Dimension System - Chapter 102

 

[Devil]

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The pint-sized dragon was poised on the rocks beside the tide pools. The air shimmered ever so slightly at his position. If I hadn’t seen the creature during his earlier appearance, we’d have passed right by. The invisibility was so effective, that I didn’t dare to take my eyes off of the position. If we lost the creature, it could hide indefinitely.

 

It had stopped taunting and hadn’t made a sound after the initial scuffle. Only the feeling of being watched remained. Since Dragons were an intelligent species, I called out to the creature, attempting to gain it’s attention.

 

“Is this the lair of the one who called out to us? The home of a mighty Aqua dragon?”

 

Remaining invisible, the diminutive dragon deepened it’s voice to respond.

 

“That’s right, I’m a terrible monster and I’ll swallow you whole if you come any closer. My breath attack could melt an entire army. You treasure stealers better leave before I eat you up.”

 

Although powerful, the dragon still sounded like it was very young. It was obviously bluffing, much in the same manner that a small child would boast. If I wanted to gain it’s trust, I’d have to work slowly to build some rapport.

 

“Me and my treasure hunting crew didn’t know this was a dragon’s domain. Please forgive us, o mighty one! What is your name?”

 

Partially appearing in the visible spectrum, the Aqua dragon was sitting upright on the rocks. One of it’s four cat-like legs was extended to it’s chin, where it scratched habitually as it pondered the question. The rhythmic clinking sound of it’s claw against it’s scales punctuated the silent atmosphere. Gathering a much better glimpse of it, I could see that the creature’s body resembled a mixed proportion of fish and dragon.

 

Originally, I’d mistaken the silhouette for that of a lizard. Now that I could actually see it, I was able to confirm my previous guess. Overall, it’s body was covered in blue scales, which varied in coloration and appearance. The majority of them were a pale sky blue color, looking deceptively soft, smooth, and flexible. On the other hand, the scales on it’s neck, underside, and other sensitive areas were a darker blue. The appearance of these scales resembled a rigid, tough, and durable plating.

 

The head was the strangest part. An eccentric blend that fell between a large catfish and an eastern dragon. Flat and elongated, it housed an extremely wide mouth, that went completely from one side to the other. With it’s mouth currently closed, I could only hazard to guess how many rows of sharp teeth were concealed within. A draconian snout rested above it’s large maw, from which a multitude of thin whiskers emerged. Two of the whiskers were thicker than the rest and considerably longer, in fact they appeared to exceed it’s entire body length.

 

Noticing my stare, the Aqua dragon once again shimmered out of the visible wavelength. It hadn’t meant to make itself visible and had unknowingly dropped it’s concentration while thinking. With a shocked tone, it hastily replied, forgetting to deepen it’s voice this time.

 

“Hey you tricked me! You better not look at me, ever again. I.. I don’t know what a name is. Can you eat it? Is it shiny? What is it? A treasure?”

 

Hmm, was the dragon abandoned by it’s parents? How could it now know what a name was?

 

“A name is what you call someone. It’s how you refer to them. Didn’t your parents give you a name when you were born?”

 

Nonchalantly, the young dragon replied, albeit somewhat confused.

 

“Parents? My parents were killed by a bad dragon, before I was born. I feel sad when I think about them. It makes magic water come from my eyes and I have to play for an entire day to feel better. I wish one of my brothers or sisters survived, so I could have someone to play with.”

 

It was heartbreaking to hear his response. The young dragon had been orphaned since birth, it was still too young to fully comprehend it’s complex emotions. Perhaps, it would be best to avoid such a sensitive topic, until it grew a little older. Hopefully, I could change the subject of our conversation, having gained it’s attention.

 

“You mentioned treasure before? I’m somewhat of a treasure hunter myself, you know. I could show you some… if you’d let us get closer?”

 

At the prospect of treasure, the Aqua dragon revealed itself fully, and almost jumped down off it’s rocky perch. However, at the last minute, it hesitated. Stuck between obvious excitement, and it’s caution against strangers, the monster didn’t quite know what to do. Pacing back and forth a few times, it talked to itself out loud.

 

‘Treasure is the best! So shiny and amazing.’

