"I don't care whether that dragon is tame or violent! You are not keeping a dragon!" Lion-heart shouted angrily at Frato. Clearly, keeping a dragon as a pet was more trouble than it was worth. Lion-heart continued to yell at Frato. "It isn't safe! Who knows what a dragon would do in Burmecia!?"
Frato looked at his now dirty and blood-stained feet as the two stood in the grass to try and think of a response. All of the students had either left the cave or had been carried out by a knight and were on their way home. The dragon knights were resting outside of the cave and talking politely to each other, although some were looking with interest at why the Burmecian in charge of them was bellowing to his adopted, half-breed son.
The students were being lead back to the academy by Ivan, or being taken to the Burmecian nursing facility to be healed. Fratley and Freya were the only ones staying behind. Fratley was waiting for his father and Freya was just staying with Fratley. The students were to be dismissed anyway so Ivan wasn't bothered about the two staying with the knights. They were also watching Frato and Lion-heart with interest.
Frato had asked Lion-heart the stupidest and craziest question he was ever likely to ask. He lifted his head up to respond to his father.
"But father, I can control him." Frato said in almost a whine.
"Since when did you know anything about taming wild dragons?" Lion-heart spat in response. "You are NOT keeping a dragon! End of discussion!" Lion- heart then turned and marched towards the other knights without saying another word.
Frato gave a heavy sigh as he knew his father wouldn't listen. But who would believe him? Talking to dragons wasn't exactly an everyday activity; and Frato knew nothing about keeping any form of pet or monster, let alone a dragon.
Frato just walked miserably towards the group of dragon knights wondering whether he had actually talked to the dragon or whether he had just imagined it.
As Lion-heart approached the small army of dragon knights they all turned to face him, stood straight and saluted him. Lion-heart was one of the most powerful warriors in Burmecia and was well respected by everyone.
"It's good to see you can assemble in a seconds notice." Lion-heart chuckled lightly. "Our work here is done. Our mission was successful; there were no deaths and only a few casualties on the students' behalf. Well done knights. Let us return to Burmecia and inform his majesty of the results of the examination."
The dragon knights saluted once again, and begun to march back home in a neat square formation.
"Come on you three, it's time to go home." Lion-heart said to Frato, Fratley and Freya before he leapt to the front of the formation and lead the miniature army in a pleasant march.
The three quickly started to walk behind the troops before they were left behind. Fratley immediately sparked up conservation with the two.
"What was that about?" Fratley asked Frato with a look of curiosity and humour.
"What was what about?" Frato answered confused.
"Why was father shouting at you?"
Frato gave a heavy sigh of despair. He didn't want to explain himself to Fratley, especially with Freya around. He already felt like an idiot, he didn't need a harsh reminder from Freya.
"I'd rather not talk about it." Frato answered with a small hint of sorrow in his voice.
"Come on, we want to know." Fratley tried to reassure Frato with a calming smile. "You can tell us."
"I can tell you, but not Freya." Frato answered, he was starting to get a little aggravated.
"Why not?" Freya asked looking rather hurt. "I have a right to know too Frato. Did you fail your exam?" Freya then grinned wickedly.
Frato went from slightly aggravated to extremely annoyed with that one statement. He turned to Freya and snarled ferociously.
"NO! That Ironite was a piece of cake!" Frato barked loudly. "If you must know, I was asking to see if I could keep a creature I found in the cave!"
"What was it? A Malboro?" Freya asked sarcastically.
"No, Frato hates Burmecians with bad breath, never mind a Malboro." Fratley stated with a chuckle.
"He ought to smell his own. Maybe it might convince him to freshen it up." Freya laughed.
"That's not funny!" Frato shouted again. "It was actually a..." Frato paused for a moment, then blushed and lowered his head.
"Spit it out Frato." Freya prompted.
"...A red dragon." Frato finished, still blushing wildly. His eyes were closed; he didn't even want to know the response.
Both Fratley and Freya's eyes widened in shock, and then they both burst out in hysteric laughter.
"Good one Frato!" Fratley managed to say between bursts of laughter.
"I'm being serious." Frato added.
