The Vampire's Dragon

Part 6: The Real You

As Sakuya returned to the mansion and headed back into the tunnels, she sighed. I greatly dislike asking Hakurei for help, and I'm sure Lady Remilia does as well, but at this stage, we have no other options. Also, her intuition is too sharp for our own good. When this is over, things might get messy. She shook her head. Never mind that for now, though. At least she's willing to help.
    Sakuya made her way upstairs, and into the living room. "It is done, Milady."
    Remilia was sitting on the couch, and Flandre was sitting on the opposite side, her face once again puffed up in a pout. Between the two, Meiling stood, her arms behind her back. "Welcome back, Sakuya." Remilia sighed, a hint of aggravation to her voice.
    Sakuya glanced back and forth between Remilia and Flandre, and asked "Did I... miss something important, Milady?"
    "No. I'm just having a talk with Flan. Please, sit." Remilia patted the couch next to her.
    "Milady, I couldn't—"
    "Just sit, Sakuya. It's fine, you've done enough for now."
    After a moment of hesitation, Sakuya bowed. "Yes, Milady," She replied, taking a seat next to Remilia.
    Remilia turned her gaze back to Flandre, and said, hopefully "I'm sorry Flan. I don't know how many more times I have to say it, but I am sorry. I never should have said those things, and I understand why you're upset and why you feel like you're stuck here." Flandre said nothing, still pouting with her arms crossed. "I promise, within the next few days, you should be able to come and go as you like once more. We've asked the Hakurei shrine maiden to help, and she's going to keep Meiling safe, okay?"
    Flandre mumbled "Does she know about Meiling?"
    "No, Flan. We didn't tell her anything. All she knows is that there's a dangerous youkai running around. Meiling's secret is safe."
    "For now, Milady." Sakuya interrupted.
    Remilia turned to look at Sakuya. "I'm sorry?"
    "I was successful in enlisting Hakurei's help, but there's something I'd like to discuss with you, privately." She said, glancing at Flan.
    "You're not gonna make me go away AGAIN, are you?!" Flan yelled. "That's not fair! I wanna know what's happening too!"
     "Shhhhh, Flan. No, I'm not going to do that to you again." Remilia reassured her. To Sakuya, she said "I'm sorry, Sakuya, but at this time, Flandre deserves to know everything we know. It's the least I can do after how I acted."
    "Very well, Milady." Sakuya took a deep breath, then continued "I fear that, when this whole affair is over, we may still have a problem."
    "What problem?" Meiling spoke up.
    "Unfortunately...Hakurei's intuition is far too sharp for us to simply walk away from this. Even as I spoke to her, I could feel her suspicion. She told me, up front, that after she takes care of the oomukade, she will demand the truth, all of it, from us. She knows that we're hiding something, but I don't believe she knows just what yet. However, I don't believe that matters. Even were we to lie, I doubt she would relent until we tell her everything."
    "Damn it." Remilia growled. "Sometimes she's helpful, sometimes she's an agonizing thorn in our sides. We have to start thinking of something now, before the affair is finished, or when she does come calling, we'll have nothing to offer."
    "About that, Milady." Sakuya sighed, knowing that what she was about to say wouldn't go over well. However, it still needed to be said, so she pressed on. "I don't think we should lie about Meiling any longer."
    All eyes turned to Sakuya, and Meiling looked angry for the first time. "Excuse me?" She asked incredulously.
    "Sakuya, what would possess you to say such a thing? That is the one thing we absolutely cannot do, at any cost." Remilia asked, concern on her face.
    Seeing Meiling's reaction, Sakuya's heart sank slightly, but still she continued. "As you said, Milady, the shrine maiden's response is unpredictable — but that doesn't necessarily mean it would be negative. Hakurei comes in contact with any number of powerful gods and youkai on a regular basis, such as oni and tengu. There may be a good chance she doesn't care, and treats Meiling the same as any youkai—"
    "I'm a DRAGON, Sakuya!" Meiling shot back, her voice beginning to rise. "I'm not some run-of-the-mill oni or tengu or even a god! My species is the most powerful and ancient one in existence, and you'd have us just reveal that to everyone?!"
