Beyblade Fan Fiction ❯ Majesty ❯ Chapter 21 ( Chapter 21 )

Authoress' Notes: Now that you've all forgotten what happened in the last chapter… (Dryad: -_- Go read the last chapter to refresh your memories. *whaps Kali* Update faster!) Ow… @_@ That's yami abuse! Anyway, this monster of a fic that came out of nowhere is certainly going somewhere, isn't it? And now: yet ANOTHER plot twist! *sweatdrops*

 

Warnings: Yaoi, language, violence, lemons, dramatic angst, etc.

 

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade. Only this fic and its OCs (if any).

 

*************************************

 

Chapter 21

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“SAY WHAT?!”

A loud rumble of thunder shook the ground and rattled the walls of the Palace to accompany the infuriated exclamation that Tala was sure everyone within several miles had heard loud and clear. The redhead winced.

Kai ran one hand up and down Tyson's arm in an effort to clam. “Easy, Tyson. Don't wreck the nice new walls.”

The dragon growled.

“I'm just repeating what the little pipsqueak out there was saying.” Tala held up his hands. “Don't kill the messenger, Kinomiya.”

“Do you know this kid, love?” Kai asked.

“Not well. He's a distant cousin on my mother's side. Through marriage and not blood relation, no less.” Scowling darkly, Tyson began stalking toward the door. “How dare he claim leadership of the Clans?! We'll just see about this…”

Forced to follow the angry Kinomiya through the halls, Kai and Tala rushed after him. And both got a tad worried when Tyson stopped off at the chambers he shared with the Prince to pick up his family's Sword.

“Uh…what are you planning, Kinomiya?” Kai eyed him warily as the bluenette unsheathed the sword and gripped it purposefully.

From across the room on the bench seat near the windows, a questioning mewl sounded. Glancing over, they saw a coiled Dragoon in his dragon form, blinking sleepily at them. Kai raised an eyebrow at the Phoenix (who he hadn't even noticed had disappeared sometime earlier when they'd reached the throne room). She was perched on the window sill next to her mate.

{Takao? What's going on?} Dragoon inquired.

{It seems the Clans have gathered.} Tyson informed him., turning the blade in his hands restlessly. It caught the light and made the glossy blackness glint. {Under new leadership.}

Dragoon's head shot up and a low growl rumbled through the room. {Say what?!}

“I'm going to disabuse my people of the notion that that little brat could possibly be their leader.” Tyson's midnight blue eyes gleamed.

Kai grabbed his bow and quiver, slipping on over his back, and gave his lover a short nod. “Let's go.”

Dragoon wound his way over to his descendant and curled around his upper body, resting his head on Tyson's shoulder. Dranzer flew over to Kai to perch on his shoulder. Together, they strode after Tala outside to the walls of the Palace to take a look at the situation for themselves.

Max and Rei were standing near the gate tower along the battlements, watching the crowd below, when Kai, Tyson, and Tala arrived.

“Tyson! Isn't this something?” the blonde gestured at the crowd. “I don't think I've ever seen the Clans gathered together like this since…your brother's naming ceremony years and years ago.”

The bluenette nodded, his grip tightening on his sword. “We don't hold court like other places do, nor do we go to war - excluding recent events - so we haven't very much reason to all get together unless it's for a naming ceremony, or lifemate ceremony, or something.”

“Well, then…” Tala's gaze roamed over the situation as he thought. “You have an opportunity here. You can reclaim your authority, introduce my blushing cousin, here…”

“I'm what?” Kai glared at Tala. “Shut it, you…”

“Okay, cut it out. This is no time for bickering, as entertaining as that is.” Tyson stepped between them and tapped the blade of the sword against his leg, considering his options. “Tala's right, though. This is an opportunity.”

“What are you thinking?” Rei asked, seeing the scheme forming behind Tyson's eyes.

“I think Tala should be our spokesperson.” Tyson said slowly. Tala blinked at him in surprise. “Here's what we do…” He outlined his plan quickly, and once it was agreed on, Tyson and Kai went down to the main gates in preparation for their part of the plan, stopping where they could still see Rei, who would give them a signal when the time came.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tala sent Ian off with orders to gather up the Royal guards and have them ready and waiting. When he got an all ready signal from Rei, the Captain signalled a trumpeter who had been called out from the Palace garrison of the Guards to get everyone's attention below.

A few blasted, tempestuous fanfares later, the crowd was quite and looking up at the gates expectantly. From the centre of the crowd, the one behind the entire show yelled across the square to Tala, “Where is he? Or have you come out to escort me to your Prince so that I can make my demands to him?”

