"A DRAGON!?" Hermit and Geno exclaimed in shock at the same time. Couchpo had food in her mouth while Omega just whistled in response. To think Cynthia's target would be something so massive!
"Are you insane!?" Geno asked. Of course, he's never actually seen a dragon himself, but anyone in the cosmos knows how dangerous they could be. "Have you seen a dragon? You actually want to fight one?"
"No, I don't want to fight one." Cynthia said while wagging a finger. "I want to kill one. Specifically, the one that's been terrorizing this planet year after year. I've been on this planet for a few years now, and I've seen it happen! In fact, I already did fight it once."
"Damn. This girl's intense." Omega said with a snort. He liked Cynthia's energy.
"You already fought it?" Hermit furrowed her brows. "But it's a Dragon. Even damaging one is..."
"My Ether Gear." Cynthia replied. She held her arms up, crimson red lines appearing along her right arm, traveling all the way up to her shoulder. The moment she activated her Ether Gear, the temperature increased considerably. "You remember, right, Geno?"
"Oh, right..." Geno hadn't seen Cynthia in so long, he nearly forgot. "The Blazing Dragon."
"Blazing Dragon?" Couchpo swallowed the food in her mouth.
"My father created this Ether Gear for me." Cynthia said with a fond smile. Although she was a little conflicted with the message she heard, she held memories of her parents close to her. "A long time ago, a dragon crashed on Delta Ridge. My father found its remains and extracted some of its ether. That dragon's body was already mostly used to create the communications tower." She explained. "Anyway, my father added some anti-dragon ether to what he created and formed an Ether Gear perfect for slaying dragons, and gave it to me when I was young!"
"Huh..." Hermit pursed her lips. It was hard to see Aiden in a good light after everything he caused on Delta Ridge, but was he really a good parent? It was too hard and confusing to think about.
"So, kid. Have you ever actually beaten a dragon?" Omega asked.
"...No." Cynthia poked her fingers together sheepishly. Everyone collapsed onto the ground after such an admission.
"Has she always been like this?" Hermit asked Geno.
"Yeah. This is par for the course." Geno said with a sigh. "Look, Cynthia. You can't fight a dragon on your own."
"Nobody else will do it!" Cynthia exclaimed. "The people here have been so nice to me. I can't sit by and watch as they silently live in fear! If you're not going to help me then just-!"
"You didn't let me finish." Geno said while shaking his head. "You can't fight a dragon on your own. But...I'm here to help you now. And I'm sure the others on the Eden's Zero might be willing to lend you a hand as well, right?"
"Oh, right." Hermit nodded. "We're already here. After hearing this, I know Shiki and the others wouldn't leave it alone. I'm sure they'll help out."
"Really? I don't want to impose..." Cynthia poked her fingers together. She wasn't denying the help, but it felt like a personal problem.
"You're not imposing anything." Couchpo shook her head. "If they found out about it, they would've done something anyway. So we can put our heads together and figure out something!"
"Trust us, Cynthia." Geno said with a smile.
Cynthia took a moment to look at Geno. He was so different now than when she last saw him years ago. He really grew up. She then took a glance at Hermit, and then Omega, before smiling. "Okay. Take me to your crew!"
.
.
Hermit, Geno, Cynthia, and Couchpo exited Cynthia's ship. As they did, they ran into Shiki and the others. Hermit sent them their location and they were just arriving. "Oh, there you guys are!" Shiki grinned when he spotted his friends, but then he looked at Cynthia. Obivously, he didn't recognize her. "Is this..."
"I'm Cynthia!" Cynthia exclaimed with a grin. "You must be the crew of the Eden's Zero! Hermit and Geno have already told me about you."
"So that's Cynthia..." Weisz was looking her over. Since Cynthia was in a swimsuit, he was indeed checking her out. "Pretty good..."
"Save your leering gaze for later." Rebecca rolled her eyes.
Shiki approached Cynthia and extended his hand out. "Let's be friends!"
Cynthia blinked a few times. Shiki was so straightforward about it...! "Just like that?"
"Just like that." Hermit nodded.
"Huh. Well...okay!" With no reason to say no, Cynthia's hand extended to shake Shiki's, thus solidifying their newfound friendship. "It's nice to meet you all! I'm Cynthia Viscard!"
"Nice to meet you, Cynthia!" Rebecca smiled and waved. "I'm..."
"REBECCA!" Cynthia let out a squeal while rushing over to Rebecca, blue eyes sparkling in adoration. "I know who you are! One of the biggest B-Cubers out there! Eee...!"
"She's loud." Blair said with a grumble. She was mostly remaining silent because she didn't want to unfairly lash out at Cynthia, but she was still doubtful the girl was unlike her parents.
"I can't believe I'm going to work with Rebecca!" Cynthia was hopping up and down.
"Hehe, we made it big, Rebecca!" Happy said.
Rebecca just laughed a little. Cynthia sure was energetic. "It's nice to meet such a big fan. Thanks for watching my content! Wait, what do you mean work with?"
"Oh, it's a doozy." Omega spoke from Geno's watch. "But before that, why don't we sit down somewhere and get the introductions done?"
