Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Vesto, are you sure this is gonna work?" 

"It's Desire's Crown, sis! Of course I'm sure it's gonna work! We can undo your curse and Cousin Jusa can bring you back into the Royal Family!" 

"But you know how volatile its magic is when you're inexperienced! And what if my curse hurts you again?" 

"Then it's nothing I'm not used to, eh, Coco?" 

"..." 

"Too far?" 

"Too far." 

"Alright. Sit on the chair and I'll start the procedure."

"Okay... is it supposed to glow like that?" 

"Yeah. That's how you know it's working. Now, I'm gonna touch you. Tell me if it hurts." 

"Alright. GAH! YEP, THAT HURTS!"  

"Oh my Belmod, I am so sorry! I'll... hey, what's going on? I can't pull away!" 

"WHAT?!" 

"The barrier stuff! It's covering my arms! Make it stop!" 

"I-I can't!" 

"The Crown... it's starting to hurt, Coco! What do I do?" 

"I don't know! I can call someone or-" 

"It hurts so bad, Coco! I'm fading!" 

"Nonononono! Stay with me, Vesto!" 

"I think I messed up, Sis. Keep trying for me?" 

"Sis, stay with me!"

"Goodbye!"

"VESTO! 

She knelt in front of the gravestone, head bowed in reverence. 

"I couldn't fix it, Vesto. But I'm better at it. I think you'd be proud. I became a Pride Trooper. Fought in an event to save the universe. I know that doesn't fix anything, and I'm so sorry about what happened. If I could go back and fix it, I would. I hate that crown. If I can keep it from hurting anyone else, I will." 

Then she got up and flew away. 

Eleven years ago, Cocotte the Pride Trooper had killed her sister, and she would never let herself forget it. 

Chapter Text

There were five things you didn’t talk about on the Pride Trooper base. You didn’t talk about Jiren’s parents or master, you didn’t ask Dyspo to cook, you didn’t remind Toppo about the daily workouts if he’d forgotten, you didn’t ask the resident human on base what mankind as a whole was into, and you didn’t bring up Vesto’s fate when Cocotte was worked up. 

The last one was on the list because of what had happened when Cocotte was being interviewed for a position on the Pride Troopers. She’d been getting grilled by Toppo and Dyspo and she’d been holding her own, but she couldn’t help but notice Jiren glaring daggers at her. And as a former princess, she’d had to address it. 

“Something you want to say or are you just trying to use telepathic powers I don’t know about?” 

Jiren’s voice was deep and low; it carried the power of gods and the hatred of the devil. “Your ki. It’s demonic.” 

Cocotte crossed her arms. “Yes, it is,” she replied, “but I’m no demon. I just got dealt a bad hand.” 

“Explain.” 

Cocotte scowled. “I got cursed by the demon Dreg'thun. Why do you care?” 

Jiren matched her expression. “Dreg’thun and I have bad blood between us. Why did he curse you?” 

“Because my parents made a deal with him and they didn’t keep their end.” Cocotte hissed. 

Jiren froze. “The King and Queen of Joosa... you’re Princess Hera. The one who ran away.” 

Cocotte glared at him. “So it did get out. Yes, I was Princess Hera. I left because the curse killed my sister.” 

“The curse your parents’s dealings with a demon got you. Perhaps if they’d called on their numerous allies-” 

“They did. Nobody agreed. And I bet the Pride Troopers of that day were too busy.” Cocotte stood up, a darker tint starting to affect her skin and hair. “My parents did what they thought would save their planet, and frankly? If I’d been in their shoes, I would have done the same d@mn thing.” 

“And then one of your daughters would have killed the other and run away!” Jiren shot back, and Cocotte saw red. 

She woke up in the medical bay with the Pride Troopers surrounding her. Jiren had a cut on his face and a messed up uniform, but otherwise looked perfectly fine. 

“Are you alright?” one blue Trooper asked. 

“What happened…” 

Dyspo was the first to speak. “Dude! You turned into a terrifying-” 

And then he was slapped in the back of the head by another Trooper. “You apparently have a rage-powered demon form that, if activated, can actually damage Jiren a little. What he said to you triggered it.” 

“No,” shuddered Cocotte. “I thought I had it under control...” 

“I see that your history is a sore spot. We will not bring it up should you choose to accept the position,” Toppo told her, helping her up. 

“Y-you’re letting me join? After that?” 