“No. I have not.” Even from that distance, Tala's cold gaze made many of the crowd step back. “I have come to remind you, Master Daichi, that you are in no position to be making demands.” Tala let out a sharp whistle and from all around the square Royal Guards appeared from streets and buildings, surrounding the whole crowd.

“What the…hey! What is this?!” Daichi shouted, whipping his head around in alarm. Panicked shouts and cries came from the crowd.

“Alright!” Tala snapped at the top of his voice, gesturing tat the trumpeter to blow another blast of sound in warning. “Enough! The soldiers aren't here to harm anyone. They're just a precaution to keep all of you safe as well as the citizens of Bay City - whom, by the way, this mob is currently disturbing and disrupting the lives of.”

“This is an insult! We aren't disturbing anyone!” The young boy railed from his `podium' of the obelisk acting as a giant sundial in the centre of the square. Tala ignored him and gestured at Rei, who nodded and gave Kai the signal.

A regiment of Royal Guards formed up in two lines in front of Kai and he sighed. Tyson squeezed his hand and let go, moving off to the side. “Be careful, love…but don't lose your temper and kill him.” Tyson's smile wasn't a happy one. “If anyone does that, it'll be me.”

Kai sweatdropped and gave him a reassuring smile. “Don't worry, Tyson. I don't think it'll come down to that.”

“Hmph. We'll see.”

The huge gates slowly began to swung open, and the Guards marched out quickly into the crowd, clearing a wide path from the doors to the obelisk. Kai drew himself up, Dranzer ruffled her feathers and hopped down from his shoulder to his arm. The phoenix prince strode out and through the path made toward Daichi.

With everyone's attention on Kai, nobody noticed Dragoon shift to his human form and, dressed as one of the Clansmen, slipped out into the crowd to situate himself near the centre. And no one paid any attention to Tyson, who slowly walked out after Kai and made his way toward them.

Kai stopped under the shadow the obelisk cast and looked up at Daichi with a distinctly uninterested expression on his face. Hovering near the boy was a dragon, not unlike Dragoon in his dragon form, but was white with yellow markings. Unsurprised, Kai addressed the boy. “So you're the one causing a riot in my streets.” He frowned and lifted Dranzer, giving her an extra boost as she launched herself into the air, flying up to the top of the obelisk and perching at its point. “Why are you and these people outside my gates, kid?”

“We are here to speak to you about our lands! Our futures!” Daichi glared down at him. “Our leader and his entire family were killed in the war, and I have taken up the leadership of the Clans as the only surviving relative of the Kinomiya clan. On behalf of my people, I have come to ask you what the Empire's intentions are toward us.” A puzzled look crossed his face. “Who are you, anyway? Another one of those arrogant Guards?” He gestured at the Guards around them.

Kai blinked at him, not believing the kid didn't know who he was, especially after the `my streets' and `my gates' he'd just thrown at him. Tala appeared at his side, though a couple steps back, and bowed slightly from the waist to Kai.

“Your Highness. I see you decided to come out here, after all.” The Captain of the Guards observed. “Do you have any orders, cousin?”

“Hn. Not yet. It depends on the crowd.” Kai folded his arms and glanced around, ignoring Daichi as his jaw dropped open in shock. “I want no accidents, Tala. No one is to be harmed unless they have come here for a fight - which would be pointless - and if they try something, I'll have the lot of them imprisoned for disturbing the peace. As for the kid,” Kai's gaze landed back on Daichi. “Since he's claiming leadership over these people, its his responsibility to keep them under control. Anyone steps out of line and not only will they be arrested, but I'll have him arrested for disturbing the peace and inciting a riot.” Kai's crimson eyes narrowed and Daichi took a step back.

“Understood, Your Highness.” Tala nodded and stood off to the side, as if waiting for orders attentively (though his ice blue eyes were ever watchful).

“Well…” Daichi pulled himself together and planted his hands on his hips. “At least you're finally taking me seriously, coming out to meet, leader to leader.”

Kai snorted. “Excuse me? The only leader of the Clans is the Kinomiya. And you are not the Kinomiya.” Kai shook his head, watching the boy turn red and a vein start popping from his temple as his temper threatened to explode.

“There are no more Kinomiyas! The Empire killed them all!” Daichi shouted at the Prince accusingly. “And since we heard about Tyson's cowardly act, he has been stripped of his honour and family name, so he cannot be leader of the Clans any longer!”