"Good idea." Jinn nodded. So, everyone found a vacant spot on the beach to sit and for Cynthia to introduce herself to the others, and vice versa. She knew everyone's names and what they could do, and what their current mission was, and she was ready to explain her side of the story as well.
"Wow. You guys have been doing a lot these last few years." Cynthia said while pacing back and forth. "Actually, come to think of it...things didn't start getting bad around here until two years ago to be precise..."
"Two years ago?" Kleene leaned forward. "How long have you been on this planet?"
"A few years. It's kinda become a second home, but I do miss Delta Ridge." Cynthia replied. "But as I told Geno and Hermit...every month, a dragon swoops down from above and demands a sacrifice."
"A DRAGON!?" Everyone who wasn't Hermit, Geno, and Couchpo had their eyes grow wide from this information.
"Yeah." Cynthia gave a serious nod. "The people of Seven believe that Dragons are mighty creatures and kind of revere them. I've learned that much during my time here. But then, two years ago...a real Dragon swooped down and the people believed it to be a terrible omen. This dragon...I think it talks? It told the people to appease its wrath, they must offer a single sacrifice every month. If they do not, the Dragon will raze the planet."
"You're kidding me..." Jinn was shocked. He'd never heard anything like this. "And the people are just okay with this?"
"Mhm." Cynthia crossed her arms. "Like I said, they think of Dragons like deities. So whatever their deity wants, they abide. But, since I'm an outsider, that rule doesn't apply to me. So the first time it happened, I kinda...charged at the dragon with all my might."
"You tried to fight a Dragon?" Sister quirked a brow. The insanity of this girl was something she could respect.
"Emphasis on tried." Cynthia said while rubbing the back of her head. But she frowned, too. "My ether gear really works on it. I did land a hit that left a mark, but I was held back by the people around me and they just told me to let it happen. But..."
"But what?" Homura asked.
"That was someone's kid..." Cynthia mumbled, rubbing her arm. "She was so scared. I don't even know where her family was. Did they know? Did they have to turn a blind eye? I wasn't sure. I just wanted save her, but I couldn't. It was so, so frustrating!" She balled her hand into a fist, letting out an aggravated noise. "These people gave me work so I wouldn't be twiddling my thumbs the whole time. I feel like a part of the community, but this isn't something I can abide with."
The air was tense and silence as Cynthia spoke. They could really feel her regret and powerlessness from the situation. Blair crossed her arms and furrowed her brows. Was she still doubting Cynthia? A little bit. It was in her nature, she couldn't help it. But it was hard to deny that the girl truly wanted to help. "..."
"So what do we do?" Laguna asked.
"We can't leave this alone." Shiki clenched his hand into a fist. "You said this started two years ago, yeah?"
"Mhm." Cynthia nodded. "I don't know if Dragons can actually talk or not, but this one did. It's slowly killing the planet. Twelve people dead a year adds up fast. In fact, it could even be more."
"More?" Happy didn't like the sound of that.
"Well...the ones that are mostly chosen are kids. I noticed that a while ago." Cynthia looked down at the sand. "Why kids? I dunno. But it makes the parents really sad even if they just try to accept it. Sometimes they just...die on their own too."
"From a broken heart." Sister said while crossing one leg over the other. "It's not uncommon, especially in older people. The emotional trauma is so strong the shock just gets to them and they can't take it."
"That's...even worse than I thought..." Cynthia had no idea how cruel this Dragon was truly being to the world around it.
The crew looked at each other. "Two years...you don't think...?" Pino asked.
"It could be...Ziggy's work maybe..." Rebecca frowned. It would track with everything they knew so far.
"Ziggy?" Cynthia overheard them.
"...We'll explain everything to you properly when we're done with this. We don't want to keep you in the dark." Rebecca promised. They only told Cynthia they were looking for the Black Moon Shard. They didn't want to bog her down with the information of Delta Ridge just yet.
"What else do you know about this Dragon stuff?" Sister asked.
"Oh! It's called the Dragon Festival, and...It's happening...tonight!" It hit Cynthia like a lightning bolt. The events of the day had her so distracted that she completely forgot about the time.
"Tonight? That's...no time." Kleene frowned. "What are we going to do?"
"Well, it's like this. The natives of the planet gather in this large open space about three miles west of here. They shut all the shops down early on days when the Dragon visits." Cynthia explained.
"Oh yeah. I do recall a few of the food places closing way earlier than I was expecting." Couchpo added.
"Every time I try to step in, they stop it." Cynthia said. "I can't hurt them, but I can't watch as someone gets eaten right in front of me. It's been like this for two years..."
Shiki stood up, walked over, and placed his hand on Cynthia's shoulder. He could tell the burden she bore was a very heavy one. "You've done everything you could. Nobody should even have to suffer like that, and nobody should have to watch either. I don't care what they view that dragon as. If it's hurting and killing people, we're going to stop it. Are you guys with me?"
"Of course we are." Rebecca said with a wink.
"I can't sit and do nothing." Weisz added. Everyone shared ths same sentiment.
