The Second Archon War, Imperatrix Umbrosa 3 (Patreon)

Beta’d and Edited by The Grand Cogitator and Dr_Feelgood

Imperatrix Umbrosa 3: Confessions of an Outlander

Holding her breath, Ami tried to be as still as possible. Her mother’s sobbing breaths could still be heard, and the grunts of the villain just outside the closet door. She couldn’t hear her father anymore. Hadn’t for several minutes. She clutched her to her chest, her heart pounding silently. Closing her eyes, she mouthed a silent prayer.

“Raiden, please, save me.”

Outside, she heard her mother let out a strangled sob. “No, no, please! I-”

“There’s a child here. Where,” the deep voice growled.

“She, she went to see her grandparents! In the countryside! We lost contact, haven’t heard from her in-”

Another scream, and Ami choked back a sob.

“Wrong. There were three dirty bowls in the sink. So I’ll ask again. Where is she?”

“She…she was lost in the storm, she’s-”

Her mother’s voice trailed off in a wet gurgle, and this time Aoi couldn’t hold back a muffled sob.

“Raiden, please!”

She heard heavy footsteps, and clutched her toy to her chest, closing her eyes. If she closed her eyes, the monster would go away and-

The closet door was ripped open, and Ami screamed as black snakes reached out and pulled her out. The inky black coils wrapped around her as the shadowy serpents hissed. She was hoisted into the air, and her eyes came open of their own accord. What she saw was the face of the Monster.

She tried not to see her mother and father.

“There you are. Well. I had my fun with your mother. But I like the lolis. You’ll-”

For a fleeting instant, a purple eye appeared behind the demon, then a rip in the fabric of space. The first thing through was the flash of lightning. The next, a sword.

The demon screamed as the hand that had been holding Ami was severed at the wrist, and she fell to the floor, looking up in awe.

The monster snarled, turning as the tattoos on his body rippled, the snakes on his remaining arm rising up to strike, as the demon on his face hissed.

“BITCH! YOU’LL-”

“Close your eyes, child,” Raiden said gently, and Ami squeezed her eyes shut. There was another scream, but this time, it was the monster’s.

“C-can I open my eyes?” Ami asked, holding her toy to her chest tightly.

“No. This is…a game. Can you play with me?” Raiden asked, sounding as gentle as a summer’s breeze.

Ami could only nod desperately.

“Good. Here.”

Strong arms wrapped themselves around Ami, and a moment later she found herself held to a warm chest. She buried her face in Raiden’s shoulder as she sobbed.

“You are safe now. Come. Let us away.”

There was the crack pop of lightning, and then cold air blasted Ami’s face. Startled, she opened her eyes, and found herself out in the cold morning air. She blinked, looking around as people hurried towards her.

“Your Excellency! What happened?” a kindly man asked. He looked a bit like daddy, going a bit bald, with torn work clothes, and circles around his eyes.

“Send two guards into the room behind me,” Raiden said, her tone suddenly cold and imperious. “A vision holder…committed a grievous crime. I have meted out retribution.”

“I…” the man went pale, looking into the still open portal, then bent to the side and vomited.

“We’ll handle it,” two policemen said. They had purple armbands affixed to their left biceps, imprinted with the purple eye symbol. “Thank you, your Excellency.”

There were footsteps, and then a snap, and when Ami dared look, the portal was closed.

“W-what about mommy? Daddy?” Ami asked. But she knew. She was big now: almost eight.

“They walk now into Eternity,” Raiden said, reaching a hand up to stroke Ami’s hair.

Two more guards came up, one of them a kind looking woman about mommy’s age. “We’ll take the child, Excellency.”

“NO!” Ami wailed, and clutched tightly to Raiden. “NO! I CAN’T I DON’T WANT TO, I-”

There was a flash of lighting, and the next thing Ami knew, she was laying on the ground, Raiden hovering over her, a glowing purple sphere clutched in her hands. Within the sphere hovered a crystal shard of a somewhat cubical nature, one that constantly folded in on itself in an endless pattern, never getting smaller, nor growing.