“ `Cowardly act?' ” Kai repeated, narrowing his eyes at the kid. He could sense Tyson's power rise up from behind him, and silently hoped the dragon wouldn't do anything rash.

“Rather than stay and fight, he ran away! He let the Kinomiya, his own grandfather, die and then he ran off in shame to Gods know where! Tyson is a coward and unfit to lead us!” Diachi declared to murmurs of agreement among the Clanspeople.

Kai didn't look over his shoulder at his lover, but there wasn't really any point in doing so anyway, since he could feel the Kinomiya's rage as if it was a tangible thing. He spoke quickly, to avoid and explosive confrontation between the two hot-headed cousins.

“Well I see even here Boris has managed to screw everything up.” The phoenix drawled. “You've been misinformed, Daichi. The Clans have been led to believe a lie.”

“Is that so?” Daichi scoffed and the dragon beside him undulated restlessly. “And I suppose you're going to tell us the truth?”

“Actually, yes. Tyson is no coward. Far from it.” Kai proceeded to tell the story from the time he walked into the throne room to see the Kinomiya dead on the floor, to the escape from Bay City and then from the Empire itself. “So you see, none of us wanted to leave. However, it was necessary to make a retreat and form some sort of strategy before returning and taking back our birthrights.

There was silence among the Clanspeople for a brief moment, and Daichi just stared at Kai incredulously.

“You expect us to believe that? And why are you telling us this tale? If Tyson is so wonderful and such a great protector of the Clans, he should be out here defending himself!” Daichi raised a clenched fist and waved it in the air, not realizing how much bigger a hole he was digging for himself with every word out of his mouth. “Yet another cowardly act only proves he is no leader!”

And suddenly the skies clouded over, thunder rumbling threateningly. It seemed to nearly everyone in the crowded square that they only blinked and a furious, blue-haired teen was standing in front of the `leader' of the Clans with a gleaming, obsidian blade pressed to Daichi's throat. Lightning flashed, appearing to be reflected in the stormy silver and midnight blue of the teen's eyes.

Daichi, however, was a little distracted by the Sword at this throat, and wasn't paying much attention to who was on the other end. The crowd around them, though, was, and a shocked, angry buzz of voices filled the air. Tala's hand went to his sword and he watched the crowd carefully. Kai sighed and ran a hand through his hair before stepping up beside his dragon so that he could see Tyson's face.

Tyson was ignoring everything around him, though he was aware of it all, and kept his focus on his cousin in fury. Lightning continued to light up the skies and thunder rocked the ground. Kai's hand came down on his shoulder and squeezed, but the bluenette ignored that, too.

“Don't, Kinomiya.” Kai said, not taking his hand from Tyson's shoulder, but slowly moving it down his arm, stroking in a soothing motion. “He is young and foolish, but you can not blame him for believing such lies. You know the source of those lies, and you remember what you did for your people. Your grandfather knows…and the Gods know…”

That earned him Tyson's gaze. Stormy, near black eyes met Kai's crimson ones.

“This brat has been groomed since birth to believe he should be leader of the Clans.” Tyson hissed, sword held steady at Daichi's throat. The flame-haired boy raised his eyes from the blade to its wielder, eyes going even wider in sudden fear. “His father was my mother's sister's husband, and there is no blood kinship to the Kinomiya Clan in his family. Yet he thought having married into the family was the same thing. He taught his only son to believe that, too.” The dragon's stare turned back on Daichi. “And now he's scheming to put himself far out of his place and his ability. You can call me a coward all you like, cousin,” Tyson snarled, tipping the boy's chin up with the tip of the blade as he addressed him. “But I did what I had to in order to protect the Clans. You know nothing of leadership, especially the kind that sometimes requires a retreat, to plan and recover in order to fight another day.”

“T-T-Tyson! I…you…the Sword of the Kinomiya Clan! It was destroyed! How…?” Daichi stammered, pressing his back to the cold stone of the obelisk.

“This sword was given to me. By my grandfather.” Tyson stared down the blade at the boy. Kai was still stroking Tyson's arm and it was starting to affect the bluenette. A calming heat gently poured over Tyson and seemed to burn away his rage. “Cut it out, Kai. I'm not going to kill him.” He tried shrugging the hand off irritably.

