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
Location: Shangri La, Ancestral Gardens.
Shangri La was unique, to say the least. A city built in one afternoon from the remains of a long abandoned capital. A place where the supernatural and some humans met in peace. The center of the Alliance.
A collage of different cultures, races, and beliefs, it is governed by an ancient dragon king and its counsel, which grows with each new addition to the Alliance Ranks.
Amongst the many places to visit, a particular set of gardens was seen as one of its crowning jewels. The ancestral gardens were filled with flowers and fruits that had been no longer seen on Earth since the ages that predated humans and many races. It was a spot highly visited and protected by Tiamat and the residents of this curious town, as one wouldn't get the chance to see or taste any of these delicacies unless they gained the right to visit Gaia's sanctuary.
Our story continues within such a charming place to visit as Ddraig sits below a tree with purple leaves alongside someone whom the residents didn't commonly see in the city.
Her eyes were covered so as not to allow her to see her surroundings. Her arms were tightly secured behind her back as a pair of black ropes prevented her from using her strength to get away.
Her maid attire arouses confusion among many of those who walk around, as none expect to see the Welsh Dragon treating a servant in such a way, yet this is all due to the maid's suggestion.
Ddraig's POV.
The dragon continued to read a small black book while the maid by his side enjoyed the sweet breeze that reached her body.
"..."
"..."
Neither said a word as they continued to enjoy the peaceful silence between them, but even that silence had to end, and even the lowest of the passerby's comments reached Ddraig's ears:
"She has to be a pervert."
"Is our lord also a pervert?"
"It has to be some kind of kink."
"So they are into that kind of thing."
Everyone thought the same as they had witnessed such a sight, and such comments were taking their toll on Ddraig.
"Can you people just ignore her? She's quiet and is not hurting any of you. It's not as if she's naked."
If it had been other times, he would have slain anyone who dared call him a pervert, but he had to remain calm, as getting angry wouldn't help his case.
"My lord, does it make you angry?" Aurora asked as she remained seated and motionless. A calm expression sat on her face.
"People calling me a pervert? Yes." Ddraig admits. "I have never given people motives to call me a pervert. I'm someone who likes to keep his private life away from the public eye."
"I see. I apologize for asking this from you. I wanted to visit a place to enjoy a nice time away from Earth." Aurora admits.
Ddraig sights. "Is not your fault, at least not entirely. The ropes seemed a bit too much. Were they really necessary?"
Aurora smirks. "I can be a really bad girl if you give me too much freedom."
Ddraig shakes his head as he understands the constant need to monitor Aurora. "You're going to make it impossible for me to leave you alone without surveillance. I fear what you might do if nobody is watching. A stray devil running rampant on Earth or Shangri La will be horrible for me and everyone else. I don't want to hurt you, but if you ever let those dark desires take over, I will stop you. I won't let you turn into a mindless beast."
Aurora licks her lips with her long and serpentine tongue. "As long as you keep a hold of that chain, nothing will go wrong, my lord. I promise to be a good girl."
"Promises can be broken, and I still have some reservations about you. You're still broken; I don't have to be a genius to know that. What Diadora did to you must have been a living hell, and you likely screamed for salvation on many occasions until you gave up. I can't change what happened. I have no such power, but I can affect the present and the future. One day, you might be able to live on your own without anyone controlling you."
Aurora shakes her head. "That will never happen, my lord. I can't ever return to the Aurora I was before. Tell me, have you ever been tortured in a dark dungeon? Have you ever got your eyes removed and fed to a beast? Have your dreams been consumed by the constant pain of the everyday as a sadistic piece of shit laughs while pleasing himself to your tears? Broken can't even describe what happened to me while Diadora owned me. These hands, this body, all that you see before you was tainted beyond fixing. Sometimes, while I lay in my bed, my mind recalls those memories, and I can almost feel him laughing at me from within the room's darkness. He knew what he did to me and all of the girls in his peerage; we can't ever return to normal. We were his toys, his pawns to use as he pleased, and we couldn't fight back. No hero came to our aid, no angel sent from heaven to protect us, no salvation to be obtained. You were the one that put an end to the madness. I owe you for being the one that ended his reign of terror."
