Takaba's Magic Potion - Chapter Twelve
Title: Takaba's Magic Potion
Characters: Asami, Aki, Fei Long and OC
Rating: 18+ for language
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. Yamane Ayano does.
“Your timing sucks, Akihito.” K’Jon’s voice was loud and rumbly, sending a little shiver through Aki. Making K’Jon mad had been a favorite pastime for Akihito when he was younger, but this was the first time he truly felt the dragon’s fury. “But it always does. What do you want?”
Akihito stepped forward, but before he could talk, K’Jon raised his hand.
“I’m warning you, little one, it had better be something big, because I will take great joy in turning your bare bottom over my knee if it isn’t!”
“Um… No. No you won’t.” Asami stepped into the clearing and made his presence known. “No one touches Akihito’s bare ass but me.” He moved to stand in front of Akihito, putting himself between K’Jon and Akihito.
K’Jon chuckled as he looked Asami up and down. “Well. What do we have here? You find your mate, Akihito?”
Akihito pushed back to stand beside Asami. “Shut up, K’Jon, you idiot.”
Asami narrowed his eyes and raised an eyebrow as he turned to Akihito for a moment. “Mate?”
“Of course.” K’Jon came forward and extended his hand to Asami. “Name is K’Jon Arbatov. You are?”
“Asami. Sheriff Ryuuchi Asami.”
“Sheriff?” K’Jon’s dark eyes went quickly back to Akihito. “Forgive me for being skeptical but, your mate is a sheriff?”
“What’s this mate business, Akihito?”
“It’s fine, K’Jon. He’s a convert.” He waved Asami off. “Pay no attention to K’Jon. He’s always thinking just because he gets mated every hundred years or so, he thinks everyone has to get mated. Plus”-Akihito winked at K’Jon, who was now frowning-“my news is big. I think the king might be a dragon shifter, just like you.”
K’Jon looked startled for a moment, then he turned back to Asami, gave his hand one hard pump and let go. “Good to meet you, Sheriff. Sorry for being - well - naked. I was… Let’s just say I was busy.” He chuckled again and looked at Akihito. “So tell me, Aki. What could possibly make you think the king is a dragon shifter?”
“We just learned he sucks power from wizards. That’s why he made it illegal. He’s weeding out the true wizards. He has them brought to the castle and he takes their power and then has them killed.”
K’Jon narrowed his eyes and his gaze went back to Asami, who was holding out the shirt he had been wearing a moment ago. Evidently he wasn’t happy with K’Jon being completely naked. Akihito sucked in his breath at the sight of Asami’s beautiful abs and stomach, and his cock jumped. K’Jon smirked at Asami as he took the shirt. He dipped his head as if in gratitude, but they all three knew the reason for Asami to offer to cover K’Jon’s nakedness.
“Thank you, Sheriff. I was feeling a bit of a draft.” K’Jon donned the shirt and addressed them both. “The king is not a dragon, nor is he a wizard.” He held up a hand for silence as Akihito jerked forward and opened his mouth to interrupt. “I can guarantee it. I have been in his company, although he was blissfully unaware. I would have detected such magic, but I did not. He is neither.”
“Then what, K’Jon? How is it that he can do what they say?” Asami came to stand beside Akihito, and Akihito put a hand on Asami’s chest, splaying his fingers in the fine dark hair.
“There is another breed of magic. An older, deeper, ancient form of magic. Something I believed was extinct. It’s called Mot-taka.”
“Mot-taka? I’ve never heard of it.”
“No, you wouldn’t have. It was believed to have disappeared during the Siege of Eight Depths over five hundred years ago. Their lore was never sung so their stories did not carry forward. Once those who used it were gone, their existence was forgotten about by all beings except the dragons, who live far longer than all other beings. Even I have not thought of it in ages.”
“So, what is it?”
“The closest guess is the magic can mirror the power of an opponent, or possibly a companion as well. Those that possess this magic and dare to use it would basically take on the other’s power. So if their opponent is a strong man, they will become equally as strong. If their opponent is a wizard, even a powerful one, they are able to display the same power.”
“And if they oppose a dragon?”
“Don’t know, little one. As far as I know, it’s never happened. But like I said, I’m only guessing.”
“Why do you think the king might be that instead?”
