Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING! How to Train Your Dragon belongs to DreamWorks, and Amphibia belongs to Disney.
Dawn brings a new day into the world.
It brings forth a new chance for everyone to build a fresh start after a long day's work, to begin a clean slate, and to forget about yesterday's troubles. To correct past mistakes, forge a clear path forward, and arise anew. It was a truly marvelous gift from the universe. However, the same could not be said for Anne Boonchuy and her despondent family, who sat near an ambulance, enveloped with coats as they sorrowfully stared at the wreckage of their once beloved restaurant.
Everything they had in there was gone. Reduced to cinder and ash, the likes of which have been left by that mysterious creature that attacked them last night. It was the one thing Oum and Bee had built since moving to this promised country. And it was meant to be a foundation that would last for generations. It is a thing to give the Thai community the recognition it deserves. But now that legacy has been all but diminished. Thus bringing the Boonchuy family to the edge of a series of dark times.
Yet no one was more troubled than Anne, who took this heartfelt tragedy the most. It was so bad that her legs were buckled from all the weight being forced on her as she fought the urge to tear up, only to fall too short of that predicament miserably, partially because she blamed herself for this unprecedented disaster. She could've stopped the creature from ruining everything had she been more decisive and faster. Instead, the beloved hero was brought to the lowest common denominator: failure.
As she wept endlessly, both her parents huddled between her to try to give her some place of solace while also grieving what they had lost similarly. Ordinarily, Anne would've taken this as a form of comfort, knowing she wasn't alone in this time of desolation. On any typical occasion, this would be a light at the end of the tunnel. But not even that couldn't undo the damage inflicted on their legacy. The thought made Anne tear up even more as the smoldering wreckage continued to pierce through her mind. The guilt was rather ominous for the Savior of Amphibia, who couldn't even save it.
Her mother attempted to touch her daughter's shoulder reassuringly but didn't have the resolve to see it through while also wallowing in her sorrow. It was much easier to provide Anne with comfort when she came back from Amphibia, but this was much different here. And considering her similar grief, there was nothing more she could say that could make her feel any better, let alone herself. What was there to say? What could she even say? Other than that, their legacy was gone.
And there was nothing they could've done to stop it. They barely held their own against the mysterious creature and couldn't even prevent it from setting the restaurant aflame. What made it worse was that in the past year, the family has faced everything from killer robots to giant herons, and somehow, the creature managed to get the best of them after everything they've been through. Out of luck or sheer coincidence, that animal had presided over them on a level that would make King Andrias look like child's play. Not even Cloakbot was that tough to deal with besides being somewhat of a nuisance. And that pest was way more intelligent compared to this beast. Yet somehow, they lost to it, at the cost of everything.
The notion only made Anne feel more guilty, believing she failed her family. It was a feeling the Thai teen hadn't experienced since the time she got everyone captured by the FBI back when she and the Plantars were trying to return to Amphibia. It was a humiliating feeling that just only made her weep even more. Yet even as the regret expanded into her heart, Anne felt a soft hand touch her shoulder. Startled, the teen hero looked up only to see her father peering over sympathetically.
"Hey," he said softly. "You okay, Anne?"
Anne didn't answer right away. Still wrapped up in the cloak of guilt, she could barely contain her sorrow. Yet her father's voice did start to bring her down to earth a little, making her aware of the tears running down her face. Slowly, she began to calm herself and bring some form of control over her nerves. Thus bringing her back to a small cast of reality. She took a long, deep breath before answering her father's question.
"No...not really," she said vacantly, her voice rasping and empty inside. Anne was never good at lying, especially to herself. And it was pointless to hide her true feelings from her parents, no matter how complicated it may have seemed. "I just...I can't believe it's all gone. After so many years. "
Her father paused, also unsure of what to say. It was no surprise that they were all in a difficult situation. But all he could give to his only daughter was a few words of encouragement to alleviate this dark moment. However, he doubted that it would work.
"Hey, Anne," he reassured hopelessly. "It's going to be okay."
"Listen to your pops, kid," a familiar voice said from a relatively short distance. "Some things can be rebuilt. As someone who's had to clean up many messes in the past, I speak from experience."
The family turned their gaze to see a familiar face, which turned out to be the infamous FBI agent and his trusted assistant. At first glance, Oum and Bee perked up with a smile. Anne, though still feeling rather gloomy, instantly smiled at the presence of some friendly faces.
"Mr. X," Oum said, fancying a brief embrace to their former colleague. "Thank you so much for coming."
"We came as soon as we got the call," Dr. Terri replied before receiving an embrace from Bee and setting her sights on the wreckage. "Looks like it was pretty bad, huh?"
"Hardly the case," Bee commented. "We barely made it out with our lives. We've managed to salvage a few things, but the rest..."
The Boonchuy father turned his gaze to the wrecked building and cringed just at the sight of it.
"...You get the idea."
As the agent and the scientist got a good view of what was considered the remains of Thai Go, they too shared looks of sympathy for the loss of the famous restaurant. X had only been to the restaurant once, and the food there was excellent, as far as he remembered. To see the place in ruin was a devastating blow. But all they could offer the family at the moment was a few condolences. And maybe a helping hand for the future at best.
"I'm sorry to hear that this happened, you guys," X sympathized. "But don't you guys worry, I know a few guys who'll have this place as good as new in a few months. Maybe even sooner, if we're lucky. We'll have this place back to how it used to be. You have my word."
Both Thai parents felt touched by the agent's kind words. Rarely have they trusted people outside of their community, let alone government agents. To hear the FBI officer's offer to rebuild what they'd already lost was a rare commodity. One that would not go unappreciated. It nearly drove Oum to the brink of tears.
