Hey, everyone! It's dragon time yet again. We're here with the fire dragons this time.
My recommendation this week is a 30-minute cartoon that I saw when I was little: "Puff the Magic Dragon," which is based on the Peter, Paul, and Mary song (though with a much happier ending). The cartoon is about a boy named Jackie, who is filled with self-doubt and hasn't spoken in years, but is taken on an adventure by Puff in order to discover his worth and a way to be happy with who he is. Looking back on the cartoon now that I'm older, I can definitely see some references to depression and/or autism in Jackie's situation, which makes Puff's message of discovering how much a person can be worth even more special, I think.
Anyway, enjoy!
The arena was a charred mess of stone, shredded metal, and burnt targets. The students were an equally-appealing mess of burns, angry grumbles, and scolding voices that were doomed to go unheard. The fire dragons struggled, snarled, bit, and scratched at random intervals, eyes flashing menacingly at anything that moved.
Yang was running a wipe over some fresh scratches on her arm, wincing at the sting. In her fireproof bag, Fang was snarling and hissing like a being possessed. "Calm down, you little shit," she muttered, rubbing at the circles under her eyes.
Sun laughed as he tried to get his dragonet to hold still. "Wish I had one of those bags. Would make controlling this badass a little easier."
"Please tell me his name isn't actually Badass," Yang said with a snort.
"Nah. I finally decided on Huo. It means fire. Pretty simple, but it works." His black dragon snapped at his fingers again. "Though, Badass is definitely gonna stick as his nickname."
Huo's gray eyes flashed as he tried lunging toward the gold-orange dragonet being held by Pyrrha. Titan narrowed his pale blue eyes and hissed.
Yang stared at the dragonet, shaking her head. "How do you keep it so calm?"
Pyrrha shrugged. "I guess he was just born with a milder temperament. He is easily provoked, however." She thought about how many times during the past week Titan had jumped on another hatchling whenever it so much as looked at Twiggy the wrong way. He seemed to have appointed himself as his runty little sister's protector.
At that moment, a whoosh of air signaled the arrival of Professor Port and Pepper. The black-dusted fire dragon landed easily, casting her yellow gaze across the students. She snorted, as if amused.
Port jumped from her back and waved to the students. "Good morning, everyone. How are you feeling? Like a giant cat's scratching post, perhaps?"
A chorus of groans answered him, causing him to let out a booming laugh.
"Well, get used to it! Fire dragons are vicious little devils. Their aggressiveness will never truly go away. It will be up to you to learn how to channel that energy, and focus it on something that isn't you or your teammates." He slapped Pepper's shoulder amicably. "Right, Pepper?"
Pepper snapped at the air as Port slapped her, eyes flashing warningly. Several of the students stepped back. Port, however, didn't even flinch.
"She won't bite me for something like that," he said calmly. "I know how to read her. If you pay attention, you'll learn how to read your dragons just as well. That's why half of these lessons will be physical training, while the other half will consist of bonding and discerning what different reactions from your dragons can mean."
At that moment, Fang popped his head out of the bag and howled angrily, prompting Yang to try shoving him back in again.
Port strode over. "Ah. Fang, is it?" He picked up the bag, not even jumping back when the dragonet snapped at his face. "You're a lively one, but not the worst I've seen," he murmured before looking at the others. "You see this bag here? It's made of fireproof cloth and is used to carry around your fire dragons. Good quality, too. Some of you may know that there are several dragon supply stores in downtown Vale where you can get items such as these. I'd highly recommend getting one. It makes things so much easier during the early days."
He turned back to Yang. "Go ahead and let him out. He'll be getting his exercise soon enough."
Port then approached Sun, chuckling when he saw the determined grin on the Faunus's face. "Not letting a few scratches get you down, eh boy?"
"No, sir!" Sun replied.
"That's the spirit," Port replied as he eyed the two. "But, how exactly have you been disciplining him?"
"Uh…" Sun blinked. "I figured the biting was normal."
"It is, but you still need to teach your dragonet that biting and scratching you is not allowed." When Huo sank his fangs into Sun's arm again, Port sharply bopped the hatchling's nose.
Huo parted his jaws, staring at Port with a stunned expression on his reptilian face.
"Don't be excessive, but do consistently scold your dragon when needed." Port glanced at Yang. "Remember, don't be excessive."
Yang's face flushed as she thought about the various shouting matches she and her dragon had shared over the course of the past week.
When Port got to Pyrrha, his brows raised in surprise. "My, my. As fire dragons go, this one is nearly docile."
"He only really lashes out when defending his siblings, sir," Pyrrha explained, glancing at Titan's narrowed blue eyes.
"That's marvelous!" Port nodded. "Keep up the good work, Miss Nikos."
Pyrrha ducked her head humbly. "It's really mostly due to his nature, sir. I haven't done much."
"Don't sell yourself short," Port said, shaking a finger. "Without a competent partner, even the best dragons can go astray."
After examining the other dragons, including Dove's bronze fire dragon, a male named Tank who nearly took off one of the professor's fingers, Port began the lesson.
