*SWOOSH* *WOOSH* *SWOOSH*

"Hiyaaah!" Hishya let out a roar as she flicked Sun Strike in a clockwise motion, creating a powerful magical slash that zipped across the ground and split a distant mountain and exploding with a thunderous roar. "Phew... Good thing there's nobody out here for miles. Don't really want to go nuking someone's house accidentally." She said before pulling a water bottle out of her inventory and drinking from it. The Dragon had flown to the North American Continent and was busy training deep within the mountains. She'd been practicing utilizing her Dragon form as well as refining her sword techniques, largely due to the enormous weight Akagi placed on her with the declaration that she was in charge of protecting Earth while the Demon was away.

{Stupid Cat! Why do I have to watch the planet while you're away?!? Do you know how hard it is to be worried about everything with you away! ... Fuck... She's got me wanting her back... Stupid Cat...} (Hishya)

"And I can't even sit back and chill..." Hishya sighed as she put her water bottle back in her inventory and wiped off the sweat on her brow with a towel that was draped around her neck. "Knowing how this bullshit goes, something is bound to happen while the Demon is away." She said as she spun Sun Strike around in her hand. "And I just know that I'll have to deal with it..."

{And somehow I'm going to get yelled at by everyone in the end... I just know it...} (Hishya)

"Oh come on, isn't that the fun part?" Birdy said as she appeared behind the Dragon, nearly scaring her out of her scales.

"Who's there?!? Birdy?!?" Hishya yelped as she spun around, nearly taking the spy's head off with her blade.

{GIVE ME A HEART ATTACK WHY DON'T YOU?!? And also HOW DIDN'T I SENSE YOU?!? I SHOULD'VE SMELLED YOUR STUPID ASS FROM A MILE AWAY!} (Hishya)

"That's me, Birdy! Don't wear the name out!" Birdy snickered as Hishya slowly lowered her blade, grateful that she wasn't a threat but annoyed that she'd been snuck up on. "Yo! Its been a while. You look good! The pink and black outfit really suits you." She said, commenting on Hishya's workout shorts and sports bra. "You're definitely a solid 9/10. Would smash!" Birdy said as she put up her hands and formed them into a small rectangle with her thumbs touching her index fingers before looking at Hishya through the small gap and stepping back to get a good view of the Dragon.

{Damn girl! You nice!} (Birdy)

"First, only a nine? Second, why the hell are you in the mountains scaring me out of my skin?!?" Hishya growled, unsure about which part annoyed her more. "Aren't you supposed to be busy doing stupid things in the States?"

{And also why the strange flirting?!? Did Akagi tell you to do that?!?} (

Hishya)

"I mean... Hishya, you're in the States." Birdy said with a raised eyebrow and a look of bewilderment on her face. “No shit I'm here.”

"I... Okay fair..." Hishya sighed, understanding her point and deciding not to retort. "But why are you on the West Coast? Shouldn't you be busy elsewhere? I seriously doubt you came up here just to sexually harass me."

"Hishya, the literal second most powerful being on Earth just showed up on the West Coast without prior warning, started blowing up mountains and flying around as a Dragon... It would be weirder if this didn't elicit some response..." Birdy said as she facepalmed while calling Hishya an idiot with lizard for brains. "Please try to remember that you're a massive danger in and of yourself. Of course I'm going to be sent out here to figure out what you want."

{You also ILLEGALLY entered the country! I'm pretty sure the top brass at the Pentagon had a collective heart attack when you touched down!} (Birdy)

"But I didn't do anything bad!" Hishya protested the idea that she was some kind of danger. "I'm not like that stupid Cat! I don't enjoy tormenting people or treating this world like a chew toy!"

{Picking on Kana is one thing! I wouldn't do that to the world!} (Hishya)

"Maybe, or maybe not." Birdy shrugged as she put her hands in her hoodie pockets. "I'll still remind you that just your potential to cause the end of the world is enough to give most leaders nightmares." She continued, shaking her head. "All it's gonna take is you to go off once and the world is kinda fucked. A rampaging Dragon is just as much a threat to this world's people as Akagi is since nothing can really be done about either of you."

{Bullshit power eventually gets to such a point that people see you and Akagi as no different. Sure she's more powerful than you by a massive degree but YOU are more powerful than this world's armies by a similar magnitude.} (Birdy)

"I..." Hishya paused, wanting to continue refuting the spy but found herself unable to. "You know I wouldn't do something like that. I don't have it in me, nor do I want to hurt people."

"No offense Hishya, but I don't trust you for shit." Birdy's words caused the Dragon's eyes to go wide in surprise. "Don't get me wrong, I don't think the normal you is that much of a problem but as we saw with Libra it doesn't take much to plunge an entire country into chaos. And again you are infinitely more powerful than those idiots ever were."

{Granted, Herlex could've blown the planet up with his lance if he'd so chosen, but I doubt he'd select suicide if it came down to it.}

(Birdy)

"Do... Do you really think I'm that much of a threat?" Hishya asked, still in shock. “Are you really afraid of me?”

"You're a Dragon who inherited the power of the Dragon Emperor Serval and took his place! If Akagi didn't exist YOU would be the single most powerful person on Earth, Hishya." Birdy sighed as she rubbed her temples in frustration. "If you wanted you could take over the planet, Hishya! There's nothing any of the world governments could do to you! How don't you understand that?!?"

{Why is this lizard so dense?!?} (Birdy)

"Well, yeah..." Hishya replied, slowly. “But I wouldn't...”

