The Black Dragon

Revenge

Waking up Zato jolts upright. Breathing heavily Zato looks around his room to see his father sitting by a chair close to his bed. "So, how'd it go?" Ryoji jokingly asks as Zato stands up and grabs a jacket that was hanging off the corner of his bed.

"I'm going for a walk," Zato states as he walks out of his room and then out of his own house. Seeing this Ryoji sighs as he leans back in his chair.

"I haven't the faintest idea what Shamir showed him. Hell, I took a gamble even throwing him into his own mind. For all I know Shamir could have been messing me, making me think he took something from Zato before Hinata found him." Ryoji leans forward in his chair and puts his hands together and then puts those hands to his chin. "Though judging by his expression Midir definitely had something to show him. I hope my gamble pays off in the end." Ryoji says as he smirks toward the ceiling nervously.

The darkness of night surrounds Zato as he walks down the empty streets of Kouh. His thoughts are simple but also full of questions. Those images the Black Dragon showed him, that boy was it truly him, how could he see himself if those were his memories like the dragon proclaimed, and was what the dragon said true? Does he really not care about getting revenge for his parents.

Zato continues his walk and soon he passes by a small store. Glancing toward the store Zato stops dead in his tracks. His eyes widen and his hand slowly moves toward his hair. Within the store's window is Zato's refection is similar to his own but his hair is pitch black instead of its usual snow white. "T-the hell?" Zato asks as his hand runs through his hair. It splits as his fingers go through it and his reflection mimics his movements.

Suddenly images from his"past" flash before his eyes, causing Zato to grab his head. Images from memories he can't remember begin to flood his brain until a loud crash fills the air. Shattered pieces of glass fall toward the ground. Hitting the ground the shards of glass break into tinier pieces as Zato breathes heavily.

Suddenly a deep voice echoes through Zato's head. "Fighting it will only stunt your growth, but it is entertaining to watch you struggler." The Black Dragons laugh as Zato takes his hand off his face.

"Shut up," Zato states as he stands up straight. However, the Black Dragon ignores Zato's demand and continues to speak in an almost arrogant tone.

"No, silently observing you has become boring. After coming to face with you for the first time in years I think I'll be sticking around for a while." Shamir states as Zato begins his walk back to his house. Suddenly the boy's eyes shoot to his left down an alleyway. "I see, you felt it too," Shamir says with a cackle.

Suddenly Zato sees Freed jump back before throwing down a smoke bomb, before vanishing into thin air. Zato begins to walk toward where the crazy priest once stood to see what was going on and upon exiting the alleyway Zato looks around to see a familiar face. That face belongs to Yuuta Kiba, the knight of Rias Gremory. However, the face Zato sees is one unfamiliar to him upon closer inspection. The Kiba Zato knew was a cheerful and proud warrior but now Zato sees a Kiba who appears more like a crazed animal.

"What happened here?" Zato asks as he looks at Kiba. The knight doesn't say anything at first. His sword vanishes and he begins to walk forward. Once he's only a few inches away from Zato Kiba speaks.

"It doesn't concern you," Kiba states with a deadpan voice as he walks past Zato. However, before the knight could take another step Zato grabs his shoulder and pulls him back until Kiba is in front of him. Stumbling Kiba summons one of his words and points it at Zato. "Get out of my way." Kiba grows as the grip on his sword tights.

Zato looks Kiba up and down. Noticing a few minor cuts he most likely got from his scuffle with Freed. Looking into the knight's eyes Zato could see nothing but blind rage that would be focused on anything if given even the littlest reason. Shrugging his shoulder Zato speaks. "Make me," Zato says nonchalantly.

Kiba grits his teeth before rushing forward. Swinging his sword Zato dodges the attack with ease before swinging his fist upward, stopping only a mete inch from Kiba's chin. "One," Zato says as Kiba quickly jumps back and throws his blade at the black dragon emperor. Easily Zato bats the blade out of the air with the back of his hand. At that moment where Zato was focused on the sword, Kiba summoned his katana and charged forward. Swinging his blade at the full force he expected to cut Zato's chest but before his blade could make contact, Zato's knee rockets toward's Kiba's face stoping only a mere inch away.

Kiba is pushed back by the winds the attack creates. "Two," Zato says as Kiba continues to charge at the white hair delinquent. minutes turn to hours and yet Kiba is unable to land even a single strike upon Zato. Trying once again Kibe doesn't even get to take a step before Zato appears in front of him and flicks his forehead, forcing the knight to stumble back. "Seventy-three." Hearing this Kiba snaps.

"SHUT UP! THE HELL ARE YOU COUNTING FOR!?" Kiba demands to know as Zato rubs his neck.

"Seventy-three times, damn that's a lot," Zato says to himself as he meets Kiba's rage-filled eyes. "Within these past two hours I've killed you seventy-three times," Zato states as he turns his back to Kiba. "If I remember, you fought this way against that exorcist too. I bet you remember how that fight ended." Zato states as he begins walking away. "During that rating game I thought you were a real knight but now I see I was wrong. You're no knight." With that Zato leaves Kiba to his own devices. As he walks down the dark street he can't help but asks himself a question.

"Why is he so determined and ready to sacrifice so much?" Zato asks himself

"That's what real revenge looks like." Shamir states as Zato sighs.

"Oh, you're still here," Zato says annoyed that the dragon was still speaking to him.

"I've been with many hosts and some have wanted revenge and used my power to get it. The way you go about I revenge would make them sick. You don't seek revenge you seek answers and you think finding that one-winged fallen angel will give them to you." Shamir says as Zato grows silent. "Let me ask you, what do you really want to do? Depending on your answer I might just decide to help, but only if it'll entertain me." Shamir says as Zato just continues to walk in silence.