There was a painful pause as everyone who heard tried to take account of what Frato said. After a few seconds, Fratley laughed even harder, Freya fell onto the mountain rock rolling in laughter. Some of the dragon knights were now trying to refrain from laughing, as they were not allowed to talk whilst marching unless they were singing a marching song. Those who had seen the dragon decided to remain silent. They didn't find it funny in any way. Lion-heart shook his head and lowered it slightly and marched a little faster.
It took quite a while for the laughter to subside. When it did, Frato was still bright red in the face from embarrassment. He looked up angrily at his brother.
"It's not funny." Frato muttered in almost growl. "I nearly died."
"You mean you're NOT joking?" Fratley replied sounding extremely surprised. He hadn't believed Frato up until now. "Red Dragons are extremely rare! They live in Mount Gulug! Very few people have seen them in all of Gaia! Never mind those who have survived their encounter!"
"I think Frato must have got knocked out by an Ironite and dreamed it." Freya muttered with a grin.
Much as Frato would have wanted to believe that the dragon was a dream, he couldn't. It was real. Even with that wish, Frato would never submit to Freya's petty comments or ever admit he had lost a battle.
"It was not a dream! I know that was real!" Frato shouted back. He was still blushing but it was hard to tell if he was red with anger too. Frato didn't want to believe it was real, but he couldn't dream a memory of talking to a dragon. He wouldn't ever dream of watching a Zuu get ripped apart and devoured in front of him by the very same dragon only to hear how good it tasted. He would never shake the thought from his head that he was a FREAK!
Just who talked to dragons anyway? Half-breeds?
Frato doubted it.
"Whatever you say Frato..." Freya said sarcastically.
"I can prove it to you Freya!" Frato replied angrily. "Just ask my father, he SAW it. He even blasted it with a Dragons Crest attack!" Frato sounded as if he was bragging. "Isn't that right dad?" He began to shout at his father, who was at the other side of the group of dragon knights.
Lion-heart didn't respond, instead he snarled as if Frato had just insulted him. There was a long pause before Frato's eyes widened and he realised why his father hadn't responded.
"Sorry...I mean Sir Lion-heart." Frato apologised, emphasising the sir in his sentence. Everyone had to call a dragon knight by "Sir" and Frato was no exception. The King of Burmecia gave you that title, and if someone didn't call you by that title it was a great insult.
Lion-heart responded this time by marching neatly out of the formation, past the dragon knights who kept marching in their formation and headed straight towards Frato, Fratley and Freya. He lowered his head, whilst still marching to keep up with the dragon knights, and leaned towards Frato.
"I don't want you to mention that infernal dragon once more, you hear?" Lion-heart snarled quietly to Frato so the knights wouldn't pay attention. You're lucky no-one got hurt or killed by that dragon today, including yourself. If I see or hear of that blasted dragon ever again, you can kiss your bed and food at my house goodbye!"
Lion-heart began to march away from Frato but then decided to return. He looked as if he had remembered something. He leaned towards Frato again with a look of anger still present in his voice and eyes.
"And forget to call me sir in public again and I'll give you a lesson you'll never forget!" Lion-heart finished before leaping straight to the front of the formation and continuing the march.
Frato eyes widened with fear from Lion-heart's words. He had quite clearly angered him, and Lion-heart was not someone you wanted to infuriate. He was one of the strongest warriors in Burmecia and untouchable to most who wanted to attack him. Frato remained silent for most of the journey home.
Freya and Fratley had heard what Lion-heart had said very clearly. Although Freya found it amusing to watch Frato cower in front of his father she shared the same feeling of surprise that Fratley had. They were both stunned to hear that Frato had actually managed to encounter a red dragon and had come out unscathed.
Frato would have a lot of questions to answer when he returned home, although how many he would manage to answer when not under the glaring eye of Lion-heart would be a different matter.
Frato however, gave an evil smirk some time after Lion-heart's words on their journey. He wouldn't let his father get in his way from keeping a red dragon. No, Frato had forged a plan in his rather small and arrogant mind.
---
Disclaimer: I don't own FF9. Frato, Lion-heart, Redwind and any other character I make up are mine, sort of.
Author's Notes: Did anyone pay attention to my other rant? I want reviews! NOW!
