her body just rushes out of the room.
Nobody tried to stop her as one would understand how hard it was for her to hear something like that. Those that remain turn their sights towards Tia.
Tia keeps her face down. Her hair hides her emotion but the dark aura that surrounds her tells everyone that they just said something that made her livid. "So you're saying that I need to sacrifice one to save the other?" Her tone is dark and the hint of anger is noticeable.
"It is an option." Ereshkigal keeps her composure and focuses her face on Tia. "As their bride, I leave the last choice to you. Who would you want to save? The soul of the dragon that you knew for centuries or the human child that has been with you for much shorter?"
As soon as Ereshkigal stops talking, the sounds of chains can be heard around the room. Blue flames start to arise from her body as she lifts her head off. "You have guts for even asking that question Ereshkigal."
"I'm asking as a member of the alliance who's thinking about the future. I'm not putting my feelings into consideration here. Do you think that I want to sacrifice him now before he even makes it up to me for what he did to my child? I'm asking you as the being in this whole room with the most authority in regards to the Welsh Dragon, what do you want to do? Neither Azazel, Ajuka, Raphael nor Shemhazai was able to answer this same question as they all said that only you could decide their fate. So tell me, which one is the one you care about the most when it comes to them? The Dragon or the former child? Which one should we save?" Ereshkigal challenges Tia.
The dragoness's eyes shine with anger. She starts to bare her fangs as her claws scratch the table but she doesn't move.
A few moments go by in which nobody moves a muscle until the flames start to settle down.
"For two years I watched over their egg. I endure hunger and sleepless days and nights within the dimensional gap as I watch over them. I didn't know what had happened then but I knew that Ddraig was inside. I did that because Great Red asked me to but as days went by my emotions for Ddraig started to reignite. I had missed him for so long and now he had a body. He was free so I was finally able to make him pay for my treasures, that was what I initially thought but as soon as he came out of the egg I could only think "He is back. My stupid idiot crush is back." I wanted to embrace him so hard but I stopped myself."
Everyone watches as Tiamat's face holds back the tears.
"I was glad he was back but I was also surprised by Issei's existence. The dragon transformed into a human boy and he cordially presented himself. His eyes lacked that light that all living beings should have and were filled with pain. I couldn't understand why Ddraig hadn't devoured his soul at that moment. It would have been something he totally would have done back in the day. He had killed and consume the souls of the deceased before. It wasn't out of the ordinary for him to do it with his enemies but he didn't do it with him. This child, Ddraig had saved him, protected, and reshaped him for two whole years inside the egg as his partner, his other half. He had decided to share a body, mind, and future with him as one single being. It sounds totally insane but that was his decision. Ddraig, Issei, the name didn't matter to them, they were two sides of the same coin. The child was embracing the sins of the dragon while the dragon was embracing the sadness and grief of the child. As I learned this I asked myself "Is this the same Ddraig I knew?" No, he wasn't. He had finally matured and for once he care about someone else even more than fighting. He was finally becoming the dragon I knew that he was going to become if he grew out of his past self."
Her emotional words reach everyone even those that weren't present. They hold sincere feelings and were true.
"But there was still this child. What should I do? Should I ignore the child or should I view and accept him as the same dragon? The same entity?" I took a decision that day, one that I don't regret doing to this day. I was going to care for and love both as one single being if they accepted me. I was going to stand by him and hold his hand as his mate regardless of how weird it might have sounded to anyone else. I don't view them as separate entities; they are the same being, the Welsh Dragon, and if you asked me which one I should save I would save both because they can't exist without the other. Ddraig needed him to change and Issei needed Ddraig to be able to continue, they can't exist without the other; my mate is the current Welsh Dragon and I don't regret loving both as one. So I won't sacrifice either. This is the dragon that brought all of the pieces of the alliance together and without both sides of the coin, it would meaningless. Neither could continue without the other. Nothing would matter if one of them disappears. Remember that and never ask this question ever again."
Several members of the alliance nod after listening to her words. The human soul was just as important as the dragon. A pair that worked well together and they had to prove it on many occasions.
Ereshkigal sighs as she massages the sides of her head.