"Thank you, Mr. X," she complied solacely. "Y-You're too kind.:
"Don't sweat it, Boonchuys," the agent replied. "You've helped me save our planet from invading frogs. It's the least I can do for you."
Naturally, the FBI agent smiled proudly, just as grateful to lend the Boonchuys a hand as they were. However, that smile was suddenly dimmed as he set his sights on a sulking Anne, still sitting on the edge of the ambulance, with her gaze locked onto the floor.
"Kid's taking it pretty hard, huh?" the detective wondered.
"Yeah," Oum answered. "She came face to face with that thing a few times. She couldn't stop it; none of us could."
"So it was here," Terri realized before banging the side of her leg in frustration. "Dang it, why couldn't I've seen this?!"
"So it's true then?" Bee questioned. "Dragons are here? And they do exist?"
"Yes, and yes," X answered relundantly. "No matter how crazy that sounds, just hearing it."
"We've been spending the last couple of days trying to track them down," Dr. Terri explained while opening up a picture of L.A county from her phone. "But they're so scattered across the county that pinpointing their locations is hard. And they disappear every time we get a clear signal on them."
"Sounds like a lot of paperwork," Oum said in surprise.
"Ugh, you have no idea!" Dr. Terri groaned. "I've been awake for 17 hours straight! With ZERO breaks! ZERO! And I thought working for Frakes was stressful enough."
This earned a chuckle from a Boonchuy couple, who found the scientist's ranting slightly amusing. But at the same time, they felt a little pity that they weren't involved with this. And because their child was a renowned hero, and the agent personally trained them in the arts of military combat, both parents were considerate in lending the agent their expertise, significantly since this new danger may directly threaten their lives.
"Well, is there anything we can do to help?" Bee offered. "You seem like you can use a hand."
"It's a tempting offer, but that won't be necessary," X respectfully declined. "You've already done more than enough to help us stop an alien invasion. The least I can do is call a few favors to help you guys out. But in the meantime, would you mind if I had a minute alone with your daughter? It appears she might need a word of encouragement."
"Of course," Oum accepted thoughtfully.
And just like that, the Thai parents went to the side to chat with Terri while the FBI agent focused on the still rather gloomy Anne. At first sight, it broke the agent's heart to see her like this. Anne had always been one to be so strong-hearted and confident. She believed she could do anything with the right people by her side. And was not a stranger to defying the odds. Even when he thought of her as a kid, she was there to prove him wrong. But now, to see this embodiment of confidence like this, brought so low, was soul-crushing at best.
He treads, likely not to startle the Thai teen. The FBI agent knows this must be hard for her, considering she never quits in adversity. Upon his approach, he knelt to face her at eye level, hoping she'd at least acknowledge his presence.
"You doing alright, kid?" he asked softly.
As expected, Anne didn't answer right away. The Savior of Amphibia is still feeling pretty shaken up about her and her family's situation. But X just sat and waited until she was ready. He knew the importance of patience, especially with people going through a hard time. However, at this moment, he realized that she was also fumbling with something in her hands; whatever it was remained a complete mystery to him.
Finally, she looked up and met the agent's gaze. Her eyes were still watery, and the evidence of tears had been pretty obvious. But X didn't mind at all. Instead, he just stood there on one knee and listened to what the grieving teen had to say.
"Between you and me, X," she said vaguely. "No. I'm not okay."
The FBI officer paused. Unsure of what to say next. But he tried to be as empathetic as he could.
"Alright. That's okay," he said, unsure how to put it. "Let's just try to..."
"I feel like I let everyone down," Anne interrupted. "I'm supposed to know how to face these kinds of things. But I made one bad call and screwed everything up. And now my parent's restaurant is gone!"
At that moment, Anne started to break down into tears again. This time, however, X quickly tried to remedy her anguish with a few words.
"Hey now," he commiserated. "Don't blame yourself. You can't expect everything to go your way. I should know. I've had plenty of those."
"But I'm responsible for everything that goes on in my life," Anne retorted. "I should know how to handle these situations. And I failed."
Shortly after, she buried her face in her knees and sulked. It was somewhat ambiguous to the FBI agent that he was doing little to convince Anne not to give up. But then, a brief memory brought him back into the light. One that he knew the Amphibian hero would be all too familiar with.
"Maybe, but didn't you fail to rescue your frog family when they were in my custody?" he recalled. "What did you say to me when I called you 'just a kid'?"
Anne looked up in response, almost offended at the agent's question. However, the agent was silently counting on it.
"Okay, dude, how is that helpful?" she questioned.
"Because you told me that you can do anything with the right people by your side," X kindly reminded her. "And if a kid like you can do anything, anything is possible."
This immediately throws the Thai girl off guard, not only because of the agent's words but also because she did say that. Not only that but also the meaning behind her little speech that reminded her of everything she's done. It was a testament to how much she had changed and matured. And in a sense, it also gave her the confidence and pride she needed to see through her journey back in Amphibia.
"We'll get through this," he added. "We'll send those beasts back into the hole they came from, just like Amphibia. And I'll be there right by your side when that happens. I can promise you that."
He briefly paused to see her reaction. For a brief moment, the shocked expression on her face hadn't changed. But then, the FBI agent noticed that she stopped shaking, and the wateriness in her eyes started to disappear. Finally, he began to see a smile creep up on her face. Thus, he sold his words of encouragement, bringing their little conversation to full swing.
"Thanks, X," she said softly. "I appreciate it."
"Any time, kid," the FBI agent replied. "Always a pleasure to help."
