AN: I lied! Flynn and Kaido are not in this chapter because I had to wrap up the whole Enfar thing! But fear not the next chapter shall have The Dark Master and Kaido! YAH! This is to hold you over mainly i havent been in the inspirational mood and the plot has to be worked out to fit later on into the future its way more confusing then u think! XD
Chapter 4
Mari had never left the quite sanctuary of her small home in the Dragon Realms. Her parents had never wanted her, they had abandoned her at the first sight of her sky blue scales that glittered like water and flashed silver like a fish in the sunlight. Having some compassion her fire red scaled mother kept her until she had taught little Mari how to take care of herself and now Mari lived in a small alcove behind the water fall, at the top of a mysterious series of waterfalls. Just before a mysterious cave entrance at the top of the grand waterfall that she dare never venture into. Mari spent out her days eating the slippery and scaly fish in the long winding river and flying high above the beautiful forest beyond, not even knowing the name of the forest she saw every day, or how close she was to civilization and other dragons.
Dragging herself out of her mismatched thoughts and daydreams she trudged to the entrance of the cave, her clear water hued eyes glinted brightly in the light shining through the waterfall from the sun high in the sky. Her six dark blue ridged horns; three on each side each symmetrical pair starting from the top was smaller than the next, collected droplets of water as she neared the waterfall. The glittering scales cascaded into a long tail with five long skinny bones jutting out from the end and connecting with a thick pale yellow membrane in-between that created a beautiful aquatic tail. She lashed her long tail and shook the droplets off her body, unfurling the correctly proportioned wings on her back, the same pale yellow membrane in between connected the bone frame of the silver-blue scale covered bones.
Leaping down from the waterfall created alcove, crashing through the waterfall in a glittering display of water and rocketing down towards the river below. Her scales now glittered like mirrors in the sunlight as she raced down towards the shimmering water below. Barely creating even so much as a splash as her small lithe body connected with the cool calming water, her wings folding down along her spine and seeming to disappear.
Gulping in mouthfuls of water and collecting the air from the fresh liquid around her, the water running out of gills along the start of her neck where her head connected to it. The gills only worked underwater and she had a pair of lungs for air on land. Pumping her four legs in synchronized fashion, the water catching between the webbed feet of the dragon and propelling her further down the long river against the smooth flowing current.
Reaching her favorite sitting spot and setting herself into a small aquatic plant life cushion she had made and stared out at the underwater world before her, in awe at its majesty and beauty. Fish and marine life of varying shapes swam about in a ballet of majesty as the currents flowed softly by. Mari put up one webbed foot and swirled it around creating a miniature whirlpool in the wide river. The whirlpool lifted up the fish and other creatures and swirled them around, Mari giggled in delight and watched as the dazed and dizzy animals swam off in different directions as the whirlpool dissipated.
Closing her deep water colored eyes she focused on her sense of hearing spreading it along the river, taking advantage of the sound traveling faster through water. Hearing footsteps thud along the bank and then a muffled plop as the thing sat upon the brittle grass. Cocking her head to the side to hear better she heard that this creature was a far distance away, straining her ears harder trying to pick up any noises she heard even farther down the river a boat slicing through the water. Water was heard sloshing against the wooden planks and she could hear a thud as the poles used to careen it down the river hit the graveled bottom of the river. Caterwauls and woops were heard from the boat, shuffling of paws could be heard on deck, at least three pair.
Deeming them far enough away not to cause harm Mari opened her eyes to watch the waltz of animals in front of her, her mind slipping into a content state and focusing on the show in front of her instead of worrying about the sound of the boat drawing closer to the creature she heard before.
Circuit sat dumbstruck next to Aura, tears welling at his eyes and his wing draped over her sobbing form. Nuzzling her cheek softly to comfort her he stood up and spoke to her in a soft tone as not to alarm her, "Aura, I'm gonna go visit Enfar if you would like to join me?"
Circuit gestured towards the healers hut with his tail and looked questioningly at Aura who just nodded and stood up, wrapping her arms around her body as if to lock the pieces of her soul inside. Ignoring Streaks speech of how is son was fine and other notices Circuit walked past him, not noticing the hateful glare pointedly thrown at him by Streak as he trudged by. Quietly stepping into the hut, Aura followed closely behind him, tear stains streaked the fur below her eyes and she furiously wiped them with the back of her hand.
