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
After passing through every security level once more, Tosca and Tressa returned to the surface of the city, which she saw as her second home. A home away from the planet which saw both of her births.
Her former life as a human orphan, and in her current life as the Aegis dragon, the daughter of the Welsh Dragon, and the Chaos Karma dragon, the dragon that stood proud as a rising member amongst the forces of the Alliance.
"Took you long enough. Any changes in his condition?" A voice calls out to her.
Two figures clad in their Kuoh Academy uniforms approached her, their faces etched with expressions of deep concern. Neither hid their worries, as they knew how much Ddraig's absence affected Tosca and everyone else.
"None... I told you to go ahead without me," Tosca replies as she faces her friends.
"We're a team, and leaving you alone is not viable," a boy with blonde hair said as he kneeled before Tressa, who climbed on his head as soon as she saw the chance. The boy pulls out a small piece of dry meat from his pocket before he gives it to the demonic badger. One of his arms was covered with black bandages to hide its true appearance from the eyes of ordinary humans, although other supernatural characteristics such as fluffy ears, horns, and tails were now common knowledge to those within Kuoh.
"Isaiah, I'm alright," Tosca argues as she admires how much the young swordsman has grown. He is now taller than her, although it is only a few centimeters. She has to acknowledge that he is growing into an attractive young man as his fame as a sharp bishounen across the academy spreads around.
"The Samurai Bishonen. The Mysterious Golden Ponytailed Boy….." Between the nicknames he had received alongside Gasper, Tosca didn't know which ones were worse as the two had drawn the attention of many girls and even some boys.
"We're not buying it. Come on, we've known each other for far too long not to see how anxious you are about him. All of us expected him to wake up in a week or two. Nobody expected him to remain unconscious for this long…." The third member says as she places a hand on Tosca's shoulder. Her eyes were draconic in nature and resembled two shining blue gems that inflict fear on anyone who wasn't used to facing her. Her silver hair had grown a little bit alongside her stature, but unluckily, she remained a bit shorter than Tosca. "We just have to wait a bit longer. Isn't that right, Albion?"
A jewel sitting on her right hand shines momentarily. "Vali is right. It won't take long for him to wake up. Now, move it along unless you want to be late for school." Albion's voice denotes hope and serenity as he has no doubts about Ddraig's return.
Her arm wasn't even transformed, yet the small jewel remained, putting into question how much of her former body remained and how much had been transformed into that of a dragon. Was she more huma/devil or close enough to be a perfect dragon vessel for Albion?
"He's right. Let's go, or we'll be late. The others must have arrived by now." Isaiah carefully grasped Tosca's hand as he smiled at her. "Everything is going to be alright."
His smile washes her worries away. "... Right…." Tosca blushes a little bit.
Vali smirked before snapping her finger, which activated a magic circle below them. "You know these moments between the two of you is why people call you "The Cutest Couple of the Campus." When are you two finally going to formalize it? Everybody knows."
Her words make the pair blush even harder.
"We're not a couple…" Tosca argues.
"We're very close friends…." Isaiah joins in.
Yet neither of them releases the hand of the other.
Tressa shakes her head as she sees the stupid antics of her owner and her "mate." Even to her, a demonic beast, it was obvious that the pair were basically a couple as Tosca's scent was plastered on Isaiah's body as a way to mark her territory.
The badger had seen more than a few moments in which their so-called Friendship was more of a full-on relationship, even if they had yet to share a kiss or properly announce it to the world.
It didn't take a genius to see the truth.
Vali continues to smirk before she transports them back to the earth.
Kuoh Academy Town- Formerly known as Kuoh Town.
As the human world changed, so did many places, as nature became more critical to humans that remained on the surface. Roads requiring diesel fuel were quickly replaced by stone pathways resembling those in Rome. Fuel and power sources were entirely replaced by optimal sources, which no longer affected the environment. Houses and buildings also changed in many ways as materials and building practices changed under the guidance of Gaia.
It was a far greener and more ecologically driven society, which took some time to get used to. With it came changes to Kuoh as the small town became more of an extension of its academy.
Several campuses spread around the small town took in students from all around the Alliance as Kuoh became a place to guide the newer generations of humans, devils, and fallen angel descendants and those who came to the Alliance from far away.
One could see Youkai children, Children of the Nile, and even Elves among humans. They all wore their uniforms as they approached their designated campuses.
