Claire and Vivian ducked under an umbrella as Zara began to cry again. She had been bawling her eyes out almost constantly since Michael dumped her, even when she was asleep. Claire was surprised that she hadn't lost half of her body weight in tears by now. She was practically soaking the grass around her.
"I- I always knew he secretly hated me!" Zara gasped between sobs, "I'm- I'm big and ugly and- COVERED IN BLUBBER!"
Her beak parted in a miserable wail, and a fresh shower of salty water splashed Claire's face. Vivian shook herself off and held Zara's wing.
"Don't be upset, Zara. I'm sure he just wanted to get back to Milwaukee. Long-distance relationships are hard."
Zara sniffled.
"You're just saying that to make me feel better! He didn't love me from the start! Nobody could love someone as hideous as me!"
Claire bit her beak.
"Zara, that's not true. You still have your friends. We love you."
Zara screeched.
"IT'S NOT THE SAME!" she yowled, "No one will ever love me because I'm ugly and I can't have sex!"
Claire shrugged.
"Well, I dunno, Zara. I'm sure you could find a way."
Vivian gave her a funny look.
"Don't lie to her, Claire. Dinosaurs can't have sex with people."
Claire rumbled awkwardly.
"Um, you know I have a kid, right?"
Vivian's eyes went wide.
"Oh my god. I thought it was just magic or something. Ewww . . ."
Zara hiccupped.
"See? People don't want to have sex with dinosaurs, because it's gross!"
Claire frowned.
"Well, technically, you're not a dinosaur."
Zara screamed and buried her face in her wings. Vivian tried to pat her in a comforting way.
"Don't cry, Zara. You're not the only one who can't do the fun stuff. Honestly, I'm surprised Brad has stayed with me for so long . . ."
Zara wiped her nose.
"It's not about the sex, Vivian. I'm saying that nobody is attracted to me, physically or otherwise. I'm a monster!"
Claire shook her head.
"You're not a monster, Zara."
"I am!" she wailed, "Look at me! I'm the ugliest thing to ever walk the earth!"
"Technically, you don't walk," Claire mumbled, "It's more of a scooty-slidey kind of thing."
Zara frowned bitterly.
"You're not helping, Claire. Just leave me alone. Go have weird dinosaur sex or something."
Claire pulled her head back in offense. Before she could get really mad, she took a deep breath and shook out her plates.
"Zara, I know you're upset right now, and you don't mean what you're saying-"
"No, dinosaur sex is pretty weird," Vivian muttered breezily.
Claire shot her a look.
"-but you can't let this break you. Michael is just one man. There are plenty of fish in the sea . . . or reptiles, for that matter."
Zara whimpered.
"But Michael was the only one who understood me. How am I going to find someone as charming as he is?"
Claire gave a confident nod.
"Zara, there's someone out there for you."
"But I want Michael!" she croaked, "When he was around, my heart was aglow and my dental hygiene was above average!"
Claire exhaled sadly.
"I don't know what to tell you. Michael just wasn't the one. Your soulmate is out there somewhere. You just have to find him."
Zara swallowed the lump in her throat.
"Nobody wants me."
Claire shook her head.
"No, that isn't true. Statistically speaking-"
"WOULD YOU SHUT UP ABOUT YOUR STUPID STATISTICS?!" Zara barked, "I'M UGLY, AND UGLY DOESN'T GET DATES! YOU'RE THE ONLY UGLY PERSON WHO'S EVER FOUND A MAN, AND IT'S ONLY BECAUSE OWEN IS TOO POLITE TO LEAVE YOU!"
Claire mooed angrily and turned away.
"You're just upset. You don't mean that. You're just upset. You don't mean that . . ."
Vivian stepped forward.
"Zara, would it help if we tried to bring Michael back?"
Claire stomped her foot.
"I have a better idea! I'm going to find her a new Michael. That is to say, I'm going to be a matchmaker for the day."
She thundered away nobly.
"Just wait and see, Zara!" she called over her shoulder, "I'm sure there's someone on this island for you!"
Zara watched her leave, then went back to crying. Vivian placed her front foot on her crest to comfort her, but she continued to breathe in hiccups.
