RAPTUROUS SCROLLS
"My Thane, I am sworn to carry your burdens," Lydia started.
"Hm," the Dragonborn held their chin in their hands in thought.
The wooden doors loomed ominously in front of them.
"But this time, I must refuse," the housecarl continued.
"I agree with Lydia," Serana chimed in.
"It's not that bad."
"Slaying Alduin the Worldeater in Sovernguard wasn't 'that bad.'" Lydia said sarcastically. "Miraak, the first Dragonborn wasn't 'that bad.' Stopping the civil war wasn't 'that bad.' This is so much worse than all of those. Combined."
"You're exaggerating. What's the worst that could happen?"
"That's what you said before we went to a random cave and found the Wolf Queen being resurrected."
"Or when you decided to go vampire hunting and helped start the apocalypse," Serana sighed.
"I'm glad I did. And it all worked out in the end. So will this. Come on, it will be fun. Where's your sense of adventure, you two?"
"I remember you said something similar before having a drink with Sam Guevenne," Serana smirked, getting a glare from the Dragonborn.
"We agreed never to speak of that!"
"And yet, here we are, doing the same thing again," Lydia sighed, her head falling into her hands. "Only ten times worse."
"It will be quick. In and out," the Thane tried to persuade. "Think of the shouts I could learn."
"Think of the damage!" Lydia pointed skyward.
The Dragonborn very pointedly did not look up at the night sky, even if the new moons were gorgeous. White and Blue orbs of different sizes against the darkness of space.
That one of them was a body was of no consequence.
"Well, I am going in," they declared, getting glairs from the two women. The Dragonborn remained firm. They weren't the type to cower in fear.
And if their hands were shaking a bit when they opened the door, nobody said anything.
As soon as the door to Jorrvaskr opened, the trio was almost blasted back by the cacophonous sounds.
(There was a dose of irony there, one the Dragonborn did not notice till much later.)
Laughter filled the hall of the Companions, as did cheers, jeers, and raucous singing.
Now, the Dragonborn was familiar with the Companions. (They better be, they were the Harbinger.) So they recognized some familiar faces.
Ria was singing along to a war ballad played by an attractive Khajit/Argonian/Imperial woman.
Vilkas and Farkas were in a drinking competition with a bodacious blonde in a green shirt and a dark-skinned woman.
Skjor was trying (and failing) to seduce a woman with one eye and auburn hair.
Vignar Gray-mane was deep into his cups and had joined three new recruits in an arm wrestling competition. Only they were all competing against the same blue woman simultaneously. And loosing.
Njada was holding her own competition with another new face. The tall, dark-haired woman in gold and red armour was holding her own as the pair competed in a thumb war, of all things.
Athis was part of a cheering crowd that surrounded a pit where Torvar was squaring off, fists raised against another bodacious blond, this one in blue.
Earlund Gray-mane was off to the side, talking with a Mer with long purple hair. Judging by the way they were gesticulating to each other, they were talking shop.
Not too far, also off to the side, Tilma the Haggard was resting her weary head in her hand. Occasionally she would reach for some more coffee, sharing a pitcher with the dark-haired woman who watched the party with a small smile.
It was a loud, rowdy mess. Any time someone finished their drink, a pitcher of ale or mead would float over and pour some more, ensuring nobody ever went without. Food appeared on plates, only for half of it to disappear in an instant as a chubby cat devoured it. Music filled the hall, echoing over the din. Some people danced, but they were a rarity.
If that had been all, the Dragonborn and their companions would not have hesitated to enter. But the problem wasn't the Companions or the party. Even if it was the third day straight that it had been going on.
The problem was that everyone who had entered since it began had not escaped.
A drunk Balgruph the Greater danced a jig wildly, arm slung over the shoulder of Sanguine, The Daedric Prince of Revelry.
The same dark-haired woman sipping coffee with Tilma was also chatting casually to the floating eyes of Hermaeus Mora.
