EP.179|"A Piece Of Cake" She Said

Ben fell off the chair and onto the cold tiles of the diner floor. His eyes were still the same silverish gold color from his dream, bringing immense pain to his body.

"AGH!!" Ben screamed in pain, holding his head as he huddled into a ball.

Jasper, who was on watch duty of Ben when he slept, fell from the booth when his scream reached the dragons ear.

"Put a muzzle on that thing!" Ioaz complained. Jasper ran to Ben's side, trying to calm down the animalistic.

"Ben! Wake up!" Jasper slapped him across, snapping Ben out of his pain, his eyes returning to it's hazel color.

Ben breathed heavily, laying down on the tiles that coated the floor in a relaxing coldness that cooled Ben's body.

"Why the hell were you screaming this early in the morning?" Zeref groaned, rubbing his eyes as he sat up from the booth across Jasper's.

"Shit..!" Ben ran his fingers through his hair, groaning into his hands. "Ben," Hunter spinned around in the swivel chair by the diner counter "this isn't just about losing Mal to Araden, is it?"

"I don't know...I go to sleep and I see these memories, I guess, of this guy named Xander." Ben got up off the floor

"I have no idea who he is or the people I see in these dreams but they look so familiar!"

Ben sat on one of the stools, burying his head in his arms "and to make matters worse, I'm starting to question everything I've ever knew!"

"What do you mean?" CJ questioned.

"My memories from when I was little, like everything before the age of 11, starting appearing in my head. Me and Lucifer lived in this little town with the woman, but I couldn't see her face."

Ben lifted his head "but just by hearing her voice, I could tell she had such a valuable impact on my childhood."

"Sadly, we don't have the answers to your questions but," Evie placed her hand on his shoulder "we do know what you're going through."

Ben looked up at her "how?"

"We been seeing the memories of these people we have no memory of but we feel like we know them." Zeref vaguely explained.

"Do any of you know why it's happening?" Levi asked. Hunter shook his head "nope," he stared aimlessly into space "and frankly, I'm getting kinda tired of not knowing why."

"Yeah," Carlos agreed, "it's like everyone else knows what's going on but don't want to tell us."

"It's like they're purposely keeping things from us." Jasper sighed. "Look," Operetta stood up "we can worry about this whole dream nonsense later, right now we need to get to Antoine's castle."

Cosmina smiled at the thought of being in Antoine's arms again, she jumped out of her chair and clasped onto Operetta's hands, pulling her outside "well what are we waiting for! Getting into Antoine's palace will be a piece of cake."

One arriving at the Antoine's Castle, the VKs and Cosmina were met with an unpleasant surprise of the palace being covered by a large multicolored bubble.

"Piece of cake she said." Hunter recited in a sarcastic tone. "How was I supposed to know it be guarded by a giant bubble?!" Cosmina raised her arms in defense.

"What kind of magi is this?" CJ poked at the bubble causing it to send her back flying into a tree.

"It ain't magi honey." a sly voice replied causing the VKs and Cosmina to look towards it to see Araden.

"It's amazing what you can agree a prince to do when you drown him and a demonic dragon in holy water." Araden chuckled, leaning up against the bubble.

Ben growled and dashed towards Araden in his lion form "where's Mal?!" Ben eyes slowly began to turn silverish gold color.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Araden chuckled, Ben dug his claws into Araden's left arm.

The VKs watched in surprise, this was the first hit any of them have landed on the demon.

"Tell me where she is or I bite your head off!" Ben snarled. Araden laughed at the threat "please," Araden kicked the lion off of him "a little scratch doesn't hurt me."

"You know what I don't get," Ben transformed back into his human form again "why are you doing? Ever since the wedding, you've made each of our lives a living hell!"

Araden faked gasped "moi? How dare you accuse me of such things?!"
"Accuse?!" Jasper rolled his eyes "you poisoned an entire island on Misty,"

"You kidnapped my parents and trapped millions of souls on Zou," Freddie continued.

"You kidnapped Carlos and injected poison in animals on Mimosa." CJ added.

"You made Operetta forget here memories of the VKs and almost marry a king!" Hunter glared at the demon who was just shrugging.