"Directing your dragon's rage is one of the most important things you can do. Fire dragons have a lot of built-up energy, making certain exercises necessary." He gestured toward a training dummy. "Things like dummies and durable toys can help give them something to use their claws and teeth on. Also, it is encouraged that you allow your dragons to get into scuffles. Closely-monitored, of course."
He clapped his hands. "With that being said, let your dragons into the arena so that they may get to know each other."
When the students exchanged hesitant looks, Port laughed. "Don't worry about them running away. Pepper has never let one bolt before. If you think there's danger, tell me, and I will have Pepper withdraw your dragonet immediately. Now, let them go."
Pyrrha was the first to put her dragon down. Titan tilted his head at her, then started sniffing the air. He looked at the training dummy and snorted with disdain.
Against her better judgment, Yang placed Fang on the ground. The lively red and gold dragonet immediately ran at Titan, fangs bared. Titan spun around and met the other fire dragon halfway. Soon, the two were rolling around on the charred ground, hissing and snapping.
When Port didn't react, the other students reluctantly let their dragons go. Huo jumped on top of Titan and Fang, making an impromptu dog pile, before being thrown off by Titan. He then spun around and started scuffling with a blue-eyed, gold-scaled dragonet that Sun recognized from the hatching.
Tank started to run in, then paused, whimpering at the sheer number of dragons, and tried to run to the side. One of Pepper's paws stopped him, prompting him to try attacking the adult dragon's leg. Pepper watched him with a patient, indulgent expression on her face.
Titan, apparently bored, broke away from the scuffling dragonet pile and trotted along the edge, looking at his fellow fire dragons curiously. Every now and then, he'd snap at one or swipe at another.
Fang and Huo, meanwhile, had gotten into an intense brawl, their rivalry from that first day in the play pen clearly not forgotten. Huo bit down on Fang's foreleg, drawing blood, while Fang slashed angrily with his claws and tried smacking the other dragonet's side with his tail.
Yang clenched her fists as she watched the fight. She had seen the brood hatchlings back home fight, of course, but this was much more vicious. Next to her, Sun was sucking nervously on his bottom lip. Trying to lighten the mood, Yang muttered: "Bet my dragon kicks your dragon's butt."
Sun blinked at her, then grinned. "You're on! Loser buys the winner noodles!"
Yang smirked. "Deal." She turned toward the wrestling dragonets. "Pin him, Fang! You got this!"
"Use that tail, Huo! Who's Daddy's Little Badass?" Sun called.
The hatchlings, riled by their partner's calls, redoubled their efforts to take each other down. Fang managed to get a grip on Huo's neck. Huo yelped and started slashing at Fang's belly with his hind claws. One of them managed to hit the soft scales, leaving a sizeable cut.
Yang gasped. "That's not good. Professor!"
Pepper was already in motion, placing her paw firmly between the howling dragonets. She picked up Huo with one paw while pushing Fang back with her snout.
Yang and Sun rushed over to get their dragons. Fang, now that he wasn't fighting anymore, was licking at his belly and whimpering, his earlier rage gone. He didn't even protest as Yang picked him up to examine him.
Sun took Huo, grimacing when he saw the bite marks on his neck. "You definitely gave your dragon the right name," he said to Yang.
Professor Port walked over, easily dodging the other scuffling dragonets. He looked from Yang to Sun. "Follow me."
He led the two downcast students to a door in the left side of the arena. Inside was a white, sterile room filled with medical supplies and tables meant for dragonets of various sizes. Yang and Sun placed theirs on two smaller tables.
"Now, then," Port said as he rummaged through the supplies. "Can either of you tell me what went wrong?"
Yang shuffled a foot, staring sheepishly at the ground. "We egged our dragons on."
Sun patted Huo's head, frowning when the fire dragon didn't snap at him. "I didn't think it would make them get any fiercer. They don't listen to us anyway."
"Yes, they do," Port said as he walked over to Fang. "They bonded to you. They do acknowledge this bond, even if it's largely with bites and scratches." He checked Fang's belly. "Hm. It's long, but not deep. He won't need stitches." He started to clean the scratch, causing the dragon to flinch and hiss.
Yang placed a hand on Fang's side, guilt swimming in her stomach. She should have known better. "Sorry, Fang," she muttered.
"There are many rookie mistakes that can be made," Port said as he taped some gauze to the wound. "I have seen them all. Some can have disastrous results. I'm only glad that you two learned this lesson while your dragons are still small." He quickly cleaned the other scratches. "Natural scuffles are one thing, but dragons should not be openly encouraged to attack each other. Are you two familiar with cage fighting?"
Sun made a disgusted sound in his throat. "I never watch that! Makes me sick."
"As it should," Port grumbled. "But the concept behind a cage fight is similar to what just happened today: Two dragons are shouted into a frenzy and tear each other apart." He moved over to Huo. "Now, I know you two had no malicious intentions, so I'll spare the lecture. Just remember: We want these dragons to control their aggression, not to become more aggressive. Riders have had their dragons confiscated because they were too vicious, and where do you think they ended up?" He finished wrapping Huo's neck. "The cage fights."
