"The Dragon's Old Friend"

"The Dragon's Old Friend"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

Linnie and V's eye met and like old friends V ever slightly nodded to where the Vans were and Linnie made an excuse to go and get something that she had left there. Their manager started to say something but a look from Linnie herself stopped him in his tracks. Something that he will later not recall except as a feeling of cold water when Linnie would look at him in the future.

When Linnie had left , V followed.He pretended to open the back of the van and joined in what the short haired girl in her search.

"Just like old times. I was surprised to see you here though. Doesn't the Yuu clan want you on a short leash?"

Linnie looked at V with so much poison in her eyes. "And who's fault do you think that is V?"

"Like I said then , it was not yours or mine. It was merely the circumstances that we were in with..."

"Don't you mention his name. You don't deserve to even mention it." Linnie pretended to pat the back of the chairs as if something might fall down but it was actually a way for her to not hit the Dragon.

"Now normally I know what Dragons want with a Garden of Maidens like this but as of now that is not clear to me and I think you owe me an answer. Why are you here? Why show here and potentially make a mess of what we are doing as a group?"

"You thought I was here for you. I am here for one person and one person alone."

"Are you telling me that you have found her? One of us? Your beloved maiden lost in time?"

"Yes and being the same age as me you know full well who I am referring to."

Linnie was fast and she produced a dagger and poised it at the back of V's neck. "Do you remember this dagger? It was your gift. Aim for the back of the Dragons neck in human form where their scales cannot reach and their talons cannot wander into. The spot where the dagger laced with Death Dragon poison can do it's worse damage. Do you remember saying that to me?"

"Of course I do. Linnie. It sounds funny to me calling you by that name but one has to keep appearances.Please do not misread the reason why I am here."

"Dragons devour maidens. And if you touch a single hair on our princess I will be there to stop you."

"I highly doubt that you can stop me but you know way better that if I had wanted someone devoured then I would not go through the motions of pretending to be human and blending in."

"Then what are you doing here?"

"I mean to die."

"What? The self absorbed V of old saying that he will lay his life for a maiden? One that probably even has the bulk of the 1st Dragons essence? Do you expect me to believe that?"

"I am tired Linnie. My house wants me to succeed as the Silver Emperor. To hold the balance between this plane and the other ones surrounding it. When it was my wrong doing that allowed those monsters to be stronger. I am tired of the cycle of death."

"So why are you here if not to devour the princess?"

"I am here to protect her. In my state there are others in the world that are far stronger. I have managed to beat them with luck and strategy for now but I know that day by day I am running low on those."

"So you want to protect the princess to prevent others from Ascending as well? Doesn't that make this cycle even worse."

"You and I are old enough to know that. But I am tired of Maiden after Maiden dying for Dragons. The cycle has to end."

"I am sorry V but you know that in order for that cycle to end , one must reunite the orbs of the 1st and hold the line permanently."

"Or Obliterate the portals that keep on opening around the world"

"Both tasks are impossible. I helped you in both remember. Before..."

"I know. I am sorry Linnie. You can ignore me after this talk. I will not bother you. Just know that I am here for YuuA and her protection."

Linnie lowered the dagger she had held for so long against the base of V's skull.

"If you say that you will protect her as we are all doing then you will have no problems with me. Your issue and mine have nothing to do with her. But know that there will be no forgiveness from me no matter what happens."

V looked at the maiden who seemed young but was the oldest among her members and V remembered the promise he had made to her and her brother. Something that he knew he would not be able to keep. For now Linnie would be silent on who he really was but he knew that she would need her for the future.

V slid his palms together and handed Linnie a pair of earrings.

"Here. Tell them that this was a gift from your....brother...and that you had to just find it."

Linnie took the earrings , looked at V and strode off. 

"One of these days we would have to deal with that fact Linnie but not today."