The following story takes place in the world of Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic the Hedgehog is a registered trademark of Sega of America and Archie comics. Any references to Sonic or any of Sega's mascots and creations are used in this fic with the full knowledge that they belong to Sega and are the property of only Sega and its representatives. Sonic is not the property of the author, but the main characters of this fic do belong to the author and will not be used unless permission is given. Dryden, Leena, Talia, and Kat were all used with permission from their respective creators. Any of the characters in this story that were created by the acquaintances will only appear because of permission granted from the acquaintance and will not be used otherwise.
There will be many references in this story, but the one thing that is still here is the small Final Fantasy VII item in this story, just like in the last two. All references belong to their respective owners and I take no credit for them. Also, FFVII belongs to SquareSoft and doesn't belong to me. Again, true fans of FFVII will probably recognize this item (or, more specifically, this place) if they haven't already from the last two stories (Hint: In the opening of Final Fantasy VII, as Aeris is walking out of the alley, pay attention to the name of one of the buildings as the camera zooms out to the title of the game).
With legal natters knocked out of the way, I, DMajorBoss, would like to introduce my third fan fic, which has taken about a year to write (mainly because 11 months of that time was thinking of a new story). This story shall include characters created by TragicMercenary, DragonRageFire, and SweetDoris56.
Now, with legal and introductory natters out of the way (by the way, for those who have asked, the name in bold is the name of the series, while the name in italic is like the episode title; only in the first story was the name in italic also the name of TragicMercenary's comic), I give you the story that many have waited for:
Ryon Rising: Amorous Recollections
"So, what's your favorite song?"
"What category are we talking here? Rock? Country? Rap? R&B? Techno?"
"Ryon, just answer the question."
It was one of those afternoons where you could relax with friends without many worries at hand. Though common for the trio, Ryon, Shryp, and Dryden were enjoying ever bit of relaxation. The three were in Shryp's back yard, by the pool, with nothing better to do than ask random questions about anything they could think of.
"Well, though I have many favorites, I've always been a fan of Audio Adrenaline's 'Underdog'."
"Nice choice. And what about you, Dryden?"
"Anything by Manowar, my personal favorite being 'Heart of Steel'." He responded, lying in his lawn chair across from him.
"And what about you Shryp?" Ryon returned, "What would you claim as your personal theme song?"
"Without a doubt, "Bitches" by Mindless Self Indulgence. The song's practically about me."
Dryden sat up from his supine position, removing the shades that he was wearing.
"You've got to be kidding me. I could come up with plenty of words to describe you, but that song is too much...or maybe you're just full of it." With that statement, he lied back down, readjusting his shade.
"What're you talking about? The skills that I have with the ladies are unlike any that have ever been seen."
"Yeah, especially seeing as how you've never really held down an actual girlfriend since I've met you."
"Yeah," Ryon chimed in, "You've had so many one night stands, you make Comedy Central look like CNN."
They both stare at Ryon for a moment, in awe at his comment.
"Dude, that was one of the corniest jokes that I've ever heard."
"Well," Ryon started, getting back into his recumbent state in his lawn chair, "I was trying to make a point."
"How about describing a relationship of yours to us then?" Dryden interrupted, "If you've really had one."
"No problem," Shryp started, "One time I..."
"I mean a relationship that lasts longer than 24 hours."
"Oh, well...umm....."
"I thought as much. Maybe the song describes you a little too well."
"Actually, there is this one," Shryp confessed, "but I was waiting for the right time to introduce her..."
"Huh?" Dryden and Ryon voiced simultaneously as they sat up in their lawn chairs.
"Well, yeah. I met her a week ago, and I think she may be the one that I stick with."
"Let's see, slight blush in the cheeks, sincere tone, no mention of sex...I think he's actually serious about all of this."
"Ryon," Shryp said, glaring at Ryon, "Stop with the damn jokes!"
"Okay then..." Ryon said before leaning back into his lawn chair.
"Why don't you start from the beginning and tell us exactly how all of this happened?" Dryden questioned, removing his shades completely and sitting up in his lawn chair.
"Well, like I said, it all happened last weekend..."
...1 week earlier...
It had just turned noon on this windy day. Though everything was placid breezy, the scene seemed different inside of Goblin's Bar. As with any other day, it was the usual ordeal of drinkers, pool players, and sports watchers, as well as those just sitting at tables and booths while enjoying the scenery. Shryp entered, a grin on his face and gambling in his mind.
Let's see...should I see who's money I could take today, or maybe enjoy a drink...
His eyes suddenly spotted someone, in a booth at the back of the bar, fiddling with a Long Island Ice Tea. As he examined, he saw two tails swaying back and forth to the music held within the hostelry.
