Dragon X Crimson

Red mets Crimson

Kushina walked down the street with her umbrella, fully enjoying the weather. It wasn't ideal, but she liked an occasional rainy day.

Inevitably, a few drops landed on her hair, but it seemed to serve to make her even more beautiful. Even after having a child, she still looked the same young woman that she was before.

The day was calm, apart from the rain. She had decided to go around her niece's territory, to see how she was doing and to also take the opportunity to look around the city.

Everything was fine until...

A young man showed up as she turned around the street. His breathing was ragged, he was soaked from the rain, and his shirt was soaked in blood.

He seemed to be walking for a long time, aimlessly.

But what the most eye-catching thing for Kushina, was the red gauntlet on the boy's hand. A boy that should be almost of the age of her niece and son.

The Boosted Gear, one of the 13 Longinus.

Hyoudou Issei, having just lost his family to a Stray Devil, barely surviving in the process. His eyes showed the trauma, but also the resignation. At that moment, he wondered if, after failing to protect his family, does he even had a reason to stay alive?

His answer came through that woman with crimson hair.

"Hello."

Kushina said without thinking twice.

...

The small ray of sunlight that came from the window, that manage to pass thanks to the tiny opening in the curtain, was enough to wake Kushina up. She blinked a few times, remembering the dream she just had. Her first encounter with her Pawn.

Kushina only needed to slightly turn her face to see Issei, who was sleeping peacefully next to her. It was a vast contrast to the state he was in when they originally met.

She gently runs her index finger across the Sekiryuutei's cheek, who continues to peacefully sleep. The redhead couldn't resist the smile that formed on her face, after all, it was good that things had calmed down, if only for now. At least, Issei was arguably, much better than before.

At that time, having just awakened the Boosted Gear and lost his family, he was confused, scared and aimless. And Kushina was someone who understood the pain of losing a loved one, but she also understood that, the Red Dragon Emperor in that state was an easy target for either being slaughtered or captured by other factions. Letting that happen to him, who had already lost enough, was not something she was going to accept.

"Want to become a devil?"

She asked three days after they met. One of the benefits of having her niece practically run the city, and being from one of the wealthiest families in the underworld, is that she was able to pick and choose wherever she wanted to stay in Kuoh.

On the first day Issei didn't react much, mainly because of the shock. He started to improve by the second day, doing some basic activities around the house. It was at the third day, when he didn't look as bad, that Kushina stopped to explain to him the basics of the Supernatural.

"What?"

And after all that explanation, she asked the question, which left the already confused and lost Issei even more confused. Looking back at it, maybe it wasn't the best decision to ask the question right after all the explanation.

"AND! If you join my peerage, you will be under my protection."

She almost commented on how that would turn him into her family, but after what he'd been through, that part was best left for later.