The Dragon Parents

Chapter 18 - The Power of Family

He needed her... he needed her... he...

He wasn't strong enough.

A lump in his throat choked him and he struggled to breathe as panic and fear set in. He was alone. He was weak. He was helpless.

He didn't want to be weak... he didn't want to be helpless.

"There's a strength in you, Kakumi..." He could hear his mother's voice in his head and he froze, hearing old conversations play in his head. "I see it, your father sees it, and Nova most definitely sees it. I know one day, you'll see it too."

"No Mom," Kakumi rasped as his sides ached and he thought of Nova lying so still on the ground as Vixt laughed. "I don't see it... It's not there..."

"It's only you... and I think that's my fault. I didn't think my magic could be good for anything, I didn't think I was worth much of anything. So... I guess this is technically my side of the family," she had laughed at that and Kakumi had wondered how anyone, especially someone as great as his Mom, the literal she-devil of Fairy Tail could think she wasn't worth anything.

"Kakumi, we're here to be with you, to have adventures with you, to be a part of your life. Not to protect you, though we'll do that too, but, I know you're capable of that. You're capable of so much. You have a huge heart and that will get you so far, farther than you could ever think possible. You just have to trust in yourself and... don't tell your father this... but you have to trust in your anger."

"My anger?" Kakumi had answered.

"I get angry sometimes... especially when it comes to our family and those who want to hurt us. It's in that anger that I find my strength because that anger tells me that I am willing to do anything to protect the ones I love. You have that Kakumi, and you will find strength in that anger, and I think at that moment, you will realize just how strong you can be."

"Not so strong now, are you!?" Vixt cackled as he stomped on Nova again, pulling Kakumi out of his mind and back to the struggle.

He thought of Nova and he struggled to pull himself to his feet as a new sensation filled him. Anger.

He'd never really be angry. Scared... he'd been scared a lot, but he didn't want to be scared anymore. Anger surged through his body and he focused on it, fed it.

He thought of Nova, how she'd laugh at all of his jokes, how she's ruffle his hair, how they'd slip out of the house to grab an ice cream, or how she'd tease him about being afraid of lightning storms while she held him and comforted him. He thought of all the things she did for him that he was thankful for and then thought of Vixt.

How dare he hurt her. She didn't deserve to get hurt... she didn't deserve to die!

Kakumi's resolve faded a bit as he got to his feet and stared at Vixt's back, taking in how much taller and stronger the man was. Then he saw Nova at his feet and his anger returned.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" he shouted, his voice cracking with his natural fear but the anger in his veins causing his skin to prickle with magic energy.

Vixt turned around and smirked. "Really? You want to try and play hero again?"

"Leave her alone," Kakumi allowed himself to growl. He'd never really done it before, but it came so naturally in his anger that perhaps, in another time, he would've been impressed at how intimidating his growl sounded.

"Oh-ho, are we trying to get brave now?" Vixt jeered as he turned and allowed a few blue lightning bolts to dance around him. "Well, that facade won't work with me! I know what you are. A weak, spineless little boy who's trying to be brave for his b*tch of a si-"