Enfar blearily opened his eyes, blinking rapidly at the light streaming in from the open door. His ears perked up as he watched Circuit walk in then his mother who slowly shut the door behind her. He had always got along with Circuit behind his father's back of course and Circuit had become like a younger brother to him Attempting to smile, but ending up grimacing at the pounding headache he felt in the back of his head. Glad that Fern the kind old Healer had given him water early to speak to Streak he looked up at Circuit from his position on the floor and spoke in a raspy voice, but a joking tone to lighten the mood and sway the questions away from what had happened,
"Hey' short' Circuit. Haven't seen you in awhile."
Circuit smirked at his unfortunate nick name and lightly punched Enfar's arm and answered back pointedly looking at his scar decorated midsection,
"I just saw you yesterday stupid! And Enfar, you've seen better days that's for sure."
Enfar glanced at his mother slightly nodding his head im reassurance and steadily looking back at Circuit, amusement sparkled in his eyes as he retaliated,
"At least I don't have to live with a face like that every day Circuit."
Circuit put his hand over his heart in mock hurt,
"How dare you insult my face! At least I can fly!"
This started a whole chain of insults thrown back and forth until Aura stepped forward seeing that Enfar's laughter was reopening the wounds on his stomach and then said in a stern voice,
"Enfar don't ever scare me like that again! I thought you were dead! Circuit even thought you were dead, and now you sit here joking with him."
Circuit looked down at the floor and shuffled his feet, standing up slowly he looked back down at Enfar, suddenly feeling the need to ask his brother exactly what happened, as if reading his mind a cold look of fear passed over Enfar's face as he once again recollected the words the dragon had spat at him. Circuit looked at Enfar's horror stricken expression and unfocused eyes as the memory came back to Enfar, concerned and worried Circuit asked in a quiet tone and glanced sideways at Aura as he asked the question,
"Enfar, what happened to you?"
Enfar suddenly snapped back to reality like a rubber band, the cruel and crimson eyes of the dragon fading from his thoughts, but then just as suddenly returning as he heard Circuits inquisitive question. Slowly closing his eyes and drooping down slightly as if to sleep he answered in a shaky voice, fear prominent in the tone,
"I went out hunting like Streak had instructed me to do, when I heard this strange noise the deer I had been stalking fled from the area and I was mad because it had gotten away. Wanting to get back at whatever had caused me to lose my prey I walked forward until I found it..."
Fear clouded Enfar's vision and the memories of the dragons malicious voice running through his ears came back to him as he continued speaking and staring blankly into space,
"W-when I got to a clearing in the forest there was a huge d-dragon standing there. Bigger than any dragon I had ever seen. He had these red eyes that pierced through me and they had no p-pupil. It attacked me and threw me against a tree; it broke my leg and caused the slashes on my stomach."
Enfar winced in pain at the memories of his leg snapping pratically in half and slamming into the tree, letting out a heavy sigh he continued on, his voice slightly wavering as he finished his story,
"I-it told me to tell my father that he had to join its side or die fighting. It also said to pass on the message and that the age of peace was over, the darkness has come."
Enfar's aqua eyes rolled back into his head as he passed out his body completely drooping down and his chest rose and fell silently in a heavy sleep.
Circuit was horrified and heard Aura crying behind him, she was usually the strong one Circuit thought as he pushed the door open and steeped out; closing it quietly behind him. Only to see none other than Streak standing at the doorway, glowering down at Circuit as he spoke in a harsh tone, pointing at the gates of the village,
"Get out of my village filthy reptile! I don't want to see you here ever again! Your one of them, you're a lying piece of shit like all the others! You might hurt other villagers like your filthy brethren hurt my son!"
Streak shouted at him angrily in blind fear of his villages safety, the horrified villagers that had heard the news of the evil dragon that attacked Enfar glared daggers at Circuit and began shouting insults at him while telling their children to hide in the hut so he wouldn't hurt them.
Circuit was hurt, grief stricken, and angry, he had known these people all his life and now because of his species everyone hated him. Enfar was the one who was attacked but he didn't hate Circuit. Tears welled upon his eyes once again as the villagers began pelting sticks and small rocks at him, shouting at him to get out. Aura was still inside with Enfar and the door was closed so Aura couldn't hear what was being said to the young dragon that she had nurtured.
Unfurling his wings Circuit up surged into the air dodging a particularly big projectile that was hurled at him, he had to leave everyone hated him here, he was not wanted, and he never thought he would ever be again as he flew off towards the river. Away from the village and the absurd villagers, their leader and their hatred, Circuit didn't even turn around as he heard someone calling his name to come back home.
Plopping down on the bank of the river, now hating the fact that he was a dragon, and looking at his sullen reflection, tears streaked his golden yellow scales and plopped into the water below. Furious at his weakness and frustrated that he now had no home he let out an angry roar and spat a large bolt of electricity into the river. Watching in hatred as it crackled across his reflection and further down the river in both directions.
