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FIC: The Guardian, Part 2
Title: The Guardian, Part 2
Rating: PG
Pairing: Leon/D, potential Ti Lung/Honlon
Word count: ~4,336
Disclaimer: Characters belong to Matsuri Akino and Yumiko Kawahara. No money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
Sequel to: Daiki (last chapter ended here)
Summary: This is part of my Petshop series, but it focuses more on Honlon and the OC dragon Ti Lung introduced in "Daiki" than on Leon and D. Ti Lung hopes for a chance to prove his bravery to Honlon.
Part 1
***
Leon and D rushed down to the Plant Dolls shop, after being woken by a call from the beat cop who'd answered a 911 call regarding a robbery there.
"Where's my son?" Leon demanded as he rushed into the shop, but was reassured when Daiki smiled and waved at him from across the room, where he was being interviewed by a detective, who paused to nod at Leon respectfully. Being the son of both an LAPD detective and Count D, the 911 call had apparently rated top priority, because the place was crawling with several uniformed and plainclothes officers.
"Don't worry, Detective," one of the uniforms told Leon soothingly. "No one was hurt." Then he grinned and added, "Except for maybe those two." He motioned to where two men lay pinned beneath a large bronze statue of a dragon.
D rushed over to his son, crying, "Are you all right, Daiki?!"
"I'm fine, Papa," Daiki reassured him, taking his hand and patting it comfortingly. He was immaculately clad in his usual silk tunic and trousers, and was as cool and composed as the Count was under normal circumstances.
"I'm all right, too, by the way," Raphael added dryly as he passed out cups of coffee to the cops, who accepted them appreciatively. "In case anyone was worried." Clad in a bathrobe thrown over a pair of sweatpants, he looked more like someone who had been woken by a robbery in the middle of the night.
"Oh, of course we were worried about you, too, Raphael," D added apologetically.
"Yeah, glad you're okay, kid," Leon said, slapping his son-in-law on the back. "What the hell happened here?"
"We were attacked by a dragon!" one of the pinned thieves screamed hysterically.
"They may be high on something," the uniform--his name tag said "Miller"--told Leon. "They claim that the statue came to life and attacked them."
"No, no!" the second thief objected. "He was a man first, and then he turned into a dragon and attacked us, and then he turned into a statue just before you guys got here!"
"The plant attacked us, too!" the first thief cried, pointing at a hanging basket of ivy that had been knocked down onto the floor, spilling dirt across an expensive oriental rug.
"Like I said, high," Miller repeated.
"Hey, are you guys gonna get us out from under here?!" the second thief demanded indignantly.
"Yeah, yeah, don't get your panties in a bunch," the detective with Daiki said, then nodded at the other cops. "Go on, get 'em out of here."
"I need to take some pictures first, Detective," one of the forensic team said with a grin. She was a woman named Alice that Leon had met at several other crime scenes, and he couldn't help thinking of killer bunnies every time he saw her. "You know, for evidence."
"Yeah, the guys back at the station will never believe this unless we get some proof," the detective agreed, grinning back at her. So Alice took her pictures, with the second thief cussing her out the entire time, which only made her work more slowly. The first thief just kept whimpering and raving about dragons and magic and how they shouldn't have messed with Count D's son.
"Indeed," D said, with great satisfaction.
Finally, Alice declared that she had enough photos for evidence, and stepped back to allow the other cops to rescue the thieves. It took three of them to lift the heavy statue off the men, with a lot of grunting and heaving. The thieves didn't seem too much the worse for wear, apart from a few bruises and bloody scratches. Leon noticed that the claws of the statue were stained with blood--as did the other cops.
"I think they stumbled into the statue in the dark, and they mistook it for a real dragon as it fell over on them," Daiki explained with an amused smile. "The claws must have scratched them as it fell."
"Makes a lot more sense than a man turning into a dragon," the detective chuckled. "By the way, Mr. Orcot, were you and Mr. Van Horne the only people on the premises? I'd heard that you had a bodyguard living at the shop."