“That's good. But I'm not letting you get so worked up, Tyson. We don't need accidents.” Kai responded, not taking away his hand. Instead, he slid it up to lay his palm to Tyson's cheek. “Put up the sword, love.” He said quietly, in a voice only Tyson and Daichi were close enough to hear. “You've made your point. Everyone has seen the Sword, now extend an invitation to whomever you think will be willing to listen, and invite them in to the Palace to hear the whole story.”

Tyson closed his eyes and let out a breath slowly, rubbing his cheek against Kai's hand in acknowledgement when he nodded. Daichi's eyes were flicking between the two, a myriad of emotions flickering across his face, but he said nothing.

“You are coming with me, Daichi. I'm not letting you out of my sight.” The bluenette opened his eyes and lowered his sword, glancing at the yellow and white dragon hovering nearby. “He can come, too, on the condition he stays with you at all times. Got that?”

“Of course I do! I'm not stupid.” Daichi stuck out his tongue and crossed his arms, trying to appear insulted and unafraid.

“Shut up, kid.” Tala advised, moving over to them and giving his cousin and the Kinomiya a nod. “Go ahead. I'll watch him.”

Tyson nodded in return and turned to look out over the crowd. He spotted Dragoon almost instantly, and felt a great deal of relief knowing his ancestor was there.

“I came out here so that all of you would see me, and know that there are still Kinomiyas alive and well, and ready to take my grandfather's place.” He began, addressing everyone in the square. Above, the storm started to dissipate, and sunlight once again flooded the city in brilliance. “I was not expecting to be condemned as a traitor or a coward. I'll say it again: I did what I had to. The Kinomiya, my grandfather, is truly dead. But I am not, and neither is Hilary. Even now she is returning to us from the safety of Oceanus. His Highness was kind enough to send an escort for her.”

Holding up the Sword for all to see, Tyson continued. “Daichi was correct on one point: the Sword had been destroyed. But it was returned to me - a miracle of a sort - and it lives in my hand.” The silver dragon etched on the blade lit up, flaring bright blue, and a breeze began to blow, ruffling his hair and clothes. “I think you all understand the meaning of that. Now, there is a great deal to discuss, and so much I need to tell of all that has occurred. TO that end, I invite all the Clan leaders and elders into the Palace where we can all sit down and I can answer any questions.”

“Give him the benefit of the doubt, if not because you believe us, then because you believed in the former Kinomiya.” Kai added, letting his hand rest on Tyson's shoulder in support. “While we are all discussing the past, the present, and the future, I ask that the rest of you disperse and return to your families. You've made your point and disturbed my city enough. You will not be bothered on your way out of the city. My oath.” The phoenix looked down at Tala, who nodded and let out a sharp whistle.

The Royal Guards moved away from their positions and began marching back through the gates. Kai held out his forearm as Dranzer ghosted down from her perch, and landed there. He led the way back to the Palace, Tyson at his side. Tala prodded Daichi forward to follow them, and the boy sullenly did so, his dragon companion moving along beside the two red-heads.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tala immediately began shouting orders as soon as the gates closed behind them. While the Royal Guard' captain was busy, Tyson let out a deep sigh and looked down at Daichi with a deep scowl.

“What the hell, Daichi?!” He demanded, glaring for all he was worth. “Stripping me of my honour? What was that all about?!”

The younger boy returned the glare in equal measure and folded his arms smugly over his chest. “What did you expect? You go running off like a scared little bunny, instead of standing up to the Emperor, and you expect the Clans to want you back? To be the Kinomiya?” The kid snorted in disbelief. “I don't see what you could possibly have to say to us that could make the situation change in your favour.”

Kai stepped between the two before Tyson could unleash his wrath in a purely physical way and simply smack his cousin stupid. “Enough. You,” he gave Daichi a frigid stare. “Shut up and keep quiet, or I'll hang you from the flag pole.” He pointed upwards. “Your mouth is getting on my nerves.” The prince turned back to his lover. “And you, calm down. You need to hold onto your temper, Tyson. The Clans need to see a calm, strong leader in you right now, not a hot-headed teenager.”

Tyson made a face. “Well, guess what? I am a hot-headed teenager. So sue me.” Kai rubbed his temple, fighting off a headache. Before he could say anything, though, Rei and Max came up to them.

“So what's happening, guys? Should we head for the throne room?” Rei gave the two royals a curious glance. “That's probably the best place to hold this meeting.”

Kai nodded, placing Dranzer on his shoulder. “Max, would you do us a favour before you go get cleaned up?”

“Yeah! Sure, Kai. What'cha need?” The blonde smiled brightly.

