Chapter 28: The Troubles Of Parenting

Chapter 28:

"___" - Speech

(___) - Thoughts

{___} - Internal Voice(s)

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"Stop squirming already! You're getting water all over my clothes!" 

"Let me go! I don't need this!" Raon ferociously continued to toss and turn around in the bathtub as Jin fruitlessly tried to keep him still. "I'll shock you! I'll shock you a hundred times if you don't unhand me at once!" The hatchling had made numerous attempts to bite Jin, some successful as shown by the tooth marks scattered around his body. 

"If you don't keep still you're not getting any sandwiches tonight." Almost like a switch had been flipped in the back of his neck, Raon became completely still. 

"That's cheating, halfling." The Dragon huffed as Jin was finally able to scrub him down. 

Since Dragon's had a rapid early growth phase, their scales would shed constantly in order to keep up with the pace of their growing bodies. Until they were juveniles, the parents would normally clean them to prevent any of the scales from becoming ingrown. Which as one would imagine was a rather painful thing to endure. 

Of course, Adaloth being the Dragon she was suggested he use his tongue. But understandably so, Jin didn't exactly subscribe to the concept. 

"You're still awake?" A voice echoed from behind him, Jin turned around only to be met with the sight of the household's lady staring at him and Raon with intrigue. "I thought Sairaorg's training would have completely drained your batteries." 

In spite of the fact that Jin was completely covered in wounds, bandages, and of course bite marks courtesy of a certain someone— it had already been two weeks since he had begun his back and forth between the training grounds and Gremoy residence, at this point they'd be more surprised if Jin didn't look like he had just been put through a meat grinder. 

"Oh believe me, I'm exhausted. But this little gremlin has a one of a kind talent for increasing my workload tenfold." 

"Fufu, reminds me of when I first had Sirzechs and Rias. I hear he and my grandson have been getting along quite well?" 

(That's only because he always keeps Grayfia's sandwiches on hand, they're like an anger-suppressant for this rascal.) 

"Well, when there's food involved he's a little tamer than usual." He chuckled, pulling Raon out of the tub as he dried him off with a towel. 

"By the way, I'm hoping that Millicas hasn't been too much of a disturbance. Most of his training so far has been written so he tends to get excited whenever something physical is involved. Boys will be boys I suppose." 

"It's fine, but I have to admit having a little kid watch me get whooped day in and day out isn't doing much for my self-esteem." 

"Ahah…" She could only laugh nervously in response, feeling nothing but pity for the poor Fallen Angel. "But I trust you've been making progress at the very least?" 

"I have, quite a lot actually." The corners of her mouth curled into a faint frown as she observed Jin's expression. 

"Then why do you look so disappointed?" 

"As you know the goal is [Balance Breaker], I've only got seven days left and I still haven't achieved it. Honestly, I'm not seeing a light at the end of the tunnel." He breathed a deep sigh as he spared a glance towards his hand, clenching his fist as anxiety creeped in on him. 

"I'm sure he just meant it as motivation, I find it hard to believe he genuinely expects you to achieve something like that in only twenty days." 

Jin shook his head in response. "I've learned to distinguish when he's just trying to push my buttons, and when he's serious. This case was undoubtedly the latter, especially with the upcoming conference." 

"The gathering? Why would that have anything to do with your training?" 

"For some reason, he thinks it's a good idea to put me in charge of security." Venelana's expression tightened as Jin heaved a self-deprecating chuckle. "I felt the same, but with people capable of crushing me with a mere breath attending the event, [Balance Breaker] is probably the absolute bare minimum I'm going to need to adhere to." 

"I'll be honest, I'm not exactly the biggest fan of the Governor, but I've had quite a few encounters with him over the years. Hearing that makes me feel like I don't understand him as well as I led myself to believe." 

"He's unpredictable if nothing else, regardless, my only choice is to succeed." Jin plopped Raon onto his shoulders as he headed towards his bedroom. "Anyhow, I'll see you in the morning. As things stand I'm already operating at an energy deficit." 

"Still burrowing yourself under all that snow?" 

"Of course, but at this rate I might need it a little colder." Venelana's eyes widened as she noticed that Jin was only half-joking. 

(Colder? Grayfia's the one who prepared it, I get that he has the whole Dragon thing going on but couldn't it still be dangerous? Perhaps I should give the Governor a heads up just in case.) 

"I'll talk with Grayfia and see what she can do." Jin met her with a nod of appreciation as he and Raon walked away. 

"Azazel's new subordinate is quite the interesting fellow don't you think?" Venelana rolled her eyes whilst her husband inched closer from around the corner. "Do you think he's warmed up to us at all?" 

