54 Teeth and Regret

Dmitri's POV:

I watched as the yacht pulled away then pulled Toma into my arms, picking him up. "Come on kiddo, let's get you home. I think you deserve a treat for behaving so well today," I purred to him then smiled, getting an idea. I pulled my wallet out and then got out a few coins, handing them to him. "For your treasure hoard." He giggled and looked them over before stuffing them into his pocket and grabbed my shirt. I smiled at him and put my wallet up as I carried him back to my car. "You're so sweet," I whispered to him and kissed his forehead. "Bet you can't wait till you get back to the castle with the rest of your treasure and away from Mushu." I glanced around cautiously then set him down in the passenger seat and buckled him in when I reached the car. He looked the seatbelt over before crawling out of it in annoyance. I frowned. "Toma, you need that on," I mumbled and buckled him back in.

"No I don't," he told me and slipped back out of it.

"Then you need to shift," I told him firmly.

"You shift," he grumbled. I frowned at him then shut the car door on him.

"Mocking me," I muttered and then shoved my hands into my pockets and walked a few feet away from the car in irritation. He knocked on the window for me and whined. I sighed and glanced at him before I looked up at the stars. He's just a kid.... Kids do that. People aren't always perfect. I glanced back at him again then walked over to the car before I got in the driver's seat and turned the car on. He giggled and kissed my cheek before crawling into the back seat and curled up there. I glanced at him and frowned. "You don't want to sit up here with me?" I asked and then sighed. "Alright...." I turned the radio on to enjoy by myself and started to drive, keeping the volume low so he could nap. I heard him squirming back there as if he was exploring and checking to make sure we were alone. "Mushu was put in a cage. I'm sure he's being held somewhere safe," I told him softly.

"Yeah but Mushu is an older dragon and can shift and break the cage open... He might be capable of other things too because he got in our room some how..." I sighed and shook my head. I doubt Mushu is in here..... I let him explore anyways, letting him check like the dragon he was going to be when he gets older. I heard a small sneeze then that didn't sound like my sweet Toma then a yip. I frowned. Did we accidentally get Toru in here? Toma let out a growl. I pulled the car over quickly and looked back there to see Toru squirming to get out from under the passenger seat, looking stuck. Toma settled as he noticed it was Toru then started to hug his body and giggled.

"Foxy fox," he purred. Toru got all the way out from the seat and then snuggled up to Toma, wagging his tail as he laid his ears back and licked Toma's face. I felt something heavy land on my car's hood and bounce off, getting in the car with us, Laurence's scent filling my lungs.

"Decided to drop in," Laurence said. I raised an eyebrow and looked at him.

"You came because your fox got in the wrong car, didn't you?" I asked suspiciously.

"No, we put Toru in here because this is our car. Mushu is in the back in the cage." Charles got in then and looked in the back.

"He's there," Charles said. I widened my eyes.

"Mushu is in here?!" I hissed. Fuck. Toma's eyes widened in horror.

"Yeah, we figured we could all take a trip to send this sucking through a black hole." Charles said and pulled out the cage with the dragon in it. The dragon growled and shifted smaller, slipping through the bars and fell onto the seat beside Charles. He eyed Charles down and then crawled into Charles's lap, curling up like he didn't want to go back into the cage and was getting on Charles's good side. Toma let out a growl and grabbed him quickly, going to bite his head off. Mushu simply spit fire into Toma's mouth when he got close and made him drop him before he crawled away and then got under my seat. Shit. I quickly pulled my feet up into my seat, glad the car was stopped. Toma crawled up and got in my lap, getting down to the floorboard and roared at him as he shifted into his dragon form. I frowned and watched as Mushu climbed up the back of my seat, changing his mind about going in his original direction. Toma got back in my lap and looked behind me with irritation. I watched curiously as tiny Mushu leapt onto Toma's nose and then licked Toma. Toma let out a scream and flung him off, going under my shirt quickly. I yelped and squirmed in surprise as he pressed his scales up against me and then tried to relax as I saw Mushu land in Laurence's lap. Laurence laughed and looked towards Charles who stuck Mushu with another needle. This time I could smell DT in it. Mushu groaned and his body began to relax as he went limp in Laurence's lap. He whimpered and then pushed at the needle weakly before he tried to spit fire but couldn't. He gave an angry look at Charles and then flipped over onto his belly, growling as he grabbed onto the needle with his claws and tried scratching at it. Charles pulled away when he got enough inside Mushu and put the needle up.

"There there little fire bolt. Now let's return you to your pet owner." Charles said and gave me a GPS with coordinates. "This is one of Kai's hide out docks in Japan, Laurence said we can find him there tonight and we'll drop this guy off and be done." I nodded and then peeked down my shirt at Toma.

"Hear that boy?" I purred to him. "Mushu is going home."

"It's about time. He's not welcomed here." Toma yawned out.

"He also can't spit fire," I purred at him. "Want to go give him hell while you can?"

"No! He'll bite me like he said he would!" Toma stayed curled up in a ball in my shirt. Mushu growled, looking pleased that Toma was afraid of him.

