Kaminari Denki was a unique fellow.
His mother was the village hostess of the inn that his father owned. Their town was a simple trading town: everyday newcomers flowed by their bar for a drink of mead, stopped in their dining hall for a warm meal, before hauling up to their room for a comfortable bed, all before leaving at the ass crack of dawn to continue their travels. Denki wouldn’t lie, he had seen millions of people in that inn. Some were good, honest craftsmen just looking to sell their work. Some were snobbish con men who thought they could sell out their overpriced goods to the common people. But, the ones Denki loved the most, were the entertainers.
Most nights, entertainers would go to stage in the dining hall to perform for pocket change and tips. Jugglers, fire breathers, animal tamers were just some of the acts. But, Denki’s adoration was spent on the bards. They would either have such beautiful instruments or the most rustic pieces of junk, but would all strum or blow a tune that made the dining hall lit by torches feel like the king’s banquet. Denki loved it, he’d serve the food to the patrons all while watching the bards play. And after his job was finished, he’d sit on the floor in the corner and continue to watch.
His elder siblings would all watch in amusement, he was the youngest of six. They each had their own jobs around the inn, but would always scurry down to watch as Denki would stare at the performers for that night. His triplet eldest brothers all would tease him, while his three older sisters would encourage it. The three were even the ones who used their combined savings to buy Denki a well crafted lute made of red cedar for his fourteenth birthday. And Denki, using all his watching experience from his entire life, began to strum. Days and nights alike, he would strum his lute until he got a tune just right. He never wrote melodies down, he just played what he felt was right.
Which is why, on the eve of his sixteenth birthday, he announced to his parents he was leaving the village to travel the world. He was met with cries and begs of him not to go, but being a bard was his dream. His siblings, who had overheard their parents’ squabbles, decided to help Denki. His sisters packed him a few months worth of dried food while his brothers got some clothes and hunting equipment packed into a satchel. They even dipped into each of their own savings jars to give him enough money to last for a small while.
When Denki got to his room that night, his siblings all gave him his things, kissing his head and wishing him well. Denki cried as he dressed himself as best he could, letting his siblings help him evade their parents and wishing all his siblings well.
Which is how Denki got into his current situation~
Denki had been sleeping under a tree when a loud, ear piercing roar shook the forest. Denki stood to his feet, scrambling to grab his hunting knife in case it was a predator looking for breakfast. But, when nothing attacked him, he sheathed the knife back into its holder. Denki looked around, annoyed by the sudden wake up call, but still cautious. Another roar pierced the air and shook the ground, and Denki was awake enough to differentiate the direction where it came from.
He picked up his satchel and ran towards the noise, curiosity getting the best of him. When he got to the forest edge, he saw a group of poachers rounding up what looked to be a clan of dragons. Denki knew dragons fetched a heavy price: their hide was fire and magic proof and made for good cloaks for mages, their fangs, talons, and horns could be grinded for potions and elixirs, and their wings made great decoration. But, seeing many dragons cornered and afraid made his gut twist. The colony was losing, however, as the kits and two of the dragons had been caught.
He noticed a group had been caught in a cage disguised with vines and leaves, a silver alpha with around ten kits. The small dragons were yipping and crying, scared out of their minds. Denki noticed how all the poachers were busy fighting two dragons: a yellow one and a red one. He quietly made his way over to the cage, kneeling by the lock and taking a look at it. The silver alpha growled, his pupils turning into slits.
“Shhh, I’m here to help,” Denki assured as he took a pin from his bag and began fiddling with the lock. The cage door flung open, freeing the dragons. He stepped to the side and waved his arms, “go! You’re free, go!” he whisper-yelled. He saw a similar cage a few yards away, so he crept over and copied what he did, this time freeing a purple dragon with around sixteen kits. He saw how the two alphas regrouped together and allowed the kits to get in their pouches that were nestled into their stomachs. Denki smiled as he watched the two dragons take flight, roaring loudly as they flew off. The smile dropped when he noticed a poacher reel a titanium net into a machine. Titanium was known to burn dragons, which meant this net would probably kill whichever dragon he was aiming for.