 

‘What if they’re trying to trick me though?’

 

‘They might give me some of that treasure. But what if it’s a trap?’

 

Considering both potential outcomes, the young dragon finally looked over and spoke to us.

 

“If I let you come over here, do you promise not to trick me? I hate treasure stealers the worst. I’ll never, ever, ever forgive you! So, you have to promise me and keep your promise.”

 

Although skeptical, it appeared that the Aqua dragon was still somewhat gullible. If someone was going to trick you, of course they’d agree to your promise. It was likely that he’d had little, if any, social interaction with others. I reassured him, hoping to gain a little trust.

 

“Alright, I’ll agree to your promise. Though you have to agree not to steal my treasure. Can you do that?”

 

Shocked, the young dragon’s face contorted to a large O shape.

 

“H-how did you know my super secret plan? I was only going to take a little bit. Fine, I don’t even want your stinky, smelly treasure.”

 

I thought that it was probably best to approach alone, just in case anything happened.

 

“I’m coming over, just me, so don’t blast me away.”

 

Slowly, I approached the tiny Aqua dragon. While cautious, the creature only appeared nervous due to being shy. It didn’t seem to be scared of me, or concerned for it’s safety. Hopping of the rocks, it trotted directly up to me. Sniffing the air around me, it circled me a few times, before plopping down on the floor.

 

“I don’t smell any treasure on you. Did you trick me, mister? Are you poor?”

 

Chuckling, I used my dark dragon hand to summon a chest full of gold and jewels, which appeared before us. Both of the Aqua dragon’s offset eyes went wide at the sight. It became visibly excited, actually taking off into the air and hovering around several times. It’s legs had tucked in, while two tiny wings emerged from it’s back, giving it a very streamlined appearance during flight. The size of wings precluded flight, suggesting that it manipulated magical energy to maneuver.

 

“That was so cool! What was that? What did you just do? Where did the chest come from? Can you do it again? Do it again!”

 

Rapid-fire statements and questions came from the tiny dragon, in a high-pitched voice that revealed it’s age and excitement. I did my best to answer it’s questions.

 

“This is my special ability. I can store all of my treasure in a secret, special place. That way I can hide it from nasty treasure stealers.”

 

Landing next to me, the tiny dragon morphed into a much smaller handheld version of itself. Then, it crawled onto my dark dragon hand. Gently poking it with one of it’s claws, it looked up at me curiously.

 

“What happened to your hand? You put a treasure there? Does it hurt?”

 

I explained the situation and how it came to be.

 

“A massive emerald green crab cut part of my arm off. I had this jade dragon figurine attached in it’s place. I use it to focus my special ability now. It doesn’t hurt and it’s much cooler than a hook, don’t you think?”

 

Removing the figurine from my forearm, I showed him the stump that had healed over. Understanding dawned on the dragon’s face.

 

“Aw, I hate getting owies like that! Why don’t you just use your healing breath to fix it, mister?”

 

I couldn’t help but chuckle at the youngster’s naivet.

 

“I don’t have magic healing breath, or any breath powers for that matter.”

 

Once again, the Aqua dragon looked surprised. It probably assumed that everyone had those things, since it was normal to him.

 

“You don’t have ANY special breath powers?”

 

Kindly responding, I let him know that I didn’t.

 

“Only Dragons have magic breath abilities. How many do you have, young one?”

 

Leaping off my hand and returning to full-size, the immature dragon didn’t waste an opportunity to boast. It proudly stood on it’s hind legs and proceeded to brag.

 

“I have a cone of steam that I can shoot out. It can reach all the way to the end of the cove! It even works underwater too!”

 

Casually glancing at the distance, it appeared to be about thirty feet or so (~nine meters). The excitable dragon continued, although not quite as loudly. Was it embarrassed? The dragon had lowered it’s head to avoid eye direct contact.

 

“My other breath is a recovery cone that can heal. It.. it only goes halfway though, no matter how much I practice.”

 

The slight embarrassment made the dragon look like the epitome of cuteness, as it nervously kicked a small pile of sand absentmindedly with it’s claw. Especially when put against the stark contrast of it’s previously boisterous mannerisms. Finally, it looked up at me, with a gaze that sought approval.