"Wow..." Cynthia felt like she could cry. She'd been alone on this planet for so long, feeling so helpless all the while. But now, she actually felt like she could fight and help people. "Geno...your friends are amazing."
"They are." Geno nodded.
"So we're fighting a big ass dragon?" Blair broke the moment with some realism. "How exactly do we even plan to get close to the thing? I can probably eat it if I can get close enough, but...it's a Dragon. There's a solid chance it destroys us before we even have a chance to fight back. Plus, we're kinda running low on time." Someone had to keep things grounded. Idealism was nice, but hardly enough during these times.
"I have an idea." Laguna was the one who spoke up. All eyes were on him as he prepared to explain the idea that came to mind.
.
.
The people of Seven gathered on a stretch of beach miles away from the tourist attraction sight. They all stood in a large crowd, murmuring to themselves as they wondered when the Dragon would arrive and who would be next. Moments passed and there was a loud roar in the night sky. Seconds later, a large, red dragon landed in front of the natives. The ground shook when its large frame touched onto the ground. There was a burn mark on its chest, presumably from the time Cynthia attempted to fight it. "You've all gathered once again. You are all perfect followers."
"Welcome, Crimson Dragon!" The people of Seven exclaimed, kneeling before their Dragon Deity.
"Now then." The Crimson Dragon wasn't going to waste any time. "You all know why I am here. It is time for the monthly sacrifice. You know the consequences if I do not receive one. And as always, I will be choosing."
"Yes..." The crowd mumbled. There was nothing they could do with such divinity standing before them. They had no choice but to accept what was about to happen. For the umpteenth time, someone was going to die as part of their way of life.
"Now..." The Crimson Dragon eyed the crowd, scoping out his next target. Eventually he settled on the most frightened child he could see. A girl that was shivering and clinging to her parents, who were trying to remain calm. If they blended in, maybe they wouldn't get picked. That sort of thinking always failed. "You." The Crimson Dragon reached out and plucked the girl with two talons, holding onto her shirt while bringing her closer.
"N-NO! PLEASE!" The girl cried, tears stinging her eyes as she feared for her life. "Mama! Papa! Help!"
"..." The parents wanted to react, but the moment they even thought to move, they were held still by the others. This was something they had to let happen.
"You will make an excellent snack." The Crimson Dragon said while opening his maw. Despite the fact he was a Dragon, he clearly acted much different than the others in space.
"NOOOOO!" The girl was sobbing, tears streaming down her cheeks as she closed her eyes. There was nothing she could do.
CHOMP!
The Crimson Dragon bit down. But...he didn't feel anything. Actually, his hand felt wet and a puddle dropped down at his feet. A puddle of water. "WHAT?!" It wasn't just him that was surprised, but it was everyone else too. His sacrifice was just gone. "Is this some sort of joke!?"
"It's not a joke." From a cliffside nearby was Laguna, two fingers pointed forward. Everyone turned at his sudden intervention. "Whenever someone sheds tears in front of me, then turn into water. That will keep that little girl safe from your clutches."
"Who do you think you are!?" The Crimson Dragon snarled while turning to face Laguna. The natives turned and fled. The parents of the girl were stuck, until the girl reformed and ran to her parents. They clutched her a fled as well.
"My sacrifices! Look what you've done!" The Crimson Dragon snarled. "They're going to pay for this. Do you think you've accomplished something by playing hero?"
"Playing hero? Lagauna shook his head. "That's not my role. My role was simply to stop this ridiculous custom. It's their role to put a stop to you."
"Their?" The Crimson Dragon narrowed his eyes. It was then that it happened. The Eden's Zero appeared from the sky above, hanging over the Crimson Dragon miles above. "That ship...!?"
On the outside of the ship stood Shiki, who was using his gravity to suspend Cynthia into the air. "Ready, Cynthia!?"
"Let me at him!" Cynthia said with her Ether Gear active.
"MAKE HIM PAY!" Shiki threw his fist forward, sending Cynthia flying forward like a bullet. "Magimech Attack: Gravity Toss!"
With gravity at her side, Cynthia soared through the air with flames ignited around her body. Her descend was incredbily fast and she lunged towards the Crimson Dragon, red flames focused around her fist. "YOU'VE HAD YOUR LAST MEAL!" Before the Crimson Dragon could respond or move, Cynthia's blazing fist struck it. The effectiveness of the attack caused it to roar and stagger backwards with another mark on its body.
"YOU!" The Crimson Dragon roared angrily. It wasn't just Cynthia that was standing against it. Shiki, Rebecca, Homura, Weisz, Jinn, Kleene, Lagauna, Megaman, and Blair were all going to fight it. "Eden's Zero..."
"So you have heard of us!" Shiki said while slamming one fist into his open palm, glaring at the dragon. "You're one of Ziggy's men then. That makes this a lot easier. Gravity's gonna crush you."
"And then..." Cynthia pointed at the Crimson Dragon. "I'll burn you to ash."
The Crimson Dragon let out a laugh. "I was just starting to get board. Fine then! I'll make sure Lord Ziggy knows how delicious you tasted!" With that declaration of war, the Crimson Dragon roared and charged at the crew of Eden's Zero.