Mari felt the scales along her spine slightly rise up on instinct at the slight discharge of electricity in the water, there was a slight crackling noise that turned into a steady hum as she watched a large amount of volts arc across the water scattering the dancing fish she was watching and spreading throughout the river and heading right towards her.
Concentrating hard she put both her webbed paws out and closed her eyes, bubbles from around the river flew towards her and inches from her narrow muzzle began to create a dome around her. The tightly packed air created a shield from the electricity as it sparked by and ricocheted off her shield, moving further down the river and finally dissipating into the water as it became weakened.
Letting out a long stream of bubbles from her mouth as she sighed in relief and the shield melted into the water, she tried to find the exact location the electricity had come from. Calculating it had gone both directions and she was on the far right of it, then the epicenter of it was in the middle, right where the creature from before was currently sitting, splashing the water angrily with his right paw.
The nerve of that thing! It just tried to kill me! What the hell! I'm gonna go see what its problem is! , Mari thought to herself as she silently slipped out of the water on to the the bank above, shaking the water from her scales as the autumn air chilled her damp body. Opening her wings from their spots along her spine she leaped up into the air and scanned the ground for whatever tried to electrocute her. Reeling back in surprise after a long flight upriver as she saw the culprit was a yellow scaled dragon. What the f-, she thought to herself as she saw the dragon, but stopped abruptly as she spotted the boat from earlier cutting through the waves and heading straight for the yellow dragon.
Three apes stomped around the boat, two of which were pushing it along with two thin poles the other seemed to be shouting orders and saying steal the food and don't get caught; obviously they hadn't seen or felt the electricity that had coursed through the water moments ago. She had to warn the dragon even though he had almost killed her, spiraling downwards in a glittering silver arc, spreading her wings out to catch herself from slamming into the ground and tilting them upwards as she descended downwards.
Circuit heard a soft thunk as something touched down on the ground behind him; miraculously he had heard it over his massacre of the water. Whipping around to see a dragon with light blue scales that shimmered silver like a fish, taking in its strange and awkward features; prominently the gills on the sides of the dragons neck. Seeing a furious look smeared across the silver blue dragon he buried his angry emotions and tried to make himself look un-alarming.
Baring her teeth Mari stepped towards the yellow scaled dragon and lashed her tail in fury at the nerve of the dragon trying to electrocute her. Releazing he might of done it on accident she backed down but still curled her lips over pearl white canine teeth. Until she saw the boat again, reminding her why she had landed here in the first place, speaking in a quite but awkward voice,
"We need to get out of here. There is a boat with apes coming down the river!"
Glancing at the boat now drifting lazily as the apes had stopped pushing it along the ape that was obviously the leader was now pointing to the bank they were currently standing on and shouting. Mari watched as the yellow dragon whirled around and stared through the dense trees seeing the old oak of the boat, she continued speaking, while pointedly glancing at the approaching vessel,
"Do you have somewhere we can go? A home? A village? Anything at all? I can't go back to my home they would surely find me. But we must leave quickly!"
A sad look crossed the dragons face then an angry one; defiance glittered in its eyes as it responded to Mari's questions,
"No! No I don't have a home...Not anymore. Just go back to your parents at least they want you around."
Mari stumbled back in surprise, feeling as if she had been slapped in the face, tears began to well at her eyes, but she tightly shut them and answered in a quite but disgruntled tone,
"At least you had a home…"
Circuit peered at the down trodden dragon in a new light, he felt sick and stupid for saying that without even knowing the silver blue dragon. Reaching into the messenger bag at his side he pulled out a deep purple violet that Aura had given him just yesterday before everything happened, he missed Aura deeply and he hoped one day he would see her again. Sighing and clasping the flower in his mouth he began to walk over to the dragon, its eyes tightly shut but tears still shown against the scales.
His eyes widened in surprise as his tail was yanked from behind him, yelping and dropping the violet from his jaws as he fell to the ground; his feet fell out from under him from the force of being yanked backwards. The hand gripping his tail released its stony grip and walked over to the front of him placing a heavy fur covered foot over the top of his muzzle to keep him quiet.
Mari was so lost in her own train of thoughts she didn't hear the two apes approach her. Two furry hands wrapped around her throat and there was a sharp pain in her back as she was kicked to the ground. A muffled yell was heard, immediately she snapped her shock dilated eyes open to see two sapphire and fear filled eyes staring back at her. Shit! Why wasn't I fucking paying attention, Mari thought to herself as the hands around her neck left and reappeared holding her flailing tail down. She opened her maw to yell, but a heavy foot slammed down on it snapping it shut and the yell catching in her throat.
