The habit of seeing between the lines. | Привычка видеть между строк.
Русскую версию можно посмотреть на wattpad и в конфе.
Congratulations on the day of the shooting of Chikatilo. And happy Valentine's Day, too. Yes, I'm a little late again, I'm sorry.
I do not pretend to any historical accuracy.
There is cruelty and gender-based discrimination in fanfiction, if you don't like it, don't read it, your nerves are more precious to you.
ㅤ– Almost done... - Catboy whispered into his communicator, trying to stay out of Romeo's sight and waiting for his latest invention to wear off.
There was a sigh of relief behind him, and then Owlette made it clear that she was fine and had returned to her age. Romeo embodies more and more crazy ideas every year, this time it was almost like a small time machine, with which he wanted to change the course of time so that they would never become heroes.
– Gekko, are you in position? - the blue cat pricked up his ears, listening to what was happening around him.
– Yes, I'm here ... - the guy said softly in response, immediately after focusing on his task.
Disguised by his camouflage, Gekko quietly crept towards the villain, who was looking for them unhurriedly, as if he was just strolling in search of his buddies. Romeo, on the other hand, was not worried about another defeat. Since the age of thirteen, all these atrocities have become for him something akin to a game in which the prize is the sour faces of enemies. And it was also a matter of habit.
– Heroes, kitty-kitty-kitty~ Where are you, why are such brave guys hiding in the bushes? - the inventor walked along the paths of the park with a smile of a satisfied devil, even managing to hum something to himself.
The gecko carefully followed him, keeping up and waiting for the moment when it would be most convenient to snatch this pocket time machine from the hands of the villain and end all these nocturnal escapades. It's pretty late, and their first lesson is algebra.
Catching the moment when the "Evil Genius" stopped walking from bench to bench and waving his arms, the hero abruptly rushed in, knocking the inventor off his feet and snatching another device from his hands, which did not allow them to sleep.
Romeo snorted and quickly got up from the ground, brushing the dust off his robe. He pretended to be offended, although he had long since stopped resenting defeats. Now it was a chance to come back with a new crazy idea and impress heroes with his quick wit.
–You took it, - the "Evil Genius" chuckled, shrugging his shoulders. – But I'll be back!
– Yeah, yeah, of course... - Gekko rolled his eyes, and then turned his gaze to Romeo's invention in his hands.
To keep such a thing at headquarters means tormenting yourself with finding a place for all this, the inventor recently seemed to have caught some kind of inspiration of his own and now he appears almost every week with a new creation. So, without thinking twice, the young man decided to turn the pocket time machine into scrap metal.
The inventor of his creation did not have time to stop him, although he already wanted to push the hero away so that he would not make mistakes, but it was too late. Gekko writhed as if he had been electrocuted, and then disappeared.
– What kind of tricks are these!? - the Scarlet Owl started up, flying up to the scene.
– No tricks, - Romeo mumbled, rolling his eyes. - it's his own fault that he's an idiot... And don't look at me like that, he'll be back in three hours at most, nothing will happen to him during that time. Good night.
And he left, taking with him the remains of his miracle device, as if it wasn't his problem that Gekko had been thrown back in time. Owlette and Catboy could only wait for their friend to come back to reality.
ㅤAt first, the gecko didn't really understand where he was. Bright light cut into his eyes, forcing him to squint and get up quickly so as not to torment his eyeballs and pupils, which are sensitive to light.
Another incentive to not stay too long on the ground was the approaching voices. Unfamiliar voices, speaking in an unfamiliar language and sometimes interrupted by a soft tinkling. It seems to be male, and it seems there were at least three of them.
Gekko, realizing that he could get into trouble if he was too careless, since it was unknown at which point on the timeline he was thrown back, quickly got up from the grass, using camouflage.
Soon, two horses with riders on their backs passed by him, they were wearing armor, so that the metal sheets rang softly, hitting each other. Not noticing the "guest from the future", they safely disappeared in an unknown direction, disappearing among the green bamboo thickets.
The hero, exhaling with relief, trudged off in the opposite direction from them. Surely there is some kind of settlement in the direction from which these two were heading, and if you are lucky, some large city, which will definitely make it easier to hide from prying eyes and wait out the next invention of the "Evil Genius".
And he was lucky, just a couple of hundred meters away there seemed to be some kind of rather big settlement, stairs down and up. It seemed like the guy was on some mountain, and he thought he was starting to recognize this place. The landscapes reminded the hero of a Mystery Mountain.
And while his thoughts wandered to the edge of consciousness and back, the pupils did not miss a single detail. The houses, shops, and people, as if descended from ancient frescoes or museum restoration, looked mesmerizing.
Greg didn't even notice how he found himself in the middle of a crowd gathered next to a certain house. Everyone was whispering, worried, trying to see what was going on at the door, although everything was quiet. At first, the hero didn't understand where he was, and then he decided to test something.
PJ Robot had recently improved the communicators for the entire team, now it was possible not only to contact a teammate from a long distance, but also to translate someone's speech. Of course, the translation was a little late, just a couple of seconds, but the overall accuracy of the translation and interpretation compensated for this.
As soon as the function was activated, Gekko almost immediately picked out from the hum of voices the words about the matchmaker, about the future, about the hope for a successful marriage of the daughters, about the shame that would engulf the family, the girl from which the matchmaker would be expelled from the house, if there were such, of course.
These conversations seemed very strange to him, but he could only accept it. Apparently, Romeo's invention pushed him far enough back in time.
Young girls were coming out of the matchmaker's house one by one, some were smiling modestly, some were not showing any emotions at all. The crowd slowly dispersed, leaving only a few families waiting for their daughters along with the verdict.
When only one man remained in front of the doors, holding two younger daughters by the arms, who were whispering to each other, the doors of the building abruptly opened, a scream was heard, and another girl almost fell down a small staircase, tripping over the long sleeves of her clothes.
– ... Get out! She's not good! You will never become a woman! - shouted a plump woman standing on the porch. - Shame on you! Come back when you understand your place!
The man shouted something at the matchmaker and hugged the obviously upset girl to him. Apparently, this is his eldest daughter. The younger girls immediately rushed to their sister, hugging and babbling words of support. Gekko was standing too far away to hear what they were talking about, but the man's eldest daughter reminded him of someone even from afar.
Deciding to satisfy his curiosity, Gekko followed them, trying not to lose this family in the crowd of townspeople. It took a long walk, to a courtyard far from the busy streets, somewhere almost under the very top of the mountain.
The man comforted his eldest daughter all the way, who was sniffling, judging by the conversations, more from public shame than from the fact that she would not be able to get married.
