*I do not own Jane and the Dragon or its characters
In his life, there were only two times Dragon ever cried. The first being when they met, the second being when they parted. It was not under the best circumstances that they met but it seemed that all friendships were of a peculiar nature. She wanted to slay him while he wanted to play, she wanted to fight while he looked for a bite. Perhaps it was those all knowing laughing eyes that captivated her or that fiery hair that amused him. Nonetheless, they found companionship in each other.
Unlike other short lives who wanted to use him to their advantage, she vowed to help him. There were days when he found himself especially fond of her, like the time she saved him from curly tail. Then there were times when he wished he could cradle her in his arms, and wholeheartedly express how much she meant to him.
Through it all, whether it was finding his purpose, or deciphering riddles and runes, it seemed she would stay the same forever, or so he wanted it to be. Five, ten, twenty, as long as fifty years passed. He looked the same as he had so long ago while she was the shadow of a girl he used to know. It did not matter, he liked her just same, and her affections as well never faltered.
On the roadways, down the hills, and through meadows they would walk, in search for something. To give greetings to friends of yesterday, to seek a bit of peace in a changing world, but sadly of all where she would like to rest. It was a terrible thing to smell death coming, to be able to count the moments left to say goodbye. But she did not accept goodbyes, only hello's, for it was a thing to forlorn when contemplating goodbye. She greeted everyday like it would run away from her if she did not. Enjoying every detail down to a bees whisper.
She did not keep it a secret that imperfection does not ignore anyone or that someday she would not see him anymore. Yet he ignored this, hoping it would somehow go away.
One day, on a morning as clear as it could ever be, without a cloud in the sky, and when the air was sweet from the blooming of jasmine, she took a rest like any other day. He was neither prepared nor willing to let her go, but then again who could make her do anything of which she did not desire to do?
With neither hello or goodbye, she entered a sleep she would never wake from. And as she wished it, he lay her to rest. As though it were the first time, he thought of how monstrously glad he was to have her in his life. And how no matter what he would be never be the same. It might have been of no consequence to her whether she woke, but what about him? What was he supposed to do now?
He wondered why he was cursed with such a fate as forever. Why did he have to remember? Why could he not just stop?
He understood that short lives could not help it, it just happened to everyone, though it did not happen to him. Spreading his wings, he took off, letting the wind guide him. Just like it was at the beginning, he went on seeking answers, however this time for something else. He hoped that one day he would find another Jane, hoping she was still out there somewhere looking for him so that they could continue their adventures together. Even if she was not, he would never be alone as long as her memory stayed alive in his heart.