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
The night before the departure.
Kuroka and Shirone lay awake on their bed, unable to close their eyes. Tomorrow would be the day in which they would separate for some unknown amount of time. The boy that had saved them from a dark future had been waiting patiently for his 'maid' to be trained, and Grayfia had said that tomorrow would be the day Raynare would graduate from a pathetic fallen angel into a perfect maid.
Not their words but those of Grayfia.
"Nee-san, do we really have to separate?" Shirone asked. She was afraid, and she couldn't hide it. Even if Rias was someone completely different from her older sister's previous master, she was still scared. Afraid of being unable to achieve the expectations of a member of Rias's peerage. Afraid of not being strong enough. Fearful of being incapable of not being able to survive without Kuroka.
Kuroka looked at the ceiling and then turned her face toward her sister. "I don't want to do this, but we owe them our collaboration. Issei prevented me from leaving and committing a fatal mistake. He also assured me that he would protect me, and I'm still unable to face all kinds of enemies right now. I'm still considered a stray devil, but by being with him, nobody can touch me. Rias is the one that gave you a second life, and I had discussed my expectations when it comes to you with her." Kuroka pats her sister's head. "She promised me that she would take care of you, and I have also given her notes on how I want you to train from now on. So please work with her."
"But you can join the peerage alongside me," Shirone said.
Kuroka shakes her head. "I can't; we had discussed this before. I can't join a peerage, at least not for now. I can't easily join one after what I had to suffer, but you're going to be ok. So please, Shirone, grow strong and show me you can be a strong senpai for the next members joining Rias's peerage. Don't let fear take over; take things one step at a time. Do it for yourself and me."
She continues to pet her younger sister.
Shirone feels a little bit better after hearing Kuroka's words. "Are you going to be ok with Issei-san? He said he didn't ask you to join him because he loved you."
Kuroka's face turned red after remembering the aftermath of the kiss. Then she turned mad after remembering the first meeting with Tiamat. The dragoness was always hugging him and kept a close distance from Issei. It looked like she was marking her territory; Tiamat ensured Kuroka knew who she was in Issei's life.
"He is mine, little kitty." Those were Tiamat's first words to her, and she was livid after hearing them.
"Shirone, I'm going to be ok. To tell you the truth, I kissed him in the heat of the moment. I need to think twice before I do something, but I can't back away after seeing Tiamat. I felt offended and challenged by her. She had the guts to tell me those things, and I won't back away. He is also cute, so I won't deny I might have a small crush on him." Kuroka admits.
Shirone nods. "He is charming and strong. His eyes are also so appealing, but Issei seems marked by pain." Shirone remembers their first meeting. "Do you think his pain will ever heal?"
Kuroka stays silent. She remembers his words and the things he had talked about. They asked him about his past, and he told them the story. "I don't know. His past is very painful, and I don't know if he will ever truly heal once he gets revenge. You and I still miss our mom, but she died during an accident. A traitor of the fallen angels killed his parents. There is also the fact that he blames himself for their deaths, so I can't really say if that pain will ever disappear."
Shirone slowly nods. "It is true. But I don't want him to be sad. I want him to be happy. So, you and I should do our best to help him heal."
"You're staying with Rias," Kuroka says.
"But he said that he also will come to visit, so while he is traveling, you'll take care of him, and when he is back, we'll do it together." Shirone's eyes shine brightly.
Kuroka laughs a little bit after hearing Shirone and seeing her reaction. "Does my little sister have a small crush on the boy that I kissed before? You know that you're too young for that."
"And you as well. You're eleven, and I'm seven. Neither of us is an adult, but there is nothing wrong with having a crush on him. Once we grow up, then we can try to win his heart together." Shirone says proudly.
Kuroka smiles at her younger sister's antics. "Let's go to sleep. We can talk about crushes and love at another time."
Shirone nods, and they sleep after feeling more relieved, thanks to their talk.
The next morning.
Issei didn't know what to say after seeing Raynare. Her French maid costume looked great, but her face was killing the whole appeal of the image one would have of a maid.