– ... All right, all right, An Yu, stop crying, - said the man, whose words were already more distinguishable in the silence of the bamboo grove. - we agreed, right?
An Yu nodded, sobbing one last time and smiling as her father picked her up in his arms and then put her on his shoulder. Gekko was able to get closer, watching the two with interest.
– I'll tell you a secret... - the man beckoned his daughter to bend over with his finger. - Mom sees even more potential in you than in your brother...
The girl smiled radiantly, almost glowing. The younger sisters of An Yu ran away for the first time, now waiting for them at the gate of their courtyard.
Gekko smiled to himself, not daring to interfere with the family idyll. It seems that thanks to this stupid case of his carelessness with the invention of Romeo, the guy learns the story of his teammate. What Gekko considered a great chance, An Yu did not often talk about herself and her past.
But for now, all that remained was to contemplate the surroundings - from this height, almost everything was visible. The mountains closed in a ring, surrounding the lowlands with their heights and cliffs. Somewhere in the distance, there were blue rivers and green forests, both bamboo and quite familiar. Clouds covered the tops of the mountains, and the setting sun turned them a soft pinkish-peach color, disappearing below the horizon.
The guy carefully lay down on the grass, put his hands on his head and took a deep breath. The air here is much cleaner than in the city, at least it feels like it.
ㅤAt first, everything seemed more or less harmless. Training with her father and brothers, which always captured her at the end and ruffled her black locks, making her laugh.
The younger sisters went to the grooms' families to get acquainted. They had been given a good match among the dragons, so they showed enthusiasm one way or another as they set off, but before that, they wished their older sister all the best and success.
However, Gekko, moving between flashes that threw him back in time and seemed to show memories, did not understand how everything had changed.
One day, An Yu showed her draconian features in the heat of battle, which took her father by surprise and knocked him to the ground, it seems, without any strength at all, although she was half his size and clearly weaker. The man was surprised and proud, but the mother, whose gaze seemed to the hero confused and too stern to be simple concern, did not seem to show much joy.
From that day on, everything changed. Quiet, but irreversible. Now her mother was doing her training.
She was a dragon and, as Greg realized, the current Guardian of the Mystery Mountain. The woman immediately warned that she would not play giveaway and every fight with her would be like a real one. She changed the schedule of classes, if almost twelve-hour workouts can be dubbed with such a word. She fought hard, with full force, using the artifacts she took from the pagoda. In between fights, she taught her daughter tactics, diplomacy, and talked about the course of rituals and traditions. She also taught abstractly the art of writing, painting and music making, taught her to hear her surroundings and understand what the Mountain was whispering about.
An Yu almost flew into a huge boulder with her back, losing her balance and dropping the spear from her hands. The tip of her mother's spear lifted her head under her chin. There were tears in the corners of his eyes that glistened in the light.
– An Yu, don't make me punish you... - the woman came closer, but the tip of the spear remained in one place, not daring to wound the delicate skin of her child.
The girl swallowed, trying to suppress the tears that were so desperately bursting out, burning her eyes so fiercely. Her cheeks were burning, and there was a lump in my throat. She tried to stop crying, but what if she wasn't so good at controlling her emotions yet?
The woman stood motionless, clutching the spear tightly in her hands, as if hesitating, wondering if it was worth continuing. As a result, she removed the weapon from her daughter's face and knelt in front of her on one knee, unable to contemplate her attempts to overcome tearfulness any longer.
– Honey, you know we have a special place for tears~... - the woman purred, wiping salt drops from her child's cheeks with a fluffy tail brush. This "special place" was a small cave, where Gekko had already been, watching An Yu, resting from her mother's exhausting teachings - ... Right now, you need to calm down. I don't enjoy punishing you, so let's not look for an excuse for that, okay?
Gekko, who had been standing on the sidelines and watching this action for about ten minutes, was taken aback. Punishment? For what? For hurting An Yu? Because she's offended? For showing emotion? For a few tears? It seemed wild to him, but the woman continued.
– ... Understand, my dear, a fight does not accept tears or fear, will not spare, and certainly will not be lenient. I'm still being gentle with you, but the real rivals definitely won't babble. And it's going to be much harder at the military college, where you're so eager to go... - the Dragoness said this with hidden longing and concern, the woman roughly understood what awaited her girl there, because it was she who chose one "chosen" student every year, a kind of lottery for the education of those who did not have the opportunity to enroll on their own. But it was also painful for her to cut her daughter's desires and aspirations in the bud, so the woman tried to prepare her as best she could for the cruelty of reality that An Yu would have to face. - So let's stop roaring and take a spear, the enemy won't be waiting for you.
The girl swallowed, wiping her tears with her sleeve, and cheerfully got to her feet, grabbing the dropped weapon and getting into position, determined to continue.
– You're right, Mother... Let's continue...
ㅤ– You're too soft on her, Mrs. Jinghua Lin... - the maid sighed softly, watching the training battle and deciding to raise her voice when the daughter of the named disappeared into the house. - ... You should teach her to not arise, be modest and obedient for her husband, otherwise she is already fighting with her father and brothers, she has no respect for people, you can marry her off as soon as possible, she has disgraced herself with a matchmaker, so at least let the honor of the family be cleared by a profitable marriage...
Gekko felt goosebumps running down his spine. Judging by what he had already heard from the fragments of the dialogues, marriage in this situation is the worst thing that can be advised to a fighting girl like An Yu. And her mother seemed angry.
– Do you want to bet?... - Lin growled menacingly, her tail curled into rings, and her pupils became needles, ready to poke out the employee's eyes for such speeches.
– Absolutely not. - the maid quickly retreated, not wanting to incur the wrath of the Guardian, who has been protecting powerful artifacts for centuries from those who wanted to use them for evil.
ㅤAn Yu bit her lip, holding onto the reins tightly as her horse snorted and shook its head. She did not get off him, tried to calm down before entering the territory of the school, which she finally got into. Her heart was beating against her ribs, and her eyes were shining and taking in her surroundings.
And only Lin looked at her with concern. Anxiety gnawed at the mother's heart, she wanted to dissuade her daughter from this crazy idea, but no. She has no right to chop off her wings. And let it be contrary to tradition and order. Let her be the first girl to take the Guardian's place (Jingua herself did not count, dragons were mostly considered sexless creatures, so her position did not cause much social unrest).
– Remember what I taught you. - the woman helped her daughter off the horse, kissing her on the forehead and hugging her, as if feeling that this was the last time.
And she taught her a lot. Hand-to-hand combat, archery on horseback and in formation, fighting with a spear, a sword, with artifacts, with staffs, even with the use of a tail, and what would now be called acrobatics, theory was also not lame - diplomacy, tactics, military treatises learned by heart. The Dragoness wanted her daughter's college to be less difficult.
