"Amber! Dylas!" A chorus of voices could be heard in the distance, far off but still in ear shot.
"Illuminata!" Amber would know that voice anywhere and before she could be told to stop she flapped her wings and flew in that direction.
"Damn it!" Nixxie and Dylas' sore bodies tried to catch up, what could've been steps felt like miles. Minutes like hours.
"Nixxie?" Dylas panted as they ran.
"Yeah?"
"How old were we when we met?"
"What does it matter?"
"It matters!" Dylas stopped running, taking a minute to catch his breath. "Every little damn thing matters. I want it all back. How old were we?"
"I was a little older than Amber." Nixxie shrugged, and again she sneezed she hadn't shaken the cold.
"I'm a little older than you right?"
"A little. We age well you know" 'More time passed then you realize.'
"Were we . . ." his mind traveled to the picture now resting in his pocket. "I mean we knew each other for a while so . . ." He began to blush avoiding eye contact. As he resumed his trot he finally found the road that lead to Selphia.
"Spit it out idiot!"
"We grew up together and I figured-"
"Dylas!" Forte ran up to them.
"The hell are you?!" Nixxie drew her sword she would not lose another fight but she was ignored.
"Dylas!" Forte shouted again as she ran to her friend's side, seeing his blood stained clothes. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." He grunted not wanting anyone to see him sweat.
"Lets get you to Jones." She took his hand and pointed into the distance, the walls to the city could be seen above the tree line.
"Ugh." Nixxie scowled putting away her sword. 'I promised to trust him. Everything will be Ok Nixxie.' She was trying to convince herself to go against her better judgement. 'Everything will be-'
"Come on Nixxie." Amber fluttered down from the sky, she had led Forte to Dylas and Nixxie. Amber went to went to take her friend's hand but unconsciously Nixxie recoiled. Dylas frowned seeing the pained look on her face. 'She's terrified.' He broke from Forte's hold and walked over to Nixxie. He patted her on the head.
"Nothing bad is going to happen." He tried to assure her.
"Stop it idiot you're going to mess up my hair." She tried to laugh but it was shallow and nervous.
"Forte, Amber where are-" Illuminata reached the group. "Who is that?" She watched Dylas show compassion to someone, it was very out of character.
"That's Nixxie. She protected me when I got lost. She knows Dylas."
"Know's Dylas?" She cocked her head to the side. 'Dylas has amnesia how can we be sure she really knows him and isn't a spy preying on his weakness. A mystery indeed. It's best to keep your friends close and your enemies closer they always say.' "Well a friend of Dylas is a friend of ours come on you two you look like you need a goof check up!" Illuminata smiled warmly. Nixxie rubbed her now greenish hued bruises, 'I don't need a doctor I don't need anyone I'm fine. I should get out of here!' She began to feel claustrophobic, caged. 'Not again.' She began to sweat, her breathing grew rapid.
"Are you sure that's a good idea? We should consult Venuswill before bringing a stranger into town." Forte questioned.
"I refuse to-" Nixxie was about to put her foot down but Dylas put a hand over her mouth.
"Trust me remember." He whispered in her ear.
"Huh?" Question marks appeared over Forte and Illuminata's heads.
"We owe Nixxie a lot. Let us pay her back with some hospitality or something like that Ok?" Dylas persuaded the women to let Nixxie join them. The group only had about a half hour walk ahead of them. "See they're good people." He gave Nixxie a light nudge.
"Less picky about your friends now I see." Nixxie crossed her arms as they resumed their travels.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"The less you open up the less chance you have to be hurt by people. They're not worth you're time" She shrugged staring at her shoes, each step making her stomach turn. 'You told me that Dylas. And you were right.' She let out a sigh. 'But now I'm wondering if you just said that to me . . . so I would leave you alone. Did you really grow tired of me? You have no problem opening up to these people it seems. This town betrayed you and you welcome them with open arms? I don't understand you sometimes.'