“What is this,” Raiden hissed, holding the sphere up and studying the crystal within. “I have not seen its like.”

“I don’t want it!” Ami said, shying away from it.

Raiden looked down at her, curious for a moment. “Child. What is your name?”

“I…I’m Ami Muramaru. And this is Mushu. He’s a dragon.” She held up her favorite stuffed animal from the Best Movie Ever to the God of Thunder, her heart full of hope.

To her surprise, Raiden reached out a finger, touching Mushu on the nose. As she did so, the sphere vanished, and Ami felt a strange sensation, a brief sense of vertigo. She nearly collapsed, but Raiden reached down, steadying her.

“A brave and noble warrior, I am certain. He will guard you well.”

Ami felt something wriggling in her hands, and when she looked down, she gasped. Mushu had changed: he was still in the same general shape, but the cartoon eyes were gone, replaced by rather ordinary ones for a lizard, and his coloration was now purple. She dropped him, but Mushu hovered up, crooning and looking into Ami’s eyes, a look of mischievous curiosity on his whiskered face.

“A miracle!” various voices cried, but Raiden held up a hand.

“I am wearied. I shall take this child to rest. Prepare for me a dwelling,” Raiden commanded.

“Of course! Your excellency! At once!”

There was a mad scramble as people raced to do as Raiden had commanded, and Ami was left to giggle and stroke her new pet. “It tingles!”

“Yes, I am sure it does,” Raiden said, giving Ami an amused smile.

Not long after, they were taken to a lavish hotel room. Ami looked around the space, which was bigger than her home was. That made her sad, and she dropped, sniveling, even as her new dragon chirruped and nuzzled her neck.

“You need a new name,” Ami said, frowning. He didn’t look like Mushu anymore. He was a purple dragon though, so…Murasaki?”

The dragon chirruped its approval, and Ami clapped. “You will be Mr. Murasaki, the Purple Dragon!”

For a few moments, she smiled, then she looked down, feeling dejected. Even a purple dragon didn’t change what had happened that day…

“Do you hunger, child?” Raiden asked.

Ami shrugged, unable to look up, a sense of overwhelming sadness filling her.

“We will require a repast,” Raiden ordered one of the grownups. She paused, then added, “And several desserts. Do you have…dango milk?”

“Dango…milk?” one of the grownups asked, looking confused.

“I like strawberry shortcake,” Ami said, looking up. “With whipped cream. Can we have that?”

“Cake?” Raiden suddenly perked up, her eyes widening in excitement, and…was that a bit of drool? No way. Raiden was too cool to drool. “Yes. We shall require a strawberry shortcake, with this whipped cream.”

Not long after, Ami was feeling much better as she sat on the floor with Raiden, eating the biggest strawberry shortcake she had ever seen. She giggled, feeding Murasaki a strawberry, which the little dragon devoured with gusto.

For her part, Raiden was eating with great enjoyment, an actual smile on her lips as her eye sparkled. She had already eaten three slices, and had a large dollop of cream on the tip of her nose.

“You’re gonna get a tummy ache,” Ami giggled, reaching up with a napkin to dab at Raiden’s nose.

“Gods do not get tummy aches,” Raiden said, sounding offended. Then she suddenly sagged, looking down at the cake in her hand mournfully. A tear formed at the corner of her eye, which Raiden flicked away.

That made Ami start to sniffle too. “Did you…did you lose your mommy and daddy too?”

She knew they were dead, and just staying it made her start to cry in earnest.

A hesitant hand was placed on Ami’s shoulder. “I had no parents. Gods are not born as mortals. I arose from the flash of lightning alongside my sister…Makoto. She…she perished, some five centuries ago.”

Ami threw herself into Raiden’s arms. “It’s ok to cry! M-my mommy said so!”

Hesitantly, Raiden’s arms wrapped around Ami, then they began to stroke her hair. “Yes. But I ran out of tears long ago. Sorrow is not an aspect of Eternity I wish to embrace.”

