Chance
Chapter Three
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
-Albert Einstein
Mai never dreamed that she would be looking at dragons in Southeastern Central Europe, especially when Naru was on the same continent. She never thought she'd have a boss who was so laid back, he would beg her to take a vacation. Especially one with him.
"Where are we right now?" Mai asked peering at the sky as if it could tell her.
"Bucharest," Charlie said, coming out to stand beside her. "It's the country's capital. Though, if you wanna see any dragons, we have to head up to a town by the Carpathian Mountains. They're kept near Mount Moldoveanu." Mai smiled.
"I meant continent wise," she said. "I know Romania is in Europe, but where?"
"It's above Bulgaria," George said, walking out of the house. "Remeber when I showed you that map." Mai nodded. They'd been talking about wizarding schools when George decided to point out the three European schools that took part in the Triwizard Tournament (though he still had to guess with Durmstrang).
"Near Greece, right?"
"Correct, Miss Taniyama." he said seriously. "Ten points to Gryffindor!" Charlie laughed while Mai was left in the dark.
"So, when do we get to see the dragons?" Mai asked, feeling a bit excited.
"We'll head to Suceava after lunch. It's not too far from the reservation, and we have an office located there." Charlie said, going back inside.
"Where're you going?" George asked, watching his older brother stumble back in to bed.
"I'm going to sleep," he yawned. "G'night." He was out a minute later, snoring louder than the prankster.
"Shall we go sightseeing? George asked, grinning.
Mai and George walked alongside Charlie in the cool mountains. Sightseeing in town had been uneventful, but pleasant all the same. Mai had heard phrases spoken in English, French, and German from all the kind people they met. The weather was nice, a bit cooler in the mountains, but nice all the same.
"Alright," Charlie said, picking up a rusted paint can. "Grab on." Both Mai and George grimaced, touching the can. Charlie looked at his watch. "And, one, two, three, here we go!" The last part was shouted as a tug yanked them into a void and the next thing they knew, they were tumbling down into a grassy meadow. Charlie looked down at them, amusement dancing in his blue eyes.
"I thought were going to see dragons," George said, slightly irritated. "I don't feel like rolling in the flowers right now, thank you very much." Charlie grinned and pointed behind them. The younger red head and the brunette exchanged a look before turning around. Their jaws dropped and they stared at the tiny creature sitting not a foot away.
The dragon was about four or five inches tall, with short knobby wings. Blue skin was streatched around it's head, silver talons and horns protruding from its feet and back. A tail connected with its bottom, curling around to rest on its feet, a silver tuft of hair hanging from it like curtain tassels.
"That there is a Pictic Land Flyer." Charlie said, holding out a hand to it. "They're about the kind of tame dragon you'll ever find. Puph here is fully grown."
"He's adorable," Mai smiled, mimicking Charlie's actions. Puph cooed and nuzzled against her hand, dragging a warm and soft tounge over her thumb.
"He likes you," Chalie said, watching them. "They can't fly, not with the way their wings are formed. They're built for speed and running. That's why they're called Land Fliers. Those wings help cut through the wind resistance."
"How fast do they go?" George asked, watching the little dragon crawl into his lap.
"Mmmn, about 90 miles per hour," he rubbed the back of his neck. That's twenty more than a cheetah can run."
"Wow," Mai murmered, stroking the blue creature's head.
"I think he'll be perfect for our reasearch." George said, grinning.
The following week Mai and George made sufficient progress with their work. George studied the little guy's habits while Mai got to know his personality.
Puph was very energetic, like a small child, and very clingy. Every day, George and Mai would arrive with Charlie, and the dragon would happily tackle the one-eared man. He had tackled Mai once, but he dislocated her wrist. After she got it fixed, Puph wailed pitifully, upset that he hurt his new friend. But that didn't mean George was as breakable as Mai. After all, he was a Beater.
Puph also loved food, meat and chocolate to be percise. While the chocolate wasn't particulary healthy for him, the Weasley brother and Mai fed it to him sparingly. However, Puph would not be denyed, whether he got his way by begging like a dog or demanding it like an angry tiger.
Most of all, Puph loved people in general.
Being born a dragon had its downs, but the speed, strength, and natural curiosity that came with it was more than enough to keep him satisfied. Had Puph been a human, he would have been extrememely social. He took to Mai and George, who were obviously easy to get along with and usually found amoungst people.
However, the little dragon wasn't willing to let them go.
"Puph! Give it back!" George shouted, chasing after the little dragon. Puph coughed, his version of a laugh, and ran away as George tried to get his notebook back from him.
"Please, Puph!" Mai cried, also chasing after him. "We're going to miss our Portkey! If we don't get back soon, I'll miss the first day of school!"
Puph merely continued on his run, determined not to let his new friends leave.
Charlie sighed, picking up the little dragon as he ran by, making Puph squeal with rage.
"They've got to go," he sighed, tossing George's notebook to him. "You can't keep them from going." Puph cooed miserably, looking at Mai and George pitifully.
"Don't be like that," Mai said, picking the dragon up like a baby, being careful not to damage his wings. "We'll miss you." She handed him back to Charlie, waving sadly as she grabbed onto the Portkey designated to take them back to Japan. As George made the countdown, Puph's eyes hardened.
The little dragon twisted out of Charlie's arms and hit the ground with a thud. Picking himself up before he could be captured again, Puph let out a burst of the speed Charlie had told them about, jumping onto George right before they disappeared.
"Damn it," Charlie cursed. "This'll mean I'll have to fill out a bunch of paperwork."
George, Mai, and Puph hit the floor of Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes, getting tangled in a pile of arms, legs, and tails.
"Puph!" Mai cried, spotting the silver and blue dragon sitting in front of her face, wagging its tail like a dog would.
"Would you both mind," George began, twitching slightly. "I dunno, getting off of me!" Mai looked down and, seeing that she was laying on top of him, quickly scrambled off, picking Puph up off of his head as she went.
"Sorry,"
"It's fine," he sighed, sitting up. "You should probably go do what you need to before everything closes."
"What about Puph?" she asked, looking at the little dragon.
"I'll watch him. While you're gone, I'll write Charlie a letter." Mai nodded and handed off the little reptile, who happily licked George's freckly face. The younger brunette giggled and walked out of the shop, making her way through the streets. On her way to the train station, she stopped in front of a familiar building.
When she was sixteen, she had accidently broken a very expensive camera, prompting the owner to make her pay it off with work. After watching a case of paranormal activity being solved, Mai took up a job with Shibuya Physic Reasearch, or SPR for short. There she worked with an Austrailian exorcist, a doll-like medium, a silent onmyoji, a guitar playing monk, a vain shrine maiden, a cheerful college student, and her young boss, Shibuya Kazuya, who was really the famous Doctor Oliver Davis. Davis, nicknamed Naru by Mai, had come to Japan in search of his dead twin, Gene. After finding him with Mai's help, he returned to England, but not before Mai could confess her love to him. However, Naru told Mai she was in love with Gene, not him, breaking her heart.
Speaking of Naru. . .
"Naru!" Mai squeaked, locking eyes with the black haired boy. Shock registered in his blue eyes before fading to indifference.
"Mai," he said, nodding stiffly.
"What are you doing in Japan?" she asked, wary of him.
"Shibuya Physic Reasearch is back in buisness," he said, watching her carefully. "I'm here permanently."
A/N: Puph is pronounced Puff. Puff the magic dragon~ Heh, geddit? Naru's back!
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