“I would know if he were anything else magical and one would have to be magical in order to do what he is supposed to do. One of the other traits of this Mot-taka magic is the user cannot be detected due to the very nature of the talent. But again, speculation.”
“But can a Mot-taka absorb or steal power away?”
“I’m not sure. But I would bet a powerful one could.”
“If that’s the case, what do we do?”
“We do nothing. I will handle this, Akihito. Isn’t that why you called me?” He looked to the silent, half naked Asami. “Besides, don’t you have other interests right now?”
Suddenly there was a noise, a popping sound, and a large net dropped over the three standing in the clearing. It was large enough to completely cover them and even drape on the ground around them. The net sparkled a little when it hit them and the tingling returned to Akihito’s limbs.
“No! It can’t be! Damn it, K’Jon, do something!”
“What…what is this, Aki? Why…”
Akihito watched as K’Jon struggled to lift the heavy thick netting off himself, just as Akihito did the same, but unlike the sack from before, Akihito soon realized the net had one further spell cast on it. Evidently the net not only bound magic power, but physical power as well. Akihito looked at Asami, who was making no more headway with lifting the net than he or K’Jon. Then came the voice he had been dreading.
“Well, well, well. What do we have here, now? Not only do I catch a filthy little rat but a huge one as well. Struggle all you want, dragon. You won’t escape.” Fei Long walked up to Asami and put his face right up to Asami’s nose. “And looks like I caught myself a pet.” He leaned back and laughed. “Men, get Sheriff Asami out from under that thing before it takes all his strength. I have use of him, and for that he will need lots of energy.”
Akihito sank to the ground, his legs no longer able to hold him, as two soldiers walked over and lifted a portion of the net to pull Asami out. Akihito’s heart plummeted because he would not be able to save him. The colonel promised to use magic to make Asami comply with his wishes, to force Asami to do his will. He noticed that even K’Jon sat as well. Once again things were looking hopeless.
He could do nothing but watch Fei Long approach Asami, do his stupid walk around to admire that beautiful, now half naked body. He could only seethe as the colonel put a hand on Asami’s chest, tweaking one, then the other nipple, something Akihito had not even done yet. Oh, how Akihito wanted to turn the colonel into a withering blink toad with no eyes, a copper curse spider with no legs, or a bearded sucker with no lips. They were all very ugly creatures with absolutely no redeeming qualities. Much like the sick man himself.
“So, Sheriff, change your mind yet? With the wizard under that net he no longer has any influence over you.”
Akihito wished he had the strength to laugh when Asami spat in the colonel’s face.
“How dare you?” Fei Long wiped the glob away and walked over to where Akihito sat and kicked him hard. “How is it he still is smitten with you? Let go of him!”
Akihito couldn’t manage a grunt of pain much less a smile at the colonel’s frustration.
“Fei Long!” It was Asami’s voice. “Leave him alone! I mean it! If you do I’ll…”
“No, Asami! Don’t do it.” It took everything for Akihito to speak those words. His heart was racing at an alarming rate, but he still attempted to rise to his feet. Except the colonel kicked him again and it laid Akihito out flat.
“Stop it! Stop it! I’ll do what you want, just leave Aki alone!”
“Please, Asami…” Even to Akihito’s ears his voice was pathetic as he sat back up and tried to raise his eyes to look into Asami’s beautiful face. “Don’t.”
Asami was suddenly there, pulling Akihito to him, kissing his lips through the netting. “I love you, Akihito. I know it doesn’t make sense but I do. I will do anything to save you. Anything!”
Akihito was surprised by the intensity of his words and shocked his kisses gave him strength. “Asami!” Oh crap. Is this what he was feeling too? Love? Damn. “I can’t watch you do this! Please.”
Suddenly Asami was pulled away and, with a nearly primal scream, Asami fought his captors. It took four of the colonel’s soldiers to pin the man to the ground.
“Get him up.”
Akihito could see the fury on the colonel’s face as he waited for his soldiers to stand Asami up.
“You…love him? Love? What the fuck, Asami? How the hell does he still have power over you?”
“He doesn’t have power over me! Not wizard magic anyway. Love is its own magic. That’s the only influence he has over me.”
“Well, even that will disappear if he’s dead!” The colonel turned back to the two still under the net. “The king will not mind at all if I kill you, Akihito. Not when I hand over the dragon!” He raised his right hand and a snapping, flashing blue ball appeared, spinning so fast Akihito could even hear the whir. “Time to die, wizard!”