"Oh, Vivian. What am I going to do? I've spent my whole life waiting for the perfect man, and now I won't even be able to date the people at the bottom of the barrel! I'm going to die alone, and it's all because of how I look."
Vivian tilted her head.
"You know, it doesn't have to be that way. Maybe someone will notice your radiant personality and forget the fact that you have a mouth full of jagged teeth."
Vivian knew that she wasn't too good with words, but something told her that Zara would have burst into tears regardless of what she said.
***TSJWFEW***
Claire marched through the jungle, taking care not to snag her stegoceratops-sized blazer on low-hanging branches. She had decided to take a shortcut on her way to the most populated quadrant of the island, which unfortunately meant that she had to find a way to fit her generous girth through narrow spaces. The forest was no place for large dinosaurs.
She was almost out of the woods when she came across a problem. There was a thick wall of foliage blocking her exit. Moving along the edge of the forest, she found two trees that were spaced reasonably far apart. By her calculations, the widest point of her body would fit through with a little wiggling.
Nodding in determination, Claire lifted her chin and stepped between the two trunks. She felt her sides being compressed slightly, slowing her down. With a heavy grunt, she plowed forward, only to feel her belly being squished rather uncomfortably. Obviously, she wasn't going to fit. Slightly embarrassed, she tried to back up. It was rather difficult. Growling in concentration, she dug her toes into the ground and pushed back.
After a few minutes of frantic wiggling, Claire realized that she was very much stuck.
***TSJWFEW***
Elkay yawned and turned her egg, hoping that the heat lamp would do most of the hard work for her. She didn't know why Ellie insisted upon treating the egg like a delicate object: dragon eggs could survive practically anything. Elkay was a little resentful towards her granddaughter, who knew nothing of Asterparan biology. She kept insisting that she was good at these things, just because she had six kids of her own. Speaking of which, the T-Rex was skipping into the hatchery. Elkay lifted one ear and frowned.
"Aren't you a little far from home, Tyler?"
He smiled sweetly.
"My mommy told me to visit you and make sure you're doing your job."
Elkay growled grumpily.
"You can tell your mother that I'm doing everything she told me, thank you very much, and she shouldn't stick her nose in other people's business. How's Zara, by the way?"
"Still upset."
Elkay exhaled sharply.
"What a drama queen. Somebody ought to knock some sense into her."
Tyler cocked his head.
"Do you want me to send her a message?"
Elkay snorted.
"Yeah, tell her that she needs to suck it up."
"Won't that be psychologically damaging?"
Elkay tightened her beak.
"Just do it, pipsqueak."
***TSJWFEW***
Vivian was on her way to find Zara when she suddenly burst from the lagoon and spun around in the sand like a performing seal. She flapped her wings merrily and gave a laugh that sounded drunk, crazy, or both. Vivian cocked her head in puzzlement.
"Are you feeling better, Zara?"
She gasped as Zara scooped her up and gave her a big hug.
"Oh, Vivian, I'm feeling wonderful! Someone loves me after all!"
Vivian blinked.
"Who?"
"I don't know!" Zara trilled cheerfully, "I was on my way back home when I found a bottle floating in the water. I assumed it was litter, but upon further examination, I noticed a message inside. Not knowing who it was for, I opened it, hoping to find a name. It was written for me, Vivian! Me!"
Zara handed her a note, which had very crude letters scribbled across it. Vivian raised her eyebrow as she read it out loud.
"Dear Zara, don't believe what anyone says. You are the most beautiful person I've ever seen. Your smile shines with the radiance of a thousand suns. You are gorgeous!"
Vivian lifted her head.
"Well, well, well. Someone has a secret admirer."
Zara grinned, displaying several pointy teeth.
"Isn't it wonderful? I wish I knew who wrote it . . ."
Vivian smiled.
"Well, maybe he'll write you another one."
Zara made a high-pitched sound.
"Oh, Vivian! I'm so happy, I could die! . . . Again . . ."
***TSJWFEW***
Claire froze when she heard footsteps coming down the road. She had been trying to un-wedge herself for over an hour. She wasn't exactly willing to accept help, so she would have to find a way to get rid of whoever was coming. She was embarrassed enough already, and she didn't need anyone knowing about her unfortunate incident. To her horror, she discovered that the man walking down the road was Owen. Quickly, she placed her foot under her chin and crossed her back feet casually. Owen slowed to a stop when he noticed her, frowning in confusion.