"Who gave you that stupid idea?"
"You wouldn't remember them. Forget I said it." She hugged herself tight with her crossed arms. She felt all alone, more alone among these people then when she wondered from city to city, strangers to strangers.
"These people . . . have taught me that you can't live that way. You'll see that-"
"I don't want to see! Ever think of that?! Not everyone has the luxury of forgetting the hurt they got dealt ok? I live alone for a reason!" She was trying to convince him as well as herself.
"You don't have a home? People who care about you?" Dylas asked tentatively.
"Get it through your thick skull I just told you not everyone has the same luxuries you do. Some people were meant to be alone . . . forever." Nixxie trailed off. 'She can't believe that? No one can live completely alone.' He felt bad for her. 'How long have I left her alone. We were so young then . . . when did we part ways?'
"I've said it before and I'll say it again I don't want your pity!"
"Stop yelling at me!" And as Dylas rose his voice the group traveling in front of them turned around. 'What is up with this girl? Why is she so angry?' Forte could see the spite in Nixxie's tired eyes. 'I still don't know about this.' "What are you looking at?" Dylas stomped off pushing past the group. 'Everytime I try talking to her she tries to bite my god damn head off.' As he walked some of his rage tapered off. 'She's not used to people. That's why she's so bitchy.'
"We're here!" The oblivious Amber squealed with delight. They stood in front of the massive stone entrance to Selphia. Nixxie gulped heavily. Flashbacks riddled her mind.
"I don't know if I can do this." She muttered to herself. She needed Dylas to hold her hand, to ease her in. 'But I've pushed him away.' She looked up at the smiling faces of these basic strangers. 'They seem so welcoming. Maybe things have changed over the years.' Each step felt like it was draining her energy bit by bit. She looked over at Dylas, who still seemed angry but he gave her a casual reassuring nod. The last few strides she closed her eyes.
"See the ground didn't open up and swallow you whole." Dylas one eye she inspected the landscape. 'Everything looks the same.' She took a breath. 'Smells the same.' She opened her other eye. 'But something is different.'
"Amber Dylas you're back!" A man squealed as his portly body swayed, he was skipping towards them. "I was so beside myself I had begun to drown my sorrows in food. One sorrowful bite after the next!" The man appeared to be salivating.
"Started?" Dylas rose a questioning eyebrow. "Well I'm sorry for worrying you Porcelaine" Dylas shrugged. "Do you know if Jone's is in his office?"
"Oh my I believe your in luck. He and his beautiful wife just finished their lunch break. Their plates were clean in what seemed like no time!" Porcelain doted innocently. 'Probably because you ate the food before it reached the table. It was hard enough getting the food out of the kitchen when I was here to serve.' A sweat drop slipped down Dylas' forehead. "You look disastrous! run there as soon as you can!"
"Yeah." Dylas smiled, he had missed Porcilin.
"Oh . . . and if you find crumbs on your bed . . . I can't imagine how they got there." He waved the boy on. 'His bed? Dylas lives with this chef?' Nixxie was surprised.
"Come on. I'd say he doesn't bite but that'd be a lie." Dylas tugged on Nixxie's arm, still a tone of anger at her in his voice.
"Look Dylas I'm-" She stopped cold, when she heard an unearthly growl. A familiar bellow. 'Venuswill!' All blood ran from her face, she lost consciousness out of sheer fear.
"Nixxie!" Dylas caught her as she collapsed, he held her close to his chest. 'I won't let anything happen to you.' He shook her trying to bring some life to her face.
"Move aside, Move aside!" Volkanon elbowed his way through the ever growing crowd surrounding him. "Attention Dylas your presence is required at . . .WHAAAAAT?" He noticed the fallen girl. "Here i will carry her to"
"Don't touch her!" Dylas snapped.
"D . . .D . . . Dylas?" Nixxie called out weakly.
"Don't worry I've got you."