“Have that couch-thing we've been using as a throne in the ballroom taken to the throne room and set up, and ask the scribes to move all my legal work to the library and re-set up there.” Kai looked over at the side gates (smaller and less imposing than the main gates) where the first Clan elders and leaders were filing in. “I don't think I'll be getting back to it for a little while, at least.”

“You got it!” Max gave him a salute and hurried off. Rei clasped his hands in front of himself and looked at Kai and Tyson expectantly.

“What can I do?” He asked.

Tyson grabbed Daichi, who was trying to sneak off and escape, by the collar of his tunic and shoved him at Rei. “Do me a favour and watch this brat cousin of mine, Rei? I can't deal with him right now and think straight.”

The neko-jin nodded and eyed the nearby dragon warily. “What about his dragon friend?”

Tyson shrugged. “Dragons do what they want. But he won't bother you unless he thinks Daichi is in danger.” The Kinomiya turned his gaze on the dragon, whom he recognized and was undulating restlessly next to them. {Isn't that right, Strata? I know you recognized me and His Divineness out there.}

There was a faint flicker of surprise, which was all the acknowledgement Tyson needed, in Strata Dragoon's eyes.

{Indeed, Kinomiya Tyson. I did not know you were able to communicate thus, however.}

{You'd be shocked about how much you don't know about me, Strata. I promise no harm will come to Daichi. But please keep him away from me. He's severely trying my patience.}

{As you wish, Kinomiya. I am most curious about this drama that has brought the Divine One to walk among us again.} Strata Dragoon acquiesced, moving over to Daichi and curling firmly around the boy.

{Thank you.} Tyson gave the dragon a brief nod and looked at Kai. “I'm going to go get my sword belt and scabbard, Kai. I'll meet you where when I get them?”

“The antechamber behind the throne room. Dranzer knows where it is.” Kai glanced sideways at his ancestor. “Will you go with Tyson, Beautiful? Show him the way?”

Dranzer flapped her wings and made a trilling sound of agreement, hopping down to Kai's arm then flying off ahead of Tyson as the bluenette followed her quickly.

Kai looked around until he spotted his cousin and called, “Tala!” The red-head jogged over.

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“Throne room. Put them all there and make sure we have plenty of Guards in place - crowd control.” Kai ordered. Tala nodded, smirking slightly.

“I'm one step ahead of you, cousin. Spencer's picking out the Guards and I sent Ian to get the throne room prepared for visitors.” He informed Kai. “Anything else you can think of?”

The phoenix rolled his eyes. “No, that covers it. Come on, gentlemen. We'll wait in the antechamber for Tyson. Then let's get this show on the road.” Kai strode purposefully to the Palace, the others following him closely.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Half an hour later, Kai sat in the antechamber sipping a cup of tea with Rei, Tala, Max, and Daichi standing or sitting nearby as they waited for Tyson.

Daichi was still scowling, though he'd managed to keep quiet for the most part since Kai had threatened to hang him off the flag pole. He kept glancing at the others in the room speculatively, however, curious as he was about the strange dynamics these people all seemed to have with each other.

Max and Rei, he'd put together, were obviously lifemated to one another. The rings on their fingers pointed that out quite clearly. And Tala often called Kai `cousin' so that was a family relationship - on top of the Prince/Captain of the Guards one that was as obvious as night and day.

But here the dynamics ceased to make sense to Daichi. Kai was the Prince, and while Tala deferred to him (sort of), Max and Rei did not. In fact, they seemed more like friends who were doing another friend a favour. Kai never ordered or commanded them - and they probably wouldn't have jumped if he had ordered them to do anything. Daichi wasn't sure who the neko-jin and the blonde were, even. If they weren't subjects of the Empire, or Kai's generals, or part of the nobility, and yet still appeared to be deferred to by the servants and whatnot, then who were they?

And then there was Tyson. Daichi's scowl deepened and he slouched farther down into his seat. Back out in the square, there had been that little interaction between the bluenette and the Prince. The Hiwatari had been…rather affectionate with Tyson, what with the stroking and the close contact.

Not to mention the implication behind that endearment he'd given Tyson.

Love.

Daichi's eyes went wide as the possibilities ran through his mind. He may have been young, but he knew enough to know one didn't use an endearment like that lightly - especially between two men. His eyes went wider when the antechamber door opened from the corridor and Tyson strode in. For one thing, the bluenette looked like the Kinomiya, for he'd changed his clothes into the more traditional attire of the Dragon Clans, but in the style of his family and with his family's colours: shades of blue, white, and glittering silver. And at his hip swung the Kinomiya's Sword, sheathed in an elaborate scabbard that gleamed black and silver steel. The young redhead didn't know why, but he had this definite urge to drop to his knees in pure respect.