Is that who I think it is? I thought he was too young to drink...maybe he has a fake ID.
He walked over to the booth, coming up behind the figure and tapping it on the shoulder.
"Hey, fox boy, aren't you..." he paused as the figure turned around, her eyes meeting his, "...the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!"
She was a vixen, with pink and white fur. She wore pink sunglasses, which were on her forehead, revealing her pink eyes. She wore a pink tank top with pink pants that had a white stripe near the cuffs, as well as pink and white sneakers. She wore a gold bracelet on her right wrist along with two gold taillets that Shryp had just noticed.
"Excuse me?" she asked, giving him a questionable gaze.
"...oh, uh, I'm sorry about that. You looked like someone familiar from a distance."
"Yeah...I get that a lot." She responded, waving her tails at him. After a slight moment of silence, him mostly just staring at her, she questioned him again, "So, is there any particular reason that you came over, or was it just the tails?"
"Well, umm, I never thought that anyone had them except for...umm...mind if I take a seat?"
"Sure, free country."
"Thanks." He said, sitting opposite of her, "So...umm..."
"The name's Kat."
"Kat, umm...well, I haven't seen you around here before."
"Yeah, I just moved here about a week ago. Turned 18, so I thought I'd go out on my own. Still don't know many people around here, so I thought I'd wander around a bit and found this bar. It's a pretty good place with fine service. What's your story?"
"Somewhat the same, except that I lived here all my life before moving out on my 18th...and that I have a few friends...and I helped the owner out with this bar a bit...and umm...that's about it...heheh..."
"Riiiight....." she commented, noting that through his dark fur she could see a blush coming across his face, "So..."
"Shryp."
"Shryp, since you grew up here, maybe you could show me around later; I'm only familiar with where I live and this bar."
"SURE! I mean, sure, my pleasure." He answered, getting a few glances from those in the bar who had heard him.
"Great," she responded, smiling at his seeming shyness, "So, shall we go?"
"Yes! I mean, umm, sure..." he responded. They both got up and were heading for the door, "Umm...weren't you going to finish your drink?"
"No, not really." She responded as they exited the bar, "I'm not much of a drinker, in fact, I just went in there mainly because I could, being old enough to do so. Besides, I thought I was ordering tea."
"Heh, a common mistake." He responded. He felt strange being around her; he wasn't usually this timid when dealing with women. In fact, they were the ones usually shy around him. Yet there was something different about her that made him feel...attracted to her, more so than any other female that he's gone out with.
For the remainder of the day, Shryp gave Kat the tour of Station Square; the park, the stores, the station schedules, and even landmarks for easier navigation. As the afternoon turned to night, she became more and more knowledgeable with not only the new surroundings, but also with her new acquaintance. The tour ended as she directed him to her abode, which just happened to be in the same vicinity as Ryon's apartment.
"Thanks for the tour. It's nice to know that I now have a friend to help when needed."
"Heh, no problem," he blushed, "the pleasure was all mine, really."
"So I've noticed," she replied, smiling slightly, "So, would you like to come in?"
"Huh? Umm...yes, okay." He responded. Even though this scenario was similar to many others that he had experienced, he had blushed as if this was his first time in this situation.
They made their way through the building and into her home. For the most part, everything was in pink, with hints of white to even things out; the lower part of her walls were pink, with the upper part having pink blotches, notably making cloud formations that also mixed with her blue ceiling. Her carpeting was pink, as well as most of the furniture. On the wall by her television, there hung two katana blades in an X formation. After viewing the surroundings, she invited him inside towards the living room.
"I'll be right back," she informed, "I'll go grab us a couple of sodas."
Shryp sat back, noticing the details of the apartment once again.
"You've got a lot done," he told her as she came back with two sodas, "considering that you've only been here a week."
"I didn't have much else to do when I moved in, so I went ahead and began working on the place. It did take a while to do by myself, but I was completely finished in a few days."
"Well, it looks nice."
"Thanks."
"What's with the two smaller weapons over there?"
"Oh, those are my tail blades. I've managed to control my tails to the point of using them as weapons. Those blades help in such occasions."
"Good to know. I'm skilled in using a Bo staff, and I'm pretty good at digging."
"Really..."
The two continued to converse throughout most of the night, getting to know one another better, finding that they had a lot in common. Shryp had never felt this way about a girl before. If this were an ordinary night out, he'd probably be sleeping with her before sunset. And yet he felt feeling different from those that he usually had. He didn't see her as just some female that he could sleep with, but as someone he could actually talk to; someone that he didn't mind being with; someone whom he could always trust upon. This was not some ordinary girl...this vixen just may be the one whom he could really fall in love with.
It was almost 1 A.M. before either of them realized how late it was. Time had flown so fast in the hours that they spent talking to one another.