"Don't let her take me please!" She started to stir but Dylas lifted her cradling her in his arms.
"I won't let anyone take you." His knees shook, his whole body burned as he carried her to the doctor's office. 'You're safe.' With a swift shoulder to the door he entered the building. "Jones!" He placed Nixxie on the bed. "Help her! I'll work nine days a week to pay you back. Just please-" He panted.
"Sit, sit you're going to over exert yourself." Jones directed Dylas to a chair.
"Don't worry Dylas she's in good hands." Nancy put a wet rag to his forehead to cool him down. "Take off your shirt." She started to lift it for him.
"What?" He bobbed and weaved his head trying to keep an eye on Nixxie.
"Please calm down I need to treat your wounds." She took out a bottle of some mystery liquid and dabbed it on his scared over gashes.
"Damnit!" He winced, the contact stung, then began to numb his skin. Time passed stitches were sewn and Nixxie turned from a limp body to a resting woman. 'She's snoring.' Dylas chuckled moving his chair over to her side. He took her hand in his and rubbed the back of her palm. As the sun set and the moon rose his eyelids grew heavy, eventually he fell asleep sitting up. After more time passed Nixxie woke up once she had a vague idea where she was she noticed her hand was clammy, it was still clutched by Dylas. 'He's cute when he sleeps.' She smiled. Sitting up she brushed his unruly hair back into place. She looked over Dylas' bandaged body, only bits of his slender frame were showing from beneath the gauze. Maybe subconsciously feeling that he was being stared at Dylas woke up with a jolt. "Nixxie!" He exclaimed, happy to see her awake. He snatched his hand back, blushing heavily.
"How are you feeling?" Nixxie questioned.
"Like shit." Dylas laughed. "How about you?"
"Better I guess."
"I'm glad to see you're both awake. I wish I could let you rest longer but I have strict orders to bring you two the Venuswill's chamber immediately." Volkanon had silently been standing in the doorway for awhile now. Nixxie this time wasn't overcome by fear but by anger. 'Still thinks of no one but herself.'
"She can't be serious? Right now?" Dylas wasn't even confident that Nixxie was ready to stand.
"It must be of the greatest importance. And our lady Venuswill has everyone's best interests at heart."
"Bullshit." Nixxie spat.
"Watch your mouth young lady!"
"Whatever." Nixxie pulled off her covers and shakily stood, dressed in what could be deduced to be Nancy's old nightgown. "Lets get this over with." She turned to Dylas who was still in a daze. The three of them walked silently through the night to the castle doors.
"Are you going to be alright?" Dylas whispered to Nixxie.
"No." She shook her head knowingly. "But better now than never." She shrugged. Opening the large doors Venuswill came into full view her feathered body taking up much of the room.
"So it really is you!" Veuswill couldn't hide the mild surprise in her royal tone. "Well lets cut to the chase. You need to gather your things and leave." The demand seemed to come out effortlessly.
"What?" Dylas' ears perked, he couldn't have heard her right.
"Figured." Nixxe replied unfazed. "It was nice seeing you again Dylas. Sorry I couldn't help with your memory maybe the great and mighty lizard can do something about that." She kissed Dylas on the cheek and began to crookedly walk away.
"Venuswill you can't cast her out like that! Nixxie will be a sitting duck out there and you're fine with her getting killed? The forest alone is crawling with Orcs" Dylas stated bluntly.
"Are you questioning my judgement?"
"Damn right I am! What is going on? What happened between you two? " Dylas wanted answers.
"It's not what happened so much as what she fears will happen." Nixxie scoffed. "No skin off my teeth. I didn't want to stay here anyway." She resumed her walk. 'I'll come and visit Dylas. I wonder do you still go to the old fishing spot?'
"Fears? I fear nothing!" Venuswill could not fathom Nixxie's disrespect.