Hircine was having a staring contest with the fat cat that kept eating all the food, even as said cat sat on the lap of Namira. The Deadric Prince of Hunger seemed enamoured with stroking its fur.
The shadows in the corner of the building twisted unnaturally as Nocturnal tried to flirt with a deadpan Dunmer.
Azura floated on her back above the crowd, belting out songs off-key and giggling to herself.
And it wasn't just the Daedra that were present.
"You made it!" Mikael stood from where he was laughing with Akatosh and Talos, his arms spread wide in greeting at the three (terrified) arrivals. "I thought the invitation got lost in the mail."
"No-"
"AH!!" Mikael screamed in pain, interrupting the Dragonborn. Blood splattered the floor at their feet as the trio jumped away, hands falling to their weapons.
Nobody else in the building blinked.
"Aela, you crazy bitch!" Mikael cursed as he bent down and yanked the arrow from the back of his leg. "What is with you Nords and knees!?"
"Fuck me!" The redhead archer yelled over the crowd, and another arrow knocked on her bow.
"No!" Mikael denied vehemently, ducking under the arrow. "Scathach? Can you grab the horny dog? I'll be done in a moment."
The new redhead, unfamiliar to the Dragonborn but with hair that reminded them of blood rather than fire, stood from where she had been arguing with Kynareth and Zenithar. Scathach lunged, tackling the horny werewolf into a tumble of limbs that caught Mara and Dibella in their wake.
It was not a coincidence both Aedra were so close to the huntress. Nor that they had been talking to an overwhelmed Eli1sif the Fair, trying to get her to join.
"Sorry about that," Mikael apologized, absently ducking as a chair flew over his head and smashed against the wall. "It's a bit rowdy for introductions, but I'll do the rounds later. First, you three need a drink. We have ale, mead, and Scathach's special brew."
"Special brew?" Lydia couldn't help but ask, morbidly curious.
"Not really intended for mortals, but you can have a sip," Mikael waived down a flying jug and poured a cup. "Any more than that, and you won't remember the next month, so share."
Lydia looked at the smiling man, the mess around her, the Dragonborn, and then the mess again.
She downed the entire cup.
"HA!" A voice shouted nearby. Sheogorath sauntered up to the group, yelling at the man he had flung over his shoulder. "Martin! You owe me six cheese wheels and a sweet roll!"
"Fine, urp," the man burped. "Now, put me down! Or you're going to be wearing that sweet roll instead."
"You always say the nicest things," the Lord of Madness said, whipping a fake tear from his eyes. "But I'm not hungry. I'm thirsty! Hastil! Where's my soup?"
"Here, sir," a long-suffering voice said as a butler, who hadn't been there a second ago, passed the Daedric Prince a gallon of the Special Brew.
Serana took a cup for herself and downed it as well.
"Looks like your friends are ready to party," Mikael grinned at the Dragonborn, pouring a third cup and holding it out to the Dragonborn. "You aren't going to leave them alone, will you?"
In the flickering light of the flames, the shadows of the revellers dancing on the wall, the cup held a demonic appeal to the hero of Skyrim. Mikael's smile, at once inviting as it was sinister, widened as the Dragonborn took the cup from his hands.
In the end, the Dragonborn put up a valiant but fruitless fight.
With no allies, no weapons, and wholly unfamiliar with their foes, they were defeated on the fourth day after a long-fought battle.
The Party would go on for a week.
********
A story on Tamriel would be interesting, but I don't plan to add more crossovers to the current fic.
My problem with jump chain/waifu-catalogue/world-hopping stories is that, more often than not, the story essentially resets when someone leaves a world. The characters might continue to grow and change, like in RR and a few others, but if they ever return to a world, it is hard for the audience to be reinvested in something when the stakes are so small. After all, nothing is stopping the characters from leaving again, so all sense of urgency or crisis is lost.
If the characters don't care about a world, why should the readers?
Volume 3 will take place in the same world as Volume 2. So I am sticking to omakes for any more crossovers. And this is the first of three omakes is done and out of the way.
