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
Kyoto, three days after the Elysium Treaty.
While most of the planet's population continued to struggle against the new status quo that would take away many things humans were used to, Japan had a slow yet pacific adaptation process. People started to see more supernatural things every day as youkai and other supernatural beings stopped hiding from normal humans.
Many were surprised to discover that friends or loved ones with whom they had relations for years were not human, yet the acceptance rate was higher than initially expected.
"My grandpa was an oni, who would have expected that?"
"Bro, I never expected my fiance to be an undercover Futakuchi-Onna. It is a bit scary, but she has been with me for years."
Interviews with many of these humans spread onto the web and television as the reality that humans weren't alone since the beginning became more apparent. From celebrities to musicians and even some politicians, things became much harder to deny and much easier to accept, at least for Japan.
Today was one of those days in which human beliefs were tested as humans saw a famous legend becoming a reality. Hyakki Yagyo, better known as the parade of one hundred demons, was a legend that incrusted fear into the minds of Japanese people for ages. Yet, today in broad daylight, it symbolized a new era.
Japanese citizens saw the prominent display of the Kanto Youkai faction as they made their way through the city's main streets while the police made way for them.
Many were still scared to see them, yet nobody dared to stop them as they came to understand that it was a point of no return.
At the front of the parade was a small humanoid with a gourd-shaped head; the small humanoid continued to smirk at the sight of humans looking at them with a mixture of emotions.
"Aku, would you have expected something like this in all your years?" The humanoid asked a young-looking man with blond hair and glasses walking next to him. The man had red eyes, and one red horn protruded from his forehead. A black yukata with red waves adorned his figure.
"Aku" started to caress his beard as he reflected on the question. "Not in all of my years, Zuko-sama. I believed that the human era would continue for much longer, but it seems fate had other plans in store for us." His voice was refined, and one could tell that Aku had an easy time when it came to getting his way in conversations of any kind.
"Right, times are changing once more. Do you think that the fears of the alliance are real? Will the beast come back? Can we trust them?" Zaku questioned his advisor.
"I'm not sure, Zuko-sama, but since Yasaka joined them, we must consider the information as accurate. So we have to be thoughtful about our actions from now on. One mistake and the Kanto Faction could be destroyed or forced out of the planet by Gaia. We didn't join the fight to protect the planet last time, so our position is not the best. We need to achieve some sort of agreement for the sake of our faction." Aku says.
"Right. Let's hope that things go our way today." Zuko says as his group arrives at the doorsteps of Yasaka's residence.
Guards of the alliance, the Kyoto faction, and even representatives of Japanese armed forces surrounded the area.
"Zuko-sama, please come with us inside. Everyone is waiting for you." A tengu said as the gates opened for them.
Although the tengu seemed friendly to Zuko, its eyes turned angry at the sight of Aku. Not only the tengu but all of the other members of the Kyoto faction seemed mad at the sight of Aku.
There was a story behind him and the Kyoto Faction. The events of the day before had shone a light on it.
The day before.
"Kyoto is a wonderful destination to visit. Sadly, we didn't get to bring the kids. Tiamat would have loved to come as well." Serafall said as she walked alongside the alliance members that were with her.
"Kids needed to go back to school. Thankfully, Cleria opened the school up, and at least 90% of the students returned, which means that, at least within Kuoh town, things are going well. Even Le Fay and Elaine needed to return for classes at Golden Dawn." Ddraig said as he walked next to her.
"You think they're going to be safe?" Uriel questioned the dragon.
"Golden Dawn promised me that nobody would get to them as long as they were inside their building. They only need to visit the place twice a month for two days, and they'll continue most of their studies back home. Golden Dawn knows better than to try anything against us. They even discuss signing the treaty and joining the alliance as we speak." Ddraig continues as they pass the streets filled with people looking at them.
"Hopefully, they take the chance and join us. The more allies we get, the faster we can move with our preparations for the fight against Trihexa." Sirzechs said.
Gabriel, Shemhazai, Apollon, Artemis, and Ereshkigal were also present alongside a small group of combined reinforcements acting as the security team. Everyone was dressed in their uniforms; those under Athena's leadership wore pale purple versions of the same uniform with golden attachments.
The humans that saw them walking were in complete awe after seeing them walking around as if nothing was happening.