{I'll side with Akagi on that one. Ruling a planet would suck. It would take to much time away from Kana and my pillows!} (Hishya)

"Not to mention that you've already had one personality correction." Birdy continued, noting that she'd made an about face once before. "Don't think I'm not aware of how you acted originally, and while I know that you had your little come-to-Jesus moment it still leaves a lot of concern that you might change again."

{On the outside you were a cheery little Hero girl but on the inside you were just as much of a monster as the asshats we condemned to death. It was only when Akagi showed me your personality DIRECTLY that I understood just how awful of a person you were.} (Birdy)

"Hold up!" Hishya's eyes turned sharp as she growled, causing Birdy to back up slightly. "I used to be an asshole but I've changed! I learned my fucking lesson!"

{I fucking changed and I regret my past! Don't go fucking getting coy with my, you bitch!} (Hishya)

"You only changed because a certain Demon mind fucked you." Birdy scoffed. "Had Akagi not put you in your fucking place, you'd probably still be the pompous asshole you were before." She sighed before internally scolding herself for that comment since it was really insensitive. "Don't take this as some kind of personal attack. I know you've changed and I know that you feel remorse for your past actions. But look at things through the lens of the average squishy little Human, Hishya. You're a powerful being who at one point was the kind of person who could and did let power and status go to your head. If you decided to go back to your old ways then there's little to stop you from running rampant and doing things that I'd rather not speak of."

"Are people really that afraid of me?" Hishya asked, quietly.

{I... I never really...} (Hishya)

"Anyone with an ounce of common sense would at least be wary of you!" Birdy replied, curtly. "Libra terrified the world with their terrorist attacks, and there's still plenty of other Returnees out there causing problems. It's not like Japan could keep them cooped up for very long, and a few are working as mercs in hot zones around the world. I just had to tango with one not that long ago when they started attacking U.S. Military bases Stateside."

{Lucky for me that idiot went down pretty easily, but places that DON'T have someone like me on standby are going to be FUCKED. The firepower needed to take down the average Returnee is far more than most can bring to bare in the short amount of time needed to stop a calamity.} (Birdy)

"Oh yeah, I remember seeing the news footage about you battling Hindare." Hishya said with a nod. "I'm actually more surprised that you won more than anything."

"Akagi's demands require me to be more than able to take down powerful foes." Birdy said as she put out her hand and changed her fingers into a sharp set of claws. "I'm more at home conducting espionage, but I'll get my hands dirty from time to time." She said as she reverted her hand back to normal. “Someone like Hindare was never going to be much of a problem, especially when he failed to realize the trap I'd set him.”

"I still can't believe you sold yourself to her." Hishya said as she turned and walked to the edge of the hill, looking down at the small river that flowed in the valley below. "Would you have done it had you realized your service was truly eternal? It's not like she could've made you do anything IRL if the game really was just a game."

"Absolutely." Birdy said with absolute certainty in her voice. "Taking the deal she offered me was the single best decision I've made in my entire life." She grinned. "I got to tear down everything those bastards ever built up, so I couldn't ask for a better reward." She continued. "And it's not like Akagi is a bad boss." She said as she walked up next to Hishya. "Besides, in a world where she is the arbiter of everything I'd say being one of hers is the best place to be. Akagi is if nothing else loyal and she rewards loyalty returned to her generously. Ever since we woke up I've basically lived a life of luxury." She said with a stretch. "But more than that... I've got a purpose."

"How is being her servant a purpose?" Hishya asked with a bit of snark in her voice, not seeing how it was worth the trade nor how it provided anything positive. "It seems to me that you're little more than a dog with a shiny collar around your neck. How is that different than a slave claiming their master is kind because she feeds them? " She quickly put her hand over her mouth in regret.

{Nice job asshole!} (Hishya)

"Um, I'm sorry-" Hishya's apology was interrupted by a burst of laughter from Birdy.

"Baahahahha!" Birdy laughed, bringing herself to tears. "Y-You might just be right there!" She said, barely getting out words between laughing fits. "I really might just be some Stockholm syndrome slave! Maybe I'll fall in love with her next!"

{Please don't...} (Hishya)

"And here I was feeling bad for my comment..." Hishya sighed as Birdy continued to laugh while making inappropriate jokes about Akagi treating her harshly.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Rehael POV

"And that makes three." Rehael said as her zombie dragons lowered another large red crystal to the ground in front of her. All around her were countless undead, most of whom seemed to be freshly slain soldiers and villagers from the Empire and Northwind. "Father wants a few more of these Reactors, and if my sources are correct there should be at least two more on the Northern Continent. The others will require traveling East and much further North to acquire, though I don't really want to go that far if I can avoid it."

{I believe the Dwarves keep one locked away in their Capital. If they're smart they'll turn it over without a fight. From what Father told me it powers their city, but that's their problem, not mine.} (Rehael)

"Though if they did turn it over without issue, I'd lose a chance to recruit more undead for my invasion force." Rehael said as she giggled evilly. "Oh well, I'll just have to make the appropriate plans. I think the Tigermen of Edur will make a fine addition to my collection, and having creatures that are naturally resistant to magic will make handling the Spirits easier when I go to crush them." She smiled as she spun in place before stopping on the ball of her foot and slinging her Scythe over her shoulder. "Alright you two, come on! We need to drop that one off for Father! After that, we'll head to Thin Ledhar. I'm sure the Dwarves will give us a warm reception!"