"It's hard to tell, he seems the type to keep a tight circle. I'm not sure how Sona and Serafall managed to get him to warm up to them so fast. Do you think we might've been reading too much into the situation?" Zeoticus hummed as he slowly scratched his goatee. 

"I certainly wouldn't put it past us, but there's still that red flag that I've yet to figure out. What motive could Serafall have to be keeping tabs on him so directly?" He spared a brief glance to Jin's bedroom door situated down the far end of the hallway. "Should we be worried?" 

"If we want any insight as to what the Leviathan is thinking we know who to ask. But even he might not be completely sure, of course there is one rather obvious explanation I'm leaning towards." 

"And that would be?" She swallowed her desire to groan as a result of her spouse's overly political mind and continued her explanation. 

"She might simply be looking to take him on as an apprentice, with his habits it's entirely possible that their abilities are similar in some manner. Furthermore, if there's anyone capable of noticing such latent talent, it would be her." The Patriarch drummed his fingers against a nearby table as he somewhat agreed with her take, but not completely. "You think there's more to it?" 

"Well, she could be trying to make some moves with Grigori following the treaty. Didn't she get Azazel to start an Artificial Sacred Gear program with her little sister? A little bold if you ask me." 

"Even if that's true, where's the harm in it? The whole point of the treaty was to further co-operation between our factions." 

"I'm not saying nor implying that she needs to step back, but at the same time it might be a good idea for us to take a step forward." 

"If that's what you want to do, then I'm afraid you're on your own." As Zeoticus was about to interrupt she motioned for him to let her continue. "I won't get in your way, but at the same time I have faith that you won't do anything stupid." 

"What do you mean by that?" He questioned with a noticeable tinge of hostility in his voice. 

"Following the incident with Kokabiel, Grigori has ceased to be like us Devils completely. I trust you know what I'm referring to?" 

"No more open cracks I know, but it's not as if I'm trying to reach out to their high-command or anything, I don't see the problem." This time, she couldn't find it in her to withhold her groan as she realized how much sense she'd have to knock into her husband. 

"First of all, even if he isn't a part of command himself. The Governor is watching him like a hawk at all times. He's the man's [Gold General] for crying out loud, you know that." 

"Bu—" 

"That's not all, like you said he's caught the sights of Serafall. But you're forgetting another key player." Thankfully, Zeoticus seemed to catch on effectively saving him from a firm slap to face right then and there. 

"Ajuka." 

"Precisely, him and the Governor are like bread and butter. Although they haven't made their relationship public for obvious reasons, we all know how well they fit together. There's no way he isn't keeping tabs on the first result of a system he helped make." 

"Still, there must be some narrow path we, I mean I can use to pull him even just a little closer to our household. It may not be all that apparent right now, but we all know how important he'll be in the near future." Venelana breathed a deep sigh as she firmly clasped his hand, with a look of sterness shimmering in her eyes. 

"Listen, by no means can you talk about what I'm about to tell you to anyone, I'm merely doing it to ensure that you tread lightly. Got it?" In a rather out of character manner, he gulped down a chunk of saliva as he firmly nodded. 

"Got it." 

"On paper Serafall is responsible for dealing with Kokabiel all on her lonesome. But me and Lady Sitri were talking lately, and apparently there's more to the story." 

"I'm listening." 

She lowered her voice on the off-chance that Jin's hearing was somehow strong enough to reach their conversation. Which was unnecessary considering that he was already sound-asleep in his den of snow. "Though he obviously wasn't the one who tackled him head-on, Serafall did not act on her own behalf. It was Iwata who set everything in motion." 

"Oh?" Zeoticus folded his arms together, naturally intrigued by the revelation. 

"Somehow he managed to convince Sona to bring in her sister before Kokabiel had a chance to reach either her or our daughter, and I recall there being something about him getting involved with Exorcists from the church." 

"Hold on, the church? And Exorcists nonetheless? It doesn't make sense for them to get involved with Fallen Angels of all people." She gestured in agreement.

"That's the point I'm trying to convey to you, he's not normal. If you somehow hadn't already figured that out." Someone who carried around a baby Dragon on their shoulders at all times wasn't exactly a figure that you would define as average. "Just because your eyes are on him, doesn't mean it can't go both ways." 

"You think he's already got me figured out?" 

"No, because you were smart enough not to give him anything to figure out so far. However should you decide to change that, he's not exactly the type to just follow along without question." 

"I see, I appreciate the heads up." 

"That's my job, now I suggest that we start heading to bed ourselves. That hatchling might get suspicious if it smells us hanging around here for too long, it may not understand us, but a Dragon's a Dragon." 

"Indeed."