"... I can understand you a bit better now…. Alright, I won't object to your decision. If this is the path that the alliance will take so be it." Ereshkigal says. "Once he wakes up you will need to talk to him and explain to him that he must abstain from using his full power or his "Infinity" ability more than 3 times. We can't put any more strain on their souls and we must constantly surveil the souls' state. Fighting for him would be harder now but is a price to pay for the sake of his souls. If he uses infinity anymore I doubt the souls will stay intact either. I'll see if my power can help the fusion take place any faster so I'll be around him as much as possible. Any objections?"
Everybody shakes their heads.
"We'll keep him out of as many missions as possible. He has done enough with this last fight. Some peace would do him good but in the end, is all up to him." Sirzechs says.
"I believe that as well." Azazel joins in.
"Father would approve of this. Some rest would be good for him." Ganesha follows. "But since we're already here, father has given me one last thing that he needed to say before he went to rest. Now that the cat is out of the bag, humanity will likely turn its fangs to the supernatural and we'll be forced to move on with our plans. "Devils is time to back and reclaim the land that was forgotten. A dragon king needs land to rule and that land would serve as the center of the alliance." What he meant is cleaning Lucifaad and giving it to Tiamat as the place where she can erect her domain which would also serve as the home of the alliance."
"Eh?" Tiamat is taken back. She touches the bracelet in her hand and thinks about it before turning her sight to Ajuka and Serafall.
"Going back to the old capital? Never thought we'll ever go there again." Sirzechs said.
"Is basically ruins and a demonic creatures den." Serafall joins in.
"We took everything that we needed when we left." Ajuka follows right after.
"Well, Tia did fight in the civil war. She a hero figure within Lilith and I doubt that the families would oppose her getting the land even if it did have some sentimental value for some." Falbium looks around. "We also hold total power now that there's no opposition and we might need more space in the future as the alliance grows."
"True. Any objections?" Ajuka asks.
"None from me. Destroy the damn place and let's start a new chapter in the story of the alliance." Serafall says proudly.
"None from me either. I trust you to rule this new land with dignity." Sirzechs says with a calm voice.
"Neither from me." Falbium smiles. "I can't wait to see what it would look like."
"Very well, True Dragon King Tiamat the second, the True Chaos Karma Dragon. As a hero of the civil war, you were never given a worthy reward for your achievements during the war. You have also proudly served as a judge for the rating games and as an important member of the alliance. We acknowledge your accomplishments throughout all these years and award you with the old ruins of Lucifaad and its vicinity. Congratulations, may your reign be prosperous and lengthy." Ajuka proudly says as he wipes his tears.
Everyone claps as Tiamat is given the rights to her own domain.
Tiamat doesn't know what to say. She never asked for a reward after the war. She joined Ajuka and the rest because she truly believed in their goal. She was fine while working as a judge in the rating games. She didn't know what to say…. But she knew what she needed to do right now. "I appreciate it. I'll like to start cleaning the city soon but there's something else that I need to do before I do anything else."
"Go ahead. We're going to start talking with Tannin and other members to see who's up for the challenge of exterminating the beast in the ruins. There might also be those who want to get some extra relics so leave the initial preparations to us." Ajuka explains.
"Thanks." Tia rushes out of the run while everyone else continues to chat.
"Wait for me." Raynare follows behind.
"She must have gone to meet him." Her eyes try to find her daughter's body on the chairs from before but she was gone. "Did she wake up and follow her?"
"His room is on the third floor. They'll likely be over there." Raynare says.
"Let's go then."
Moments after.
As soon as they opened the door they found both girls on either side of his body. Tosca was holding his left hand while Le Fay held his right. His body was covered in bandages and his eyes were closed. The color of his face was still pale although a bit better than before. The scarf was still around his neck which only meant that Ophis was still close by and likely asleep.
"His hand feels so cold, mom. He was never this cold." Tosca's face shows deep sadness. "He's not going to die, right? He can't. He's the old man, he's strong. He-"
Tosca is stopped by the arms of her mother. She was embraced by her warm arms. "He won't die. He will always get up." Tia's eyes turn to Le Fay. "None of them are dying. They can't; they lost that right and I won't allow them to pass away."