For those curious where this all came from, there was a string of requests for omakes on the forums, using the letters of the Alphabet to list the world the readers wanted. It only got to Y before I posted the last chapter (thus, 25 instead of 26).
As a celebration of the one-year anniversary of RR, I decided to answer the challenge using a Random number generator. The next two will be released, one a day, till the 7th.
********
A RHAPSODY OF THRONES
"Mikael Waters, you stand accused of high treason."
Daenerys Targaryen sat on the Iron Throne, her retinue surrounding her, as her right-hand woman read the sentencing to this last and most formidable foe.
She was ready for this all to be done. The trials had been going on for weeks as she sought to consolidate her hold on the Seven Kingdoms.
No more war. No more Night King. Just peace and rebuilding.
Rebuilding which would have gone much easier if this man had bent the knee.
But Mikael Waters kneeled to no one.
His pride would be his death.
Impressive resolve for a bastard, but he had more than earned the right to be proud.
As it was, Daenerys had a headache about how she would handle the riots that would form from the little folk when they received word of his execution.
Mikael Waters was a hero to them.
A hero brought low by her.
If it wasn't for the insistence of her handmaids, Daenerys would have been happy to send him into exile rather than have him killed. But they had never steered her wrong yet, so she had followed their advice.
The man, a pacifist so famous he wasn't even cuffed, stood unbowed before the most powerful men and women of the Seven Kingdoms.
The new Queen of the Seven Kingdoms had once heard he had been beset by assassins but, rather than fight back, had convinced them to not only spare his life but to slay their original contractor. It was said he refused to even kill a fly and would never physically hurt another living being.
Such an admirable man looked devastated as his charges were read to the assembled crowd of nobles (those who survived) that gathered in the throne room.
It was rather lengthy but basically boiled down to: Rising above your station. Crimes against the crown. And having the bad luck of being on the losing side in a war.
After the more serious crimes were read out, a few charges Daenerys was unaware of were also read.
"For the crime of stealing a horse."
"It's not stealing if the owner is dead," Mikael denied with a frown. "Then it's just animal rescue."
"For despoiling a priestess, laying with a lady of high standing, and fathering over a thousand children with different women."
"Cersei and Melisandre came on to me. Not the other way around," he sighed in resignation, barely putting up a fight. "And nothing happened. I don't cheat on my wives." Admirable in its own way. She hadn't even known the man was married. Or that he was a polygamist. "And that last one is completely made up. And if it weren't, it's not even a crime. This is a sham trial, and you know it. Let's get this over with."
He was right.
This was getting excessive. Daenerys shot a look towards her right-hand woman. It wasn't like Emma to make mistakes like this.
If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
The blonde showed no indication of speeding it up, taking her time to read even more absurd charges. Daenerys looked to her retinue, trying to get their read on the situation. Their political acumen had saved her life before.
Robin had that little smirk on her face. Tsunade wasn't smiling but radiated contentment as opposed to Yoruichi, who was grinning like a jungle cat about to feast. Ranni was expressionless as always, but long familiarity with her told Daenerys that the woman was incredibly smug. Melina was trying to calm Medea, who was laughing quietly in a significant breach of court etiquette.
They all, to a woman, were watching the situation with relish. As if seeing this man brought low was their long-held desire.
"You are also accused of burning several Septs and despoiling artifacts of sacred significance," Emma accused with a smirk.
The gathering nobles and courtiers shuffled as murmurs broke out. That was a serious accusation, especially after the loss of the Great Sept of Baelor.
"It was Winter. We were cold," Mikael sighed again as if this was just another silly accusation. "And if they don't want their artifacts used in latrines, they shouldn't be shaped like that. Or leave them undefended."
The crowd's murmur started to rise to a clamour, forcing Daenerys to step in.