Guardian1: You do realise you still haven't given me that sensible reply yet? Oh well, I suppose you'll move straight to this chapter now.
Frato looked at his now dirty and blood-stained feet as the two stood in the grass to try and think of a response. All of the students had either left the cave or had been carried out by a knight and were on their way home. The dragon knights were resting outside of the cave and talking politely to each other, although some were looking with interest at why the Burmecian in charge of them was bellowing to his adopted, half-breed son.
The students were being lead back to the academy by Ivan, or being taken to the Burmecian nursing facility to be healed. Fratley and Freya were the only ones staying behind. Fratley was waiting for his father and Freya was just staying with Fratley. The students were to be dismissed anyway so Ivan wasn't bothered about the two staying with the knights. They were also watching Frato and Lion-heart with interest.
Frato had asked Lion-heart the stupidest and craziest question he was ever likely to ask. He lifted his head up to respond to his father.
"But father, I can control him." Frato said in almost a whine.
"Since when did you know anything about taming wild dragons?" Lion-heart spat in response. "You are NOT keeping a dragon! End of discussion!" Lion- heart then turned and marched towards the other knights without saying another word.
Frato gave a heavy sigh as he knew his father wouldn't listen. But who would believe him? Talking to dragons wasn't exactly an everyday activity; and Frato knew nothing about keeping any form of pet or monster, let alone a dragon.
Frato just walked miserably towards the group of dragon knights wondering whether he had actually talked to the dragon or whether he had just imagined it.
As Lion-heart approached the small army of dragon knights they all turned to face him, stood straight and saluted him. Lion-heart was one of the most powerful warriors in Burmecia and was well respected by everyone.
"It's good to see you can assemble in a seconds notice." Lion-heart chuckled lightly. "Our work here is done. Our mission was successful; there were no deaths and only a few casualties on the students' behalf. Well done knights. Let us return to Burmecia and inform his majesty of the results of the examination."
The dragon knights saluted once again, and begun to march back home in a neat square formation.
"Come on you three, it's time to go home." Lion-heart said to Frato, Fratley and Freya before he leapt to the front of the formation and lead the miniature army in a pleasant march.
The three quickly started to walk behind the troops before they were left behind. Fratley immediately sparked up conservation with the two.
"What was that about?" Fratley asked Frato with a look of curiosity and humour.
"What was what about?" Frato answered confused.
"Why was father shouting at you?"
Frato gave a heavy sigh of despair. He didn't want to explain himself to Fratley, especially with Freya around. He already felt like an idiot, he didn't need a harsh reminder from Freya.
"I'd rather not talk about it." Frato answered with a small hint of sorrow in his voice.
"Come on, we want to know." Fratley tried to reassure Frato with a calming smile. "You can tell us."
"I can tell you, but not Freya." Frato answered, he was starting to get a little aggravated.
"Why not?" Freya asked looking rather hurt. "I have a right to know too Frato. Did you fail your exam?" Freya then grinned wickedly.
Frato went from slightly aggravated to extremely annoyed with that one statement. He turned to Freya and snarled ferociously.
"NO! That Ironite was a piece of cake!" Frato barked loudly. "If you must know, I was asking to see if I could keep a creature I found in the cave!"
"What was it? A Malboro?" Freya asked sarcastically.
"No, Frato hates Burmecians with bad breath, never mind a Malboro." Fratley stated with a chuckle.
"He ought to smell his own. Maybe it might convince him to freshen it up." Freya laughed.
"That's not funny!" Frato shouted again. "It was actually a..." Frato paused for a moment, then blushed and lowered his head.
"Spit it out Frato." Freya prompted.
"...A red dragon." Frato finished, still blushing wildly. His eyes were closed; he didn't even want to know the response.
Both Fratley and Freya's eyes widened in shock, and then they both burst out in hysteric laughter.
"Good one Frato!" Fratley managed to say between bursts of laughter.
"I'm being serious." Frato added.