"Yes, but I gave Mr. Lung the night off," Daiki lied blithely. "He'll be disappointed that he missed all the excitement."
"Do we need to take the statue in as evidence?" Alice asked the detective.
"It's a very rare and expensive piece of art," Daiki said hastily. "I would prefer that it remain at the shop, if at all possible."
The detective hesitated, then glanced at D, and apparently remembered all the connections that the Count had with people in high places. "Well, it ain't like it's going anywhere," he said with a shrug. "And I'm sure that the department wouldn't want to be held responsible for any damage that happened to it during transport. We have the photos and several witnesses who can testify that they were found lying under the statue. Seems like a slam-dunk to me."
"It wouldn't fit in the van, anyway," Alice chuckled, then swabbed a few samples of blood off the claws, and said she was finished with the crime scene.
"Well, looks like we're just about done here," the detective said. "Although I really would recommend that you invest in a better security system and new locks, Mr. Orcot. You have a lot of expensive merchandise here, and the next batch of thieves might be a little more competent than those two numbskulls."
"I shall take your advice to heart, Detective," Daiki said gravely. "I fear I have grown complacent, since there has never been any trouble before this. My father's reputation--both fathers, that is--has always kept lawbreakers away in the past."
"Yeah, it takes a real idiot to mess with the son of a homicide detective and Count D," Miller agreed.
Daiki politely thanked all the officers for their hard work, and once they were alone in the store, he said, "You can change back now, Ti Lung."
Ti Lung transformed back into his human shape and rubbed his neck and rolled his shoulders. "I thought they'd never leave!" he complained. "I'm all stiff now from lying on those two oafs." He casually licked the blood off his fingertips, reminding Leon of a cat cleaning itself after a successful hunt. Which in turn reminded him that Ti Lung really was a dragon capable of killing and eating people, and not just the friendly guy who liked to share cheeseburgers and milkshakes with him. But still, Leon was glad that Ti Lung had been there to defend his son.
"What horrible men!" Ti Lung exclaimed when he spotted the fallen ivy plant. He picked it up, patted the spilled dirt back into place, and gently stroked the vines and leaves that had been damaged by the fall; the plant immediately seemed to perk up and look much healthier. "Why wouldn't you let me kill them, Master Daiki?" Ti Lung wanted to know, still looking indignant about the mistreated plant.
"The police would have come to investigate the gunshots even if we hadn't called them, and it would have been difficult for me to explain why there were two bodies lying torn apart in my shop," Daiki replied calmly.
Ti Lung grinned widely, his eyes glowing red. "I could have made sure that there were no bodies left to find," he said, licking his chops.
"And I prefer not to kill anyone unless it's absolutely necessary," Daiki added. "Besides, I don't want the Plant Dolls to be traumatized by witnessing a murder. They were upset enough by tonight's...unpleasantness."
"Yes, I suppose you're right," Ti Lung sighed regretfully as the glow in his eyes dimmed. "Cheeseburgers taste better, anyway." Then his expression brightened as he asked hopefully, "Do you think Lady Honlon will be impressed that I defended the shop from those two miscreants?"
Daiki hesitated for just a moment before replying with a smile, "I promise to tell her just how brave you were"--deftly sidestepping the question without actually answering it, Leon noticed, although a preening Ti Lung did not.
***
"Bwahahahaha!" Kanan laughed the next day when she heard about the robbery, and Ti Lung's expression changed from proud to crestfallen. "You captured them by falling on top of them? That's hilarious!"
"I did not fall on them," Ti Lung corrected in a tone of wounded dignity. "I pinned them to the ground and then changed into my statue form."
"Yeah, and you were so heavy, they couldn't move right?" Kanan asked, slapping her knee as she laughed. "Maybe you better lay off those bacon cheeseburgers, Ti Lung!"
"I am not fat!" Ti Lung protested indignantly. "It is merely that my statue form weighs more than my human form! Bronze is heavier than flesh, you know!"