“You have proven yourself strong enough to merit a place among us. Your membership in the Pride Troopers will help not only others, but you, too. We have therapists, places to relax, and other things you may use during your time here, and I expect you to use them so we can help get your temper under control if you stay.” 

And she did. Every week. The only thing that didn’t change was her relationship with Jiren, she mused as she went to the mess hall. The moment their eyes met, the princess and the loner fixed each other with such hateful glares that anyone else would wilt under it. Cocotte wasn’t as strong as Jiren, especially not since she never used that demon form, but he didn’t scare her. She could engage in a conversation with him just with her eyes. The conversation was mostly curses and spite, but it was nothing new. They’d continue that conversation until one either looked away or had to leave.

Chapter Text

For the record, Jiren hated the casino. It was loud and bright, full of drunken parties and foolish attempts to win money. Or to win whatever that glowing thing on display was that he and Dyspo had been sent to get. 

Dyspo was grinning wide, whooping and running around, playing the slots (and cheating, for shame; old habits died hard). “My dude, you are missing out! I’ve already made half a million credits!” 

Jiren scowled. “I don’t even want to be here.” 

“I’m sorry, who didn’t come to the meeting? You’re stuck with me all night, pal, you may as well play.” 

“I have to do the cards, I don’t want to use up any luck I’d need before then.” 

Dyspo chuckled. “Fair, fair, you don’t know the tricks of the trade.” 

“Even if I did, I wouldn’t use them. It’s dishonest!” 

“Your loss, man,” the bunny replied, then headed over to chat up some ladies. 

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It went like that all night until the big card game began, Jiren sitting down and focusing on his cards so his face wouldn’t give anything away. Dyspo sat watching, bottle in his hand, soured by his drinking buddy having to go and play. Jiren scoffed at the sight. Dyspo couldn’t even get drunk, what was the point? 

Jiren had only played Sixer three times before, and he’d lost each time. But apparently most other players here were significantly worse than him, because he kept not getting out. The dealer took hits from her death stick as she handed out cards, calling out ranks and keeping score, until finally she looked at Jiren and Dyspo’s drinking buddy, tossing out the cards. “Good luck, boys,” and called out for a three. 

Jiren put a card down, noticing how the other player grumbled drunkenly. 

“Seven!” 

Both players put down a card. 

“Four!” 

The buddy put down a card. 

“Jack!” 

The buddy put down another card. 

“Two!” 

Jiren put down a card. 

“King!” 

Both players put down a card, leaving them with one card each, and everyone leaned in to see who would win the game. 

“Fool!” 

Jiren had a Queen. D@mn it. 

The buddy, on the other hand, put down the card and whooped, laughing in Jiren’s face. “I WIN!” he cackled. “I WIN!” He continued the laughter until presented with his prize- a small silver crown, more like a tiara, with just one blue gem in the centerpiece. 

Jiren blinked. That was it? Toppo had sent him and Dyspo after that stupid trinket? This was just... Jiren could have made better use of his time digging out his eyes with a spoon. 

And the guy seemed to agree, too. “What’s this?!” he squawked. “I coulda kept drinking and I left for this ugly little-” 

A drunken rant ensued, but was interrupted by Dyspo, who pulled him aside. “Ugly? I like it.” 

“I have better jewelry in my basement!” 

“...then can I buy it? I’ll pay 50 grand.” 

The drunken man grumbled. “Just take the d@mn thing,” he hissed before pushing the rabbit away and storming off. 

“He isn’t wrong, you know. I’m not impressed by this... attempt at a crown.” 

“But we needed to get it and we did. Let’s go.” 

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The Troopers were laughing when they saw the thing. “Toppo sent you to get that?” Cocotte taunted. 

“The hell did you do to p@ss him off?” Vuon asked. 

Jiren grumbled. “I want to know that myself.” 

Toppo crossed his arms. “Did none of you listen to the briefing?” 

Halfhearted sounds in the negative answered the leader’s question, and he facepalmed. “...okay,” he said, wiping the dirt off the trinket. “This is the-” 

A bright blue light burst from the crown, causing a surprised Toppo to drop it as the sad scraps of silver took on more glorious adornments. Everyone stared in shock at the crown, and the light from the crown condensed into a vaguely humanoid shape about half Zoire’s height. 