"Well...I guess you have to be going home now?" she asked.
"...huh? Oh, yeah, I guess so..."he responded as he got up from his chair. She rose with him and they both headed to the door. As Shryp was about to grab the handle, a rush of emotions came over him. He turned and faced her, gazing right into her eyes.
"Kat, I like you, and I'm not just saying that because of your beauty. I'm saying it because of who you are as a whole; you're funny, kind, smart, and have been one of the few people who actually like me for who I am. I mean, I've only just met you, and it seems as if I had known you my entire life. I admit, I'm not usually this way when I meet other women, but you're much different than them. You have something within you that I like, and can't be without. I...I don't even have the words that could describe how I feel for you right now..."
A shocked expression formed on her face at this sudden outburst, yet as she gazed into his eyes, she knew that everything he said wasn't just a show, but the truth. One thing that she did learn about since she's moved into Station Square was the rumors of this dog with no type of respect or properness. She had heard of a few things that Shryp has done, mostly by other women who had already been with him and wanted to release the stress that built up inside of them. Surely, this couldn't have been the same "diabolical womanizer" that she had heard about. This was unlike anything that she had initially expected.
"...I think it's best that I go now," he said, opening her door, "before I ruin the night by turning something romantic into something..."
"Stop," she said, closing the door before he could leave, "I've already heard about you, and I can honestly say that you're not what I had initially expected. You're actually nice, considerate, and even a gentleman."
"So, you're..."
"Look, why don't we talk more about this in the morning?"
With that, she led him into her bedroom, which had the same color scheme as the rest of her home.
...present..."And let me guess," Dryden wondered, "you to made out and you never heard from her again?"
"On the contrary," Shryp responded, "we didn't do anything that night. She allowed me to sleep with her, but the only thing that got done was some sleep, and nothing more. Afterwards, we went out that morning, I showed her my place, and then I treated her to lunch, and then dinner. We've gotten to know each other pretty well over the past week."
"And what about sex?" Ryon asked.
"Well, if you have to know, we've gone to second base, and that's it."
"Gee, I never thought I'd see you in and actual relationship. Who'd of thought that our little Shryp's finally a man."
"Well, Ryon, at least I have someone to have a relationship with."
"Actually..."
"I must say," Dryden interrupted, "that didn't sound much like the Shryp that I first knew. It's good to see that you've finally got someone you can actually stick with, for a change."
"Ha ha, very funny," Shryp said, "Well now, how about you going next?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Your initial inquiry was about describing my love life. Well, how about yours?"
"Well, as you already know, Leena's my girlfriend, and has been for about two and a half months now. Anything else that you'd like to know?"
"Come now, keeper of the flame," taunted Shryp, "enlighten us with a tale of an amorous occasion shared between you and Leena, if she is the one in whom you first shared a romantic moment with."
"Why Shryp, I never knew you had such an extensive vocabulary."
"Hey, I do have a brain, I just don't like to overuse it."
"If that's the case, then you should be a genius."
"Nope, just above average."
"So, Dryden," Ryon cut in, "why not tell us about you and Leena."
"Sure, why not? Just to let you know, it's not all a happy fairy tale. There are things that still get to me to this day."
"Then it should be a good story, nonetheless." Commented Shryp.
"If you say so...," Dryden began, leaning back into his lawn chair, "Like I said, this all started about two and a half years ago..."
...2 years and 3 months earlier...
A figure ran through the streets, not caring where the destination was; she just needed to get away...she just needed a way out of her problems, and running seemed to be the easiest solution. A drop of rain fell upon her then; turning quickly, she came into an alley, taking shelter beside a dumpster as the rain began to pour down from above. She didn't know what she would do, but she felt the need to rest. She lay back against the wall, sobbing...wishing for a change in her life...wishing for more...
Further down the street, Dryden had been enjoying a stroll around town when the rain suddenly came down upon him.
Well, isn't this great. Damn rain, you just couldn't wait for me to get home before starting, could you?
He always enjoyed watching and listening to the rain as it fell, but only when he was indoors and not getting wet. Otherwise, he despised being drenched, especially now that he had no umbrella. He pulled the collar of his trench coat closer to him and kept moving, quickening his pace as he continued down the block. Suddenly, he stopped, hearing something off into the alley.
Hmm? Guess I'm not the only one who dislikes getting caught in the rain...
He entered the alley and began to look around. It wasn't long before he found the source of the sobbing: a turquoise hedgehog, most likely in her teens, cowering and crying beside a dumpster. She was a mess, her clothes dirty and slightly torn. He walked up to her slowly, not wanting her to become more distressed than she already seemed.
"Hey, are you all right? What's wrong?"