Shortly after that, he felt a buzzing sound coming from his pocket. Only to reach down and pick up his phone, which was ringing like crazy. When he answered it, he was hit with a string of words that shocked his eyes. It was something important. Half a heartbeat later, he hung up the phone and motioned to Terri, who had just finished a brief conversation with her parents.
"Okay, if we're all good here, we've gotta bounce," X wrapped up. "HQ wants us over at the amusement park three clicks from here."
"Is it one of them?" Bee asked curiously.
"Let's hope so," X replied optimistically. "Otherwise, it'll be another field day in Washington."
"Okay, well, it was nice seeing you again," Oum responded with a wave.
"Pleasure is all ours, Boonchuys," X answered kindly while urgently entering an armored vehicle.
"We'll keep you posted on what we find," Terri added before entering right after her colleague. "Be safe, you guys."
"You too," Bee added.
And just like that, agents and scientists were gone as fast as they arrived. Thus leaving the Thai family to attend to their issues. Unlike before, the parents were quite hopeful for the future, knowing they had an FBI agent and a renowned scientist on their side. The same could not be said for Anne, who found solace in the agent's words.
So, there was some form of hope after all. Yet the guilt remained in Anne's heart. What was done cannot be undone, no matter how many repairs to the damage there were. But with that guilt, the Thai girl felt an intense anger build up in her chest—anger towards the beast that destroyed her family's restaurant, to begin with. The creature that so much as showed up from whatever hole it came out of and ruined everything for her and her parents.
She looked at the item in her hands, which turned out to be a poison dart from the creature. And it was here that she started fuming with rage. Hatred began to run deep, and a burning sensation spread through every course of her body like a virus. Thus, her fingers clenched tighter around the base of the appendage. Half a heartbeat later, there was a brief:
SNAP!
The dart split in half before falling off Anne's fingertips, bouncing on the floor like a pencil. Yet the anger remained, fusing into something bigger. And before long, one thing came into Anne's mind. One that she had not felt since Sprig was nearly killed by Andrias when he threw him out of the tower. However, the Thai girl couldn't manifest this feeling into giving her the incredible calamity powers she was so renowned for in the past. What would she give to have this sort of power right now? She could've used it to defeat that creature with ease. But last she checked, that power was left with the stones, which ceased to exist upon her return home. Thus making this predicament more than unfortunate at best.
Instead, the feeling was more primal. More precise. And the hatred began to seethe into the back of her mind. It started to spread like a disease. Until it was the only thing she could think of. It boiled and ached at her muscles and bones, causing her to shake rapidly. And it was here that Anne silently began to swear things she had never done before. But for the sake of her family legacy, she would make the dragon pay for what it has done. She didn't know what or where it came from, but it would pay for destroying her family's foundation.
That feeling was suddenly cut off when the random sound of panting started coming from her right. In an instant, Anne looked up only to see another familiar face. But instead of an adult, it was another kid. More specifically, a boy and his twin sister who was right behind her. She narrowed her vision to get a better view, and her eyes suddenly widened when she recognized who they were.
"Hey...Anne," the girl said, seemingly out of breath.
"Twig! Molly!" she gasped.
The twin siblings breathed heavily, apparently after running so many miles. The startled Thai girl had no idea what to do, considering she was in an ongoing crisis. But she could tell there was something they needed to say to her, given their sense of urgency.
"Anne...hold on," Twig managed to utter. However, it was still unclear what he was trying to get at due to his apparent fatigue. "Just give us a second."
"Okay, just breathe, you guys," Anne empathized before getting to the point. "What's going on?"
Anne gave the twins a minute to breathe before they finally said something.
"You have no idea how many blocks we had to run to get to you," Twig complained instantly. "I mean, there must've been hundreds of them!"
"Yeah!" Molly agreed. "There were over ten at least."
The Thai hero was thrown into a loop. That couldn't be all they're here for.
"That's it?!" she questioned. "You came all this way to complain about how many blocks you ran?!"
Luckily for her, that wasn't the case. However, it manifested into something more important than blocks.
"No, it's Sasha!" Twig said in distress. "She's in the hospital!"
"Maggie sent us to go find you," Molly added. "It's very urgent. So we have to go now!"
Anne was instantly wide-eyed at the very mention of Sasha. And even worse, the fact that she's in the hospital. And just like that, the twins rushed off, expecting Anne to follow suit. In this case, Anne tagged along with them on their trek to the hospital. If what they say about her best friend is true, then this issue requires her attention. Just before she told her parents about her situation, she pulled out her phone and texted Marcy to let her know about what she just heard.
With any luck, she'll be there before she can, at best. That was if the former ranger wasn't knee-deep in her latest video game or if she hadn't already had her face buried in her journal or something. Though admittedly, Marcy was also one for being more attentive to the well-being of others. No matter how easily distracted she could get at times. But one thing she knew for sure was that this endeavor was unsuitable for them.
This was not good at all!
Elsewhere... 10:30 a.m...
The second time was the charm for little Marcy Wu as she entered the junkyard, a tall brown paper bag full of delicious dumplings in both hands. It wasn't easy to obtain, nor was it easy to give her parents the slip to let her leave the house on her own again. Nonetheless, she managed to pull it off, even if it almost cost her a week's lunch money. Sooner or later, she would have to explain to her parents why she kept spending money on stuff that was supposed to be lunch. But in her mind, it was all worth it. The only difference was she tried out the Hmart nearly a few blocks from where she lived. It was a more convenient way to discretely cache what she needed to appease her new friend's hunger.
That was if he was in a good enough mood. If Marcy could recall, her illustrious confidant was not pleased with her sudden reappearance. But because it hadn't killed her yet, it probably meant that she was making some form of progress. She brought her journal with her in case the dragon ghosted her, but Marcy kept it separately in her backpack, figuring she wouldn't have to use it if she didn't stay long. Or even if she planned on staying at all.
