Chapter Text
The queue outside the post office was long, and made up almost entirely of teenage girls, but the young man near the front of the line didn’t care. He wanted this far more than anyone else here, that was why he had been waiting for the post office to open since 4AM. He had to get his hands on one, already suspecting the supply would be stupidly low on their island.
Finally, the doors opened and he rushed to the counter, not pushing in front but certainly not letting the rude girl behind him get in front in line. He smiled sweetly at the young man behind the counter, placing five gold coins down and receiving one in return. He thanked the man politely, something not many seemed capable of doing and made his way outside to admire his new possession.
The front of the coin was the usual image of King Hiyuu, already a vast improvement on the former king, though Hiyori knew better than to say anything out aloud, on the reverse though was the image that made it all worthwhile. The reason he had paid five times the coins value, just to ensure he had one.
He slipped the coin into his pocket, making sure it was secure, before breaking into a run. He was late for work but it had to be this way, surely the dragon would understand? He rushed into the temple, gasping for breath and found the other waiting with a bemused smirk. The rest of the kingdom worshipped the gods, but not here, here it was all about the dragon.
“I’m sorry Mahiro,” Hiyori apologised, “I’ll make the time back, I promise.”
“I didn’t think you would be a member of the King’s fanclub,” The dragon remarked, giving Hiyori a curious glance. “I know that’s why you’re late. That coin, it’s causing nothing but trouble.”
“It’s not Hiyuu,” Hiyori protested. “You’re jumping to conclusions.”
“Let me see it,” Mahiro ordered. Quietly Hiyori handed the coin over, not sure he would see it back but knowing better than to anger a dragon. “Of course, I should have guessed.”
“It’s the anniversary coin, of their wedding,” Hiyori explained, pushing the pastel pink strands of his hair back behind his ears where it rested with the blond.
“The Royal Mage, Yuuki. You like him,” Mahiro teased, as he studied the reverse of the coin that showed his image. “Is that why you’re studying magic?”
“Yes, but I’m still no good at it,” Hiyori said with a sigh. To his relief the coin was returned to him, and he carefully put it out of harms way. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be ungrateful, I know you gave your blessing, that I have to earn the power, but I’m not the most patient of men.”
“That you’re not,” Mahiro agreed. “And your work ethic leaves much to be desired.”
“Sorry,” Hiyori apologised, rushing to the cleaner’s cupboard to grab a brush. He was the temple’s custodian but was about as good at this job as he was with magic. He always found himself daydreaming, losing track of the work he was meant to do. Cleaning mostly and preparing for visitors. Mahiro, the dragon, was a wise council and the whole island thrived on his magic. Hiyori often wondered what they would do without him, sure that this fragment of the kingdom would have been nothing but a barren rock and not the striving city it had become.
He stopped cleaning as he watched a young man enter the temple, quietly approaching Mahiro who had seated himself on what Hiyori considered to be his throne. Mahiro was kind and generous, but he was still a dragon and they didn’t always react the way you might suspect.
“How may I help you?” Mahiro asked, his tone friendly and kind. The dragon could be a king, Hiyori reflected, he certainly looked noble with his white steaked black hair and purple clothes. He’d seen the dragon in his true form too, an impressive amethyst beast who would have scared him, had he not seen his kindness beforehand.
“I’d like some advice,” The man began, sharing his romantic troubles with Mahiro. The dragon listened patiently, only distracting his attention long enough to give Hiyori a warning look. Embarrassed to be caught out twice in one day, Hiyori hurried to the other room where he could work in peace. He wondered what advise Mahiro would have given him, his love interest was hundreds of miles away, married to a king and possible a werewolf. Surely that was slander? There was no way such an elegant man could also be a vicious beast.
He found himself daydream once more and glanced back at the door. Mahiro was busy, he could hear them talking, so quietly he pulled out the coin and studied Yuuki’s image again. As footsteps approached, he put the coin away and began to wipe the counters in the kitchen area. It was time he did some work, he could daydream about the mage later.
His work day passed quickly, as always and he couldn’t wait to go home. He was just finishing cooking Mahiro’s dinner, an entire joint of roast lamb that would feed a family of six, when he heard the commotion in the main hall. Shocked he rushed in, unable to comprehend what he was seeing. The dragon was lying in a pool of dark purple blood, how could this be possible?
“Hiyori,” The dragon gasped, reaching his hand to the other.
“Mahiro!” Hiyori cried, rushing to the other’s side and taking his cold hand. “Who did this?”
“The Order,” Mahiro got out, coughing up more blood, “You need to save me, you’re my only hope.”
“But how, I’m just a silly dreamer, who can barely perform magic,” Hiyori got out, “Surely there must be someone more qualified than me.”
“You have a heart of gold,” Mahiro answered, “I have sent out my crystals, but I have saved one for you. Use it Hiyori, use its power to retrieve my essence.”
“How, I don’t understand,” Hiyori replied, even as the pink shard was pushed into his hand. It dissolved against his skin, leaving a tingling sensation where it had once been.
“When the time comes, you will know,” Mahiro answered. “In the meantime, find the other’s, my shards go to those with the purest hearts.”
“You sound like you’re dying,” Hiyori complained, tears falling as Mahiro didn’t deny it.
“Help me to the chair,” Mahiro got out, “I need to go into crystal status.”
“Crystal status?” Hiyori repeated, helping Mahiro up as requested.
“When you find a piece of my essence, bring it here,” Mahiro ordered, taking his throne and pulling himself into his usual regal pose. Crying Hiyori watched as the dragon began to shine, stepping back from the purple light and gasping as the dragon became a crystal version of his former self.