– Of course, Mother, I will remember everything - the girl smiled, still not knowing what to expect next, but looking forward to the future with fervent enthusiasm.
However, she was not received very cordially. She entered the territory with another boy who had passed all the tests of the Guardian of the Mountain and got the opportunity to study at this school, and he looked at her so askance that the girl involuntarily thought that something was wrong.
There was also no sense of hospitality or the slightest friendliness in the school itself. An Yu was the only girl among the men and boys. One of the teachers, noticing her, almost immediately blushed with anger and was about to throw her out by force, but Jingua's roar reasoned with everyone who was against it. If she brought her here, then no one would dare to argue with her.
An Yu, on the other hand, frightened by such a sharp and completely groundless display of aggression, tried not to show her fright, because battles do not accept fear... But she was eternally grateful that her mother was by her side, that she was protecting her.
She was going to have many years of training with, as many said, the best warriors and even a couple of dragons. It was here that the Dragon Masters trained, who had been protecting the Mystery Mountain from attacks for generations for centuries. Just one thought stirred her mind and heart, and she wanted to smile from ear to ear and maybe even giggle, but An Yu tried not to show her emotions. Emotions are a weakness.
Everything was ahead, ups and downs, perhaps some kind of misunderstanding. But she is ready and will cope with everything that fate has prepared for her!
ㅤThe difficulties began almost immediately. Even though she was initiated as a student, the others were not happy about it. A girl? Studying with them? It's unthinkable at this time! Women should be locked up at home, not picking up a sword at the first opportunity. They must lead a life, be compliant, and follow all men's orders. But there is no way to study at the military academy, preparing for the role of Guardian of the Mystery Mountain.
Conflicts broke out with enviable frequency. At first, An Yu tried to imitate them, but she only received rejection and aggression in her direction. When she tried to do everything on an equal basis with everyone else, she was always asked to do more. She had to prove every time that she was worthy of studying here, that she was not weak. The fact that she was a half-breed (half-human, half-dragon) only made the situation worse, because if she couldn't do something or respond quickly enough, it turned out that she was shaming the dragons.
An Yu tried, really tried not to disappoint anyone, but they continued to treat her like she was worthless. That's what they called her, "Worthless Guardian." It's hard to stay friendly in such an environment.
Gekko saw how attempts to make friends, to please, to become "one's own" resulted in retaliatory aggression and attempts to defend herself physically, since fights were also not uncommon. And how she was punished for it.
The flash blinded the hero again, taking him back in time.
An Yu ran after her "colleague", who took her plate right before she was about to eat, and teased her. The girl chased after him cursing and furiously trying to take her food away from other people's hands. In the end, her plate was just shaken to the ground, laughing, Gekko didn't even have time to react, it was so fast.
– Here, you caught me up, well done! - the boy guffawed, pointing to a wooden bowl that had been thrown on the ground. - Now you can eat!
The dragon girl, still not having the wit and endurance not to react, rushed at the offender, starting another fight. The hero really wanted to stop it, drop the camouflage, separate them. But he discovered with bitterness that they couldn't hear him, couldn't see him, and generally passed through him. A simple realization hit his head: this is the past, nothing can be changed here. Everything has long passed, he sees only memories.
He could only watch as An Yu squabbled with her abuser, as tears welled up in her eyes, for which she would definitely be punished more severely. They were soon separated, and the teachers and caregivers were clearly not happy with the next fight.
– So, An Yu, how many times do I have to tell you, don't bother the students, because all you do is provoke everyone. - one teacher immediately began, not paying attention to the other participant in the conflict.
– But he started taking away my food! - the girl defended herself, trying to prove her innocence in the situation. - I'm still hungry!
– If you eat less, you'll be more refined, you'll need it. - the teacher barked, hinting that soon An Yu would be kicked out of school with such disgrace that she would have no choice but to humiliatedly go home, where her parents would decide her future fate.
– Okay, I don't want to hear any more! - the martial arts teacher shouted at everyone, addressing An Yu. - Thirty slaps on the back and you spend the rest of the day meditating by the lake.
– But... - the girl wanted to defend herself, but she was interrupted.
– Fifty slaps. If you don't stop contradicting me, we'll talk differently. - the teacher obviously didn't want to listen to anything, the tutor nodded for her to follow him.
And she walked away, feeling the nasty smiles and giggles behind her. Gekko looked at this scene with devastation. It all seemed crazy, cruel and unbearable, and I wanted to pull An Yu out of it, hold her close, whisper that it wasn't her fault, that she was defending herself. But he's just a ghost for this time.
ㅤAn Yu quickly shut herself off from the world, less than a year into college, and she plunged headlong into training, reading treatises and meditation. She learned to suppress her emotions and her strength, which were bursting out like an angry beast, and she was often found fault with and punished for them. Although she was punished more often than anyone else. The attitude towards her was biased, but the girl sincerely believed that she was to blame for all her problems and misfortunes.
– You're not even good enough to be a seamstress, so why did you join the army? - One of the guys who was paired up with An Yu for practice asked venomously. - You'd make a good "dancer", though...
– You too. - An Yu said sharply, without thinking, baring her teeth. - I have a couple of dresses, I can borrow them. Only beauty is needed there, and you don't shine with it.
– What did you say there!? - unable to withstand such abuse of his ego, the guy started a more serious fight, already intending to injure his opponent.
An Yu abruptly displayed her dragon features, swinging her tail at the opponent and throwing her weapon, already about to use her claws. But they were separated in time, they did not have time to injure each other. This time, the lesson was taught by a dragon teacher, so the situation was a little different.
– Punished. Both of you, - the man growled menacingly, holding them both by the scruff of the neck. - you will clean the floors in the north wing.
He let the guy go, sending him to get some cloths and water, and put the girl on the ground, but did not let go of the fabric of her clothes.
– And you, young lady, should be more vigilant, wiser, and in better control of yourself. That kind of power is dangerous, and if you give in to weakness again, you'll kill someone. You don't want to be a murderer, do you? - the man tightened his grip on An Yu's collar, even though he didn't expect an answer to the question.
The girl nodded, finally hiding the attributes of the mythical species. Only then was she released and allowed to go to the north wing.
After getting a rag and changing clothes, An Yu got down to business, trying not to pay attention to the fact that resentment was burning inside, and her opponent was quiet. She hoped that he just wanted to complete his punishment as soon as possible and leave, then he would have time to think about his own.
She softened her anger with deep breathing. Emotions should not be shown, they are an indicator of weakness, and some are even dangerous. How can she call herself a Guardian if she endangers the people living on the mountain and the artifacts entrusted to them by all the provinces?