"Enough!" She ordered, standing from the Iron Throne. Emma took a step back but, judging by the smirk on her face, was utterly unrepentant. They would be having words later. "Mikael Waters! Your crimes are numerous. So are the blessings you have given to the people of Our realm. Your creations. Your aide in the Long Night. Your defence of the little folk of Our lands. They speak of your potential. We will ask one last time. Bend the knee. Swear fealty to Us. You shall be spared to continue to work for the betterment of all."
"I will not," Mikael denied. "I only kneel to my wives. And only in bed. I am a free man, no matter what."
"Very well," Daenerys felt her stomach clench. She had been hoping it wouldn't come to this. That he would swallow his pride for the sake of his life. If nothing else, in order to see his wives again. "Then, by Our right as Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, We sentence you to death by beheading. Your wealth shall be claimed, and your lands seized. Your family shall be spared in light of your deeds."
Political theatre. That was all this was.
Mikael Waters had been born a bastard with nothing to his name. He had achieved considerable wealth thanks to his inventions and political titles for services to his various lieges, but he had held on to none of it. It was all reinvested into raising the Seven Kingdoms to new heights.
It was as if he had no material desires. No attachment to wealth, fame, or land.
By any standard, Mikael Waters was a saint.
(Not of the Seven, obviously, but saint-like nonetheless.)
Combine that moral integrity with his intelligence and political acumen, Daenerys dearly wish she could have swayed him to her side.
If she had three Mikael Waters, she could rule the world in her lifetime.
"Do you have any last words?" The Queen signalled for one of her guards to step forward.
"I just want to know how? How did this happen?" Mikael looked around the room, his face a painting of confused despair. "I keep running the numbers in my head, and it doesn't make sense. How did I lose?"
"Human stupidity."
Daenerys glared at Emma for her severe breach of conduct but allowed the blonde to continue as she hadn't known how to answer the man's question.
"I accounted for that," Mikael denied.
"No, you didn't," Melina countered from beside Daenerys. "Your egotism blinded you. You try and understand others but are unable to truly think like them. Even when you believe you are dumbing your thoughts down to their level, you still overestimate others. Most people are stupid. Monumentally stupid. And you couldn't get rid of those idiots yourself, thus chaining your feet and dragging you down."
"I shouldn't need to," Mikael denied vehemently. "This isn't a book or a show! Idiots don't need to survive to drive the plot along! You know how common it is for stupid rulers or nobles to die? If they are incompetent, their vassals, knights, or any number of servants will kill them. It's easy. Humans are squishy. A bump on the stairs. A fall from a horse. A fake political charge. Guards not liking their liege. Hell, the praetorian guard practically made it a tradition! To say nothing of Eunuchs of China!"
Daenerys suddenly felt very exposed. Though she wondered about the names he mentioned. Were they foreign?
"Cowardice," Ranni answered, even as the crowd quieted to nothing, watching the drama unfold. "Even should they have the ability, they lack the will. Few would risk their lives to be free when given the choice to submit to fate for safety."
"But it's common sense!" Mikael looked honestly befuddled at the idea. "If a king is going to get you killed, then you should kill him first. Even if you die, you take the bastard with you."
"Fear and stupidity," Tsunade shrugged. "You were going to lose from the get-go. You had the manpower and infrastructure and played to your strengths, but you were too weighed down by idiots. We started with nothing, but we only had one to worry about. And there were multiple of us, so we could have one watch her for anything stupid while the rest were productive."
Daenerys suddenly felt very insulted.
And worried.
What was going on?
"In the Game of Thrones, you win, or you die. And you, Mikael Waters, have lost." Emma smirked, and Mikael sagged in defeat. "Accept it."
"Fine, fine, this is my loss. So long as none of you cheated."
No sooner had the words left his mouth did the shadows of the throne room lengthen and stretch. The fires of the torches still burned, but their light did little to pierce the obsidian darkness that flowed over the walls and floor.
The Queenguard rushed to surround Daenerys, weapons drawn, even as the courtiers started to panic. Some tried to flee, but the black shadows had covered the doors and windows.
The newly crowned Queen noted, even a fear filled her, that neither Mikael nor her handmaids reacted.