“Mahiro,” Hiyori whispered, placing his hand on the dragon’s cold stone knee. “Don’t leave me. I need you!” There was no answer, but he did have hope. The dragon’s essence, whatever that was, perhaps that would restore him?
Only how could he get it back? Whatever had done this had defeated a dragon. He was just a man, and not particularly accomplished at that. No, he needed faith. The dragon had given him a shard, there must be a reason. He tried his magic, getting the same limited results as he usually did. With a sigh he wiped his eyes and took one last look at the purple crystal.
“I’ll find your essence, I promise.” Hiyori said, placing his lips on the dragon’s forehead and going to fetch the mop. He couldn’t leave the temple like this, the dragon would hate him for it. Once done he wrote a sign, declaring the temple closed for maintenance and placed it outside. He’d done all he could, Hiyori reminded himself as he locked the doors. Now to find the creatures Mahiro had described only as The Order.
In the end, finding the creature wasn’t nearly as hard as he expected. The monster was in the town square, a ram of dark shadow and bright lights as if made from the stars themselves. It wasn’t like any monster Hiyori had ever seen before and even the monster hunters seemed unable to stop it. He summoned fire and threw it at the ram, his magic so weak and the creature so strong it didn’t even react.
“Get out of here, this is no place for a girl,” A guard warned.
“I’m not a girl!” Hiyori exclaimed, but even so he moved out of the way. The dragon had given him the power to defeat the monster, but how was he meant to do that? He might as well have been a little girl, all the good it did.
“Get out of sight of everyone,” Mahiro’s voice rang in his head. The dragon was alive! How could it be possible that he could hear him? He glanced at his hand, feeling the shard inside warm him.
“Mahiro?” Hiyori asked.
“A fragment of myself is in that shard,” Mahiro confirmed, “It’s weak, I can only offer you small guidance and then you will need to help the others. You’re the only one I was able to link minds with.”
“You make me feel special,” Hiyori teased. He knew why Mahiro had chosen him, out of everyone on the island the dragon knew him best. He hurried to a secluded spot and waited for orders.
“Use the magic of transformation,” Mahiro ordered. The magic of transformation, he did his best to remember the word.
“Henshin!” He cried out happily as the word came to him. Suddenly he was surrounded by light, his clothes dissolving and being replaced by a whole new look. As the light faded he looked at himself in a shop window, barely recognising his own reflection. His hair was as pink as Yuuki’s, trailing down each shoulder in long plaits all the way to his waist and he wore a cute white blouse and skirt with matching boots. The whole outfit was accented with pink but it was his chest that made him gasp in surprise. “I’ve become a girl?”
“If they know who you are, they will hunt your family,” Mahiro warned. “Like this, you are Dragon Lady Aura and you will have power beyond anything anyone here has seen before. You can defeat that monster now. Be careful, Aries is tough.”
Hiyori, Aura, ran back to the square, dismayed by the chaos that had ensued. Two guards were injured and the ram was moments away from hurting a third. He cried out in despair, before taking on a strong battle pose.
“Hey, Aries, why don’t you pick on me?” Aura cried out, tossing a pink plait over his shoulder. It had the desired effect, he had the monster’s attention. As if sensing the power inside him, the ram charged. He froze, waiting for the power to kick in but nothing happened.
“Jump!” Mahiro ordered, he obeyed, sailing high over the ram’s head and landing safely on the other side. He smiled as he began to dodge and weave around the creature. He could out run Aries, that was easy, but how to defeat him? “I was able to give you magic, aim your open palms at the monster, that’s right. Now say the words ‘Rose Quartz Gale’”
“Rose Quarz Gale!” Aura chanted, watching in amazement as a pink blast of wind swirled from his hands. It was a like a sideways tornado, full of sharp crystal shards. It hit the monster and Aries let out a cry of pain. He’d done it! He’d defeated the beast, but before he could celebrate Aries turned and ran. “Hey! Get back here!”
He ran as fast as he could but soon lost the rampaging ram. With a sigh he slowed, wondering what he should do now. If he couldn’t find Aries, how was he meant to defeat him? What’s more, was he to be a woman forever? He found a secluded spot, praying to The Gods and The Dragon that the spell would work. He didn’t mind this body, but he didn’t want to keep it.
“Henshin,” He whispered, breathing a sigh of relief as the light returned. Back as himself he reached into his pocket and pulled out the coin, safe and unharmed. “Hey Yuuki, it looks like I have power after all!”
Feeling pleased, though technically he had failed, he began to wander the streets for signs of the monster, or those who were like him. He had faith that Mahiro would let him know if he was close, or that he would someone know, but not one person he passed seemed anything but ordinary. Finally exhaustion took over and he made his way home.
“Well there’s one good thing,” Hiyori said, not sure if Mahiro was even listening, “At least I don’t have work in the morning.”
“You always were work shy,” Mahiro scolded. “Rest, I can’t keep this connection open much longer.”
“I will,” Hiyori answered, “And Mahiro?”
“Yes?” The dragon answered.
“Thank you, for trusting me with your power. It means a lot to me.” Hiyori said, feeling a slight intensity of the warmth in his palm before it went out. Mahiro had trusted him to save him and the town, he couldn’t let him down. He may not be good at being a temple custodian, but as a Dragon Lady, he had no choice but to succeed.
Author's Note: Hiyori's outfit (and in fact this whole story) is heavily inspired by costumes worn by the alter ego band "My Dragon", though perhaps a little less comedy orientated. (So no, Hiyori is not wearing underwear on his head in this, unless you want him too). For this reason I am not using their My Dragon aliases.