"Claire? . . ."
"Oh, hi, Owen!" Claire said brightly, "I didn't see you coming. Where's Lily?"
"Ellie's babysitting her," he said distractedly, "Um, Claire, what are you doing?"
Claire gulped.
"Oh, I just decided to rest here for a moment. That's all. I'm just resting. Between two trees."
Owen took a good look at her body, then nodded.
"Okay. Mind if I join you?"
Claire winced.
"Actually, I-"
"I'm kind of tired. I might have to rest, myself."
Owen moved to her hindquarters and leaned against her in a way that was not unlike a push. Claire grunted as he put pressure on her, failing to move an inch.
"Hm. That's interesting," Owen muttered.
"What?" Claire asked nervously.
"Oh, nothing. Hey, it's a little hot out here. It might be better if we remove your clothes."
Claire nodded.
"Alright. You can try."
Owen pulled off her blazer with great difficulty. Claire felt her bare scales come into contact with the bark. Unfortunately, she was still stuck.
"I'm going to rest again," Owen muttered as he went back to "not pushing" her.
***TSJWFEW***
Elkay lifted her head in alarm as a shrill scream pierced the air. Thinking something was wrong, she sprung to her feet and peered out the window. Zara flopped jovially across the meadow, holding a small paper in her foot-talons.
"He loves me! He loves me! He loves me!"
She rolled onto her back and started making happy reptile noises.
"BRAAAK! BRAAAK! BRAAAK!"
Elkay rolled her eyes and turned back to her egg. After a moment, she reached for a walkie-talkie. Pressing the button on the side, she pricked her ears in anticipation.
"Ellie?"
'Yeah?'
"Zara says someone loves her. I thought she'd be utterly broken by now, and yet she's spinning like a clever simile. Who's the mystery man?"
'Zara's admirer? You'll have to wait and see. Unless you've already guessed . . .'
"Is it Vivian?"
'No. Why would it be Vivian?'
"I thought she might be trying to make Zara feel better. Then she'd be discovered and learn a lesson about-"
'It's not Vivian.'
"Who is it, then?"
'Not telling.'
"Please?"
'Watch your egg.'
Elkay frowned and placed the walkie-talkie on a nearby table.
"Stupid, bossy Ellie. What do I need her for, anyway?"
'I heard that.'
Elkay frowned and turned off the radio.
***TSJWFEW***
Vivian sighed with exhaustion as Zara squealed happily and held the love-note against her chest. She was happy that Zara was feeling better, but she was still rather . . . annoying.
"Oh, Vivian, isn't it romantic? 'You have the voice of a siren and the elegant form of a dolphin. You are the epitome of beauty.'. He likes my voice! And he likes my body, too!"
Vivian snorted.
"Maybe he's a weirdo."
She gulped as Zara's lip began to quiver.
"I didn't mean it in a bad way," Vivian elaborated, "It's just, what do we really know about this guy? He could be a creep or a pervert or a flasher-"
"But he loves me!" Zara insisted, "He loves me for who I am!"
"How do you know? You've never even met him!"
Zara gasped excitedly.
"What if I have? What if he's been under my nose-beak the whole time?"
Vivian shook her head.
"Zara, this is what love is to kindergarteners. You can't believe everything someone writes on a scrap of paper, especially if their handwriting is that atrocious."
Zara whimpered.
"But it's all I have."
"Well, that's a bad sign right there. If all you know about him is-"
"It's all I have. This is proof that someone out there is capable of loving me."
Vivian lowered her head guiltily.
"Zara, don't get your hopes up. If this turns out to be a prank-"
She broke off when she saw that Zara's eyes were brimming with tears.
"I have to believe, Vivian. Without hope, I have no reason to . . . I mean . . ."
Vivian forced a smile.
"You know what? It's probably real. Nobody would put that much effort into a practical joke."
Zara beamed.
"Gosh, I wish I could meet him. Do you think we'd be able to find him?"
Vivian nodded.
"Sure. Wait here. I'll go ask around and see if anyone knows something about your secret admirer."