Since she was still a little girl, Ami had a good hard cry, but when she finished, she dried her eyes, looking around. She spotted the large TV, and trotted over to it, picking up the remote. “Can we watch TV?”

“What is…tee vee?” Raiden asked, standing and coming over to peer at the box.

“Um, you watch it.” Ami turned it on, and Raiden blinked in surprise. It was just the news, which was boring, so Ami began to browse the menu. After a moment, her eyes lit upon her favorite. “They have Mulan! But…it’s 2000 yen to watch it. Can we? Please?”

“Of course,” Raiden said imperiously, seating herself before the TV. It took a phone call, but it seemed that 2000 yen wasn’t a lot of money to Raiden, Awesome God of Thunder.

Eagerly, Ami ran over, hopping in Raiden’s lap, which seemed to startle the god. She didn’t seem to mind though, and Ami sighed in satisfaction as The Best Movie Ever started to play. “See, Murasaki? That’s you!”

Ami pointed eagerly to the screen, laughing as Murasaki floated up and peered at his name sake. He even mimicked some of Mushu’s poses, causing Ami to laugh uproariously.

She fell asleep halfway through the movie, but when she woke up, she was still sitting in Raiden’s lap. The shogun poked at her, holding the remote. “Can you command this teevee to play another? I like this shadow play. It amuses me.”

“Yeah,” Ami said, yawning. She held up the remote, showing Raiden how to use it. The movie Raiden chose was one of Ami’s favorites, Kiki’s Delivery Service. Then she wandered over to the futon, and collapsed onto it. Murasaki curled up on top of her, and soon, Ami was snoring softly.

She had just had her worst day ever, and upon her shoulder, her new shard slept. She didn’t hear Raiden come over to hover over her, nor see as she flinched back in horror from the sleeping dragon.

There are some things even the gods fear.

“Thank you for allowing us in on such short notice, Ambassador Yeung,” Alexandria said, bowing slightly to the man across the table from her. He was ordinary enough, a middle aged bureaucrat with a receding hairline and glasses, though his suit was nicer than average.

“Of course, Director Costa-Brown,” Yeung said, smiling and showing teeth yellowed from years of smoking. “Though I am a bit surprised. What business does the PRT have with the Imperial Union?”

“This information doesn’t leave the room. We haven’t gone public with it, and if you do attempt to leak it, we’ll deny any and all knowledge of it, and even rescind it. Do you understand?” Alexandria asked.

The Ambassador maintained his poker face, and nodded. “Of course. You can count on my discretion.”

And that he would go running to his masters as soon as he was able, but that was the point, really. Making a display of unlocking her briefcase, Alexandria pulled out a manilla folder that contained only a single sheet of paper, and handed it to Yeung.

He took it and opened it, his eyes scanning the paper quickly. This time, he couldn’t completely hide his reaction. His eyes widened, and his hands shook slightly. Then he looked up, closing the folder and setting it on the center of the table. “That is…interesting. But why are you showing me a Kill Order? That’s an internal matter for the PRT, and the United States government.”

“You know what. What would be the reaction of the CUI on the matter?” Alexandria asked.

Yeung shrugged. “I cannot say for certain. I’d have to speak with Beijing to receive guidance.”

By that, he meant speak with Shen Yu, and the Emperor. It was sometimes hard to tell if the Yangban ruled the CUI, or if they were actually under the thumb of the government. Cauldron leaned towards Shen Yu being the real power in China, but even their agents had a hard time penetrating Beijing politics.

It was hard to judge of course. President Bradley might think he had no strings on him, but Cauldron’s puppeteering skills were deft.

Which was, of course, the real reason Raiden could not be allowed to live.

“Speculate. I won’t hold it against you,” Alexandria said, giving Yeuang a tight smile.