"And, you kidnapped Mal and Ben, put them in separate realms, enslave a community in the Shadow Realm, keep Antoine and Cosmina home bound unless they gave up the shards, and you took CJ's sword!" Ben finished.

"AND YOU THINK WE'RE ACCUSING YOU?!" the VKs shouted simultaneously.

"Why do you even want the grail anyways?!" Operetta scolded "you clearly hate Swan so it can't be to bring her back."

"You're right, it isn't because of Swan," Araden smirked. "I'm trying to make the world a better place."

Araden knew he was lying, he didn't give a crap about this world, in his eyes it could burn for all he cared.

As long as Nadia was back and alive, nothing else mattered.

"And I'm gonna start by doing this!" Araden smirked as he snapped his fingers, a cloud of black smoke surrounding the VKs, making the knockout.

To this day, what happened after they woke up was the most immense pain they've ever experienced. However, they all agree that what the saw before they woke up was even more surprising.

"Is there a reason why you called us all here today Miss Swan?" Sabrina questioned, her and the rest of the recovery of the light members sitting in Swan's tactical room.

"Yes," Swan circled the table, sitting at the head of it, her face had a sad expression on it "I suppose you're all familiar with the island of Darnassea?"

The small group nodded, "isn't that the independent kingdom? The one filled with dragons, demons, animalstics, and other magical species right?" Sapphire asked.

Swan nodded "for years the Four Realms has been trying to recruit the kingdom intro of ours for years now."

"Is that were our next mission is?! I can't wait to go visit Midnight and Zalia!" Rosary cheered. "Oooh! Sapphire, we can go meet up with Ioaz again." Inferno grineed.

"And you can finally introduce me to Alvarze." Sabrina said, Axel nodded in agreement, smiling at the thought of seeing Alavarez again, the two were old buddies.

"And I can go see Zypher." Xander chuckled.

The group began to converse about seeing their old friends, their happy faces all lit up with glee. That's why it was all the harder for Swan to deliver the hard news.

"You're not going for a reunion," Swan looked down at her hands, tears brimming her eyes "your mission, if you choose to accept it," the Recovery began to worry, they've never seen Swan as worried as she was now "is to raid Darnessesa."

When the VKs woke up, they were surprised to be met with the cold hard form of plexiglass.

"Rise and shine magots!" Araden yelled, causing the VKs to wake up.

"Where are we?" CJ groaned, sitting up, rubbing her head. CJ looked around to see the VKs were all in separate plexiglass boxes, all arranged in a circle.

"Welcome to your own personal hell, VKs," Araden could see the fear in their eyes once he snapped his fingers, reveal all the tools of torture the demon had to use a will on the VKs "we're gonna have some fun."
Ben laid his eyes on Mal, who laid still like an unused rag doll, her body bruised, burned, and bleeding.

"Mal!" Ben yelled, Mal slightly opened her, now foggy, dull green eyes to see her king. She managed to flash a weak smile "Ben...you came..." she mumbled incoherently.

"Don't worry Mal, we'll be out soon I promise," Ben glared at Araden "let us out! Mal need medical attention!"

Araden chuckled "nu-uh," Araden pulled up a comfy chair, sipping tea "here how things are gonna go down," Araden tapped his foot twice, making the boxes rotate in a clockwise motion, slamming the VKs against the box's walls "I'm tired of running around to find the grail,"

Araden sipped his tea once more "I know one of you knows where it is, so," she tapped his foot again, causing another rotation "I'm gonna squeeze out you, even if it means killing you."

"Yo-You can't be ser-serious?!" Operetta stuttered, Araden chuckled darkly "deadly."

"Let's see who shoulder we start with," Araden panned around the circle, his eyes landing on Jasper "ah! Mister 'I have new dragon powers'," he leaned against Jasper box, "you're not special, kid."

Jasper growled at the demon "oooh, look, you got the growl down and everything," Araden rolled his eyes "fancy."

"Die in a hole." He snarled. "Oh! Really? Snide remarks already? You better learn to watch your tongue!" Araden placed his hand on the box, causing a stream of freezing water to pour down on the dragon

"Jasper!" Evie yelled in fear of her boyfriend getting hurt.

Everybody knows a fire dragons greatest weakness is water!

Jasper coked up water, panting again as another stream of water poured down on the dragon.