"An actual angel in front of my eyes?"
"Is he a god? He's so beautiful."
"Devils do look like us!"
"That one with the horns must be the Welsh Dragon."
"Lady Ereshkigal! Don't look into her eyes, or we might die."
"Humans do have a way of showing their amazement towards us. I never expected them to be so fearful and respectful." Artemis said as she saw humans making way for them while respectfully avoiding their gazes.
"It is mostly due to Japan's own society's standards. If we were to visit a different nation, the reactions might have been a bit different. By now, we would have been photographed many times if we had been in the USA or some other nation. Anyways we're almost there." Shemhazai said.
"The base of the West Youkai Faction," Ereshkigal said as they crossed the street and approached the main gate of a private residence hidden within a sizeable foresty area.
"The temple opened to the public is on the opposite side of this gate. Kyoto residents have been praying to Yasaka's family as if they were gods for a long time. One could say that Kyoto as a city only exists because of the Youkai in this area, who were here long before humans came into creation." Sirzechs said in a cheerful tone as they got closer to the gate.
"It is only due to Yasaka's ancestors' interference with the natural flowing energy of the planet that they obtained such status. The leylines usually exist without interference, but certain individuals can harness the powers of the leylines at the cost of not being able to leave them for too long. If Yasaka were to leave Kyoto and die, the leyline would go rampant and destroy Kyoto." Ddraig said.
"And how are we planning to prevent something like that?" Apollon questions the dragon.
"Easily, Gaia will revert the flow of the Leyline to its natural flow. Yasaka and other beings are harvesting that power because Gaia has allowed it. It was bound to happen at some point, but Yasaka won't regret losing the leyline due to what we have to offer." Gabriel says as she interferes.
The group stops in front of the gate as the humans around watch patiently to see what will happen.
Suddenly, the gates swing wide open, and a large group of youkai dressed in priest outfits comes out to welcome them. At the lead was a young blonde girl around 20 years old with sharp red eyes. She had several piercings in her left ear, and an intense glare focused on the Welsh Dragon. One could feel an aura of rebellion and a strong attitude coming from her. Her attire was tidy, yet she was wearing a pair of red kickboxing gloves. One could say that she was a "Yankee" girl.
The attendants close to the girl seemed to whisper something into her ears. The girl's face turned angrier after the small exchange.
"Is that Yasaka?" Ereshkigal questions Sirzechs.
"No, that's-" Sirzechs is interrupted as the blonde girl rushes forward, evading the guards that the alliance had, and tries to punch Ddraig. The youkai around the girl tried to stop her, but it was already too late.
Ddraig's instincts jumped to action as he blocked the punch. "That's not the welcome that I was expecting."
The girl growled at him. "I'm not letting a bastard like you get close to mom."
Ddraig smirks as he moves and locks her arms straight up with his tail. "Shem, would you let me your harisen for a second?"
Shemhazai takes a second to connect the dots before he happily summons the legendary item. "This one you can keep; I have extras for cases like this."
"What are you doing?!" Kunou questions the dragon as she gets turned around.
"I imagined this was some rebellious action that doesn't reflect Yasaka's orders, so I will discipline you accordingly to prevent any more outbursts in the future," Ddraig says as he takes the harisen and takes aim.
"Wait, don't-" Kunou doesn't get to finish her sentence as the paper fan strikes her ass with an abnormal amount of strength. Instead, the girl screams in pain with an embarrassed face. "Bas-"
"Respect your elders. I know for a fact that your mother taught you better." Ddraig hits her again.
"Arrgh!" Kunou yelps in anguish as her backside gets severely punished for her outburst.
Nobody moves a finger as the exchange continues for a least three minutes. By the end, Kunou is lying on the floor with her hands covering her ass while some tears escape her eyes.
"Did you learn the lesson?" Ddraig questions the girl as he puts the harisen away for now.
Kunou just continues to cry as she caresses her ass. "How could you do something like this to me?"
"You got what you asked for, Ms. Kunou. When Sirzechs told me about Yasaka wanting to see me, I was excited about being welcomed into a nice meeting with the Kyoto Faction; I never expected her daughter to lunge forward to attack me." Ddraig picks up the girl over his shoulder.
"Wait-" Kunou doesn't get to finish her sentence as Ddraig slaps her ass one more time.