"Keep telling yourself that. What's one more lie right?" Nixxie had reached the door. "I'm not a child anymore. You can't intimidate me like you used to. You think you're above judgement? You're wrong. You'll all get what's coming for you. That's what helps me sleep at night. I may be alone, i may have lost everything that was ever important to me. But I have accepted that. Will you be able to do the same when your house of cards fall and it's you that's all alone?"
"Venuswill I know Nixxie seems like a mouthy idiot but please reconsider!" Dylas tried to defuse the escalation situation.
"I must side with Dylas. it would be cruel to send this woman out into wild before she's healed up one hundred percent." Jones entered the room.
"This is not your decision to make!" Venuswill tried to establish order. But she knew this problem could not be swept under the rug. "Dylas, Jones. Leave us alone. Perhaps we can come to an agreement."
"I have no desire to make a deal with a devil." Nixxie would not bow down to the dragon's whims.
"If not for yourself. Think of Dylas. Has he not stuck his neck far enough out for you?"
"Fine whatever." Nixxie shrugged. "Thanks for that I guess." She gave Dylas a quick smile, but it withered away when she turned back to Venuswill.
"Now Dylas, Jones you are dismissed" Venuswill demanded. Jones nodded and left but Dylas lingered. "Did you not here me?"
"I can't go" Dylas flatly responded. ' I promised Nixxie nothing bad would happen to her here and Venuswill looks like she's about to open wide and swallow Nixxie whole.'
"Dylas it'll be alright." Nixxie again allowed herself to smile. "We'll just be a few minutes promise."
"But-"
"As much as I hate to say it the dumb Lizard is right." Nixxie could hear the gnawing of Venuswill's teeth. "You've done a lot for me in these last few days. Put your life in danger for me. If this is so important to you, I'd be selfish to drag my feet like a child. Just wait outside for me ok? Maybe before I leave we can go fishing?"
"I'll wait Nixxie. I'll be right outside the castle I promise. If you need me just yell ok?"
"What kind of brute do you take me for?" Venuswill was insulted.
"Don't ask questions you don't want answers to." Nixxie scoffed. Dylas with a sense of unease left the two to talk. 'Why do they hate each other so much? I've never seen Venuswill so hostile. Nixxie seems equally pissed.' As he continued to ponder he sat against the wall of the castle. Once they were both sure Dylas was out of earshot they began their conversation if you could call it that.
"Of all the people to find out in the woods they happen to find you." Venuswill sighed.
"I wasn't stalking around looking for them if that's what you're implying."
"I'm not attacking you."
"Yet." Nixxe didn't want to hear anything the dragon had to say. "I don't want to stay here as much as you despise my sheer presence so can we skip to the dramatics, stage a fight and get over with it? All I ask is that you let me stay and fish with Dylas for a while, and give me a chance to say goodbye to Amber. Or is that too much to ask?"
"If you resent me so much why haven't you told him?"
"Told him what?" Nixxie cocked her head to the side waiting for a response she knew wouldn't come. "I figured you were still too much of a coward to admit to what you've done" She scoffed.
"So why then?"
"Why not tell him he was ostracized for having superior power? That he was elected for sacrifice? That he was locked in a flimsy shack for years as a shrine was built to 'house' him, monsters wrangled to 'protect him.'? Tell him that his fellow townspeople and the one soul in this city he cared for most did not lift a single finger waste a single breath to save him? That you took his life from him so that you could extend your own? That he was nothing more than a tool for you? He felt so discarded you filthy animal!"
"Enough!" If Venuswill could rightfully cry tears would be brimming at the side of her eyes.
"Truth hurts! I should tell him! I should let him know what a selfish beast you are! But what would that do for him? It would just bring him pain. He's come so far since I last saw him. He has friends. He smiles. He had forgotten how to do those things by the time we parted. If I told him all those horrible things he'd go back to the jaded angry person I knew. So maybe it's better that all he's forgotten now is his past, even if that includes me. If I told him it'd bring me down to your level and I won't have that." Nixxie finished her winded soliloquy. And she did what Venuswill would not or could not do, she let tears fall.