"Raynare is ready to follow your orders, Welsh-sama," Raynare said with an angry face. She was trying to smile but still burning with rage after being forced to endure Grayfia's training regime.
"Please stop forcing yourself to smile, and you can drop the formalities. I'm sorry. I know we took the joke too far, but I needed to know that Grayfia could train you and assure me that you won't betray me. I can't just trust a fallen angel that easily after learning that one was the cause of my parents' deaths." Issei explains.
Raynare is fuming, but after hearing his explanation, she calms down. "I understand, Welsh-sama."
"Formalities?"
"This is the best I can do besides blaming my teacher for this change. She has smushed me to a pulp, and I don't know how to shut it off. Anyways, I understand your insecurities. The alcoholic asshole-sama (Azazel) chose me because he trusts me, and I also asked Grayfia for something extra to prove my determination to follow you as an ally." Raynare shows her breast, and a small red circle is visible on her left breast. "This is a slave mark. Is set up to activate if I ever try to do something against you."
"How and when did you do that?" Issei asks.
"Remember the blood vial that she asked you to fill last night? We used that to form the seal. It was my own recommendation, and my teacher agreed to do it for the sake of the mission. So it is not commonly used, but certain people still use it." Raynare explains as she covers her breast.
"Can it be removed? I didn't ask for something this drastic." Issei says.
"Only you can, but I ask that you don't. I was given this mission, and I accepted, although I wasn't really into it. I saw what you could do and knew that you could have erased the whole base with one single attack if you wished. So I thank you for not killing our leader or hurting our home. Until you wish otherwise, please allow me to follow you, Welsh-sama." She bends the knee as a sign of respect.
Issei looks surprised at her commitment. "Please stand up. I can accept the Welsh-sama, but you don't need to do all this. Shemhazai asked me to take care of you, and as long as you don't betray me, I will be fine. So, relax and say what you want to say. I don't care about your bad mouth or that explosive character, and I will try to get you any books we can find during our trips."
Raynare's eyes turned on like lights on a Christmas tree. "I will follow you to the end of the cosmos if you do that for me."
"Are you that into books?"
"Yes. I love reading. Novels, history books, fantasy books, the more words, the better." Raynare says. Her eyes were shining so much.
Issei scratches his head. "Why did you fall from heaven in the first place?"
"Prohibit books such as love novels, cursed grimoires, and other materials."
Issei couldn't believe it. "When we return to Japan, I will buy you a collection of love novels, so please stay away from any cursed books. I don't want to deal with a sealed monster or an ancient curse."
"Not even a little bit?"
"No. Unless it is indispensable, I prohibit you from touching or opening any cursed books. Understood?"
"Your orders are my commands, Welsh-sama." She slaps herself angrily after realizing she is talking like a maid again.
"Grayfia really made you into a maid."
"She did. I never knew that a newspaper could become the most painful experience I could ever feel." She shivers after remembering the first day of training.
"Well, they are waiting for us. It's time for us to depart." Issei says before he approaches the door alongside Raynare.
Outside of the Gremory house.
Now that the trio was together, they just had to say goodbye to the Gremory family, at least for now.
"Please take care. The house in Kuoh will be ready in two weeks, so by the time you return, it will be ready for you to take the keys. We'll let you know if we find Kokabiel or get any information." Sirzechs says.
"Got it. Thanks again for everything." Issei says.
Grayfia then approaches Issei. "I have trained her for everything, but let me know if she makes any mistakes." She looks at Raynare, and she shakes in fear.
"I will. Thanks for your help." He then approaches her ear. "Be careful with your pregnancy. Rias is going to be very happy when she learns about it."
Grayfia nods and tries to stay calm as she returns to her husband's side. They hadn't told anyone about her pregnancy, but Issei knew somehow. She wanted to ask him but was working and didn't want anyone else to know.
He smiles as he sees her grabbing Sirzechs hand without anyone noticing.
Rias' parents are next, but they only say a few words; then there is Rias and Shirone.
"Please come back to visit as regularly as possible," Rias asks.
