That night, Rosette hardly slept. Her mind was racing about the strange guest in the next room. The sight of his scaly back and his strange words echoed in her mind,
“Maybe I was wrong about you humans.”
She thought about this the whole night. The way he had worded it, it sounded like he himself wasn’t human. At first she had thought the scales on his back were some kind of disease, a bad rash if you will. But that wouldn’t explain the strange reaction his blood had to peroxide. The more she thought about it, the more she became sure that the boy sleeping in the next room wasn’t human. The question now became, ‘What is he?’
The next morning came very slowly. Rosette had gotten out of bed early to check on him, and was relieved to find him still sleeping, so she cooked a breakfast for the two of them. When she brought the food in to him, she found him sitting up in bed.
“Good morning.” She said with a smile, “Are you hungry?”
“I haven’t eaten in a few days, but I’m alright.” He said.
“A few days?! Here eat up!” she exclaimed setting the plate on his lap. The bacon and eggs seemed to stare back at him from the plate.
“What is this?” he asked.
“Bacon and eggs.” She said, taking a bite of her breakfast. The boy picked up a piece of bacon and smelled to it.
“Why is it crispy like this? He asked, “It looks burnt.”
“It is not burnt!” she said, somewhat offended, “I am a good cook. That is fried to perfection!”
“Fried?” he asked, confused.
“Yea, it’s cooked.”
“I’ve never had meat done like this before.” He said, and then took a cautious bite. “It’s good.”
“You mean to tell me you’ve never had cooked meat before?” she asked.
“No.”
“Then how do you eat meat?” she asked.
“Raw.” He said.
“Isn’t that bad for your health? You could get food poisoning!” she exclaimed. Before she knew it, his plate was empty and he set it on the nightstand.
“Fresh meat is never bad.” He said, “You just have to eat it as soon as you kill it.” Rosette put her bacon back on the plate and set it down, her appetite gone.
“So, can I ask you a question?” she asked.
“I guess so.” He said, preparing himself for it.
“What is your name?” She asked, not the question he was waiting for. He lowered his eyes once more and Rosette giggle when he became embarrassed, “Oh come on! It can’t be that embarrassing!”
“It’s not. It’s just….” He trailed off.
“Then what is it?” she asked, leaning forward.
“No one has ever asked me for my name.” he said.
“What? You do have one though, right?” she asked. The boy nodded.
“It’s just that I had expected you to ask about what I was before you asked me my name.” he said, his words caught her off guard.
“A name isn’t that big of a deal. I just want to call you something besides ‘red haired boy’.” She said.
“You don’t understand.” He said, “For my kind, they must form a bond with the first person that learns of their name.”
“A bond? What kind of bond?” she asked.
“I must protect that person for the rest of their lives.” He said, “Or my life, which ever ends first.”
“Why?”
“It’s because of humans. It’s a form of control. They sent an old man to curse a group of us, and now every descendant must abide by these rules. His name was passed down from generation to generation to remind us of our duty.” He said, his fist clenched at his side.
“What was his name?” she asked.
“He was a human of great power. His name was Merlin.” He said. Rosette gasped.
“He was supposed to be a wizard of the middle ages.” She said, “He supposedly answered to King Arthur, but that stuff is just myth.”
“He’s no myth.” He said, “He is the reason why we have to live like this. Nameless, or bound. We can only be free as long as no one knows who we are.”
“But a name defines who you are! It shouldn’t be like that!” she said. She then realized that he was staring at her with wide eyes.
“I’ve never noticed before.” He said, “But you look just like her.” Rosette blushed.
“Who?”
“There was one, a long time ago, who was kind to me.
“I’m sorry for asking.” She said, but he didn’t answer. To her, it looked as if he was thinking, trying to decide something very important. Finally he looked at her, and for once smiled.
“I want to tell you my name.” he said, “But first, you must know.” He said.
“You can tell me.