She looked up, half expecting aggression to greet her as she did so. When she looked into Dryden's concerned crimson eyes, her worries seemed to leave her, if only for a moment. For the first time in a long while, she actually felt safe.
"Who are you?"
"Someone here to help. Why are you out here? Don't you have a home?"
She hesitated before answering, "Not anymore..."
"Come with me, we've got to get you out of this rain."
He offered his hand to her, which she immediately accepted. As she stood, Dryden took of his trench coat and (much to his chagrin) draped it around her. She leaned close to him as they hurried out of the alley, headed for the home of Dryden.
...1 hour later...
"There, how do you feel now?"
"...better than before...thank you."
Dryden had taken her to his home, where he still lived with his parents. It took a while to get there from where he found her, but once inside he led her to the couch. As she rested, he grabbed a few towels and swathed them about her, encouraging her to dry herself off while he prepare a warm meal. They both sat now, her on the couch eating chicken soup, and him sitting in the armchair across from her with a mug of warm cocoa.
"What were you doing out there?" he asked.
She sat silently, not knowing how to answer him.
"Didn't you have a place you could have went?" He stopped, remembering her say that she didn't have a home anymore. He wanted to know more, but it looked as if his questions were beginning to bother her.
"Okay," he started, taking a sip of his cocoa "could I at least know your name?"
She finally looked up after taking a sip of her soup. "...my name is Leena."
"I'm Dryden. Umm...how's the soup?"
"It's fine, thank you." She responded, taking a sip of the warm apple cider that he had given her to go with her soup, "Why did you help me back there?"
"Well, I couldn't have just let someone sit out in the rain. Besides, you looked as if you could have used a hand."
"Yeah..."
Okay, he thought, at least now she's actually talking...
She finished her soup and took up her mug of cider, now feeling warm and dry, "I was wondering..."
"Yes?"
She hesitated for a moment, and then looked into his eyes...the same eyes that had comforted her just moments ago. The same eyes that seemed to alleviate her problems, if only but for a moment, "I was wondering if you had an extra place to stay here, like a guest room or something..."
"Yes, we do." He replied, wondering where this was going.
"I was hoping that...well...maybe I could stay here for a while..."
Dryden was a bit taken by this request, not knowing how he should respond. They had just met about an hour ago, and only knew each other's names. Yet she was asking him for a place to stay.
"Well, to be honest, this is my parents place, so I don't know..."
She lowered her head, starting to feel dejected.
"But I'm sure that my parents wouldn't mind...though they would probably want to know why. Mind telling me your situation?"
She didn't respond, instead looking down to the floor in silence in the seconds that had hovered like hours above them.
"Okay...I guess that..."
"It was just too much," she interrupted, "I just couldn't take it anymore. The frustration, the angst...they were too much, and I just needed to get away, to find somewhere I could be happy, if a place even existed. I just..."
"It's okay," he stated, moving to the couch to embrace her, "It's fine now..."
She leaned on his shoulder, feeling protected in his embrace, feeling as though she could have stayed in his arms for the rest of her life. She looked up once again, gazing into his eyes.
"Thanks..."
It wasn't long before Dryden's parents came home; he had come to them with Leena's request and pleaded for her to stay. When they asked her of her situation, she refused to reveal anything, too distraught over them to even mention them. After some coaxing, they agreed upon her staying there, and showed her to her new room. From that point on, her mood began to chance for the better, her personal feeling being overtaken with the aspect of actually having a family.
During her time there, she had begun to take a liking to Dryden: she found him handsome, caring, strong, intelligent, and helpful for when she needed him. He too shared these feelings for Leena, finding her beautiful, smart, blissful, and full of a new energy that she had regained since being in her new surroundings. Neither opened up to each other about how they felt, but they both knew about the other's feelings for them.
One year had passed, and the day was Leena's sixteenth birthday. She didn't ask for much of a fuss, so there was only the cake and a few presents, which included a new dress, a bracelet, and a necklace. It was on that afternoon that, as she sat on her bed admiring her gifts, Dryden made his appearance at her doorway.
"Happy Birthday, Leena."
"Why thank you Dryden," she responded, noticing his hands behind his back, "you trying to hide something?"
From behind his back he brought forth a green, silky ribbon, "I know it isn't much, but I got this for you to go with your dress...I think it would look nice on you."
"Well, let's find out." She replied, accepting the ribbon and tying it around her waist; it was a perfect fit, and perfectly matched her eyes, "It's nice. Thank you Dryden."
"No problem," he replied, blushing, "I just thought that it would suit you well. And I...well..."
"Yes?" she asked, gazing into his eyes again. He moved closer to her, his eyes gazing into hers.
"I just wanted to say that...well...I..."
It was at that moment that they embraced each other once more, sharing in a passionate kiss. No words were needed anymore to express their feelings. This moment, with them in each other's arms, the sun setting behind them, on her sixteenth birthday...this was all that they needed.