There were still some reservations, but slowly, barriers were being broken as the newer generations came together to see a future filled with diverse races and backgrounds in which there was no need to fear or hate each other.
And within such an environment, our story continues as Tosca and her friends appear in the middle of a street surrounded by many groups of students.
"Boss Tosca!" A few males screamed as they saw her.
"Oh my Gaia, is Isaiah-kun!" Some girls screamed.
"Vali-sama, my name is Naeh; go out with me!" A light elf boy said as he kneeled before Vali.
Vali watched as the boy's eyes shone with high expectations. The princess of Grigori scratches her head as she tries to find the words to answer without sounding rude. "... I appreciate your feelings, but…. I'm not interested in a relationship with anyone at the moment. Sorry."
Her words were like daggers that pierced the chest of the young elf as he silently cried while his friends carried him away.
"And that makes this the 78th confession you have rejected since the start of the school year, partner. Keep it up, and you might beat Rias or Akeno." Albion says with a comical tone.
"This has never been a competition. I'm not interested in such things at the moment." Vali says before she starts to walk.
Tosca and Isaiah walk beside her while holding each other's hands.
"Albion was joking, Vali. Your priorities lie somewhere else, like everyone else. Relationships can wait." Isaiah joins in.
"Keep telling yourself that. We know where your priorities lie, lover boy." Vali remarks. "How many letters do you expect to find today? 30 or 50?"
Her comment causes Tosca to raise an eyebrow in anger, and she imagines what they could find once they reach his locker. "I'm burning them." She strengthens her hold around his hand as she recalls some of the contents of the letters.
"Like all the ones that came before. It is actually amazing to see how some people can be so determined as they keep declaring their feelings over and over again for many of our friends. Besides Rias, who obviously has her eyes set on our Enforcer, I'm amazed how many asked Sona out or even Tsubaki, considering that Garou is practically her fiancee. Let's not forget how many guys think Gasper is a girl and ask him out even when Valerie is present." Vali says.
As soon as she mentions this, the sound of a demolishing slap hitting someone is heard in the distance before the trio watches as a lamia flies into the sky before crashing back into the ground.
"That must be them. I guess someone got too touchy with Gasper again. Valerie must be furious." Isaiah says as he calculates how strong the slap was for an entire lamia to fly that high. "Her training must be paying off."
Vali and Tosca shake their heads. "That has nothing to do with her training. That was the anger of someone who doesn't appreciate anyone touching Gasper with lustful intentions."
Meanwhile, Gasper's POV.
The boy began to open his eyes only to be met by the boobs of Valerie.
"You might be new to this school, but remember this well. You touch him with your disgusting hands again, and you'll never wake up."
The dhampir could hear her voice as he tried to escape her embrace. "Valerie, let me breathe."
"Eh? Sorry." Valerie saw his blushing face, and after her anger subsided, she quickly released him.
"Thanks, and sorry for having you carry me around. I was tired." Gasper said as he made sure that his uniform was in perfect shape. While Valerie had a growth spurt that made her one of the tallest of their entire group, alongside Rias and Akeno, he stayed the smallest even when compared to Shirone. He was basically a cute boy trapped in a body that didn't really grow that much, even after years.
As he examined Valerie again, he wondered if all the nutrients he was ingesting were going into her and not his body as she towered over him.
"You're right about that. I understand that the mission made you tired, but you continue to sleep past the six alarms we set. I wonder what you'll do if I'm not around." Valerie said as she crossed her arms.
"I know, but I promise I will get better at it. Now, can someone tell me what happened?" Gasper asked as he pointed his finger at the nearby lamia buried in the ground.
"A new student who got too touchy with you. It feels like your vampire charm is growing stronger with each day. It might be time to get something to suppress it, or we'll have multiple cases like this daily." Sona expressed as she snapped her finger.
Suddenly, a group of older students appears from out of nowhere before they pick the lamia up and take her away towards the nurse's office.
"She has taken over the entire student body. I doubt anything will escape her grasp." Asia thought as she witnessed the swift cleanup crew that Sona had on speed dial.
"Thanks, president; I'll see if Uncle Hephaestus has something that can help," Gasper says before he notices how several sets of eyes are glaring at him as if he were prey, ready to be devoured with no notice. Fear was not something he felt regularly, but he had to admit that he felt threatened by not just the girls but also some boys who felt drawn like flies to a trap due to his charm. "I'll get this fixed as soon as classes are done."