The larger ape then the other two sneered down at the two young dragons, amusement glittering in his beady black eyes as he pushed his foot further into Circuit's snout and watched the two sapphire eyes widen in pain. Laughing quietly in a gruff tone he gestured towards the boat and the two monkeys holding Mari began to hoist her up and carry her towards the floating vessel.
Alarmed and worried for the silver blue dragon Circuit pushed with all his might , trying desperately to get the large monkeys foot off of him. Watching the dragon squirm and struggle made the ape inwardly chuckle at its helplessness and he spoke in a gruff voice and glared down at the dragon,
"It's pointless to struggle little dragon. I originally came 'ere to gather food, but it seems I found myself the main course for tonight. Dragon sounds good doesn't it Larg?
One of the apes holding Mari gave the ape holding Circuit down a dumb look then just slowly nodded his head as he carried the other dragon on his shoulder. The larger ape rolled his eyes at his dimwitted acquaintances answer and glowered down at the dragon and practically spat out the words he said,
"Yer filthy reptile! Yer meat's gonna fill hungry people in my village! Yer kind is so arrogant to other species! Take it all fer yer selves and leave us to starve!"
Circuits anger from earlier boiled back to the surface and was ready to blow its top because the words sounded dangerously familiar to what Streak had said to him. Imagining it was Streak holding him down and not this slow-minded ape he slowly lifted his claw. Balancing it near the nerve point of the ape's ankle that was holding him down; right below the joint that connected the leg to the foot. Concentrating all the electrical energy into his claws and watched in satisfaction as it arced through the extended claw tip. Piercing the claw into the warm flesh of the ape and releasing the volts of energy through the ape's body directly into the bloodstream. Blood gushed out of the ape's ankle and slicked his paw with the crimson liquid.
The ape stumbled back surprised and then fell to the ground his body convulsing violently, a foam substance came from the corners of his mouth and his ears began to bleed. The electricity was so high in velocity that it ruptured the ape's heart as it coursed through it. Circuit watched in sickened horror as the body fell lifeless to the ground the eyes glazed over and staring blankly at nothing.
Mari watched horrified and sickened as the body of the ape convulsed rapidly then fell silent, the apes comrades dropped her to the ground uncerimounisly and rushed over to their leader's body. The two remaining apes glared at the electricity dragon and picked up there dead leader and scurried into the forest, running back to their tattered and broken village.
Circuit looked at his paw now bloodied from the ape disgusted with himself and what he had done. No wonder the village hated him; he was a killer, a disgrace to the world. He couldn't live anywhere or with anyone. Circuit backed up into the tree line as the silver blue dragon approached him cautiously. The dragon spoke to him in a kind and sweet voice yet a joking tone at the end,
"Thanks for saving me, by the way sorry about earlier…you kind of made me mad by electrocuting the water and well I was going to beat the hell out of you for doing it. And um...I'm Mari."
Circuit tried to calm down and answered in a polite tone, backing up further as he spoke and opening his wings,
"My names Circuit, and I should be the one saying sorry…but you need to stay away from me! I'm a monster and I don't want to hurt you!"
Shouting the last part he leapt into the air and hovered above the ground turning around to fly the other direction until he heard Mari shout from below,
"What are you talking about your not a monster! You had to save us! Those apes are the true monsters…"
Whirling around to see that Mari was hovering behind him, her eyes sparkling in wonder as the scales on Circuit glittered gold and he watched in equally fascination as her scales shimmered a vibrant silver.
Mari stared at Circuits scales curiously wondering how they were a gold sheen, but ignored it as a bigger matter arose inside of her mind, where were they supposed to go. Surely those apes would be back and find the cave that she lived below at the top of the waterfall so that was out of the matter. From what Circuit had told her he couldn't go back home either.
Suddenly remembering tales her mother had told her before she left her, of a great dragon city that was built the day she was born. She remembered exactly where it was in the tales her mother had so expertly told and she had memorized the way to get there, because when Mari was little she had always dreamed of living there. Voicing her thoughts to Circuit as the sun dipped over the horizon and blinked out she said,
"Do you know about Warfang? They say any dragon in need of a home is welcome to stay there. What do you say, should we go?"
Circuit blinked trying to recollect memories of tales of Warfang traders had told him when they visited his former village. An ache was still felt in his heart for Aura and Enfar as he thought of the village. Ignoring it he he eagerly nodded his head, he let Mari lead the way to a hopefully better life. With that the two dragons flew off at an increasing speed and then disappeared as night closed around them; and the stars began to waltz around the sky. Not even imagining the darkness they, and others they would meet would have to face in the future.