"Silence, rebellious child. Until we get done with our meeting, I will keep you under my supervision. If you can't correctly welcome visitors, I will treat you as a child instead of an adult. How's the second in command?" Ddraig questions the other youkais, who are surprised by the whole affair.
A masked kitsune confidently lifts her hand. "Me, sir Welsh."
"Lead us to Yasaka. If someone else does something like this, I will gladly use my harisen to teach you manners." Ddraig says.
The youkais present quickly shakes their heads. The prospect of being treated like Kunou doesn't call out to any of them.
"My ass-" Kunou gets slapped once more.
"Silence, rebellious child. Let's move then." Ddraig takes the lead, and others follow after him.
The kitsune quickly welcomes the alliance into the residence.
"Was that necessary, Ddraig?" Serafall questions the dragon as she catches up to him.
"I expect better from the heiress to any family. I'm not a political expert, but such an action would mean war in any other setting. Kunou here has ignored common courtesy; Yasaka is likely watching, and "me" taking such an approach will probably be seen with approving eyes by her. I would have chopped her hands off if I were a different guy. I would be horrified if Tosca did something similar in the future." Ddraig said as they advanced into the residence.
"That was… very mindful of you, Ddraig," Gabriel says.
"I wouldn't have done something similar but approved it since it evaded bloodshed." Sirzechs joins in.
"I'm far more interested in this harisen of yours. Shemhazai, could I get my hands on one of those as well? They would likely prove helpful in punishing the wrongdoings of my grandkids." Apollon says as he approaches the fallen angel.
"Get me one as well, brother," Artemis says.
"Calm down, everyone; we must focus on the meeting ahead. Ddraig's little event shouldn't take away from the main event. Yasaka awaits us at the top." Ganesha said as the alliance climbed the stairs leaving the gate behind.
As everyone got in, the gates were closed by a pair of Tengu behind the last of the members. The forest got darker as Ddraig and the rest got farther away from the gates.
Initially, a small forested area began to expand into a full-on forest, with many youkais watching them from behind the trees. Of course, one couldn't see the sky above as the forest was so dense.
After a while, the group arrived at a village filled with youkais of many classes. They all seemed to bow their heads toward them as a sign of respect.
The walk took longer until they finally reached a temple where the gorgeous Yasaka was waiting for them with her head on the floor alongside her attendants.
"I sincerely apologize for my daughter's actions," Yasaka said without meeting their gazes.
The alliance breathed in relief as Yasaka didn't show signs of anger against the actions of Ddraig. Instead, the Welsh Dragon stepped forward and lowered Kunou to the floor before similarly bowing to Yasaka.
"Although your daughter's actions were rude, I don't hold it against you, Yasaka. The other alliance members and I want to thank you for the invitation to your home." Ddraig says as the other alliance members do the same.
"We have also bought some gifts that we hope you'll accept as a sign of our gratitude for your help during the war against Mitsuya Kansaki," Shemhazai says. The guards quickly presented several gifts they were carrying with them.
"The alliance hopes that today becomes the day on which the Kyoto faction joins our efforts. Dark times are coming, and we need all the help we can get." Ganesha continues.
Yasaka lifts her head in surprise at the respectful actions of the alliance. Instead of showing their strength and status by standing up, they went the extra mile to lower their heads to her level and show their purest intentions. Ganesha, Apollon, and Artemis were gods, yet they showed her respect. They treated the Kyoto faction as if it held the same power as the alliance.
The nine-tail fox couldn't be happier after seeing this.
"There's a lot we have to discuss. Please come inside so that we can continue this meeting." Yasaka says as she smiles.
A few minutes after.
After exchanging greetings and gifts, the two sides found themselves in a large tatami ceremony room where everyone was served tea and snacks. Kunou was seated beside her mother, with Ddraig not too far away.
The harisen was nicely placed next to him as a sign of what would come if she dared to disrespect him.
The young heir looked scared yet still defiant at the dragon.
"Issei, I would have loved to have you here." The dragon couldn't understand why Kunou disliked him so much.
"I think we can start with this meeting. Yasaka, we discussed the terms by which the Kyoto alliance could join the alliance before. We offered equal rights, resources, and land where to relocate your faction. Tiamat is creating a new city as we speak. She has the support of Tannin and his descendants, but that is not enough for a city to exist appropriately. She needs more residents who are willing to help it work. Tiamat is open to having you rule the city alongside her as equals." Sirzechs says.