"Down to my level?"
"I'd be using what Dylas has; not his guardian powers but his happiness, for my own personal gain. I'd rather be sad and lonely forever then take one single day of acceptance and comfort from Dylas. Our bond doesn't need to muddy what he has going for him now. I unlike you truly am a friend and I think of him before myself." Nixxie thought she'd enjoy seeing Venuswill squirm but even though she was hitting every nerve, the anger didn't go away, the sadness and hurt still lingered on.
"That is a lie." Venuswill did not shout but sighed.
"How dare you! I care for Dylas more than you'll ever-"
"Then why are you deserting him again?"
"What?"
"You are so eager to leave. And as I recall you were nowhere to be seen the day Dylas became a guardian." Venuswill, as much as Nixxie hated it was telling the truth.
"He . . . he had said . . . more or less . . . that he no longer wanted my company." Nixxie shrugged, trying not to show the blow she was just dealt. It felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. ' He had said that I had overstayed my welcome. That I was only an annoying bother, that he would have told me sooner but he was afraid of hurting my feelings. He said . . . he didn't want me either. That I was a idiot for thinking anyone could care about me like that. He laughed . . . he laughed when I said I loved him. That I should come up with a better joke next time.' Her face was red the tears burning as they flowed streamline down her cheeks. 'Dylas doesn't remember that. We were just kids. He wouldn't be that cruel now. I won't hold it against him.'
"Are you afraid to let him know that? Maybe you feel that he won't cast you aside a second-"
"Don't you flip this on me! I'm guilty for not saving him and nothing else. Yes I let the hurt I felt from him blind me of the bigger picture, but I was young, stupid, and I hadn't seen the rejection of my only friend coming. What was your excuse?!"
"I have none." Venuswill looked away ashamed. "And even though Dylas' memory is wiped clean I can't undo what my misjudgments did to him. All I can do is try to make amends." Venuswill paused wondering if she was making the right decision. "Maybe now is the time both of us can be there for Dylas. You said you wanted him to be happy right?"
"Yeah." Nixxie feverishly rubbed away the last of her tears. "You don't have to worry. I wont be slandering your name for the fun of it. Like I said all I want is a little time to say goodbye."
"How about a trial period?" Venuswill stated with wavering confidence.
"Huh?"
"You say you know Dylas better than anyone else correct?"
"I do." Nixxie nodded not understanding where this was going.
"Then you know once you leave all he'll do is sulk and swear for weeks maybe months. He'll go looking for you. You know that don't you?"
"Why would he do that. Like I said I'm not spilling the beans. It's like our friendship never happened. He'll get over it." Nixxie frowned looking at the floor. 'Regardless she's right that horse headed idiot will be a miserable bastard at best. It doesn't take much to get him riled.'
"Perhaps you're still caught in the past. The Dylas I saw today was defending you till the ends of the earth. You heard him, he want's you to stay. Just because he doesn't remember the bond you had doesn't mean a new one isn't forming under your nose." Venuswill could see just the smallest crack chip into the thick walls Nixxie had build around herself. "That's why . . . I'd like to extend my blessing for you to stay, till you heal up perhaps longer if you can behave yourself."
"Stay?" Nixxie hadn't considered those words in years. She hadn't staid anywhere for more than a week's time, much less to form a bond.
"Yes." Venuswill nodded. Again Nixxie felt slightly claustrophobic.
"I'm not really a stay . . .er" Nixxie bit her lip mulling over the offer.
"Well I surely won't force you." Venuswill stated in a tone that expressed how the two were still not on good terms.
"I'll try . . . for Dylas." Nixxie gulped, she was scared.
"But I will have to deny your earlier request." Venuswill stated with authority.
"Huh?"
"You are not permitted to go fishing at this time."
"Why the hell not?" Nixxie snapped.