    "I —" Sakuya tried, feeling the situation beginning to spin out of control. "I fully understand that, Meiling, but you know how Hakurei is with other youkai, she regularly throws parties, some of which you've attended—"
    "When I was masquerading as a regular youkai, Sakuya! Not as my real self! Not as a dragon, not as a divine being!" Meiling growled, advancing toward Sakuya.
    Remilia stood up and warned "Meiling—"
    "With all due respect, Milady, please stay out of this!" Meiling snapped sharply.
    At this, Sakuya lost her patience. "How dare you speak to the Mistress in such a way! You are far out of line, control yourself!"
    "SHUT UP, Sakuya!" Meiling screamed, a rainbow glow beginning to surround her. Sakuya's eyes widened, and she took a step back.
    "Wait. Wait, Meiling, please. I'm sorry." Sakuya stammered.
   "Meiling! Stand down, that is a direct order!" Remilia yelled.
   The rainbow glow around Meiling sharply intensified, and rainbow scales began to appear on her face. At this, Remilia's eyes widened, and she wanted to say something, but her chest tightened, and she couldn't seem to breathe or get the words out. Sweat began to trace down her face, and Remilia collapsed back onto the couch, scooting as far as she could away from Meiling.
    Sakuya continued backing up, and tears of fear began to fill her eyes. "P-Please, Meiling, I'm sorry, forget what I said, please—"
    "You want to put my life in danger?" Meiling roared, her voice gaining a deeper layer, as if two voices were speaking at once. "You want me to be revealed, to everyone?! To the gap youkai? To the hermit, to the gods?! How dare YOU suggest such a thing!" More scales began to emerge on Meiling's face, and her fingernails began to grow longer. "After all these years, out of all the time I've been faithful to this family, and to everyone in this household, you want me to sign my own DEATH WARRANT?!" Meiling bellowed, small horns beginning to emerge from her forehead.
    "Meiling!" a voice shouted. Meiling turned, and saw Flandre's face, filled with fear, tears pouring down her cheeks. Meiling's eyes widened. "Please...Please, Meiling, stop! I don't like you like this. I don't want you to hurt Sakuya and Sis, I know you don't want to either, please, just please stop..." She whispered, struggling not to sob.
    Meiling stared at Flandre, then looked down at her hand, seeing more scales erupt from her palm. She took another look around the room— at Remilia, who sat terrified in the corner of the couch. At Sakuya, whose eyes were filled with a deep, primal fear, tears streaming from her eyes, breathing heavily. "N-no...No. No, no wait. No, this isn't what I wanted." Meiling whispered. Sakuya, please, I didn't mean to—"
    As Meiling reached for Sakuya, she suddenly disappeared and reappeared further away, back pressed against the unlit hearth, watch still in hand. The glow around Meiling faded, and the scales and horns gradually shrunk and disappeared. "Everyone — I-I never wanted to hurt you, I didn't want to make you afraid, I just—" Her body trembled. With one more look at everyone's faces, her heart dropped like a stone, and she took a step back, before running away.
    There was a long, unpleasant silence for a few minutes. Remilia was the first to speak, clutching her chest. "This fear... it hurts. I've never felt this before. I've never felt so weak and powerless. Sakuya-" She looked over at her maid, who had dropped her watch to the floor, and was staring, catatonic, at the ground, her head in her hands. Remilia felt sickness rising in her throat, and she quickly dashed off to the nearest bathroom.
    Flandre remained right where she sat, and she stared in the direction Meiling had run off in. "Meiling, please...Don't do what I think you're going to do." She leapt over the back of the couch and ran as fast as she could, down the stairs to the underground tunnels.