"I know you explained it before. You want us Youkai to leave earth and move to the underworld. You didn't explain why you wanted us to move, but now I know. Trihexa is coming, and the world will likely be its next stop. Are you going to sacrifice the planet after we leave?" Yasaka asks.
Ganesha shakes his head. "The alliance is not sacrificing anything. Father had visions of Trihexa's rampage, and in one of those visions, he saw a fight in a city where several factions joined to face it. That city is likely Tiamat's; the last stand will be in it."
"What about the planet then? What would happen to Gaia?" Yasaka continues.
"We're planning to seal the planet away and send it off on a voyage for an unknown amount of time," Serafall explains.
"A voyage? Can you be more detailed about it?" Yasaka seems interested in the subject.
"Humanity now knows most of the truth. We're going to have them decide their path moving on. They can either join us or go off on their own. We will help them prepare an arc for them to go off on their own into space. Those that stay will have time to prepare as they will go to sleep once the time is up. Gaia will put everyone on the planet in a long sleep while the earth itself is sealed off and carefully taken away by a group away from this place. We're discussing who will be part of this team, and we are hopeful that Ra will be one of them." Gabriel says.
"Hephaestus has started to plan the container where the planet will get sealed off, and Gaia has agreed. Humanity and those inside will sleep as if nothing is happening while the rest fights Trihexa and the other calamities. Until the three calamities get taken care of, the planet will be out of reach for everyone." Ddraig finishes.
"But that will mean that many of you will lose your homes, your contracts with humans, no more prayers, so much will be sacrificed," Kunou says as she listens to the plan.
"It is a sacrifice that has to be done. One century, two, ten, it doesn't matter. If the planet is within reach of Trihexa and our enemies, our forces will get divided between fighting and protecting the earth. We needed to take the world out of the equation, and that's what we came up with. If the fights mainly occur in the underworld, it will be easier for everyone. Gaia can stop the passage of time for humans and those inside her Garden of Eden. For them, time will stop as they sleep while we fight." Ddraig looks at his hand. "Shiva admitted that he couldn't defeat Trihexa and said that I could be the one to end its menace. I wouldn't have believed his words in the past, but I know he's not lying. This planet has been my home, no matter how much it changes, and if I can do something to protect it, I'll do what's necessary."
Yasaka looks at him. "Are you willing to face Trihexa? The beast that devours planets for sustenance? Can you put your life on the line?"
"I'm not afraid of facing it, Yasaka. My only fear would be standing around as it destroys everything I care about. If a monster is what it will take to slay Trihexa, then I'll be that monster." Ddraig admits.
"We will do our best to aid Ddraig when the time comes, but we'll need all the help we can get," Artemis says. "I'm scared of facing it, but if I don't do it, everyone will be erased."
"There won't be an afterlife or reincarnation once Trihexa comes back. There will only be destruction. Yasaka, choose the future and don't fear what comes after. Kyoto has been your home for your entire life, and leaving it behind might be the scariest thing ever, but you know that the hardest choices are the ones that mean the most." Ereshkigal summons the treaty and presents it to Yasaka.
The nine-tail fox sees all signatures. "So many names. So many beings put their trust in these ideals. Can I take the step as well?" She turns to her daughter, who's also admiring the treaty. She then turns to her advisors, silently waiting for her answer. Her telepathic powers listen to the voices of her followers, who are putting their trust in her. Yasaka takes a deep breath before she bites her finger. "I will fight for the future alongside all of you."
Yasaka signs her name and seals the deal by formally joining the alliance.
"We appreciate your determination Yasaka," Uriel says as he bows.
"Tiamat will be happy to have someone like yourself joining her on Shangri-La," Ddraig says.
"Shangri-La? She's naming her city after the novel by James Hilton?" Yasaka questions the dragon.
"She is. She likes the novel and the theme of almost immortal people in a city far away from human hands connected with her." Ddraig said.
"... I like her even more now. Anyways, can I speak to Gaia?" Yasaka asks. When she mentions the goddess, the wall behind her changes shapes until Gaia's face is visible. The nine-tail fox quickly turns around as she feels her presence.