An Yu noticed the shadow looming over her too late. A moment later, a bucket of water was poured on her, into which the dust and dirt of the premises, and even some garbage were carefully mixed. And then the laughter, so nasty, bubbling. He had deliberately timed the moment when she would be on her knees.
– Now you're in your place! - the young man laughed, almost folding in half from the ridiculousness of the sight, and as soon as the girl began to growl, warning that she might start to defend herself, he bared his teeth. - Don't you dare growl at me. You'd better work, you missed a spot over there. Otherwise, you're going to lick this floor...
An Yu just growled softly, rolled her eyes, and continued her business, swallowing her resentment and pride. Of course, she wanted to punch this cheeky guy in the face, but then the punishment would be tougher. And she doesn't want to go without food for a few days once again.
ㅤShe wanted to tell my parents everything. Complain, maybe even lie a little to get a comforting "let's figure it out" from your father or mother. But the girl definitely adequately assessed her capabilities. After such antics, the whole school will definitely turn against her, and she is not able to defend herself alone if she is given a trap.
Her father, as the Supreme Commander of the Guard, visited this military school every six months to conduct some training, teach the young military wisdom and just visit her daughter, since she studied there anyway.
An Yu willingly escaped from the sordid reality into the warm embrace of her parents. This time, even my mother came, which made the future Guardian very happy.
Noticing the frown on her child's face, Jingua took her aside, intending to find out what was the matter.
– An Yu, is something wrong? You're darker than a cloud, are you sure you're okay? - the Dragoness growled worriedly.
An Yu hesitated slightly. She didn't want to run into additional problems, so she decided to mitigate everything so as not to bother her Mother with unnecessary worries.
– I'm lonely, Mother, I can't find a common language with others... But I can at least train as much as I want... - a slight smile touched her lips. She was still inspired by the dream of becoming like a mother, even if those wings were wounded. - I'm fine, really, I just miss you and my brothers... How are my sisters?
– They got married, - Lin smiled, picking up her daughter in her arms. - they're already purring with their husbands, and I'm about to see my grandchildren...
The woman fell silent, noticing how An Yu was staring thoughtfully through the ground. Suspecting something was wrong, the Dragoness hugged her closer to her chest.
– No, An Yu, that's not how things are done, I can see that something is still gnawing at your heart. Tell me, maybe there is a solution to your problem...
– I... - the girl hesitated whether to tell or not, eventually deciding to downplay the scale of all the problems. - It's just that I'm the smallest of them all, it already seems like I'm just an orphan who accidentally wandered in here...
– Honey... - Jingua sighed, stroking her black hair. - You're just growing up in a different way." I know for sure that you will still grow taller, just a little later... - seeing how these words had no effect, the woman took a deep breath, whispering. - Actually, you can use your power to look older... Just please think before you use such tricks...
An Yu nodded, showing that she understood the risks and all that. But I was thinking about something else entirely. After all, this can be considered a way out of her situation, she has already been threatened that she is "easy prey" because of her small stature and weight, they say, «Walk and look around. We definitely won't get bored tonight, with a girl like that next to us.» And if it becomes about the same proportions, then maybe it will have a chance against the enemy.
Later, when testing this spell, she still succeeded. But how clumsy, inappropriate, and ridiculous the changed body felt... This incongruous size, this emptiness inside...
ㅤGekko, watching the story unfold, was increasingly horrified by the environment in which his friend grew up. Everything suddenly made sense. Her strict adherence to traditions, her lack of emotion, her desire not to cause problems, that smile on duty – she was framed like that, he couldn't call it anything else. Hidden behind a ring of mountains, the place has always lived by the same rules and customs, it is impossible to shake them, the locals flatly refused to accept anything that was somehow different from their routine. And the high status and position of a woman, her freedom and the unencumbered duty of being a servant - all this clearly annoyed the public.
From all sides, both inside and outside the school, one could hear: "The maid rebelled", "Incompetent wastelander", "All the military are like military, and you are like a whore!", "You are not a Guardian, you are a bargaining chip", "Only top-class Dragon Masters study here, you are not here place", "People like you need a strong dick to calm down and know your place", "You're too much of a greyhound. It's not for nothing that girls break their legs, they don't understand in a good way, but at least they start to respect", "If there was a war now, then because of soldiers like you, we would have already lost to the enemy!", "Unworthy, probably slept with someone for a place", "Too weak for such a high position," and so on, on, on...
ㅤAt some point, Gekko simply turned off the translator function on the communicator. It was very hard to listen to all this.
An Yu has learned to ignore it, as well as to suppress her emotions completely. Now she definitely won't indulge in recklessness. Or she just won't let herself think about all those words that were thrown at her with such disgust, such hostility.
In her final year of military school, looking forward to further learning from her Mother personally all the subtleties of her position so that she could take over this business and become a full-fledged Guardian of the Mystery Mountain, An Yu became friends with a spirit who introduced himself as Manki-Gu.
This monkey, smiling and always joking ridiculous jokes, somehow touched the girl's almost petrified heart. He made her smile, though very, very rarely. And if he's lucky, he can even giggle.
Monki-Gu turned out to be a good conversationalist, a master of practical jokes and tricks, and always came up with original ways to have fun, even if it meant playing a prank on someone. An Yu was happy to play pranks on the college boys, perhaps even gloating, but she never allowed herself to go too far.
And so, at their next meeting, the spirit spoke with excitement about a new prank that he was going to arrange. Something to do with a volcano located next to a Mystery Mountain. Only he needed a fire artifact with which to awaken this volcano.
– Well, can you help me? - Monki-Gu smiled with all his teeth, hugging his friend. - Nothing serious, everything will just stick a little to the road!
– I'm in! - An Yu giggled, already imagining how the boys from the college would swear and stick to the ground. - I even know which artifact to bring...
– Great! - the spirit jumped around his partner, already ready to pull his prank.
However, as it happens, everything went a bit wrong as expected. An Yu gave her friend the firestone, allowing him to rush off with it to the volcano. But instead of a harmless rain of splat, this decision turned into a disaster.
Due to the fiery energy, the splat split apart and became more liquid. In this state, it did much more damage than it could have done if it was cold. There was a lot of hype that time, Lin was on edge, trying to find out who stole the artifact and staged a similar brawl.
An Yu, seeing the general panic and what her recklessness had led to, quickly returned the firestone back to the pagoda, telling her mother that she had found it in the forest and perhaps whoever stole it had lost the artifact while escaping.
– You're very bad in lying... - Lin sighed, closing the firestone in the locker. - Let's just say I'm not punishing you, but you tell me what really happened, okay?