Le Fay feels the determination in her eyes and calms down as soon as she realized what she meant. "Issei, Ddraig…." Her hands reach out to his chest where the spear had pierced him. She could feel the stitches the surgery have left but she still felt the heat of life within it.
Right behind Le Fay, that same spear that once was stuck on his chest was now lying against a wall nearby. Nobody dare to keep it away from its owner as nobody knew what it was capable of.
Some moments after.
"His hair is so long now. I know it was going to grow more but this is a bit too much." Tosca said as she touched the hair of her father.
"I always knew that his body was going to change like this at some point," Tiamat admits.
"Wait you knew this was going to happen?" Le Fay asks.
"His human form becoming that of an adult? Yes. Him almost dying due to a new transformation and Ophis? No. We are dragons and he was always an adult although he look like a child yet he isn't one. His appearance as a human can change based on his own preferences. He looked like a child before because that's what Issei wanted. Now that he no longer cares about it, Ddraig and Issei change their appearance to this. Back in the day, whenever Ddraig would take a human form his appearance would have the same height, hair length, same eye color, a similar skin color, and a muscular appearance. He was always shorter than my human form for some reason. Maybe it's because he was always bigger in his real form than me or he has a thing for women that are taller than him. The crystal horns are also new to me. Never saw something similar." Tia caresses his chest around his heart area just to feel the rhythm of his hearts. "Dummy, thank Great Red that you're still alive."
"Oh my. So this is his appearance now? Quite the likable male." A cheerful yet motherly voice says.
Tia grabs the humanoid figure that had been sleeping on top of her for this long and puts her down. "Mother Gaia."
"Thank you, my dear girl. Seems like my mini-copy works well." Mini Gaia tuns to Tosca. "Hi, I'm the primordial goddess Gaia, you can call me grandma like the rest. You are definitely their daughter, those eyes don't lie. Nice to meet you." Gaia then focuses on Le Fay. "And you must be the second bride. You're so young and beautiful. Is Ddraig treating you well?"
Both girls are taken aback by the friendliness of the small goddess.
"Is alright. She's always like this. She's the grandma/mother of all beings that have been born on the planet earth. Is her nature to act like this with all of us." Tia explains.
Le Fay lowers her head as a sign of respect. "My name is Le Fay Pendragon, and yes I'm his second bride. Is an honor to meet you, your holiness. He treats me with care and I have nothing bad to say about him. I couldn't hope for a better husband."
"I'm Tosca Welsh, is an honor to be in your presence, grandmother." Tosca goes along while feeling a bit happy for some reason. As an orphan, she never had a father or a mother and now she practically had two grandparents figures.
"Drop the titles. I'm a grandma, not a deity that is looking for followers that pay tribute to her. You can call me grandma or mother Gaia. That would be enough. Tia, Ddraig, and you seem to be doing well as a couple. A child and a second bride are big steps; in human relationships, it would seem weird but you two are dragons. I can see even more children and family members surrounding you two in the future. Keep an open mind with his new brides in the future and make sure to guide them as the main bride. You're the older sister that should always support and mediate the rest, don't forget that."
"I understand mother," Tia replies.
Mini Gaia approaches the head of the sleeping dragon. "Look at yourself. You have grown so much. From a small dragon fishing for food to a rascal that kept getting into fights to prove himself as the strongest to finally an adult with a family. Well, both of you have grown; that child has been walking alongside you while embracing this unknown path filled with danger. Truly an astonishing feat for any human at such a young age. I feel proud of having been able to provide a world in which you two were born…. But now I should start taking things more seriously for the sake of the future of this world." Gaia turns around. "Tia, I'm going to take humanity's "toys" away. Is time for me to make them realize the new status quo."
"Lady Gaia, what do you mean?" Raynare asks.
"No more bombs, missiles, or whatever stupid weapons they are developing in secret. I saw what one human was capable of and I know that there are many weapons around the planet being prepared for war. I have let humanity run its course without any restraint for far too long. I will start taking steps to demolish their supremacy complex before I start to guide them alongside the alliance. Fallen one, can you take me to the rest of the heads, I wish to speak to them." Gaia says.