From that black pitch, a woman arose as if water bubbling from a spring.
"Nobody used anything more than basic human abilities," the gray-skinned woman said in a monotone. "Mikael did not kill anyone. Scathach, Artoria, and Diana did not help them. Everyone followed the rules. You lost."
"Fine," Mikael bit out another sigh. "Give it here then."
Even as Daenerys watched her handmaids cheer, clap, and high-five each other, more shadow bubbled from the floor at Mikael's feet.
A white cone rose from the floor, clearly visible against the black, and the bastard reached down to grab it.
Mikael placed it firmly on his head, DUNCE spelled large across its length for all to see.
"I lose, but I am editing the prize a bit."
"That wasn't the deal," Medea decried.
"The prizes remain the same," Mikael rolled his eyes. "I am just changing the order you get them in. I don't want to have to deal with all of you pregnant at the same time, and you don't either," Daenerys' handmaids reluctantly nodded as Mikael continued. The mother of dragons felt like she was in a nightmare. "So it's only going to be two at a time. I will let you all decide the order."
Suddenly, all her handmaids froze amidst their celebration. Then, slowly they shifted their attention to each other, eyes narrowed in calculation.
Mikael crossed his arms, DUNCE cap proudly on his head as he smirked triumphantly.
Even when he lost, he still won.
Daenerys suddenly felt the urge to cry but could not even lean back on her throne to relax.
Even when she won, she still lost.
********
Some omakes are filled with jokes, something for everyone, but others have to stand on their premise alone to be entertaining.
Westeros isn't a fun place, so I had to think outside the box this time. I had this idea for a political thriller, Mikael Vs his family, where he loses not because he is worse but because his aids are incompetent (a la Death Note). It is hard to get that across with just a short Omake, but I think it came out all right.
To be honest, I have never seen the show. I just read the books, and that was years ago. I hated everyone in it, but I could appreciate George R. R. Martin's political writing, even if it was sometimes very contrived.
See you tomorrow for the next one.
********
DRAGON OF DRAGONS
Rias Gremory had a rough few days.
Just a little while ago, she had been going through the relationship drama typical to people her age, interspersed with devil and harem politics.
Then the man she was in love with died.
The young heiress had been inconsolable with grief, held up in her room mourning the loss of the young, perverted, honest, perverted, loyal, perverted, determined and perverted man she had fallen in love with.
Not even the giant monsters attacking the Underworld, a product of the Longinus Annihilation Maker going rampant to such a degree that not even the Peerage of the Satans could easily deal with the thirteen summoned monsters, varying in size between 100 and 200 meters tall.
To be fair to Rias, though, it wasn't as if one extra high-class devil would be much help against things that were throwing down with dozens of ultimate classes.
Then, when she finally found the strength to get up and fight, her lost love appeared, ridding Great Red of all things. Said dragon the size of a mountain range then infused Issei with its power, turning his regular Dragon Mail into a giant mech to fight the monsters.
(Rias' inner weeb was squeeing in joy. She would get Issei to do this again, even if she had to let him grope her breasts for days to power up.)
So yes, Rias Gremory's last few days had been a series of ups and downs.
This was why, when everything seemed to be looking up, the hero having come to the Underworld's rescue, a resigned weariness filled her, instead of surprise, when the next cataclysm arrived.
"BAKA-RED!!"
The voice was so loud that the entire Underworld shook with the shout force.
For a second, Rias thought it was Ophis, perhaps reclaiming some of her power and starting her vendetta against her foe once more.
But the voice was clearly male, and the Ouroboros Dragon was currently in the form of a little girl riding on Mech-Issei's shoulder.
"Ah, shit," Great Red cursed, speaking aloud for the first time in recorded history. His voice was quieter than the shout but still loud enough to echo all the way to Rias' position. "Hey, brat, can you speed this up? I gotta go."
A part of Rias' mind thought he sounded nervous, but that was impossible.
Great Red was the Dragon of Dragons.
For him to be afraid would be absurd.