"You and Dylas still need rest and medical attention I will not have people in my city fainting left and right, over exerting themselves. I order you to go back to the medical center!" Venuswill waited to see what would happen next.
"This is a test isn't it? To see if I can follow your rules."
"It's an order!" 'She's a smart girl that one. Not much gets by her.' Nixxie didn't respond just stormed out the door. 'A test what am I a child? Living my life by some one else's rules, makes my skin crawl.' "Volkanon!" Venuswill beckoned with a roar.
"My lady?" Her trusty butler quickly ran to her side.
"I've given that visitor an order not to travel to the lake today and instead head straight to the doctor's office. Would you follow her and see if she obeyed?"
"Yes my lady" And Volkanon was out the door leaving nothing but footprints behind, he did his best to hide as Nixxie left the building.
"Oh Nixxie you're back!" Amber shouted with glee, she had seen Dylas pacing and had waited for her return. The sun had risen within the time Nixxie had been inside "I wanted to give you something."
"What's that?" Nixxie returned Amber's infectious smile.
"This!" Amber ran up and hugged her tight.
"Wow. thanks that's just what I needed."
"Well bye now I have twirling to do" Amber ran off singing and spinning.
"You've been crying." Dylas stated flatly once Amber had moved aside. He was holding two fishing poles. 'Oh dear!' Volkanon exclaimed in his mind.
"You know girls." Nixxie sniffled and again tried to wipe away any clues that there had been tears. "Cry at the drop of a hat." She laughed awkwardly.
"So? How'd it go?" Dylas had waited so impatiently he had begun to worry.
"Just as I expected . . . shitty." She shrugged. 'What a foul mouth on that girl!' Volkanon inched closer.
"Oh" Dylas couldn't hide his disappointment. "I don't know why she won't let you stay. It's not fair!" Dylas felt an anger brewing.
"Don't work yourself into a frenzy. What happened was-"
"I'm not just going to let this happen, I need to give her a piece of my mind." Dylas growled. 'I won't let Nixxie get treated like trash! She deserves better than that!' The compulsion to defend her was refueled inside of him. He went to go inside but Nixxie grabbed his shoulder.
"Would you listen for a second idiot! We argued and-"
"If . . . if you leave Nixxie I'll just. Ugh I don't know."
"If it's the memories you're worried about. anything important will eventually come back to you. Everything else is garbage not worth remembering ok? Maybe you forgot for a reason. Now can we sit down and talk like adults?"
"Do you think that's the only reason I don't want you to go?" Dylas turned around a passionate look on his face she had not seen before.
"Well you sure as hell talked about it a lot I figured that probably I reminded you that there was something before here and it's natural to want to know and . . ." Nixxie trailed off not sure what else to say.
"You're an idiot." Dylas scowled.
"Who you calling an idiot" Nixxie gave Dylas a shove.
"The person who thinks I'm using them for a human memory bank. You really didn't think there was anything . . . I mean you're just going to run out? You want to leave that bad? I er . . . never mind. Lets just go fishing I asked Margaret to go grab them for us" Dylas held out the two poles. "You chose" 'Here we are!' Volkanon leaned ever further.
"I . . . I can't. . . . go fishing" Nixxie stated cautiously, knowing what was going to happen next. ' I see I see.' Vokanon had not expected that.
"What do you mean you can't? Bullshit you just don't want to. Don't treat me like I'm a moron. Whatever she said in there to turn you against me is a lie."
"Turn me against you? Dylas just because I can't go fishing doesn't mean we're enemies for life."
"Before you were at least going to spend some time with me before you left. What changed? Did you talk about my past? Was I a bad person?" 'Nixxie always hinted that Venuswill knew more than she was telling me, maybe she told Nixxie something that even she forgot.' "Cause people change you know? Don't hold it against me what I did before. I want to fix it, I've already told you that dummy! I know I let you down . . . in a big way but I want to . . . you know make it up to you. I can't do that if you leave. See I don't want you around just for the memories alright? I want you around because I want you to be able to be happy again and I kind of thought . . . thought that I er . . .this would make you happy."