Raynare nods and moves to lift mini-Gaia in her hands.
"Are you sure about this? They will hate you and we both know that many humans will fight back to keep the current status of the world." Tia asks.
"I am. Yhwh is no longer here but I am and I won't turn my sight away from reality anymore. Yhwh would be against my actions but I can't ignore that anymore. Fallen one, let's go." Gaia shows a determined face as she goes away with Raynare.
"Mother…." Tia stood in silence for a moment as she pondered about many things. Her eyes focus on the face of her beloved mate. She approaches him. The face of the child was long gone but she could still see the similarities that remained. "You…. I don't know if you are ever going to regain those memories. It has been hard for you since you came out of the egg but you keep your face up and choose us instead of the past….. I'll do this for you and maybe one day you'll get to do it in person." Tiamat places one single kiss on his lips before she stands up. "We're going to visit somebody."
"But he is still asleep." Le Fay says.
"He won't wake up today and he'll be safe in here. We need to do this for him." Tiamat says. "Us three need to do it as his family."
Both girls could see it in her eyes. She was determined. Neither had the guts to say no so they followed her outside of the room after looking at him one last time.
As soon as they get out of the room, two guards who were standing near the door salute them before going back to the task of guarding him.
"Where are we going, mom?" Tosca asked.
"A place that he was afraid to visit but he might not get the chance to if he doesn't get his memories back." Tiamat creates a transportation circle under them.
"Tiamat-sama wait!" A voice calls out to her.
"What happened?" Tiamat turns to the fallen angel that is approaching her in a hurry.
"A vampire has shown up at the main gate. She's injured but she is asking to see the Welsh Dragon." The angel explains.
"A vampire you say? Is she attacking anyone?"
"No, and we have her surrounded." The angel replies.
"... Capture her and offer her a few blood bags before putting her in a cell. I'll take care of her after I come back. Let the other heads of the alliance know as well and if possible call for Victoria of the Blazing Meteor (Formely Victoria Vonderburg). Having Tannin's third wife might be the best option in this case. We'll be back in a few hours if everything goes well and do not tell her anything about my dearest condition. That's classified information." Tiamat says before she disappears alongside the others.
The fallen angel turns around and departs to follow his orders.
Location: Tsurui town, Japan.
As soon as they came off the magic circle, the three girls found themselves surrounded by nature.
"Where are we?" Le Fay asked as she looked around.
"Tsurui town," Tiamat replies before she starts walking.
"Tsurui…. Wait I think the old man talked about this place before. He talked about how he learned how to fish with-" Tosca's mind connects the dots as soon as her memories come back to her.
"Tosca?" Le Fay turns to the young dragoness.
"Mom…. is this the place?" Tosca asks her mother.
"... I don't know if he will ever get the chance of meeting them once more but I…. We need to put give them some peace and do what he is unable to do right now." Tia replies as she continues on.
The trio walks for at least 2 more minutes until they find a road that leads to a small town. In the town, people turned to them and watch them with curiosity due to their clothes and beauty but the trio didn't stop until they reached a specific house. It was small yet charming.
A small sign on the front wall read "Hyoudou."
Le Fay's heart started beating faster after reading the name. "This is…" The witch watches as Tiamat rings the doorbell.
A few seconds go by in which everyone including Tiamat tenses up. The front door opens up and an old couple comes up to greet them.
"Hello, who might you be and what do you need with us?" The old man asks.
Tiamat takes a deep breath. "Every year on January 4th they would come to visit you with him. It was a family tradition which he told me about."
The couple's eyes widen in shock at the words of the lady in front of them.
"He loved to go fishing with you sir while he enjoyed the food you'll use to prepare for him Mrs. Hyoudou." Tiamat's voice is soft but one could tell that she was doing her best not to break down. "... He tried to come this year as well but he couldn't take that one step."
"... Who are you?" The old lady asks with tears in her eyes.
"My name is Tiamat…. In his first bride, the bride of the boy who disappeared two years ago. On the night of that fire which took the lives of Gorou and Miki." Tiamat kneels in front of them while disregarding the eyes of the neighbors who were watching the whole affair from their homes. "I'm here in his instead because he cannot come himself."