"I didn't finish his life," Ddraig argues.
"But you fought him and prevented another one from becoming one more of his toys; you're the only savior I can believe in. I don't know how to be human anymore, my lord. Look at me; I seek someone to keep me chained because I fear I will go mad if I am allowed to roam free. I can't even recall how I looked as a human. Was this hair color my natural color? Were these dark desires a part of me when I was a nun? I… don't even recall my parents or those I knew as a human. I have nothing to return to; I only have you." Aurora declares. "I only have the savior who showed up at the right moment and ended my nightmare."
"Aurora." Ddraig doesn't know what to say.
"Don't let go of the chain. Don't throw me away. I will go mad if you're not there to keep me sane. If you give me away to a devil, I don't know what I would do. If you gave me freedom, I would become a monster; you must keep me chained to prevent the worst. Don't leave me." Aurora pleads with him. Her voice breaks as the remnants of the human once named Aurora show up to the surface.
"..." Ddraig says nothing and just uses his tail to drag her closer to himself. He rests her head on his lap before carefully caressing her hair.
"My Lord?"
"Shhhh, cry if you want to cry. I promise that this chain will remain if that is your wish. I won't give you to anyone, and until your last breath, I will be the chain that keeps you sane. This tainted body of yours will only be mine, but I won't be like Diadora. I find no enjoyment in any of his disgusting tastes. I'm not a god, but I can keep my promises. Rest, Aurora, enjoy the breeze, and know that no matter how dark it gets, I will always bring the light back." Ddraig carefully caresses her hair while humming an old melody he learned along his many adventures across the realms.
Aurora's breathing slows down as she feels safe within the care of her master. As the area's breeze and calmness envelop them, the former nun sleeps, knowing that Ddraig will keep his promise.
Ddraig continues to hum the tune while reading his book, no longer caring about the comments of the curious denizens of Shangri La.
"Nothing is easy regarding the females in my life, but I guess this comes with the field—each one with their own problems and needs. Parenthood is not easy either; I have that day out with Tiamat and Tosca tomorrow. Hopefully, Tosca has decided on her training."
Even if he was not handling missions within the Alliance, his family kept him active as he worked through their issues and concerns.
"Sir Welsh?" A voice called out to him.
Ddraig put his book to the side and looked for the source of the voice. His eyes quickly met those of Aku, the Oni, and father of Kunou. "Aku? What a surprise. What brings you to me? Is there a problem that needs my aid?"
The sad expression on Aku's face told Ddraig that it was the case. "I… have a personal issue which you might be the only one who can help me. Do you have time?"
Ddraig signals the spot on his left. "Be mindful about your voice. Aurora fell asleep, and I would prefer that she stay that way."
Aku nods as he takes a seat a few meters away from Ddraig. "Sorry for interrupting your time away from duty."
Ddraig waves his hand. "Listening to others has been helpful. Denying the needs of others won't do us any good. Go ahead, I can imagine this is about Yasaka and Kunou."
Aku nods as he brings a small ring he kept in his pocket. "Do you know what this is?"
Ddraig looks at the ring from the corner of his eye. "An engagement ring. Is that the one you gave to Yasaka back in the day?"
Aku slowly nods, his expression worsens, and he holds an object tied to his regrets. "Yasaka returned it to me a few hours ago. She said our relationship won't ever return to what it used to be. She has given me the last stab required to kill all dreams I ever had of trying to get back together."
"... I'm sorry to hear that. It is hard to let go of something so precious."
"You're just saying that just to make me feel better."