The ambassador removed his glasses, and his eyes suddenly went from watery to cold steel. “Director. You know that Japan is no friend of China. My country seethes with fury at the latest injustice those dogs have wrought upon us. Hundreds of thousands of Chinese citizens are dead in the aftermath of what that thing did. Worse even than if Leviathan had attacked one of our own port cities, even worse than last year at Jinzhou.”

That had been a bad one. Before the attack, Jinzhou had had a population of over a million. Now it was an largely irradiated wasteland. Casualties had been steep indeed. But the massive tsunami, many earthquakes, and power outage had been especially devastating to the CUI.

He tapped the fonder with one finger. “This would have my country's full support. If you are worried about diplomatic backlash…I can assure you there will be none from us. For once, the CUI and the USA will be on the same side of a diplomatic issue. But if I may speak frankly?”

Alexandria made a “go on” motion, holding back a smile.

“We would ask a favor in return. The United States has withdrawn its military globally, from Japan as well. Do you still consider Japan an ally? Is it still under the protection of the United States?”

“The United States government considers the prospect of a cape warlord seizing control of a first world nation by brute force to be a matter of the utmost concern. This kill order is a signal of our increasing worries over the situation in Japan, which continues to devolve as Raiden expands her control over the nation of Japan. We have even received communiques from the Japanese government indicating that…international intervention may be needed.”

“I see.” Yeung opened the folder and read the kill order again, then met Alexandria’s eyes. “And if China were to…install a more favorable regime…what would the United States response be? Hypothetically, of course.”

“If Raiden were to seize power, the United States would no longer consider Japan an allied nation,” Alexandria said. “We would, of course, protest. We’d saber rattle, and decry any action. But Raiden has made clear that she desires no American intervention. And it would not be in our best interests to defend a hostile Japan.”

The ambassador leaned back in his chair, tapping his lip with a finger a few times. Alexandria reached across, taking back the Kill Order and returning it to her briefcase.

“Well, Director. You have given me much to discuss with Beijing. I can say that while it is likely that China will make a statement decrying the United State’s abuse of sovereignty with this statement…it will not be a strongly worded one.”

“That is understandable.” Alexandria stood, and bowed slightly. “Thank you for your time, Ambassador. As I am sure we both have much to do, I’ll take my leave.”

Standing, the Ambassador saw her to the door, and even out of the embassy. At the entrance, he extended his hand. “I look forward to a more amicable working relationship between our nations.”

Alexandria smiled, and returned the snake’s handshake.

She left in her car, but her driver took her to a PRT base where she could change. Then, she flew towards Pearl Harbor, where the Pacific Fleet would be sallying forth.

All threats would be contained. Raiden had the potential to be a powerful ally when the day came.

But she also had equal potential to be an unimaginable threat, capable of knocking human civilization back to the stone age in an instant. And there were some risks just too great to take.

Other meetings took place that day, with ambassadors from South East Asian countries, as well as some of the USA’s closest allies. While all of them expressed concern about the United States gross overreach regarding Japanese sovereignty…they understood. A few were even supportive.

Raiden was an existential threat to humanity. One that needed to be dealt with. If the threat from CUI didn’t drive the Japanese government into the PTRs arms, then perhaps Raiden herself would. A chance to remove a threat, and expand the PTR, and by extension, Cauldron's influence. A chance for a brighter world.

And that was something worth fighting for.

Idleness had never been a sin that Kenta suffered with. After several days, he had awoken, something he hadn’t expected to do. He’d found himself in a hospital bed, with his hands and feet gone. While he had survived Raiden’s strike, doing so had nearly killed him. Even in his most powerful form, capable of withstanding the full attention of an Endbringer…he was now a quadriplegic, confined to a hospital bed.

“This is boring,” he growled to the nurse who came to adjust his IV. “When can I get prosthetics? Or a healer? There must be be some sentai around here capable of regenerating limbs.”

“I am sorry, Mr. Kenta. All sentai are desperately working to save lives. And we don’t have the capability to make prosthetics at this point. I am afraid you’ll just have to wait,” the nurse said as he adjusted the IV.