The old couple watches as the two young girls keep their faces down as well. The old man looks around and gets annoyed at the eyes of his neighbors. "Get up, girl. Come inside. Our conversation should happen in private." The man is trying his hardest not to lose it and cry.
God knew that he had waited so long for the child to show up alive as he had never lost hope.
A few moments after.
Our trio found themselves sitting down in the living room of the small home. They could see the photos of the family all around but their eyes mostly focus on the altar that they had. The photos of a man and a woman rest in front of it.
The old lady puts three cups of tea in front of them before she sits down next to her husband.
"Tell us everything you know. Don't hold anything back. Please, don't lie to us." The man asks with a calm yet unstable voice. His hands were shaking.
The lady wasn't better.
Tiamat takes a deep breath before she summons her fire crown and horns. "First you should know that I'm a dragon and I've been alive for much longer than any human. Humans are creations of one god, the bible god. He created them and even though they fail from time to time he cared about them. Due to this same care, that god created items that would exist as tools that could protect humanity against all kinds of dangers. Those tools are called sacred gears and they are randomly given to humans all around the world at the moment their souls are formed. Each sacred gear is different and some are more powerful than others. In the case of Issei Hyoudou, he was born with the booster gear, a tool that held the soul of the Welsh Dragon."
The couple is in shock but dare not say a word as they pay attention to Tiamat. They also watch as Tosca reveals her tail and horns while Le Fay floats in the air for a few seconds before going back to the ground.
"The Welsh Dragon was a being feared for his power and might, who was also famous for his fights against all kinds of beings including gods. He was slain by a group of gods during the last major war between pantheons and then sealed inside the booster gear. For 2000+ years he has passed from one human to the other as they used the power of the booster gear for their own goals. In this age, Issei was born with it and never got to use its powers but due to a certain event that happened with the previous host, the gear was damaged and the memories of the dragon and the husks of the previous hosts were being seen by him."
"So all of this time he was-" The lady is interrupted.
"He saw memories that no child should have seen. It was an accident and Ddraig, the Welsh Dragon who was once sealed inside apologizes for it. He never wanted something like that for him." Tiamat continues.
"But that doesn't explain the fire!" Juzo Hyoudou says. "Did he start the fire?"
Tiamat shakes her head. "Human hosts are unlikely to use the powers of a sacred year at such young ages, especially those who held the booster gear. It was sacred gear with too much power for a human child to handle. The fire was started by someone else; it wasn't an accident. Many beings hold grudges against the Welsh Dragon and many fear the hosts of the gear due to the power that they could gain. All sacred gear users are chosen at random and there are almost no methods by which to know who is the next host of which gear but a certain fallen angel found a way. Kokabiel was a veteran of the previous war and he hated everything related to the Welsh Dragon. That same fallen angel betrayed his faction and used their technology to track Issei down due to his status as the next host of the booster gear. He was the one that started the fire."
The cries of Rika Hyoudou echo throughout the house as the truth behind the fire is revealed. "My son! Miki! Issei! How could he do that to them? Juzo our baby!"
Juzo holds his wife in his arms as she cries her grief. He cries silently as the pain increases but as the man of the house, he tried his best to keep his feelings under control. "You… said that you're his bride? Where is he? Where is our grandchild?"
"That night…. Issei was likely going to die. The flames consumed his body. He told me about how much pain he experienced that night. His salvation came in the form of the same soul that was once sealed inside the gear. Ddraig escaped the gear's prison due to the damage the gear had received before. He took control of Issei's body and escaped the flames with his powers. The Welsh Dragon had saved him from the flames but his body wasn't going to survive due to the flames and the powers of Ddraig. Ddraig while controlling the body of Issei created an egg in which he could change that body into a suitable one."
"He -" Juzo is interrupted.
Tiamat shakes her head once more. "He didn't steal it. At first, it seemed like that to me. I was expecting Ddraig to steal the body and devour the soul of Issei but he didn't. I watched over the egg for two years and waited patiently for it to hatch. When the time came, an adult dragon came out but it didn't hold just one soul." Tiamat takes out a photo album from her pocket dimension before she gives it to them.
The couple opens the album.