"She was just teasing you, Ti Lung," Junrei said apologetically. "I think you were very brave to capture those bad men."
"Oh, it was nothing, my Lady," Ti Lung said modestly, immediately cheering up.
"'Nothing' is right! A dragon doesn't need much bravery to take on a couple of mere humans," Kanan said, snorting derisively, and Ti Lung's good cheer deflated again.
"Ouch," Leon muttered under his breath, marveling that the words of a young girl could wound a mighty dragon where bullets could not.
"You are being rude, Kanan," Shukou coolly reprimanded her sister. "Although you do have a point. It is your job to defend the shop, after all, Ti Lung. Should we praise you for merely fulfilling your duty?"
"A job well done always deserves praise," Daiki said gently, but Ti Lung bowed to Honlon and said stiffly, "You are correct, Lady Shukou. It is my sworn duty to protect the shop. It was foolish and selfish of me to expect praise just for fulfilling my contract. I bid you good day, my Lady."
"Ti Lung--" Daiki started to say.
"I shall see you back at the shop, Master Daiki," Ti Lung interrupted, then bowed once more and left.
Daiki crossed his arms over his chest and gave the dragon-girl a stern look--an expression that Leon rarely saw on the face of his good-natured son. "That was rude, Kanan, Shukou," he said quietly.
"I only spoke the truth," Shukou replied coolly.
"You hurt his feelings," Raphael said, as sternly as Daiki. "Ti Lung really likes you, and he wanted to impress you. Now, just because he has feelings for you doesn't mean that you're obligated to return them. But I thought that you considered him a friend even if you aren't romantically interested in him."
"I was just teasing," Kanan muttered sulkily, staring down at the floor as she scuffed at the carpet with one foot.
"It's okay to tease him a little bit, but you went too far today," Raphael scolded. "You too, Shukou."
"Oh dear," Junrei said anxiously. "Do you think he's mad at us?"
"Not at you, princess," Leon said, resting his hand gently on her head. "The other two, maybe." Kanan scowled at him. "But I'm sure he'll get over it, and they can apologize to him the next time he visits."
***
But Ti Lung did not come by the next day, or the day after, or the day after that. "Where is that dragon, anyway?" Kanan asked sharply, with a faint hint of underlying guilt that Leon picked up on, thanks to years of experience in questioning evasive suspects. "He's supposed to be tutoring us! Have we been doing all that meditating for nothing?"
"Do you think that he's mad at us?" Junrei asked in a small voice.
"I do not think that he is angry at you, but I do believe that his pride was hurt," D replied gently. "Dragons, as I am sure you know, being one yourself, have a great deal of pride, and his was wounded the other day. I think that he is probably reluctant to visit, knowing that he has lost face in front of a female that he wished to impress."
"He shouldn't be so sensitive," Kanan grumbled, but the hint of guilt was stronger this time. "Who knew that the mighty dragon warrior could get his feelings hurt so easily?"
Since Kanan could be pretty touchy herself, Leon thought that it was a case of the pot calling the kettle black, but since he didn't want to set off a dragon tantrum that might destroy the city, he decided to keep his mouth shut for once.
"Perhaps we were a little hard on him," Shukou admitted.
"How can we make it up to him?" Junrei asked. "I feel bad that we hurt his feelings, especially since he's been working so hard teaching us how to control our magic."
"Perhaps you could get him a gift to show him your appreciation," Pon-chan suggested. The fierce rivalry between Honlon and the raccoon-girl had eased significantly since Chris had fallen in love with Tet-chan, and Pon-chan had formed a friendship of sorts with Junrei, although she still didn't care much for Kanan and Shukou.
"Oh, that sounds like a good idea!" Junrei said eagerly. "But what should we get him?"
"Not to put a damper on things, but how are we supposed to buy a present when we can't leave the shop?" Kanan interjected.
"You could mail order it from a catalog or over the internet, or send Leon out to buy it," Pon-chan suggested. "Come on, let's go look at some online stores."