“You’d think killing an Endbringer would bring me some prestige,” Kenta grumbled. He was an Endslayer, one of only two in existence.

Well, he had helped, anyway. He knew perfectly well who slew Leviathan. And it had not been him.

“What is She doing?” Kenta asked. He’d watched all the TV he could stand, and he knew perfectly well what Raiden was up to, but he was so bored he was making conversation with this normie.

“Her Excellency continues the work of rebuilding Kyushu, safeguarding the people and bringing about Eternity,” the nurse answered. He bowed slightly to Kenta, the IV changed. He’d already helped Kenta to the bathroom, and fed him a meal. It was humiliating, but the only other option was starvation. “Do you require anything else, Mr. Kenta?”

“...no. Thank you.”

The nurse left, and Kenta was left to stew in his own juices again.

He reflected on his life, and what it had been like up until now. Frankly, it had been shit. His father had been a Japanese man who had gotten a Chinese woman pregnant, and never married her. Growing up a hafu had hardly been pleasant, especially when he was the child of a single mother who barely spoke Japanese. He’d take his mother’s name because he never had a clue who his father even was, and as a fuck you to the nation that hadn’t welcomed him.

He’d run with Daiichi and his gang because he’d not had anything better to do. Joining the Yakuza had sounded good to a 16 year old high school dropout, and Daiichi had been the path to that. Sure, Daiichi had gotten killed by that bitch, and Kenta had nearly died of an overdose, but he’d Triggered, and gotten his powers.

For a short time, life had improved. He’d quickly proven himself powerful, and been recruited by a real Yakuza gang. It hadn’t been that different from Daiichi’s gang, fighting capes from other gangs and sentai heroes, warring for turf, money, drugs. It was all about power and prestige.

Then, Leviathan had come. Kenta was still young. Barely even twenty. He’d thought he was invincible with his powers. Now, he knew better. There was someone out there far, far stronger than he.

And Kenta was uncertain that she was even a cape. What he had seen in her eyes, in the heavens that had opened up at her command…what was she?

“A god,” he whispered. Then shook his head. He’d seen gods, or something like them, when he’d triggered. Raiden was nothing like them.

But she was an Endslayer. The Endslayer.

It was something to think about, anyway.

As he lay there, he heard a sudden disturbance, excited voices outside the hospital he lay in. No makeshift structure for him, he’d rated the good facilities, if not the best treatment.

The noise grew louder, and the sound of many feet, and he struggled to lift himself up. It was maddening, but he managed to lift his torso up just a little and crane his neck, though he couldn’t see anything outside the door. They halted just outside his room, and then the door burst open.

“Kenta! My baby!” his mother cried, speaking Cantonese as always. She rushed forward, sogging, and wrapped her arms around him. “I am proud of you, my son. So, so proud.”

“Mom?” Kenta blinked, shocked. Last he’d heard, his mother hadn’t even been on Kyushu, instead living in Tokyo, still working as a prostitute. She wasn’t that old yet, and looked alright for her age, not quite 40. Or was she? He’d lost track of her birthdays. She’d been disgusted that he’d joined a gang, and had refused all the money he’d tried to give her. She’d been horrified when he’d triggered, and that had been the last time he’d spoken to her.

He stiffened for a moment, old rage building inside him, the same rage that fueled the dragon.

And then he’d looked up, and She was standing there. A faint smile on her lips. “It is good to embrace those we treasure, while we have them. To honor your elders is one of the principles of Eternity.”

And so, Kenta did the hardest thing he had ever done. He let go. And he forgave his mother.

Tears welled up, and he rested his head on his mother’s shoulders, sobs wracking his body. In those tears, all his rage, all his hatred, all his fear and anguish, passed out of him. He had gone through the baptism of fire and water. He had Braved the Lightning’s Glow, and been not afraid.

He had beheld eternity. And now, he knew peace.

“Thank you, mom,” Kenta said, sniffing as she used a hankie to wipe his nose and face. He laughed, a half joyous, half bitter sound. “I guess I’m like a little kid again. Can’t even wipe my own nose.”