"Hah! I win! He's afraid of me," he purred and curled up on Laurence. I frowned. He's going home. He does realize that, right?

"I'm not afraid!" Toma whined. "I just don't want to be your slave!"

"Good boy, stay curled up to your treasure," Mushu purred in amusement. "When you're fully grown, you'll still be a baby. You'll never amount to what you could be. Your treasure babies you way too much... and he holds you back. If you let me take him from you, you'd be able to be all you could be." Toma let out a growl and got out of my shirt, throwing himself at Mushu in anger. Mushu gave a pleased growl that his taunts worked and then grew larger, tackling Toma mid air and fell into the floor with him as he wrestled to subdue Toma by wrapping his body around him. I hissed and then yanked Mushu off my baby and then bit into his neck. He yelped and started to squirm, trying to get away from me. Toma got up and tackled Mushu while I had him.

"Geeze, it's hot in here," I heard Laurence say and reached up, rolling my window down just in time for both the dragons to go through it. I frowned as I watched them and then sighed, tapping the steering wheel before I growled and got out.

"GET YOUR BUTTS BACK IN THE CAR," I yelled. We need to hurry up and get Mushu back to Kai. "I WON'T BE EITHER OF YOURS IF YOU DON'T." Toma whined and did as he was told, getting back in and curling up in the passenger's seat. I watched as Mushu glared at Toma and dove back into the car after him. I got in and shut the door, starting to drive as I watched Mushu gnawing lightly on one of Toma's wings, not puncturing it but teasing him. Toma snapped his jaws at him and growled, pinning him quickly. Mushu gnawed on Toma's claws then, growling as he started to use his teeth to bite him. Toma threw Mushu into the floor then with a heavy thud. I sighed and saw Mushu get up quickly and return to gnawing lightly on Toma's wing.

"Stop that!" Toma hissed and yanked his wing away. Mushu purred then shifted smaller, crawling across the seats and then crawled into my lap, wrapping his body around my thigh. I frowned and did my best to not pay him attention. Toma snatched Mushu off and chomped down into his neck. Mushu shrieked as he got caught and then struggled. He became bigger and made Toma's jaw pop and dislocate before he shifted back to his smaller size and escaped, rushing back to me. I widened my eyes.

"Charles, help Toma with his jaw," I begged quickly. "It's dislocated." Toma let out a pained cry as Charles scooped him up and took him to the back seat to help him. I heard Toma starting to break out into more cries as Charles popped it back in and rocked him in his arms. Toma shifted human and trembled. I growled and looked down at Mushu. "Are you happy now?!" I hissed at him. "You made him cry." The dragon watched me with a bored expression and then rewrapped himself around my thigh. I hissed at him again. "Bastard," I muttered.

"He's a pipsqueak. He'll get over it," Mushu hissed back and then tightened himself around my thigh, making me groan as I tried to drive.

"No, he's just a baby," Charles hissed. I smelled his blood then as he began to feed some of it to Toma so he'd feel better. I heard Toma spit it up in disgust from the taste. I frowned and then stopped the car again. I looked at my finger and then reached down, cutting myself on one of Mushu's spikes. He widened his eyes as he watched me and then sat up on me, watching as I groaned. I cradled my finger to me and then looked back at Toma, trying to give him an innocent look.

"Toma~ I'm hurt. Kiss it better?" I asked him sweetly. He sniffled and went for it, kissed my finger to make it better as I asked. I purred and then slipped my finger between his lips, making him drink my blood- the little bit that was dripping at least. He started to suck at my finger and whimpered as it helped his jaw. I purred softly to him and took my finger back when he was healed then rubbed his head. "Do you feel better?" I asked softly. He nodded and crawled into my lap, kicking Mushu off. Mushu yelped as he fell into the floor, but he didn't fight it this time, curling up and closing his eyes tiredly. I frowned and then looked at Toma, kissing his cheek. I glanced at Laurence and gave a smile. "Drive for me? I want to hold Toma and comfort him."

"Okay," Laurence agreed. "Get in the passenger's seat." I crawled into the passenger seat with Toma and held him close, burying my face into his neck. Laurence got in the front and Charles gave me Toma's clothes he was collecting. I started to dress Toma for him, getting his pants on first so he wouldn't be exposed. Laurence threw Mushu into the back seat when he caught him and smirked. He looked back at him.

"If you wasn't so evil you would have been great to have around and teach Toma, too bad you're mean.... You're such a snake." Mushu hissed at Laurence then crawled over to Charles and climbed into his lap, curling up on him as he puffed out a smoke ball and then looked up at Charles with a purr and closed his eyes.

"He's right," Charles hissed. "Toma is young. You should have enough respect to your species to not be so mean to him and try to steal his things when he can't defend his pile of treasure." Mushu opened his eyes and then looked at Charles.

"I had my treasure hoard stolen when I was his age. He'd be stronger," he hissed and then started to crawl up Charles and got on his shoulder, curling up.

"No, he'd be heartbroken. You're terrible to think you can pick on someone so much smaller than you." Mushu heaved a sigh.