"YOU SHITTY SALAMANDER! YOU MORAL COWARD!"
"Fuck."
Rias felt her understanding of reality buckle under what her eyes were telling her was happening. The portal Great Red used to arrive in the Underworld from Dimensional Gap had started to expand.
Quickly.
In less than a second, it had expanded to cover the entire sky, but instead of seeing the riotous colours that generally filled the void between dimensions, all Rias could see was White.
The entire sky of the Underworld was a pale shade of White.
Then the White moved.
"You can't get away with me. Take your losses like a man, you overgrown gecko!" IT spoke. Its head was still on the other side of the portal, for which Rias was grateful.
One fang alone was the size of Great Red.
(Rias heard someone laughing.)
"I didn't lose!" Great Red roared up at IT. "The judges were biased!"
"You lost!" The head of the white dragon insisted. "You must be Dreaming if you think your barrel roll double front flip was cooler than my Flight of Cosmic Dragons! Pay up, you big baby!"
"Gah," Great Red staggered back in the air as if the idea physically pained him. "Can you take a rain check?" Rias didn't know the most powerful being in the universe could sound sheepish. "Can't you see I'm busy?"
"No. Issei can handle it. Or I am tripling his homework. So pay up now!"
[You know me, White Dragon-sama?] Issei's giant red mech said with some effort.
It should be noted that while the two dragons of apocalyptic size were arguing, the Bandersnatch continued their rampage through the Underworld even as the devils tried to stop them. Issei had to dodge beams, blows and other weird attacks from the Jabberwocky, all while trying to keep it from the nearby civilians.
"Oi! I am your favourite teacher, you perverted brat! Who was the one who got you into Practical Sex Ed with Medb?"
[Mikael-Sensei!?] (Somewhere nearby, Azazel and Rossweiss felt an invisible arrow to their heart.) [You're real? And a dragon too?]
(Whoever was laughing was getting louder.)
"Of course I'm real. Just for that, I am rejecting your application for Master Level Lewds with Kiara!"
[Gah! No! Anything but that! I am so close to my degree in Tantric Sciences! Please! I'll do anything!]
(Issei's harem suddenly felt a mix of white-hot rage at the dragon and the urge to name their firstborn after him. On the one hand, he had clearly been the one who helped Issei lose his virginity, meaning none of them could claim it, but on the other, he was responsible for why the young devil was so incredible in bed. They settled for asking Issei about the details later.)
"Then hold Baka-Red down so he can't escape!" 'Mikael-sensei' ordered. Issei hesitated, looking from the Jabberwocky to the city behind him. "I'll deal with it. You just grab him."
[Yes, Sir!] Giant Scale-mail saluted before lunging at Great Red.
"Oi! You brat! Are you really going to do me dirty like this? After everything I did for you?"
[I am very sorry Great Red.] Issei replied, even as he grabbed the massive dragon's wings. To his credit, he did sound regretful even as he hung on for dear life. [Thank you for bringing me back to life. I will never forget it. But my life is not worth the Devil's Bodhisattva's Oppai. Those who pass her class can go forever! They can control their fertility! One touch from them will allow any woman to grow magnificent Oppai! For that future, I cannot allow you to escape. For the Oppai!]
(Rias realized she was the one laughing. Weird. Why was Grayfia giving her those odd looks.)
While Issei had been delivering his impassioned (and perverted) speech, the Jabberwocky had tried to advance on the devil city.
Tried.
From the white sky, a black rain fell. Like liquid shadow, if slithered down from the heavens in drops. Each cut a chunk from the monster's flesh as a torrent of black. In a few seconds, a pool had formed at the Jabberwocky's feet.
From that pool of black ink, a geyser of black power erupted, covering the 200-meter-tall monstrosity in a film of black.
Feminine and malevolent laughter resounded around, drowning out Rias' mad giggles, as two sets of red eyes appeared in the black ink as the Jabberwocky was dragged into its tenebrous depths.