One year ago, she had wished for more...and now, her wish had come true.
...1 year and 3 months later...
It was a casual afternoon walk in the town for Dryden; he decided to go out walking for a while after Leena had told him about something that she needed to take care of involving her parents. The sun was setting at this point, casting long shadows all over the place. Taking a look to observe its beauty, he took notice of where he was.
"Hey, this is the same block where I first found Leena. So then, the alley should be..."
It was at that moment that he heard some commotion from that alley, followed by a scream.
"Wait, I recognize that voice..."
A little wolf wearing a gray vest, gray boots, and white pants came running out of the alley past Dryden. He then heard more voices coming from the alley.
"Hey, he's gettin' away!"
"No matter, we'll deal with him and his crew later."
"Yeah, right now, let's 'ave some fun with this one."
Again there was a scream, and this time Dryden knew exactly who it was.
"Leena!"
He quickly ran to the entrance of the alley to see a dozen guys wearing orange T-shirts, orange caps, and black jeans. But it wasn't the intimidating gang members that turned towards him that grabbed his attention; it was Leena, who was huddled in the corner at the back of the alley while one of the members held her at knifepoint. The tallest one, a badger, stood in the middle of the group as they all turned to face Dryden, obviously making him the leader of the group.
"Well, what have we here?" the badger spoke, "A wannabe hero?"
"I've got no concerns with you, I just want her." Dryden responded, pointing to Leena.
"Well, that's too bad. You see, we just lost a chance to get some payback, so now we need...other ways of taking out our frustrations."
"Leave her alone..."
"I don't think you understand what you're up against." He stated, just as the other ten members started reaching for their weapons, "I'll give you one chance to leave before we kill you; we'll give her back when we're done with her: rob, whip, rape, whatever we please. You can have the remains."
Through clenched teeth and barred fists, Dryden spoke to them with what little restraint he had left.
"If you touch her..."
"Ha! I'll do ya one better 'an that!" spoke the ermine who had her at knifepoint. In one swift motion, he jerked her to her feet and slashed diagonally at her dress, from the waistline to her shoulder.
This was the limit that pushed Dryden over. He charged for the ermine, only to be tackled by 2 other gang members closest to him. The badger then withdrew a knife and lunged down at Dryden.
"Boy, you haven't got a chance in Hell!"
Just before it hit, Dryden managed to grab his wrist, "I don't need its chances, just its flames!"
At this statement, smoke started coming from the badger's wrist. Pulling back in pain, he dropped the knife he was holding and was kicked back by Dryden into two other members. Dryden kicked up onto his feet just as three other members came at him with their knives drawn. In what seemed to be one swift motion, Dryden jumped at them with a right roundhouse kick, disarming them instantly. Before they could react, the then unleashed a blazing flurry of punches to them, quickly causing them to fall back unconscious with smoke coming from them. Without even looking, Dryden turned with another roundhouse, sending an approaching gang member into the brick wall. The badger took this moment to grab Dryden from behind in a chokehold as the other 6 came at him. Despite his size, Dryden was able to flip the badger into 4 of the approaching members, 2 of them dodging to the side. He then jumped into the pile and started unleashing an insane barrage of punches and kicks.
Leena could not believe the carnage that was happening before her. Never had she seen or even knew of such powers that Dryden had for as long as she had known him. She watched for what seemed like an eternity as someone whom she had deep feeling for reveal a side of himself that was unimaginable to the mind.
Dryden, on the other hand, felt as if all of this happened too quickly. He had known of his powers for a while now, yet never before did he know the true extent of what he held within. He had once practiced fighting while using these powers, but not to the extent of today. No, this was no simple training session...this was something more...this was unrelenting rage acting upon love.
11 gang members lay around Dryden, defeated and unconscious, each of them smoking due to the extent of his powers. The only one left was the ermine that had slashed Leena's clothing, too frozen in fear to move. Dryden walked over to them, a slight limp in his step, and confronted the ermine.
"Uh...heheh, nice joke, huh? I was only kiddin' around, I meant 'er no real harm, see? Only a small rip on 'er dress and she's fine. No need ta..."
He didn't finish his sentence, as Dryden came with a devastating right cross to the ermine, sending him into the brick wall opposite from where he and Leena stood, smoke coming from his cheek. He then looked to her.
"Are you all right? What happened?"
Still afraid, she tried to explain the situation, "I was coming from my parents house...and I heard someone calling for help...and that little wolf was here and tried to rob me...and then those others came and tried to go after him...and then, when he ran, they turned to me...and...what...what happened to you?"
Dryden looked down at his hands, which were stained with blood and still smoking, though no longer heated. He then looked back up to Leena.