"Yasaka, the current leader of the Kyoto Faction. I'm happy to meet you. I'm sorry, but I have listened to everything said. I have been keeping tabs on everyone on the planet. It has been long since your ancestors came to me seeking a place to settle. Your faction has supported me and silently agreed to any of my requests. I couldn't be happier with all of you. I'm sorry you'll have to agree to such a request as leaving this land for a new one." Gaia says.
"There's no need to apologize, Gaia. My ancestors always knew that this wouldn't last forever. Nobody owns this planet except for you, and the circumstances are reasonable. If I were to turn my eyes away, I would be putting the future of my followers at risk. Moving to a new land will be rough, but we left the Shinto Gods once and came here with nothing. Moving again under different circumstances won't be as bad this time. Can you take care of the Leyline after I let go of it?" Yasaka asks.
"It will be easy. Let's do it right now; just concentrate, and I'll take care of it." Gaia says.
Yasaka closes her eyes as she slowly loses her hold over the Leyline. The ground shakes as Yasaka loses the control she once had over the Kyoto Leyline. Her body loses a large amount of power, yet she feels at ease as the strain of the Leyline disappears.
The ground continues to shake for a few moments until it stops.
"The Leyline has returned to its original flow. Thank you, Yasaka." Gaia says.
Yasaka opens and closes her hands for a bit. Her attendants and daughter looked distressed now that their leader had lost most of her powers.
"Mom," Kunou calls out with fear in her eyes.
"Don't be afraid. Even if I lost all that power, I could still protect our faction." Yasaka smiles as she pats her head.
"Don't be afraid of it. Although the underworld is far different from earth, we still possess a similar system of Leylines. The location where Tiamat is building her city has a Leyline of its own. It is a powerful one but will be much harder to control. You might need more help to use it as intended. We lack anyone with the abilities to use it, so it would be up to you to harvest its power initially." Sirzechs says as he pulls out the documents that explain the Leyline. He approaches her before offering them to Yasaka.
Yasaka quickly takes them before she reads them. "I see. Kunou was training to take over for me later on, but it would take at least the two of us to make it work initially. If Zuko were to join us, the task would also be much easier. A Leyline like this will be far more troublesome than one in Kyoto. It would also limit my movement to the inside of the city. Did anyone in the past use this Leyline?"
"Three members of the old satan faction back during the civil war. I killed one of them while Serafall and Ajuka eliminated the remaining two. Thanks to it, we were able to break into the city." Sirzechs explained as he remembered the war.
"I see. About the city, how long will it take before we can move into it?" Yasaka continues.
"Tiamat and the rest are working hard to speed up the cleaning process of the old capital. After they have taken care of the demonic beasts inside the city, Tiamat will use an artifact to change the area. Hephaestus created the item and said the city's shape would be a mystery depending on the user's desires. It will all depend on Tiamat's view of the city's appearance, but knowing her, I feel it will welcome many races. I can expect at least a large body of water surrounding the city on the surface and a large cave underground cave system. It will also have land for farms, but its final shape will surprise everyone. So give or take over the next two weeks, we will have our answer." Ddraig said.
"Two weeks…. It could be considered unreasonable to humans, but we Youkai can be ready by then. So my people will be prepared for the move whenever Tiamat is ready." Yasaka says.
"We will inform the rest, Yasaka-sama." Most of her attendants stand up and rush out of the room to inform the rest of the faction.
"What about the Kanto Youkai Faction? Do you have plans for them as well?" Yaska looks at the members of the alliance.
"We reached out, but they wouldn't listen to us. We hope that you can reason with them." Shemhazai says.
"Suko is acting like a brat. Not only did he not show up when I needed him, but now he's ignoring us. Should I send Typhon after them and force them to come to meet us?" Gaia asks those present in a threatening tone.
The members of the alliance quickly shake their heads in disagreement.
"We do not send Typhon as a peaceful messenger," Apollon says.
"He knows one thing, and that is elevating the tensions of any situation to a new degree of danger. Someone is bound to bite the dust if he gets sent." Artemis follows.
"Eh? Why are you so scared? Typhon is such a good child." Gaia playfully says.
"Gaia, please don't send him. Typhon is a good child but is not the right guy for this mission. There will be other moments to send Typhon on missions, but this is not one of them." Uriel argues.