Ddraig shakes his head. "Has someone ever told you how close Albion and I have been? What did our rivalry mean to each other? To me and him, fighting each other was everything. Proving to each other that we were strong and that we were equal meant everything as we beat each other to a pulp—the sensation of having someone who you didn't have to speak with to understand each other. Our rivalry was a weird relationship in which we sought each other out just to fight, but we never set any boundaries, and the rest is history. It took centuries for me to realize that we had gone too far and that our rivalry needed to end. It took a lot from me to stop the rivalry; it felt like ripping a piece of my soul but it had to be done. I did it because I couldn't face any more deaths from the hosts of the two sacred gear and because I care about Albion. I don't hate him; I care about him, and because of that, I needed to let go while setting boundaries between ourselves."
"So you're saying?"
"You need to accept when someone is ready to move on. To learn that things won't be the same. You can't force someone to love you as much as you can't force a rivalry to continue for centuries with no end. If Yasaka has decided to move on, you might need to learn how to do the same. It will take time, but know this: you two have a daughter in common. Kunou will always be the bond that connects you two, and for her sake, you need to learn to be amicable with each other. You will learn how to accept this new reality and maybe even find another person to love with time."
"Sir, I have not many years left. My time might be around the corner."
Ddraig raises an eyebrow. "How many years a human usually lives for?"
Aku looks confused before he answers. "60 or 80 years, depending on their lives. Many don't reach 45."
"And yet many learn to find love a second or third time late into their 50s and 60s. They have shorter life spans, but they learn to let go and take steps forward. Aku, I might be ageless, and you might have less than 40 years left in your body, but either of us can learn to accept that things won't always go our way. If I could turn back time, I would have told myself not to kill Ereshkigal's son, but I can, and I must bear the consequences of my sins. I would have preferred that Gabriel didn't lose an eye, but I'm still learning to accept that it happened. I will always carry that with me as I care about her. Yuki now bears the scar of a gruesome attack on her chest, and I blame myself for it, as I was unable to prevent it. We both learn that not everything will go according to our desires."
Aku turns to the ring with tears in his eyes. "... I don't know if I can do it."
"If you genuinely love her, you will learn to accept that your love story has ended. It's better to have love than to never try. Focus all your attention on Kunou, as your worst regret will always be not being there for your child. She will need you; even if she denies it, she'll want you around."
"Kunou…. Do you really think she wants me to be there for her?"
Ddraig smiles. "Tosca calls me old man. She threatens to kick me in the nuts sometimes. She says many things that she doesn't mean, but I know she wants me around. I'm her only father, and Tiamat is the only mother she currently acknowledges. If either of us were to disappear, she would be in pain beyond relief. Kunou is a young adult, but even those of her age want to have parents around, even those who have made mistakes. Give your all, and don't run away."
Aku remains silent momentarily as he reflects after hearing Ddraig's words. "... You truly are far older than I am."
"Even old dogs have space to learn new things. I am older, but I don't know everything. I have doubts and problems. You had one lover; I have several, and neither makes it easier for me, but that is the life of a dragon like me." Ddraig caresses the sleeping maid in his lap. "I care about too many females, and I'm willing to give my all for each of them, even if it means that I will get hurt in the end."
Aku remained silent as his last conversation with Yasaka repeated itself in his mind.
"I don't know Aku. I don't know if I love someone else, but if what I feel is love and he reciprocates these feelings, that person might care about me with the will to put everything on the line for me. Someone who will not run away."
He started to see the signs, but he couldn't interfere. He didn't have the will to stop what began to take shape. "Sir?"
"Yes?" Ddraig turns to Aku with an inquisitive expression.
"If that ever happens, take care of her like I never had the will to do."
"?" Ddraig raises an eyebrow. "What are you implying?"
Aku shakes his head. "Thank you for the conversation. I must go."
"Aku?" Ddraig called out his name, but the Oni never turned back. His departure left Ddraig with many questions, but he didn't feel the need to search for the answers at that moment. Aurora remained asleep and, disturbing her at that moment, felt rude to him. "Back to reading it is."
The dragon grabs the book once more before returning to where he left off.
His calm expression as he read the pages made many curious. They wondered what sort of book could capture his attention so much, what sort of ancient knowledge would be worthy of his attention.