There was a painful pause as everyone who heard tried to take account of what Frato said. After a few seconds, Fratley laughed even harder, Freya fell onto the mountain rock rolling in laughter. Some of the dragon knights were now trying to refrain from laughing, as they were not allowed to talk whilst marching unless they were singing a marching song. Those who had seen the dragon decided to remain silent. They didn't find it funny in any way. Lion-heart shook his head and lowered it slightly and marched a little faster.
It took quite a while for the laughter to subside. When it did, Frato was still bright red in the face from embarrassment. He looked up angrily at his brother.
"It's not funny." Frato muttered in almost growl. "I nearly died."
"You mean you're NOT joking?" Fratley replied sounding extremely surprised. He hadn't believed Frato up until now. "Red Dragons are extremely rare! They live in Mount Gulug! Very few people have seen them in all of Gaia! Never mind those who have survived their encounter!"
"I think Frato must have got knocked out by an Ironite and dreamed it." Freya muttered with a grin.
Much as Frato would have wanted to believe that the dragon was a dream, he couldn't. It was real. Even with that wish, Frato would never submit to Freya's petty comments or ever admit he had lost a battle.
"It was not a dream! I know that was real!" Frato shouted back. He was still blushing but it was hard to tell if he was red with anger too. Frato didn't want to believe it was real, but he couldn't dream a memory of talking to a dragon. He wouldn't ever dream of watching a Zuu get ripped apart and devoured in front of him by the very same dragon only to hear how good it tasted. He would never shake the thought from his head that he was a FREAK!
Just who talked to dragons anyway? Half-breeds?
Frato doubted it.
"Whatever you say Frato..." Freya said sarcastically.
"I can prove it to you Freya!" Frato replied angrily. "Just ask my father, he SAW it. He even blasted it with a Dragons Crest attack!" Frato sounded as if he was bragging. "Isn't that right dad?" He began to shout at his father, who was at the other side of the group of dragon knights.
Lion-heart didn't respond, instead he snarled as if Frato had just insulted him. There was a long pause before Frato's eyes widened and he realised why his father hadn't responded.
"Sorry...I mean Sir Lion-heart." Frato apologised, emphasising the sir in his sentence. Everyone had to call a dragon knight by "Sir" and Frato was no exception. The King of Burmecia gave you that title, and if someone didn't call you by that title it was a great insult.
Lion-heart responded this time by marching neatly out of the formation, past the dragon knights who kept marching in their formation and headed straight towards Frato, Fratley and Freya. He lowered his head, whilst still marching to keep up with the dragon knights, and leaned towards Frato.
"I don't want you to mention that infernal dragon once more, you hear?" Lion-heart snarled quietly to Frato so the knights wouldn't pay attention. You're lucky no-one got hurt or killed by that dragon today, including yourself. If I see or hear of that blasted dragon ever again, you can kiss your bed and food at my house goodbye!"
Lion-heart began to march away from Frato but then decided to return. He looked as if he had remembered something. He leaned towards Frato again with a look of anger still present in his voice and eyes.
"And forget to call me sir in public again and I'll give you a lesson you'll never forget!" Lion-heart finished before leaping straight to the front of the formation and continuing the march.
Frato eyes widened with fear from Lion-heart's words. He had quite clearly angered him, and Lion-heart was not someone you wanted to infuriate. He was one of the strongest warriors in Burmecia and untouchable to most who wanted to attack him. Frato remained silent for most of the journey home.
Freya and Fratley had heard what Lion-heart had said very clearly. Although Freya found it amusing to watch Frato cower in front of his father she shared the same feeling of surprise that Fratley had. They were both stunned to hear that Frato had actually managed to encounter a red dragon and had come out unscathed.
Frato would have a lot of questions to answer when he returned home, although how many he would manage to answer when not under the glaring eye of Lion-heart would be a different matter.
Frato however, gave an evil smirk some time after Lion-heart's words on their journey. He wouldn't let his father get in his way from keeping a red dragon. No, Frato had forged a plan in his rather small and arrogant mind.
---
Disclaimer: I don't own FF9. Frato, Lion-heart, Redwind and any other character I make up are mine, sort of.
Author's Notes: Did anyone pay attention to my other rant? I want reviews! NOW!
Guardian1: You do realise you still haven't given me that sensible reply yet? Oh well, I suppose you'll move straight to this chapter now.