Daiki had left behind his old computer when he had moved out, and Leon and some of the pets used it to play games and surf the web, although D still refused to touch it. And since none of the pets, Pon-chan included, had a credit card, Leon waved the girls off indulgently--after checking to make sure that his card was securely in his wallet where it was supposed to be.
"If you see something nice, within a reasonable price, I'll help you buy it," Leon told Honlon. "It doesn't have to be expensive, just a small token of your appreciation. I'm sure that Ti Lung will like anything you give him."
"Thanks, Leon!" Junrei said, kissing him on the cheek. "We'll pay you back, of course."
"We will?" Kanan asked, as she ran after Pon-chan.
***
A few days later, after closing up the Plant Dolls shop at the end of the day, Daiki said to Ti Lung, "Raphael and I are going to the petshop for dinner. Would you care to join us?"
"No, thank you, Master Daiki," Ti Lung replied. "I...ah...wish to continue experimenting with this new fertilizer compound."
"Oh, come on, Ti Lung!" Raphael said, shaking his head. "Surely the fertilizer can wait till tomorrow. And I hear that Pon-chan's cooking up a real feast."
"Nevertheless, I wish to finish mixing the compound," Ti Lung said firmly. "I can make do with leftovers, or order a pizza." In addition to cheeseburgers, the recently awakened dragon had discovered the joys of other types of junk food, like pizza--and D laid the blame for that squarely on Leon's shoulders. However, Ti Lung showed none of his usual enthusiasm for a meal of junk food, and avoided looking either Daiki or Raphael in the eye.
"Don't you think you're being a little childish, Ti Lung?" Daiki asked, giving the dragon as stern a look as he had given Honlon several days ago.
"I do not know what you are talking about, Master Daiki," Ti Lung replied coolly, still avoiding his gaze.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about," Daiki retorted, refusing to relent. "Your pride was offended when Kanan and Shukou belittled your efforts to protect the shop. You have not gone back there since, even though you used to visit almost every day."
"It is my duty to protect this shop," Ti Lung said stiffly. "I feel as though I must be more vigilant and spend less time away from the shop in case there is another robbery attempt."
"Bullshit," Raphael said bluntly, and the dragon looked offended.
"Raphael, my love, you are picking up bad habits from Dad," Daiki gently chided, although he smiled slightly.
"We've installed a new security system, and you said that you would instantly sense if someone broke into the shop," Raphael persisted. "You're not afraid of thieves--you're afraid to face a little girl."
"I am not afraid!" Ti Lung snapped, but he flushed guiltily.
"Look, I understand that your feelings were hurt, but you have to remember that Honlon is just a kid, at least in dragon years," Raphael said, in a more conciliatory tone. "You're the adult; you have to be the mature one here."
Ti Lung hung his head, but still looked a little mulish--at the moment, he looked rather like Kanan, but Daiki knew that he would only upset his friend further if he mentioned the resemblance. Dragons, even one as good-natured as Ti Lung normally was, tended to have a touchy sense of pride that needed to be handled carefully.
So he tried a different approach and said gently, "Honlon misses you, Ti Lung, even though she's too proud to say so."
The stubbornness vanished, and Ti Lung asked hopefully, "Do you really think so?"
"I do," Daiki replied solemnly. "Junrei seems very sad, and Kanan is more grumpy than usual. And Shukou is just...silent. She doesn't like to show her feelings, so she always grows quiet when she's unhappy. Remember, I grew up in the shop with Honlon; she's like a sister to me, and I know her moods almost as well as I know my own."
"You are right, Master Daiki," Ti Lung said, with surprising humility for a dragon. "And you, too, Raphael. I have been childish and selfish, and moreover, I have broken my promise to Lady Honlon to teach her to use her magic. If you think she will forgive me, I will go with you tonight and apologize to her."
"Well, to be fair, Kanan and Shukou owe you an apology, too," Raphael said with a grin. "Though I'm not sure that you'll get one. But I'm sure that all three of them will be happy to see you."