“I’ve already decided,” he said, “I will tell you my secret.” He swung his legs over the bed and stood up shakily. Rosette watched as he pulled off his ragged shirt, to reveal patches of red scales all over his body, with small white horns protruding from his elbows.
“Over the years, we have evolved, and are now able to take on human form.” He said, “But I’m not very good at it yet, I’m still learning.”
“These look like…” she stammered as she examined him.
“Yes. I am a dragon.” He said. He stood still as she ran her fingers across the bare scales, and then placed a hand on his shoulder.
“You’re a real dragon?” she asked.
“Um, yes.” He said.
“Really? You mean you can change into a real, fire breathing dragon?” she asked, getting excited.
“Yes.”
“Are you a kind of dragon with wings, or do you have fins or something?”
“I have wings. What are you talking about?” he asked, feeling embarrassed.
“Can I see?” she asked. He lowered his eyes.
“I don’t want to scare you.” He said, “Plus, there’s no room in here. I’m too big.”
“Oh well, I can wait.” She said. Still her hand lay on his shoulder.
“Why are you touching me like that?” he asked. She pulled her hand away.
“You’re so cold.” She said, “Are you sick?”
“No. Dragons are cold blooded.” He said.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” She said. She noticed the bandages had become bloodstained again, “You should sit down. Let me change those.”
After a fresh set of bandages, she sat behind him as she tied them down.
“My name is…..” he began.
“Hiryuu.” She said, “That’s what I’ll call you.”
“What?” he said, shocked.
“I’ll call you Hiryuu, or maybe Ryu for short. It’s Japanese or something, but I believe it has to do something with dragons. This way you don’t have to tell me your real name, and you don’t have to make the bond.”
“But, are you sure?” he asked. His question was met with a smile.
“I want to be your friend, but I don’t want you to risk yourself for me.
“I don’t understand.” He muttered, “Things have changed so much from what I remember.”
“What do you mean?”
“Before, humans used to live in simple stone houses, and they were constantly fighting one another. Their swords were always bloody, and there were always wounded.” He said, “Now you live in these strange dwellings and use loud weapons.”
“What are you saying?” she asked. Ryu lowered his head again.
“I was asleep for a long time, I guess. Things were bound to change.”
“Asleep?” she asked, “Wait, a minute…” She went to her room and returned a few minutes later, holding a letter.
“What’s that?” he asked.
“A letter from my father.” She said, “He was on an expedition up north, and he sent me a letter saying that they found something.”
“And?”
“They said they found a dragon.”
“Oh.” He said, “I see.” She could tell that he was getting nervous.
“You’re the dragon they found, aren’t you?” she said in an accusing tone. Ryu quickly nodded.
“The first thing I remember was waking up in a very cold place with lots of people staring at me.
“The letter says that the dragon killed two laborers and took off into the sky.” She said, His eyes went wide.
“What? I didn’t mean to! I was scared and confused!” he cried, tears began rolling down his face.
“The letter also said that if I ever saw the dragon, to call the police and have it contained.” She said, “I figured the cold climate got to him and he was telling wild stories.”
“I didn’t mean to!” he cried, “I don’t want to die!” Rosette sat on the bed next to him.
“Calm down! No one’s going to kill you.” She said, “I’m not going to tell anyone either. As far as they know, they’re looking for a huge red dragon, not some fifteen year old boy.”
“But I’m not fifteen.” He sniffed.
“Well how old are you?” she asked.
“What year is it?”
“Two thousand and six” she said. His eyes went wide.
“Really?” he asked, somewhat surprised.
“Yes.”
“I had a birthday once.” He said, “That woman I told you about before wished me happy birthday. She said I was sixteen then, and the year was 600AD.”
“That means you are one thousand, three hundred, and ninety years old!” she exclaimed, “You look good for your age.”
“That’s all?” he said, but judging by her surprised expression, he had to explain, “That may seem a lot by human standards, but remember, I was frozen for a thousand of those years. Besides, dragons are immortal.”