Grabbing a hefty branch, Denki flung himself at the man, beating him with the branch. He was out of breath and adrenaline was pumping in his veins so quickly he didn’t notice the man approaching him from behind. As soon as Denki turned to meet his gaze, he punched Denki across the face, sending him flying to the ground. Denki struggled to get up, his vision blurring over. He just remembered a red blur flying over him, a sudden warmth to his side, and everything fading to black.
Denki could feel warmth all over his body when he began to stir awake, his eyes burning when the site of bright fire caught them. When he was sure the brightness wouldn’t be too much, he reopened them again, finding himself under a pile of kits in their dragon form. Denki took in his surroundings, still a little drowsy. He noticed he was in a cave, a huge cave, with a pile of trinkets in the far corner and the opening nowhere in sight. A fire pit was in front of him, a few large animals roasting above it. When Denki tried to get up, the kits all shot their heads up to look at him. Noticing he was awake, they all scurried off. The ones who could fly shot off the ground with vigor, squawking in some dragon tongue Denki didn’t know. After a few minutes of continuous cawing, a man with bright red hair popped around the corner. His smile lit up more than the fire pit as he ran over.
“Thank God you’re finally awake!” He shouted as he knelt to Denki’s side, “you scared us when you wouldn’t wake up right away! Dragons don’t really understand human pain capacity, so when your head started bleeding it bothered a lot of the kits! But, our leader patched you up with some healing paste from the clan horde!” The red head’s muscles were gleaming with sweat, even in his human form his talons were black and sharp. His teeth were much the same, pointy and scary looking. Tho, with the way he spoke, Denki knew he was an ally.
“What happened?” Denki sat up a little bit more as he touched the spot where he was hit.
“Well, once our clan dames got into the air, we were planning to just leave. But, then I saw you take down that poacher to save us! When his buddy took you down, I knew you needed protection, so I flew in for the rescue!” he flexed his huge arm, “my name is Eijiro Kirishima! What’s your name?”
“Oh, uh, Denki Kaminari! I owe you for the save!” Denki smiled weakly. That’s when three others rounded the same corner: a really tall fat man who Denki assumed was the clan leader, a silver haired teen that could be Kirishima’s long lost twin, and a purple haired young adult with pointed ears.
“I’m glad you’re awake,” the tall man said as he knelt beside Kirishima, “that paste should minimize headaches and help with the scarring. It was very brave of you to help us, not many humans would have the courage to take on an entire swarm of poachers on their own. My name is Taishiro Toyomitsu, but everybody calls me Fat Gum! I’m the leader of this clan. The silver haired one is Tetsutetsu, and the purple one is Tamaki Amajiki. All these kits are adopted, we foster and raise abandoned kits who were given up by their clans,” Denki looked as the kits all went back to him, cuddling him close.
“When you first approached that cage, I growled at you. So, I’m sorry for judging you so harshly,” Tetsu bowed. Denki waved his hands as he embraced being covered in kits.
“Nah, I know how it must have looked from your point of view. I don’t blame you for being cautious and protective,” Denki smiled as the kits all snuggled into him.
“The k-kits, they r-really like y-you,” Tamaki stuttered nervously. He noticed how Tamaki’s ear twitched with every stutter, chuckling at the adorable little tic.
“It’s because he’s their human savior,” Fat Gum explained, “their instincts are telling them to protect him in return, though it may get a little toasty for ya, Kaminari,” Denki laughed.
“Not at all! I’m naturally pretty cold, so the warmth is appreciated,” Denki soaked in the attention the kits were giving him. Kirishima looked at the firepit and licked his lips.
“It looks like the food is done, do you want beef, venison, sheep, or octopus?” Kirishima asked as Tetsu and Tamaki took the large skewer from the fire pit. Fat gum went into his dragon form and began dicing the meat with skill.