Marcy was never used to playing the long game. Especially back in Amphibia, when she wanted everyone to like her. But after the last encounters with the beast, the flipwart champion figured it was best that she'd go through it this way. The dragon didn't trust her enough to let its guard down around her. And if she learned anything from that rather embarrassing experience in Wartwood, this kind of thing will take time. It also gave her plenty of time to figure out her dilemma.
It was still unclear why Marcy was still going through this, other than her natural curiosity and desire to solve this apparent mystery revolving around the dragon's unexpected appearance. But the young teen's heart and resolve drive her forward anyway, with the evident need to see this through, for whatever reason. And who knows, maybe the dragon will help her find it in the long run if it ever came to that.
As the hopeful teenager continues to trek the unobtrusive dump, Marcy notices that the place is tranquil. A feeling she was not a stranger to because the site should be deserted. However, despite the gloomy vibe given due to the quietness, Marcy doesn't feel she is being watched, which is different from last time. Though it only encouraged her to press on further into the desolate wasteland. Still, she remained guarded in case surprises lurked in the shadows. After all, the dragon wasn't the only one residing in this wasteland.
For a moment, Marcy didn't see anything unusual as she came to the clearing and concluded that nobody had come here since her last visit. That is a promising sign so far. She wasn't sure what would've happened if a human other than herself had discovered such a creature, what it would've done if she wasn't the only one who knew its whereabouts.
She wasn't sure if she ought to be worried or relieved about the idea of someone else discovering the dragon. Worst, she was willing to wager that the beast would be less merciful toward that human than it was to her. That sort of needless death and destruction would be impalpable, especially by her standards. She cannot take that risk. But even worse was that she hadn't told Anne or Sasha about her discovery. But even that was a gamble at best, for who knows what they would do if they found out she'd been keeping this from them when she promised them no more secrets. They will surely be mad at her for this. Heck, they'd probably never trust her again.
However, Marcy can not take the chance. She was better off doing this alone, no matter how secretive she had to be. Plus, she would risk their lives if she told them about her enterprise. So it was better for it to be this way, even if it hurts deep down. Suddenly, her train of thought was cut off by clanking metal. Then, her vision focused on the enormous pile of junk, from which she could find what turned out to be a slumbering obstruction of what was presumed to be the dragon itself.
'So it still hasn't left after all,' she thought.
In the act of instinct, Marcy cautiously approached the sleeping creature, taking slow, calculated steps to avoid startling the dragon into waking up. Like the first time she saw it, the dragon was curled up on the side of its body, with its head resting between its paws, like a cat. Thin sheets of debris formed all around the beast's hide. Thus, the dragon was coaxed from head to tail, with invariant sections created from its wings, which were folded and hovered over its legs.
At the edge of the pile, Marcy stopped a few paces away to take in the unmistakable sight of a live dragon. A live dragon! Right before her eyes. As if it wasn't any more apparent to the young teenager. Marcy felt the urge to go into another geek fest as she gazed upon the marvelous beast. But she stopped herself by biting her finger, hoping not to awaken the creature. Half a second later, Marcy started up the pile, which, to her surprise, was much smaller than she remembered, ranging to at least five feet tall.
The young flipwart player shifted her gaze, noting that there were fewer pieces of junk than the last time she was here. The dragon had been busy, making itself comfortable, even if only for a few days. By the time she reached the top, Marcy was only a few steps from where the dragon was sleeping. All while the creature's chest rose and fell, signifying its breathing. The young girl would've mistaken it for dead if it hadn't.
Instinctively, Marcy continues the approach, being careful in her footing to not startle the dragon awake. The last thing she wanted was to provoke the black-winged reptile into striking her. After all, even though it spared her once, there was no guarantee it would do it again. And she had already managed to cheat death more times than she could count. She did not look forward to going through that kind of pressure for another time.
The young girl had only stopped a few paces away as she noticed something she hadn't seen in her last encounter. As it turned out, the dragon had a nasty wound on its left forearm. Sure, Marcy did recall seeing a massive injury on one of the dragon's paws. But it turned out to be significantly worse than it was before. For it was here the former ranger saw blood trickling down the wound and into the crevices of the pile. It wasn't too severe, but an open injury could be fatal. As she narrowed her vision, Marcy silently gasped in horror as she noticed this was no ordinary wound.
It was a bullet wound!
And from the looks of it, it appeared to be a clan shot that went right through the dragon's forearm. Thus leaving an open hole that could ideally be soon through. Unfortunately, Marcy didn't have any antibiotics on her to remedy the pain. But at the same time, she figured there'd be no need for it if the wound were recent. Still, the least she can do is seal the wound to stop the bleeding and prevent any infections from spreading.
As carefully as possible, Marcy set the grocery bag down to the side and reached into her backpack. Hopefully, she could find a bandage to close up the wound. With luck, she discovered a roller bandage, something her mother had given her if she ever bruised herself outside the school grounds.
Marcy was close to wrapping the bandage around the creature's forearm until she was greeted by a large green eye that shot up open and stared directly at her. The next thing she knew, the former chief ranger tensed and took a few steps back while the dragon lifted its head off the ground. The black silhouette hissed instinctively, mistaking the human adolescent for a trespasser. Marcy held her breath, praying silently that the dragon would recognize her and thus lower its guard. The tensity of the situation sent a cold chill up the teen's spine.
The volatile beast groggily keeps up its guarded demeanor. However, after a brief second, its expression changes, and the tense look on its eyes is now more relaxed after realizing who it is staring at. And for a moment, girl and beast found each other present in their gazes. Though if Marcy was being honest with herself, she felt rather uncomfortable under the winged panther's gaze. And was somewhat embarrassed to have given herself away that easily.