“You can’t die? I thought you said your parents…..” she began but stopped, “I’m sorry.”
“Dragons can be killed,” he said, “but if left alone, and if they maintain their health, they will live forever.”
“Is that why you learn to take human form? To blend in and live longer?” she asked.
“Mostly, yes.” He said, “The other reason is for companionship. Dragons were almost extinct even in my time. I wouldn’t say there are any left now. I take human form so that I can talk to people like you.” He looked up at her and raised an eyebrow, “What would you do if you found me in that alleyway in my dragon form?”
“I don’t know. Probably call the police.” She said.
“And what would they have done?” he asked.
“I guess call animal control. They would take you somewhere to try and heal you.” She said.
“And then?”
“Well, being a dragon, you would probably be experimented on. With the endangered species act, they wouldn’t do anything to hurt you, but still your existence would be known all over the world.”
“If that happens, what do you think they would do with me?”
“Put you in a zoo. In captivity.” She said.
“Right. After they take what’s left of my pride, they would display me for everyone to see. I would never be happy.” He said, “We do this so that we could seem ordinary. So that no one would find us different or interesting.”
“You wanted a friend.” She said.
“I don’t know what I want.” He said, “Being frozen really messed me up. After what happened, being shot, trying to get here, my views have been clouded. I don’t know who to trust anymore. Frankly, I’m confused.”
Rosette didn’t say anything. She pulled him close and held him as the tears began to flow, and he broke is stone faced demeanor to release his pent up feelings. She felt sorry for him, but still respected him for telling her his story, and his secret. He cried for a few minutes, and then went silent in her arms. She laid him back down, covered him up, and left him to sleep.
It was a beautiful day outside as she drove to the store. She was browsing the dairy isle of the supermarket, when she heard a commotion behind her. She turned to see a man walking away and an elderly lady knocked on the floor, shaking her fist at the dark man. She rushed over to help her up as she watched the man head towards the front of the store.
“So inconsiderate!” the woman said, “I was looking at peas, when this bastard knocked me down!”
“Ma’am, are you alright?” Rosette asked.
“Oh, I’m fine. But someone should teach that boy some manners!” she said, and then went back to her peas. Rosette picked up her milk and went to the register. When she was checked through, she spotted the same man, standing outside, and staring in through the window at her. She carried her bags in one hand, and her other was in her purse, around the can of Mace she kept for emergencies.
She made it all the way to her car before he moved. She had to scramble inside and lock the doors before he made it to her car, and the man stopped by her passenger window. She was about to drive away, when the man held a badge in the window, and she rolled it down.
“O-Officer! You scared me to death!” she cried, trying to catch her breath, “Can I help you?”
“Sorry, miss. Can I ask you a few questions?” he asked.
“Alright.”
“Have you seen this boy?” he asked, displaying a picture to her. Without a doubt, it was Ryu.
“What has he done?” she asked.
“Nothing, miss. It’s just that a truck driver up north had reported picking this boy up on the side of the road in the middle of a snowstorm. He was wearing next to nothing, so he was worried for his safety.” He said. “He reported that he was also injured, so anything you know would be a great help.”
“I don’t know anything about him.” She said, “What makes you think I’ve seen him?”
“Nothing. I’m just asking random people. There have been reports of him being in the area.” He said, “Thank you for your help, miss. If you see him, give me a call. Here’s my card.”
“Alright, officer.” She said, taking his card.
“Oh, you should go home and change.” He said, “There’s blood all over the back of your pants.” He then turned and left.
Rosette sat in shock. She realized that the blood must have come from the bed when she sat on it, and it was also the reason why he had asked her out of a crowd of people. She then wondered why he was actually looking at her backside in the first place, and vowed to give him a piece of her mind the next time they met. For now, she put her car in gear and drove home.
Once back in her apartment, Rosette put away the few groceries she had picked up and went to check in on her patient. As the door creaked open, she saw that he was gone.