But there was only a shy silence in response. An Yu understood that her action would have terrible consequences, and she was already reproaching herself for agreeing to this stupid and dangerous prank without even thinking about how the force of the fire would affect the environment.
– An Yu, have I ever thrown words to the wind? - the Dragoness crossed her arms over her chest, her voice became stricter.
– Then tell me. You have nothing to be afraid of, especially around me.
– ... - after hesitating for another minute, the girl still began to mumble. I wanted to cry, but the ban on tears is a strong barrier. - Monki-Gu said that everything would be fine, and that there were no threats or risks... That it would be a harmless prank where everyone would stick to the ground...
Jinghua Lin could feel the rage burning inside her daughter with every word. No, not at her daughter, but at this vile, deceitful spirit who so easily convinced An Yu to steal a precious artifact from the pagoda and use it for a dangerous joke. With a snort, the woman leaned over to her daughter, taking her by the shoulders.
– I get it. I won't punish you, I'll tell everyone your story, but you have to listen to me. - Jingua looked straight into her child's eyes, seeing remorse there. - This "prank" has harmed the inhabitants of the Mountain. More than two hundred died. Suffocated, burned, and crashed on rocks in an attempt to escape. Your father hurt his arm. Houses, streets, workshops burned down. People lost their homes, families, and jobs. These are not only adults, but also children of different ages, and old people who are unable to do anything in case of danger. The Guardians nip this in the bud, they just don't let it happen. Such mistakes are unacceptable to us. I know you thought he was a friend, but he's not. You can't so treacherously trust the first person you meet who says he understands you. Remember, your actions will always have serious consequences, and some decisions will cost hundreds of lives...
ㅤThe woman fell silent, sighing, because she had spent all the air in her lungs on this speech. An Yu nodded her head, digesting everything her mother had said. Her own conscience loomed over her like a menacing cloud, and guilt clawed at her chest. In fact, she killed more than two hundred people, because she was the one who gave the damn artifact to Monki-Gu.
– Honey, promise me not to make such mistakes again... - Lin spoke more softly, stroking her daughter's head.
– Yes, Mother... It won't happen again... - the girl promised, mentally devouring herself. - And what will happen to Monki-Gu?
– He will be severely punished. - the woman looked at her child sympathetically. - Your father has already made arrangements with the Imperial Sorcerer, he will arrive here soon.
An Yu just nodded, feeling her heart thumping down heavily. It's like something inside her is breaking off.
ㅤMonki-Gu was imprisoned in a statue and hidden away from human eyes and minds, deep in caves. An Yu listlessly tried to mitigate the punishment of her former friend, but she could not influence anything. Feeling guilty, involved in a terrible tragedy, she took on all possible responsibilities at her age in order to forget, not to think about it. Not to face your own thoughts.
The girl did not sleep at night, waking up from nightmares almost every night, she exhausted herself only more.
The military school is behind her, which means she will now study with her mother. From the outside, it seemed that everything would be easier now, but what a misconception. On the territory of the pagoda, Jingua was a cold, aloof, calculating Guardian, ready to pass on her skills and knowledge to a new generation. So no indulgences, no tenderness.
And they kept whispering behind my back. "It's definitely just because of her connections that she got here, she probably doesn't even know how to handle a sword!", "A little whore...", "Where has it been seen that a girl gets such a high position!?". Of course, they didn't speak to their faces - they whispered among themselves. The local system still could not accept what was out of the general order.
An Yu tried not to pay attention to this, other unpleasant thoughts that had been voiced earlier by other people had already settled in her head for a long time, and new phrases remained there. She just didn't allow herself to think about them. She didn't let me think about myself.
She became resistant. Without weakness of emotions, tenaciously holding her bestial essence on a short leash. She no longer flinched when she was hit on the back or arms if she was mistaken. She learned quickly, almost literally grasping on the fly and understanding with half a word.
She remembered everything about rituals, warfare, etiquette, and how to behave properly when surrounded by certain people, how to answer to the Emperor, how to take care of artifacts, and the consequences of each step she took.
Lin, watching her daughter succeed, becoming more agile, faster, stronger, was proud of her girl. She passed this test, became the one she dreamed of, because she is already ready to take her place.
Her father was also proud of her, by that time he had already turned gray, retired from his duties, unofficially so far, but still loving his children. The brothers, who had been unable to communicate with their sister all this time because of their studies, were sincerely happy for her. The sisters are delighted in the letters.
But everything comes to an end. That night, the girl was especially worried. Something was wrong, she could feel it. A bad feeling had not left her since the moment her mother had gone on a detour around the Mountain.
Without knowing why, An Yu packed up, took a spear for defense just in case, and went to look for her Mother, hoping that she was just unreasonably worried about something that could not be.
In the darkness of the night, the light of the lantern swinging from side to side only increased the anxiety. The silence was torn to shreds by wild screams. More precisely, a growl. It can't be...?
Her heart began to race, and she ran as fast as she could in the direction from which she had heard the roar, clearly painful and hoarse. If only she could make it...
There was a pogrom in the clearing with a large stone in the center. The attackers, who clearly hadn't calculated their strength, were already lying lifeless, but that didn't bother An Yu. More than that, her attention was drawn to the way her mother was leaning on a boulder, holding her stomach, from which blood was flowing.
– Mom! - the girl immediately threw the lantern and the spear, rushing to her dearest dragon. - Mom, Mom!
She laid her on the ground, clutching her with trembling hands and examining the wound. The blood did not stop flowing, staining the robes dark red and spreading streaks on the skin.
–An Yu... - Jinghua Lin turned to her daughter, feeling the life slipping away from her body. - I'm handing my case over to you. Now it's your role to be the Guardian of the Mystery Mountain. I'm sorry if I offended you somewhere, I didn't mean to hurt you... - the woman handed her her staff, which An Yu immediately dug her nails into with all her might. - I know you can handle all the difficulties...
And, taking her last breath, she left. An Yu didn't want to believe it at first. But she couldn't hear any breathing or heartbeat. The body was devoid of life.
The scariest thing is that she didn't cry. After so many years of the strictest prohibition on emotions, the girl has completely forgotten how to cry. There was bitterness, there was sorrow, there was the pain of loss. But her eyes were still dry.
ㅤMourning hung over everyone. The funeral procession carried two coffins. The father did not survive the bitterness of parting with his beloved wife. The whole day of funeral An Yu was in some kind of sleep. As if she was supposed to wake up from this nightmare. But no, of course, nothing has changed.
The brothers' words flew by her ears that everything would be fine in the future, that they would definitely cope with everything. But she only focused on the staff her mother had given her...