"You...mother...fucker...!" Jasper coughed, being pushed with yet more water. "Where's the grail?" Araden again, sitting on top of the box, lying on his stomach, kicking his feet.

"Like...I...know...AGH!" more water was poured on the dragon as punishment.

"Well~" Araden turned on his back, throwing a ball of water up in the air and catching it on his way down "I guess I gotta use harder punishment."
He noticed the scales on Jasper's arms, "Jasper, did you know a dragon's life is measured by their scales?"

Jasper leaned against the box for balance and support "yeah...why does it...matter to you...?" Jasper breathed heavily, still coughing up some water.

"Cause, by the looks of it, you have around," Araden inspected his arms, "84, maybe 85 scales. Give or take a few."

"Again," Jasper finally got his breathing under control "why does this matter to you?"

"Because," Araden snapped his fingers, drouncing the water down on the dragon. However, this time, it burned Jasper even more.

Screams from the dragon pierced through the VKs ears, Evie began to bang on her box "stop this!"

"What's wrong Evie? Sad that your little dragon isn't as strong as you thought he was?" Araden teased, stopping the water momentarily for Jasper to take in what was happening.

Jasper looked at his arms to see 3 of his scales on his left arm began to fade "what the?" he mumbled.

"Oh I'm sorry? Did you need those 3 years? Oops!" Araden shrugged as the water continued to scorch the dragon.

"Araden! Stop!" Evie yelled, tears forming in her eyes. She could see Jasper slightly smiling at her, trying to assure her that everything would be okay.

She rubbed her fingers on her new earrings, remembering back to the night before.

Jasper watched as Evie slept soundly3 in his lap, the two resting in one of the booths. He smiled softly, running his fingers through her dark blue hair.

"Jasper," Evie yawned, sitting up from his lap "why are you still awake? It's 2 am?"

"I have to watch Ben remember?" Jasper replied, Evie nodded slightly, lying her head on his shoulder.

"Jasper," she intertwined his fingers with his "do you ever wonder what life might be like if Araden didn't crash Ben and Mal's wedding?"

"Yeah," Jasper her her close, "it be hella different."

"Would you be happier? I mean, we wouldn't be on the run all the time." Evie looked up at him "but we wouldn't have ever met Raja."

"There's some good and bad to this mission, yes life would be easier without this whole grail thing but we would have never met our soon to be daughter," he lifted up her necklace a little bit "and you would have gotten these shards."

Evie traced her fingers along his scales, Jasper purred in delight, something about her touch on his scales was so calming. It was like her fingers knew exactly where to touch him and how.

"And you would have never shown me your dragon side." Evie continued to touch the scales, as the touches increased, Jasper pleasure began to build.

"They're so warm..." Evie mumbled, the scales glowled slightly, becoming a little heater to warm up Evie's body.

She snuggled up to Jasper's arms, Evie put his arms around her, resting on his shoulder "Jasper, I know I'm not one of the strongest in my family, and I might never learn Queen Rage, but I promise I'll protect you."

Jasper kissed the top of her head "I promise," he took in a whiff of her blueberry smell "I'll protect you too, my precious blueberries."

"Hey Jasper," Jasper looked down at Evie "you can mark me."

Evie saw as the relife flow into Jasper's eyes once she uttered those words "how did you-" she cut him off with a kiss.

"Cosmina showed me how to use the light shards to sense someones' inner feelings and thoughts," she rubbed her fingers along the scales "see, right now you feel relief and passion."

"I've been fighting Ioaz for the longest about marking you." Jasper chuckled, his eyes turning red "I was this close to giving this kid a migraine he'll never forget."

Jasper's eyes turned back to normal, Jasper gasped for breath a little "gotta get him under control."

"Does it still hurt when he takes over?" Evie asked. "Yeah," Jasper shrugged, "he's a B+ demon so it's alright."

"I still have some questions about mates," Evie sat up accordingly. "Ask away." Jasper smiled. "How did you know I was your mate?" Evie questioned.

"Remember when we went for ice cream after Jasmine's potions test at school?" Evie nodded.

"When I saw you helping the little girl who fell off her bike in front of you, the sun just hit you so perfectly you were practically glowing, you gave her your ice cream and healed her wounds."