"Leena, I meant to tell you...but I didn't know when..."
At that moment, sirens were heard in the distance. Dryden looked at the chaos around him and grabbed Leena.
"Come on, we have to go!"
With that, they ran from that alley, leaving behind one dozen gang members who had suffered from multiple bruises and third degree burns. Dryden came out of it with cuts on his left cheek, right arm, left leg, and a torn trench coat. No real harm was done to any of the gang members, and Dryden didn't seem to be in any real pain...at least, not physical...
They went back to his parent's home, where he easily treated his wounds without his parents knowing that he was injured. Both her dress and his trench coat were replaced, but the green ribbon that was given to her on her sixteenth birthday was ruined. For a while since then, Leena didn't talk that much to Dryden, usually avoiding him. This had gone on for 3 days since the alley fight, and one afternoon, while Dryden was eating lunch, she finally confronted him. It was just the two of them, as Dryden's parents had gone out earlier that morning and haven't returned yet.
"So...how're you feeling?" she asked
"Better," he responded, "now that you're finally talking to me."
"Could you blame me? For a moment I didn't know who to be more afraid of, the fact that I was almost taken advantage of, or the fact that the one person that I truly care about hid something as major as that from me."
"I see..."
"Look, it's okay now. I've accepted this already; you have nothing to worry about."
He looked up from his sandwich, "Oh?"
"Yeah...besides, I haven't been all that honest with you either. I have my own type of 'abilities' that I've kept secret."
"Oh really? And what might they be?"
With that, she pointed to Dryden's glass of water. In that instant, the water flowed out of his cup. With a few twists of her index finger, she made the water do multiple things, such as looping, making letters, and even had it spiral around his head. With a quick flick of her finger, the water returned to his glass.
"I guess I now have something to counter your fire powers."
"Oookayyy...are there any more special abilities that I should know about?"
"Maybe, maybe not. Guess you'll get to find out some day."
With that, she left the table with Dryden looking back at her in awe. He then gave a sly smile and went back to his lunch.
More time passed since that moment. Eventually, Dryden moved out of his parents house and found his own place to live, where he and Leena now stay. Things still stayed the same between them, until the coming of Leena's eighteenth birthday. Dryden had a surprise planned for her, and on the big day he went out and prepared the whole evening as he planned. When it was all ready, he went up to her room and confronted her.
"Your surprise is ready." He said, holding something behind his back.
"Oh?" she questioned, "and what, may I ask, are you hiding from me this time?"
"Oh, not much," he responded, revealing a blindfold from behind his back, "just something that guarantees you won't peek on the way downstairs."
He handed it to her, getting a look of curiosity in return. Reluctantly, she put it on and was led downstairs by Dryden. In a short moment, they had reached their destination.
"Okay, you can remove your blindfold now."
She undid the knot that she created and looked, gasping in awe at the set up that Dryden had provided. There she stood in a candlelit room, with a fully set dinner waiting on the table. And in front of her place was a gift-wrapped box.
"Wow...you did all of this for me?"
"Of course, nothing was too much on your behalf."
"Aww, you're so sweet. So, what's in the box?"
"Not yet. First comes dinner, then your gift."
So they sat and ate, giving small conversation to the events that had happened since they had first met, each of them having feeling for the other that needed no expression. Afterwards, when all was said and done, there sat her present, waiting to be opened.
"Now?" she asked.
"Now." He responded.
She opened the box to reveal a green, silky ribbon that somewhat identical to the one she was given on her sixteenth birthday.
"Now I know it may seem strange to receive the same gift again, but this one's special."
"Oh," she questioned, "and how is that?"
"I made this one."
Her eyes widened in awe as she examined the ribbon once again. It looked exactly like the one that she had before.
"You wouldn't believe how long it took me to learn how to make this. I hope you like it."
"Of course I do, Dryden. I can't believe you did this just for me."
He then got out of his seat and went to her, kneeling down beside her chair.
"Leena, you have no idea what I would do for you. I love you so much, I'd give anything..."
"I love you too, Dryden." She interrupted, placing her finger on his lips, "and I would also give anything for you..."
They shared in a passionate kiss by candlelight before rising and heading back upstairs. That night, they truly shared their feelings for each other, showing just how much love that they had to give.
In the beginning, Leena had wished for something better in her life...she wished for a change...she wished for more...
Within Dryden, she found that her wish was granted in a way that not even she could imagine. She no longer needed wishes; everything she could have ever wanted was now hers to share with the one that she loves.
...present...
"Woah," Ryon commented, "that was beautiful."
"Yeah," agreed Shryp, "action, romance, drama...too bad I had no popcorn. So, what all did you do that night?"