Panic filled her heart as she searched for him, but he was nowhere to be found in the small home, but finally she discovered a small spot of blood on the front door. She followed the small drops of blood down the hall and up the stairs, with every step becoming more and more frantic. By the time she had reached the roof, she was breathing hard.
She found him on the roof, calmly looking over the edge at the strange Toronto
“Ryu, what are you doing?” she asked. The boy calmly looked over his shoulder.
“Hey, Rosette.” He drearily said, “I was bored cooped up in that place, so I came up here for some air. I hope you don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind, but it’s dangerous up here.” She said, “You could fall.” Ryu peered over the edge to the crowd gathering below.
“It’s not that high.” He said, “I’ve jumped higher than this, not to mention flying.”
“Ryu, you’re scaring me.” She cried. He turned around so his back was to the ledge.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, taking a step forward, away from the ledge.
“It might not seem much to you, but those people down there are thinking that you want to jump.” She said, “They think you might want to kill yourself!”
“How do you know what they’re thinking?” he asked, “Can humans read minds?”
“No, but that’s what I was thinking at first.” She said, “Please come inside. You’ll catch cold.”
“I’m not cold. I told you, dragons are cold blooded.” He said.
“Please, Ryu.” She said, “I’m worried about you! You’re still injured! You should be in bed!” He took a step forward, surprised by her actions.
“Why do you care so much for me? I’m still a stranger to you?” he stammered, “I don’t understand.”
“It’s called human compassion, Ryu.” She yelled, “I can’t help it!” she stepped forward and took his hand, “Please, come back inside.”
“Alright, Rosette, let’s go.”
Rosette dragged him down the stairs, and still the tears streamed down her face. Ryu was baffled at why she was acting the way she was, but by the time they had reached the apartment, she had dried her eyes and he returned to bed.
“Ryu, what kind of food do you like?” she asked from the doorway, putting on a fake smile. He could tell that she was still upset.
“I usually eat small animals.” He said, “Rabbits and birds, mostly.”
“So you only eat meat?”
“Mostly, but not always.” He said, “I’ll eat anything you cook.”
“Alright then.” She squeaked, and headed for the kitchen. He laid back and stared at the ceiling for a while, then turned to look out the bedroom window at the newly falling snow.
Monday morning rolled around, and Rosette had gotten up early to check on Ryu before getting ready for school. He was still sleeping when she left, so she left him a note, telling him she had gone to school. For the whole trip to school, and for most of the first class, she found herself worrying about him, even though she was only gone for less than an hour.
“….and that’s why shading is important in your finished drawing.” The professor concluded, “Any questions?”
The class stood and gathered their books as Rosette broke out of her daydreaming. She scrambled out of her seat as the teacher caught up with her at the door.
“Rosette, can I have a word?” he asked.
“Um, Sure.”
“I’ve noticed that you were a bit out of it today.” He said, “I know the school year has just begun, but are you going to make a habit of this?”
“No, of course not!” she said, embarrassed, “I just have a lot of things going on.”
“I realize that most of the girls in my class have boyfriends, Rosette, but they don’t let it interfere with their school work.” He said, “They may still talk about them even when class is going on, but at least they did their sketches.”
“I’m sorry sir.” She said, “He’s not a boyfriend though, just a friend.”
“So there is a boy involved!” he said with a smile as he gathered his books, “I just happen to be a male myself, and I know how some relationships can go.”
“It’s not like that! Really, he’s a friend.” She said.
“You’re being defensive, Rosette.” He said, “Anyway, I’m just joking. I hope you two remain friends. It’s nice that you are friends with the kid.”
“What?” she gasped. By the way he was talking, he knew about Ryu.
“I said I hope you two get along.”
“How do you know about him?” she asked.
“I don’t really.” He said.
“Then how do you know that he’s young?” she demanded. The teacher laughed.
“Because he’s standing in the doorway.” He said, “Or am I misunderstanding?”
Rosette spun around, and spotted Ryu standing in the doorway of the classroom, wearing his cloak and his hood over his head. He stepped inside and looked around.