“Um, whatever is left over. I wouldn’t want to intrude,” Denki offered a kind smile. Kirishima grunted, his nostrils flaring and smoke billowing out. He huffed a bit, walking over and getting a wooden plate from the horde, proceeding to the meat and looking it over. Denki watched as Kirishima put a bit of everything on the plate, along with some fruit the clan had. He then waltzed back over to Denki, placing the plate in his lap and picking up a piece with his talons.
“Don’t worry, I clean my talons often. Now, open wide,” Denki merely did as told, feeling as though arguing with the mighty creature would be futile. Tetsu joined the duo a few minutes later with a huge basket of minced meat and fruit for the kits and two plates of food. Tetsu fed Kirishima and himself, while Kirishima fed Denki. Tamaki and Fat Gum watched from a distance with a smile on their faces. After the meal, the kits all decided to play for a bit. That’s when Denki realized he didn’t have his satchel.
“Hey, where is my stuff? Everything I own is in that bag,” Denki looked to Fat Gum, who merely smiled brighter than he was before.
“Oh, I have it in my personal area. I didn’t want the kits playing with it,” he went off and came back a moment later, the bag in hand. He handed it to Denki, who took out his lute and began strumming. All the kits stopped their roughhousing and looked at him, mesmerized by the strange new item.
“So, you’re a bard?!” Tetsu exclaimed enthusiastically. Denki nodded and kept strumming, noticing how the kits all wavered to the beat of his tune. It reminded him a lot of his time as a kid, when he too would sway and dance to the music bards would sing at the inn. Denki hummed along with his strumming, before licking his lips and preparing his voice.
“In the forest lay a clan of dragons, who’s fight was strong with valor~ With fangs that pierce rocks and wings that slice skies, and horns, and scales, and talons~ Upon a clearing I came a battle of strength I could not withstand~ The alphas fought claw and scale, they are the Fat Gum Clan~” the kits all jumped around, them not being able to morph into humans yet, “the first was Tetsu, a silver scale with lashes that cut the wind~ Kirishima flew in, with red scales for skin, though you’d think he was his twin~” Tetsu snickered while Kirishima rolled his eyes, “Tamaki’s form was poised and true, with indigo scales that glimmered~ Fat Gum, their leader, the valiant defeater, left his enemies shivered~” Fat Gum let out a boisterous laugh while Tamaki merely clapped along, “then came the kits, all adopted, as the clan’s heart was made of gold~ Their horde couldn’t compare to the value they share of being a family whole~” with a final strum, Denki struck a pose. The clan all clapped while the kits all tackled Denki into a pile.
“What fun!” Fat Gum shouted as he held his belly, “though, it is about the kits’ bed time, come along children!” The kits all whimpered and cuddled closer to Denki. Denki petted them and shrugged, yawning.
“I wouldn’t mind being a bed to a bunch of dragon kits,” he smiled as he saw some of the kits get comfortable. Fat Gum looked at Denki with a knowing smile and relinquished his request. Denki, being shrouded into warmth, fell back to sleep. Meanwhile, the others were looking for a gift to give him.
When Denki awoke again, the kits were playing around. He stood up and stretched, finally well rested enough to continue his journey. After he snuggled the kits a final time, he looked for the alphas in the cave, and found them all by the entrance. Kirishima noticed him first, running to him and embracing him tightly.
“You are an amazing bard, please keep singing! It’s super manly!” Tetsu nodded in agreement while Tamaki stood back. Fat Gum then walked forward, placing a small amulet with a glowing blue stone around Denki’s neck.
“This amulet will remind you that you will always have an ally with the Fat Gum Clan. If the time ever comes that you need us, please, just clutch the amulet in your hands and ask for your allies to come. We will answer your call, we promise you this,” Denki smiled as he tucked the amulet under his shirt.
“A dragon remains loyal to his allies, that is our way. You will always have us to depend on,” Tamaki added, clasping his hands around one of Denki’s, “be careful out there,” Denki nodded. He gave each of them one last hug before trudging down the mountain.