Vivian trotted away with a solemn expression. She didn't believe that the note was legitimate, but she was going to find out who was responsible, nonetheless.
***TSJWFEW***
Claire lowed uncomfortably as she tried once again to get herself out from between the two trees. She stretched as far as she could, sucking in her gut, but it was no use. As much as she hated to let her situation get her down, she felt like crying. She bit her beak and held back her tears of frustration when she saw Owen returning with a large bottle.
"I've been meaning to give you this for a while," Owen called out as he jogged up to her, "It's hand cream. Very nice stuff. The dragons say it will make your scales feel softer."
He squirted the gel into his hands and started rubbing it along Claire's sides. Coincidentally, he happened to be slathering the cream where the trees met her body. When she was sufficiently moist, Owen wiped his hands on his pants and grabbed her horns.
"I'm just going to do some exercises for my back. Sound good?"
Claire nodded. Owen leaned backwards and pulled on her horns with all of his might. His heels made lines in the dirt as he tried to yank her forward. Finally, he collapsed, panting heavily.
"Okay, I guess that exercise was mostly pointless."
Claire mooed uncomfortably.
"Owen, if you want, you can go . . ."
Owen snapped his fingers.
"You know what? I just remembered something. The dragons said that butter would also help with your scales. Do you want me to go get some?"
Claire nodded.
"Alright. I'll be back in a minute."
***TSJWFEW***
Vivian asked a large number of people if they knew who Zara's secret admirer was, but received no straight answer. The closest she came to discovering the truth was when Elkay told her that Ellie knew, but it was unlikely that she'd tell anyone. Vivian decided to try asking her anyway. When she crossed the bridge that led over the lagoon, however, she stumbled upon the truth by accident. There, perched over the water, dropping a bottle into the lake, was-
"VIC HOSKINS?!"
***TSJWFEW***
Vic sat nervously in front of Vivian and Elkay with a towel draped over his shoulders. He had fallen into the water when Vivian startled him, but that was the least of his worries. He had been caught sending a note to Zara, which meant that things were about to get messy for the both of them.
"Why on Earth would you send Zara love letters?" Vivian barked, "Don't you know that she's in a state of mental anguish?"
Vic laced his toes together nervously. His legs weren't long enough to reach the ground, so he was in a very uncomfortable position.
"I didn't mean any harm . . ."
Vivian slammed her front foot on the table.
"What were you thinking?!"
Vic sniffed and looked away.
"Oh, I don't know. She seemed so upset, and I overheard you two talking about how she thinks no one likes her . . . I guess I just wanted to show her that she had nothing to worry about."
Vivian growled.
"So, you lied to her? Why would you do that?"
Vic whimpered.
"Well, I wasn't lying, exactly . . ."
Vivian's jaw dropped.
"So, you actually have a crush on Zara?"
Vic winced.
"Don't tell her."
Vivian lifted her head.
"Why not? She's dying to know who's sending her all of those notes."
Vic looked down in shame.
"It's better to let her imagine that they came from someone charming and handsome. Otherwise, she'll think that I'm the best she can do."
Vivian narrowed her eyes.
"Well, if you like her, and she likes the things you say in your notes, what's the problem?"
"Age difference," Elkay said, taking a break from turning her egg, "They're twenty-nine years apart, which is super creepy."
Vic nodded.
"That's the biggest reason."
Vivian sighed.
"That's too bad. Now you're gonna have to come clean, and Zara will be crushed."
Vic bit his lip.
"I'm sorry. Really, I am. I just wanted to help, and I certainly never intended to make things worse. Believe me, if I were twenty years younger, I'd do my best to be everything she wants in a man, but . . ."
Elkay pricked her ears.
"You know, that's not such a bad idea. Why don't you trim a few years?"
Vic cocked his head.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you could find a way to change your age," Elkay suggested, "There are dozens of magical beings capable of casting spells that alter the effects of time. Why not find a genie or something?"
Vivian brayed in alarm.
"Never trust a genie, Vic. I encountered a genie during my adventures with Lowery. He's the reason I'm stuck like this."
"The genie or Lowery?" Elkay asked.
"Well, both," Vivian muttered, "The genie tricked Lowery- Well, actually, Lowery was just being stupid, and-"
Elkay waved her paw.