Then the oddest thing happened. Out of the corner of his eye Akihito saw, almost in slow motion, Asami pull away from his captors. Asami raised his own hand and a blue whirling ball appeared there as well. Akihito turned his head and stared at the phenomena. He knew his mouth dropped open. He looked back to Fei Long just in time to see him turn to Asami. Asami threw the ball at Fei Long, who ducked but not in time. The ball glanced off his left shoulder, sending him to the ground. Fei Long scrambled to his feet and the blue ball he held had transformed into a white ball.
“Asami! What the fucking hell? What are you doing? How… I…I don’t want to kill you. This will put you to sleep until you come to your senses!” He hurled the ball, but it was met halfway with an identical white ball. The explosion shook the ground. But the colonel seemed to have anticipated Asami’s move and had another white ball in his hand. But then so did Asami and he hurled his first. He also hurled it low and then dived to the ground. The white ball the colonel threw slammed into a tree behind Asami and split, hitting several soldiers in the clearing. Every one of them fell to the ground. The ball that Asami threw though went true and smashed into Fei Long’s thin stomach, sending him back at least six feet and laid him flat out on his back where he stayed.
Asami stood, breathing hard, as he held up an empty hand as if waiting for another ball to appear. When nothing happened he looked at Akihito still sitting on the ground. A sound escaped him as he raced to the net and lifted it off both K’Jon and Akihito. He helped Akihito to his feet.
“Are you all right? Did he hurt you? Here, lean on me.”
“Asami, you…” Crap, he felt as weak as a newborn kitten. “You were using magic again. Care to tell me how?”
Asami shrugged as he looked around the clearing at the few soldiers who were helping their own as opposed to paying any attention to them. No one had gone to the aid of the unconscious Fei Long. Akihito watched as the remaining soldiers cast weary glances both in the colonel’s direction and in the direction of the three coming to their feet.
“You okay, K’Jon? I don’t think I have ever experienced you being quiet. Nice for once.”
“Shut up, Akihito. What the fuck was that damn net?” He shook as if that would rid him of its effects.
“Don’t know. Evidently created by our wonderful king to trap wizards and, it would seem, dragons. Not a good development.”
“Let’s get out of here.” With those words there was a blinding flash and the sound of thunder as K’Jon shifted to his gorgeous dragon form. “Climb on!”
“I love it when you do that,” Akihito said, laughing at the soldiers who hadn’t already taken off into the woods scramble in fear when K’Jon shifted.
But then Akihito raised an eyebrow. As long as he had known his friend, K’Jon never once invited Akihito to ride on his back. Not once. As a matter of fact, he had never known anyone to have had that privilege. “How exactly do we get up there?”
The dragon grunted as he lowered his neck. “Climb, I said. Hurry up. And watch yourself. My scales are sharp.”
Asami turned wide eyes on Akihito. “We’re going to ride on his back? Are you out of your mind? I’m not getting up there! You’re friggin’ nuts!”
“It’s like riding a horse, Asami. You simply use your knees.”
“Use your brain, Akihito. Fifty feet up in the air is not like riding a horse!”
“Why do you fight me on everything?”
“Why can’t you give me good news once in a while?”
Akihito chuckled. “Come on, big guy. Don’t be afraid. You can ride in front of me. I’ll hold you and make sure you don’t fall.”
A string of swear words came out of Asami’s mouth as he pushed Akihito to the side. “I’m not afraid. I just like my feet on the ground!” He vaulted up on the dragon’s neck like a pro and settled in where the neck met the shoulder. He looked back down at Akihito, gave a smirk and patted the area right in front of him. “Still room right here.” Then he held a hand out to help Akihito up.
K’Jon swung his massive head around to put one of his eyes on Akihito. “He kisses you with that mouth?”
Akihito winked. “And other things.”
“Ha! Braggart.”
Akihito laughed, grabbed Asami’s hand and jumped up, sitting in the spot Asami indicated for him. He snuggled in tight against Asami’s stomach and chest, feeling Asami’s bulge. “Mmmm.” He wiggled his hips.
“Hey!” shouted K’Jon. “None of that! You start something, Akihito, I’ll drop you out of the sky.”
The dragon flapped his enormous gossamer wings and lifted straight off the ground.