"Hey," Dryden questioned, "do I ask you for a play-by-play on your 'intimate relations'?"
"As a matter of fact, that's why we're having his conversation now. Remember? You were asking me about romantic moments and such...I told you how I met Kat...you told about you and Leena..."
"Alright," Dryden responded, "point taken...but you're still not going to know."
"Fine, fine, have it your way," Shryp said, "so, what'll we do now?"
"Hey," interrupted Ryon, "what about me?"
"What about you?" asked Shryp, "Last I checked, you only had one real relationship, and that's with Talia. Besides, we all heard about how you two met and such. We were there, remember?"
"I still remember him busting his ass after dancing on the counter of Goblin's Bar." Commented Dryden. This got both him and Shryp laughing, until Ryon spoke up.
"Who's to say that everything ended there?"
They both stopped laughing upon hearing this, and gave him their attention.
"Okay then," Shryp challenged, "enlighten us of a romantic moment of your own choosing...something that happened after the whole bar incident."
"Fine," Ryon said, "I'll tell you. Remember how I told you both that I was busy last week?"
"Yeah, I remember." Said Dryden.
"Of course," replied Shryp, "it was the reason that I went to Goblin's Bar in the first place."
"Well," Ryon started, "Allow me to explain why I was busy..."
...1 week earlier...
After careful planning, a bit of rearranging, and convincing both Dryden and Shryp that he was busy, Ryon finally had everything that he needed.
Tonight is going to be something special, he thought as the clocked slipped past 8:30 P.M., I'll finally get to reveal my true affections for her.
Talia and Ryon had been seeing each other since the night that they started talking in the park a few weeks earlier. With each meeting, Ryon grew more and more infatuated with the white vixen. He didn't know if she shared these same feelings for him, but he felt that he could no longer keep his emotions imprisoned within him. The candlelit dinner, the soft music, even the white rose that he purchased earlier in the day...they were all for her.
He waited patiently as he recalled the brief conversation that they had over the phone earlier that evening:
"Hello?"
"Talia? Um, hi, this is Ryon."
"Oh hi, Ryon. What's on your mind?"
"Well, that's why I called..."
"Oh? Well, what is it?"
"Well I...I was wondering if you could come over tonight, so that we could talk."
"Oh. Well, how about sometime between 8 and 9?"
"Great! That's fine. Umm...see you then."
"Okay, bye."
It was at the end of his thoughts that he heard a knock at the door.
This is it... he thought, heading for the door with the white rose behind his back. He opened the door, revealing to him her splendor.
"Hi." She introduced.
"Hi. I'm glad you could make it." He responded, inviting her into his home.
"No problem. So, what is it that you wanted to...?"
She stopped when she noticed the candlelit dinner accompanied with soft music. She turned to him then, a white rose held before her.
"I thought of you when I came upon this rose. An ivory beauty that is both exquisite in looks and form. Not to mention dangerous with the skills bestowed upon it at birth."
"Oh Ryon," she commented, accepting the rose, "Thank you."
"I also prepared a meal for us. Would you be so kind as to join me?"
She took notice at his attitude this evening; it was so serious and sincere, yet not in his usual manner. She decided to go along with it for now.
"Yes, I shall join you this evening." She returned as they headed for the table. Ryon took not of the slight change in her attitude just then, almost as if mocking him.
They both took their seats, Talia placing her rose in to the vase set before her. The meal was a simple one that Ryon had put together himself and was already set for them. They began, with Ryon taking up conversation with her.
"So, how has the day treated you?"
"Well, other than being breezy, it was acceptable. How was your day, if I may be permitted to ask?"
"Oh, well it was more or less the same. Thank you for asking."
There was silence for a moment as they both ate. Near completion of the meal, Talia finally spoke up.
"Okay, Ryon, mind telling me what's going on?"
"Oh, well I had intended on..."
"And please, drop the prim and proper act."
"Act? Why, whatever do you..."
"That. That's what I mean. This isn't like you at all. It may have only been about a month, but I know you better than this. If there's something that you need to tell me, there's no reason to act as if you're a completely different person."
"Well..." he started, not knowing what to say. He had everything planned out in a certain way, but without the "act", he didn't know if he could go through with it. He looked up at her, and saw her smile at him. He smiled back, a blush beginning to form on his face, "...there is something..."
"Now that's the Ryon I'm more familiar with. What is it that you have to say?"
It was then that he finally realized the truth: she already knew. She knew what he was going to say, she knew how long he wanted to say it, and she even knew that tonight was the night that he wanted to say it. Now, all she wanted was for him to actually say those words of which they already knew.
"Talia, I've enjoyed being with you since the first day we met. I did all of this tonight to show you how much I care for you, and how much I enjoy being with you...Talia, I want you to know that...I love you...I love you, and there's nothing that I wouldn't do for you."
