Chapter Text
I thought everything would get better.
I had a family. I had love. I had a mother and a father. I had my friends. People who cared about me. But.. no. It never got better.
It was a few weeks later. All of us had gotten into the old routine. Walk for a bit, set up camp. And walk again the next day. My bruises had gone now, every time I caught my reflection in the shine of a metal kettle I’d smile to myself, flashing my newly sharp teeth.
Pigsy has done a bit of reading on dragons. Back in Jade mountain that is. He said I’m only starting dragon puberty. He says all dragons go through it. He tried to explain how god puberty and dragon puberty where very similar. Our powers increase, and we get mature. Of course I already knew this. My... Ex father. Taught me. Forced me to read. I turned to the Pig god, he was busy cooking. Sandy and Trip had gone of to bath. My father, Monkey was collecting fire wood.
Pigsy was concentrating on adding in certain things, he cooked like it was art.
“So.”, I said, trying to start up a conversation. To be honest, I don’t have much of a relationship with Pigsy.
“Have any sudden dragon puberty things yet?”
I shook my head, Pigsy hummed, stirring the pan. I smelt something so nostalgic. “Bacon. Hard to get.”, He said and I could here the sizzling of the cooking fat.
“Oh. Smells good. Think I could learn?”
He shrugged. And welcomed me over, his hand ghosting my arm, it only lasted for a second but he took it of. Only if I had noticed the way I locked up, if only I had told them. But I didn’t. To blind with hunger. And the chance to learn something new.
“Right.. So..”
Monkey returned, and dumped the wood down. He ruffled my hair. “Nice cooking kid.”, He said and sat down on his bed roll.
I smiled awkwardly up to him. He’s the only person I’ve let touch me. Trips next. Sandy doesn’t touch anyone so. And Pigsy I’ll learn to eventually. But for now.
“Yeah. Uncle Pigsys teaching me.”, I said. That’s what I called him. Uncle and auntie. Seems fitting for the other pair of love birds.
“That’s good.”
I rubbed my hands on my leather suit. I burgees against my tracker, an electric ran up my fingers, it froze me. Cold metal. Special metal. Special..I pushed my thoughts down. Stupid. It was just a tracker. And it was just metal. Something I could chuck away. It was nothing. I’m good. My family are here.
I told myself. I always lie to myself don’t I?
Pigsy and Monkey seemed obvlivious to my frozenness. I turned and went back to the bacon.
I hadn’t turned into a dragon since.. Well ages. I don’t have to. And I can’t unless I’m feeling a powerful emotion. But Pigsy told me once I get through Duperty, I’ll be able to transform at Will. But who cares. I’m good as my human form. I’m defensive. I’m offensive. I’m strong.
I looked up at Monkey who was fiddling with his staff. It was swinging between his fingers like he had done millions of times before. Moving so effortlessly. So..
I watched feeling a deep grating feeling in my chest. Why?
I shook the feeling of. Just cook. Just cook dinner.
Trip and Sandy returned. Sandy sat next to Pigsy and placed a kiss on his cheek. Trip did the same to Moneky. “How’s it going Kaedo?”, she asked me, her warm motherly eyes calming my feelings down. The fire inside me suddenly put out.
“Good. I’m making dinner.”
“I can see that.”
I smiled and went back to cooking.
After a while, I dished it up in the slices of bread Pigsy had cut for me, and handed them each a sandwich. I just nibbled at a slice, the bacon all gone. I didn’t mind. Seeing them enjoy it made me happy.
Trip finished first, she had offered me half but I shook her offer Of. “I’m good Mum.”, it’s weird, I’ve never called someone mum before. But I was getting used to it. Getting used to the word falling of my tongue. She put her plate down. And flattened her robes.
“Kaedo. Son, any luck with your powers yet?”
I shook my head, hoping to calm down the tremors in my voice. From many years of being told I needed to learn, I was a failure if I failed.. It’s hard to admit I’m wrong. Hard to admit I can’t..
“No. But. I’m trying.”, I had gotten through it tremor free. Father saw through it though, his eyes looking at me confused. His staff resting in his bun.
“Good. Know we aren’t.. I.. It’s ok not to get it the first time? Ok? Your only a child.”, She said and I hummed. Still. It didn’t feel like that. Dad.. He..
no.
He’s dead.
He’s gone.
He was murdered by Ragnorok.
I nodded, feeling weird. I just wanted to sleep and get on with the quest.
