Aya awoke to yet another face filling her vision, one with narrowed black irises and pale skin. She skittered back, claws clacking on the floorboards, in utter panic now. She thrashed and roared, her breathing short and there was a fuzzy edge to her vision, everything was too tight, why was she a dragon? Why was this a surprise?
Had she been something else before?
She was lost, memories flicking past her mind's eye of bright colors regally marching across a bridge, a man with many arms, a pencil scratching words onto a test sheet, holding hands with a boy…
She whined, mind awhirl as Haku attempted to hush her, calm her, finally sharply saying, "Quiet your incessant whimpering!"
She shrank back from him, another memory tickling in the back of her head…but fading before she could chase it, shaking in her shock and confusion. He softened and sighed, shaking his head, addressing Granny's thoughtful gaze, "I suppose she doesn't remember a thing."
Granny nodded mutely, stroking her chin as she studied the creature now curled into a ball with eyes shut tightly and claws drawn to her chest. Much like a fetal position, which many creatures practiced. But the way the dragon had reacted suggested she wasn't used to this form, perhaps…perhaps she was human originally. Granny knew the legend well though, no human could become dragon without having…met…one. What human had met one in recent years?
Her eyes widened and she grabbed Haku's arm, whispering heatedly, "But I do. You know the legends almost as well as I, I believe she may be—"
"I know," he answered quietly back, "I would know those eyes anywhere, especially full of fear."
"Then you know what she must do," Granny said gravely, fingers tightening around his arm in a warning.
"Of course I do," he snapped, and she yanked her hand away from him, busying her hands with the spinning left to be done to the pleasure of No Face.
Haku glanced at Aya, concern briefly entering his cold gaze. Some habits did not fade over time. He murmured softly, where she could not hear him, "Please Aya, remember me…if you are meant to be here, I don't think I can bear you forgetting me again."
Morning came with beautiful light streaming from the many windows in the house, bringing with it Aya's awakening, her head lifting from the hard wood. She cast her eyes about and found Granny asleep in a chair by the fire, obviously watching over her through the night. She felt guilty for treating her the way she had, determining to make up for it somehow.
What if she made breakfast? Mother loved that! Mother? Who was mother and why did she know she liked breakfast to be made for her?!
Nevermind that. Aya carefully tested her motor skills, wincing slightly at her aching sinews from being so curled up last night. She stretched as best she could, quieting her claws as much as possible as she went to the table. She stared at the knife there for a few moments then attempted to take it in her teeth, but it kept slipping out. She snorted and hesitated before trying again, this time with her claws, and for some reason she was much better at this, sitting on her haunches with her tail curled over her lap as she carefully sliced some cheese and bread, as well as some bacon. The bacon would be a bit more difficult though.
She looked around and noticed the pan next to the fire and went over to grab it, slapping the bacon in it, only to pause. The fire had died to only a few embers still flickering. Then, as if she had always been able to do so, she knew just what to do to purse her lips, and send a few heated sparks into the dying fire, and it flared back to life to her delight. She held the pan over the fire and the meat sizzled, though the smell both made her hungry as well as squeamish, deciding to simply leave Granny to eat it. She would stick with the cheese and bread thank you.
Just as she was finishing putting everything on plates, she heard a yawn and met stares with the sleepy eyes of Granny. She rumbled happily and took the plate in her claws, waddling on her haunches a lttle awkwardly to her seated hostess. Granny blinked and yawned again, surprise finally registering in her as she noticed the meal. "You made this?" she asked incredulously.
Aya nodded and pushed the plate into her hands, Granny simply shrugging and eating what she had been given. Her expression changed from hesitation to pride as she finished, smiling at the dragon whose tail slapped the ground impatiently, nervous as she waited for a reply, "Well done. The bacon's a little on the burnt side and the cheese a little thick in slices, but…very good for being what you are Aya."
This time Aya slapped her tail twice in happiness pressing her nose to Granny's chest, receiving a laugh and a scratch between the ears for her trouble.
Perhaps this wasn't going to be too horrible.
"I'm afraid you can't stay here much longer though child," Granny sighed softly. What?! But she was just getting the hang of things! "Haku is waiting for you outside. He will show you the way."