"We'll try, but no promises. Remember my words if you want more peerage members, you must look for them. Be sure to be careful with how you choose." Issei says.
"I will, and Shirone will be with me to do it." Rias smiles.
Shirone looks at him and her sister. "Take care of her."
"I will. I promised to do it, and I won't back down."
Shirone then hugs him, which takes him by surprise. "Take care of yourself as well. I don't want you to be in pain forever."
Issei understands what she means, pats her head, and Shirone wiggles her tail in reaction. "I'll try not to. Be strong."
She releases him, and Issei creates a teletransportation circle with the emblem of Ddraig.
Tiamat was working at the moment, and she had said what she needed to say the night before.
With nothing left to say, they depart, leaving the home of the Gremories behind.
Location, Southeast Region of Wales.
The trio reappears near the coast in a deserted area.
"Where are we?" Kuroka asks.
"Wales, specifically the southeast region. Some of my treasure is at the bottom of the ocean in that direction. Do any of you have a problem with swimming?" Issei asks.
"Why don't we just use teletransportation to reach the exact location?" Raynare asks.
"I secured that underwater cave with many runes to prevent anyone from getting to the treasure unless they could swim to that depth. So, magic won't do. It is where I hatch from the egg, so it's a special place for me." Ddraig takes over.
Kuroka sights. "No way out then; at least we can hold our breaths for a long time."
"We do, but the pressure will surely be uncomfortable even for us two. Do you really wanna do this?" He looks at Kuroka.
"I wanna see the place, and staying here might be risky," Kuroka says as she ties her hair into a ponytail.
"Got it." Raynare activates the spell for the two of them. "Should we do this naked?"
Kuroka blushes. "I don't really wanna do that. We can dry our clothes afterward."
"Then let's go." Ddraig transforms into a smaller version of his dragon self and jumps into the water.
"Did he just do what I think he did?" Kuroka asks.
"Yes. Get used to it. This is what it means to follow a dragon in his quest for treasure." Raynare says although she is fuming in anger.
They wasted no time and jumped into the water. After seeing him waiting for them, they swim and grab his horns with all their strength. After feeling their hands on him, Ddraig begins to descend.
He is fast, and the girls get no time to enjoy the descent. The pressure increases, but they can endure it thanks to their bodies' physiologies. They can't see anything and question how Ddraig knows where he is going.
The descent continues for a few more moments until Ddraig enters a system of tunnels in the ocean floor and travels through them easily; within a few moments, they exit the water and enter a cave.
Kuroka and Raynare begin to breathe once more, the place is covered in darkness, but Ddraig quickly uses his flames to illuminate the area, and the fire spreads out through the walls, and within seconds the cave is lightened up.
"That was insane," Kuroka says with difficulty.
"Welsh-sama, how do you do it?" Raynare asks.
They don't get any answers, and then they see why he is not talking.
Gold, diamonds, and many other valuable items are laying in piles within the cave.
"All of this is yours?" Kuroka asks. She can't believe all the riches that she sees. Then she sees the remains of a dragon egg. "Is that the one?"
"Yes, and yes. That is the egg from which I hatched. Many centuries ago. Before the modern world began. Even before civilizations. I hatched and only saw darkness surrounding me. Then my flames offered me light, and the rest is history. All of these gold and precious gems are the things I collected from my fallen enemies and so. My spoils from war." Ddraig said.
"So, which one would be the oldest between you and Raynare?" Kuroka watched the two members of her team with curiosity.
"He is. By the time the bible god created me, Ddraig was already facing his first fights with the other magical beings that roamed the human world before the age of man. Angels used to watch the fights and try to guess who would come victorious at the end." Raynare said.
"And he won all of them?" Kuroka asks, although she knows the answer.
"Yes. His flames killed everything. No matter the creature or what powers they had. Ddraig always won until he met his match with Albion. He tried to face Great Red once, but his challenge was quickly shot down, and he got reprimanded by the old dragon god. Some gods were dumb enough to attack him, but the results weren't the best for those gods. So we watched everything from heaven, and it was fun, but then it stopped being fun." Raynare said.