 

I used my remaining good hand to reach out and rub the dragon’s head. The scales on the top were indeed smooth, as I’d suspected. After nuzzling my hand for a minute, the dragon raced over to the treasure chest, while rebuking me.

 

“H-Hey! Who said you could do that? You’re gonna mess up my scales.”

 

I looked at the dragon and replied.

 

“Didn’t you want to see this treasure?”

 

Relieved, the young Aqua dragon regained it’s composure.

 

“Oh, that’s right. I just got distracted. Let’s show each other our treasure.”

 

Opening the chest up, a sizable pile of glimmering coins and precious jewels was revealed. The young dragon’s face lit up at the sight. Looking over expectantly, he showed great restraint at the sight of his favorite thing. I stooped down to sift through the various coins and gems.

 

“Who is the man on these coins? Where did they come from? How did you get them? Can I hold some of them? What about those shiny rocks?”

 

Explaining what I knew about the contents, I answered his seemingly infinite questions.

 

“I think that’s probably the emperor or king. Some of these were found, others were earned. Sure you can hold a few of the coins, just remember you promised not to steal them. Those shiny rocks are called gems, they’re precious materials from deep within the planet.”

 

Not wasting a single moment, the dragon reached out and quickly snatched a dozen coins with blinding speed. Balancing them on it’s whiskers, the dragon called out with great excitement.

 

“Look what I can do! Look, look, are you looking??”

 

I had to admit that the sight was extremely comical. Both of us laughed, as the dragon played around, managing to keep the coins perfectly balanced without dropping any. When it came time to put them back, the dragon once again avoided eye contact and spoke lowly.

 

“D-do you think I could keep these coins? I only have a few.. and they aren’t this shiny. Pleeeease?”

 

The obvious ploy could easily be seen through, however, I decided to humor the dragon.

 

“Tell ya what, I’ll let you keep them if ya show me your treasures.”

 

Joyfully, the little dragon agreed.

 

“Yay! Since we’re friends now, I’ll show you my super special, top-secret treasures, that no one has ever seen.”

 

With a flying leap, the Aqua dragon dived into the largest tide pool. Surfacing a moment later, it had a waterlogged sack clutched in it’s claw. Weathered and beaten, the old moneybag had definitely seen better days. Carefully, the dragon tipped the sack over, revealing a small pile of worn gold coins. They’d lost their luster after countless years of suspension in ocean water. However, that didn’t prevent the dragon from beaming with pride, as he explained his collection.

 

“These are all the coins that I’ve collected. Look at how many I have! Aren’t they awesome? I’m sure that they’re worth a fortune.”

 

After several subsequent dives, along with subsequent explanations, a small pile of treasure was piled onto the sand near the tide pool. The small dragon was extremely proud to show off it’s prized possessions, emanating an almost palpable aura of satisfaction. Each claim got progressively more outlandish than the last one.

 

‘These are the pearls that I’ve collected from the ocean. Look how big they are! Probably the best in the whole world.’

 

‘Over here are the wonderful shells that I’ve gathered. See how many colors I have? Definitely the most awesome collection ever.’

 

‘This part is all of the shiniest rocks. Now I know they’re called ‘gems’. My gems are the biggest ever!’

 

‘I can’t show you the rest but I have shiny fish and plants in my pool. You gotta believe me! You believe me, right?’

 

Flitting around in a tizzy, the dragon exhausted itself from showing off everything that it could. When it sat down and stared yawning, an audible growl emerged from it’s tiny stomach. Embarrassed, the dragon turned invisible again, in an attempt to hide itself.

 

“Are you hungry? It’s about time for some dinner. Would you like to join us?”

 

Reappearing at the mention of food, the little dragon tentatively agreed.

 

“I guess that wouldn’t be a problem. What do you have? I usually eat fish!”

 

Answering, I made sure to confirm that it would be alright for the rest of the crew to approach.

 

“We’ve got fish and many other things. I’d have to call my crew over, is that alright with you?”

 

Eager at the prospect of food, the dragon readily agreed.

 

“Alright, they can come over too but I want the biggest fish! Biggest fish for me! Biggest fish! Biggest fish!”