"Good luck with that or we'll have to find another way to keep this vampiric charm under control," Xenovia said as she saw the many victims of Gasper's charm.
"Ahh, the hardships of being a magnet for attraction. You do have it hard, Gasper. I don't envy your life at all." A cheerful yet cool-looking dark gray-haired lycanthrope said as he stood next to Tsubaki, who was reading a book while holding a mysterious chain that was attached to a collar around his neck. "Luckily for me, I have my wonderful Tsuba-"
Tsubaki quickly pulls the chain, making him stop in the middle of the sentence. "Garou, you're being too loud. Be silent for a bit."
"As you order, my love." Garou smiled as he felt the "love" he was receiving from his beloved.
Rias, Shirone, and many others look at the duo with never-ending questions about how it worked between the two.
Rias approaches Sona. "My amazement with Garou will never end, Sona. The circumstances in which he became your rook will likely go down in history books as part of a legend that many will doubt."
Sona nods. "I, too, sometimes wonder how this came to be, but at least Tsubaki is happy. Quality over quantity, they say, in terms of forming our peerages. Have you seen any prospects for new peerage members? I have a few that I might try to recruit soon. There's a boy with a draconic sacred gear, which I hope Nii-sama approves of."
Rias shakes her head. "Nobody calls out to me. I'm alright with what I have for now. Shirone, Isaiah, and Roygun are perfect for now, but…." Rias slightly turns to Ravel. "Maybe a certain Phoenix I know of might be a good option."
Ravel shakes her head as she hears the comment. "I'm not right for such a position. There have to be better candidates out there, Rias-sama."
Rias shakes her head. "No one that has abilities like you. You'll be a perfect healer and supporter with the right training. Just think about it, and join Akeno and me in our training regimes. Valkyrie training is only hard during the first three months."
A dark aura surrounded Rias as she tried to recruit Ravel. Like a hunter seeking to capture its prey, Rias was seeking to recruit the young Phenex lady under her leadership.
Ravel felt threatened as she tried to create distance, but her strategy was interrupted by a figure descending beside her.
With dark wings resembling a crow, Akeno arrived with an exhausted expression. "Hah, sorry for my lateness. Asbeel was giving Mom some trouble. He might be barely two years old, but he's already a troublemaker when he has one of his tantrums."
"Morning, maybe you can get our sweet Ravel to join 'Us' within our team and maybe even my peerage as well," Rias mentions,
"Oh, you asked her before I did? Wait, your peerage? Talk about being a sneaky Vixen. I wonder what he would say about this." Akeno remarks as she shoots Rias a glare.
"I just took the chance when I saw it, Lazy Cunt. I know he would approve of Ravel as a candidate for my peerage." Rias responds with a matching glare.
Their auras rise and clash with each other, although neither stops smiling.
Bystanders admire the duo of beauties with interest and admiration while completely ignoring the insults they throw at each other or the tense atmosphere between them.
Ravel was stuck between them with no way out. Although she tried to appeal to Asia and the others for some aid, her pleas were denied as none wanted to interfere.
"Everything will be fine. Trust me." Shirone said as she gave her two thumbs up. She couldn't deny that she would enjoy having someone else joining Rias's peerage.
While this was happening, Sairaorg started to wake up as he rode his partner lion to school alongside his brother. As he cleared his eyes, he enjoyed the exchange between the two beauties. "I just got up to such an excellent sight of comradery—friendly rivals exchanging cordial compliments. It is truly a sight of mutual affection and respect. I can't wait to tell my peerage about this. Magdaran, wake up. You need to witness this."
His younger brother only raised a thumb in approval as he was too tired to do something else.
Rias and Akeno sigh as they can't continue their exchange after listening to Sairaorg's comments. They don't know why, but whenever Sairaorg was present, he always found a way to make them too ashamed to continue.
"See, you made peace. You two make a wonderful team; maybe having Akeno join your pee—" Sairaorg stops his sentence as two small attacks fly past his head.
"Don't you dare finish that sentence!" Rias and Akeno reply as they point their fingers at each other. "We're stuck together for training reasons but never as part of the same peerage."
"I acknowledge her strength, but this fallen brat will never put a foot in my peerage," Rias tells herself.
"She's strong; I acknowledge her as a rival but never kneel before her as a follower," Akeno told herself.
Rivals and allies they were, but in terms of friendship, well, that was a bit complicated.