She soon got worse. At first, they thought it was out of grief, but that's certainly not the reason why the girl began to grow horns.
Her head ached terribly, as if she was being hit on the head with an anvil every minute, it became difficult to breathe, it was cramped in her own body, and her skin burned with fire. An Yu scratched at herself, trying to get rid of this vile feeling of tightness.
On the second day after the onset of the mysterious illness, the pain became unbearable, and the animal features became much clearer. The girl couldn't find a place for herself, nothing could ease her suffering. By the end of that day, she was banging her head against the walls to fall into oblivion, just not to feel this agony.
Gekko could not calmly watch her suffering, tried to help, but to no avail. He can't influence anything.
When An Yu began crawling on the floor at the end of the third day, scratching the floor with long, dark red claws, moaning in pain, tossing her tail from side to side, smashing vases and demolishing everything on the floor, the guy felt as if his chest was being squeezed by an invisible vice.
The girl tried to get up, at least to braid her hair so as not to collect all the dirt from the floor, but she couldn't. Collapsing to the floor and curled up in a ball, the girl howled, whined and growled, thoughts left her head.
– An Yu! - Gekko couldn't stand it, even though he knew it was useless. She didn't hear, but is it possible to hear something in such agony?
The guy knelt down, wrapping his arms around her head, trying to cool her down and at least comfort her. To make it clear that she is not alone. And it even seemed to help. The Dragoness froze in place, only her tail curled in rings.
But then she hit her head on the floor with all her might, not wanting to feel this devouring pain. There was only one whim - not to feel this suffering.
She lost consciousness that time. And in the following days, she escaped in the same way, just falling into a blackout. She spent a week at a similar pace. In the end, everything became more bearable, later it almost subsided.
And on his head, on his forehead, there were now two huge horns. Very strong, keeping all the magic in her body under control. They take blows well, but they are fragile and very sensitive at the very base, near the head. There are bright scarlet scales on the skin, and long, sharp claws have replaced the nails. The teeth also felt enlarged.
After such a "transformation", it became clear that Jingua had transferred all her power to her daughter with her death. Quiet indignation was brewing in society, but no one talked about it out loud.
ㅤAn Yu stood in front of the Emperor, whose name she didn't even remember, dressed in silks and armor, her hair gathered, the pheasant feathers on lingzi twitched with every movement of her head, her tail calmly pressed against the stone slabs.
Still, she could feel the outrage of the courtiers behind her back. How they resent that she does not serve her husband, father or son, that she has not yet married or given birth. That she was free.
She knew everything. This success should have gone to her older brother. Many people thought so. And perhaps it would have been better if she hadn't strayed from the generally accepted norms... Maybe she really didn't deserve all this?
ㅤThe new Guardian quickly assumed full responsibility, without even thinking about delegating her duties to anyone. She did everything alone, taking up two positions at once, which remained after the death of her parents.
An Yu stroked the stallion's mane, sighing and listening to the wind, the rustle of bamboo, and the whisper of the Mountain. All her feelings and emotions were mixed into one ugly lump, and her special place where she could reflect on it had long been littered with stones. So all that remained was to work, work, and work again. The armor pressed down on his shoulders, distracting him from his daily routine.
– You know... - the girl did not even notice how one of the students of some Dragon Master addressed her, who was reporting something. She turned around, ears pricked up. - With such a character, you can only go to a brothel, at least your arrogance will be of some use!
Something fluttered inside An Yu. And now she doesn't know what she's doing. Her eyes are clouded with anger, which has burst out for the first time in many years.
She only woke up when clawed hands reached for her neck, intending to snap it in half for insulting her. At the last second, pulling her hands away from the human neck, An Yu was horrified. A kid with broken limbs was lying on the grass, the metal of his armor bent so that it almost became two layers.
What had she done? She almost killed that poor guy! The girl turned into a dragon, which she learned to do quite recently, and carefully picked up the guy she had injured, heading to the healers. She told them that he had fallen down the stairs, but the victim could not say a word.
On the way back to the pagoda, the Guardian bit the inside of her cheeks.
«You almost killed him! Did you see how the metal bent? Do you remember how easily you broke his bones? Keep yourself in control and don't be an idiot, or you'll kill all the locals, you worthless wastrel...» - the consciousness whispered, only increasing the feeling of guilt.
She shouldn't be like this. It's not appropriate for a Guardian. It's dangerous. Her emotions are dangerous. She is unworthy to call herself a Guardian if she allows such a thing to happen again. The girl would punish herself, she always knew how.
A drop of blood flowed down her chin, but for all her reasoning and lynching, she didn't even notice such an insignificant detail.
ㅤAn Yu took on all the responsibility she could, in between her jobs, without giving up training. She has always been on the case, it is her duty as a Guardian to deal with problems on the Mountain, not to lose skills, solve problems, monitor the safety of artifacts.
After receiving her mother's powers, the girl began to notice more animal oddities about herself. There were thoughts about what would be more convenient in the nest, from time to time a terrible hunger attacked, which was satisfied only by hunting, she wanted to growl when someone said something ambiguous, hinting that she did not belong here. But she already knew that if she gave in to her desires, she would become dangerous.
She held herself in strictness, not allowing her essence to break out. Her brothers were busy with their lives, and she didn't want to bother them with her problems. Outwardly, everything was perfect and that was the only thing that mattered.
However, behind the facade of a strict, fair, prudent and never-faltering Guardian, real hell was going on. An Yu didn't think about eating or sleeping - she just cut them down to a minimum. She didn't feel the boundaries of her body and mind, constantly pushing herself, demanding more.
Training at any time and under any circumstances, whether it's a dry, sultry summer or a harsh winter cold with a blizzard. Immediately after a meeting of important people. After dealing with what is now called "paperwork." Practice with the flute. Checking artifacts. And all in a circle. Not a single free minute, no indulgences.
She didn't care about the consequences of such a lifestyle of constant stress. But it was all visible from the outside. Nervous breakdowns, panic attacks, exhaustion, bags under her eyes, constant anxiety, the way she suppressed herself... So much so that she lost track of what she was feeling. She only knew what she had to feel, do, and think... It's just a pity that only Greg saw it.
But protests and outrages were brewing among the people, and anger was rising. Many were indignant that someone had dared to go against the social order that invariably prevailed in these lands due to isolation from the outside world. Especially a woman whose image is fixed in the Confucian norm: obedience to the father in childhood, to the husband in marriage, to the son in old age. And the image of a militant Guardian, who may be uninterested in family and marriage in general, having complete freedom of action, inviolability and the ability to make decisions independently without any pressure, did not fit into this framework.