***
The three of them arrived at the petshop a short time later. Daiki handed the Count a box of assorted pastries from Madame C's, and Ti Lung presented Honlon with a bouquet of flowers.
"For me?" Junrei asked, her face lighting up.
Ti Lung bowed gallantly. "To make up for my absence," he explained. "I was, ah, a little busy at the Plant Dolls shop and I neglected our lessons."
"Oh, I was afraid that you were mad at us," Junrei said, sounding relieved. "Because Kanan and Shukou were rude to you."
"All I did was tease him a little bit!" Kanan protested. "He shouldn't be so sensitive--mmph!"
Her hand flew up to clamp over her mouth, muffling her words, and Kanan's indignant expression smoothed out to one of cool serenity. Shukou calmly lowered her hand and said, "We were rude to you, Ti Lung, and we apologize."
"I must apologize also," Ti Lung admitted sheepishly. "I was, as Lady Kanan says, too sensitive."
"I do think that you were brave to defend Daiki and the shop," Junrei said earnestly.
"It is important to do one's duty," Shukou acknowledged. "We should not have belittled you for that."
She poked herself in the side, and Kanan added a slightly grudging, "Sorry."
Ti Lung smiled with relief. "I am glad that all is well between us again, my Lady."
"We bought a present for you, too, Ti Lung," Junrei said shyly. "To apologize, and to thank you for all your hard work in tutoring us."
The other dragon's face lit up with delight. "I am honored, my Lady!" he declared.
"Don't be so quick to be honored," Kanan told him. "You haven't seen the present yet."
"I am sure that I will love it, whatever it is," Ti Lung assured her.
"Well, don't say I didn't warn you," Kanan muttered, and then Junrei took over and ran off. She returned a short while later with a large, oddly-shaped package.
"Oh my!" Ti Lung exclaimed as he tore off the wrapping paper to reveal a large plush toy dragon.
"I picked it because it's a dragon, like us," Junrei explained. "It reminded me of you. Although I'm sorry it's green--they didn't have any bronze ones."
"I'm not sure it's a compliment to be compared to a stuffed toy," Kanan muttered, and Junrei blushed.
"I know that you're too old to play with toys," Junrei said, a little defensively. "But see, there's a velcro tab on his tummy, and if you pull it open, he'll lay out flat like this and you can use him as a pillow. Fold him back up and attach the tab, and he's a toy again."
"Very ingenious," Ti Lung said admiringly, and Junrei let out a sigh of relief.
"I'm so glad that you like him," she said.
"She liked it so much that she bought one for herself, too," Kanan chimed in.
"I am very honored that you put so much thought into my gift," Ti Lung said, hugging the plush dragon to his chest. "I shall sleep with it at night and think of you." Leon glared at him and he hastily added, "Er--wait, that didn't come out the way that I intended it."
"It had better not," Leon said, glowering at the dragon threateningly, even though Ti Lung could probably eat him in a single bite if he wanted--well, maybe two.
Ti Lung actually blushed. "I meant only that I was touched that Lady Honlon bought this special gift for me. I shall treasure it, and I shall make good use of it as a pillow."
"Nice save," Ten-chan said with a grin, and Leon transferred his glare to the kitsune, but he seemed mollified by Ti Lung's words.
"I could be brave if someone broke into the petshop!" the wolf Lupin barked, bouncing up and down eagerly, like a puppy. "I'd snarl at them like this--grrr!"
Leon laughed and patted him on the head. "I'm sure you'd be really brave, buddy. In fact, I remember the time that that ghost broke into the shop, the crazy statue lady. You attacked her to protect the shop, even though she nearly killed you. I'm sure you'd be just as brave if a burglar tried to rob the shop."
"And if I was brave, maybe I could get a biscuit?" Lupin asked hopefully, wagging his bushy tail.