"Ddraig took care of Issei and held his hand through the pain he was feeling throughout those two years. He reshaped him into his partner; the one who would share a body with him. Since he came out of the egg he has been living as Issei Welsh, the Welsh Dragon. He has been living a life that no other child would be able to endure except for him. For the past year and six months, he has done many things but he has been also dealing with the pain he has felt; the guilt of being alive while also being indirectly involved with the death of Miki and Gorou. He tried, he really did want to come here and meet you two. He wanted to apologize but he couldn't; his guilt and fear were too strong back them. I watched as he stopped in front of your front door on this past 4th of January. Under the cold snow, he approached this house but at the last moment, he backed away. Now, he can't remember any of you because he had to sacrifice those memories to keep control over his powers. I'm sorry for all of this and the possibility that he might never remember his past as Issei Hyoudou again."
The couple watches the photos with mixed emotions as each one shows a boy which looks like the Issei they remembered but also seemed like a whole different person. He was surrounded by many people they couldn't identify in many of the photos.
"Why his memories? Why did he have to forget us, his family?" Juzo asks.
"... He was losing control over his powers after a certain event. The trauma, the guilt, all of it was affecting him, and as a dragon that was problematic. You saw the destruction he's capable of; he's the same dragon that you likely saw in the news. He needed control over that power and his memories, his past was disrupting his control. He sacrificed them for the sake of the present." Tia explains.
The couple tries their hardest to understand but the pain just kept increasing with each second. They saw what happen around the world, the news didn't stop talking about it. The massive reptile that could consume the world was in every television and news report. That reptile was their boy, it was hard to believe but they had to accept it.
"... You say you are his bride, then who are these girls?" Rika asks as she points her finger to Tosca and Le Fay.
"My name is Tosca Welsh. I'm his daughter. I was an orphan who was close to dying in a tragedy but he saved me by transforming me into a dragon. His blood runs through me." Tosca vows as she presents herself.
"I'm Le Fey Pendragon, his second bride. Due to certain circumstances, I ended up offering my life to him as a way to save my former nation. He took me as a bride as payment and a way to stop me from ever sacrificing myself." Le Fay does the same.
"Two brides? He has been picking up girls during all of this? Instead of coming back to us, he has been acting as a womanizer?" Juzo asks.
Tia shakes her head. "He's none of that. He has become a parent, a brother, a savior, a leader, a husband, an ally, a friend, a respectable symbol, and an icon within the alliance. He's not that kind of male. He has done many things but not once did he forget about the past. He has been a core member of our family and I pray that you can forgive him for everything. He never wanted any of this." Tiamat does a dogeza as she apologizes.
"Are you doing this for Issei or that dragon? Which one are you here for?" Juzo continues. He was having a hard time with all of this while also trying to come to terms with all the information he had obtained.
"Both. They are two sides of the same being. He is my mate/husband and the father of our daughter. I love them both as the same being, the Welsh Dragon. It sounds hard to believe but I do. So please forgive him so if the chance shows up and he comes to visit you two, he can live on with no regrets after he says what he has to say." Tiamat replies.
Everything goes silent. As the emotions of both sides were at their highest someone one took the first step toward the best conclusion for this situation.
Rika saw the pain in their face. Only someone that cares enough would come all this way and show such emotions. "Miki and Godou had a hard time having children. They loved each other but Miki's body didn't have the best of conditions for motherhood. She was weak since she was a young girl and not even her parents held any hopes of her ever getting married. Yet, Godoy proposed to her and they got married soon after. After they became husband and wife, she had three miscarriages in different stages of her pregnancy. Three different times in which the life growing inside of her didn't survive. I saw them, especially her, crying so much and blaming themselves for the miscarriages. They almost lost all hope of having a child and yet when she got pregnant once more. We began to pray to any god that might hear our prayers for the safety of Issei. When he was born he was so small; Miki cried constantly as she held him in her arms and Godou never stop thanking the gods for his birth. Issei was the one thing they care about the most and I believe that in whatever place their souls are now they are happy to know that Issei is still alive. I can't blame him or the dragon for what happened." Rika smiles with tears in her eyes before turning to her husband.
No words are needed between the couple to understand each other's minds.