“What are you doing here?” She yelled, “You should be home in bed!”
“I woke up and you were gone.” He said, “I went looking for you.”
“Didn’t you read the note? I told you I was going to school.”
“I found the piece of parchment, but I can’t read human.” He said. The teacher looked up from his books.
“Pardon me?” he asked. Rosette laughed nervously.
“He’s from overseas.” She stammered, then turned to whisper to him, “How did you get here?”
“I ran.”
“You what?”
“I ran.” He repeated, “I didn’t think it was a good idea to fly, so I ran here.” He said.
“There are people looking for you, Ryu! You should go back home.” She pleaded, but he glanced over her shoulder to the teacher behind the desk.
“Why are you here?” he asked.
“I come here to learn.” She said.
“Then I should come here as well.” He said, “The times have changed and I should learn all I can.”
“But you’re still injured! You should rest.”
“I’m fine. It’s not serious.” He said, “Besides, I need to be here.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know why. I just do.” He said.
“There’s nothing I can do to make you go back?” she asked.
“Sorry.” He said.
“Rosette, don’t you have another class to get to?” the teacher asked. Rosette jumped, forgetting that he was even there. In a flash she grabbed Ryu’s hand and ran out the door.
The next class was awkward. Not knowing what else to do, she had dragged him with her to her next class, and they sat together near the back of the class. She had hoped the teacher wouldn’t notice that there was an extra student, but as she checked her roster, she eyed the dark stranger sitting in the back of the class. He pretended not to notice her stare as he kept his eyes fixed on the swirling snowstorm outside.
“We have an extra student?” she asked, “You’re not on my list boy, and are you sure you’re even old enough to be in university?” The class giggled, but he kept his gaze fixed out the window, and his hood cast a shadow across his face.
“Um, he’s with me.” Rosette called, “He’s not a student, but I have to watch him for now. Is it alright if he sits in on the class?”
“I don’t see any problem, but he’s your responsibility, alright?”
“Thank you.” She said. The class erupted into a chatter of obvious gossip.
“Alright, welcome to the first class of Mythological Studies.” She announced, “Please open your textbooks to chapter one, Dragons!” Ryu’s head snapped over and he looked at the teacher, but still remained silent.
“We all know that dragons are mythological creatures, but if they were real, you can be sure they were not the kind of animal you would want to meet.” She said, “We will start our discussion on this by focusing on what we already know. Anyone know of any books or movies involving dragons?” A guy in front put his hand in the air.
“Dungeons and Dragons.” He said.
“That’s one.” She said, “What kind of dragon did that movie show?”
“A regular, fire breathing, monster.” He said.
“Is this how you view all dragons?” she asked.
“Sure.”
“What about the movie, Dragonheart?” she asked.
“I’ve seen that one!” a girl behind him shouted, “That dragon could talk.”
“And what did you think about him? Was he a monster?”
“No, he was kind of nice.” She said, “It was understandable why he was kind of mean, though. Everyone wanted to kill him.”
“Why was that?”
“Because everyone thought that dragons were monsters that only wanted to kill and destroy.”
“And what do you think?” she asked.
“Dragons aren’t real.” She said, “There’s no point in forming an opinion about them.”
“Sure there is. What about personal curiosity?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” The girl asked.
“What if you met a real dragon someday? How would you react? Will you be scared, or would you talk to it?” she asked.
“And what if I come across a vampire instead? Or a unicorn?” she responded. The class laughed. Still Ryu remained silent.
“We won’t cover vampires or unicorns until later in the term. I’m asking about dragons now.” She said seriously. The girl went silent.
“I don’t know. I’d probably be scared.” She said.
“That’s because the stereotype of them being monsters is more popular than anything else.” She said.
“Professor, this isn’t about racism. We’re talking about an animal here and a fictitious one at that.” Another guy said.
“Yes, but your view of this animal is what we are going to study. Not just your view, but society’s view in general.” She said. The class went silent and her gaze drifted up to the stranger in the corner.