Still, Marcy smiled innocently despite all the pressure she felt in the moment's heat. The dragon, in return, gave her a dimly wary look as if it was expecting her to explain why she was there.
"Hey," she said, waving her hand nervously. "It's me again."
The dragon responded with a snort before sunkenly turning its head away from her without a second glance and laying its head back down above its paws. It was clear that the dragon had ceased in any interest upon seeing the human before its all-powerful presence. The sheer awkwardness made Marcy gulp timidly before she decided to press on, not to kill the vibe. However, as she loomed closer to the tired beast, the young geeky teenager noticed something different about the dragon's current position.
On one end, it was lounging in a typical sleeping position. But the overall mood was somewhat more complex than she anticipated. It appears that the dragon seemed to be somewhat defeated and deplorable in a sense. Like a terrible black storm just hit it, crushing him in every ounce of agony possible. The sight was disconcerting to the former chief ranger, and she had no idea why. She didn't blame the dragon for being in such a pitiful state. It must be hard for it, being forced to come into her word from wherever it came from. However, she wondered if there was more to this than she knew.
Something amiss was happening here, though she wasn't entirely sure what that could be. However, her train of thought was again interrupted as her gaze fixed on the wounded paw. And the urgency to clear it up came back to the young flipwart champion. With the roller bandaid still in her grasp, she bent to wrap it around her arm. Yet as she drew near, the dragon jolted its head back up and now growls fiercely in her direction. Its eyes narrowed into slits, its ear flaps flattened against the sides of its head, and its upper body raised slightly so its gaze was now at the same level as hers.
Here, Marcy could notice the roaring emotions in the dragon's eyes. Wariness, shock, mistrust, all responses that she was no stranger to at best. And it was backed up with the otherwise fearsome visage that sent Marcy quivering like a newborn puppy. But that doesn't sway her into turning tail and running. Instead, she lowers her guard to show the black beast that she meant no harm to it, as she did in her last encounter.
"It's okay, it's okay," she reassured the beast. "I won't hurt you. Remember?"
Yet despite her attempt to put the creature's mind at rest, the dragon was unconvinced. And continues to hiss at her warily. But it was also here that Marcy recalled what she had brought and hid the bandage in her pocket before hastily reaching over to the brown paper bag she had set aside earlier.
"Here," she said, gently setting it down before her. "Brought you a little morning breakfast."
And like clockwork, the dragon's ears perked up at the very mention of that word. Then, its overall mood shifted to a more anticipated form of eagerness. And as Marcy expected, the young flipwart champion could see the winged salamander licking its chops enthusiastically. It was still a prominent motif for Marcy that made the creature seem a little more predictable, motivated by the need for food.
As also expected, upon setting its sights on the bag, the dragon eagerly takes it within its jaws and sets it to the side and into its paws. The dragon lowers its upper body and digs through the paper bag. As it did, the black creature took a dumpling into its jaws before munching on it with a diminutive form of satisfaction. A moment later, the former chief ranger surprisingly watched as the dragon shoved its muzzle deep into the bag. Thus earning an amusing chuckle from the young flipwart champion.
The distraction allows the girl to turn her gaze back to the injured forearm. Upon instinct, Marcy reaches into her pocket and grabs the roller bandage, eager to seal the wound. As she inched closer, the sounds of chewing became more audible. Marcy silently commended how much of a fast eater the black silhouette was. A tiny observation she'll have to note down for later.
Yet, as she once again drew near, the young teen heard a menacing growl forming from the beast. Then, as she did not expect, the dragon removed its muzzle from the bag and snarled in her direction, baring its teeth directly at Marcy and forcing her back. The former ranger tried her best to stand her ground and advance, but before she could move another inch, the dragon lashed out, swiping its paw up to drive her back.
Marcy responds with a yelp as she jumps back, shocked by the dragon's sudden action. However, this bold act has consequences as the dragon steps on its injured forearm. Thus causing it to howl in agony as the pain from the wound starts to intensify.
"No, no, it's okay," she said, calmly throwing her hands up. "I'm trying to help. That wound doesn't look too good, does it?"
Upon mentioning it, the dragon looked down at its forearm and began to notice how severe it was getting. Nonetheless, the dragon remained cautious of the human, taking her words for granted. And it will bring more than just a meal to convince it otherwise.
"This will make you feel better," Marcy claimed with optimism. "I promise."
Marcy knows she's courting death, but if she doesn't seal that wound, the dragon could attract an infection and die. So, she was doing it a favor by enacting this crucial task. But even then, the dragon remained unconvinced, though it started irritating the young flipwart champion a little. Why the creature was so distrustful of her even though she's made her intentions clear to it was a bit of a mystery. At the same time, however, this thing could instantly kill her. She would need to do this carefully.
She inched closer to the dragon, holding the roller bandage out so it could see it. Therefore, her intentions are much more visible to the black creature. Then, as swiftly as she could, Marcy tore out a piece of the bandage, not too short but long enough to fit the winged creature's arm. As usual, upon hearing the sound of tearing leather, the dragon snapped at her viciously. Yet, it pulls back after pressing weight on its injured paw, whimpering in pain.
Marcy couldn't help but cringe at the sight of the beast in pain. Even though it tried to kill her twice in the last week, the young flipwart champion couldn't help but feel sympathy towards this creature, seemingly in a lot of pain as far as she could understand. This would've been the least she could do for it. Though as the beast stared dreadfully at its festering wound, Marcy could feel a sense of conflict within the black silhouette.