"Aw, Vivian, genies are harmless. If you're careful, their little ruses won't hurt you."
Vic began wagging his tail.
"Oh my gosh. Is this really happening? Can this actually work?"
Elkay smiled.
"Do you love Zara?"
"With all of my heart!"
"Then it'll work for sure."
***TSJWFEW***
Owen gnashed his teeth in frustration as he pushed on Claire's rump. Her dinosaur-fat bunched up around the tree, yet she wasn't moving an inch. Owen stopped to catch his breath. Sweat was trickling down his temples, making lines in the dirt that had caked his face during his previous endeavors to "not get Claire unstuck".
"You know, I don't think the butter or cooking oil is helping with my . . . scales," Claire mumbled.
"You're right," Owen panted, still out of breath, "Maybe we should find some dish soap to wash it off."
Claire nodded.
"Sounds like a plan."
***TSJWFEW***
After a long flight from Jurassic Park to Jurassic World, Elkay dropped Vic off at the base of a twisted mountain. She had risked flying him there, but when Ellie had discovered that she wasn't looking after her egg, she had to trust that Vic would find his way up the mountain on his own. At least, that's what she had said.
Although he was a little out of shape, Vic was driven by the hope that he could finally be honest with Zara. Maybe, just maybe, they would end up together. With these happy thoughts in mind, Vic practically skipped up the trail, keeping an eye out for the magic genie rock that Vivian had described. He scaled cliffs, crossed rickety bridges, and even outran a pack of demon wolves at one point.
Nothing was about to get in his way.
***TSJWFEW***
"Elkay, you're being very irresponsible," Ellie scolded as she entered the hatchery, carrying Lily in her arms, "I can understand taking a break from watching the egg, but flying Vic to the base of a mountain to tease him? That's just plain evil!"
Elkay rolled her eyes.
"Look, Ellie, I know it's hard for you to understand, but I don't like Vic all that much, and besides, he's perfectly happy carrying out an epic quest for his hopeless love."
Ellie frowned.
"Why wouldn't you tell him that you could have made him younger on your own?"
Elkay sneered.
"Same reason you don't tell Claire that you can change her back. It just makes you liable."
Ellie shushed her.
"Not so loud. Listen, what I'm keeping from Claire is completely different. I owe her a lot of things after what happened with Zebil, and in order to keep giving her those things, she can't know what I'm capable of doing. If I had told her that she could have been human again, she would have never had Lily. I'm pretty sure she might not have stayed with Owen, either. She needs this. Although she doesn't know it, this is all happening for a reason. What you're doing is completely immoral. You're just messing with Vic because you don't like him."
Elkay frowned.
"Is that really what you think?"
Ellie nodded.
"You said so yourself. You don't have anything planned."
"You sure?" Elkay asked sneakily.
"If you're up to something, you should tell me now," Ellie muttered impatiently.
Elkay snuffed.
"I might have a plan, but if I do, I'm not sharing it with you. I'll tell you this much: my solution is far better than anything you could have come up with. If I even have one. Which I do. Or do I? . . ."
Ellie sighed loudly and turned away.
"I'm done arguing with you. Do what you want."
Elkay ran after her.
"Ellie, before you go, I need a manuscript."
"Of?"
"The story. Duh."
Ellie waved her hand dismissively.
"Take it. I don't care."
Elkay flattened her ears defensively.
"Ellie, I've been a Queen longer than you."
"You're not a Queen anymore."
"I know what I'm doing."
"No, you don't."
"Wanna bet?"
"No."
Elkay tapped her claws in agitation as Ellie marched out the door.
"Fine. Go ahead and doubt me, you doubter. We'll see who's right in the end."
***TSJWFEW***
By the time Vic reached the magical genie stone, he was battered and bruised all over his body. He practically dragged himself over to the glowing, purple rock. Gasping with exhaustion, he placed his paw on the crystalline structure. A thick, magical smoke began to pour from the cracks and crevices. His eyes sparkling with a newfound energy, Vic leapt to his feet and threw his hands in the air.
"I made it! I made it! Zara, get ready to meet the new Vic!"
From the smoke, an imposing figure arose. He leaned forward and spoke in a booming voice.
