Chapter 25

"Ugh…"

Megumi just woke up.

He couldn't remember what had happened, but, his eyes just fluttered open. However, his situation wasn't any better.

Once more, he was trapped under his father's arm, surrounded by siblings but now… he was sat on!

All around him, Megumi saw nothing but a wall of scales, they came down and around him and the family, but not in a smothering way. This was very careful and also oddly gently if he were to assume. "What the hell is going on now?" he muttered.

Then, the bedding vibrated, like a deep purr escaping from the walls that surrounded him. Odd thing was, he saw large smiles spread across the faces of his father and siblings. They were enjoying this!

They were even purring back!

"This is getting ridiculous…" Megumi muttered. He closed his eyes once more, thinking of how long he would have to stay here, when suddenly…

CLANK!

"DAMN IT!"

….

"Nao?" Megumi whispered.

Peering about, he was in a child's room… in a broke rabbit cage and being stared at by a very pissed off little girl… Again.

"NAO!" Scolded Nobara.

Yet when she came into the room and saw Megumi there, she snorted a laugh. "I think we are not going to let the girls have rabbits as pets anymore…" she said offhandedly.

"Sorry…" Megumi muttered. "Sorry Nao" he said gently to her.

Her arms crossed as she glared at her mother. "Another!" she demanded. "I want another bonkie!"

"We will talk to your father about it when he gets home, for now, let's help Uncle Megumi…" she said.

He helped clean up the destroyed rabbit cage, when done, Nobara invited him to the kitchen for a drink. He took a black coffee and tried to think of what to say after that. "We were worried about you. You've been out for a while."

He choked on his coffee. "What?!"

Nobara nodded and explained what happened. Apparently there are such things as dragon slayers in this world, and they just discovered that Megumi, Yuuji and Suiryu are dragons. "The scouts for this have been taken out already, but they thought Sukuna was being imprisoned by you three and used as a human pet." She explained. "They're not wrong…"

"How did we…"

"Apparently, you took them out." She explained gently. She also paused. "Huh, Suiryu said you were covered in blood. Your father took you to the nursery as soon as you were back and yet, you are remarkably clean…"

Megumi froze. "I… I don't remember that happening."

"No kidding, Suiryu said that Sukuna really played the dragon slayers. He went as far as crying to convince them that he was a prisoner…"

This, made him pause oddly. "Sukuna wouldn't lower himself…" then again that day, he was acting a lot like sensei… "Is he channeling sensei or something?"

She snickered again. "Actually, Yua has a little theory on that… But, knowing you. I think if you spoke with sensei about it, you would know what she is talking about…"

He got curious, Megumi finished his coffee and decided he might need to speak with Gojo sensei…

#

"Huh?"

Toji woke, but… he peered about oddly, realizing he was under something rather… delicate. "Tiamat?" he asked aloud.

Suddenly, the covering was removed. She stood up, but Toji was right. Tiamat had come to brood with them. Yet, as she turned into her human form, she appeared disheartened. "What's wrong?" he asked.

She sighed. "I was rejected," she said.

Toji paused oddly. "Uh… from?" he asked in a confused tone.

"I came to brood with you after Megumi's flare up. You cleaned him up well, and it's a good thing you did before brooding. I thought brooding with you, it may settle him a little. Sometimes, young dragons will accept a stepmother to help them balance out themselves… Megumi refused me." She said gently once more.

Toji was embarrassed at this point. "Damn it, I'll go speak with him at once on that!"

"Toji, you can't force him," she said. "This is delicate, as well. Think of this from Megumi's perspective. I am asking him if I can replace his mother… that's a big thing to ask of one so young, as well. It's not easy for someone who hasn't had a mother accept a new one."

He sighed with defeat, just as the other children woke.

"YAWN!" came out of Daku. "Oh, hi mom!" he said cheerfully.

They were quick to greet their mother, yet, they instantly picked up on her sadness. "Mom?" asked Nisha.

"It's okay children, it's just something between your older brother and I." she said gently and smiled.

Just mentioning him, made the five peer about. "He's gone again!" protested Hoshi. "No fair, he never stays!"

"I'm not too sure about this whole sleeping together here…" Toji said offhandedly.

Tiamat laughed. "Oh it's a dragon trait," she explained. "If anything, I am very pleased that you are doing so. It's excellent bonding for the children, besides they will grow out of it within a year and act more independently."

"Okay then…" Toji muttered. But, he was still worried.

It was strange since, as he slept, Toji felt he saw everything Megumi went through, he growled with rage as these dragon slayers stabbed him in the heart! But was relieved that his son was able to survive thanks to his ability. However, the fact remains there are dragon slayers out there…

"Toji?" Tiamat asked.

"Did you know about the dragon slayers?" he asked.

She froze. "They have returned?!" she demanded. A moment of pause came over her, then her left lip curled bitterly. "Of course he would have spoken of them…"

"Mom?" asked Ankoku.

She smiled to him. "It's okay, I am certain your father knows… various talented people who can address this…" she said offhandedly.

He smiled at the notion. "I do, and I got the perfect rat to send to test and set the trap!" he decreed.