She senses that the creature is debating whether to accept her assistance but is holding back. Her suspicion was thus confirmed as the dragon turned its gaze toward her, locking eyes yet again in a somewhat pleading fashion. The energetic teen responded with a gesture to the bandage and smiled optimistically. Shortly after, the dragon looked back at its arm, still conflicted about what it should do. Everything seemed to be a little blurry from where it was standing.
However. with no other options, the creature suddenly holds its forearm out, practically begging for Marcy to do her thing, to which the teen was all too happy to oblige. As she did so, the dragon eyed her movements, watching closely as the teen carefully wrapped the appendage around the dragon's forearm. Then, as quick as a flash, Marcy rolled the piece of bandage up until the wound was completely covered up. Upon sealing it up, the young teen could hear the dragon purring under her wrists, taking in some form of satisfaction from Marcy's apparent act of kindness, which only caused Marcy to smile proudly.
Finally, after adequately sealing the bandage, Marcy planted a sticker with her usual 'Marcy Wuz Here!' logo to hold it together. Thus marking the end of a much more needed crucial task.
"See? All better!" she declared with pride. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"
The dragon responded with a grateful warble before returning to the paper bag and resuming breakfast. Here, Marcy was unsure what to do next since it was already clear that the creature had lost interest in her and was too focused on eating. Instead, Marcy resolved this predicament by sinking to her knees and taking a small spot amongst the pile of rubble with her back towards the dragon to give it space.
The energetic teen tapped her little feet against the junk, feeling an awkward tension in the air. As she sat in the rubble, listening to the sounds of chewing coming from behind her, Marcy began reminiscing on a few old memories. One in particular came into mind, explicitly revolving around an old friend of hers.
"You know, it's funny," she said aloud. "You remind me so much about a friend I used to know."
The Taiwanese girl wasn't entirely sure if the dragon was listening, considering it still buried its head in the paper bag but carried on anyway.
"I only had just met him. But he was smart, brave, and funny. Not to mention, very handsome," she added, pausing briefly before continuing. " This might come off a little weird saying this...but you remind me of him a little."
At that moment, the dragon stopped eating for a second, and its left ear appendage perked up before it took its muzzle out of the bag to gaze upon her for the fifth time today. From the looks of its eyes, Marcy could sense a hint of curiosity in the winged creature. Perhaps in collective interest as to what she meant in her peculiar statement. However, this particular novelty only encouraged Marcy to open up even further.
"We used to have so much fun together," she explained. "But I had to leave him and everyone else I knew. And even though we're worlds apart, I still miss him. So much."
As she said this, Marcy felt the verge of breaking into tears but only stopped when the dragon tilted its head while looking down at her with sympathy. To add on, the dragon lightly wrapped its tail around her for comfort. For a brief moment, the former chief ranger felt that the winged beast was starting to empathize with her on missing a dearly departed friend. However, she wasn't sure if this was genuinely the case.
In hindsight, it did seem like ongoing progress to her, even if it was being shown gradually. However, it only makes Marcy bolder, opening her to possibly more dialogue that she could probably build upon.
"So what about you?" she asked out of curiosity. "You have anyone you miss right now?"
Before she could get an answer, the dragon looked at her bluntly before removing its tail, taking the paper bag in its jaws, and standing up. Before long, the dragon turned away from the young girl and flared its wings before taking flight. Thus, the creature glides away for a distance before setting down on another pile of junk and leaving Marcy to her squalor, who was not surprised by the dragon's abrupt departure but was a little disappointed that it left her hanging.
"Okay, " she concluded. "I guess that leaves that then. Good talk."
Two Hours Later...
Marcy had made much progress jotting down her latest observations on her newly found accomplice. After deciding to stay, she compiled a few studies while giving the dragon time. She managed to see a small space in the shade to go about with her examinations while keeping a separate section in her journal to not confuse these notes with the ones she had about Amphibia. Some of those observations mainly dealt with behavioral patterns, skeletal and bone structure, eating habits, and wingspan—typical nerd stuff. However, at the center of the page was a large sketch of the dragon that she had yet to finish.
However, in doing so, she left various arrows with question marks surrounding the picture of the black silhouette. Most of the question marks revolved around many theories she had about the beast. Ideas related to why the creature behaves the way it is, max speed, potential habitat preferences, the type of fire it produces, etc. But her biggest question was what name she should properly give the beast.
Marcy had a long track record of developing the perfect scientific names and classifications for every species she discovered in Amphibia. But since this was an entirely new specimen, the likes of which she had never seen before, coming up with a reputation for it was pretty tricky. Heck, she hardly could think of a general name for the creature. However, she was still open to workshopping the possibilities for a few potential words. They were rather endless to the former chief ranger.
At the same time, she was also open to the dragon sharing its name with her if it ever came to that. But that choice seemed unlikely for now, considering its mistrust towards her. Let alone if it was intelligent enough to do so in a manner she could understand. Still, she hoped it would become the case in the long run. As she finally made the finishing touches to her sketch, Marcy began to think deeply about her new acquaintance. There was so much more she hadn't learned about it. There was much more she wanted to know about it. However, it was unfortunate that the dragon was too reclusive to be possible.
That was until Marcy felt a whiff of air blow from the back of her head and a large shadow peering over her. To the young Flipwart champion's luck and shock, she looked over her shoulder to see the dragon behind her. Marcy responded with a nervous smile. She wasn't expecting this. Mainly because this was the first time in the last few days that the dragon had willingly approached her and hadn't shown any signs of aggressiveness or hostility. Instead, it expressed more of a genuine sense of curiosity. Though it only made Marcy more nervous.
"Oh," she said with a laugh. "Hello again."