"You, the rainbow dinosaur, may have one wish, but nothing more."
Vic cocked his head.
"Isn't it usually three wishes? Oh, never mind. I only need one."
"Choose carefully, my scaly friend. On this one wish you must depend. Think carefully before you choose, and don't ignore what you could lose."
Vic opened his mouth to make his wish, but something stopped him. What was he doing, asking a genie to make him younger? All he really wanted was for Zara to be happy. In his experience, people generally didn't like being around him. Was this really the best way to please her?
Vic suddenly felt very stupid. He had climbed a giant mountain in the hopes of winning Zara's affection, when really, he'd only be making her miserable by being in love with her. Although she appeared to be thrilled whenever she received his notes, Vic couldn't deny that she deserved much, much better.
God, he was selfish. He had only been doing this for himself. Well, no matter. He'd just have to devote his wish to Zara. Although it would pain him to not be with her, it would be worth it if he could make her happy.
"I want to make a wish for someone else," Vic announced to the genie.
"Very well, that's fine by me. Remember to choose carefully."
Vic paced back and forth.
"What does Zara want? A boyfriend? No, I probably shouldn't wish for something that ambiguous. Maybe she wants money! No, she's not greedy in the slightest."
Vic rubbed his temples in frustration.
"Gosh, this is really hard. I wish I knew what she wanted."
The genie puffed out his chest.
"What Zara Young wants most of all . . . is to be thin and not so tall. Her reptile form, she must escape. She wishes for a human shape."
Vic wagged his tail.
"She wants to be human again? Well, that's easy. I wish for that!"
The genie shook his head.
"You cannot wish to change her back. The wishing credit, you now lack."
Vic's eyes went wide.
"What?!"
"You asked to know what she desired, and when you did, your wish expired."
Vic thought back to what he had said.
"Oh. My. God. I am an idiot."
The genie shrugged.
"I'm sorry it must end this way. Next time, be careful what you say."
The genie evaporated into thin air, and the magic rock stopped glowing. For a moment, Vic stood as still as a statue. Then, he turned away, his head held low.
"I guess that settles it, then," he whispered dismally, "I really can't do anything right."
***TSJWFEW***
The sun had set, and Claire was still stuck. She had begun her journey with a spring in her step, and now, she was wedged in a tight place like a Twinkie at the back of a fridge. Against her will, a single tear trickled down her cheek. She was beginning to think that Owen had forgotten her, but he came jogging down the road with a saw.
"Hi, Claire. I have some bad news. I was checking the land permits, and the tree to your right is supposed to be cut down. I know you're busy resting, but I'm going to have to remove it. Are you okay with me working around you?"
Claire nodded rapidly. Taking care not to harm her, Owen began sawing the trunk gently. When he was halfway through the wood, the pressure of Claire's belly began to push it over, causing it to come crashing down. She stepped away from the forest and shook herself off, breathing deeply. Owen dropped his saw and ran over to her.
"Are you hurt? . . . From the falling tree, I mean."
Claire shook her head.
"I'm fine. I'm just a little stiff."
Owen smiled and hugged her snout.
"I'm glad you're okay."
Claire gave him a hug. After a moment, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Owen, I was-"
He put his finger over her beak.
"It's okay. You don't have to say it."
Claire smiled and gave him a kiss. They were about to go into a full out snogfest, but they noticed Vic lumbering down the road sadly.
"Hey, Vic. What's eatin' ya?" Owen asked.
His tail dragging behind him sadly, Vic lifted his head, but only a little.
"I had the chance to do something nice for someone today, but I screwed up big time, and now nobody's happy."
Claire hummed.
"I'm sorry, Vic. I hope things get better."
He shook his head.
"I really don't think they will, Claire. I really don't think they will."
***TSJWFEW***
After a long and pointless walk, Vic found himself in the middle of a park area. There were lampposts by the side of the road, but unlike most modern lights, they were painted with colorful dinosaur shapes, giving the metal a more friendly appearance. Vic sat on a wooden bench beneath the glow of one such lamp. The more he thought about what he had done, the worse he felt about the whole thing. He couldn't stop himself from imagining how Zara would have reacted if he had succeeded in changing her back. She'd be at least ten times happier than whenever she'd opened his notes. Vic loved it when she was happy. Something about her unhindered grin and energetic movements made him feel like whatever he had done had been worthwhile. She was the kind of person who was meant to be happy, but now that he had ruined everything, she'd be anything but.