"The Odyssey? This is the one you're reading now?" A soft yet gentle feminine voice asked. A soft hand was then placed on his left shoulder.
As the dragon turned to his left, he found Gabriel's welcoming smile. She was dressed in her full uniform while her eyepatch was nowhere to be seen.
"When did you get here?" Ddraig asked as he put the book away.
"A moment ago. You seemed unaware of my presence or that of the many people watching you." Gabriel said as she took a seat by his side.
"... I saw it as the best time to catch up with my reading. It is good to compare the original story to the ones that humans wrote. They miss many details, yet it remains an enjoyable piece to read, although it is far from accurate to the real events."
Gabriel nods in agreement. "Human literature tends to miss many details when retelling the legends from other realms and even legends from its own people. By the way, what's up with the rope and Aurora?"
Ddraig scratches his side. "Would you believe me if I said that she asked for it?"
"There are no lies between us." Gabriel looks at the former nun with sadness. "If you told me that she asked you to chained her to a wall, I would believe you as well. She's still broken, and my words or those of my siblings will never fix the damage that our non-interference caused. Take care of her, for I cannot reach her."
"... It is hard to hear a society's prayers when there's no deity who can take the lead. To listen to every voice when your people are already struggling with the effects of a war that took almost everything from you. If anything, I'm also to be blamed for many of those deaths."
Gabriel shakes her head. "The past is the past. We should focus on the present and future, especially in the present, which might not remain as peaceful for long. Everyone is getting ready for an enemy attack. Nobody sees a peaceful resolution for what is around the corner."
"There is one. If I-"
Gabriel stops him as she glares at him. "Don't. Ddraig, look at me. I almost saw you take a damn explosion that was comparable to a nuke in a weakened state. Do not fall for the challenge of a god who cannot bear the guilt of his actions. Yukime risked her life to secure the information for us. Don't put your life at risk to please someone like Susanoo. I wouldn't be able to bear to see you be injured even more for no reason." Her voice put her fears on full display.
"Gabriel, you must be careful with what you say publicly. Others are watching us." Ddraig comments as he sees the eyes of many passersby focus on them.
"I know, but you keep pushing your limit, and I can't help it. I'm worried. What if your following action leads you to die? Am I supposed to bear that pain and move on as if nothing happened? What about the others? What about us, your family? Are we insufficient to make you choose safety instead of placing yourself in harm's way? Can you consider us before you take a step forward?" Her tone was too low for anyone to clearly understand what she was saying, but her expressions raised many questions for those watching.
The Welsh Dragon knew he couldn't lie to any of these brides. "I can't turn away because of each of you. Because I care is why I need to get up and fight. What else can a dragon like me do to protect those he cares about? I only know how to fight; I don't create barriers that prevent anyone from being injured. I can't revive the dead. I can't make living beings like Gaia. I know a few other things, but none will keep anyone safe. I'm not fighting to prove that I'm the strongest or to satiate my desires but because I care about what I have now. I care about you and everyone else. Because of that, I can't promise that I won't make a move if Susanoo does attack."
Gabriel drops her head in resignation.
"But I can promise I will survive and do anything within my grasp to crawl back home. I won't die at the hands of Susanoo; I promise you that. I will come back no matter how badly I get injured."
"You're a fool….." Gabriel says. "But I guess that is what makes me and the others fall for you."
"Want to go home? I feel that too many eyes are watching us." Ddraig asks.
"Sure… but I want something from you," Gabriel says as she looks deep into his eyes.
"Anything that is within my grasp."
Her eyes couldn't hide her intentions as she saw the need to take another step forward.
Later that night. Second Chaos Residence.
Away from Heaven's eyes and hidden from the majority of the Alliance, a seraph and a dragon exchanged blood as they sealed their fates as a couple, thus cementing the basis for a future that no child of Heaven would have expected.
Some things are unavoidable, and Gabriel has just taken another step into the unknown.
As the couple fell asleep in each other's arms, both felt that they had made the right choice as the mysterious dream that initially felt so distant now was a bit closer.
Countdown:... 2