The dragon didn't respond. Instead, its wide puppy-dog eyes were more fixed on her journal, specifically on the drawing she had of it.
"Ah, don't mind this," she tried to explain. "It's just my journal. I kinda like jotting down theories and observations."
The black-winged reptile tilted its head in slight confusion, perhaps because it had no idea what she was talking about. Yet, it only made the former chief ranger more and more anxious.
"You know, all about indigenous fauna, medicinal techniques, taxonomical classifications for various species and denizens..."
The young teen stopped shortly after noticing the dragon's expressionless face go unchanged. Save for a slight twitch to its right ear appendage, though that could've been a based reaction. The sheer awkward feeling she was starting to develop made Marcy blush in embarrassment. This forces her to get to the prominent topic that the dragon is only interested in.
"And sometimes I even do drawings," she finalized before holding up the drawing of the creature for it to see. "You like it?"
Here, the black silhouette bent its head to examine the sketch closely. It sniffed at it momentarily before tilting its head in the opposite direction. As it continued to admire the drawing practically, Marcy gulped nervously. She wasn't sure how the creature would react to this. Luckily, she was seeing positive responses. Yet before the former chief ranger could get ahead of herself, the dragon took its eyes off her journal for a moment and dozed off a bit. Shortly after, Marcy watched the creature turn its head the other way before looking back and perking up.
Half a heartbeat later, the black-winged beast bounded off without much of a second glance and out of the Taiwanese teenager's sight. And all Marcy could do now was let out a heavy sigh in utter disappointment. There must be a way for her to better connect with this creature. Otherwise, this would've been considered a complete waste of time for the former chief ranger.
Yet deep down, Marcy felt like she wouldn't learn more about this creature if it would keep ghosting her. She can't keep doing this forever. But even then, it felt like she was getting nowhere with this every time the dragon left her, thus leaving the poor girl up a creek without a paddle. And the sheer hopelessness made Marcy feel very gloomy.
Until a sudden clanging sound went off.
Marcy instantly perked up at the sudden noise, causing her to jump and turn her head to where it was coming from. A second shortly after that, she saw the dragon return with a metal pipe in between its jaws while making a sharp gargling sound as well. To what end, the young flipwart champion wasn't entirely sure. Suddenly, the black silhouette dragged the pipe against the ground in a peculiar fashion. And it was here that Marcy watched the dragon walk on its hind legs in a served line before dropping down on all fours and trotting into a circle, dragging the metal stick.
When it came around, the creature came to a short stop and stood on its hind legs before looking at the ground. Here, the black beast tilted its head slightly while eyeing the circle it made before it wiped away some of the dirt with its tail. Then, it firmly plants the pipe down and drags it around again, making what seemed to be an oval shape, before forming a smaller circle at the center of it. When it was about finished, the creature stopped to look at an already puzzled Marcy before hopping over to the other side of the big circle it had created.
The flipwart champion was more than confused about what the dragon was doing. But didn't have any interest in questioning it and was more drawn to what the dragon was trying to accomplish. Thus, she continued to observe the winged beast as it flared its left-wing out and dragged it slightly against the top of a circle into a diagonal line before curving it down so it matched up to the line above it. After that, the dragon hops back to the other side, forming another oval shape.
Twice, she watched the dragon make two circles with its metal pipe. And Marcy was still unsure of what its intentions were. However, the more she watched its movements, the more the former chief ranger began to notice a particular pattern form. And some of the shapes started to get increasingly authentic. Pretty soon, she began to see some somewhat perceptible features. Many range from body parts such as eyes, nose, and ear. There was even an image that held a striking resemblance to the green barrette that she kept in her hair.
Yet before Marcy could determine the meaning behind this, the dragon stopped short before eyeballing the young teenager. There, the creature panted while staring Marcy down before motioning down below. In return, she lowered her gaze to the imagery it had just crafted, which was too large for her to make out properly. Instead, she looked up back to the beast in front of her and muttered:
"Huh?"
Yet the dragon didn't react. Instead, it squinted its eyes, letting out a faint warble before perking up again. Then, it bounded off again before dragging the pipe against the ground for what happened to be the fifth time in a row. She watched it curve the line a little before reaching a screeching halt. Thus, sitting on its hindquarters and panted like a worn-out dog with the pipe still in its mouth.
Once again, Marcy was thrown at a loop as she looked down upon the carefully crafted lines in the sand. But then, the flipwart champion started to back up to get a better view. With each step she took, the image became more visible to her. And as she examined it further, it was here that Marcy began to realize what the creature had just done. Therefore, she concluded that this wasn't just any form of weird imagery.
It was a drawing!
And not just any drawing either. It was a drawing of her. Or at least that's what it looked like it was. Sure, it was imperfect and looked like her eyes were too big. But it didn't have to be a Pablo Picasso to impress her. The sheer thought the dragon could draw was enough to make Marcy frenzy. And it drew her smiling no less, which was just remarkable. And instantly, Marcy felt a familiar urge soar through her nervous system. Until it finally came out in full swing.
"Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed. "You can draw?! I didn't know you could draw! Since when can you draw?!"
The dragon nodded in response as the former chief ranger went on her geek fest. However, the creature had no idea how much this meant to the teen. As far as she was concerned, this was more than just a simple revelation to the teen. It was actual proof that the dragon showed a sign of intelligence. Very few animals in the animal kingdom are gifted that kind of luxury. But for a creature like this to be capable of drawing a picture, and a good one at that. This intelligence could rival dolphins and primates, the second most intelligent animals underneath humans.
Yet the length of this particular intelligence opened her up to so many other questions. Many of these relate to how far this intelligence goes and if it could rival humans, too. The possibilities were endless.