“It is OK, it is OK. Your mother is here now,” she said, fussing over him.

“Thank you, Yan. I would speak with your son in private,” Raiden said, speaking Cantonese herself. When had she learned that?

“Of course, of course, your Excellency,” his mother said. She kissed him on the forehead one last time, then exited the room, closing the door behind her.

Kenta nodded to Raiden. “Thank you, Lady Raiden. Or do you prefer your excellency?”

“You have withstood the Lightning, and fought alongside me. You have earned the right to call me by name. When in private, you may refer to me as Ei.”

Kenta nodded, not fully realizing the great honor he had just received. In time, he would grow to be humbled and honored by the gesture, and would consider it to be the greatest gift he had ever received in his life, valuing it even more than his wife and children in his heart of hearts. But for now, he simply took it as his due.

“Well, we got him,” Kenta said, waving his stubs. “Cost me an arm and a leg though.”

Raiden glanced at him, brow slightly furrowed. “That is not true. You have lost both arms and legs.”

“Uh, yeah. You’re right,” Kenta said, laughing awkwardly. Was she having one over on him? It didn’t seem that way. She was just so…alien. She hardly seemed human.

“You did not tell me you were from Liyue. Your mother, it is strange. She knows not of Rex Lapis, or Morax, nor even of the Seven. Have such tales been utterly lost to time?” Raiden asked.

Kenta blinked. “Uh, I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about. My mom’s from Guangzhou, in China. She came here when she was really young. She’s um-”

“A comfort woman. I gathered as much,” Raiden said with a shrug. “I ordered her to be found, and she was brought to me. You have come from humble origins, Kenta.”

He blushed, and looked down. “You…don’t don’t know the half of it.”

Raiden was silent, though her gaze weighed on Kenta. He shifted uncomfortably, then, it all poured out of him.

Everything. Dropping out of school. Pushing drugs. His trigger event. Joining the Yakuza. And then…

“And then I joined the fight against Leviathan. The Truce, you know?”

“No. I do not. My question of you was the last, but now I am certain. This is not Teyvat.”

Kenta blinked, not understanding. “Teyvat?”

“The world from which I hail. There, a land much like this one, known as Inazuma, has existed since time immemorial. There, I was the Raiden Shogun, the Narukami Ogosho, God of Eternity. I know not how I have come to this world of Earth, nor how I arrived in Japan. But this land is much like Inazuma, and like Inazuma, it needs a ruler and a god. These seem to be dark and troubled times. It is the duty of a god to guide and shelter the mortals of her realm. So, I have chosen Japan as my nation. I shall be her god, and these shall be my people.”

For a moment, Kenta was quiet. “You mean…you’re really a god?”

“Yes.”

“Did…did you come to stop them? The Endbringers? To save the world?” he asked, his voice now raw and pleading.

Raiden shrugged. “I care not for the world. Even a god cannot cast their gaze too far and wide, lest they overreach and be brought low. Many a time I did this myself, slaying those deities that threatened my realm. This beast, the thing you called Leviathan, it was but another demon for me to slay. Whatever threatens this land, I shall destroy. I will bring about Eternity in Japan.”

Kenta lay back, his head swimming. So, Raiden wasn’t just a god, but an alien? It didn’t make sense. At last, he shook his head to clear it. “Well, whatever it is you shall do, I am your man. I would be your dragon, but…” He held up his bandaged stumps. “I’m not what I used to be.”

“Yes. Lung was a criminal. A thing worthy of scorn, and deserving of judgment.”

Kenta slumped, feeling rejected, but then Raiden continued.

“And I have passed my judgment on Lung. He faced the Lightning’s Glow, and passed through it. Few have survived the Musou no Hitotachi. For this, your past sins are forgiven. Lung is no more.”

Hope filled Kenta, and he nodded, overcome and unable to speak.

“For this, I shall give you a new name. You shall be known as-” Kenta nodded eagerly, trying to imagine what honorable name she had in store for him, “-Mushu.”