She rose from her spot then, coming over to him. He rose out of his chair to meet her, just as she embraced him.
"Ryon, you have no idea how long I've waited for you to say those words..."
He returned her embrace, and they both shared in a kiss that told of the intensity of their relationship. The clock showed 9:00 P.M. at this time, marking the moment in which they first shared with each other in the park under the stars. Beside them, the white rose rested in its vase, seemingly smiling upon the two. This very moment that they shared was one that seemed to go on forever, and was the one thing Ryon had always hoped for...
...that morning...
Ryon awoke slowly with a smile on his face as the sunlight beamed upon him. He thought about the night before, and how everything seemed to have been perfect. He admitted his love, they shared a passionate kiss, and even shared themselves with each other...but it all seemed more like a dream than reality...
"Well good morning. How're you feeling?"
With slight surprise, he turned to his side to see that Talia was in bed with him.
"Umm...I'm good...you?"
"Oh, I'm perfect. That was a wonderful night we shared Ryon," she replied, kissing him on the cheek before lying on his shoulder, "I love you."
It wasn't a dream...everything had really happened: the dinner, the kiss, and the romantic night was all a reality. He watched as she fell back asleep, kissing her on her forehead. He then lay back himself, a satisfied smile on his face as he slowly fell back to sleep. The rose that he had given to her the night before lied on the nightstand, the only other witness of the events that had recently happened.
...present...
"Well well, seems our little Ryon isn't so little anymore, is he?" Dryden commented.
"Yup, Ryon's finally risen up in the ranks," Shryp agreed, "Though you should've been more descriptive with what happened."
"Not on your life," Ryon responded, "Just be glad that I told you that much."
"Yeah yeah. Well, it seems that we've all found someone important in our lives." Shryp commented.
"Yup, just took longer for some than others." Dryden commented, nodding towards Shryp.
"Yeah well, what can I say?," Shryp returned, "So, what'll we do now?"
"How about you boys calling it a night?"
The three of them turned to find Leena, Talia, and Kat standing by the back entrance from where they came, Kat being the one to speak first. The sun had already set, leaving a small afterglow on the horizon.
"Uh, how long have you three been there?" Ryon asked.
"Up to where Shryp told of how important we were to you." Leena responded.
"Now, if 'Boys Day Out' is finished, how about calling it a day?" Talia asked.
In response, the three rose from their seats and went to their respective women. They headed to the front entrance of Shryp's house, as the females tried to interrogate their mates.
"So," began Leena, "what have you three been up to all day?"
"Not much," Dryden replied, "just lounging by the pool."
"Oh really?" questioned Talia.
"Yeah, doing nothing really." Ryon responded.
"And what about the mention of us?" Kat inquired.
"Oh, just admiring what lovely women that we have by our sides." Shryp answered, a smile on his face. A knowing glance was passed between the three as they reached the front door with their ladies.
"Well, it's been fun. We'll try to do this more often." Dryden commented as he and Leena began to leave.
"As if there's much else that we do?" Shryp asked.
"Come now, with the most important people in your lives being with you, there's always something..." Talia commented.
With that, Dryden and Ryon left with Leena and Talia, with Dryden giving Ryon and Talia a ride back to Ryon's place. Closing the door behind them, Shryp turned back to Kat.
"Now, what shall we do for the rest of the night?"
"Well," she started, "remember how I told you about what I heard from others? Well, I thought that tonight I could find out for myself of most of it was true." She gave a smile then, and took Shryp's hand. Shryp had the biggest grin on his face the whole while that they headed to his room.
...Epilogue...
The stars were shining brightly that night; under a different one were the lives of the three friends as they shared another romantic night with their mates. Not to far off, however, a figure stood on the branch of a tree. He had heard some of what was said that evening, but was more interested in the knowledge that the three allies had been together for quite some time now, though only one of them he actually knew.
"The time is coming, Dryden," he spoke softly, "and when it arrives, you shall not be so fortunate as before. Patience is the key of overcoming one's enemy, as well as preparation. In all due time, only one of us shall remain...until then, enjoy what little pleasures that you have left."
A slight breeze shook the leaves then, and just as quickly did the shifting cease, the figure was gone, leaving no trace of his presence or his identity. A shooting star flew across the sky then, almost as if it were a beacon foreshadowing dangerous confrontations to be held within the future.
The End
Finally, the third story has been finished. As said earlier, 11 months were spent waiting for an idea, and 1 more was used to write what I had...okay, maybe 2 months. Still, I thank those who waited patiently for my third release and, by the looks of the epilogue, you can expect a fourth fic in the future. As always, your reviews and opinions help in my creations, so feel free to contact me with your views on the story. Peace Out, until the next story I write.