“Young man, what do you think of dragons?” she asked. The class turned to look at the strange boy in the dark cloak. A nervous glance from Rosette didn’t faze him.
“What do you think about humans?” he responded.
“What do you mean?”
“You are analyzing the creature known as a dragon and trying to figure out what qualities make it what it is.” He said, “Why not ask those same questions about humans instead?”
“We already know what we are like.” She said, “On the other hand, we have no idea what a dragon is like.”
“Are you sure?” he said. His lips curled into a sneer exposing fangs that only Rosette could see clearly in the dim lights. “What if a dragon met a human one day? Would it be scared, or will it try and talk to the human?” The class went silent.
“I see your point.” The teacher said, “So you think that a dragon would have the same views of humans as we have of them?”
“Sure, why not?” he said.
“Interesting.” She muttered, “Here’s another question. Why do you think the monster stereotype of a dragon is most popular?”
“I’ve already answered your question.” He said, “Because they probably think the same way of humans.”
“Elaborate.” She said.
“It’s a cycle of hate.” He said, “It had to start from somewhere, like most misunderstandings often do, but dragons kill humans because humans slay dragons, and human slay dragons because dragons kill humans.”
“Like a war that started from a simple argument.” She said, “I have a colleague who was trying to prove that dragons were real. She would be interested in your views.”
“I’m sure she would be interested in more than just my opinion.” He muttered. Rosette gave him another glare, and he noticed that everyone in the class was staring at him.
“Professor, your friend is trying to prove that dragons are real?” a student asked. The teacher snickered.
“Apparently. She lead an expedition far north a little while ago.” She said, “I haven’t heard from her yet though.”
“Why would she go up north to look for a dragon?” the student asked.
“She read somewhere that there was a rare breed of fire dragon that was supposedly spotted in a northern settlement in ancient times. The dragon went north, and she thought she had found where it had stopped.”
“Did she find anything?”
“I don’t know, I haven’t heard from her.” She said, “It was probably some big bird or something. You know how stories like this can get changed over time.”
“What do you believe, professor?” a guy in front asked, “Do you believe they exist?” The class leaned forward in anticipation. The teacher actually hesitated.
“I don’t think they exist as they are portrayed in fairy tales and myths.” She said, “There is the Komodo dragon, and various reptiles that resemble them, but then again, we are always discovering new things on this planet. Someday Big Foot may even be discovered, so why not dragons?”
“I don’t think they exist as they are portrayed in fairy tales and myths.” She said, “There is the Komodo dragon, and various reptiles that resemble them, but then again, we are always discovering new things on this planet. Someday Big Foot may even be discovered, so why not dragons?”
“So is that a yes?” he asked.
“No. It’s a maybe.” She said, then turned to Ryu, “What about you, boy?”
“Why are you asking me?” he asked.
“I’m interested in your response.”
“I’m not in this class. I’m just here to observe.”
“You gave your opinion before, and being in this class is beside the point. I asked you as a person, not as a student.” She said, “Do you believe dragons are real?” Rosette was a nervous wreck.
“Yes.” He simply said. The class began to chatter and a few giggled.
“And what is your reasoning behind your opinion?” she asked. Rosette buried her face in her hands, not wanting to see what was going to happen next. Ryu simply looked out the window again at the driving snow. He pulled the end of his cloak over an exposed scale on his wrist. Instead of answering, he sunk lower in his seat, and pulled his hood down over his face.
“Ryu, are you alright?” Rosette whispered. The class was still staring up at them, waiting for an answer.
“I’m fine.” He said. “I don’t want to answer.”
“Is your friend alright, Miss Pegasus?” The teacher asked.
“He’s not feeling well.” She said, “He was just injured recently, and he’s still recovering.”
“Rosette! What are you doing?” He whispered, but she ignored him.
“Oh my, is it serious?” she asked.
“No, he’s almost better.” She said.