“What?” Kenta blinked, frowning. Then he laughed nervously. “Ah, Ei, um, you might not know this, since, er, you’re not from Earth…but Mushu, it’s the name of a dragon in a children’s movie.”

“Ah, yes. Mulan. You have said you are from China, as was Mushu. I have seen this movie, and quite enjoyed it. Especially the songs. I shall, what was the term? Yes. Make a man out of you.”

Kenta’s jaw dropped. Was she shitting him? She had to be shitting him. A somewhat impish grin had formed on Raiden’s lips, and she actually looked smug.

“Er, ha ha, very funny. Um, you have another name, right?” Kenta asked hopefully.

“No. Mushu was a noble and honorable warrior, who fought alongside his mistress, and helped save the land of Liyue- no, China, from invasion. It is an honorable and worthy name.”

Groaning, Kenta lay back on his bed. “Seriously? Mushu?”

“Yes. You shall be my familiar I think. It is traditional for gods to keep dragons as companions. You shall be mine,” Raiden said, and her tone brooked no further argument.

Kenta just knew he was going to catch so much shit for this. An Endslayer. Named after a damned gaijin children’s cartoon. Why couldn’t she come up with something cool? Lung was a really cool name, even if it wasn’t the most imaginative. This was a downgrade.

Then again… Lung had been a piece of shit. A drug dealing gangbanger who hadn’t had any reason to live but more money and power. And Raiden seemed to be offering him more.

“Fine. I guess…I can go by Mushu,” Kenta sighed.

“Excellent. Come, Mushu. You have a duty to perform for me.”

“Uh, I would love to, but…” Kenta waved his stubs again. “Can’t.”

“Yes, quite. That is the point.” Then Raiden swept away all the IV’s and sensors, and putting a hand on Kenta, levitated him. She walked him out of the room, out into the hall, where dozens of reporters waited with Kenta’s mother.

“This is Mushu, he who fought alongside me, and helped to save Japan in her hour of need,” Raiden said, as camera’s flashed and microphones were extended.

“Uh, hello,” Kenta said, sweat beading on his forehead. What was the point of all this? He felt ashamed that everyone could see his weakness. He would find a way to restore his limbs, even if he had to go to a damn biotinker, but until then…

“It is not right that such a noble warrior be laid low. For his sacrifice, he shall be honored. And in his victory, he shall be made whole.”

Raiden leaned closer, to whisper in Kenta’s ear. “I am not Buer, nor Vepar, to have great mastery over healing. Nor am I that insolent fool Barbados. But I am yet a god. What I can offer will cause great pain, but the reward is great. Will you brave it like a warrior?”

Kenta jerked a nod, his heart skipping a beat as it welled with hope.

“Then rise once more, Mushu!” Raiden declared.

Despite himself, Kenta let out a muffled scream as his body exploded with pain. It was nearly as bad as when he had faced the Lightning before, only a degree less. Slowly through, the pain faded, and he found himself kneeling on the floor. Then, he blinked. He looked down at his arms and hands. They were as good as new, restored perfectly to flesh and bone. There was a purple scar that joined the old to the new, and on each limb a small tattoo, a barbed three spoked circular symbol in purple.

“A miracle!” someone cried, and there was an excited babble.

Slowly, Kenta reached up, taking Raiden’s hand. The voices behind him quieted, and he kissed the outstretched fingers.

“From this moment forward, I swear my life to you, Raiden. You shall be my lord, and I your vassal,” Kenta said, pulling his lines as best he could from half remembered samurai movies.

Raiden nodded, accepting the gesture. “Then rise, Mushu. And serve your lord.”

Slowly, Kenta got to his feet. He felt his power surging, and tapped into it, just a little. He felt himself start to transform, and-

With a pop, he turned into a small lizard, exactly the size of Mushu the Dragon from Mulan, only with metallic scales that had purple highlights.

Kenta wasn’t sure if he wanted to kiss Raiden, or kill her.