The Dragon Queen // (Under Revision)

Oh

Tsuyoi headed into the library. The massive oak-themed room, with its rafters stretching up into the air, had always strangely seemed stifling to her, so she stayed away from it as much as possible. She preferred the study. For a moment she thought she spotted Fukuo flitting among the shelves, but she was gone now and Tsuyoi didn't have time to look for her. She made a beeline for the shelves in the back, and pulled an old dusty scroll from the highest shelf. It was titled, Dragon Queen Artisan Manual.

"Who the heck named this? Chizu?" She muttered. She turned it over. Asuna Hoshi was written along the side. "Oh." The first Dragon Queen. She pulled it open and sent up a silent plea to Asuna, hoping she hadn't sent any spiritual curses on herself. Flipping the scroll over, she scanned through. Or tried to.

As soon as she opened it, the giant scroll's first roll hit the floor. Written in kanji, which she learned to read from Fukuo, the entire first paragraph in the introduction wasn't even visible.

She groaned. "Translating this will take years! There were five Queens in between me and Asuna! Didn't anyone have time on their hands?" She griped, stomping in a circle. As soon as she turned, her eye spotted a book with the same title as the scroll in her hand.

She pulled it down. It was brown, leather-bound, with golden stripes on the binding.

Below the title, in golden letters, read, Translated by Hayate Ai, the Sixth Dragon Queen.

"Oh," Tsuyoi said, running her finger over her predesssor's name. She wondered if all new Queens felt a connection with the Queen that Chose them.

Hayate was the only face she remembered from her childhood. The only face she could see.

Strong cheekbones and jaw, pale yet steely leaf green eyes, full lips, flowing hair.

The base of Tsuyoi's neck tingled, where her Dragon Seal was located. Where Hayate's hand had pressed against it. When she turned her into this.

She shook off the shivers.

Was she angry with Hayate? Sometimes she wondered why she had Chosen her, but never once could she recall being upset with Hayate. All her anger had always been directed towards Chizu.

Was it, perhaps, a misplaced anger?

Now I have a new goal. I must stay focused on it.

She put Asuna's scroll back on the shelf and flipped Hayate's book open, searching for some words that she hadn't heard in a long time. Something that might help her defeat the Dragon King.

"Dragon Daughter Mode."

She couldn't find it at first, so after grabbing a few more scrolls, she took them all back to her room. Tomoe was long gone. Tsuyoi crossed the room, opened her old oak chest, and locked them all, including the Artisan Manual, inside it.