Everyone shakes their head in agreement while Yasaka and her daughter are surprised by how badly they are trying to prevent Typhon from acting.
"Could I ask why Typhon is so dangerous?" Kunou asks.
"Typhon is one guy that is quick to anger. Any comments can send him over the edge. Long ago, he visited Mount Olympus, and Zeus said something that angered him. He went on a rampage around the whole realm for twelve days and nights, beating every god facing him into submission. Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, and even Athena were forced to accept defeat as Typhon forced everyone against the ropes. Typhon doesn't get tired, and once he starts to fight is impossible to stop him. He will adapt and become immune to all attacks as the fight continues. It is a death wish to try to face him without previous preparations." Apollon's face was filled with fear as the memories of those days returned to him.
"We're happy to have him as an ally, but we should be smart about where we send him." Artemis didn't look any better.
The eyes of the alliance member turned to Gaia as if pleading to her to hear their reasons.
"Alright, you don't have to go so far. I won't send Typhon after them but figure something out." Gaia says.
The alliance then turns to Yasaka.
The nine-tail fox scratches her chin. "I can make them come in person by tomorrow at the latest. Zuko won't ignore my invitation, although I personally wish not to meet his main attendant."
Kunou seemed to be mad at the mention of the mysterious attendant.
"I will kindly ask you to do this for us. The Japanese government would also like to know the position of both factions. If the Kanto faction does come to meet us by tomorrow, the Japanese Government will send someone to learn the resolution of the meeting. It would put them at ease if they knew that all of the groups in Japan were working together. We already have the Himejima clan with us, and if both major Youkai groups join us, they will be sure about the nation's future." Gabriel says.
"I see. Give me an hour, and I'll take care of Zuko. I'll have my attendants prepare rooms for all of you, so please feel at home until tomorrow." Yasaka says.
Thus, the meeting ends with a positive result for the alliance.
During the night, Ddraig POV.
The Welsh Dragon enjoyed some time alone by a Koi pond near the temple. Most of the alliance members were likely asleep by now, yet Ddraig couldn't close his eyes. He felt a bit anxious about the whole affair, and being away from his family wasn't making it easier for him.
As he drank a bit of sake, he reflected on the events that had transpired over the day.
"Oh, you still awake." A voice attracted his attention.
As the dragon turned around, his eyes met those of Yasaka. "Yasaka, I was reflecting on my own."
"I can see that. Sake near a pond is something that I do from time to time as well. It puts me at ease." Yasaka walks closer and takes a seat next to him.
"Your attendants were kind enough to offer me some of your sake. I promise to repay it on another occasion." The dragon says in a calm tone.
Yasaka shakes her head. "Sake should be shared along. Now, if you excuse me, I'll take a sip straight from the bottle."
Ddraig watches as the gorgeous nine-tail fox gulps the drink with ease.
"That hits the right spot." Yasaka smiles as she puts the bottle down.
"I can see that," Ddraig says as he turns his sight back to the pond. "Are you worried about tomorrow? You didn't seem excited about meeting Suko and his attendant. There must be a story behind the two of you."
"... There is; one that I have mixed feelings about; Ddraig, how old are you?" Yasaka questions the dragon.
"My age? That's a bit complicated, but if I have to give an accurate number, that would be several millennia. I was alive when your ancestors first came to this planet. Why the question?"
"I once had a lover. A young brat that sought me out, I was 350, and he was barely 45, yet he claimed to love enough to marry me. I didn't believe it a first, but he kept seeking me. But, in the end, I felt for his charms. It took him three years, but ultimately he got what he wanted. He had me, and I fell over the moon alongside him." Yasaka smiles bitterly as she remembers the past.
"He left, didn't he?"
"Right on the day of the wedding. At the same time, I was pregnant with his child. He left a letter saying that he couldn't go through it. I was too old for him, he claimed. The bastard played me like a fool and left me alone. I had to raise Kunou alone while the bastard disappeared from the map. It wasn't until Kunou turned 100 that he reappeared, and not once he tried to meet her. Tomorrow will be the first time she meets her so-called father."
Ddraig took another sip of his drink. "Age? Really that was his excuse? Now I wanna meet him and punch him into oblivion. He's just another disgusting bastard who has no balls to take responsibility."