Year after year, secret societies flourished in society, which were very aggressive. No one even hindered. Even the guards, who were supposed to be on the side of the acting Guardian, turned a blind eye to this. They tacitly agreed.
ㅤAn Yu was returning from the capital after the overthrow of the tyrant, the news of which had come to her a few months ago, trying to occupy her mind with the views of the mountain scenery. On the road, she could not occupy herself with business, and the ubiquitous thoughts pricked her temples, chest, and the back of her head with needles. She remembered that the brothers who had gone to help in the war had not answered her letters for a long time.
For some reason, it was more disturbing than usual. The staff was trembling slightly, the lanterns illuminating the road were flashing, although perhaps it seemed to her because of lack of sleep, the bamboo leaves were rustling anxiously - everything warned of danger.
That's what the dragon girl got her head into. She was looking for danger in the dark, an excuse to rush into battle. It's probably partly an opportunity to prove that she's worth something.
At one point, the Guardian got off her horse, stopping all the helpers (she couldn't go to the capital alone). People confirmed the suspicions and fears. They also noticed something in the darkness.
Leaving her escorts in place, telling them not to go anywhere, but to shout as loudly as possible if necessary, the girl headed west from their stop. That's where the others pointed out.
The wind was picking up, it seemed like someone was whispering to her to come back, that she wouldn't find anything good there. But since there is certainly something sinister in the unknown darkness, it is her duty to protect those living on the Mystery Mountain.
Everything subsided somehow imperceptibly. An Yu tensed, stopping and listening to her surroundings, but all she got was a dull silence. The dragon girl was only more nervous, sensing a trick.
The rustling of the grass gave away those who were sitting in ambush. They attacked with all their strength, determined to win by numerical superiority, since they were not so strong in a fair fight.
The Guardian, although she did not expect the attack, fought back very confidently. Skillfully manipulating the staff and tail, knocking the rebels off their feet, throwing them away, but trying not to cause serious injuries. The rebels were not so friendly...
Gekko stood idly by the side, unable to change the course of events. He saw what was happening behind his teammate. How some people distract her attention, while others throw something like chains or turntables on her horns, cannot be distinguished in the dark. He heard screams, saw people tricking her into snatching a staff from her hands, ripping off her armor.
The most heartbreaking sound was the cracking of the horns. As soon as they separated from the head, the ground shook, drowning out the screams of pain. Everything that An Yu could not control, everything that was too much, burst out, spreading deep cracks on the ground and lifting the Mystery Mountain into the air, while capturing the nearby volcano.
Even despite the riots, the attackers managed to bring the matter to an end, trapping the Guardian in a gong that had long been familiar to the hero. They didn't rape her, at least, and thanks for that...
The picture before my eyes began to blur. A realization quietly crept into the young man's head, cold and frightening. An Yu was not punished. It was an insult to honor, a humiliation of dignity, a rude reminder that she would be at the bottom of the hierarchy anyway...
ㅤThe void tightened the shackles around her, forcing her to freeze in one position. She failed. She must have disgraced her family. The society was right: She's a lousy guardian, she's unworthy of anything she's achieved.
A figure in a white robe appeared in front of her tired and exhausted eyes. She was tall, hiding her face behind a thick veil of the same snow-white shade. The faded red scales and slightly crooked horns made it clear who was in front of her.
– I'm sorry, Mother... - An Yu turned her head away, ashamed to look the woman in the eye. - I disappointed you... I am not worthy to be called your daughter...
Such words broke Lin's heart. She gently turned the girl's head towards her, hugging her.
– My girl... Don't say that, it hurts a lot... No matter what, you are my child and it won't change anything... - she whispered, pressing her forehead to her daughter's forehead. - ... I'm sorry about that... I wanted you to be happy... But apparently, even I was too soft-hearted to pull it off... The world wasn't ready for you, it's not your fault... Let me ease your suffering...
A pleasant chill spread through the prisoner's body, the headache, to which the Guardian was so used that she no longer noticed, disappeared, and her eyelids turned leaden. On the edge of consciousness, ready to cross the gates of the kingdom of Morpheus, she heard.
– ... And remember, I'll always be there for you... In the staff, in the sparks that burn the incense, in the crackle of the flame... In the warmth and soft light of the fire...
ㅤThe next memory immediately threw Gekko into the relatively recent past, when the dragon girl had just been freed from the metal shackles of the gong.
And now, having seen everything that happened on the Mystery Mountain several centuries ago, Gekko could see how An Yu's body was numb from long inactivity. How tired her eyes were. And how exhausted she looked in general.
The guy looked down at his feet, thinking about what he had just seen. Even though he didn't understand a lot at nineteen, he admitted it, but he understood one thing for sure. He can't leave his friend in this swamp.
ㅤWhen Greg first returned from this adventure in time, no one found out anything. It was too close to morning, and he and his friends needed to get some sleep. Owlette and Catboy made sure he was okay, and immediately the three of them ran home.
The guy didn't tell them anything at school. He just pointed out that he didn't want to talk about what he'd seen last night, and his friends nodded respectfully and didn't ask any more questions.
At first, the hero wanted to talk to An Yu face-to-face, after the mission or alone with her when all the other team members had gone on their assignments. But she was constantly running away, dodging, finding reasons not to stay and not to talk. Greg understood that perhaps she was still subconsciously afraid of being weaker than the circumstances, especially since his heroic trick was colossal strength. No wonder An Yu keeps her distance for reasons of her own safety.
On the one hand, it was even insulting that his friend saw him as a potential threat, but on the other hand, after what he had learned and seen with his own eyes, it was difficult to trust anyone. Gekko couldn't blame the girl for trying to protect herself.
Still, he should have talked to her, given her at least some help. It's dangerous to leave her in this position, what if the burden becomes too heavy for her?...
ㅤGekko did not give up trying to be alone with An Yu and talk openly. However, they were all failures.
And then an idea matured in the scaly hero's head. Very soon, the dragon girl promised to introduce them to the lantern festival, tell them about the roots of the holiday and just have a good time together.
It was a chance. But this required a small, harmless trick. The young man asked for help from Bastet. The sunny cat surprisingly quickly became friends with the Guardian of the Mountain.
– ... She looks tired, make sure she gets some rest, okay? - the guy asked hopefully, watching Bast stretch his back.
– Whatever you say, kiddo, An Yu really needs some rest. - Sun Cat agreed with his words, yawning. - Consider that everything has already been done.
– Thanks, Bastet... - Greg nodded his thanks, and he was already thinking about how he could find time just for the two of them.