Like many other younger members of the Alliance, their training regime started soon after Ddraig's Deep Sleep began. Everyone was inspired to grow and sharpen their skills after seeing how much he bled to protect the Alliance.
Rias never turned back as she joined the Valkyrie regime alongside Akeno. There were some doubts about whether Akeno could keep up with Rias' mysterious new powers, yet such doubts were proven wrong as Akeno kept up. Akeno never fell behind and was always the perfect match for Rias, as they faced each other day after day under the watchful eye of the Valkyrie cousins.
Maybe fate matched the pair, and it had been the best choice, as even the concerned Baraqiel felt at ease knowing that his daughter was doing so well, although some concerns remained.
Report from Valkyrie Team Alpha:
Progress from the trainees continues to be positive after four months of training. Rias' new transformation is close to mastery, and the possibility of a new power is close to being possible. We believe Ajuka's reports will be proven right soon as Rias pushes on and seeks to grow even stronger. Regarding Akeno, our fears were proven wrong as she has kept up with Rias without falling behind even for a moment. The girl has the will to push on regardless of how high the wall before her is. Yet, this mysterious red lighting makes us question what mysterious power dwells inside her. Baraqiel might be right about the mystery that hides within his daughter. It is a power that has yet to show its true shape; we shall remain careful not to endanger either of them as we continue to instruct the two.
Years have passed since then, and the mystery continues as Rias and Akeno push each other to new heights.
But for now, these young rising stars will continue to enjoy days of peace until a new threat arises, which will likely put all that training to the test.
Meanwhile, Deep Within Ddraig.
Through the ash, Ophis made her way to the burning tree. The husks never stopped chanting and praying to the being they saw as their only deity.
"Crimson flames shall arise once more."
"An everlasting flame shall be reborn."
"Absorb the knowledge of he who dwells beyond reach."
"Embrace his dream, his power, and teachings."
"Become a true dragon god."
"A true Dragon God…. My Dragon God." Ophis approaches the tree, expecting to find something different this time.
Below the tree rest, Ddraig, but his body was completely motionless. The cracks that once plagued his body were long gone.
"Ddraig…. Isn't it about time to wake up?" Ophis asked as she touched his scales. "How much do I have to wait?"
"..." No response was received.
"... I feel anxious without your presence or voice, as if you had abandoned me. I'm not too fond of winter and the cold; your coat has helped, but I guess a replacement won't do. It has been not very pleasant to wake up and not find you. Even that Shota Lover you call your bride has been looking for you within the halls of the residences. I have listened to her cry when nobody's watching. She hides it, but everyone can tell it is taking a lot to endure your absence. That child also misses you….. I guess we all do. I have been reading some books….. Yearning might be the word that describes everyone's emotions…. Maybe even mine, which I'm starting to dislike because…. It hurts." Ophis caresses the scales to feel the heat that dwells within. A tiny smile forms on her face. "It hurts to have something taken away after you grow to like it around. Maybe… I'm growing to like the situation of living alongside you too much…. It will hurt a lot when it is time for me to return to the void. When I'm gone…. Will you miss me? Will you remember me? Do… you like to have me around?"
"..." Once more, there was no reply.
"... I…. when you defeat Great Red… can I stay for a bit longer?... No…. that would be asking too much…. Look at what you're making me say…. Dummy." Ophis smacks herself internally for even daring to think such a ridiculous idea.
But maybe she had grown afraid of being alone like she used to.
Afraid of the solitude which she called home.
"Come back to us."
*Shiawase- Omoinotake*
Notes of the Author:
Garou- Rook of Sona Sitri and fiancee of Tsubaki. This lycanthrope was part of a nomadic clan of Werewolves who traveled across the realms while exchanging resources. Although a werewolf, he resembles a domesticated dog deeply attached to Tsubaki. Under the conditions of his 'marriage,' he has forsaken his clan and former connections while pleading complete allegiance to Sona as his king.
His clan seemed to be in no opposition to this agreement; they only asked for the opportunity for future trade. It appears that one less mouth to feed played a big factor in their openness to such a trade.
Tsubaki also looks pretty pleased with the relationship. Maybe she possesses a thing for controlling her significant other. No further questions were asked to respect the feelings of a young maiden in love.
Asbeel Himeyima- Younger brother of Akeno. Not much is known about his powers or potential, but when compared to Akeno, the mysterious red lighting can't be detected, which discards the theory of a family trait inherited from Baraqiel.
The mystery continues.