"Once the rivalry with Albion began, things got more serious, and it also matched the time when the age of man began. We were given our titles as heavenly dragons by Great Red during that time, and not too long after that, we started to be called the Dragon Emperors by the different factions." Ddraig continues to explain.
"The fights in the realm of the dead, I read about those. Why did you choose that place to fight?" Kuroka asked.
"We dragons don't like to fight close to the places in which we rest. The human world was out of limits after our powers became too strong. It was also due to the recommendation of the other dragons, such as Vritra, before he got sealed. But I think that's enough history lessons for one day." Ddraig said after feeling that he had forgotten his task.
"Wait, one more question. Do you know who your parents were? All dragons needed to come from somewhere." Kuroka couldn't stop her curiosity from coming to the surface.
"No idea. Albion, Tiamat, Vritra, and all the other great dragons from legends just hatched from eggs in different parts of the human world. No parents nor guiding if you don't count Great Red or Gaia. He claims he is not our father or creator, and Ophis is out of the question as well, but I have the feeling that he is hiding more than what he says he knows." Ddraig says.
"The Biblical God didn't do it either. He created humans, and many other creatures alongside the other gods but dragons are a whole different can of worms. Nobody has the full story, nor do we try to figure it out. It is an unspoken rule, but some things are better left alone, and the story behind the birth of Dragons such as Vritra, Tannin, Albion, and even Crom Cruach is part of that." Raynare's face shows her sincere feelings.
Many beings have been alive for long periods of time, but their worlds still hold secrets that very few know about.
Kuroka saw all of this as a big conspiracy but didn't have the guts or interest in any research. That was a task that any other being desires, the knowledge that others kept hidden, and she wasn't that being. "I won't push the matter any further. What are you going to do with all this treasure?" Kuroka and Raynare jump to the floor and turn around to look at their leader.
Ddraig changes form once more. "I'm going to bring it with me. This is the last time I'm ever returning to this place, and I have a use for all this treasure."
Ddraig approaches one of the piles and grabs a few coins. "I never told any of my previous hosts about my treasure, nor did I ever think I would return to this place. Life really takes unexpected turns." He then turns his sight towards one golden sword.
So many of his previous hosts had used swords and other weapons. Most had become respectable knights, wizards, soldiers, and warriors, but each one had fallen victim to the curse of the boosted gear. Then an idea forms in his mind.
"I'm going to need your help," Ddraig says.
The girls were drying their clothes with magic before they looked at him.
"What's the plan?" Raynare asked.
Ddraig picks up the golden sword. "Get as many weapons as possible. I'm going to create a tribute for them in this place."
Several minutes afterward.
The gold, gems, and other items had been taken into the pocket dimension. The only items left were gold weapons that were stabbed into the floor around the cave. On the back wall, a message had been carved into the wall.
"In the memory of the previous hosts of the boosted gear. None of them ever asked for the task of being the host of such a troublesome object, but they did and died while fighting a cursed cycle of endless death. Most of you never got an actual resting place, and many have also been forgotten, but I, Ddraig, the Welsh Dragon, will never forget any of you or the things you had to sacrifice. This is my tribute to every single one of you and the symbol of the end of the cycle."
Their names were carved around the walls, and Issei Hyoudou was the last one.
*70 cm Shihounnomadobe- ROTTENGRAFFTY*
The end of an era and the start of a new one.
Kuroka and Raynare watched silently as Ddraig prayed for the souls of those that were trapped within himself.
Ddraig, the heavenly dragon, was praying for those that fell to the madness of being the host of the boosted gear.
It truly was the end of the cycle for the Red Dragon Emperor. For a moment, Raynare and Kuroka saw the shapes of the previous Dragon Emperors coming out from Ddraig's body.
Each of them lacked eyes, but they looked at peace for one moment. It was truly the end of the cycle for them, and each appreciated that Ddraig had decided to end the rivalry that had dragged them to their fates.
No more hosts, rivalry, or new boosted gear users, just the end of the legend and the start of a new one.