The shape filled out into a glowing white humanoid creature with a bluish robe, thin wings, and a white helmet with oddly shaped eyes, four horns, and cracks. She looked around, confused, noticed the Pride Troopers, gasped, and sank to one knee, lowering her head. “Greetings, finders,” she said in a high-pitched, gentle voice. “How may I serve you?” 

Chapter Text

Cocotte paled once she saw the creature and the transformed crown. “What... No way... I have it at the gravesite...” 

“Huh?” The creature flew up to her. “Have what?” 

“The… the crown...” 

“Oh, my last master told me to make a fake one,” the creature told Cocotte. “Why was it at the gravesite, anyway?” 

Cocotte paled and sat in a corner, wide-eyed and shuddering. 

Dyspo winced. “Oh. Well then.” Then he turned to the creature. “What’s your name, kid?” 

“My name is Seirei,” the creature replied, bowing, “and I am at your service.” 

Toppo smiled gently. “No need to bow, little one. Please, rise. Tell us what you were doing in that crown.” 

“The crown?” Seirei hovered over the crown. “It’s my home. I’m bound to it.” 

Kettle crossed his arms. “Desire’s Crown has a life attached to it? I’ve been studying magic for years and I’ve never read anything like that.” 

Seirei shrugged. “I don’t remember being alive very long, honestly, maybe whatever you read was written before that.” 

Zoiray frowned. “Hey, maybe I’m lost, but what’s Desire’s Crown? Is it some kind of magic?” 

Cocotte spoke from her corner. “Yes. One of the most powerful magical relics in the universe. Used to alter reality however the user sees fit. Its power is dangerous and can either damage the minds of its users or kill them should they fail to use it properly.” 

“Or when in contact with demonic energy,” Jiren put in, and Cocotte’s eyes flashed red as she stood up, all mental crisis over the stolen relic forgotten. 

“Don’t push it, you ugly son of a-” 

Toppo shouted something in a different language, interrupting the antagonism. Jiren put his hands up as if in surrender before once again falling silent, and Cocotte swore under her breath before doing the same, locking the gray alien in their usual staring contest. 

Seirei whined. “What’s their issue?” 

“They got beef,” Dyspo replied. “Don’t worry about it, they won’t take it far. At least, not here.” 

“That’s good.” 

“...so how powerful is this Crown?” Vuon asked, curious. “Like, omnipotent?” 

“No, but pretty d@mn close. I can heal injuries, amplify powers, create a bunch of stuff...” Seirei beamed. “Honestly, as long as you don’t give me any requests that upset the balance I can do anything.” 

“Balance?” Toppo asked. 

“Yeah. Like, there are some things I can’t do without having to do something else to balance it out. Like, if I kill someone powerful, I have to create someone else equally as powerful, if I create a planet I have to destroy another one, stuff like that.” 

“Can you fight?” Jiren asked. 

“Not outside my realm. And I have to be told to.” 

“Hmph.” Jiren scoffed and headed to grab something from a vending machine. 

Dyspo sighed. “Sorry about him. He can be a d@ck.” 

“I can tell,” Seirei replied. “Maybe a few wishes will help.” 

“So, how long do we get you?” 

“Seven years. Each, probably, since you’re a group.” 

“So, it’s not a three wishes thing?” Tupper asked. 

“Nope! Just me serving you for seven years. Or until you throw me out.” Seirei shrunk slightly, looking a bit apprehensive. “Please don’t throw me out.” 

Toppo reached out and held Seirei. “Don’t worry, we have no intention of throwing you out. Right, all? ” 

Cocotte nodded, rejoining the group. “I don’t intend on punishing you for something someone else did. Just don’t expect me to make use of your presence, Seirei. I still don’t like that Crown.” 

“I understand.” 

“...so can you make us a treasure room?” Zoiray asked. 

“Zoiray...” 

“What? I’m from the Greed circle! What do you expect?” 

Seirei was likely grinning under the mask as she clapped her hands. “Done. Look in your basement.” 

Zoiray zipped away as Dyspo grinned. “Turn this place into a giant luxury base!” 

Seirei waved her hand, and the room they were in grew, becoming more impressive and extravagant. 

“Gimme a bucket of worms!” cheered Vuon, who had it in his hands the next second. 

Jiren and Cocotte watched as the Troopers began cheerily testing the young spirit’s power. “I don’t like this,” Cocotte said. 

“Finally, something we agree on.”