He'd never admit it aloud, but there was a distinct probability that the Clans, and Daichi, had been mistaken in believing Kinomiya Tyson was at all a coward.

His thoughts were interrupted as he spotted another dragon following along behind Tyson, weaving through the air in a typically dragon-like movement - lazily, without a care in the world. This dragon was the same, different shades of blue as Tyson's clothes and it was smaller than Strata Dragoon - though not by much. Daichi studied the pair quizzically, not able to discern why this unremarkable appearing dragon was following his cousin.

The last being to come through the doors was Kai's phoenix. She glided smoothly over to the Prince and took up a perch on the back of his chair, trilling quietly in greeting.

Kai smiled a bit, letting his gaze slowly travel over Tyson from head to foot. He made an appreciative noise and gestured at the seat next to his own. “Have a seat, Tyson. Take a few minutes to relax.”

Tyson shook his head. “Thanks, but I'm too wound up right now.” He began to pace, trying to gather his thoughts before he had to go out and address the Clan leaders and elders. Dragoon hovered near him, purring soothingly at his agitated descendant and Tyson gave him a grateful glance. “I'm alright. Just…restless.”

Max poked his head out the door leading to the throne room behind the dais there. “The room looks fairly full, guys.” He reported. “I think they're ready for you. Why don't the rest of us go out now and give you two a moment.” The blonde clasped Rei's hand in his own and tugged him toward the door.

“Come on, Daichi. You and your dragon friend will stick with us, for now.” Rei ushered the boy and dragon out ahead of himself and Max.

Tala adjusted his gloves absently. “We'll give you five minutes, cousin. I'll wait just outside the door to announce you both when you open the door.”

“Thank you, Tala.” Kai nodded. When everyone had gone, Kai had only a second to blink before Tyson was suddenly crawling into his lap and burying his face in Kai's neck, arms banding around the phoenix tightly. “What's wrong, love?” Kai asked, startled by this uncharacteristic action. He curled his own arms around the dragon in return and held him close.

A shudder passed through the bluenette before he raised his head to answer. “I don't know if I can do this, Kai. I've never had much contact with the elders or been part of any discussions my grandfather had with them. I wasn't brought up to be the Kinomiya and I have no idea what I'm doing really.” Tyson's blue eyes were molten silver and blue with moisture as he admitted his fears in a soft voice. Kai raised a hand to flick the blue locks of Tyson's hair from those eyes, and rubbed his thumb over Tyson's bottom lip.

“You don't have to be `brought up' a certain way to be a leader, my dragon. I've seen your strength and your compassion and you have a great sense of justice and fairness. And because you are who you are, the one I fell in love with, I know you can do this - will do this.” Kai responded just as softly, crimson eyes intent on Tyson's, full of his sincerity and his confidence in the bluenette. Tears trickled out of the dragon's eyes and Kai smiled, gently kissing them away. “Okay, love?”

“Yeah. Sorry, Kai. I guess I just freaked for a moment.” Tyson apologized, flushing in embarrassment. He moved, as if to get off of Kai, but the dual-haired prince wouldn't let him. Kai tugged Tyson back to élan against his chest instead, and rubbed his cheek against the top of Tyson's head.

“No worries.” Kai murmured, eyes half-closing in contentment as a familiar rumbling purr filled the room. Tyson snuggled into the warmth of his lover's body with a small sigh. “By the way, I really like your outfit, Tyson.”

That earned him a grin. “Yeah? What do you like about it?” A playful nip to his collarbone made him shiver.

Kai's eyes smouldered and he ran a hand from Tyson's hip slowly down on leg. The dragon's purr increased in volume and he tilted his head back to meet Kai's hot gaze with a smoky one of his own. “They're very…authoritative.” Kai responded silkily. “The material feels kind of like leather, but at the same time it feels more like…your skin - as a dragon, that is.”

Tyson licked his lips and smiled slowly. “Hmm...bingo. It's dragon-skin, but it's not mine. It's Dragoon's.” He let out a small gasp as Kai's hand slid back up his thigh and fingers brushed the sensitive inside of his leg. “Quit teasing me, Kai…”

“Hn.” Kai chuckled as his dragon shivered and pulled Kai's hand away, grasping it and linking their fingers loosely. “Sorry. It's hard to resist.” The crimson-eyed phoenix nudged Tyson off his lap and stood. “We'd better get out there. You ready?”