“Would you like to be excused so you can get him some fresh air?” she asked. Rosette nodded and pulled him out the door.
It took a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the brighter light, but she could see even in the shadow of his hood, that he was upset. She took a seat on the bench next to the coffee stand in the lobby and he flopped down next to her.
“Maybe you should go back home.” She said, “I’m worried that you will start bleeding again.”
“I’m fine.” He said, “I heal fast.”
“But if you lose anymore blood, there won’t be any to replace it.” She said.
“I’m fine.” He repeated, “I don’t want to go home. I want to stay here with you.”
“Look, I didn’t know they were going to talk about dragons, Ryu. We’ve just started school.”
“It’s alright, I’m not offended anyway. Their views of dragons are understandable.” He said, “If not true.”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“Dragons did kill humans in the past, and humans did kill dragons.” He said, “A lot of dragons preferred to eat humans more than other animals.”
“But why?”
“Everyone has a favorite food, Rosette.” He said. She looked away from him.
“Have you ever……eaten a human?” she quietly asked. Ryu put his head against the wall in thought.
“I didn’t want to.” He said, “But I had to one day.” Rosette gasped.
“Why?” she stammered.
“I was starving. My family had flown to a new area that we hadn’t been before, and winter came making everything edible go away.” He said, “We came across a town and the humans there sent out a patrol to kill us. My parents had been killed about a year before and weren’t there to protect us. My two sisters had disappeared in the battle. I got chased into a cave and cornered by one of them.”
“What happened then?” she asked.
“He was going to kill me, and I was too weak from hunger to fight.” He said, “He slipped on the ice and hit his head on a rock, and he stopped moving.”
“Then you ate him?” she gasped.
“I think so.”
“What do you mean, you think so?”
“I remember eating something, and he was the only thing there.” He said, “But after that, I remember it getting very cold, and I fell asleep.”
“Then what?”
“I guess I got frozen. I woke up with lots of people staring at me and I flew away.” He said, “You know the rest.”
“That’s awful.” She said.
“I remember the taste.” He said, “I didn’t like it.” Rosette shivered.
“So you had two sisters?” she asked, “What were they like?”
“One was an Ice Dragon, and the other was a Thunder Dragon.” He said, “Both were older than me and treated me like a little kid all the time.”
“They were just over protective.” She said.
“Maybe, but they were always the same, even after our parents’ death. None of our family would eat a human. I feel like I’ve betrayed them.”
“It was an emergency! It’s not your fault.” She said.
“But it’s done, Rosette. I can’t deny that I’ve done it.” He muttered, “Can you keep this to yourself, please?”
“Sure. I won’t say anything.” She said. She opened her mouth to say something comforting, but stopped as a young girl walked by that caught her attention. Ryu watched as well as she walked by.
The girl seemed to be a freshman, because she looked like she was totally lost. Her long hair reached her waist, and was almost a silver color. She wore a simple blue skirt and blue shirt to match, and hung a book bag over her shoulder. She stopped in front of the two sitting on the bench and looked around reading everything that was on the walls.
“Excuse me, but do you know where room 106 is?” she asked. Rosette pointed down the hall.
“Third door on the left.” She said. The girl smiled, but remained where she was as she began staring at Ryu while he stared back from under his dark hood. “Is there something else?”
“Have we met before?” she asked him. Still his icy stare pierced the air.
“Not that I recall.” He said.
“What is your name?” she asked. Ryu’s eyes went wide.
“His name is Ryu.” Rosette said.
“Did he tell you that, or did you just start calling him that?” She snapped. Rosette gasped as the girl clasped her hands over her mouth as if she said something wrong. “I’m sorry. Thanks a lot!” she turned on her heel and sped off down the hall. Ryu was still left in shock.
“What’s wrong?” Rosette asked. He lowered his eyes to the floor.
“She seems familiar, somehow.” He muttered.
0 Response for the "Dragonkin - Chapter 2: Fire and Ice"
Post a Comment