"Dylas . . . I have something for you" Nixxie just bum rushed him into a hug, squeezing him tight forgetting that he was far from healed.
"Damnit!" He cursed but as she tried to pull away he held her there.
"I think this might make me happy." She sighed as she looked up at him. "I'm still scared . . . and mad but-"
"But you're willing to try?" Dylas stared at her. 'That's all I need from you Nixxie. I'll convince Venuswill or at least Frey. . . and if I can't I'll hide you under my bed or something.'
"That's why I can't go fishing." Nixxie nodded.
"What?" The hug detached.
"If you had let me get a word in edgewise I could have told you sooner,the lizard said I could stay . . . as long as I am willing to follow the rules of the land. One of which being that the two of us can't go to the lake today we have to go back and rest in the doctor's office." Nixxie waited for Dylas' reaction. "This is the part where you get less angry and more happy. Isn't this what you wanted?" Nixxie was puzzled there was no smile on Dylas' face. 'I swear if this idiot was just saying all that for show banking on the fact I would leave I'll kill him. Straight up kill him. Is there a rule about that?' "Say something dumbass!" She punched him in the arm.
"I'm happy." Dylas nodded unenthusiastically, he let out a deep exacerbated sigh.
"The hell just happened? You spend the last half an hour begging me to stay I say yes and you're practically yawning?"
"Hey! I didn't beg!" 'It's weird Nixxie once I knew you were staying, that feeling went away that blood boiling feeling overwhelming feeling. I am happy Nixxie.' His need to protect her calmed, and he felt drained, yet content. He tried out his new smile he had been practicing, hoping that would convey how he felt. 'That is . . . terrifying.' Nixxie bit her lip to keep from laughing. She looked at the ground and noticed there was dirt scattered around Dylas' one foot. She looked up, and saw a trail of dirt leading to his pant pocket.
"You even caught worms for bait." She smiled forgetting Dylas' seemingly piss poor reaction. 'He turns on and off like a light switch. That hasn't changed.' "I'm sorry Dylas that you went through all this trouble. Tomorrow I promise! 10 A.M sharp we'll go fishing!" She tried to convince him that his actions would be rewarded.
"It . . . it isn't worms." Dylas muttered.
"Huh?"
"I don't remember what your favorite food is . . . and I wanted to pay you back for that sashimi you made. I was sitting here waiting and I saw . . .er it just seemed to suit you." Dylas pulled out from his pocket a flower, a Charm Blue roots and all. Nixxie laughed brushed off the dirt and placed the stem behind her ear.
"How's it look?"
"You look like an idiot." They both laughed.
"WAAAAAH!" Volkanon popped from his hiding spot.
"AHHHHHH!" Nixxie gasped ducking behind Dylas.
"Volkanon?! How long have you been there?"
"Long enough! Dylas you have defaced royal property!"
"It was just a stupid-"
"But it was in the name of young love so I shall cast that travesty aside."
"Young love?" Dylas and Nixxie mimicked flatly. "Gross" Again they said in tandem.
"Deny that courting ritual all you'd like I know young love wen I see it. I was young once and my heart was captured by many a beautiful lady. Would you like to hear a tale of my romance."
"No." Dylas flat out responded as he took Nixxies hand and began to distance himself from the emotional butler. " Just walk away slowly." He whispered to Nixxie.
"Sorry we can't stay. Doctor's office . . . Lizard's orders!" She waved nervously.
"Of course. I will tell you of my trials and tribulations in love when you are fully rested."
"Yup" Nixxie nodded. "I don't want to hear those stories. Promise we won't here those stories!" Nixxie questioned Dylas sweat forming on her brow.
"10 A.M we go fishing. Don't ask me about anything past that." He opened the door to the doctor's office and plopped down on the bed a wide smile on his face.