[Uh? Sensei?] Issei asked, sitting on Great Red's wing. The dragon tried to subtly slide away while the young man was distracted, but a shadowy tendril wrapped around his paw and held him fast.
"Don't worry about it. That's just Raven. I've told you about her before, remember? My Demon Lord Wife?"
[You did?]
"My big tiddy goth GF."
[Oh, her! Please to meet you, ma'am! I am a new devil. Please take care of me.]
More malevolent laughter filled the air.
(It should be noted that devils took the title 'Demon Lord' seriously. In the following years, much debate was given about whether Raven qualified as one by their standards despite not being a devil. In the end, after more than a decade of debate, devils being notoriously meticulous on such subjects, it was decided to give her the honorary title of 'Mammon.'
Mikael would laugh himself silly with all the 'mammon-ary' puns he would make.]
"There are a few more," the dragon said to itself as its eye, larger than a city, roved around the Underworld. "Any of you want to take them? Also, Glynda, do you mind cleaning up a bit? It's a bit of a mess down there."
Rias wondered who he was talking to for a second, then pinpricks of light fell from the open portal.
It was only thanks to a devil's enhanced senses and the use of a spell that Rias could tell that it was actually a group of women flying in the direction of the remaining Bandersnachs.
[Sensei! This is your Harem? I'm so jealous! They have magnificent Oppai! I'll follow you into hell!!] Rias was ashamed that she could tell from just his tone of voice that Issei must be crying in envy.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, brat. We're already in hell, anyway," the White dragon responded absentmindedly before continuing his conversation. "I know it's annoying, but you are just so good at it. Come on, once we're done here, I'll do that thing you like. No holding back or anything. Just you, me, your crop, the dungeon, and fifty hours of uninterrupted fun."
Rias was glad she had been watching attentively as, had she blinked, she would have missed the much smaller, only about the size of Tanin, purple dragon fall from the portal. It flew over the Underworld, and as it passed, all the damage caused by the Khaos Brigade was undone in its wake.
[So jealous! Just wait! One day, Buchou and I will do it for an entire week! You'll see!] Issei repeated, dramatically shaking his massive fist at the sky.
Rias wanted to find a hole to crawl into as hundreds of eyes turned to look at her.
Mech-Issei was still cool, though.
"Now there is no distraction, Baka-Red," 'Mikael-sensei' turned back to the trapped Dragon of Dream, completely ignoring Issei's dramatic declaration. "Pay up!"
Bound by the powers of Demon Lord and left with no escape, the Apocalypse Dragon was forced to concede the spoils to the victor.
"..." Even with Great Red's massive size and being so close, Rias could not hear the words the dragon mumbled.
"I am sorry, I didn't quite get that?" The massive white dragon in the sky tilted its head as if pressing his ear against a door.
"...ragons."
"Still too quiet. You need to speak loud and clear. So everyone can hear you."
"Fine! Damnit, you petty bastard! White Dragons are better than Red Dragons. Are you happy now?"
"Very happy," Mikael answered, smug satisfaction radiating from his bellowing voice. "That wasn't so hard, now was it?"
{NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!}
Ddraig's cry of lament echoed across the land from Issei's armour.
{YYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!}
But it was drowned out by Albion's triumphant cheer as Team Vali joined them in their defence against the Hero Faction.
Battered by the rise and falls, the twists and turns, the despair and hope that had come and gone in the last few days, Rias only felt her vision dim as her lack of sleep, as well as the relief of seeing the man she loved alive and well, finally catch up to her.
The young heiress' last waking thought, before she was caught in Akeno's arms and fell into a slumber, was just as coherent as the last ten minutes had been for the Underworld.
Surprisingly, Vali could dance a perfect jig.
********
I had a lot of fun with this one, giggling the entire time. Issei is just such a fun character to write. The whole DXD world is. I don't know why its characters get such hate when it is, essentially, a crack/fanservice/fanfic by itself. Some things might be wrong, as it has been years since I read those light novels (never seen the anime, so I don't know if things are different there.)