Chapter 16 : Draconic Diplomacy
"This was all your idea!" Sona harshly whispers to Rias, eyes not leaving the two girls standing off across each other on the clearing at the back of Kuoh's old building.
The Gremory heiress makes an offended noise, her own eyes narrowing as she crosses her arms under her bust and glares at her childhood friend.
"Excuse-me?! You were the one who was afraid Marie-Charlotte would go after the two exorcists and wanted to introduce them to each other so that they don't get into each other's way!" The redhead retorts as the bubblegum haired and bluette girls trade a few kind and not-so-kind words.
Which is apparently all it takes for the familiar draped across the first's shoulders to haughtily sniff, stretch a little before flying off while beelining in Asia-chan's direction for some reason.
Said girl is understandably a little bit confused, Issei-kun attempting to shield her, but a few quiet words later, the green-eyed blonde girl is holding a very satisfied 'drakey' between her arms, the plushie going boneless with a satisfied smile on his muzzle while the overprotective brunet next to her gives it a look as he glares at the reptilian head comfortably tucked between the nun's assets.
The scene is enough for Rias to let out a little snort at the display of teenage jealousy. Her cute little Pawn's crush is so obvious it is plastered all over his face when the two interact, something that the redhead is confident is reciprocated by the kind hearted and wholesome diminutive blonde if her attitude when in her first friend's vicinity is anything to go by.
"You were the one who said that she should 'introduce them properly'." The Sitri heiress retorts, a scowl firmly planted on her face, "I just pointed out that we needed to find a way so that the potential Ultimate class we can't really control doesn't pick a fight with the two zealots!"
Rias twitches in discomfort, wordlessly conceding her fellow King's point, her shoulders sagging a little.
"But Marie-Charlotte was so kind to us…" The redhead explains sulkily.
"Yes, because we're personable, not like-"
A 'crack' followed by a short scuffle get heard, the two Devils cutting their exchange short as both of their heads snap in the 'duel's' direction-
-only for their mouth to go a little agape when they see the result.
The blue-haired exorcist lays, face flat on the floor, muffled expletives barely reaching their ears, while the overpowered human girl sits cross legged on her back, one hand holding the one her opponent used to draw her Holy Sword while the other immobilizes her head, stopping it from leaving the ground.
"Holy shit." Issei whispers in the shocked silence that follows, unknowingly voicing everyone else's reaction while the girl's familiar squeakily chuckles and the second exorcist runs toward the pair of combatants, fear distorting her traits and her own weapon at the ready.
Sona and Rias trade a look.
"Do you see what I see?" The chessmaster asks while nervously hiking up her glasses.
"... The fact that Linlin-san didn't equip her armor nor used her sword?" The redhead hesitantly answers.
Her childhood friend turns her way, looking very serious, even for her.
"Exactly."
"Enjoyed the snuggles?" I ask a certain plushie a little coyly as we make our way back toward Kuoh High's main building.
"As a matter of fact, I did." Ddraig squeaks his answer shamelessly, bottle-green button-eyes half-lidded in remembrance, his head the only part clearly visible of his body now that he is back in my backpack, "The girl has a really relaxing aura, very peaceful. Why, I almost started napping then and there."
I giggle, shaking my head a little.
"I guess that's a natural born Dragon Tamer for you." I muse, tilting my head slightly to the side while rubbing my chin, "Did you know that she was supposed to have a sort-of minor electric dragon as a familiar if she got Devil'd?"
"I'm not really surprised." The Welsh Dragon rumbles, "I'd imagine that her aura would be even more powerful for a weaker draconid. It'd be like…" He trails off.
"Catnip?" I hazard while fishing out my phone from my backpack's sidepocket.
"... The comparison is apt, even if I feel a bit outraged at the idea of something as majestic as a dragon being compared to a base feline." The Red Plushie Emperor sniffs haughtily.
"Nonetheless, I'm glad you enjoyed getting to know the cinnamon roll." I comment aloud while flipping through my contacts, "She's good people, if a bit naive."
"She was raised by the dove-fanatics from birth, it's no wonder, really." The dragon drawls dismissively.
"Preach, brother." I hum while making my call, putting my cellphone to my ear while mechanically putting my free arm under my bust and slowing my pace.
One ring, two rings-
"Azazel speaking?" The Governor General of the Grigori answers a tad distractedly.
"Good morning, this is Marie-Charlotte Linlin speaking." I greet him neutrally, subconsciously shifting in Serious Business ModeTM , "Were you aware that the Church had dispatched two exorcists, Holy Sword wielders I might add, to Kuoh town?"
"... As a matter of fact, I did not." Comes the rather bemused answer after a short pause, "And good morning to you too, Marie-chan!"
"I already told you to give the honorifics a rest." I scoff, "I already get plenty of those on a daily basis."
"Still so not cute." The millenia old being grumbles like a petulant child.
"Yes, yes, you made your opinion known already." I drawl back, "Nonetheless. Exorcists, Kuoh, next to the closest thing the Devils have of royalty-cum-nepo-babies."
"Sounds like the start of a 'walk into a bar' joke if I've ever heard one." The Fallen Angel answers a tad amusingly.
I can't help it and let out a tiny snort, before shaking my head.
"It'll get worse once you'll hear the parameters of the exorcists' mission." I elaborate, gesturing aimlessly in the air while pacing along the path between the new and old buildings of Kuoh High, "Heard about some of the Excaliburs missing recently-ish?"