“So. The fifth, scroll, the scroll of love, is in a days time. And the scroll of powers, which you guys retrieved i think had the ability to give a person a different species powers. Like me, a demons. The only thing is. From what I’ve read from the scroll of knowledge is, you have to take it from the demon which would render them powerless. This scroll is powerful. I could take Monkeys power using it. But. I won’t.”, She explained. No wonder Zeus wanted to keep it. It sucks the power out of any creature and gives it to to you. It was a freaky thought but well it did. Sandy and Pigsy has swapped powers for a day. That was funny.
“So.. Lets all get some sleep ok?”, Trip said and I nodded. I climbed under with Monkey. I held him close. “Father.”, I croaked wan Trip has fallen asleep. It Felt like old times. Just us.
“Yeah Kid?”
“What if I could use the scroll of powers? It could speed up my-“
“No.”
I looked up to him.
“No. You aren’t risking your life. No. And using a scroll for your own gain isn’t selfish Kaedo.”
I scoffed. “I am a dragon dad.”
“That’s no excuse.”
I sighed. “I know.”
He smiled and kissed my forehead.
His hand circling my head.
“I love you kid. Don’t forget that.”
I hummed and snuggled wounded the covers.
“Wake up.”
We snapped up.
The scrolls.
We turned to see a one eyed demon..
Kamuru. How in the hell did we forget him?
He had his sword around Trips throat.
I snarled, flashing my un-pubescent dragon eyes.
“Leave her alone.”
Kamuru chuckled, his voice grating my nerves.
“Hand me the scrolls, and I’ll let her go.”
Monkey groaned.
“The first demon in weeks and it had to Be you. You hurt her before.”, Monkey said, his staff extended, his bed head still looking ruff af the edges.
“I know. Little weak pathetic-“
Trip stomped on his foot, and ran to Monkeys side. The demon looked suddenly nervous.
“Who sent you?”
Kamuru chuckled, and his fingers twitched on his sword.
“Why would I tell you Monkey king?”
Monkey shrugged.
I watched between them. The scrolls where safe, Trip was safe. Why hadn’t we killed him yet.
I clenched my fists. He needed to die. He’s a demon. He’s evil. He hurt mum.
“Tell us demon. It wasn’t hagfish. Shadow killed him.”, Monkey said and Kamuru smirked. He was byinf time.
“Monkey-“
It was to late. Seven strong demons appeared and attacked, lunging for the scrolls. Trip had her fangkris our. I lunges for the scrolls. Protecting them. Kamuru fought of Sandy, who’s attention was on two demons.
He looked down at me. His eyes flashing red.
“So. Willing to die for some paper?”
I growled, feeling my dragon form trying to appear.
I pushed it down.
“Leave.”, I snarled.
“Leave? Your just a pathetic human.”, He said and.. Then his foot swing for my side. I felt my body lock up. Why didn’t I block it?
I groaned with pain. His foot stomped down and I watched. Feeling paralysised. I feeling creeping in my head, pulling at my mind. Telling me.. Dads going to hurt you.
Suddenly I was shaking.
I felt my body lock up.
He kicked me, but I held onto the scrolls.
He kicked the air outback of my lungs. A feeling all to familiar. A feeling..
I felt myself panic.
“STOP! STOP IT! DONT HIT ME!”
All I could think of Zeus. All I could imagine was his feet hitting me. His dark red eyes-
“STOP IT DAD PLEASE!”, I screamed. I didn’t want this. I felt powerless. Dad.. He’s- “PLEASE..”
He grinned, swinging his foot at my back.
The pain felt so familiar, it jogged all of my fear. It pricked a time my skin, my throat screaming at him to stop.
“Pathetic human. You’ll die protecting the scrolls.”, he spat. But it sounded distant. All I could hear wasn’t my ragged breathings. His distant voice shouting.
I felt my vision blurry. My mind flashing with beatings. Beatings. Beatings—
It was over. He faded into dust. I still stayed curled up. My breath ragged, tears strolling my face. My body shaking. My body feeling like he had hit me. Like my dad had.. Like..
I sobbed.
I sobbed. I felt like a pathetic child.
The shaking stopped a while later. My lungs filling up with air. But my body hurt so so much.
Pain. Pain. So much. So-
“Son?”
Dad. Monkey.
I peaked out of the scrolls which I held against my face.
I saw him kneeling down. Looking at me.
“It’s ok. I’m here.”
I wanted to reach for him, to hold him. But I didn’t. I just sat there calming my breathing. Calming my self down.
I sat up and let the scrolls roll to the floor.
I didn’t meet any of there eyes. I rubbed my own.
“I’m.. I..”
I couldn’t think of anything to say. What was there to say?
I’m.. Still his victim. Still his scar on this world. Still the pathetic scared child I was when he started to hit me.
I felt pain. I wanted to cry again.
I sighed and walked to my bed, climbing in it.
None of them told me to get out. They let me curl up into a Monkeys scent and sleep...