Juzo lowers his head and begins to talk. "I apologize if I seemed angry. I… never lose hope that he was alive. I forbade my other sons from even saying that he was dead. Godou always wanted a child with Miki. He loved her with all of his heart and although several people told him to leave her after she had three miscarriages he stayed with her. Rika is right, Issei is the fruit of their love for each other and although he is not a human anymore I can only thank all of those involved with his survival. Even if I feel angry at all of this, as long as he is alive… I might be able to move on and let this heart of mine heal." Juzo lifts his head. "Young lady, I thank you for standing next to him and caring for him. If you haven't been with him this conversation might have never happened. I ask that you stay with him and hold his hand as he continues to move on in whatever path he has chosen."
"It is my duty as his bride but only my efforts wouldn't be enough on their own. He is the man he is today due to all of the people around him. The connections he has made are the things that allowed him to make such a hard decision. I doubt that the child that came out of the egg that day would have been able to do it." Tiamat admits.
Juzo and Rika nod. "Please, tell him this even if it might seem meaningless to him. With or without memories, dragon or human, adult or child, no matter the form he's still family and we're here waiting with our arms wide open for him. Let him know that we won't blame him for anything and that we only want to see him in the flesh once more."
The three girls can see the tears in their eyes and the mixture of emotions. It was sad and yet at the same time something that needed to happen.
"We will." The trio replies.
Juzo wipes a few of his tears away before he turns his sight to Le Fay. "Ms. Pendragon, you're very young. Could you tell us more about you and your relationship with Issei?"
Le Fay is taken by surprise and takes a few seconds to prepare herself before she talks. "I'm…. a descendant of the first king of England, king Arthur. My family, the Pendragons have been an important part of the nation since its beginnings but we lost the position that we used to hell in the past. From being kings and queens we ended up as pawns that the current royalty in charge uses as it pleases. The lords of England and even the royal family dislike me because I'm a magician."
"They hate you for being different?" Rika asks.
"Morgan Le Fay is one of my ancestors and if you have ever read the legends you can understand why magic is disliked by the lords. They fear anything that they can't control or manipulate. They have us the Pendragons as pawns that they call sell of or marry of for any resources or alliances. I was originally destined to be married to whatever "ally" or possible business partner that they needed to convince. I tried to prove my worth to them by taking care of a certain curse island alongside my brother. I didn't want to be sent off to who knows where as some kind of trophy wife. That same event is what led me to meet him. He was really mad at the fact that a child such as myself was in a place such as that one." Le Fay smiles as she reminiscent about their first meeting.
"But Issei is a child as well," Juzo says with some worry.
"A child that can destroy a nation on his own. The old man is far from a normal child." Tosca joins in. "I have seen the things he's capable of and not once did I see him as a child."
"True, Issei… Well, Issei and Ddraig share a body but also a mind. While Issei is in charge you can hear the voice of a child that acts as an adult but when Ddraig takes over the voice is that of a grown adult that tries his hardest to be approachable and amicable. Whenever you talk to the one you can tell that the other side is also listening and talking to the one in control as the conversation goes along. They also seem in complete unison as their voices mix whenever they turn serious or when they want people to pay attention to what they're saying. In regards to my relationship with him, he treats me with respect but also care. He's always worrying about my future and my well-being; he assures me that if I have any dreams he will do his best to make them a reality if it is possible. The last thing he asked me about was about becoming a magic idol." She blushes at the idea.
"Oh, so you like to sing?" Rika asks.
"... Only in my private time." Le Fay replies. "Is hard to do it in front of others but Issei said that I had a beautiful voice."
Juzo and Rika watch as Le Fay continues to blush. "What has Issei become? A casanova?"
"Is to be expected. Dragons do like music," Tia says as she pats Le Fay's head. "You'll get there. Just small steps Le Fay."
The old couple smiles at the sight before Rika turns to Tosca. "What about you my dear? What's your story and how is he as a parent?"
