Levy's routine had officially changed drastically. With her newfound secret, she couldn't deny that she wanted to return to her dragon friend on a regular basis. And so she did.
The apprentice almost begged for any sort of excuse to venture into the forest. It wasn't always easy; she didn't want to arouse any suspicion. Who knew what could happen if word got out that there was a dragon nearby? Levy refused to even think about it.
With her regular visits, even the dragon was beginning to give in. At least, Levy could tell it put up less resistance compared to when they first met. She still hadn't been burned to a crisp, so it should be okay, right?
Each time she came, she would use her magic to stock up on the dragon's iron supply. It was quite a glutton, she discovered, since no matter how many blocks she made, the supply would be nearly gone when she returned. Along with feeding it, she learned that the beast enjoyed a good polishing. Believe it or not, but when she began to rub the dragon's metal scales with a cloth, its body immediately relaxed.
Yet there were days when the dragon had no desire to be pampered. So, Levy would instead go about her own business in its company. She would be sure to bring books with her, which she often would read aloud. At times, she could swear the dragon would pay attention to her words.
One more activity she would do was practice her magic. Her specialty was the magic pen, of course, which she already had a knack for. But what could a pen do should danger arise? The Master often assured her that there was no need for her to be concerned with combat magic, but Levy was not entirely convinced. She desired to be strong enough to protect what was important to her. Making blankets and frying pans would not suffice in a difficult situation.
There was one thing Levy wanted to try: using her words to fight.
During one visit, she decided to experiment with a new word. She made her way through the forest, searching for a more open area with fewer trees in the way. Of course, the dragon stuck with her, though she could never explain why.
When she found a safe place, she pulled out her pen. The dragon watched with curious eyes as Levy wrote the word "FIRE." The letters grew and seemed to float towards the air: each letter burst into flames, creating a wall of fire. The mage grinned at her success, but that smile vanished as the flames flickered out. So, she could make a fire shield that would last but a moment. Not quite combat: more like defense.
Levy growled as she caught that familiar huffing noise: the dragon was laughing at her again. "Shut up! I'm doing the best I can!"
But the dragon ignored her comment. Instead, it took the moment to show off. It inhaled as it raised its head to the sky, then released a stream of flame.
'I definitely wouldn't want to be on the other side of that…' Levy thought. If only her fire could do that…
The dragon smugly turned back to Levy, but it was surprised by what it saw. Normally, the human would retort or just get mad, which was amusing. But this time… she looked depressed. Not sure what was going on, it cautiously stepped closer, getting a better look at her face.
Levy truly felt defeated. It was only natural; her bright idea had ended in disappointment. She still had no idea how to use her magic for combat. She could defend, no problem, but the mage had no known way to attack. Magic energy wasn't limitless, and defense spells don't last forever.
'I may never be up to the task. I'm just so small… and weak.'
Levy hated feeling useless, and she knew she shouldn't think that way. But sometimes, it was hard to escape. More than anything, Levy wanted to help people. Yet if she ever failed, she tended to get into a depression such as this.
The dragon tilted its head as the human slumped to the ground. She sat on the grass with her knees pulled up to her chest. Her brown eyes were becoming moist, causing some alarm for the creature. Human emotion was one thing it had very little experience with. It had no idea what to do in this situation. So, it simply sat down, like a dog would, next to her, waiting for her to stop pouting.
But that took a great deal longer than anticipated. Levy remained in position, but the dragon's tail began to fidget. It looked at her then turned away again. Then, it tried to lie down for a nap, but it couldn't sleep. Its claws tapped the ground impatiently; the human still did not move.
Levy hadn't known how long she had sat there; time seemed to just stop. She only snapped out of it when something lifted her off the ground! The girl released a yelp as a tail wrapped around her torso, raising her into the air. It dropped her on something hard: ruby eyes stared at the girl as she realized she was on the dragon's back! The creature's head turned away as it slowly spread its wings.
"Wha- What are you…!"
Levy didn't get the chance to finish her question as the dragon took off! The mage had never moved so fast in her life! Her grip tightened, holding on for dear life!
It shot straight into the air, up into the clouds. At the desired altitude, though, the dragon spread the wings once again, slowing down considerably to a gentle glide. Levy dared to open one eye. As soon as she did, the view took her breath away! The sky was so blue, and the tree tops were so far away. It was like a beautiful painting!
The dragon flew over the forest, and Levy could see the various landscapes below. She saw the bluffs rise and fall; she saw the water of a lake sparkle in the sunlight. The daring dragon dove down low enough so they could feel the mist spray. Levy closed her eyes and smiled at the refreshing sensation. Not completely sure what she was doing, she actually let go of the creature! She lifted her arms out to either side, as if she were flying herself; the breeze flowed through the sleeves of her blouse, which made her smile wider. With no words to describe what she was feeling, all she could do was laugh with excitement.
A ruby eye peeked up at the human; her emotional state had improved greatly. Now it was time for some fun. The beast flashed a toothy, mischievous grin. Without warning, it shot straight up into the air, causing Levy to scream and cling to its neck! She squeezed her eyes shut as it barrel rolled on the way.
"Stop showing off! I get it! I get it! You're amazing, now stop!"
But the dragon wasn't done. It lurched, knocking Levy off of its back! She screamed as she began her fatal decent!
…At least, it would have been fatal. To Levy's relief and irritation, the beast was only messing with her; it had already swooped down and positioned itself below. The dragon caught the girl with ease, though she was far from impressed.
She sighed impatiently, "Alright, alright. Happy now, you big lug? I could've died!"
The dragon only made that infuriating huffing sound again. Levy's eyebrows furrowed, utterly annoyed by the prankster. Somehow, she managed to reposition herself; she looked the dragon in the eye.
"No more tricks. Got it?"
The creature rolled its eye, but followed her command. The rest of the ride was peaceful, and it continued until the sky became pink with the sunset.
They made their way back to the den, but Levy wasn't quite ready to return home. Rather, she had no desire to leave her dragon just yet.
Yes, she had just referred to it as "her" dragon, because it was. There was no doubt that some sort of bond had formed between the two. Not quite like master and pet, but more like the two had become close friends. And Levy loved every minute they spent together. She stared up at the sky, silently wishing they could stay like this forever.
The dragon looked down at the tiny human. She had fallen asleep again instead of going home. This human was really a pain in the neck; why did she keep bothering him? And why did he allow it?
The girl was bound to catch cold if she remained out in the open, but her small body would be hard to grab for a dragon, at least without injuring her. He had no choice but to use that form. It hadn't been used since the day she washed down the river, but it had to be done.
Slowly, the iron scales began to shrink, and the dragon's form shifted. Now, it took on the form of a human man. He was fairly tall with a thick mane of black hair, and he was wearing a long black tunic, white pants and black combat boots. Iron studs and piercings adorned his body, as well as some battle scars along his toned arms. Even in human form, he had a menacing appearance.
Quietly, so as not to startle the girl, he picked her up and carried her into the cavern. As he laid her on her makeshift bed, which had remained from the time she had almost drowned, he held his breath when she suddenly stirred. Thankfully, she did not wake.
Carefully, the dragon-man pulled out her blanket and covered her. Once his work was complete, his gloved hand rested on her head.
"Just what am I gonna do with ya? Shrimpy human."