"Oh, you have a story of your own?" She seemed surprised by his reaction.
"My dear Yasaka, I'm caring for a child whose father is the same type of shit as your former lover. I believe in one thing: If one can't take responsibility for the child, one shouldn't have them in the first place. Children don't get to choose when they come into the world; parents do that. I praise you, Yasaka; for having the will to raise Kunou while also leading so many Youkai. A child takes time to raise, and "us" beings with much longer lives take even longer. Heck, the task doesn't end when they become adults. Tosca is my firstborn; even when she turns 18, I'll be watching her. Parenthood never ends for us."
Yasaka smiles. "No, it doesn't. I sincerely apologize for her actions today. She was likely still mad about the whole event in which you took control of our bodies. She's rough and a bit of a tomboy. I feel that she won't change her ways that easily."
"Be at ease. It surprised me, but I could see why Kunou was angry with me. I promise it won't happen again." Ddraig says with a cheerful smile on his face.
"I appreciate that. I also hope you don't punish Kunou's backside like that. It would be bad if people said the Welsh Dragon is tarnishing my daughter. I hope she marries a good man one day unless you are open to marrying her." Yasaka teases him.
"Yasaka, I don't do planned marriages. I prefer when females like me and want to be with me out of their own will. Also, she's a bit too immature for marriage. I prefer maturity over youth." Ddraig teases her back.
"Oh, so you prefer me? Is the Welsh Dragon interested in the gorgeous Yasaka?"
"Maybe…"
Their eyes meet for a few moments before breaking into laughter.
"You're one funny dragon. I didn't expect someone to meet my teasing level." Yasaka says as she continues to laugh.
"Yasaka, I already have a few teasers around me. Teasing doesn't work against me. I prefer the real thing. When someone truly likes me, I want to see it in their eyes, feel it in their voice, and listen to it thanks to their heartbeat." The dragon carefully holds her chin. "I want them to truly love me because a mate for a dragon like me means a lifetime alongside me. A lifetime that involves accepting my past and what comes next. A lifetime in which they will have my children and be with me until the end of time. I will love that female and make her forget about anything that came before."
Yasaka could feel the intensity behind those eyes. A flaming passion that was scaring her. "Ddraig…" She began to sweat.
Ddraig smirks as he releases her. "I told you teasing doesn't work. I can meet and surpass any teasing."
Yasaka looks away for a moment before she tries to use her powers to look into his mind, only to be shocked by what she finds. "You're serious. Holy Gaia, just how intense is your love?"
"I don't lie about those things, my dear, so don't try to look inside. Want another drink?" The dragon presents the bottle of sake to Yasaka.
"I think I shouldn't play with him. I'll get burned if I play with this fire." Yasaka grabs the bottle and takes another sip. "I wished he had been like you. I truly loved him."
"Love hurts sometimes, but one shouldn't give up that easily. You can still try again, Yasaka. Your former lover hurt you, but that doesn't mean that next time will be the same, so try again when the opportunity shows up. You'll find a suitable mate if you try again."
"Maybe, but I'll ensure Kunou finds someone before that. I want to see her marry someone who truly cherishes and cares for her. I won't allow the story to repeat itself."
"Then let's drink to that to the day your daughter walks down the altar and marries someone that truly cares for her." Ddraig lifts his cup.
Yasaka slowly raises the bottle before they continue to drink and chat. Neither realized that a certain heiress and seraph were spying on them from different locations.
Each girl had their reasons to spy that night, yet neither dared to interfere as they silently listened to the friendly conversations between the pair.
"Mom, you are smiling once more."
"Ddraig… what is this feeling that keeps growing inside my chest?"
Back to the present, Aku's POV.
The good-looking Oni stopped in his tracks as his eyes met those of his former lover and child.
Their eyes showed anger at the Oni. Years of resentment had been pilled up as he evaded meeting them at all costs, but one couldn't room away forever.
He tried to keep a calm face but could feel the anger behind those eyes. It didn't help that almost everyone present was looking at him with the same cold expression. "Back into the mouth of the beast."
Notes of the author:
Another chapter down, and we finally get a name for the city under Tiamat's rule. I have many plans for the city and its residents. It will also serve as the central battlefield for the battles to come later on. Nobody said that it was going to be easy for Tiamat.