Tosca takes a few seconds before she begins to talk. "I was an orphan. Never knew my human parents, I only knew the orphanage and the other orphans. I was taken from the orphanage by a certain group of religious researchers and brought to a facility in which they used us as research lab rats. They had many children in that place and each one of us was just a subject that they used to further their work. We were just research subjects and nothing more, now I know that. We orphans only had each other in that place although they kept selling us dreams about becoming heroes in the future… yet in the end, it was all lies. They even tried to kill us; they poison us and even tried to blow up the building while we were inside. I almost died that day. I fell into the water currents under the facility. I watched in fear as my most precious friend fell into the water before he was dragged away from me while I was dragged in another direction. I was pushed, dragged, and almost drown for several minutes until I ended up in a dark cave. I barely came out alive. I was poisoned, had a few bullet wounds, was cold, my whole body was wet and I found myself in a dark cave with no visible way out. I dragged myself in the search of an exit because I needed to find that friend but my body was too weak. I was laying on the cold floor of that cave as my last moments came closer but then he showed up before my time was up. D… dad took my weakened body and saved my life that day."
"My child you finally said it." Tia smiles as she heard Tosca calling her father "Dad."
"Issei… Miki and Godou would be proud of you." Rika could see the emotions plastered on the face of the girl. She seemed happy but at the same time showed sadness and other emotions.
"I… never knew what having a parent was like. I never thought that I was ever going to get one. Dad is…. Is hard to describe him because I can't compare him to other dads. He's friendly yet serious when necessary. He's always around when I need him or when anyone else in the house needs his help. He's a great father or that is what I think based on my experience. Mom and he are the only parents that I know. They care for my well-being and shower me with affection. They gave me the opportunity to go to my first school, my first home in which I feel safe, and many other experiences that I never dreamed about. I…. lack the words to explain how much I have been able to experience thanks to him and mom; I… love them for holding my hands and accepting me as their child." Tosca lets her defenses down as she tries to come up with the words to explain her feelings regarding her parents.
Tia approaches her daughter and embraces her. "Is ok my lovely girl. We know; you don't have to say it if you don't want to. We love you as well."
"Mom… please don't tell him that I said this. Is embarrassing." Tosca says. "He won't let it go after he learns that I said."
"I won't tell… but you're so cute. Oh my, dear would be so pleased if he hear his daughter calling him Dad instead of Old man. Come on, say it once more. Le Fey get your staff ready to record it."
"Nooo!"
"Come on Tosca, try to say it again."
"No, Isaiah would joke about it alongside him for years to come if he knows about it!"
Le Fay giggles as Tosca blushes and Tia continues to pat her head. "He would truly love to see this in person."
The couple smile at the sight of mother and daughter.
"Rika, our grandson seems to have become a good husband and father."
"That seems to be the case, Juzo. Let's hope that Miki and Godou are happy with what they might be seen now from within the heavens."
The conversation continued smoothly from there on as both sides exchanged memories and chatted about the families. Hours went by and by the end of their meeting, the trio left the house while feeling better about the future.
Yet one extra item was with them by the end of the meeting.
"We don't have a lot. We are not rich but our family has held a few items for generations. This jade dragon pendant is one of our oldest ones which is ironic due to the circumstances. Young Tosca, as his child, his firstborn, we want you to take this with you. This is a symbol of our connection and something that would likely have been his went he became older. Please wear this and keep it safe. Please come around and visit us." Tosca touched her new necklace as she remember the words of her great-grandmother. "Old man… I hope that one day we'll come here together as father and daughter."
Yet while they were having a meaningful event, the world as a whole was facing a reality that they weren't ready for.
As the trio walked out of the house under the night sky, a halo surrounded the planet and continued to spin around it.
Gaia had just begun to prove her dominion over the planet that humanity had called their property and home since their beginnings.
The age of human supremacy had ended that day and the age of the new myths had just begun.
Next chapters: Memories of us (1- ?).
Author's note: We have reached a pretty good point for some side stories. The next chapters are going to focus on memories involving the events that happened during the time skip or even before. They won't be in chronological order. I couldn't write these before as I had too many ideas and no way on which to put them together in a chronological sense so I decided to save them for this point. We'll get to see stories about Asia, Kuroka, Raynare, Gasper, Valerie, Vali, Azazel, and some of the other characters. Don't expect any fights and maybe prepare for some dark moments.