“As I'll ever be, I suppose.” Tyson gripped Kai's hand and they walked to the door. He reached out to grasp the door handle but was stopped by the phoenix, who turned Tyson to face Kai, and bent down to kiss the bluenette soundly. It lasted long enough for Tyson to go completely boneless and totally relaxed. Then Kai broke away and smiled down at him, nudging his nose against the younger teen's affectionately.

“It'll be fine.” Kai said. “Now…” He pushed open the door himself.

Tala was where he said he'd be, and after receiving a nod from Tyson to go ahead, the red-haired captain walked out around the dais to face the crowded room, giving the heralds a signal of his own. They raised their trumpets and let out a solid volley to silence everyone and announce the Prince's arrival.

“Announcing His Royal Highness, Kai Hiwatari, Crown Prince of the Empire, and…” Tala paused in his announcement, frowning and glancing at Tyson over his shoulder.

{Kinomiya Takao, grandson of the Kinomiya, leader of the Dragon Clans.} Tyson provided mentally, giving the warrior a start. Tala turned back to the Clans and repeated that as Kai and Tyson walked up the dais steps, side by side, and seated themselves on their make-shift throne. There was an immediate rumble of voices and low murmurs at the name Tyson had been announced as, since none of them knew about Tyson's naming.

Dragoon and Dranzer, who had followed their descendants out, found themselves somewhere comfortable to sit by and watch over the proceedings. They were noticed, but were, for the most part, paid very little attention to.

Max and Rei sat on the dais steps on Tyson's side, with Daichi and Strata Dragoon sitting on the steps in front of them, where they could keep their eyes on him. Tala took up a standing position just behind the throne on Kai's side, ice-blue eyes staring coldly out at the gathered Clanspeople in watchfulness for any threat or mischief.

“Thank you all for agreeing to come and hear me out.” Tyson began, raising his voice a bit to be heard over the murmurs. By all outward appearances and the tone of his voice, he didn't seem to be nervous but inside the bluenette was silently wishing he didn't have to be there, doing any of this. As if he sensed Tyson's anxiety (which he probably did), Dragoon curled himself around the young dragon's upper body and purred quietly.

“We are not here to listen to the wild tales of an outcast!” One of the leaders stepped forward and exclaimed. “We came to demand answers and explanations! And you've joined up with the very people who have destroyed our homes, burned our crops, and killed scores of our people! We have no reason to trust or believe you.”

“Yet here you all are, in my throne room, alive and unharmed.” Kai pointed out calmly, looking completely relaxed right where he was. “I am not my grandfather, the former Emperor, Sir. And I had nothing to do with what has happened to the Clans. You can not blame me for events I had no control over - nor can you blame Takao.” Kai's eyes narrowed as he spoke, and Tyson glanced at him.

“You don't have to defend me to them, Kai, though I appreciate the effort.” The bluenette smiled faintly.

“Yes, actually, I do. What happened was not your fault. It was all Boris, and he's been dealt with.” Kai held out his hand, palm up, to his dragon and Tyson accepted it, laying his own hand in the phoenix's and letting him grip it firmly. Satisfied with that, Kai proceeded to tell his side of the whole ordeal, every part of it, once again.

And then Tyson took up the tale, explaining what had happened in that very throne room when his grandfather had died, the escape from the city and then the Empire, and all the time spent in Oceanus regrouping and planning. When he finished speaking there was silence for a moment, then a sudden cacophony of shouted questions, comments, and disbelieving shouts.

Surprisingly, it was Daichi who stood up and yelled quite loudly, “Shut up! All of you be quiet! This is not how the Clans deal with our disputes and problems, is it? Shouting and yelling at each other? No. It's not. Maybe I don't like the situation much, and maybe I've been a little hasty in my condemnation of my cousin and his apparent actions,” the flame-haired youth admitted reluctantly. “But even I can recognize when someone is telling the truth and when someone is lying.”

Tyson blinked and stared at Daichi. To say he was surprised was an understatement. “Thank you, cousin.”

Daichi made a face and shrugged. “I'm hot-headed, Tyson, not stupid. There's still a great deal you haven't told us yet, I'm sure. But from what you've said and the evidence you've presented us with so far…its undeniable that you are meant to be the Kinomiya.” He pointed at the sword belted to the dragon's hip and hanging off the side of the throne. “And then there's Strata Dragoon…he wouldn't be so reverent or respectful toward you if you weren't honourable. Dragons have no patience for those who aren't, after all.”