"Oh, this just keeps getting better and better!" she said with a much more giddy attitude. "I have so many questions right now. Maybe I should do a few tests to determine if-"
At the same time, however, Marcy's inherited geeky nature gets the best of her and causes her to step on the line obliviously. Thus earning a sharp growl from her seemingly intelligent partner. The sudden action causes Marcy to freeze, startled naturally by the dragon's all-too-aggressive behavior. Yet it only took her half a second before realizing what she did, and she instinctively lifted her foot off the line.
The black-winged beast responded with a purr before it let its guard down in gratification. But even then, Marcy's curiosity causes her to raise an eyebrow. For a moment, she looked between the beast and the line. As a test, the curious teen drops her foot back on the line and earns another threatening snarl from the creature. Only to lift it back up again and earn a satisfying purr.
She did it three more times before getting the same response from the dragon, and then she ultimately stepped over the line and planted her foot across from it. Therefore, she earns another purr from the dragon as it continues to let its guard down. And it was here that the message started to become clear to her. One of which Marcy respectfully obliged.
"Oh," she said nervously. "Sorry about that."
And with that, Marcy began to carefully step across the drawing, avoiding the lines as best as she could. In doing so, little did she know that the dragon was carefully tracing her movements and following every step she took along the way. With each calculated step, it was getting harder for Marcy to keep her balance, given her clumsy nature. The former chief ranger managed to keep it up for a few more paces, but before she could make it to the home stretch, Marcy ended up stepping on her shoelace. This caused her to squeal as she started to tip over.
However, before her face could firmly hit the ground as expected, Marcy fell short and hit a wall of scales instead. Before she knew it, Marcy had suddenly realized she had accidentally bumped into the dragon's muzzle. Ultimately, it startled the young teenager, and she let out a little yelp. Yet, to her surprise, the dragon seemed to be unfazed. Instead, it sat up on its hind legs and purred once again.
As the Asian teen stood there, her cheeks glowing red like a strawberry, it suddenly dawned on her how close to the dragon she was. And thus, Marcy started to feel a moment of deja vu, like she had been in this situation before. It was all too familiar to her at this point. Instinctively, Marcy reaches her hand out toward the creature. However, it merely responded with a warning growl. The young girl pulls back, only for the growling to cease. The dragon was making it clear where its boundaries were.
But the hopeful teenager was not willing to accept this. Marcy knew she meant no harm to the creature and had proven herself many times in the last few days. There was no point in doubting her at this point. Yet even then, she didn't force her way through. Instead, Marcy took a deep breath before lowering her head. Then, as slowly as she could, the young teenager extended her hand with her eyes closed. Thus leaving it up to fate to decide whether she was worthy.
As for the dragon, even though she couldn't see, Marcy could tell that it was somewhat astonished by her lowering her guard down in its presence. The former chief ranger knows she's flirting with death but will risk it if it means gaining this creature's trust. Though, to her credit, it took guts for her to willingly risk turning her back to a creature who could quickly destroy her and place all of her trust on its end.
The teen waited eagerly as the dragon continued to battle with its inner conflict. It was no secret that the black silhouette debated whether to consider her trust. And despite everything she's done for it, the creature still seemed somewhat wary of her. Yet other forms of doubt were suddenly crushed as she felt hot air piercing her skin. She could hear the dragon's nostrils getting closer until they were inches from her hand. She could feel the edge of the dragon's snout closely coming into contact when suddenly:
Ring! Ring!
The sound of Marcy's ringtone goes off, ultimately causing her to go wide-eyed. The dragon instinctively pulls back, confused by the noise. The flipwart champion's face goes utterly red before she quickly scrambles into her pockets to pull out her phone. The embarrassment she felt right now was impalpable, almost making her wish she could strangle the dipstick that decided to call her from her end.
Yet, to her confusion, Marcy was thrown off when she realized it was not a call, to be exact, but rather, a text from Anne. It was a rather ominous surprise since she had never expected Anne to be texting her at that hour. Last she recalled, her Thai best friend had to work the entire weekend at her family's restaurant. It was supposed to be a madhouse by now. However, Marcy was more drawn to her friend's message. One that instantly caught the Taiwanese girl's attention.
'Urgent!' it said. 'Sasha's in the hospital! There is no time to explain! Hurry!'
And it was here that Marcy's entire world started crashing down. And before long, a new sense of urgency started to form. Whatever move she was about to make with the beast had diminished. And Marcy found herself rushing over to her backpack. The former chief ranger packed her things as quickly as she could, shoving her journal roughly through it before throwing it over her shoulder. However, she stops shortly upon realizing that the dragon has its eyes still fixated on her. Its head was tilted slightly in bewilderment. Yet, Marcy had no time to explain, for one of her friends was in danger.
"I am so sorry, but I've got an emergency," she said, practically on the verge of tears. "I have to go!"
Then, as quickly as she arrived, Marcy rushed to the exit. Thus leaving the dragon in its lair both distressed and somewhat confused.
And that's the end of that! I hope you're all doing well! Sorry if it seemed a little too soon, but I wanted to leave off something in celebration of the Chinese New Year, which is supposed to kickstart the Year of the Dragon permanently. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this one. I got more creative with this chapter and laid out a few hidden references.
Also, there is one thing I want to clarify before signing off: only one friend of Marcy's will have a villain arc for this story (I'm pretty sure you can guess who it is). To have multiple won't make sense in the story's context or the other characters. But if anyone has a second opinion, please leave a review for the chapter in the review section. Or leave a review anyway if you have anything else to share, whether it be feedback, a question, or anything in general. And please PM me if you want to ask me a personal question.
And that's about it. Stay tuned for the next one, folks. Gunslinger is signing off!