"I did." He answers back, a hint of seriousness slipping through his tone.
"Well, the Church just happened to track down those in the sole Devil controlled territory in Japan. A coincidence, I'm absolutely certain, yes siree."
The sarcasm in my voice is thick enough I'm sure you'll at least need Durandal to cut it.
"You're suspecting something." Azazel points out, now thoroughly focused on the conversation.
"Pull the other one, you do too." I answer tit for tat, "But I'm willing to go first. It's a set-up."
"Oh?" The Governor General of the Grigori hums.
"Like you said, it sounds suspiciously like a 'walk into a bar' joke. Two Devil princesses and their peerages, a duo of exorcists greener than grass eager to prove themselves, why, if you add a Fallen Angel warhawk that recently went rogue, it'll even look like the beginning of a party." I deliver flatly.
A pause.
"Shit."
"An appropriate reaction if I've ever heard one." I quip back.
"No, no, it makes too much sense." I can almost taste the exhaustion in the older being's tone, "The situation is already unstable as it is, I bet?"
"Considering Rias Gremory's Knight almost went ballistic when he realized why the exorcists were here and that one of them instantly jumped at my throat when I got introduced to them? Unstable is downplaying it, badly." I answer easily while looking at my nails in consideration - need to deal with those cuticles, methink.
"... Is she still alive?" Comes the concerned question.
I snort aloud while letting my hand drop while Ddraig chuckles in the background.
"I appreciate dealing with zealots just as much as the next girl." I answer with humor, "But bare her bruised ego when I schooled her like an absolute child when she insisted on a duel to quote, 'put the witch in her place', unquote, she is still in one piece and ready to perform. I'm not hotblooded enough to make a bad situation worse."
"Well, considering your track record…" Azazel answers flatly.
"This and that are different." I answer back, my tone doing its best to convey how unimpressed I am with his remark, "Who I could only suspect of terrorist actors at the time just had one innocent killed in broad daylight. And I still gave them one chance to surrender before jumping into action. I'm not about to attack what can be considered diplomatic envoys, if you squint hard enough. Even if they really suck at it. I may be a bit of a meathead when the bullets start flying, but I'm not a rabid dog."
"... Point." The Fallen Angel concedes with a sigh, "Well, this has all the hallmarks of a shitshow in the making. I'm going to station some troops near Kuoh and maybe…"
As he trails off, I roll my eyes.
"Let me guess, you want to give the White a heads up about 'Ddraig-chu'?" I ask amusedly.
"Vali requires a special kind of handling." Azazel defends, and I can almost see him putting a hand on his chest in the universal 'who? me?' gesture, "I swear the boy has been getting worse now that he is nearing adulthood in truth. Giving him advice and directions is almost like trying to tame a feral cat at times."
I snort once again.
"Do what you want, Azi. I just wanted to give you a heads up about the situation." I end up saying without much care, "I'll be stepping in if the going gets rough in any case."
"You think you can handle it?" He asks seriously.
I wince a little.
"Ddraig and I can handle the attack without too much problem, but we both do subpar shields, I'm afraid." I answer truthfully, "If Kokopuffs-"
"Kokabiel." Azazel corrects absentmindedly.
"-Kokopuffs-" I insist, if only for the meme, "-gets the initiative, we could have collaterals."
"And I can't really muscle my way in Kuoh without getting in hot waters myself." The Governor General of the Grigori grouses.
"Can't give the Satans a call?" I ask hopefully.
"The evidence is too circumstantial, I'm afraid." He shoots down the idea instantly, "Without a solid proof that the whole thing has been engineered by someone hostile, the Satans pulling ressources out of the Underworld to protect their families will be seen as some form of nepotism. Marie-Charlotte, you have no idea how the King faction would jump on it like a pack of starved piranhas just because it would question the Lucifer and Leviathan's impartiality. Even once it is proven that it was necessary at times."
I let that sink in for a beat.
"Please, explain to me why the Satans haven't yet culled those morons?" I ask, thoroughly baffled.
"Frankly, Marie-chan, I have no idea. And I'm the one who has to juggle several thousands of mad-scientists with too much time on their hands on a daily basis." The Fallen Angel answers cheerfully.
I grumble a little at that, I speak with Azazel a couple more minutes, before hanging up with a despondent sigh.
"Well, that went as well as I could have expected." I muse aloud while putting away my cell phone.
"A true dragon only counts on himself." The Red Plushie Emperor comments sagely in his squeaky voice.
I chuckle.
"I already acted enough like a dragon for today." I answer while putting my hands behind my head and starting to make my way toward the cafeteria after giving the nearby clock a look.
"How so?" The Welsh Dragon asks puzzledly.
"Draconic diplomacy." I quip back, before pitching my voice intentionally lower, "'If I beat you up, you'll have to do as I say.'"
A pause.
Ddraig guffaws and I can't help the snicker that escapes me.
"Truer words have never been spoken, partner." The dragon squeaks with a slow nod of assent, his amusement only betrayed by his quivering muzzle.
"Ahhhh~." I sigh explosively, just as the bell rings in the background, "Guess all that's left is to get ready for the future shitshow, now."
[AN: Rias and Sona collectively sweatdrop and we have a not-so-useful chat with dear Azi.
Eh, maybe we'll gain another bottle out of this down the line?
Hope you enjoy, xoxo!]