Maybe there was a part of him that secretly wished they could have been together, but it was drowned out by his need to end her misery. Had he tried to tell her how he felt, it would have ended badly, and nothing proved that more than the events of this day. Vic was a screw-up. He had been screwing up even before he cared about friendship, and now he was realizing just how much of a menace he had been to the people around him. He had purposefully hurt his peers, both directly and indirectly. When he had been given a second chance, he had hoped that he could change his ways, but even when he tried to be nice, things always seemed to go wrong. The simple fact was that people tended to not like him. Part of it had to do with his past, which he could never escape, but the rest was either bad luck or karma. In any case, Vic knew that he deserved a lot of pain, and the torment of not being able to help the people he cared about was the worst kind of pain imaginable.
As he sat sadly on the bench, something glided over his head, landing gently on the path in front of him. Elkay folded her wings and smiled.
"I have good news. I checked a dragon law thing, and it turns out that I'm allowed to trim twenty-five years off of your age."
Vic wrung his tail guiltily.
"Thanks for the offer, but it won't change anything. I'm not sure I deserve it, anyway."
Elkay lowered her head to speak with him face-to-face.
"You climbed a mountain for someone you love. That's worth something."
Vic shook his head.
"It's really not. In the grand scheme, it means nothing."
"Well, I know at least one person who'd appreciate it."
She waved her tail, and Vic felt magic spiraling around him. It coursed through his veins and crept under his skin. As it departed, so did the grayness in his beard. Vic craned his neck to look at himself, feeling a lot different.
"There," Elkay said brightly, "You're younger. How does it feel?"
Vic lowered his head.
"My body feels great, but other than that, I'm as melancholic as I was before."
Elkay raised her eyebrows.
"Well, don't you worry about a thing. I'm sure you'll feel better soon enough."
With a mighty beat of her wings, she took off, disappearing into the sky. Vic watched her leave, then stared down at the ground once more. He knew that he should be thrilled to be young again, but really, he saw no point to it. He'd only end up staying around longer, and by doing so, he'd make everyone miserable. Vic was so busy feeling sorry for himself that he didn't hear someone rather large approaching him. It was only when she spoke that he became aware of her presence.
"Hi."
Vic nearly jumped out of his skin. He fell forward and flailed his arms around in surprise. Composing himself, he spun around and cleared his throat.
"Um, hello, Zara. What brings you here?"
She shrugged, letting her long snout swing to the side casually.
"Nothing much. Just wandering around, I guess."
Vic nodded.
"Have you- have you been busy lately?"
Zara smiled gently.
"Well, I was reading earlier today . . ."
Vic put his hands behind his back.
"Oh. Was it a good book?"
"No, but I think I might be fond of a certain character."
Zara lay flat on her belly, placing her wings underneath her chin and folding her tail over her back.
"What have you been up to, Vic?"
He gulped nervously.
"I . . . I went rock climbing."
"Really."
"Yeah."
Zara leaned forward.
"You know, we go to the same support group."
Vic rocked back and forth on his feet.
"The one for people who've been attacked by dinosaurs and prehistoric reptiles? Yeah, I think I saw you there once or twice . . ."
Zara cocked her head.
"I don't usually speak. I know I should talk about what happened, but it's still fresh in my mind, and I don't like to think about it."
Vic laced his fingers together.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. It's not your fault."
Vic nodded idly.
"If it helps, you should talk about it."
"I know. I really ought to tell someone what happened. That all depends on whether or not I can find someone who's willing to listen."
Vic stopped himself from replying. Noticing his discomfort, Zara rolled over casually.
"Vic, is there something you want to tell me?"
He shook his head.
"No, I don't think so."
"Is there something you should tell me?"
Vic bit his lip.
"Maybe."
Zara gave a half-smile.
"You know, if there's something you should be telling me, now's the time to do it."
Vic backed away.
"I don't know if I can. You'll laugh."
"I won't laugh."
"You might."
"You won't know unless you try."