"Want an apology? Is that what you're looking for?" He muttered and then managed to get behind Charles's neck and curled up around it.

"No, I want you to be kinder next time when you come across a helpless dragon like Toma. Maybe next time you'll be more thoughtful." Mushu hissed slightly but shut up for the most part, trying to get comfortable on Charles. Toma rubbed his jaw as he held onto me and buried his face into my chest. "He's not even five..." Charles whispered. "All he's known is Dmitri."

"Really?" Mushu asked curiously. "All he knows is Dmitri? Huh, no wonder why he was pissed." Mushu laughed.

"It's not funny. Dmitri has had him since he was an egg."

"Pfft, an egg. He didn't even hatch in his nest," Mushu mumbled. I frowned and then looked back at them then narrowed my eyes. You know... returning him to his owner isn't going to cut it for me.

"Charles, I'm keeping him. I'm going to give him DT everyday as punishment, and I will get some herbs to suppress his powers," I told him and narrowed my eyes at Mushu.

"No!" Toma begged. "Please no!" I could hear the panic in his voice. Charles raised an eyebrow.

"Look at it this way. If we send him home, Kai obviously doesn't care enough to discipline him and he'll come straight back. If we keep him, he might learn some manners, and we'll have him obedient in a few years. He'll become absolutely powerless and learn what it's like to have a dragon picking on him when he can barely defend himself when we're through with him," I told Charles and rubbed Toma's head.

"No, he said he'd steal you from me.... You're giving him his chance!" Toma told me and gripped my shirt tightly, crawling into it. I purred at him and rubbed him through my shirt.

"He isn't going to steal me from you. I'm going to make it so he can't," I promised then looked at Mushu. "I'm going to take his teeth if he tries."

"He said he'd bite me and make it to where I wouldn't want to defend my stuff from him," he cried and trembled against my body. "Don't keep him." I purred at him then looked at Mushu, snatching him from Charles. Mushu yelped and looked at me with wide eyes in shock as I held him tightly and forced his mouth out with my hand, ripping a few of his teeth out. Mushu started trembling in pain and cried out, wailing from the loss of his teeth as I went for another one. Toma slipped his head deep into my shirt and curled up tightly to me. I paused and looked at Toma.

"What is it?" I asked him softly. "Do you not want me to make you safe?" He transformed back into his dragon form and covered up under his wings tightly. I frowned and then looked at Mushu who was trying to hold onto the teeth I had ripped out. I sat him down and watched as Mushu curled up quickly with his teeth, trembling as he tried not to cry. I sighed and leaned my head back against the seat. "Toma... please don't look so frightened," I whispered, watching him. "If his teeth are gone, he can't bite you, and he can't bite me. They'll grow back in before too long, but he won't try anything because he won't want his teeth taken again. I knew his teeth would grow back in before I began to rip his teeth out. I'm not that cruel." Toma didn't budge in my shirt, still curled up into himself. I frowned and reached in, trying to pull him out. "Toma," I mumbled softly, starting to get worried. He nuzzled into my hand as I was able to pull him out. I relaxed slightly and held him close. "Are you scared?" I asked softly.

"Uh-huh," he whispered.

"Of me or Mushu?" I asked and bit my bottom lip.

"I don't want to be around when his teeth are pulled," he mumbled.

"So of me," I whispered and frowned, feeling worse. I felt my stomach clench and then felt a little sick. I made him scared of me.... He gave me a sad look and looked away from me, moving back for the comfort of my shirt. I frowned but let him. I looked at Mushu and picked his trembling form up, rubbing his head to comfort him. "I'm sorry," I mumbled to them both. "That was too drastic...." I felt Toma lean against my body for my warmth. I sighed softly and petted Mushu as Laurence drove us back to the manor. When we reached it, I pulled Toma out of my shirt and set him on my shoulder, starting to carry the two of them back inside. I took them up to my floor and then to the extra bedroom by mine, setting Mushu down on the bed and did my best to make a nest with the blankets. He curled up in it quickly, passing out in exhaustion. I watched him and then walked out, locking the door behind me. I went back to my room and shut the door before I put Toma in his nest and then walked towards the bathroom, giving Toma space. Toma curled up into the nest and covered up with his wings, hiding under it. I watched and then frowned. I really screwed up with Toma.... I sighed and then rubbed my neck before I changed directions and left, going down to the kitchen where I got him a bowl of sugar and mixed it with honey. I put a bit of milk in it, warming it up to a soothing temperature before I walked back to my room and then over to his nest, gently setting in in there with him. He looked towards it before sucking it down quickly and licked up every last drop. I smiled a little and then moved away from his nest. At least he'll still accept things from me. "I'm sorry Toma," I mumbled to him and then rubbed my arm awkwardly before I walked towards my bed and crawled into it to relax. I really spooked him.... He curled back up to himself in the nest when he finished off the bowl and stayed quiet. I glanced over towards his nest and frowned a little but decided not to push it, curling up into the cold bed by myself and shivered. I'm going to have to win him back somehow.... He's scared....