 

Pumping it’s forearms in the air, the dragon continued to chant repeatedly, while hopping from side to side. I motioned my crew to join us, now that the coast was clear. When they reached us, the dragon suddenly got shy, cutting short it’s jubilant little dance and hiding behind me.

 

Although they hadn’t reached their peak size and potential, the fish inside the spatial world had bred a bit. Having a few to eat wouldn’t impact the overall population and would provide a nice dinner. Soon, a large grill was brought out upon a fire pit and several large fish were placed to cook. The little dragon couldn’t help itself from exclaiming loudly.

 

“Whoa! Where did you get these fish? They’re so much bigger than the ones around here and they look so tasty.”

 

I offered a simple explanation, hoping to entice the Aqua dragon.

 

“I got them from my special place. Even fish can be considered a treasure, if they’re raised right, don’t you think?”

 

Gulping, the young dragon took a breath of the scent of cooking fish. The nearby steam raising off the fish was inhaled into it’s nostrils.

 

“I agree! I agree! When can we eat? Is it done yet? Will it be ready soon?”

 

Flipping the fish over to the other side, I continued the conversation, while applying seasoning.

 

“They’re almost done, just putting the rest of the spices on.”

 

Looking at me curiously, the dragon asked even more questions.

 

“What’s a spice? Why do they smell even better now?”

 

It was my turn to pretend to act shocked.

 

“You don’t know about spices? They’re parts of plants that enhance the flavor of food. Things like seeds, fruits, and even certain roots.”

 

Listening patiently, the young dragon soaked up the information, while it salivated over the even more enticing smells that were being produced. Finally, the meal was ready and we set a large wooden table with the dishes. Observing the others seated at the table, the dragon made it a point to sit next to me. I made sure to set the three largest fish down in front of him.

 

A large Blue Marlin, Yellowfin Tuna, and Mahi-mahi each sat above a bed of rice. Light fish stock was drizzled over each, soaking them in additional flavor. Everyone dug into the food with gusto, enjoying the tender fish, that was covered with an exterior which had just the right amount of crispiness.

 

“You remembered! The biggest fish…”

 

For the first time since I approached, the dragon had finally gone quiet. The infinite questions were replaced by the slow and delicate crunch of eating. Taking it’s time, each bite was methodical and deliberate, as if it was scared that it might never have such delicious food again. Fully relaxed, the dragon closed it’s eyes and sat back rubbing it’s belly scales.

 

After dinner, the tiny Aqua dragon recovered it’s boundless energy. Taking advantage of having an audience, it got up from the table and started playing around. Standing next to me, it called out for everyone’s attention.

 

“Watch me! Watch me!”

 

Standing next to me, it morphed it’s hand into a small dragon figurine, before mimicking my earlier action of summoning things. It even used various onomatopoeia to imitate sound effects.

 

“Waaaarm! Pheeew! Who am I? Guess who? C’mon guess!”

 

Such an innocent and childlike expression caused the entire crew to burst out into laughter. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so I didn’t mind. It was obvious that the young Aqua dragon was becoming attached. I could only imagine how lonely it must have been. Without parents, it was only natural that it would seek approval wherever possible.

 

Eventually, after having imitated most of the crew and playing around, we brought out some simple tents. Setting up a campfire on the sandy area beside the tide pools, we started settling down for the night. I asked the dragon if it would mind.

 

“We sure had a lot of fun tonight. Would you mind if we stayed here for the night? It’s getting late, so I wanted to make sure that it’s alright.”

 

Yawning and struggling to keep it’s eyes open, the dragon wearily responded.

 

“Yeah, it’s nice to be warm for once… and to have friends.”

 

The last part was so quiet, that it was almost a whisper. Due to the dragon’s intelligence, it was easy to forget that it was still a young and vulnerable child. Looking out from our campsite, we enjoyed the sight of the clear night sky in silence. By the time I fell asleep, the young dragon was comfortably cuddled next to me on my cot.

 

Tomorrow, we’d head back to the Ranger’s base. Before that, I would ask the young dragon to accompany us. Hopefully, it would allow me to show it my spatial world. I’m sure that the prospect of adventuring the world would entice him or her. I still wasn’t sure what gender it was yet.