Daiki's voice echoed through the grand halls of the imperial palace, his fury evident. He had just received news that the dragons had visited the Tiger Clan, and the revelation left him seething. No matter how carefully he crafted his plans, those cunning beings of the wind always seemed to uncover them.
"This bitch is interfering a bit too much," he hissed through gritted teeth as his anger directed toward the Dragon Matriarch, his veins pulsing with rage. Moments later, additional information arrived that the tigers had refused to hand over the ancient scroll to the dragons. While this brought him slight relief, it also raised a troubling question: if the dragons, with their natural affinity for the tiger clan, couldn't persuade them, how could he? Convincing the tigers would be an uphill battle, but Daiki's mind churned with schemes to turn the situation in his favor.
"We must go to the Tigers," Daiki declared, his nostrils flaring as he turned to his most trusted companion. If the tigers rejected the dragons because of their alliance with the Crimson Birds, Daiki could twist the narrative and sway the tigers to his side.
Meanwhile, Ping was in the fields relieving himself when a servant announced the arrival of the Black Tortoises. Startled, he hurried to finish his business in the bushes, muttering curses under his breath. He searched for stones to clean himself but found none. "Damn those new cubs," he grumbled, finally resorting to using some waste papers from his study. Holding his robes like a distressed European princess, he hurried back inside, grabbing a random scroll before cleaning himself.
Moments later, Ping entered his study where the Black Tortoises were seated across from his desk. Fang, standing nearby, spared them a disinterested glance before slipping into another room.
"Pardon me for the delay," Ping said, clearing his throat as he settled into his chair. His dormant beast form, a majestic white tiger, glistened in the sunlight streaming through the windows. "What brings the Tortoises to Tiger territory?" His thick voice carried a hint of fake curiosity and obliviousness.
"You know very well why we're here, Ping," Daiki replied, his tone walking the fine line between casual indifference and authority.
Ping snorted sarcastically. "Of course, I know," he drawled, his laugh resembling the sputter of a car engine refusing to start. Gesturing toward the scattered scrolls on his desk, Ping added, "I assume you're here for this."
"You seem to be well informed than I -" Before Daiki could respond properly, the study doors burst open. A slender tiger stumbled in, collapsing dramatically on the floor.
"The dragon... and the bird…" he gasped before losing consciousness.
Yui and Shiro strode in right after him. Yui stepped over the fallen messenger without so much as a glance, her sharp focus locked on Daiki, who leaned back in his chair, observing her with a mix of contempt and curiosity. His eyes raked over her human form, though her expression was one of pure disdain as she shifted her attention to Ping.
"Good to see you again, dear old friend," Yui greeted, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she emphasized the word friend. Ping, caught between shock and annoyance, sensed the chaos brewing.
"It's been a hell of a long time since all the elemental beasts met," Shiro remarked, leaning casually against the table, his grin as wide as ever.
Ignoring their arrival, Daiki pressed on. "The scroll, Ping. It's crucial that you hand it over." His voice was urgent, and both Yui and Shiro picked up on it, though they chose to remain silent.
Ping's hand instinctively traced the scar Shiro had left during their last encounter. His gaze darted between Shiro and Yui. Despite his earlier pride in refusing the dragons, he now felt cornered.
Fang entered the study just then, her eyes immediately locking with Yui's. "Your hair is rather well-styled today," she sneered, her voice laced with venom.
Yui's hand instinctively moved to touch her slicked-back bun, her muscles tensing as memories of their last brutal encounter surfaced—Fang had nearly ripped her hair out.
Shiro broke the tense silence with a chuckle. "So, you've decided to give the scroll to Daiki, huh?" he asked, leaning toward Ping with mock curiosity.
Daiki's face twitched at Shiro's casual tone. "It's Lord Daiki to you," he snapped.
"Not for long," Yui quipped, leaning against a nearby shelf as she watched the exchange with amusement.
Ignoring them, Daiki turned back to Ping. "The ancestors would want the Tortoises to lead. You know this. Hand over the scroll so we can locate the tamer. Once we do, we'll eliminate them and restore harmony," he said, his tone persuasive but calculated.
Yui rolled her eyes. "What a load of manshit," she muttered under her breath.
Ping, however, nodded as if in agreement. "Here," he said, pushing one of the scrolls toward Daiki.
Yui shifted uneasily, stepping forward, but Shiro placed a firm hand on her shoulder. "Not now," he whispered, and she reluctantly held back.
Daiki's grin widened as he unrolled the scroll—only to falter. "This… this isn't the scroll," he growled, glaring at Ping.
Yui's eyes narrowed suspiciously, while Fang maintained an air of innocent detachment.
Ping, visibly confused, handed Daiki scroll after scroll, but none contained the ancient history of the elemental beasts and the tamer. Instead, Daiki found an assortment of unrelated writings: Ping's self-aggrandizing biography, tips on dragon care, and other mundane topics.
"This is impossible," Ping muttered, frantically searching his desk and shelves. "I placed the ancient scroll here myself!"
He began pacing as he recounted his actions. "I heard you were coming, so I grabbed the important scrolls, including the ancient one. I set them right here." He patted the desk before moving to his armchair. "Then, while waiting, I ate some cheese rolls. They tasted awful, and my stomach started rumbling…"
Yui's brow furrowed in disbelief, Daiki's patience frayed, and Shiro struggled to contain his laughter.
"So I went out to take a shit," Ping continued, "but the cubs had misplaced my cleaning stones. In desperation, I grabbed a random paper from this desk." He gestured to the scattered scrolls, his hand freezing mid-air as realization struck.
"Oops."