"What must happen before the marking? Do I gotta prerpare"

"Well, you probably should prepare for when I do mark you," he leaned in a whispered "I'm gonna make sure everyone knows you're mine." Evie blushed severely at Jasper's words.

"Be-Beside tha-that!" Evie stuttered. Jasper pulled her in close "you don't have to prepare anything, but dragons have this tradition of giving their mates bethrovol jewelry."

Jasper pulled out a small red box, "this is for you," he passed the box to Evie.

Evie opened it and gasped slightly at the item inside to reveal beautiful blueberry earrings with little flames in them "Jasper..."

"Do you like them?" Jasper hoped the answer was yes.

"They're beautiful!" Evie tackled her boyfriend into a big hug, "thank you darling."

Jasper watched as the earrings glowed slightly, "I love you."

"I love you too Jasper, I'll never stop."

Evie was snapped back to the present by Jasper's screams, he lost a total of 6 scales.

"Please...just leave him alone..." Evie begged, Araden rolled his eyes, throwing Evie's box into the wall before bringing it back to the circle.

Jasper growled, his eyes glowing red "don't hurt her..."

"You're right Jasper, I shouldn't hurt her," Araden smirk grew "I should hurt just as equally close to your heart."

Araden created another box "you're really gonna like this one, Jasper, I've been saving this one for a long time."
The box flashed, releasing a white light, once the light dimmed, Jasper couldn't believe what he saw.

His little sister, Serenity "Raja" Damoola

"Serenity?!"

"Jasper?!"

Serenity now has pale blue scales that cover her entire body, as well as webbed hands and fins protruding from her lower arms and legs.

Her arm fins are chunkier and glittery and she also sports a pair of articulated wings in translucent light blue, that resemble fish fins.

Her makeup is neon and tropical, with a combination of bright pink, yellow and orange spot design around her eyes and her lips are a bright blue.

Her hair is her regular blonde, styled in a side ponytail with a twist knotted around the ponytail, from her hairline. Her hair features thick bright blue and pink highlights.

She also wears black crop top with thin blue and pink stripes, with pink straps that tie behind her neck and a translucent bubbly blue cover-up.

She also wears a pink, scaly patterned wrap over a pair of shorts. Her shoes are ocean blue platforms with a wavy pattern and bubble heels.

Her accessories include a black headband with a pink flower on it, a pair of mismatched earrings; one being a pink octopus and the other being a turquoise tentacle and a pink octopus bracelet.

"What the hell! One moment I was on Tiki Island, sipping coconut with my love now I'm in a box?! And who the hell are these people?!"

Her eyes landed on Araden "you! I thought you said I paid you back in full already after I gave you the key to the mermaid island, which, I'm banned from going to! Oh! Not to mention the fact you cut off my connections to my family!"

"You're family's right here," Araden snapped his fingers, flashing Serenity into the same box as Jasper.

As much as it hurt the dragon, he ran up to her, brining her into a large hug "the fire...at Narsia's...I thought...you didn't make it..." Jasper sobbed. "Araden brought me back, it's a long story, I'll explain when we get out of here." Serenity smiled.

"Why am I here?"

"Well~ your brother and his new friends needed a little leverage into telling me where the grail is." Araden transported her back to her own box "so~ you're here to give Jasper a little spark."

Seaweed began to wrap around her body, tightening as she struggled to get free.

"Let me out!" Serenity yelled, the seaweed squeezing her bones, making a cracking sound.

"AGH!"

"Stop it!"

"One simple location can stop your sister's pain." Araden teased.

"I don't know where it is Araden! Please! Don't hurt my sister!"

Araden rolled his eyes, tightening the seaweed, making it hard for her to breathe "agh! Ugh...Ja-Jasper!" Serenity began to cough up blood.

"Please! I'm begging you! She's the only sibling I have!"
"And that's supposed to stop me?" Araden chuckled as he tightened the bonds more "please, I've never seen you so scared! It's priceless!"

Araden saw the life draining from her eyes "well, I guess I have to stop before she dies," Araden sighed, taking away the seaweed bonds, causing her to drop to the floor of the box.

"Let's see," Araden stood in the middle, watching as the VKs faces turned pale with fear "who's next?"