Sun and Yang nodded. "Yes, sir," they both murmured.
Port checked the two dragonets and nodded. "Good. The second part of the lesson will begin shortly. Don't let your dragons reopen their wounds, and you may return with me."
Yang picked up Fang and held him against her chest. Fang growled at her, but she figured she deserved it this time.
When they returned, a few of the other students gave Sun and Yang disapproving looks. Pyrrha, however, invited them to sit near her.
"Are your dragons okay?" she asked, holding Titan in her lap. The gold-orange dragon tilted his head and let out a concerned warble.
"Yeah," Sun replied. "We're gonna be more careful next time these two scuffle. Right, buddy?" He stroked Huo, who snarled sulkily.
Port stood in front of the class. "Now, then. I think what just happened showed that it is very easy to make mistakes when handling our dragons. The important thing is that we learn as much as we can and minimize the chances for even worse accidents." He started pacing in front of the students. "And one way for you to do this is to learn what makes your dragon tick. Now, reactions and expressions are covered in many of the basic classes, but it is especially important for fire dragons, due to their aggressive nature."
He pointed to Pepper. "For example, I can tell when Pepper is annoyed with me, angry, and when she is about to bite. I also know what actions will cause each reaction. All of your dragons are different. Some may need more discipline. Others might need to be ignored when they throw a tantrum. You will learn through trial and error what works and what doesn't."
One student raised his hand. "Does that mean we'll get bitten less?"
Port chuckled. "That is the idea. For the last half hour of class, I want you to simply sit with your dragons. Talk to them. Sing to them. Be silent and pet them. Do whatever comes naturally. Pay close attention to how your dragon reacts and what he or she does. Maybe your dragon will snarl before biting. Maybe their tail will twitch when about to lash at something. Take a moment to watch and listen."
Yang looked down at Fang, who was just starting to wriggle a bit. "Easy," she said. "Don't make your injuries worse."
Fang narrowed his green eyes up at her and snorted.
She started to stroke his head, only for him to hiss. Before she could draw her hand back, he suddenly lashed out and sank his teeth in. She winced, resisting the urge to yell at him again. Instead, she found herself thinking What would Ruby do?
Ruby, of course, was having the easiest time out of any of them. She and Storm already acted like they had been together for years. They were far ahead of the others in basic commands, tied only with Jaune and Twiggy. Sometimes, Yang wondered how much easier things would be for her if she had been born with those mystical silver eyes.
Remembering how Ruby had gotten Fang to let go of her on their first day, Yang pinched the base of her dragonet's draw. "Fang, let go."
Fang growled, tightening his grip.
Yang narrowed her eyes. "Come on, you damn salamander. Drop!" She pinched a little harder, prompting his jaws to reluctantly part. She took her hand back. Fang snorted and put his head down.
He seems to snort like that whenever he's sulking, Yang realized, then smiled. Huh. Looks like I'm already getting this.
Pyrrha was petting Titan, who seemed more drowsy than anything. She looked thoughtfully at Yang. "You know, I just realized something. Fang could easily puncture through to the bone of your hand, but he doesn't."
Yang blinked. "Yeah?"
"Yes. His teeth are definitely long and sharp enough. If he wanted to really hurt you, he'd bite down with all his strength, but he clearly isn't doing that."
Yang looked closely at Fang, eying his teeth when he let out a yawn. She realized that Pyrrha was right, and this knowledge comforted her a bit. So, he doesn't totally hate me.
Chomp!
Yang winced at the new pain in her arm, letting out a resigned groan. He just mostly hates me…
As the students headed back toward the dorms, Sun caught up to Yang, holding a subdued Huo in his arms. "Yo. So, neither of us really won that bet. Still, why don't we grab dinner at some point? I heard there's a great noodle stand at the edge of downtown Vale."
Yang smiled. "I'm game. A break would be nice, much as I love this little shit." She patted Fang through the cloth of her bag, eliciting yet another growl.
"Cool! How's Saturday sound?"
"Sounds good."
Sun grinned. "I'll give you a time near the end of the week. I'd better get this guy to bed right now, though. See yah!" Waving over his shoulder, he jogged off toward his dorm.
Yang adjusted her bag, sighing as Fang started to squirm. "Would you take it easy? You'll make your injury worse." She wasn't looking forward to explaining to her team why Fang was injured. She knew Ruby wouldn't judge her too harshly, but both Weiss and Blake seemed to have permanent expressions of disapproval on their faces. Maybe I won't tell them the whole story, she decided.
She glanced toward where Sun had gone, realizing that she was actually looking forward to hanging out with him, dragon-free, on Saturday. At least my people skills aren't as sucky as my dragon skills right now… In her bag, Fang let out a bark.
"Okay, okay. Let's get you some food." As she walked toward her room, Yang anticipated several more bites to her arms and hands before the day ended.
As I've said before, I'm really enjoying making these characters interact! I love both Yang and Sun, and always thought it would be fun to see more of them together. And Pyrrha needs some development outside of her crush on Jaune, dangit!
If you like what you see and want to show extra support in exchange for rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.
Peace out!