"But you'll just think I'm stupid."
Zara batted her eyelashes.
"Maybe I won't. Maybe I'd like to hear what you have to say."
Vic turned away.
"I don't think-"
He froze as she caught his hand with her wing-claws. She quickly pulled it back.
"I'm sorry. Sometimes I forget that I have sharp fingers."
Vic shook his head slowly.
"No, it's not that. It's just, I've never had someone stop me from leaving before. Not like that, anyway. It's almost like you want me to stay."
Zara scooted forward.
"I do."
Vic's jaw dropped.
"I was just kidding . . . Do you really want me here?"
Zara shrugged.
"Well, I don't need you to be here, exactly, but if you want to stay by my side for a little while, that would be ideal."
Vic blinked in surprise.
"I don't know what to say."
"Say you like me."
Vic started shaking.
"I- I mean- Do you want that?"
Zara laughed.
"Why wouldn't I want you to like me?"
Vic sputtered.
"Well, I mean, I'm not exactly the kind of person that you'd like to have around. I'm not popular. If I were to say that I like you, it wouldn't mean much."
"It would mean enough."
Vic's nose twitched.
"I don't think I understand."
Zara reached behind her crest and pulled out a small piece of paper.
"I guess we both need it in writing, don't we?"
She handed Vic the note. He gave her a funny look, then opened it. When he looked up again, Zara smiled down at him shyly.
"I flew to a mountain today. You had left by the time I got there."
Vic was petrified. He stood stiffly, still holding the note.
"I went to the genie rock," Zara continued, "He said I could have one wish."
Vic sighed.
"I guess he tricked you too, huh?"
Zara shook her head.
"No. I got my wish."
Vic frowned in confusion.
"But the thing you wanted most- I mean- you're still-"
Zara held up her wing.
"I only wanted to be human because I thought that it was the only way someone would ever like me."
"I don't think anyone in their right mind could stop themselves from liking you."
Zara smiled.
"That's sweet of you to say."
Vic couldn't help but smile back. After a moment, however, his smile dissolved into a curious frown.
"What exactly did you wish for, if you don't mind me asking . . ."
Zara grinned.
"I asked what you wanted most in the world."
Vic's eyes went wide.
"Me?"
"Yes, you."
Vic looked over his shoulder.
"What did the genie say?"
Zara rolled onto her back, smiling giddily.
"That's the funny part. The genie said that your greatest wish, the thing you wanted most in the world, was for me to be happy. Isn't that interesting?"
Vic gulped.
"Um, it's a little interesting . . ."
Zara grinned.
"As you know, being human was at the top of my list of things that would make me happy. Of course, I don't need that anymore. Do you want to know what was second on my list?"
Vic shuffled his feet.
"Well, if you don't mind telling- MPH!"
He was cut off when Zara leaned forward and pressed her beak against his face. Vic was so shocked that for a few seconds, he was unable to process that the kiss was actually happening. By the time Zara pulled away, he thought he might faint. She clicked her beak a couple of times and smiled.
"Well, I'll see you tomorrow, then."
Vic tried to reply, but what came out of his mouth was random gibberish. Zara seemed to understand just fine. As she scooted away, Vic fell forward, landing on his belly. His tail wagged behind him furiously, and he gave a dopey smile. A few yards away, Claire and Vivian watched the scene with their mouths agape.
"Oh. My. God," Vivian said in disbelief.
"Well, at least we found a relationship weirder than mine," Claire sighed.
Vivian groaned and put her front feet over her eyes.
"I'm surrounded by weirdos!"
***TSJWFEW***
Elkay flicked her ears to the side sassily as Ellie entered the hatchery. She sighed and spread her wings in defeat.
"Fine. I underestimated you. You happy?"
Elkay grinned cheekily.
"Very happy. You see, Ellie, relationships are a lot like magnetic stones. If you use the needle of your compass to guide you, you'll go off course and end up gravitating towards the most attractive rocks. If you follow the thumping of a metal detector, you'll go for the first pebble you come across. It's best to wander around until you stumble upon a boulder by chance. They tend to stick around your favorite paths."
Ellie rolled her eyes.
"Alright, you don't have to rub it in."
"I know. But I'm going to do it anyway."