"Hang on, boy, I'll get you a biscuit right now," Leon chuckled. He left the room and returned a minute later with a box of Milkbones and tossed one to Lupin, who caught it in mid-air and crunched on it happily.
"Leon!" D cried in horror. "You are feeding him Milkbones?!"
"Sure," Leon replied. "It was on sale at the grocery store, so I grabbed a box."
"Those things are full of chemicals and additives!" D screeched hysterically. "I always purchase freshly baked organic biscuits from the Doggie Bakery for the canines in the shop!"
"I like these better," Lupin said cheerfully with his mouth full.
"Like them better?" D echoed incredulously.
"Yup," Lupin replied, swallowing the last of his biscuit and licking his chops happily. "They have a little extra zing to them."
"You are a corrupting influence, Leon Orcot!" D shouted accusingly at his mate. "First, you teach a Dragon of Earth to eat junk food, and then you feed Milkbones to a wolf spirit!"
"Can I have another?" Lupin asked.
"No!" D snapped. "It is almost dinnertime, and you will spoil your appetite."
Just then, the smell of something burning wafted into the lobby of the shop and Pon-chan exclaimed in dismay, "Oh no! I forgot about dinner!" She ran down to the kitchen, then eventually returned with a sheepish look on her face. "I'm sorry, it's completely ruined. We'll have to get take-out tonight."
"We could order a pizza," Ti Lung suggested helpfully.
"I want pepperoni!" Kanan said gleefully, clapping her hands together.
D rubbed his temples as if he had a headache, then glared at Leon, who smiled at him placatingly.
"We'll make your pizza vegetarian," Leon cajoled. "I know a great place that uses fresh veggies. I'll go pick up the pizzas, and I'll stop by the burger place for milkshakes on the way home."
D glared at him a moment longer, then sighed and relented. "Oh, all right, but I want extra whipped cream and a cherry on top," he said sulkily.
"Your wish is my command," Leon said gallantly, planting a kiss on his lips.
"You are incorrigible, my dear detective," D scolded, but he smiled and kissed Leon back.
"Perhaps Leon should be teaching you magic instead of me," Ti Lung whispered to Honlon. "Even a dragon could not so easily tame a mighty kami like Count D."
Junrei giggled, and Shukou smiled slightly and said, "Leon does have a kind of unique magic of his own."
"But don't tell him that or he'll get a swelled head," Kanan cautioned.
"What are you guys whispering about over there?" Leon asked suspiciously as he grabbed his car keys and prepared to leave.
"Nothing," Ti Lung said innocently. "We were just discussing the kinds of toppings we want on our pizzas. Lady Kanan and I are partial to pepperoni."
"I want anchovies," Junrei added, and Kanan shuddered slightly, making a face.
"Ick!"
"And I would like mushrooms and olives," Shukou said serenely.
"Okay, I got it!" Leon said, giving them a thumbs-up, and Ti Lung and Honlon exchanged a knowing smile as he ran out the door.
THE END.
***
Afterword: I bought a Bestever dragon pillow for myself last Christmas because it was so darned cute, and it immediately popped into my mind when I was trying to think of a gift for Honlon to give Ti Lung. It seemed like it would appeal to Junrei, if not to her sisters. ^_^
The reference that Leon makes about Lupin defending the shop from a ghost comes from Part 3 of my earlier story, Spirits.
no subject
I remember when you startet Daiki, it is so nice to see how it is going with them now. Wonderfull actually.
I really liked the interaction between Ti Lung and Honlon to, it is very sweet in a roundabout sort of way. Afterall Honlon is three persons so he is actually courting them all three. Which in my head makes for some wierd but funny and sweet situations.
no subject
And yes, courting a 3-headed dragon is pretty complicated for Ti Lung, poor guy. ;) I think of all the three, Shukou will be the hardest to win over. I feel like she took Chris's loss the hardest, even though she never said anything about it.
no subject
I am also glad to see that Honlon is mellowing out and maturing. Ti Lung will be a very happy dragon sometime in the future!
I look forward to the next chapter.
no subject