ㅤThe mysterious Mountain shone with the soft light of red lanterns and candles, the whole team, who had already gone around the whole city and found no one to bother them, climbed to the top in a relaxed manner, chatting about their own. The atmosphere was more than festive, created with exquisite precision from memory.
Bastet nodded at Gekko, making it clear that she remembered everything and that this time the Dragoness would definitely not overwork herself. The guy nodded back, already knowing it wasn't going to be easy.
An Yu met them at the gate. She was beautiful, it's hard to argue with that. The red hanfu with gold embroidery sat perfectly on her, the black strands obediently folded into an intricate hairstyle, and the look was accentuated by scarlet shadows. Gekko couldn't help but stare at the girl, unable to take his eyes off her.
The guardian sat everyone down at a table in the courtyard of the pagoda, immediately starting to walk back and forth, telling them about the traditions of the lantern festival, bringing food and drinks, and still not leaving guests at an empty table. And that smile again.
The lizard hero, looking at how the dragon girl tirelessly walks from side to side, trying to please everyone, asked himself a question to which he did not know the answer for sure. Was that smile genuine? Or is it all trained submission and imposed helpfulness, because a woman is obligated to be like that?
Fortunately, Bastet quickly sat her down next to her, dragging her into the discussion and hugging her tightly so that the Guardian would not explode from her place.
– I'll take care of it, don't worry... - the young man got up from the table at the moment when the Dragoness wanted to do it.
Gekko, being one of the most emotionally sensitive members of the team, discerned anxiety in the almost unchanging calm on Ahn Yu's face. Was she afraid of losing control? Or that she will be accused of "uselessness"?...
Throughout the holiday, the guy tried to make sure that the dragon girl rested with them, although it didn't look like a vacation. When it came to launching lanterns into the sky, the Lizard expressed a desire to see the place where they would do it, under the pretext of a security check.
In fact, Gekko was following his own plan. Now, for sure, no one will interfere or interrupt. Quiet bamboo groves whispered about something with the wind.
–An Yu, how are you feeling?... - the hero asked casually, looking around the nature.
– I'm fine, why? - the heroine stopped, turning her head to the interlocutor and wanting to know the reason for such spontaneous interest in her condition.
–Listen... - Gekko began, having the temerity to abruptly raise his hand up.
The reaction was not long in coming. The girl reflexively got into a fighting position, ready to defend herself. It hurt the young man's heart. She felt threatened in everything, even the most harmless things.
He slowly knelt down, holding his hands in front of him, indicating that he had no intention of fighting her. Gekko didn't want to look like he was trying to intimidate her or crush her with authority and the power he had.
– Sit down ... - the hero whispered softly, nodding at the nearest stone, suitable in size. - I need to talk to you, nothing supernatural, I promise...
With some suspicion, the girl still sat down. On the edge of the stone, ready to break off at any second and run if necessary. Greg just sighed.
–An Yu... - the hand in the scaly suit was already reaching for his knee, but stopped in time. It's too intimate, especially for a girl like the Guardian of the Mountain. Instead, the guy took her hand. - It's not your fault. Your emotions are not a weakness. You deserve everything you've achieved...
He seemed to be saying simple truths, but he saw how An Yu resisted them. The girl didn't protest, no, but he could see it in her eyes. Her surprised, confused look will remain in the young man's memory for a long time.
– I'll always be there for you. - Gekko got up from his knees and hugged his girlfriend.
She wasn't crying, just her shoulders were shaking slightly. But everything was fine, the mountains were also fused together by grains of sand and the seas were filled to the brim drop by drop...
ㅤThe fresh air was filled with the rustle of bamboo and the singing of birds. It's nice to know that the Mystery Mountain is still not completely empty. Otherwise, you can go crazy from eternal silence.
Greg smiled to himself. An Yu was clearly a stalwart, having lived alone in this territory for so many years after being released from gong. Thoughts of her involuntarily lowered the gaze of the green eyes to the wedding ring.
They got married just two years ago, and they've been through a lot in those two years. But no one said it would be easy.
The man smiled as he picked up the tray and carefully tried not to drop the bowl of soup on the ground and carry it safely to its destination. His wife definitely shouldn't skip meals.
He purposefully descended the steep paths, taking the shortest route to the place he needed in this expanse. That special place of An Yu has finally been excavated from under the rubble and has now become her almost permanent habitat, not without good reason, of course.
There is now a dragon's nest in that cave, made of blankets, pillows, towels, and an impressive mound of fluff in the center. There are lamps and incense around the nest, and two jugs near the entrance - one with water and the other with fruit. He remembered how An Yu burst into tears when she found out what he had done for her, which was very cozy and focused on her. She had never known such respect for her and her animal nature.
– Honey, - Greg called her softly, not daring to invade his wife's personal space without permission. - I'll bring you something to eat.
The face of the Guardian peered out of the semi-darkness, grinning and growling, the body arched and split into a shield. The man only held out one hand to her so that she could recognize him by his scent. In her condition, especially fragile and vulnerable, it was important to know who was nearby.
After identifying her husband, the Dragoness nodded and let him inside. While she was eating, Greg busied himself with what his wife had so zealously defended.
He picked up his daughter, who was snuffling sweetly and wrapped in a light blanket, but it was still summer, so don't wrap the baby up too much.
It had been less than a month since giving birth, and An Yu remained weakened, so she preferred to be here as long as the weather conditions allowed.
The girl slept peacefully in her father's arms, and the parent himself tried very hard not to disturb his child's sleep. When they first found out the sex of the child, the Guardian was still worried that the appearance of her daughter would disappoint her husband, but none of her fears were confirmed. It's for the best.
Greg looked up at his wife, watching as she wrapped the tip of her tail around his ankle and pressed the fluffy tassel slightly above the bone. He adored these bestial manifestations of his chosen one. He wasn't intimidated by her vertical pupils. And the scales were especially fascinating, mainly on the lower abdomen and the inner sides of the breasts, which swelled slightly or almost merged with the skin, depending on his wife's hormonal cycle.
– What should we call our girl? - the man asked affectionately, holding his baby as the most precious thing in his life.
–Mei Ling... - purred An Yu, looking at the scene before her with quiet admiration.
– It's a beautiful name, - the hero nodded, giggling something to himself. - I'm sure the weakness will go away faster if you rest more.
The guardian of the Mountain shook her head, laying her chest on a downy mound. Previously, she would have argued that these were her duties, as if she would have exhausted herself... But now, looking at how deftly hubby copes with the baby, she just smiles.
Her body felt heavy, allowing her to fall into a peaceful sleep. Her daughter was safe, as was she.
At the moment when An Yu was almost asleep, the thought touched her mind with the tip of a wing that her husband had almost changed his third decade, and she remembers this smile from his youth.