“You're right. I do have more to tell everyone. I just wanted to get what really happened clear to all of you.” Tyson explained. He returned his attention to the crowd and stood up, walking to the edge of the dais. “I told you how I got my family's Sword,” Tyson drew it and planted it in front of himself, the tip resting on the floor. “And I realize it may be a little hard to believe, but it was the truth. However, I'm afraid what else I have to say is probably going to sound even more unbelievable.”

“And what might that be?” Someone in the crowd shouted.

Tyson balanced the Sword with one hand in front of himself, and rested his other hand on one of Dragoon's coils. “It's about the Kinomiya Clan secret. You see, Dragoon did come to our aid when he was asked, part of which is the Sword. The other part was in finally revealing the secret known only to the Dragon Gods about my family.”

“Bah.” Another Clansman scoffed from near a side wall. “That's just a myth. Everyone knows it's not true.”

{Transform, Takao.} Dragoon told him, unwinding himself lazily and floating back over to the throne to curl up next to Kai on the seat.

{Transform? Are you sure that's a good idea?}

{They'd never believe you otherwise. Just do it.}

“Fine.” Tyson sighed and straightened, planting his feet. Maybe Dragoon didn't think they'd believe him, but he had to try anyway. Gazing out at the crowd, he revealed his clan's secret. “The secret is that back when my family was bestowed leadership of the Clans, the Dragon Gods also sealed away a part of us that makes us demi-human. It is why Dragoon is our Clan's Guardian and why those of my bloodline have always held an affinity with the dragons of our lands - because we are half-dragon ourselves.”

Murmurs of astonishment and scornful disbelief rang out. Daichi was staring at Tyson in shock, and yet it wasn't that hard to believe. It certainly did explain a few things about the Kinomiyas, in truth.

“You're not kidding, are you?” Daichi asked his cousin quietly, an expression of resignation coming over him. Tyson shook his head.

“No. It's also why the Sword lives in my hand. You see, the Gods had sealed the dragon side of us away because as humans, we weren't capable of dealing with being demi-human or with the power that came with it.”

“But how?” Daichi demanded, curious now. “How did the Kinomiyas become demi-human.

“You're mad!” A clan Elder declared, pounding the floor with his walking stick to emphasize his point. “ `Power?' That foolishness.”

Tyson smiled and held out his free hand, palm facing upward. “Really, now? That's odd, because I could have sworn that being able to do something like this,” he let out a bit of his abilities, sparks of blue lightning crackling around his wrist and hand as a small ball of electric blue light gathered above his palm. A small breezed kicked up around the now softly glowing bluenette, ruffling his hair gently. “…Meant I was using power that normally we mere humans couldn't use - last I'd checked, at least.”

Kai rolled his eyes. “Kinomiya, just transform and get it over with. You're showing off, again.”

“I am not. I'm making a point.” Tyson scowled over his shoulder. “Butt out, beloved.”

The phoenix crossed his arms and returned his glare evenly. “Well, excuse me.”

{Takao.} Came Dragoon's voice in exasperation.

“Alright, already!” Tyson re-sheathed his Sword and unbelted it, handing it to Kai, hilt first. “Hold that, please.”

Now he got shocked cries of outrage from the Clanspeople at turning over the Sword to anyone but a Kinomiya. Kai blinked, hand wrapped around the belt loop.

Tyson growled under his breath and let off a small thunderclap to shut them all up. “Enough!” He commanded, voice echoing like far away thunder. A storm was brewing in his midnight blue eyes. Startled silence met him. “Gods! I can't believe how dramatic you're all being. Get over it!”

“I can believe it.” Kai muttered to Dranzer and Dragoon. Dranzer chirped in agreement, and Dragoon…well, he just pouted. Then a small spark made Kai jerk his hand away from the armrest he was leaning on.

“I heard that, Hiwatari.”

“Good.” Kai smirked, laying the Sword across his knees.

Annoyed, Tyson simply gave in and shifted. There was no warning, nor any of the usual accompanying disturbances (light shows, winds, etc.). It happened too quickly. For all those watching it seemed that one second Tyson stood there and the next there was a large white dragon, shining iridescent blue in the fading light of the sun filtering in from the windows.

*****************************

Authoress' Notes: Bet you didn't see Daichi coming, did you? ~_^ I love being sneaky! So do you think Tyson's transformation will be enough to convince the Clans? Or will he need a little assistance…? Please R/R!!!!